1990 Winston 500 Explained

Type:NASWINSTON
Course Km:4.28
Caption:The 1990 Winston 500 program cover, featuring Davey Allison.
Pole Time:48.027
First Team:Richard Childress Racing
First Driver:Dale Earnhardt
Attendance:140,000
Announcers:Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Radio:Motor Racing Network
Network:ESPN
Most Team:Richard Childress Racing
Car:3
Most Laps:107
Most Driver:Dale Earnhardt
Pole Driver:Bill Elliott
Avg:159.571mph
Location:Lincoln, Alabama, Talladega Superspeedway
Pole Team:Melling Racing
Scheduled Km:804.8
Distance Km:804.8
Distance Laps:188
Scheduled Laps:188
Scheduled Mi:500.08
Season No:29
Race No:9
Race Name:Winston 500
Course Mi:2.66
Date:May 6
Year:1990
Distance Mi:500.08
Official Name:21st Annual Winston 500

The 1990 Winston 500 was the ninth stock car race of the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 21st iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, May 6, 1990, before an audience of 140,000 in Lincoln, Alabama at Talladega Superspeedway, a 2.66 miles (4.28 km) permanent triangle-shaped superspeedway. The race took the scheduled 188 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt was able to fend off part-time driver for Hendrick Motorsports, Greg Sacks to take his 42nd career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his third victory of the season.[1] [2] [3] To fill out the top three, the aforementioned Greg Sacks and Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. The track is a tri-oval and was constructed in the 1960s by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line that's located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and the Camping World Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval, a 2.66-longNaN-long tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which also is a 2.5-longNaN-long tri-oval.

Entry list

DriverTeamMakeSponsor
1Terry LabontePrecision Products RacingOldsmobileSkoal
01Mickey GibbsGibbs RacingFordSpecial Days Inn
2Rick MastU.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
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
35Bill VenturiniVenturini MotorsportsChevroletAmoco
42Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiacPeak Antifreeze
43Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiacSTP
47Jack Pennington (R)Close RacingOldsmobileKanawha Insurance
52Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiacAlka-Seltzer
57Jimmy SpencerOsterlund RacingPontiacHeinz
66Dick TrickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiacPhillips 66 TropArtic
70J. D. McDuffieMcDuffie RacingPontiacRumple Furniture
71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletBig Apple Market
72Phil ParsonsBarkdoll RacingOldsmobileBarkdoll Racing
73Phil BarkdollBarkdoll RacingOldsmobileSlimFast
75Rick WilsonRahMoc EnterprisesOldsmobileDinner Bell Foods
80Jimmy HortonS&H RacingFordMiles Concrete
82Mark StahlStahl RacingFordAuto Bell Car Wash
83Lake SpeedSpeed RacingOldsmobilePrestone
85Bobby GerhartBobby Gerhart RacingChevroletJames Omar Landis Auctions
90Buddy BakerDonlavey RacingFordSunny King Ford & Honda
94Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobileSunoco
98Butch MillerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevroletFood World

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Thursday, May 3, at 4:30 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 20 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 Friday, May 4, at 3:30 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-40 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 were given.

Bill Elliott, driving for Melling Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 48.027 and an average speed of 199.388mph in the first round.[5] [6]

Four drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
19Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord48.027199.388
225Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet48.089199.131
317Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet48.115199.023
44Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobile48.138198.928
53Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet48.168198.804
66Mark MartinRoush RacingFord48.183198.742
77Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord48.542197.277
828Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord48.561197.195
933Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile48.606197.013
1030Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac48.665196.774
1142Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac48.677196.725
1257Jimmy SpencerOsterlund RacingPontiac48.731196.507
1320Rob Moroso (R)Moroso RacingOldsmobile48.747196.443
145Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet48.755196.411
1594Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobile48.758196.399
1621Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFord48.791196.266
1718Greg SacksHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet48.940195.668
1812Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsBuick48.964195.572
1975Rick WilsonRahMoc EnterprisesOldsmobile49.051195.225
2052Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac49.107195.003
Failed to lock in Round 1
2115Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFord49.072195.142
2227Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiac49.135194.892
2311Geoff BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord49.142194.864
2426Brett BodineKing RacingBuick49.147194.844
2566Dick TrickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiac49.174194.737
2672Phil ParsonsBarkdoll RacingOldsmobile49.216194.571
2710Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet49.277194.330
2883Lake SpeedSpeed RacingOldsmobile49.314194.184
2971Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet49.391193.881
3090Buddy BakerDonlavey RacingFord49.461193.607
311Terry LabontePrecision Products RacingOldsmobile49.523193.365
3247Jack Pennington (R)Close RacingOldsmobile49.524193.361
338Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuick49.572193.174
342Rick MastU.S. RacingPontiac49.591193.100
3535Bill VenturiniVenturini MotorsportsChevrolet49.607193.037
3673Phil BarkdollBarkdoll RacingOldsmobile49.670192.792
3798Butch MillerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet49.672192.785
3819Chad LittleLittle RacingFord49.714192.622
3943Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac49.724192.583
4001Mickey GibbsGibbs RacingFord50.066191.268
Failed to qualify
4170J. D. McDuffieMcDuffie RacingPontiac-*-*
4285Bobby GerhartBobby Gerhart RacingChevrolet-*-*
4380Jimmy HortonS&H RacingFord-*-*
4482Mark StahlStahl RacingFord-*-*
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

FinStDriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings
153Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet188107running185$98,975
21718Greg SacksHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet18841running175$46,900
366Mark MartinRoush RacingFord1884running170$39,050
444Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobile1881running165$30,150
51030Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac1882running160$26,425
6311Terry LabontePrecision Products RacingOldsmobile1881running155$20,657
71142Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac1871running151$20,950
82115Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFord1875running147$17,200
91812Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsBuick1870running138$13,400
10317Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1873running139$24,725
113247Jack Pennington (R)Close RacingOldsmobile1870running130$9,870
122426Brett BodineKing RacingBuick1870running127$12,540
1377Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord1860running124$12,010
142971Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet1860running121$11,405
153819Chad LittleLittle RacingFord1860running118$7,975
163798Butch MillerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet1860running115$8,510
17342Rick MastU.S. RacingPontiac1860running112$9,570
183535Bill VenturiniVenturini MotorsportsChevrolet1830running109$6,255
194001Mickey GibbsGibbs RacingFord1830running106$6,040
202227Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiac1830running103$17,575
212052Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac1810running100$6,565
2219Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord1750running97$16,570
23338Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuick1710running94$8,310
242311Geoff BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord1702running96$13,655
25828Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord1620running88$13,275
261594Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobile1590engine85$7,945
272566Dick TrickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiac1580running82$8,790
28225Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet15420valve84$13,735
293943Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac1370running76$5,630
303673Phil BarkdollBarkdoll RacingOldsmobile1210clutch73$4,875
313090Buddy BakerDonlavey RacingFord1151handling75$5,420
321257Jimmy SpencerOsterlund RacingPontiac1140engine67$7,340
33145Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1040accident64$7,285
341621Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFord1030accident61$7,230
352672Phil ParsonsBarkdoll RacingOldsmobile1010accident58$4,600
36933Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile830engine55$11,570
371320Rob Moroso (R)Moroso RacingOldsmobile790piston52$4,740
382883Lake SpeedSpeed RacingOldsmobile410engine49$4,435
391975Rick WilsonRahMoc EnterprisesOldsmobile90engine46$6,380
402710Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet30engine43$9,350
Failed to qualify
4170J. D. McDuffieMcDuffie RacingPontiac
4285Bobby GerhartBobby Gerhart RacingChevrolet
4380Jimmy HortonS&H RacingFord
4482Mark StahlStahl RacingFord
Official race results

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
1Dale Earnhardt1,460
2Morgan Shepherd1,370 (-90)
13Mark Martin1,295 (-165)
14Darrell Waltrip1,245 (–215)
25Geoff Bodine1,227 (–233)
6Kyle Petty1,224 (–236)
7Rusty Wallace1,174 (–286)
28Brett Bodine1,155 (–305)
19Ken Schrader1,136 (–324)
110Bill Elliott1,129 (–331)
Official driver's standings

Notes and References

  1. News: Higgins . Tom . May 7, 1990 . Earnhardt Bursts Sacks' Dream At Talladega (Part 1) . 29 . . March 18, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  2. News: Higgins . Tom . May 7, 1990 . Earnhardt Bursts Sacks' Dream At Talladega (Part 2) . 33 . . March 18, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  3. News: Estes . Cary . May 7, 1990 . Earnhardt outmaneuvers Sacks . 13 . . March 18, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  4. News: May 3, 1990 . NASCAR today . 55 . . March 18, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  5. News: Higgins . Tom . May 4, 1990 . Elliott Edges Schrader To Get Talladega Pole (Part 1) . 17 . . March 18, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  6. News: Higgins . Tom . May 4, 1990 . Elliott Edges Schrader To Get Talladega Pole (Part 2) . 22 . . March 18, 2023 . Newspapers.com.