1992 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 Explained

Type:NASWINSTON
Location:Hampton, Georgia, Atlanta Motor Speedway
Distance Mi:499.216
Pole Time:30.453
Course Mi:1.522
Course Km:2.449
Scheduled Km:803.41
Distance Km:803.41
Scheduled Mi:499.216
Distance Laps:328
Scheduled Laps:328
Year:1992
Race Name:Motorcraft Quality Parts 500
Official Name:33rd Annual Motorcraft Quality Parts 500
Race No:4
Season No:29
Radio:Motor Racing Network
Date:March 15
Network:ABC
Announcers:Paul Page, Benny Parsons, Bobby Unser
Car:11
Pole Team:Roush Racing
Most Driver:Davey Allison
First Team:Junior Johnson & Associates
First Driver:Bill Elliott
Most Team:Robert Yates Racing
Most Laps:160
Pole Driver:Mark Martin
Avg:147.746mph

The 1992 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 was the fourth stock car race of the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 33rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 15, 1992, in Hampton, Georgia at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.522miles permanent asphalt quad-oval intermediate speedway. The race took the scheduled 328 laps to complete. With the help of a late caution, Junior Johnson & Associates driver Bill Elliott would manage to pull away on the final restart with 40 to go to take his 37th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory, his third victory of the season, and his third consecutive victory.[1] [2] To fill out the top three, Leo Jackson Motorsports driver Harry Gant and Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a 1.522-mile race track in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has annually hosted NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car races since its inauguration in 1960.

The venue was bought by Speedway Motorsports in 1990. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two intermediate ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval, with a new official length of 1.54miles where before it was 1.522miles. The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit.

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
9Dorsey SchroederMelling RacingFordMelling Racing
10Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevroletPurolator Filters
11Bill ElliottJunior Johnson & AssociatesFordBudweiser
12Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsChevroletRaybestos
13Dave Mader IIIFolsom RacingChevroletFolsom Racing
15Geoff BodineBud Moore EngineeringFordMotorcraft
16Wally Dallenbach Jr.Roush RacingFordKeystone
17Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevroletWestern Auto
18Dale JarrettJoe Gibbs RacingChevroletInterstate Batteries
20Mike WallaceMoroso RacingOldsmobile1st Ade
21Morgan ShepherdWood Brothers RacingFordCitgo
22Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFordMaxwell House
23Eddie BierschwaleB&B RacingOldsmobileAuto Finders
25Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevroletKodiak
26Brett BodineKing RacingFordQuaker State
28Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFordTexaco, Havoline
30Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiacPennzoil
31Bobby Hillin Jr.Team IrelandChevroletTeam Ireland
32Jimmy HortonActive MotorsportsChevroletActive Motorsports
33Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobileSkoal Bandit
41Greg SacksLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevroletKellogg's Frosted Flakes
42Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiacMello Yello
43Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiacSTP
47Buddy BakerClose RacingOldsmobileClose Racing
49Stanley SmithBS&S MotorsportsChevroletAmeritron Batteries
50Clay YoungClay Young RacingPontiacAflac
52Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiacJimmy Means Racing
55Ted MusgraveRaDiUs MotorsportsOldsmobileJasper Engines & Transmissions
66Chad LittleCale Yarborough MotorsportsFordPhillips 66 TropArtic
68Bobby HamiltonTriStar MotorsportsOldsmobileCountry Time
71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletAbilene Boots
77Mike PotterBalough RacingChevroletKenova Trucking
83Lake SpeedSpeed RacingChevroletPurex
85Mike SkinnerMansion MotorsportsChevroletGlidden
90Charlie GlotzbachDonlavey RacingFordSplitFire
94Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobileSunoco
95Bob Schacht (R)Sadler Brothers RacingOldsmobileShoney's
98Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevroletMoly Black Gold

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, March 13, at 2:30 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 Saturday, March 14, 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 21-40 would be decided on time,[3] 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; which was usually two. 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.

Mark Martin, driving for Roush Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 30.453 and an average speed of 179.923mph in the first round.[4]

