The 1986 Daytona 500 was the first stock car race of the 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 28th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, February 16, 1986, before an audience of 125,000 in Daytona Beach, Florida at Daytona International Speedway.

1986 Daytona 500
Race details
Race 1 of 29 in the 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1986 Daytona 500 program cover, featuring Bill Elliott.
The 1986 Daytona 500 program cover, featuring Bill Elliott.
Date February 16, 1986
Official name 28th Annual Daytona 500
Location Daytona Beach, Florida, Daytona International Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
2.5 mi (4.0 km)
Distance 200 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Scheduled Distance 200 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Average speed 148.124 miles per hour (238.382 km/h)
Attendance 125,000
Pole position
Driver Melling Racing
Time 43.894
Most laps led
Driver Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 101
Winner
No. 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network CBS
Announcers Ken Squier, David Hobbs, Ned Jarrett
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

In the final laps of the race, Richard Childress Racing's Dale Earnhardt and Hendrick Motorsports' Geoff Bodine engaged in a battle for the victory. However, by the final lap, Earnhardt ran out of fuel, leading Bodine to cruise to an easy victory, having dominated for a majority of the race. The victory was Bodine's third career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory, his first victory of the season, and his only Daytona 500 victory.[1][2] Hagan Enterprises' Terry Labonte and Junior Johnson & Associates' Darrell Waltrip finished second and third, respectively.

Background

edit
 
The layout of Daytona International Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

Daytona International Speedway is one of three superspeedways to hold NASCAR races, the other two being Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The standard track at Daytona International Speedway is a four-turn superspeedway that is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long. The track's turns are banked at 31 degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at 18 degrees.

Entry list

edit
  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Chevrolet Heyward Grooms Construction, Carey Hillard's Restaurants
1 Sterling Marlin Ellington Racing Chevrolet Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce
2 Kirk Bryant Cliff Stewart Racing Pontiac Cliff Stewart Racing
02 Mark Martin Gunderman Racing Ford Lone Star Peterbilt
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Wrangler
4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile Cap'n Coty's
5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Levi Garrett
6 Trevor Boys U.S. Racing Chevrolet Finky's
7 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford 7-Eleven
07 Randy LaJoie Bob Johnson Racing Chevrolet Snellman Construction
8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet Miller American
9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Coors
10 Greg Sacks DiGard Motorsports Pontiac TRW Automotive
11 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet Budweiser
12 Neil Bonnett Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet Budweiser
14 A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile Copenhagen
15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft Quality Parts
17 Doug Heveron Hamby Racing Chevrolet Protecta Truck Bed Liner
18 Tommy Ellis Freedlander Motorsports Chevrolet Freedlander Financial
19 Bob Park Park Racing Pontiac Park Racing
21 Larry Pearson Pearson Racing Chevrolet Chattanooga Chew
22 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller American
23 Michael Waltrip (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac Hawaiian Punch
25 Tim Richmond Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Folgers
26 Joe Ruttman King Racing Buick Quaker State
27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac Alugard
28 Cale Yarborough Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford Hardee's
29 Grant Adcox Adcox Racing Chevrolet Herb Adcox Chevrolet
32 Alan Kulwicki (R) Terry Racing Ford Quincy's Steakhouse
33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet Skoal Bandit
39 Blackie Wangerin Wangerin Racing Ford Wangerin Racing
42 Dick Trickle Billy Matthews Racing Chevrolet Bill's Barbeque
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Terry Labonte Hagan Enterprises Oldsmobile Piedmont Airlines
47 Morgan Shepherd Race Hill Farm Team Chevrolet Race Hill Farm Team
48 Ron Esau Hylton Motorsports Chevrolet Hylton Motorsports
49 Ferdin Wallace H. L. Waters Racing Chevrolet Clearfield Speedway
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac WNDB
53 Donny Paul Paul Racing Chevrolet Paul Racing
54 Slick Johnson[a] Gray Racing Chevrolet Gray Racing
55 Benny Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Copenhagen
57 Jody Ridley RahMoc Enterprises Ford Nationwise Automotive
60 Dick Skillen Goff Racing Chevrolet Goff Racing
64 Pancho Carter Langley Racing Ford Kmart
66 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal
67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Ford Jim Peacock Ford, Pannill Sweatshirts
70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac Rumple Furniture
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Pontiac Helen Rae Special
73 Phil Barkdoll Barkdoll Racing Ford Helen Rae Special
74 Bobby Wawak Wawak Racing Chevrolet Superior Piping
75 Lake Speed RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Nationwise Automotive
76 Clark Dwyer Arrington Racing Ford Arrington Racing
77 Ken Ragan Ragan Racing Chevrolet McCord Gasket
81 Chet Fillip (R) Fillip Racing Ford Circle Bar Truck Corral
82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford Auto Bell Car Wash
88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile Crisco
89 Jim Sauter Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac Evinrude Outboard Motors
90 Ken Schrader Donlavey Racing Ford Red Baron Frozen Pizza
94 Eddie Bierschwale Eller Racing Pontiac Kodak Film
95 Davey Allison Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet Sadler Brothers Racing
98 Ron Bouchard Curb Racing Pontiac Valvoline
99 Connie Saylor Ball Motorsports Chevrolet Hayes Jewelers

