Few would disagree that the 27-year association between the NHRA and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company represented the most lucrative and exciting period of the series’ history, and an era that will most likely never be surpassed. The folks at Winston were very much interested in the growth of the sport that they proudly backed, and like the stick-and ball All Star games and the NASCAR All Star Race, they wanted to showcase the stars of the NHRA with their own special, once a year event. For 10 years, the non-points-earning Winston Select Invitational was held at the Rockingham Dragway, but for 1999, Winston had something even greater in store.

When Bruton Smith purchased the historic Bristol Dragway that had long operated under IHRA sanction in 1998 and renovated the facility into a state-of-the-art jewel, the NHRA’s annual All Star event  found a new home and an exciting new format that had fans buzzing, although in a much more positive manner than the response received from four-wide racing. The Winston No Bull Showdown would pit Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars alongside one another with a handicap start, with the winner pocketing a cool $200,000.

The 24-car field containing 12 dragsters and 12 floppers consisted of the most recent Winston champions and national event winners to comprise the top 12 spots, while the final two positions were left open for racers to qualify their way into. Despite the .037-second delay and the head games played by the Funny Car racers, neither side clearly dominated the race. But at the end of the day, just as the NHRA and Winston had hoped, it was a classic Funny Car versus dragster matchup for all the marbles. Then eight-time champ John Force got the best of an always-tough Bob Vandergriff in a tire-smoking battle under the lights, earning the big check from Winston.

The Winston No Bull Showdown would last only one more season, as R.J. Reynolds was forced out of the sport, relinquishing their title sponsorship role to Coca Cola’s PowerAde brand. An All Star event has not been held in the nine years since Winston’s departure. This ESPN coverage, produced by the much-missed Diamond P Sports, is broken into seven clips on YouTube that can be easily found on the right side bar.