1995 GM Goodwrench Dealer 400 explained

Type:NASWINSTON
Location:Brooklyn, Michigan, Michigan International Speedway
Distance Mi:400
Pole Time:39.045
Scheduled Km:643.737
Distance Km:643.737
Scheduled Laps:200
Distance Laps:200
Course Km:3.2
Scheduled Mi:400
Course Mi:2
Avg:157.739mph
Year:1995
Date:August 20
Race Name:GM Goodwrench Dealer 400
Official Name:26th Annual GM Goodwrench Dealer 400
Caption:The 1995 GM Goodwrench Dealer 400 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt.
Radio:Motor Racing Network
Race No:21
Season No:31
Car:18
Most Laps:68
Pole Team:Joe Gibbs Racing
Pole Driver:Bobby Labonte
First Driver:Bobby Labonte
Most Driver:Jeff Gordon
Most Team:Hendrick Motorsports
First Team:Joe Gibbs Racing
Network:NASCAR on ESPN
Announcers:Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons

The 1995 GM Goodwrench Dealer 400 was the 21st stock car race of the 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 26th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, August 20, 1995, in Brooklyn, Michigan, at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. Gambling on a fuel strategy, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte would decide to run the final 55 laps on one tank of fuel. He would then capture the lead with 15 to go, taking his third career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his third and final victory of the season.[1] [2] To fill out the top three, Terry Labonte and Jeff Gordon, both drivers for Hendrick Motorsports, would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

The race was held at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway as MIS's oval design was a direct basis of TWS, with moderate modifications to the banking in the corners, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).

Entry list

DriverTeamMakeSponsor
1Rick MastPrecision Products RacingPontiacSkoal
2Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFordMiller Genuine Draft
02Tim SteeleH. S. Die Racing TeamFordTeletron
3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevroletGM Goodwrench Service Plus
4Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevroletKodak
5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevroletKellogg's Frosted Flakes
6Mark MartinRoush RacingFordValvoline
7Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFordExide
8Jeff BurtonStavola Brothers RacingFordRaybestos
9Lake SpeedMelling RacingFordSpam
10Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFordTide
11Brett BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFordLowe's
12Derrike CopeBobby Allison MotorsportsFordMane 'n Tail
15Dick TrickleBud Moore EngineeringFordFord Quality Care
16Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFordThe Family Channel
17Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevroletWestern Auto
18Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevroletInterstate Batteries
21Morgan ShepherdWood Brothers RacingFordCitgo
22Jimmy HensleyBill Davis RacingPontiacMBNA
23Jimmy SpencerHaas-Carter MotorsportsFordSmokin' Joe's
24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevroletDuPont
25Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevroletBudweiser
26Hut StricklinKing RacingFordQuaker State
27Elton SawyerJunior Johnson & AssociatesFordHooters
28Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFordTexaco, Havoline
29Steve GrissomDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevroletMeineke
30Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiacPennzoil
31Ward BurtonA.G. Dillard MotorsportsChevroletHardee's
32Greg SacksActive MotorsportsChevroletActive Trucking
33Robert Pressley (R)Leo Jackson MotorsportsChevroletSkoal Bandit
37John AndrettiKranefuss-Haas RacingFordLittle Caesars, Kmart
40Rich BickleDick Brooks RacingPontiacKendall
41Ricky Craven (R)Larry Hedrick MotorsportsChevroletKodiak
42Kyle PettyTeam SABCOPontiacCoors Light Silver Bullet
43Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiacSTP
71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletTork Automotive
72Tracy LeslieParker RacingChevroletDetroit Gasket
75Todd BodineButch Mock MotorsportsFordFactory Stores of America
77Bobby Hillin Jr.Jasper MotorsportsFordUS Airways, Jasper Engines & Transmissions
81Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFordTIC Financial Systems
87Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsChevroletBurger King
88Gary BradberryBradberry RacingChevroletBradberry Racing
90Mike WallaceDonlavey RacingFordHeilig-Meyers
94Bill ElliottElliott-Hardy RacingFordMcDonald's
95Loy Allen Jr.Sadler Brothers RacingFordShoney's Inn
98Jeremy MayfieldCale Yarborough MotorsportsFordRCA

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, August 18, at 3:30 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, August 19, 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 21-38 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.

Bobby Labonte, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 39.045 and an average speed of 184.403mph in the first round.[4]