Qualifying

edit

Qualifying was set by the 1986 7-Eleven Twin 125s. The top two positions were set by qualifying speeds held for the Twin 125 Qualifiers held on Monday, February 10, with the top two qualifiers in the session earning the top two positions for the Daytona 500. The rest of the starting was set in the Twin 125 Qualifiers, held on Thursday, February 13, during two races.[4] The top 14 finishers in the first race, excluding the pole position winner, set the inside row from rows two to 15, and the top 14 finishers in the second race, excluding the outside pole position winner, set the outside row from rows two to 15. The remaining non-qualifiers set positions 31-40 based on qualifying speeds from the first qualifying session held on Saturday. If needed, up to two extra provisionals were given to teams high enough in the previous season's owner's standings that did not qualify for the race by either qualifying speed or from the Twin 125 Qualifiers.

Bill Elliott, driving for Melling Racing, won the pole, setting a time of 43.894 and an average speed of 205.039 miles per hour (329.978 km/h) in Monday's session.[5]

20 drivers failed to qualify.

Full qualifying results

edit
Pos. # Driver Team Make Reason
1 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Qualified on pole
2 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Qualified on outside pole
3 22 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Second in Twin 125 #1
4 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet First in Twin 125 #2
5 44 Terry Labonte Hagan Enterprises Oldsmobile Third in Twin 125 #1
6 11 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet Third in Twin 125 #2
7 7 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford Fourth in Twin 125 #1
8 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac Fifth in Twin 125 #2
9 1 Sterling Marlin Ellington Racing Chevrolet Fifth in Twin 125 #1
10 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Pontiac Sixth in Twin 125 #2
11 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac Sixth in Twin 125 #1
12 28 Cale Yarborough Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford Seventh in Twin 125 #2
13 12 Neil Bonnett Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet Seventh in Twin 125 #1
14 33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet Eighth in Twin 125 #2
15 98 Ron Bouchard Curb Racing Pontiac Eighth in Twin 125 #1
16 88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile Ninth in Twin 125 #2
17 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile Ninth in Twin 125 #1
18 6 Trevor Boys U.S. Racing Chevrolet Tenth in Twin 125 #2
19 66 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Tenth in Twin 125 #1
20 18 Tommy Ellis Freedlander Motorsports Chevrolet 11th in Twin 125 #2
21 14 A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile 11th in Twin 125 #1
22 21 Larry Pearson Pearson Racing Chevrolet 12th in Twin 125 #2
