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1998 NAPA Autocare 500

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1998 NAPA Autocare 500
Race details
Race 27 of 33 in the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1998 NAPA Autocare 500 program cover.
The 1998 NAPA Autocare 500 program cover.
Date September 27, 1998
Official name 50th Annual NAPA Autocare 500
Location Ridgeway, Virginia, Martinsville Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
0.526 mi (0.847 km)
Distance 500 laps, 263 mi (423.257 km)
Scheduled Distance 500 laps, 263 mi (423.257 km)
Average speed 73.35 miles per hour (118.05 km/h)
Pole position
Driver MB2 Motorsports
Time 20.229
Most laps led
Driver Sterling Marlin Team SABCO
Laps 231
Winner
No. 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

The 1998 NAPA Autocare 500 was the 27th stock car race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 50th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 27, 1998, in Martinsville, Virginia at Martinsville Speedway, a 0.526 miles (0.847 km) permanent oval-shaped short track. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete. Battling immense heat, Rudd Performance Motorsports driver Ricky Rudd would manage to dominate the late stages of the race to take his 20th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the podium, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon and Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

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The layout of Martinsville Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

Martinsville Speedway is an NASCAR-owned stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At 0.526 miles (0.847 km) in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only remaining race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Steve Park (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Pennzoil
2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford Miller Lite
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Valvoline
7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford Philips
9 Jerry Nadeau (R) Melling Racing Ford Cartoon Network, Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Paychex
12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford Mobil 1
13 Dennis Setzer Elliott-Marino Racing Ford FirstPlus Financial Group
16 Kevin Lepage (R) Roush Racing Ford PrimeStar
18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac Interstate Batteries
21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac MBNA
23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford Winston No Bull
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford Cheerios, Pop Secret
28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac Gumout
31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Lowe's
33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet Skoal
35 Darrell Waltrip Tyler Jet Motorsports Pontiac Tabasco
36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac Skittles
40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet Coors Light
41 David Green Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet BellSouth
43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac Hot Wheels
46 Jeff Green Team SABCO Chevrolet The Money Store
50 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Team Realtree Camouflage
75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms
77 Ted Musgrave Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions
78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford Pilot Travel Centers
79 Ken Bouchard T.R.I.X. Racing Chevrolet T.R.I.X. Racing
81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford Square D
85 Randy MacDonald Mansion Motorsports Ford Mansion Motorsports
88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford Quality Care Service, Ford Credit
90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
91 Todd Bodine LJ Racing Chevrolet Larry's Homes
94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford Get Back with Big Mac
96 Mike Bliss American Equipment Racing Chevrolet Caterpillar
97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford John Deere
98 Rich Bickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford Thorn Apple Valley
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Exide Batteries

Practice

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First practice

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The first practice session was held on Friday, September 25, at 11:00 AM EST.[3] Jeff Burton, driving for Roush Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 20.239 and an average speed of 93.562 miles per hour (150.573 km/h).[4]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 20.239 93.562
2 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 20.264 93.447
3 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 20.290 93.327
Full first practice results

Final practice

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The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, September 26, after the preliminary 1998 NAPA 250.[3] Mark Martin, driving for Roush Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 20.561 and an average speed of 92.097 miles per hour (148.216 km/h).[5]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 20.561 92.097
2 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 20.578 92.021
3 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 20.581 92.007
Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, September 25, at 3:00 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, September 26, at 11:45 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.[3] On January 24, 1998, NASCAR would announce that the amount of provisionals given would be increased from last season. Positions 26-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champion needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.[6]

Ernie Irvan, driving for MB2 Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 20.229 and an average speed of 93.608 miles per hour (150.647 km/h).[7]

