Throwback Thursday: May 26

Memorial Day weekend is always a big one for racing fans. Here are some highlights from Memorial Day weekend in the racing world, as we look back on May 26 in history.

- Before the All Pro Series and all the regional touring shows, the big stars of the southeast chased the big money and big events. That was the case on this date in 1979 at Mobile International Speedway (AL). Jody Ridley beat out Ray Putnam and Junior Niedecken for a big win in the Mobile 200.

- Back in 1984 before making it to the NASCAR Cup Series Michael Waltrip was a force on the NASCAR Dash Series He was the 1983 Champion and came back in 1984 to win on this date in Nashville at the Fairgrounds Speedway (TN). Waltrip would win at Orange County Speedway (NC) later that season. Mike Swaim was second at Nashville on his way to the 1984 championship.

THE THIRD TURN: 1984 Nashville 100 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

- Dave Darland got the job done from the pole in the 1995 Hulman Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds (IN). Eric Gordon led 33 laps from the outside of the front row before an engine went sour. Darland led the final 67 laps to score the USAC Silver Crown Car win.

THE THIRD TURN: 1995 Hulman Hundred at Indiana State Fairgrounds

- During the early 1990s, one of the toughest drivers to beat at Charlotte Motor Speedway was Davey Allison. On this day in 1991, he won the Coca-Cola 600, leading 263 of the 400 laps. The week before, Allison had won The Winston by leading every lap of the all-star event. Allison also won the Mello Yello 500 the previous fall, finished second to Geoff Bodine in 1991's fall race at Charlotte, and memorably won The Winston again in 1992 in dramatic fashion on "One Hot Night."

THE THIRD TURN: 1991 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

- Back in 2007 Eric Gordon led 196 laps of the 500 laps at Anderson Speedway (IN) in the Pay Less Little 500. Leading the final 102 circuits was enough to win over Aaron Pierce by a full lap. This was the eighth win for Gordon in the Little 500, and just three years later he won his record ninth Little 500. Gordon has 16 career top five runs in this race.

THE THIRD TURN: 2007 Pay Less Little 500 at Anderson Speedway

- On this day in 2012 Bubba Pollard went to victory lane at Mobile International Speedway (AL) in the Gulf Coast Championship Series. The 10-race series was a combination between Mobile and Five Flags Speedway (FL). In the 10 races that year, Pollard won three times and had nine top-five runs. Pollard had two wins, a second and a third at Mobile that season.

THE THIRD TURN: 2012 Sunoco Gulf Coast Championship Series at Mobile Int'l Speedway