23 15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 12th in Twin 125 #1
24 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet 13th in Twin 125 #2
25 02 Mark Martin Gunderman Racing Ford 13th in Twin 125 #1
26 89 Jim Sauter Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac 14th in Twin 125 #2
27 10 Greg Sacks DiGard Motorsports Pontiac 14th in Twin 125 #1
28 64 Pancho Carter Langley Racing Ford 15th in Twin 125 #2
29 42 Dick Trickle Billy Matthews Racing Chevrolet 15th in Twin 125 #1
30 55 Benny Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Speed provisional (200.411)
31 54 Slick Johnson Gray Racing Chevrolet Speed provisional (200.983)
32 2 Kirk Bryant Cliff Stewart Racing Pontiac Speed provisional (200.196)
33 26 Joe Ruttman King Racing Buick Speed provisional (200.566)
34 17 Doug Heveron Hamby Racing Chevrolet Speed provisional (199.172)
35 57 Jody Ridley RahMoc Enterprises Ford Speed provisional (199.836)
36 75 Lake Speed RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Speed provisional (199.018)
37 67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Ford Speed provisional (199.106)
Forced to start at rear
38 77 Ken Ragan Ragan Racing Chevrolet Speed provisional (200.906)
39 25 Tim Richmond Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Speed provisional (202.643)
40 47 Morgan Shepherd Race Hill Farm Team Chevrolet Fourth in Twin 125 #2
Provisionals
41 90 Ken Schrader Donlavey Racing Ford Owner's points provisional
42 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Owner's points provisional
Failed to qualify
43 53 Donny Paul Paul Racing Chevrolet 16th in Twin 125 #1
44 94 Eddie Bierschwale Eller Racing Pontiac 16th in Twin 125 #2
45 32 Alan Kulwicki (R) Terry Racing Ford 18th in Twin 125 #1
46 48 Ron Esau Hylton Motorsports Chevrolet 18th in Twin 125 #2
47 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac 20th in Twin 125 #1
48 74 Bobby Wawak Wawak Racing Chevrolet 19th in Twin 125 #2
49 76 Clark Dwyer Arrington Racing Ford 21st in Twin 125 #1
50 81 Chet Fillip (R) Fillip Racing Ford 20th in Twin 125 #2
51 95 Davey Allison Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet 22nd in Twin 125 #1
52 60 Dick Skillen Goff Racing Chevrolet 21st in Twin 125 #2
53 23 Michael Waltrip (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac 24th in Twin 125 #1
54 07 Randy LaJoie Bob Johnson Racing Chevrolet 22nd in Twin 125 #2
55 82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford 25th in Twin 125 #1
56 99 Connie Saylor Ball Motorsports Chevrolet 27th in Twin 125 #2
57 29 Grant Adcox Adcox Racing Chevrolet 27th in Twin 125 #1
58 39 Blackie Wangerin Wangerin Racing Ford 29th in Twin 125 #2
59 19 Bob Park Park Racing Pontiac 28th in Twin 125 #1
60 49 Ferdin Wallace H. L. Waters Racing Chevrolet 30th in Twin 125 #2
61 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Chevrolet 31st in Twin 125 #1
62 73 Phil Barkdoll Barkdoll Racing Ford 31st in Twin 125 #2
Official Twin 125s results
Official starting lineup

