1991 Miller Genuine Draft 500 Explained

Type:NASWINSTON
First Team:Penske Racing South
Season No:29
Race No:16
Announcers:Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, Ned Jarrett
Most Laps:65
Network:ESPN
Radio:Motor Racing Network
Avg:115.459mph
Pole Driver:Alan Kulwicki
First Driver:Rusty Wallace
Most Driver:Ernie Irvan
Most Team:Morgan-McClure Motorsports
Pole Team:AK Racing
Car:2
Location:Long Pond, Pennsylvania, Pocono Raceway
Scheduled Km:804.672
Distance Km:720.181
Scheduled Mi:500
Scheduled Laps:200
Distance Laps:179
Course Km:4.0
Course Mi:2.5
Official Name:19th Annual Miller Genuine Draft 500
Race Name:Miller Genuine Draft 500
Pole Time:55.737
Year:1991
Distance Mi:447.5
Date:July 21

The 1991 Miller Genuine Draft 500 was the 16th stock car race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 19th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, July 21, 1991, in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, at Pocono Raceway, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) triangular permanent course. The race was shortened from its scheduled 200 laps to 179 laps due to rain. In the final laps of the race, Penske Racing South driver Rusty Wallace would manage to conserve enough fuel to run until the last caution flag was given on lap 174. After the red flag was given out on lap 176, a two-hour rain delay would delay the restart. After the rain delay, NASCAR mandated that all drivers start their cars and run behind the pace car until lap 179, where NASCAR would declare the race official, handing Wallace the victory. The victory was Wallace's 20th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second and final victory of the season.[1] [2] [3] To fill out the top three, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin 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
1Rick MastPrecision Products RacingOldsmobileSkoal
2Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiacMiller Genuine Draft
3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevroletGM Goodwrench Service Plus
4Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevroletKodak
5Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevroletTide
6Mark MartinRoush RacingFordFolgers
7Alan KulwickiAK RacingFordHooters
8Rick WilsonStavola Brothers RacingBuickSnickers
9Bill ElliottMelling RacingFordCoors Light
10Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevroletPurolator Filters
11Geoff BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFordBudweiser
12Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsBuickRaybestos
13Gary BaloughLinro MotorsportsBuickLinro Motorsports
15Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFordMotorcraft
17Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevroletWestern Auto
19Chad LittleLittle RacingFordTyson Foods
21Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFordCitgo
22Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFordMaxwell House
24Dick TrickleTeam III RacingPontiacTeam III Racing
25Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevroletKodiak
26Brett BodineKing RacingBuickQuaker State
28Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFordTexaco, Havoline
30Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiacPennzoil
33Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobileSkoal Bandit
35Bill VenturiniVenturini MotorsportsChevroletNestea Plunge
42Bobby Hillin Jr.SABCO RacingPontiacMello Yello
43Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiacSTP
44Irv HoerrLabonte MotorsportsOldsmobileHigh Point Bedding
47Greg SacksClose RacingOldsmobileKanawha Insurance
48James HyltonHylton MotorsportsBuickHylton Motorsports
52Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiacAlka-Seltzer
53John Paul Jr.Team IrelandChevroletTeam Ireland
55Ted Musgrave (R)U.S. RacingPontiacJasper Engines & Transmissions
64Gary WrightWhite RacingChevroletAction Rent-to-Own
66Lake SpeedCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiacPhillips 66 TropArtic
68Bobby Hamilton (R)TriStar MotorsportsOldsmobileCountry Time
70J. D. McDuffieMcDuffie RacingPontiacClassic Trophies
71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletBig Apple Market
75Joe RuttmanRahMoc EnterprisesOldsmobileDinner Bell Foods
85Bobby GerhartBobby Gerhart RacingChevroletJames Omar Landis Auctions
86Walter SurmaSurma RacingOldsmobileSurma Racing
94Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobileSunoco
98Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevroletBanquet Foods

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, July 19, 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, July 20, 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. If needed, a past champion who did not qualify on either time or provisionals could use a champion's provisional, adding one more spot to the field.

Alan Kulwicki, driving for his own AK Racing team, would win the pole, setting a time of 55.737 and an average speed of 161.473mph in the first round.[5] [6]