Four drivers would fail to qualify: David Green, Gary Bradberry, Ken Bouchard, and Randy MacDonald.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 20.229 93.608
2 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 20.236 93.576
3 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20.250 93.511
4 98 Rich Bickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 20.260 93.465
5 50 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20.288 93.336
6 46 Jeff Green Team SABCO Chevrolet 20.289 93.331
7 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 20.299 93.285
8 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 20.312 93.226
9 77 Ted Musgrave Jasper Motorsports Ford 20.344 93.079
10 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 20.360 93.006
11 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 20.362 92.997
12 91 Todd Bodine LJ Racing Chevrolet 20.370 92.960
13 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 20.377 92.928
14 13 Dennis Setzer Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 20.383 92.901
15 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 20.384 92.896
16 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 20.407 92.792
17 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 20.417 92.746
18 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 20.426 92.705
19 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 20.428 92.696
20 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 20.431 92.683
21 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 20.433 92.674
22 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 20.433 92.674
23 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 20.439 92.646
24 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 20.446 92.615
25 96 Mike Bliss American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 20.452 92.588
26 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 20.437 92.655
27 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 20.466 92.524
28 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford 20.469 92.511
29 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20.472 92.497
30 35 Darrell Waltrip Tyler Jet Motorsports Pontiac 20.491 92.411
31 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford 20.495 92.393
32 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 20.516 92.299
33 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 20.525 92.258
34 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 20.538 92.200
35 16 Kevin Lepage (R) Roush Racing Ford 20.541 92.186
36 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 20.554 92.128
Provisionals
37 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford -* -*
38 1 Steve Park (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet -* -*
39 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford -* -*
40 9 Jerry Nadeau (R) Melling Racing Ford -* -*
41 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford -* -*
42 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac -* -*
43 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet -* -*
Failed to qualify
44 41 David Green Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20.572 92.047
45 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford 20.678 91.576
46 79 Ken Bouchard T.R.I.X. Racing Chevrolet 20.746 91.275
47 85 Randy MacDonald Mansion Motorsports Ford 20.810 90.995
Official qualifying results

Race results

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Fin[8] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 2 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 500 198 running 180 $102,575
2 3 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 0 running 170 $73,525
3 13 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 500 0 running 165 $56,875
4 4 98 Rich Bickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 500 0 running 160 $54,525
5 16 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 500 16 running 160 $46,925
6 29 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 0 running 150 $45,525
7 20 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 500 0 running 146 $37,675
8 1 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 499 14 running 147 $46,100
9 24 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 499 0 running 138 $35,400
10 21 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 499 0 running 134 $44,000
11 15 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 499 0 running 130 $32,435
12 12 91 Todd Bodine LJ Racing Chevrolet 499 0 running 127 $28,000
13 18 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 499 0 running 124 $32,650
14 19 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 498 0 running 121 $35,250
15 9 77 Ted Musgrave Jasper Motorsports Ford 498 0 running 118 $27,000
16 23 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 498 0 running 115 $23,950
17 35 16 Kevin Lepage (R) Roush Racing Ford 498 0 running 112 $33,550
18 7 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 496 231 running 119 $32,755
19 37 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 496 0 running 106 $29,500
20 27 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 495 0 running 103 $30,850
21 30 35 Darrell Waltrip Tyler Jet Motorsports Pontiac 495 0 running 100 $18,100
22 33 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 495 0 running 97 $32,950
23 32 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 495 0 running 94 $28,100
24 38 1 Steve Park (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 491 0 running 91 $20,850
25 25 96 Mike Bliss American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 491 0 running 88 $17,500
26 43 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 489 0 running 85 $17,350
27 39 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 487 0 running 82 $32,200
28 17 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 486 0 running 79 $32,050
29 36 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 486 0 running 76 $27,000
30 42 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 483 0 running 73 $26,750
31 6 46 Jeff Green Team SABCO Chevrolet 479 0 running 70 $19,600
32 5 50 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 474 0 running 67 $26,275
33 34 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 462 0 running 64 $23,350
34 11 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 453 0 running 61 $23,225
35 40 9 Jerry Nadeau (R) Melling Racing Ford 451 0 running 58 $16,100
36 31 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford 449 0 running 55 $16,025
37 8 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 419 41 running 57 $33,400
38 14 13 Dennis Setzer Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 417 0 running 49 $15,750
39 28 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford 387 0 engine 46 $22,650
40 22 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 360 0 engine 43 $22,550
41 41 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 341 0 engine 40 $15,450
42 10 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 299 0 camshaft 37 $32,350
43 26 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 150 0 overheating 34 $15,750
Failed to qualify
44 41 David Green Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet
45 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford
46 79 Ken Bouchard T.R.I.X. Racing Chevrolet
47 85 Randy MacDonald Mansion Motorsports Ford
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Poole, David (September 27, 1998). "Rudd refuses to lose despite feeling the heat". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  2. ^ Macur, Juliet (September 28, 1998). "Rudd overcomes heat to extend win streak". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 31. Retrieved September 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ a b c "Schedule for events at Martinsville". That's Racin'. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  4. ^ "Burton fastest in early practice". That's Racin'. September 25, 1998. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  5. ^ "Martin fastest at Happy Hour". That's Racin'. September 26, 1998. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  6. ^ "Additional Provisionals announced". Motorsport.com. January 24, 1998. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  7. ^ Poole, David (September 25, 1998). "Ernie Irvan on Martinsville pole". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  8. ^ "1998 NAPA Autocare 500 - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
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1998 MBNA Gold 400
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1998 season
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1998 UAW-GM Quality 500