1990 Miller Genuine Draft 500 Explained

Type:NASWINSTON
First Team:Leo Jackson Motorsports
Season No:29
Race No:13
Announcers:Dave Despain, Lyn St. James, Phil Parsons
Most Laps:31
Network:Viewer's Choice (PPV)
Radio:Motor Racing Network
Avg:120.6mph
Pole Driver:Ernie Irvan
First Driver:Harry Gant
Most Driver:Geoff Bodine
Most Team:Junior Johnson & Associates
Pole Team:Morgan-McClure Motorsports
Car:33
Location:Long Pond, Pennsylvania, Pocono Raceway
Scheduled Km:804.672
Distance Km:804.672
Scheduled Mi:500
Scheduled Laps:200
Distance Laps:200
Course Km:4.0
Course Mi:2.5
Official Name:9th Annual Miller Genuine Draft 500
Race Name:Miller Genuine Draft 500
Pole Time:56.693
Year:1990
Distance Mi:500
Date:June 17
Attendance:80,000

The 1990 Miller Genuine Draft 500 was the 13th stock car race of the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the ninth iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, June 17, 1990, before an audience of 80,000 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, at Pocono Raceway, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) triangular permanent course. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. In the final laps, Leo Jackson Motorsports driver Harry Gant mounted a late-race charge, passing for the lead with 12 laps to go in the race to take his 11th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[1] [2] [3] To fill out the top three, Blue Max Racing driver Rusty Wallace and Junior Johnson & Associates driver Geoff Bodine would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

The race was held at Pocono International Raceway, which is a three-turn superspeedway located in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The track hosts two annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, as well as one Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series event. Until 2019, the track also hosted an IndyCar Series race.

Pocono International Raceway is one of a very few NASCAR tracks not owned by either Speedway Motorsports, Inc. or International Speedway Corporation. It is operated by the Igdalsky siblings Brandon, Nicholas, and sister Ashley, and cousins Joseph IV and Chase Mattioli, all of whom are third-generation members of the family-owned Mattco Inc, started by Joseph II and Rose Mattioli.

Outside of the NASCAR races, the track is used throughout the year by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and motorcycle clubs as well as racing schools and an IndyCar race. The triangular oval also has three separate infield sections of racetrack – North Course, East Course and South Course. Each of these infield sections use a separate portion of the tri-oval to complete the track. During regular non-race weekends, multiple clubs can use the track by running on different infield sections. Also some of the infield sections can be run in either direction, or multiple infield sections can be put together – such as running the North Course and the South Course and using the tri-oval to connect the two.

Entry list

DriverTeamMakeSponsor
1Terry LabontePrecision Products RacingOldsmobileSkoal
2Troy BeebeU.S. RacingPontiacU.S. Racing
3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevroletGM Goodwrench Service Plus
4Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobileKodak
5Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevroletLevi Garrett
6Mark MartinRoush RacingFordFolgers
7Alan KulwickiAK RacingFordZerex
8Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuickSnickers
9Bill ElliottMelling RacingFordCoors Light
10Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevroletPurolator Filters
11Geoff BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFordBudweiser
12Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsBuickRaybestos
13Randy LaJoieLinro MotorsportsBuickSpies–Hecker Paints
15Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFordMotorcraft
17Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevroletTide
18Greg SacksHendrick MotorsportsChevroletSlimFast
19Chad LittleLittle RacingFordBull's Eye Barbecue Sauce
20Rob Moroso (R)Moroso RacingOldsmobileCrown Central Petroleum
21Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFordCitgo
25Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevroletKodiak
26Brett BodineKing RacingBuickQuaker State
27Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiacMiller Genuine Draft
28Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFordTexaco, Havoline
30Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiacCountry Time
33Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobileSkoal Bandit
38Jim SauterDick Johnson RacingFordRedkote Steel Tubing
42Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiacPeak Antifreeze
43Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiacSTP
47Jack Pennington (R)Close RacingOldsmobileClose Racing
52Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiacAlka-Seltzer
53Jerry O'Neil (R)Aroneck RacingOldsmobileAroneck Racing
54Tommy RigginsHakes–Welliver RacingOldsmobileHakes–Welliver Racing
57Jimmy SpencerOsterlund RacingPontiacHeinz
66Dick TrickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiacPhillips 66 TropArtic
70J. D. McDuffieMcDuffie RacingPontiacMcDuffie Racing
71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletBig Apple Market
74Mike PotterWawak RacingPontiacLinville Home Builders
75Rick WilsonRahMoc EnterprisesPontiacDinner Bell Foods
80Jimmy HortonS&H RacingFordMiles Concrete
94Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobileSunoco
98Butch MillerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevroletBanquet Foods

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, June 15, at 3:00 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 15 drivers in the round would be guaranteed a starting spot in the race. If a driver was not able to guarantee a spot in the first round, they had the option to scrub their time from the first round and try and run a faster lap time in a second round qualifying run, held on Saturday, June 16, at 10:30 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 16-40 would be decided on time,[4] and depending on who needed it, a select amount of positions were given to cars who had not otherwise qualified but were high enough in owner's points; up to two provisionals were given.