Three drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
17Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord55.737161.473
225Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet55.801161.287
36Mark MartinRoush RacingFord56.085160.471
49Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord56.165160.242
528Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord56.276159.926
612Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsBuick56.303159.849
75Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet56.454159.422
811Geoff BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord56.501159.289
917Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet56.534159.196
102Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiac56.556159.134
1122Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord56.591159.036
1221Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFord56.693158.750
134Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet56.722158.669
1442Bobby Hillin Jr.SABCO RacingPontiac56.758158.568
1533Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile56.808158.428
Failed to lock in Round 1
163Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet56.828158.373
1743Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac56.830158.367
181Rick MastPrecision Products RacingOldsmobile56.840158.339
1975Joe RuttmanRahMoc EnterprisesOldsmobile56.869158.258
2030Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac56.987157.931
2110Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet57.054157.745
2268Bobby Hamilton (R)TriStar MotorsportsOldsmobile57.098157.624
2394Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobile57.129157.538
2426Brett BodineKing RacingBuick57.189157.373
258Rick WilsonStavola Brothers RacingBuick57.204157.332
2615Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFord57.212157.310
2771Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet57.246157.216
2898Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet57.259157.181
2924Dick TrickleTeam III RacingPontiac57.296157.079
3066Lake SpeedCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiac57.315157.027
3155Ted Musgrave (R)U.S. RacingPontiac57.629156.171
3244Irv HoerrLabonte MotorsportsOldsmobile57.894155.457
3319Chad LittleLittle RacingFord57.998155.178
3447Greg SacksClose RacingOldsmobile58.250154.506
3513Gary BaloughLinro MotorsportsBuick58.611153.555
3653John Paul Jr.Team IrelandChevrolet58.711153.293
3764Gary WrightWhite RacingChevrolet58.747153.199
3852Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac59.347151.650
3935Bill VenturiniVenturini MotorsportsChevrolet59.540151.159
4070J. D. McDuffieMcDuffie RacingPontiac1:00.424148.947
Failed to qualify
4148James HyltonHylton MotorsportsBuick1:01.234146.977
4286Walter SurmaSurma RacingOldsmobile1:03.785141.099
4385Bobby GerhartBobby Gerhart RacingChevrolet--
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

FinStDriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings
1102Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiac17929running180$34,100
236Mark MartinRoush RacingFord17923running175$41,475
3811Geoff BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord1791running170$32,350
4612Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsBuick1797running165$21,750
51122Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord1790running155$14,100
61221Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFord1793running155$13,700
7134Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet17965running156$16,700
82426Brett BodineKing RacingBuick1790running142$11,500
949Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord1780running138$15,000
101975Joe RuttmanRahMoc EnterprisesOldsmobile1780running134$12,650
112268Bobby Hamilton (R)TriStar MotorsportsOldsmobile1780running130$6,900
123319Chad LittleLittle RacingFord1780running127$5,900
133155Ted Musgrave (R)U.S. RacingPontiac1780running124$7,750
14528Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord1781running126$14,100
152394Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobile1780running118$9,550
1617Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord1771running120$17,425
173447Greg SacksClose RacingOldsmobile1770running112$5,100
182771Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet1771running114$8,300
193244Irv HoerrLabonte MotorsportsOldsmobile1770running106$4,850
2075Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1770running103$12,725
213852Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac1761running105$4,500
22163Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1750running97$15,350
23225Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet17147running99$9,650
24258Rick WilsonStavola Brothers RacingBuick1650running91$7,250
254070J. D. McDuffieMcDuffie RacingPontiac1520running88$4,300
261533Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile1500running85$7,100
27181Rick MastPrecision Products RacingOldsmobile1450brakes82$7,450
281442Bobby Hillin Jr.SABCO RacingPontiac1320running79$11,050
29917Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet1150crash76$4,750
303066Lake SpeedCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiac990valve73$6,650
311743Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac970crash70$6,575
323653John Paul Jr.Team IrelandChevrolet770engine67$3,850
333764Gary WrightWhite RacingChevrolet630transmission64$3,750
342615Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFord380engine61$10,675
352924Dick TrickleTeam III RacingPontiac290crash58$4,250
362110Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet200crash55$12,925
372898Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet200crash52$6,075
382030Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac140crash49$6,010
393935Bill VenturiniVenturini MotorsportsChevrolet70drivetrain46$3,375
403513Gary BaloughLinro MotorsportsBuick20crash43$3,300
Failed to qualify
4148James HyltonHylton MotorsportsBuick
4286Walter SurmaSurma RacingOldsmobile
4385Bobby GerhartBobby Gerhart RacingChevrolet
Official race results

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
1Dale Earnhardt2,450
2Ricky Rudd2,310 (-140)
3Ernie Irvan2,295 (-155)
14Davey Allison2,250 (–200)
15Ken Schrader2,236 (–214)
26Mark Martin2,160 (–290)
17Darrell Waltrip2,136 (–314)
18Harry Gant2,085 (–365)
19Sterling Marlin1,996 (–454)
210Rusty Wallace1,971 (–479)
Official driver's standings

Notes and References

  1. News: Higgins . Tom . July 22, 1991 . Friendly shove helps Wallace to a soggy victory (Part 1) . 13 . . February 21, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  2. News: Higgins . Tom . July 22, 1991 . Friendly shove helps Wallace to a soggy victory (Part 2) . 15 . . February 21, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  3. News: Owen . MIke . July 22, 1991 . Wallace overcomes several obstacles to win abbreviated Miller 500 race . 12 . . February 21, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  4. News: July 18, 1991 . NASCAR today . 27 . . February 21, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  5. News: Higgins . Tom . July 20, 1991 . Inspection only thing to slow Kulwicki (Part 1) . 33 . . February 21, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  6. News: Higgins . Tom . July 20, 1991 . Inspection only thing to slow Kulwicki (Part 2) . 35 . . February 21, 2023 . Newspapers.com.