Four drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
16Mark MartinRoush RacingFord30.453179.923
28Dick TrickleStavola Brothers RacingFord30.497179.664
394Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobile30.609179.006
411Bill ElliottJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord30.619178.948
525Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet30.664178.685
622Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord30.744178.220
73Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30.759178.133
87Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord30.761178.122
926Brett BodineKing RacingFord30.803177.879
1033Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile30.822177.769
111Rick MastPrecision Products RacingOldsmobile30.904177.297
122Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiac30.969176.925
1317Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet30.987176.823
1421Morgan ShepherdWood Brothers RacingFord30.994176.783
1542Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac31.092176.225
1655Ted MusgraveRaDiUs MotorsportsChevrolet31.140175.954
1718Dale JarrettJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet31.149175.903
1841Greg SacksLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.189175.677
1968Bobby HamiltonTriStar MotorsportsOldsmobile31.222175.492
2098Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet31.247175.351
Failed to lock in Round 1
2130Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac30.852177.596
224Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet30.894177.355
2315Geoff BodineBud Moore EngineeringFord30.970176.920
245Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.266175.245
2528Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord31.270175.222
2612Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsChevrolet31.279175.172
2716Wally Dallenbach Jr.Roush RacingFord31.309175.004
2810Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet31.331174.881
2966Chad LittleCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord31.338174.842
3090Charlie GlotzbachDonlavey RacingFord31.391174.547
3171Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet31.392174.541
3243Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac31.462174.153
3313Bob Schacht (R)Folsom RacingChevrolet31.523173.816
3449Stanley SmithBS&S MotorsportsChevrolet31.551173.662
3520Mike WallaceMoroso RacingOldsmobile31.555173.640
3631Bobby Hillin Jr.Team IrelandChevrolet31.562173.601
3747Buddy BakerClose RacingOldsmobile31.634173.206
3832Jimmy HortonActive MotorsportsChevrolet31.662173.053
3983Lake SpeedSpeed RacingChevrolet31.672172.998
4023Eddie BierschwaleB&B RacingOldsmobile31.715172.764
Provisionals
419Dorsey SchroederMelling RacingFord32.227170.019
4252Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac31.813172.231
Failed to qualify
4395Bob Schacht (R)Sadler Brothers RacingOldsmobile31.721172.731
4485Mike SkinnerMansion MotorsportsChevrolet31.814172.226
4577Mike PotterBalough RacingChevrolet32.527168.451
4650Clay YoungClay Young RacingPontiac32.293169.671
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

FinStDriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings
1411Bill ElliottJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord32846running180$71,000
21033Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile32843running175$45,875
373Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3280running165$36,850
42528Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord328160running170$32,550
528Dick TrickleStavola Brothers RacingFord3280running155$28,125
62315Geoff BodineBud Moore EngineeringFord3280running150$18,600
787Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord32853running151$20,850
81542Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac3280running142$15,650
9394Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobile32823running143$17,150
101421Morgan ShepherdWood Brothers RacingFord3280running134$16,000
111718Dale JarrettJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet3280running130$7,670
12245Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3280running127$15,425
1316Mark MartinRoush RacingFord3280running124$19,230
142810Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet3280running121$9,810
15122Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiac3270running118$14,980
163243Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac3270running115$12,470
17622Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord3270running112$15,660
183090Charlie GlotzbachDonlavey RacingFord3260running109$6,600
191655Ted MusgraveRaDiUs MotorsportsChevrolet3260running106$13,990
20926Brett BodineKing RacingFord3250running103$11,920
213631Bobby Hillin Jr.Team IrelandChevrolet3230running100$6,260
22111Rick MastPrecision Products RacingOldsmobile3230running97$13,050
232966Chad LittleCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord3220running94$9,590
241968Bobby HamiltonTriStar MotorsportsOldsmobile3210running91$13,130
25224Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet3170running88$16,725
263832Jimmy HortonActive MotorsportsChevrolet3160running85$6,820
272716Wally Dallenbach Jr.Roush RacingFord3160running82$6,460
282130Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac2980engine79$12,740
292612Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsChevrolet2810engine76$10,100
303171Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet2770running73$8,940
311841Greg SacksLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet2680running70$5,330
323449Stanley SmithBS&S MotorsportsChevrolet2610oil leak67$5,270
333520Mike WallaceMoroso RacingOldsmobile2510running64$5,180
343983Lake SpeedSpeed RacingChevrolet2180crash61$5,135
35419Dorsey SchroederMelling RacingFord1760timing chain58$10,385
363747Buddy BakerClose RacingOldsmobile1720engine55$5,070
372098Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet910engine52$9,555
384252Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac870engine49$5,040
391317Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet793oil pressure51$15,715
404023Eddie BierschwaleB&B RacingOldsmobile710valve43$4,975
41525Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet380crash40$13,975
423313Bob Schacht (R)Folsom RacingChevrolet230valve37$5,225
Failed to qualify
4395Bob Schacht (R)Sadler Brothers RacingOldsmobile
4485Mike SkinnerMansion MotorsportsChevrolet
4577Mike PotterBalough RacingChevrolet
4650Clay YoungClay Young RacingPontiac
Official race results

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
1Davey Allison695
12Bill Elliott637 (-58)
13Harry Gant637 (-58)
14Terry Labonte577 (–118)
15Morgan Shepherd572 (–123)
16Alan Kulwicki551 (–144)
17Geoff Bodine551 (–144)
38Dale Earnhardt524 (–171)
59Kyle Petty476 (–219)
1010Dick Trickle462 (–233)
Official driver's standings

Notes and References

  1. News: Harris . Mike . March 16, 1992 . Elliott's luck brings third in row . 8 . The Tribune . January 24, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  2. News: Higgins . Tom . March 16, 1992 . 'Pure luck' . 16 . . January 24, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  3. News: March 12, 1992 . NASCAR today . 14 . . January 24, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  4. News: Harris . Mike . March 14, 1992 . Mark Martin outdoes Trickle for NASCAR's Motorcraft 500 pole . 16 . The Times and Democrat . January 24, 2023.