Ernie Irvan, driving for Morgan–McClure Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 56.693 and an average speed of 158.75mph in the first round.[5] [6]

Mike Potter was the only driver to fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
14Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobile56.693158.750
266Dick TrickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiac57.060157.729
39Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord57.110157.591
411Geoff BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord57.122157.558
518Greg SacksHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet57.226157.271
63Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet57.243157.224
794Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobile57.261157.175
825Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet57.278157.128
917Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet57.291157.093
107Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord57.303157.060
116Mark MartinRoush RacingFord57.353156.923
1228Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord57.441156.683
1321Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFord57.448156.663
1442Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac57.482156.571
155Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet57.535156.427
Failed to lock in Round 1
1633Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile57.629156.171
1710Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet57.651156.112
1875Rick WilsonRahMoc EnterprisesOldsmobile57.659156.090
1930Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac57.712155.947
2026Brett BodineKing RacingBuick57.720155.925
2112Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsBuick57.868155.526
2243Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac57.908155.419
2357Jimmy SpencerOsterlund RacingPontiac57.922155.381
2427Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiac57.935155.347
258Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuick58.067154.993
2698Butch MillerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet58.085154.945
271Terry LabontePrecision Products RacingOldsmobile58.194154.655
2813Randy LaJoieLinro MotorsportsBuick58.235154.546
2915Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFord58.256154.491
3020Rob Moroso (R)Moroso RacingOldsmobile58.319154.324
3171Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet58.325154.308
3280Jimmy HortonS&H RacingFord58.603153.576
3347Jack Pennington (R)Close RacingOldsmobile58.672153.395
3438Jim SauterDick Johnson RacingFord58.795153.074
3519Chad LittleLittle RacingFord58.862152.900
3654Tommy RigginsHakes–Welliver RacingOldsmobile58.990152.568
3753Jerry O'Neil (R)Aroneck RacingOldsmobile59.461151.360
3852Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac59.517151.217
392Troy BeebeU.S. RacingPontiac59.565151.095
4070J. D. McDuffieMcDuffie RacingPontiac1:00.116149.711
Failed to qualify
4174Mike PotterWawak RacingPontiac-*-*
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

FinStDriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings
11633Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile20015running180$54,350
22427Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiac20019running175$37,307
3411Geoff BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord20031running175$30,750
42026Brett BodineKing RacingBuick20012running165$19,850
51228Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord2000running155$20,700
62112Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsBuick2000running150$11,425
7518Greg SacksHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet20029running151$11,050
8917Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2000running142$15,925
9794Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobile2000running138$10,675
101442Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac20012running139$15,350
112915Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFord20018running135$9,850
121710Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet2003running132$10,550
1363Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2003running129$14,150
14116Mark MartinRoush RacingFord2004running126$13,150
15825Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2000running118$12,525
1639Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord2000running115$13,450
1714Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobile20018running117$15,125
183519Chad LittleLittle RacingFord2000running109$4,650
191930Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac2001running111$8,425
20271Terry LabontePrecision Products RacingOldsmobile2000running103$8,975
213347Jack Pennington (R)Close RacingOldsmobile2001running105$4,925
223171Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet2000running97$7,675
232698Butch MillerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet1990running94$5,775
243438Jim SauterDick Johnson RacingFord1990running91$3,925
25266Dick TrickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiac1980accident88$7,075
263654Tommy RigginsHakes–Welliver RacingOldsmobile1960running85$3,825
273852Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac1940running82$3,775
284070J. D. McDuffieMcDuffie RacingPontiac1880running79$3,725
29258Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuick1800engine76$6,675
302357Jimmy SpencerOsterlund RacingPontiac1721accident78$6,575
311321Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFord1710accident70$6,425
32155Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1690running67$6,275
332813Randy LaJoieLinro MotorsportsBuick1670accident64$3,450
34107Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord16529accident66$6,850
351875Rick WilsonRahMoc EnterprisesOldsmobile1500engine58$6,025
363020Rob Moroso (R)Moroso RacingOldsmobile1344accident60$4,950
37392Troy BeebeU.S. RacingPontiac1190accident0$5,875
382243Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac940accident49$3,825
393280Jimmy HortonS&H RacingFord650engine46$3,200
403753Jerry O'Neil (R)Aroneck RacingOldsmobile220crank43$3,150
Failed to qualify
4174Mike PotterWawak RacingPontiac
Official race results

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
1Mark Martin1,926
2Morgan Shepherd1,873 (-53)
3Rusty Wallace1,863 (-63)
14Geoff Bodine1,819 (–107)
15Dale Earnhardt1,793 (–133)
6Kyle Petty1,733 (–193)
7Ken Schrader1,673 (–253)
8Bill Elliott1,661 (–265)
9Darrell Waltrip1,659 (–267)
10Ernie Irvan1,621 (–305)
Official driver's standings

Notes and References

  1. News: Higgins . Tom . June 18, 1990 . One For The Ages: Gant Wins At Pocono (Part 1) . 9 . . March 23, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  2. News: Higgins . Tom . June 18, 1990 . One For The Ages: Gant Wins At Pocono (Part 2) . 11 . . March 23, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  3. News: Fitzpatrick . Frank . June 18, 1990 . Gant surprises with Pocono win . 57 . . March 23, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  4. News: June 15, 1990 . NASCAR today . 23 . . March 23, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  5. News: Higgins . Tom . June 16, 1990 . Irvan Takes Pole; It's Almost A Record (Part 1) . 29 . . March 23, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  6. News: Higgins . Tom . June 16, 1990 . Irvan Takes Pole; It's Almost A Record (Part 2) . 33 . . March 23, 2023 . Newspapers.com.