Four drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
118Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet39.045184.403
210Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord39.117184.063
36Mark MartinRoush RacingFord39.211183.622
437John AndrettiKranefuss-Haas RacingFord39.258183.402
511Brett BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord39.378182.843
694Bill ElliottElliott-Hardy RacingFord39.383182.820
715Dick TrickleBud Moore EngineeringFord39.404182.723
83Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet39.460182.463
998Jeremy MayfieldCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord39.474182.399
1081Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord39.485182.348
1143Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac39.552182.039
128Jeff BurtonStavola Brothers RacingFord39.565181.979
135Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet39.574181.938
144Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet39.592181.855
1531Ward BurtonA.G. Dillard MotorsportsChevrolet39.697181.374
1641Ricky Craven (R)Larry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet39.709181.319
1728Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord39.753181.118
1887Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsChevrolet39.757181.100
197Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord39.765181.064
2027Elton SawyerJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord39.812180.850
Failed to lock in Round 1
2124Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet39.778181.005
229Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord39.802180.895
2377Bobby Hillin Jr.Jasper MotorsportsFord39.823180.800
242Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord39.844180.705
2530Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac39.847180.691
2612Derrike CopeBobby Allison MotorsportsFord39.852180.668
2790Mike WallaceDonlavey RacingFord39.869180.591
2821Morgan ShepherdWood Brothers RacingFord39.896180.469
2988Gary BradberryBradberry RacingChevrolet39.909180.410
3029Steve GrissomDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet39.931180.311
3116Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord39.940180.270
3217Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet39.952180.216
3333Robert Pressley (R)Leo Jackson MotorsportsChevrolet39.956180.198
3432Greg SacksActive MotorsportsChevrolet39.963180.167
3525Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet39.969180.140
3623Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord40.008179.964
371Rick MastPrecision Products RacingFord40.010179.955
3826Hut StricklinKing RacingFord40.061179.726
Provisionals
3942Kyle PettyTeam SABCOPontiac40.313178.602
4075Todd BodineButch Mock MotorsportsFord40.242178.918
4122Jimmy HensleyBill Davis RacingPontiac40.600177.340
4271Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet40.295178.682
Failed to qualify
4340Rich BickleDick Brooks RacingPontiac40.081179.636
4472Tracy LeslieParker RacingChevrolet40.313178.602
4502Tim SteeleH. S. Die Racing TeamFord40.611177.292
4695Loy Allen Jr.Sadler Brothers RacingFord41.013175.554
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

FinStDriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings
1118Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet20017running180$97,445
2135Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2000running170$52,695
32124Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet20068running175$46,420
4144Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet2000running160$38,170
5242Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord2003running160$37,690
61531Ward BurtonA.G. Dillard MotorsportsChevrolet2000running150$29,590
71641Ricky Craven (R)Larry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet2000running146$23,490
81143Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac2000running142$21,140
9694Bill ElliottElliott-Hardy RacingFord19928running143$20,290
103826Hut StricklinKing RacingFord1990running134$24,940
112530Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac1990running130$23,640
12998Jeremy MayfieldCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord1990running127$18,140
13715Dick TrickleBud Moore EngineeringFord1990running124$22,640
143623Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord1980running121$17,140
153217Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet1980running118$22,690
162821Morgan ShepherdWood Brothers RacingFord1971running120$20,990
17229Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord1970running112$15,640
183333Robert Pressley (R)Leo Jackson MotorsportsChevrolet1970running109$20,840
194075Todd BodineButch Mock MotorsportsFord1970running106$20,040
202790Mike WallaceDonlavey RacingFord1970running103$12,690
212027Elton SawyerJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord1970running100$19,215
224122Jimmy HensleyBill Davis RacingPontiac1960brakes97$19,415
23128Jeff BurtonStavola Brothers RacingFord1960running94$19,215
241081Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord1960running91$10,915
254271Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet1940running88$13,865
263525Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1940running85$18,565
27197Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord1790engine82$25,115
283116Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord1660running79$18,465
293029Steve GrissomDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet1620running76$12,865
30210Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord16046valve78$23,615
31371Rick MastPrecision Products RacingFord1380crash70$15,165
321887Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsChevrolet1080engine67$10,115
331728Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord10136camshaft69$35,465
342612Derrike CopeBobby Allison MotorsportsFord980piston61$10,015
3583Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet870timing belt58$29,965
36511Brett BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord750engine55$22,940
37437John AndrettiKranefuss-Haas RacingFord731engine57$10,040
3836Mark MartinRoush RacingFord520timing chain49$24,015
392377Bobby Hillin Jr.Jasper MotorsportsFord400ignition46$9,840
403432Greg SacksActive MotorsportsChevrolet340rear end43$9,840
412988Gary BradberryBradberry RacingChevrolet260rear end40$9,840
423942Kyle PettyTeam SABCOPontiac210lifter37$14,840
Failed to qualify
4340Rich BickleDick Brooks RacingPontiac
4472Tracy LeslieParker RacingChevrolet
4502Tim SteeleH. S. Die Racing TeamFord
4695Loy Allen Jr.Sadler Brothers RacingFord
Official race results

Notes and References

  1. News: Higgins . Tom . August 21, 1995 . Labonte makes it two straight at Michigan . 32 . St. Lucie News Tribune . November 9, 2022 . Newspapers.com.
  2. News: Atkins . Harry . August 21, 1995 . Running on empty . 11 . The Paducah Sun . November 9, 2022 . Newspapers.com.
  3. News: August 18, 1995 . GM Goodwrench Dealer 400 . 28 . . November 9, 2022 . Newspapers.com.
  4. News: McCollister . Tom . August 19, 1995 . Bobby Labonte edges Rudd to take pole at Michigan . 56 . The Atlanta Constitution . November 9, 2022 . Newspapers.com.