1993 Save Mart Supermarkets 300K Explained

Type:NASWINSTON
Caption:The 1993 Save Mart Supermarkets 300K program cover, featuring Bill Elliott and Ernie Irvan.
Announcers:Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Radio:Motor Racing Network
Network:ESPN
Pole Driver:Dale Earnhardt
First Team:Bud Moore Engineering
Most Team:Richard Childress Racing
First Driver:Geoff Bodine
Most Driver:Dale Earnhardt
Pole Team:Richard Childress Racing
Most Laps:33
Avg:77.013mph
Date:May 16
Season No:30
Location:Sonoma, California, Sears Point Raceway
Race No:10
Car:15
Race Name:Save Mart Supermarkets 300K
Scheduled Mi:186.48
Course Km:4.06
Scheduled Km:300.11
Distance Km:300.11
Scheduled Laps:74
Distance Laps:74
Course Mi:2.52
Year:1993
Pole Time:1:38.783
Distance Mi:186.48
Official Name:5th Annual Save Mart Supermarkets 300K
Attendance:90,000

The 1993 Save Mart Supermarkets 300K was the tenth stock car race of the 1993 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season, the fourth race of the 1993 NASCAR Winston West Series season, and the fifth iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, May 16, 1993, at the Grand Prix layout of Sears Point Raceway, a 2.52miles permanent road course layout. The race took the scheduled 74 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Bud Moore Engineering driver Geoff Bodine would manage to fend off numerous challenges for the lead from Morgan–McClure Motorsports driver Ernie Irvan and Hendrick Motorsports driver Ricky Rudd to take his 15th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[1] [2] To fill out the top three, the aforementioned Irvan and Rudd would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

Sears Point Raceway is one of two road courses to hold NASCAR races, the other being Watkins Glen International. The standard road course at Sears Point Raceway is a 12-turn course that is 2.52miles long;[3] the track was modified in 1998, adding the Chute, which bypassed turns 5 and 6, shortening the course to 1.95miles. The Chute was only used for NASCAR events such as this race, and was criticized by many drivers, who preferred the full layout.[4] In 2001, it was replaced with a 70-degree turn, 4A, bringing the track to its current dimensions of 1.99miles.[5]

Entry list

DriverTeamMakeSponsor
1Rick MastPrecision Products RacingFordSkoal
2Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiacMiller Genuine Draft
3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevroletGM Goodwrench Service Plus
4Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevroletKodak
04Hershel McGriffTTC MotorsportsChevroletTTC Motorsports
5Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevroletTide
6Mark MartinRoush RacingFordValvoline
7Tommy KendallAK RacingFordThe Family Channel
8Sterling MarlinStavola Brothers RacingFordRaybestos
9P. J. Jones (R)Melling RacingFordMelling Racing
11Bill ElliottJunior Johnson & AssociatesFordBudweiser
12Jimmy SpencerBobby Allison MotorsportsFordMeineke
14Terry LabonteHagan RacingChevroletKellogg's Frosted Flakes
15Geoff BodineBud Moore EngineeringFordMotorcraft
16Wally Dallenbach Jr.Roush RacingFordKeystone
17Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevroletWestern Auto
18Dale JarrettJoe Gibbs RacingChevroletInterstate Batteries
20Dirk StephensCraigen RacingFordPepsi
21Morgan ShepherdWood Brothers RacingFordCitgo
22Bobby Labonte (R)Bill Davis RacingFordMaxwell House
24Jeff Gordon (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevroletDuPont
25Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevroletKodiak
26Brett BodineKing RacingFordQuaker State
27Hut StricklinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFordMcDonald's
28Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFordTexaco, Havoline
29John KrebsDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevroletDiamond Ridge Motorsports
30Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiacPennzoil
33Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsChevroletSkoal Bandit
36Butch GillilandGilliland RacingChevroletGear Engineering
37Rick CarelliChesrown RacingChevroletChesrown Racing
40Kenny Wallace (R)SABCO RacingPontiacDirt Devil
41Phil ParsonsLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevroletManheim Auctions
42Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiacMello Yello
44Rick WilsonPetty EnterprisesPontiacSTP
48Jack SellersEmerson RacingChevroletCoca-Cola
50Mike ChaseJTC RacingChevroletStar Race Computers
52Scott GaylordJimmy Means RacingPontiacOliver Gravity Separators
55Ted MusgraveRaDiUs MotorsportsFordUSAir, Jasper Engines & Transmissions
56Tony HuntHunt RacingChevroletShaver, Boring Business Systems
58Wayne JacksJacks MotorsportsPontiacImperial Palace Hotel and Casino
68Dorsey SchroederTriStar MotorsportsFordCountry Time
71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletPronto Auto Parts
73Bill SchmittSchmitt RacingFordNevada City Spring Water
75Dick TrickleButch Mock MotorsportsFordCarolina Pottery
76Bill SedgwickSpears MotorsportsChevroletSpears Manufacturing
81Jeff DavisJeff Davis RacingFordVan-K Karting Wheels
90Bobby Hillin Jr.Donlavey RacingFordHeilig-Meyers
98Derrike CopeCale Yarborough MotorsportsFordBojangles

