The 1987 Delaware 500 was the 23rd stock car race of the 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 17th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 20, 1987, before an audience of 51,500 in Dover, Delaware at Dover Downs International Speedway, a 1-mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete.

1987 Delaware 500
Race details
Race 23 of 29 in the 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1987 Delaware 500 program cover.
The 1987 Delaware 500 program cover.
Date September 20, 1987
Official name 17th Annual Delaware 500
Location Dover, Delaware, Dover Downs International Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1 mi (1.6 km)
Distance 500 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Scheduled Distance 500 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Average speed 124.706 miles per hour (200.695 km/h)
Attendance 51,500
Pole position
Driver AK Racing
Time 24.687
Most laps led
Driver Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Engineering
Laps 373
Winner
No. 15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Engineering
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Larry Nuber
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

By race's end, Bud Moore Engineering's Ricky Rudd managed to dominate a majority of the race, leading 373 laps en route to his eighth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second and final victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Ranier-Lundy Racing's Davey Allison and RahMoc Enterprises' Neil Bonnett finished second and third, respectively.

Background

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The layout of Dover Downs International Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

Dover Downs International Speedway is an oval race track in Dover, Delaware, United States that has held at least two NASCAR races since it opened in 1969. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosted USAC and the NTT IndyCar Series. The track features one layout, a 1-mile (1.6 km) concrete oval, with 24° banking in the turns and 9° banking on the straights. The speedway is owned and operated by Dover Motorsports.

The track, nicknamed "The Monster Mile", was built in 1969 by Melvin Joseph of Melvin L. Joseph Construction Company, Inc., with an asphalt surface, but was replaced with concrete in 1995. Six years later in 2001, the track's capacity moved to 135,000 seats, making the track have the largest capacity of sports venue in the mid-Atlantic. In 2002, the name changed to Dover International Speedway from Dover Downs International Speedway after Dover Downs Gaming and Entertainment split, making Dover Motorsports. From 2007 to 2009, the speedway worked on an improvement project called "The Monster Makeover", which expanded facilities at the track and beautified the track. After the 2014 season, the track's capacity was reduced to 95,500 seats.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Brett Bodine Ellington Racing Chevrolet Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Wrangler
4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile Kodak
5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Levi Garrett
6 Rick Knoop U.S. Racing Chevrolet U.S. Racing
7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford Zerex
8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller American
9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Coors
11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet Budweiser
12 Larry Caudill Hamby Racing Chevrolet Hamby Racing
15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft Quality Parts
17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
18 Dale Jarrett (R) Freedlander Motorsports Chevrolet Freedlander Financial
21 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller American
26 Morgan Shepherd King Racing Buick Quaker State
27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac Kodiak
28 Davey Allison (R) Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough Motorsports Oldsmobile Hardee's
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Chevrolet All Pro Auto Parts
33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet Skoal Bandit
35 Benny Parsons Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Folgers Decaf
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Piedmont Airlines
51 David Simko Simko Racing Chevrolet Metro 25 Car Care Center
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Eureka
55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal Classic
62 Steve Christman (R) Winkle Motorsports Pontiac AC Spark Plug
64 Rodney Combs Langley Racing Ford Sunny King Ford
67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Ford Pannill Sweatshirts
70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac Rumple Furniture
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Lifebuoy
72 Eddie Drury[a] Drury Racing Chevrolet Drury Racing
75 Neil Bonnett RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Valvoline
80 Eddie Bierschwale S&H Racing Chevrolet S&H Racing
81 Mike Potter Fillip Racing Ford Fillip Racing
82 Rick Jeffrey Jeffery Racing Chevrolet Jeffery Racing
88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile Crisco
90 Ken Schrader Donlavey Racing Ford Red Baron Frozen Pizza
97 D. Wayne Strout Strout Racing Oldsmobile Strout Racing
98 Mark Gibson Gibson Racing Pontiac Gibson Racing

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Saturday, September 19, at 10:00 AM EST. Each driver had one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 20 drivers in the round were 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, at 3:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver had one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-40 were decided on time,[4] 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; up to two were given.

Alan Kulwicki, driving for his own AK Racing team, managed to win the pole, setting a time of 24.687 and an average speed of 145.826 miles per hour (234.684 km/h) in the first round.[5]

