Take a look at NASCAR in the 1970s, and you’ll see just how much the sport has evolved. Back then, the cars were slower, the tech was simpler, and the rules were a bit more relaxed. Fast forward to today, and we’ve got lightning-fast cars and cutting-edge technology, not to mention a whole new set of rules and strategies.

Back in 1981, DiGard Racing saw an opportunity in this evolution. With car inspections not as stringent as they are now, they came up with a clever modification to their cars that gave them a speed boost, all while staying within the rules. It was a game-changer that highlighted just how innovative the sport has become over the years. But more on that year?

Winning the 1981 Cup Series championship was no easy feat for Darrell Waltrip. The man behind the win was Gary Nelson, the crew chief who played a pivotal role in securing Waltrip’s first championship. Nelson had to navigate the somewhat flexible rules of the time to achieve this victory. Dale Jr. recently sat down with Nelson to discuss his strategic prowess, back in the day. During their chat, Nelson revealed the ingenious approach he used to make the car lighter and faster during the race. So, what exactly was Nelson’s big idea?

“It was my idea,” Gary Nelson reveals, being the mastermind behind the Buckshots strategy from 1976 to Dale Jr. on the July 11 episode of the Dale Jr. Download. He explained, “In those days, in the ’70s, in NASCAR.. officiating wasn’t much. If you raced in the 70s with a 100% rulebook-legal race car, you didn’t race for long because you would be out of business.”

As Nelson wanted to stay in the game, he explained, “My efforts were to stay in business. We had a sponsor and owners, and we had to win. The pressure is always on in this business to perform. We had to come up with ways to be competitive against other cars.” So when it came to having a competitive edge over the other teams who were allegedly bending the rules, DiGard Racing formulated a plan to lose weight from the car mid-race.

Gary Nelson who was a chief mechanic back then, explained, how Darrell drove ‘the Bertha‘ [one of the most successful cars to ace in those times] “Buckshot came; it was my idea. I found a way. The battery sat on top of the frame rail. You could take the battery out, drill a hole in the frame, pour 50 pounds of buckshot in, and then the jack post was just a little short piece of tubing.” They implemented this during the pitstops, and this helped Waltrip gain an advantage over other teams until it lasted.

After explaining the workings of the mechanism to Dale Jr., Gary Nelson added, “The driver would reach to his left side, put his fingers on the bolt, turn it three turns, and that would open up the plug. The plug would fall out on the pace lap, and the buckshot would just roll out.” However, this only lasted for a while, as a mishap almost led them to get busted by the officials, and here is how they got saved.

The end of Darrell Waltrip’s Buckshot cheat

Gary Nelson also explained the last time they used that trick as they almost got caught bending the rules. Nelson explains that they stopped using the buckshot trick after a mishap during the night race at Bristol. Darrell Waltrip, turned the bolt half a turn less than he should have, causing the buckshot to start pouring out during the first pit stop on Pit Road instead of the pace lap. The buckshot created a visible trail that went through Junior Johnson’s pit, drawing attention from the rival team.

After the incident with the buckshot during the race at Bristol, officials, led by Chip Warren, investigated the matter. They received reports of buckshot dropping from Darrell Waltrip’s car as it passed through the pits. Following the race, officials circled Waltrip’s car to inspect it thoroughly.

However, Gary Nelson, the crew chief, strategically placed the jack under the spot where the buckshot had been ejected, effectively hiding any visible evidence from the inspectors.

Despite suspicions and reports, the officials could not find conclusive evidence during their inspection, leading them to conclude that there was no proof of wrongdoing on Waltrip’s team’s part. Nelson then explained that it was the last time they used that method as they were weary of being caught.

That being said did you know about this secret method that the team used to secure Darrell Waltrip’s first Cup Series Championship? Let us know your thoughts on this in the comments below.