1992 Miller Genuine Draft 500 Explained

Type:NASWINSTON
First Team:Darrell Waltrip Motorsports
Season No:29
Race No:16
Announcers:Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, Ned Jarrett
Most Laps:116
Network:ESPN
Radio:Motor Racing Network
Avg:134.058mph
Pole Driver:Davey Allison
First Driver:Darrell Waltrip
Most Driver:Davey Allison
Most Team:Robert Yates Racing
Pole Team:Robert Yates Racing
Car:17
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:20th Annual Miller Genuine Draft 500
Race Name:Miller Genuine Draft 500
Pole Time:55.548
Year:1992
Distance Mi:500
Date:July 19

The 1992 Miller Genuine Draft 500 was the 16th stock car race of the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 20th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, July 19, 1992, 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. Running on a fuel mileage call, owner-driver Darrell Waltrip would manage to conserve fuel for the last 42 laps of the race to take his 82nd career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first victory of the season.[1] [2] To fill out the top three, Leo Jackson Motorsports driver Harry Gant and owner-driver Alan Kulwicki would finish second and third, respectively.

On lap 150 of the race, driver's championship points leader, Robert Yates Racing driver Davey Allison would be involved in a crash when Darrell Waltrip tapped the left rear of Allison's vehicle, sending him sideways. The car would proceed to lift into the air, resulting in Allison's car flipping 11 times in a fast manner, before eventually landing upside-down, totaling Allison's car. Allison was taken to an Allentown, Pennsylvania hospital, where it was found that he had broken his right collarbone, both bones in his forearm, his right wrist, and had bruised his right eye socket. With the crash, Allison would lose the overall points lead to Bill Elliott.[3] [4]

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 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 RacingFordValvoline
7Alan KulwickiAK RacingFordHooters
8Dick TrickleStavola Brothers RacingFordSnickers
9Chad LittleMelling RacingFordMelling Racing
10Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevroletPurolator Filters
11Bill ElliottJunior Johnson & AssociatesFordBudweiser
12Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsChevroletRaybestos
15Geoff BodineBud Moore EngineeringFordMotorcraft
16Wally Dallenbach Jr.Roush RacingFordKeystone
17Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevroletWestern Auto
18Dale JarrettJoe Gibbs RacingChevroletInterstate Batteries
21Morgan ShepherdWood Brothers RacingFordCitgo
22Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFordMaxwell House
25Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevroletKodiak
26Brett BodineKing RacingFordQuaker State
27Bob Schacht (R)Linro MotorsportsChevroletLinro Motorsports
28Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFordTexaco, Havoline
30Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiacPennzoil
31Bobby Hillin Jr.Team IrelandChevroletTeam Ireland
32Jimmy HortonActive MotorsportsChevroletActive Trucking
33Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobileSkoal Bandit
41Greg SacksLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevroletKellogg's Frosted Flakes
42Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiacMello Yello
43Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiacSTP
48James HyltonHylton MotorsportsPontiacValtrol Steam Traps
52Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiacJimmy Means Racing
55Ted MusgraveRaDiUs MotorsportsOldsmobileJasper Engines & Transmissions
59Andy Belmont (R)Pat Rissi RacingFordFDP Brakes
65Jerry O'NeilAroneck RacingOldsmobileAroneck Racing
66Jimmy Hensley (R)Cale Yarborough MotorsportsFordPhillips 66 TropArtic
68Bobby HamiltonTriStar MotorsportsOldsmobileCountry Time
71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletMarcis Auto Racing
77Mike PotterBalough RacingChevroletKenova Golf Course Construction
83Lake SpeedSpeed RacingFordPurex
85Mike SkinnerMansion MotorsportsChevroletGlidden
94Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobileSunoco

Qualifying

Qualifying was originally scheduled to be split into two rounds. The first round was scheduled to be held on Friday, July 17, at 3:00 PM EST. However, due to fog, the first round was cancelled, and qualifying was condensed into one round,[5] which was held on Saturday, July 18, at 10:30 AM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 1–40 would be decided on time,[6] 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.

Davey Allison, driving for Robert Yates Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 55.548 and an average speed of 162.022mph.[7]

No drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
128Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord55.548162.022
25Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet55.719161.525
36Mark MartinRoush RacingFord55.781161.345
44Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet55.812161.256
525Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet55.916160.956
616Wally Dallenbach Jr.Roush RacingFord55.975160.786
743Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac56.003160.706
817Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet56.029160.631
921Morgan ShepherdWood Brothers RacingFord56.032160.623
107Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord56.051160.568
1141Greg SacksLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet56.125160.356
1226Brett BodineKing RacingFord56.130160.342
1342Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac56.135160.328
1422Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord56.175160.214
1510Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet56.187160.179
1611Bill ElliottJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord56.221160.083
1766Jimmy Hensley (R)Cale Yarborough MotorsportsFord56.229160.060
1818Dale JarrettJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet56.231160.054
192Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiac56.254159.989
208Dick TrickleStavola Brothers RacingFord56.326159.784
2115Geoff BodineBud Moore EngineeringFord56.330159.773
2233Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile56.340159.744
2312Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsChevrolet56.450159.433
2468Bobby HamiltonTriStar MotorsportsOldsmobile56.529159.210
251Rick MastPrecision Products RacingOldsmobile56.558159.129
269Chad LittleMelling RacingFord56.635158.912
2755Ted MusgraveRaDiUs MotorsportsFord56.657158.851
2830Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac56.754158.579
293Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet56.781158.504
3031Bobby Hillin Jr.Team IrelandChevrolet57.132157.530
3183Lake SpeedSpeed RacingFord57.240157.233
3271Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet57.522156.462
3365Jerry O'NeilAroneck RacingOldsmobile57.808155.688
3485Mike SkinnerMansion MotorsportsChevrolet57.920155.387
3532Jimmy HortonActive MotorsportsChevrolet57.967155.261
3627Bob Schacht (R)Linro MotorsportsChevrolet58.241154.530
3777Mike PotterBalough RacingChevrolet58.681153.372
3859Andy Belmont (R)Pat Rissi RacingFord58.918152.755
3952Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac59.060152.387
4048James HyltonHylton MotorsportsPontiac59.815150.464
Provisional
4194Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobile--
Official starting lineup

Race results

FinStDriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings
1817Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet20012running180$63,445
22233Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile2001running175$40,520
3107Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord20058running170$42,095
425Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2000running160$24,695
52755Ted MusgraveRaDiUs MotorsportsFord2008running160$22,365
636Mark MartinRoush RacingFord2000running150$19,040
71342Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac2004running151$15,890
81226Brett BodineKing RacingFord2000running142$14,290
9208Dick TrickleStavola Brothers RacingFord2000running138$10,690
101818Dale JarrettJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet2000running134$15,190
111422Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord1990running130$12,640
12525Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1990running127$15,590
131611Bill ElliottJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord1992running129$14,390
141766Jimmy Hensley (R)Cale Yarborough MotorsportsFord1990running121$9,640
15921Morgan ShepherdWood Brothers RacingFord1990running118$11,640
164194Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobile1990running115$11,090
17269Chad LittleMelling RacingFord1990running112$5,790
18192Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiac1990running109$13,690
191510Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet1990running106$7,540
20743Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac1990running103$11,015
212312Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsChevrolet1990running100$10,040
222468Bobby HamiltonTriStar MotorsportsOldsmobile1990running97$10,840
23293Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1990running94$16,540
24251Rick MastPrecision Products RacingOldsmobile1970running91$9,590
253031Bobby Hillin Jr.Team IrelandChevrolet1970running88$4,890
262830Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac1970running85$9,440
273777Mike PotterBalough RacingChevrolet1930running82$4,790
283859Andy Belmont (R)Pat Rissi RacingFord1930running79$4,990
291141Greg SacksLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet1800running76$6,265
302115Geoff BodineBud Moore EngineeringFord1710ignition73$9,190
313271Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet1610engine70$6,115
32616Wally Dallenbach Jr.Roush RacingFord1650handling67$4,540
33128Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord149115crash74$21,365
343532Jimmy HortonActive MotorsportsChevrolet1300rear end61$4,365
353365Jerry O'NeilAroneck RacingOldsmobile1130oil leak58$4,290
363183Lake SpeedSpeed RacingFord890engine55$4,215
3744Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet740valve52$13,740
383627Bob Schacht (R)Linro MotorsportsChevrolet580transmission49$4,100
393952Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac240steering46$5,565
404048James HyltonHylton MotorsportsPontiac170quit43$3,990
413485Mike SkinnerMansion MotorsportsChevrolet00transmission0$3,990
Official race results

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
11Bill Elliott2,340
12Davey Allison2,331 (-9)
3Alan Kulwicki2,293 (-47)
4Harry Gant2,260 (–80)
15Mark Martin2,105 (–235)
16Dale Earnhardt2,099 (–241)
7Terry Labonte2,056 (–284)
18Ricky Rudd2,032 (–308)
19Morgan Shepherd1,987 (–353)
210Geoff Bodine1,978 (–362)
Official driver's standings

Notes and References

  1. News: Higgins . Tom . July 20, 1992 . Waltrip gambles to win Miller 500 . 19 . . February 2, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  2. News: Owen . Mike . July 20, 1992 . Waltrip takes Miller 500; Allison injured in crash . 20 . . February 2, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  3. News: Issel . Kelly P. . July 20, 1992 . Allison injured when car flips 11 times at Miller race . 34 . . February 2, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  4. News: Higgins . Tom . July 20, 1992 . This beating could be the one that sidelines Allison . 27 . . February 2, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  5. News: Higgins . Tom . July 18, 1992 . Fog doesn't leave race teams on Cloud 9 . 21 . . February 2, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  6. News: July 17, 1992 . NASCAR today . 9 . . February 2, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  7. News: Higgins . Tom . July 19, 1992 . Pole peps up ailing Allison . 121 . . February 2, 2023 . Newspapers.com.