No drivers failed to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 24.687 145.826
2 28 Davey Allison (R) Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford 24.749 145.460
3 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 24.804 145.138
4 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 24.884 144.671
5 90 Ken Schrader Donlavey Racing Ford 24.931 144.399
6 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 24.958 144.242
7 33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet 24.963 144.213
8 21 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford 25.020 143.885
9 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 25.034 143.804
10 26 Morgan Shepherd King Racing Buick 25.039 143.776
11 44 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 25.067 143.615
12 22 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 25.070 143.598
13 15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 25.102 143.415
14 88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile 25.130 143.255
15 1 Brett Bodine Ellington Racing Chevrolet 25.185 142.942
16 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 25.264 142.495
17 18 Dale Jarrett (R) Freedlander Motorsports Chevrolet 25.289 142.354
18 35 Benny Parsons Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 25.306 142.259
19 75 Neil Bonnett RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 25.338 142.079
20 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 25.352 142.001
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 25.366 141.922
22 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 25.372 141.889
23 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 25.380 141.844
24 64 Trevor Boys Langley Racing Ford 25.458 141.409
25 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 25.505 141.149
26 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 25.589 140.685
27 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 25.592 140.669
28 81 Mike Potter Fillip Racing Ford 25.791 139.584
29 82 Rick Jeffrey Jeffery Racing Chevrolet 25.829 139.378
30 62 Steve Christman (R) Winkle Motorsports Pontiac 25.841 139.313
31 67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Ford 25.874 139.136
32 98 Mark Gibson Gibson Racing Pontiac 25.891 139.044
33 12 Larry Caudill Hamby Racing Oldsmobile 25.893 139.034
34 51 David Simko Simko Racing Chevrolet 25.970 138.621
35 80 Eddie Bierschwale S&H Racing Chevrolet 26.000 138.462
36 6 Rick Knoop U.S. Racing Chevrolet 26.235 137.221
37 97 D. Wayne Strout Strout Racing Oldsmobile 26.362 136.560
38 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac 26.849 134.083
39 29 Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough Motorsports Oldsmobile 25.210 142.800
40 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Chevrolet 25.238 142.642
Withdrew
WD 72 Eddie Drury Drury Racing Chevrolet - -
Official starting lineup


Race results

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Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 13 15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 500 373 running 185 $54,550
2 2 28 Davey Allison (R) Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford 500 39 running 175 $25,875
3 19 75 Neil Bonnett RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 500 0 running 165 $21,335
4 9 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 500 1 running 165 $19,375
5 11 44 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 500 6 running 160 $17,620
6 6 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 498 0 running 150 $13,175
7 12 22 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 498 1 running 146 $12,440
8 14 88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile 498 0 running 142 $5,900
9 26 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 496 0 running 138 $8,575
10 23 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 495 0 running 134 $7,390
11 5 90 Ken Schrader Donlavey Racing Ford 495 0 running 130 $7,355
12 20 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 495 0 running 127 $10,900
13 15 1 Brett Bodine Ellington Racing Chevrolet 493 0 running 124 $2,650
14 1 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 493 25 running 126 $10,735
15 27 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 490 0 running 118 $6,275
16 18 35 Benny Parsons Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 489 0 running 115 $11,400
17 30 62 Steve Christman (R) Winkle Motorsports Pontiac 487 0 running 112 $2,650
18 40 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Chevrolet 486 0 running 109 $5,515
19 31 67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Ford 479 0 running 106 $5,255
20 36 6 Rick Knoop U.S. Racing Chevrolet 470 0 running 0 $5,595
21 33 12 Larry Caudill Hamby Racing Oldsmobile 470 0 running 0 $4,725
22 16 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 468 0 running 97 $4,665
23 8 21 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford 403 0 running 94 $8,850
24 29 82 Rick Jeffrey Jeffery Racing Chevrolet 391 0 clutch 91 $1,800
25 7 33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet 381 0 engine 88 $4,605
26 37 97 D. Wayne Strout Strout Racing Oldsmobile 381 0 fatigue 85 $1,700
27 4 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 356 0 distributor 82 $1,650
28 38 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac 335 0 engine 79 $1,600
29 21 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 328 0 running 76 $1,550
30 34 51 David Simko Simko Racing Chevrolet 308 0 clutch 73 $1,500
31 22 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 304 18 engine 75 $12,700
32 3 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 295 37 crash 72 $11,050
33 24 64 Trevor Boys Langley Racing Ford 281 0 engine 0 $4,085
34 32 98 Mark Gibson Gibson Racing Pontiac 204 0 axle 61 $1,300
35 28 81 Mike Potter Fillip Racing Ford 185 0 exhaust 58 $1,200
36 39 29 Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough Motorsports Oldsmobile 117 0 engine 55 $1,175
37 35 80 Eddie Bierschwale S&H Racing Chevrolet 65 0 engine 52 $1,175
38 17 18 Dale Jarrett (R) Freedlander Motorsports Chevrolet 45 0 engine 49 $3,175
39 25 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 45 0 crash 46 $8,150
40 10 26 Morgan Shepherd King Racing Buick 20 0 engine 43 $3,150
Withdrew
WD 72 Eddie Drury Drury Racing Chevrolet
Official race results

Standings after the race

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Notes

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  1. ^ Withdrew after crashing in first round qualifying.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 21, 1987). "No Limp In Rudd's Win, But Earnhardt Streaks End". The Charlotte Observer. pp. 1B, 3B. Archived from the original on November 12, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Bryson, Gene (September 21, 1987). "Rudd breezes in Delaware 500". The News Journal. pp. C1, C2. Archived from the original on November 12, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Humphrey, Theresa (September 5, 1987). "Kulwicki wins Delaware 500 pole". Messenger-Inquirer. Associated Press. pp. 4B. Archived from the original on November 12, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "NASCAR Today". The Charlotte Observer. September 19, 1987. pp. 7B. Archived from the original on November 12, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 20, 1987). "Surprising Kulwicki Rolls To Another Pole". The Charlotte Observer. pp. 5D. Archived from the original on November 12, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  


Previous race:
1987 Wrangler Jeans Indigo 400
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1987 season
Next race:
1987 Goody's 500