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, May 14, at 6:30 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 25 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, May 15, at 1:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 26-40 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; which was one for cars in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and two extra provisionals for the NASCAR Winston West Series. 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.

Dale Earnhardt, driving for Richard Childress Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 1:38.783 and an average speed of 91.838mph in the first round.[7]

Five drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
13Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1:38.78391.838
25Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1:39.08191.561
315Geoff BodineBud Moore EngineeringFord1:39.17091.479
44Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet1:39.39891.269
56Mark MartinRoush RacingFord1:39.56991.113
62Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiac1:39.60691.079
716Wally Dallenbach Jr.Roush RacingFord1:39.61791.069
825Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1:39.78290.918
928Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord1:39.83690.869
1014Terry LabonteHagan RacingChevrolet1:39.90290.809
1198Derrike CopeCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord1:40.20690.533
1221Morgan ShepherdWood Brothers RacingFord1:40.24190.502
1317Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet1:40.28790.460
149P. J. Jones (R)Melling RacingFord1:40.29490.454
1524Jeff Gordon (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1:40.32490.427
1630Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac1:40.32890.423
1711Bill ElliottJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord1:40.45390.311
1842Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac1:40.51290.258
1968Dorsey SchroederTriStar MotorsportsFord1:40.72790.065
2044Rick WilsonPetty EnterprisesPontiac1:40.81089.991
2140Kenny Wallace (R)SABCO RacingPontiac1:40.94089.875
2212Jimmy SpencerBobby Allison MotorsportsFord1:41.04789.780
238Sterling MarlinStavola Brothers RacingFord1:41.05789.771
2455Ted MusgraveRaDiUs MotorsportsFord1:41.19589.649
2571Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet1:41.19789.647
Failed to lock in Round 1
2626Brett BodineKing RacingFord1:40.81489.987
2736Butch GillilandGilliland RacingChevrolet1:41.23589.613
2873Bill SchmittSchmitt RacingFord1:41.25189.599
2929John KrebsDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet1:41.26689.586
3090Bobby Hillin Jr.Donlavey RacingFord1:41.27489.579
311Rick MastPrecision Products RacingFord1:41.29189.564
3218Dale JarrettJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet1:41.34989.512
337Tommy KendallAK RacingFord1:41.41289.457
3476Bill SedgwickSpears MotorsportsChevrolet1:41.49889.381
3533Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsChevrolet1:41.94988.986
3627Hut StricklinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord1:42.24088.732
3741Phil ParsonsLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet1:42.44188.558
3875Dick TrickleButch Mock MotorsportsFord1:42.73788.303
3920Dirk StephensCraigen RacingFord1:42.82488.228
4081Jeff DavisJeff Davis RacingFord1:42.84088.215
Winston Cup provisional
4122Bobby Labonte (R)Bill Davis RacingFord-*-*
Winston West provisionals
4204Hershel McGriffTTC MotorsportsChevrolet-*-*
4337Rick CarelliChesrown RacingChevrolet-*-*
Failed to qualify
4450Mike ChaseJTC RacingChevrolet1:43.72687.461
4558Wayne JacksJacks MotorsportsPontiac1:43.94887.274
4656Tony HuntHunt RacingChevrolet1:44.14787.108
4748Jack SellersEmerson RacingChevrolet1:48.97883.246
4852Scott GaylordJimmy Means RacingPontiac--
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

FinStDriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings
1315Geoff BodineBud Moore EngineeringFord7430running180$66,510
244Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet742running175$41,190
325Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet740running165$29,590
4825Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet740running160$22,415
51842Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac740running155$22,715
613Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet7433running160$27,790
7716Wally Dallenbach Jr.Roush RacingFord740running146$17,465
82044Rick WilsonPetty EnterprisesPontiac740running142$13,665
91014Terry LabonteHagan RacingChevrolet740running138$17,015
103627Hut StricklinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord740running134$17,415
111524Jeff Gordon (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet740running130$10,215
12238Sterling MarlinStavola Brothers RacingFord742running132$14,315
133218Dale JarrettJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet740running124$16,610
141221Morgan ShepherdWood Brothers RacingFord740running121$13,310
15928Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord730crash118$18,160
164122Bobby Labonte (R)Bill Davis RacingFord730crash115$7,965
171711Bill ElliottJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord730running112$17,590
181198Derrike CopeCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord730running109$12,340
193533Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsChevrolet730running106$16,315
203875Dick TrickleButch Mock MotorsportsFord730running103$7,840
214337Rick CarelliChesrown RacingChevrolet730running100$7,190
22337Tommy KendallAK RacingFord730running97$16,565
231630Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac736running99$12,040
242626Brett BodineKing RacingFord730running91$12,420
25149P. J. Jones (R)Melling RacingFord730running88$8,810
263476Bill SedgwickSpears MotorsportsChevrolet730running85$8,140
272212Jimmy SpencerBobby Allison MotorsportsFord730running82$11,665
282571Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet720running79$8,540
29311Rick MastPrecision Products RacingFord720running76$11,505
303920Dirk StephensCraigen RacingFord720running73$6,900
312873Bill SchmittSchmitt RacingFord710running70$6,815
322736Butch GillilandGilliland RacingChevrolet710running67$6,765
331968Dorsey SchroederTriStar MotorsportsFord690accident64$8,265
342929John KrebsDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet680transmission61$6,690
351317Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet670engine58$16,465
362140Kenny Wallace (R)SABCO RacingPontiac660running55$6,665
373741Phil ParsonsLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet650rear end52$8,160
3862Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiac641transmission54$15,615
392455Ted MusgraveRaDiUs MotorsportsFord610running46$11,085
4056Mark MartinRoush RacingFord570rear end43$15,260
413090Bobby Hillin Jr.Donlavey RacingFord570rear end40$6,560
424081Jeff DavisJeff Davis RacingFord460accident37$6,560
434204Hershel McGriffTTC MotorsportsChevrolet270engine34$6,560
Failed to qualify
4450Mike ChaseJTC RacingChevrolet
4558Wayne JacksJacks MotorsportsPontiac
4656Tony HuntHunt RacingChevrolet
4748Jack SellersEmerson RacingChevrolet
4852Scott GaylordJimmy Means RacingPontiac
Official race results

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
11Dale Earnhardt1,526
12Rusty Wallace1,506 (-20)
3Davey Allison1,408 (-118)
14Kyle Petty1,363 (–163)
25Geoff Bodine1,352 (–174)
26Dale Jarrett1,333 (–193)
17Morgan Shepherd1,287 (–239)
28Ernie Irvan1,275 (–251)
39Mark Martin1,234 (–292)
110Jeff Gordon1,207 (–319)
Official driver's standings

Notes and References

  1. News: Schiffmann . William . May 17, 1993 . Bodine bumps way to finish line first . 9 . The Advocate-Messenger . January 4, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  2. News: Higgins . Tom . May 17, 1993 . Bodine survives a final-lap bump to win Save Mart . 16 . Evansville Press . January 4, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  3. Web site: Sears Point . 2021-11-13 . www.gt-racing.co.uk.
  4. Web site: 2011-06-07 . Passing is tough in Chute chronicle.augusta.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20110607182441/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/1998/06/28/oth_232051.shtml . 2011-06-07 . 2021-11-13.
  5. Web site: 2007-09-29 . SEARS POINT BREAKS GROUND ON MODIFIED CHUTE - RacingWest . https://web.archive.org/web/20070929002246/http://www.racingwest.com/news/story.php3/2094/index.htm . 2007-09-29 . 2021-11-13.
  6. News: May 14, 1993 . NASCAR today . 27 . . January 4, 2023 . Newspapers.com.
  7. News: Higgins . Tom . May 15, 1993 . Earnhardt's aggressive again, tops qualifying for Sunday's race . 19 . The Charlotte Observer . January 4, 2023 . Newspapers.com.