1990 Heinz Southern 500

1990 Heinz Southern 500
Race details
Race 21 of 29 in the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1990 Heinz Southern 500 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt.
The 1990 Heinz Southern 500 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt.
Date September 2, 1990
Official name 41st Annual Heinz Southern 500
Location Darlington Raceway, Darlington, South Carolina
Course Permanent racing facility
1.366 mi (2.221 km)
Distance 367 laps, 501.322 mi (806.799 km)
Scheduled Distance 367 laps, 501.322 mi (806.799 km)
Average speed 123.141 miles per hour (198.176 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Richard Childress Racing
Time 31.036
Most laps led
Driver Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing
Laps 99
Winner
No. 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

The 1990 Heinz Southern 500 was the 21st stock car race of the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 41st iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 2, 1990, in Darlington, South Carolina, at Darlington Raceway, a 1.366 miles (2.198 km) permanent egg-shaped oval racetrack. The race took the scheduled 367 laps to complete. At race's end, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would manage to dominate the late stages of the race, leading the final 54 laps of the race to take his 46th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his seventh victory of the season.[1][2][3][4] To fill out the top three, Morgan–McClure Motorsports driver Ernie Irvan and owner-driver Alan Kulwicki would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

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The layout of Darlington Raceway, the venue where the race was held.

Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that is effective at both ends.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Terry Labonte Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile Skoal
2 Charlie Glotzbach U.S. Racing Pontiac U.S. Racing
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile Kodak
5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Levi Garrett
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Folgers
7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford Zerex
8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Snickers
9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Coors Light
10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet Purolator Filters
11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick Raybestos
15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
17 Greg Sacks Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford Pelco
20 Rob Moroso (R) Moroso Racing Oldsmobile Crown Central Petroleum
21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Rick Mast U.S. Racing Pontiac Valvoline
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick Quaker State
27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac Miller Genuine Draft
28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Phil Parsons Diamond Ridge Motorsports Pontiac Diamond Ridge Motorsports
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Country Time
33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal Bandit
36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac Almeda Auto Parts
41 Larry Pearson Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Larry Hedrick Motorsports
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Peak Antifreeze
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
47 Jack Pennington (R) Close Racing Oldsmobile Kanawha Insurance
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Alka-Seltzer
57 Jimmy Spencer Osterlund Racing Pontiac Heinz
66 Dick Trickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac Phillips 66 TropArtic
70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac McDuffie Racing
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Big Apple Market
75 Rick Wilson RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Dinner Bell Foods
82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford Auto Bell Car Wash
83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile Prestone
94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Sunoco
96 Philip Duffie Duffie Racing Buick Duffie Racing
98 Butch Miller Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet Piggly Wiggly

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Thursday, August 30, at 3:00 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 Friday, August 31, at 2:00 PM 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[5] and depending on who needed it, a select amount of positions were given to cars who had not otherwise qualified on time but were high enough in owner's points; up to two provisionals were given.

Dale Earnhardt, driving for Richard Childress Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 31.036 and an average speed of 158.448 miles per hour (254.997 km/h) in the first round.[6][7]

J. D. McDuffie was the only driver to fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 31.036 158.448
2 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 31.168 157.777
3 11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 31.184 157.696
4 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 31.222 157.504
5 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.225 157.489
6 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 31.236 157.434
7 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 31.279 157.217
8 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 31.288 157.172
9 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 31.332 156.951
10 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 31.354 156.841
11 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 31.365 156.786
12 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 31.368 156.771
13 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 31.469 156.268
14 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 31.489 156.169
15 66 Dick Trickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 31.549 155.872
16 75 Rick Wilson RahMoc Enterprises Oldsmobile 31.606 155.591
17 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 31.619 155.527
18 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 31.639 155.428
19 22 Rick Mast U.S. Racing Pontiac 31.661 155.320
20 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 31.663 155.311
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.560 155.817
22 20 Rob Moroso (R) Moroso Racing Oldsmobile 31.568 155.778
23 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 31.678 155.237
24 1 Terry Labonte Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 31.749 154.890
25 98 Butch Miller Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 31.761 154.831
26 17 Greg Sacks Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.765 154.812
27 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 31.816 154.564
28 29 Phil Parsons Diamond Ridge Motorsports Pontiac 31.936 153.983
29 41 Larry Pearson Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.938 153.973
30 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 31.951 153.911
31 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 32.056 153.407
32 47 Jack Pennington (R) Close Racing Oldsmobile 32.162 152.901
33 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 32.183 152.801
34 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 32.388 151.834
35 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 32.466 151.469
36 57 Jimmy Spencer Osterlund Racing Pontiac 32.488 151.367
37 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac 32.569 150.990
38 96 Philip Duffie Duffie Racing Buick 32.681 150.473
39 2 Charlie Glotzbach U.S. Racing Pontiac 32.794 149.954
40 82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford 32.908 149.435
Failed to qualify
41 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac -* -*
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