Race results

edit
Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 2 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 200 101 running 185 $192,715
2 5 44 Terry Labonte Hagan Enterprises Oldsmobile 200 5 running 175 $103,240
3 6 11 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 200 3 running 170 $80,515
4 24 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet 200 1 running 165 $58,975
5 30 55 Benny Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 199 0 running 155 $47,415
6 15 98 Ron Bouchard Curb Racing Pontiac 199 0 running 150 $48,310
7 17 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 199 0 running 146 $36,990
8 8 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 199 0 running 142 $37,840
9 9 1 Sterling Marlin Ellington Racing Chevrolet 198 6 engine 143 $37,165
10 36 75 Lake Speed RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 198 0 running 134 $31,430
11 23 15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 198 0 running 130 $32,690
12 35 57 Jody Ridley RahMoc Enterprises Ford 198 0 running 127 $20,915
13 1 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 198 2 running 129 $56,070
14 4 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 197 34 engine 126 $61,655
15 34 17 Doug Heveron Hamby Racing Chevrolet 197 0 running 118 $21,120
16 7 7 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford 195 0 running 115 $23,430
17 29 42 Dick Trickle Billy Matthews Racing Chevrolet 194 0 running 112 $15,925
18 18 6 Trevor Boys U.S. Racing Chevrolet 191 0 running 109 $19,380
19 20 18 Tommy Ellis Freedlander Motorsports Chevrolet 189 3 running 111 $15,035
20 39 25 Tim Richmond Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 7 running 108 $13,875
21 38 77 Ken Ragan Ragan Racing Chevrolet 184 0 running 100 $11,870
22 40 47 Morgan Shepherd Race Hill Farm Team Chevrolet 181 0 running 97 $15,465
23 37 67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Ford 177 0 engine 94 $15,475
24 19 66 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 174 0 running 91 $12,705
25 26 89 Jim Sauter Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac 138 0 clutch 88 $11,800
26 16 88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile 119 0 accident 85 $15,400
27 12 28 Cale Yarborough Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford 116 5 accident 87 $12,985
28 33 26 Joe Ruttman King Racing Buick 115 0 accident 79 $9,480
29 21 14 A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile 113 1 engine 81 $11,275
30 14 33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet 103 0 accident 73 $19,920
31 31 54 Eddie Bierschwale Gray Racing Chevrolet 100 0 engine 70 $9,965
32 13 12 Neil Bonnett Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 100 32 accident 72 $29,710
33 41 90 Ken Schrader Donlavey Racing Ford 91 0 engine 64 $11,300
34 28 64 Pancho Carter Langley Racing Ford 79 0 accident 61 $12,925
35 27 10 Greg Sacks DiGard Motorsports Pontiac 76 0 clutch 58 $16,670
36 11 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 63 0 accident 55 $10,790
37 25 02 Mark Martin Gunderman Racing Ford 51 0 engine 52 $9,560
38 10 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Pontiac 47 0 engine 49 $13,295
39 42 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 38 0 engine 46 $11,150
40 22 21 Larry Pearson Pearson Racing Chevrolet 29 0 engine 43 $9,310
41 32 2 Kirk Bryant Cliff Stewart Racing Pontiac 24 0 accident 40 $10,995
42 3 22 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 21 0 engine 37 $18,760
Failed to qualify
43 53 Donny Paul Paul Racing Chevrolet
44 94 Eddie Bierschwale Eller Racing Pontiac
45 32 Alan Kulwicki (R) Terry Racing Ford
46 48 Ron Esau Hylton Motorsports Chevrolet
47 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac
48 74 Bobby Wawak Wawak Racing Chevrolet
49 76 Clark Dwyer Arrington Racing Ford
50 81 Chet Fillip (R) Fillip Racing Ford
51 95 Davey Allison Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet
52 60 Dick Skillen Goff Racing Chevrolet
53 23 Michael Waltrip (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac
54 07 Randy LaJoie Bob Johnson Racing Chevrolet
55 82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford
56 99 Connie Saylor Ball Motorsports Chevrolet
57 29 Grant Adcox Adcox Racing Chevrolet
58 39 Blackie Wangerin Wangerin Racing Ford
59 19 Bob Park Park Racing Pontiac
60 49 Ferdin Wallace H. L. Waters Racing Chevrolet
61 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Chevrolet
62 73 Phil Barkdoll Barkdoll Racing Ford
Official race results

Standings after the race

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Driver changed to Eddie Bierschwale for the race after Bierschwale and Kodak paid Johnson to drive Johnson's car. Bierschwale had failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 in the Twin 125s.[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (February 17, 1986). "Bodine Breezes At Daytona". The Charlotte Observer. pp. 1C, 6C. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Coble, Don (February 17, 1986). "Bodine wins Daytona duel". Florida Today. pp. 1C, 2C. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Chuhran, John (February 15, 1986). "Richmond feeling aches from crash, but he'll be in race". Dayton Daily News. p. 10. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ "Daytona Schedule". The Miami Herald. February 9, 1986. pp. 4D. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ Higgins, Tom (February 11, 1986). "Elliott Grabs Daytona Pole – Again". The Charlotte Observer. pp. 1B, 3B. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  


Previous race:
1985 Winston Western 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1986 season
Next race:
1986 Miller High Life 400