In the last few laps of Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway, tears began to well up in Kyle Larson’s eyes.

When Larson subsequently took the checkered flag to win the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of his career, the emotion was all but overwhelming—and for good reason.

The victory came in Larson’s 99th start in the series, long after most observers expected Larson to record his first win. It also broke a 99-race drought for Chip Ganassi Racing, dating to Jamie McMurray’s victory at Talladega in October 2013.

Junior Johnson didn’t hesitate when asked what he planned to do with the victor’s winnings from the Southern 500 on Sept. 3, 1962, at Darlington Raceway.

“I’m going to build some more chicken houses,” said the popular

Johnson, a folk hero and former moonshine hauler who was also a poultry producer who drove race cars very fast.

But even as Johnson envisioned carpenters hammering nails on his Wilkes County farm, some rivals were hollering “foul!”

Michael McDowell’s Twitter handle is @Mc_Driver.

After Saturday, he may want to consider changing it -- to something like @Mc_Winner.

McDowell led 24 of the final 25 laps of the NASCAR XFINITY Series Road America 180 Fired Up by Johnsonville for his first victory in 94 series races.

In five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, Brett Moffitt had never led a lap.

But in Saturday’s Careers for Veterans 200 at Michigan International Speedway, Moffitt picked the perfect time to take the point for the first time.

As Dale Jarrett’s career as a second generation NASCAR star progressed, he gradually gained a reputation for being at his best in the biggest events.

This was punctuated into stock car racing lore on Aug. 4, 1986, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

As the Cup Series teams gather once again at the world’s most famous track, standing out in memory is Jarrett’s clutch pass of Ford teammate Ernie Irvan six laps from the finish to win the third running of the Brickyard 400.

Imagine getting in your personal car on the hottest day of summer, rolling up the windows, turning the heater on high and driving from Charlotte to Philadelphia.

That's how the late NASCAR Hall Of Fame nominee Buddy Baker once described what it was like to run in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on sultry South Carolina Labor Days during the 1950s, '60s and '70s before "cool suits" and such came along.

The issue of racing when the thermometer is teasing 100 degrees comes to mind because of the heat wave presently scorching much of the nation.

There were times during summer races a few decades ago at Charlotte, Daytona Beach, Dover and Talladega when searing weather conditions seemed to be as much of a threat to the drivers' health as being involved in a wreck.