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Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 1 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 367 99 running 185 $210,350
2 11 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 367 70 running 175 $35,900
3 8 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 367 0 running 165 $23,340
4 2 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 367 98 running 165 $24,380
5 7 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 367 0 running 155 $21,340
6 10 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 367 0 running 150 $16,825
7 5 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 6 running 151 $12,755
8 3 11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 367 89 running 147 $17,545
9 9 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 366 0 running 138 $12,105
10 6 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 366 0 running 134 $13,455
11 15 66 Dick Trickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 365 0 running 130 $11,360
12 16 75 Rick Wilson RahMoc Enterprises Oldsmobile 365 0 running 127 $10,025
13 22 20 Rob Moroso (R) Moroso Racing Oldsmobile 365 0 running 124 $9,085
14 24 1 Terry Labonte Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 365 0 running 121 $9,475
15 12 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 364 0 running 118 $14,290
16 17 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 364 3 running 120 $8,875
17 29 41 Larry Pearson Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 363 0 running 112 $5,415
18 23 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 362 0 transmission 109 $8,370
19 28 29 Phil Parsons Diamond Ridge Motorsports Pontiac 362 0 running 106 $5,120
20 34 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 361 0 running 103 $7,792
21 14 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 358 0 running 100 $7,645
22 32 47 Jack Pennington (R) Close Racing Oldsmobile 357 0 running 97 $4,840
23 36 57 Jimmy Spencer Osterlund Racing Pontiac 355 0 running 94 $7,345
24 19 22 Rick Mast U.S. Racing Pontiac 354 0 running 91 $4,375
25 13 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 332 0 running 88 $12,630
26 30 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 272 0 accident 85 $6,890
27 39 2 Charlie Glotzbach U.S. Racing Pontiac 255 0 engine 82 $6,050
28 18 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 241 1 accident 84 $6,655
29 25 98 Butch Miller Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 239 1 accident 81 $4,540
30 26 17 Greg Sacks Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 227 0 accident 73 $12,810
31 20 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 227 0 accident 70 $6,315
32 27 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 175 0 engine 67 $3,605
33 40 82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford 112 0 handling 64 $3,550
34 33 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 93 0 engine 61 $4,120
35 35 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 91 0 accident 58 $3,420
36 31 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 91 0 accident 55 $3,975
37 38 96 Philip Duffie Duffie Racing Buick 52 0 handling 52 $3,320
38 37 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac 39 0 accident 49 $3,265
39 21 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31 0 accident 46 $10,710
40 4 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 14 0 engine 43 $14,400
Failed to qualify
41 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 3, 1990). "Tough? Not For Dale (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 23. Retrieved April 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 3, 1990). "Tough? Not For Dale (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 25. Retrieved April 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ Parrish, Will (September 3, 1990). "Earnhardt tames 'Lady in black' (Part 1)". The Herald. p. 11. Retrieved April 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Parrish, Will (September 3, 1990). "Earnhardt tames 'Lady in black' (Part 2)". The Herald. p. 14. Retrieved April 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ "NASCAR today". The Charlotte Observer. August 29, 1990. p. 35. Retrieved April 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ Higgins, Tom (August 31, 1990). "Earnhardt Continues 'Unbelievable' Pole Roll (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 57. Retrieved April 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ Higgins, Tom (August 31, 1990). "Earnhardt Continues 'Unbelievable' Pole Roll (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 62. Retrieved April 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
Previous race:
1990 Busch 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1990 season
Next race:
1990 Miller Genuine Draft 400 (Richmond)