1989 All Pro Auto Parts 500

The 1989 All Pro Auto Parts 500 was the 25th stock car race of the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 30th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, October 8, 1989, before an audience of 151,600 in Concord, North Carolina, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) permanent quad-oval. The race took the scheduled 334 laps to complete. In the closing laps of the race, Hendrick Motorsports driver Ken Schrader would mount a late-race charge to the lead, passing for the lead with 15 laps left in the race to take his second career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[1][2][3][4] To fill out the top three, Jackson Bros. Motorsports driver Harry Gant and Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would finish second and third, respectively.

1989 All Pro Auto Parts 500
Race details
Race 25 of 29 in the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1989 All Pro Auto Parts 500 program cover. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
The 1989 All Pro Auto Parts 500 program cover. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
Date October 8, 1989
Official name 30th Annual All Pro Auto Parts 500
Location Concord, North Carolina, Charlotte Motor Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1.5 mi (2.41 km)
Distance 334 laps, 501 mi (806.281 km)
Scheduled Distance 334 laps, 501 mi (806.281 km)
Average speed 149.863 miles per hour (241.181 km/h)
Attendance 151,600
Pole position
Driver Melling Racing
Time 31.020
Most laps led
Driver Bill Elliott Melling Racing
Laps 126
Winner
No. 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network TBS
Announcers Ken Squier, Johnny Hayes, Chris Economaki
Radio in the United States
Radio Performance Racing Network

With an eighth-place finish from driver's championship contender Rusty Wallace and a last place finish from Dale Earnhardt, who finished the race 42nd after retiring from the race due to a broken camshaft, Wallace would manage to take over the driver's championship lead from Earnhardt with a 35-point lead.[5]

Background

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

Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, as well as the UAW-GM Quality 500. The speedway was built in 1959 by Bruton Smith and is considered the home track for NASCAR with many race teams located in the Charlotte area. The track is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) with Marcus G. Smith (son of Bruton Smith) as track president.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac Kroger
02 Rich Bickle Bickle Racing Buick Bickle Racing
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile Kodak
5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Levi Garrett
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Stroh's Light
7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford Zerex
8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller High Life
9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Coors Light
10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac Purolator
11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
14 A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile Copenhagen
15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick Chattanooga Chew
17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
18 Brad Teague TriStar Motorsports Pontiac Mello Yello
21 Tommy Ellis Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
23 Eddie Bierschwale B&B Racing Oldsmobile Americraft
24 Robert Pressley McFadden Racing Chevrolet Alliance Training Centers
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Folgers
26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick Quaker State
27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac Kodiak
28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac Hardee's
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Country Time
33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal Bandit
36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac Almeda Auto Parts
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Peak Antifreeze
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Jim Sauter Group 44 Pontiac Group 44
47 Jack Pennington Close Racing Chevrolet Sandlapper Fabrics
48 Greg Sacks Winkle Motorsports Pontiac Dinner Bell Foods
49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick Hylton Motorsports
50 Mickey Gibbs (R) Dingman Brothers Racing Pontiac Valvoline
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Alka-Seltzer
53 Jerry O'Neil Aroneck Racing Oldsmobile Aroneck Racing
55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal, Crown Central Petroleum
57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac Heinz
66 Rick Mast (R) Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet Winn-Dixie
70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac Rumple Furniture
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Lifebuoy
75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Valvoline
77 Ken Ragan Ragan Racing Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions
83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce
84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller High Life
88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac Crisco
89 Rodney Combs Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac Evinrude Outboard Motors
90 Tracy Leslie Donlavey Racing Ford Hawaiian Tropic
93 Charlie Baker Salmon Racing Buick Salmon Racing
94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Sunoco

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Wednesday, October 4, at 2:00 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 Thursday, October 5, 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,[6] 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. If needed, a past champion who did not qualify on either time or provisionals could use a champion's provisional, adding one more spot to the field.

Bill Elliott, driving for Melling Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 31.020 and an average speed of 174.081 miles per hour (280.156 km/h) in the first round.[7][8]

Seven drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 31.020 174.081
2 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.202 173.066
3 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 31.257 172.761
4 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.270 172.689
5 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 31.297 172.540
6 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 31.301 172.518
7 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 31.301 172.518
8 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 31.313 172.452
9 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac 31.378 172.095
10 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.430 171.810
11 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 31.442 171.745
12 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 31.447 171.717
13 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 31.475 171.565
14 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 31.516 171.342
15 33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 31.519 171.325
16 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 31.555 171.130
17 75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 31.563 171.086
18 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 31.582 170.983
19 21 Tommy Ellis Wood Brothers Racing Ford 31.639 170.675
20 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 31.640 170.670
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 18 Brad Teague TriStar Motorsports Pontiac 31.548 171.168
22 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 31.562 171.092
23 57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac 31.674 170.487
24 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 31.732 170.175
25 2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac 31.736 170.154
26 84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 31.750 170.079
27 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 31.758 170.036
28 16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick 31.797 169.827
29 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 31.811 169.753
30 66 Rick Mast (R) Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet 31.849 169.550
31 89 Rodney Combs Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac 31.852 169.534
32 48 Greg Sacks Winkle Motorsports Pontiac 31.879 169.391
33 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 31.890 169.332
34 88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac 31.897 169.295
35 50 Mickey Gibbs (R) Dingman Brothers Racing Pontiac 31.905 169.252
36 23 Eddie Bierschwale B&B Racing Oldsmobile 31.916 169.194
37 44 Jim Sauter Group 44 Pontiac 31.919 169.178
38 77 Ken Ragan Ragan Racing Ford 31.929 169.125
39 53 Jerry O'Neil Aroneck Racing Oldsmobile 32.020 168.645
40 02 Rich Bickle Bickle Racing Buick 32.098 168.235
Provisionals
41 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 32.125 168.093
42 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 32.315 167.105
Failed to qualify
43 93 Charlie Baker Salmon Racing Buick -* -*
44 90 Tracy Leslie Donlavey Racing Ford -* -*
45 47 Jack Pennington Close Racing Chevrolet -* -*
46 24 Robert Pressley McFadden Racing Chevrolet -* -*
47 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac -* -*
48 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac -* -*
49 49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick -* -*
WD 14 A. J. Foyt[N 1] A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile -* -*
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 2 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 334 40 running 180 $91,700
2 15 33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 334 4 running 175 $50,375
3 3 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 334 107 running 170 $55,075
4 1 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 334 126 running 170 $75,650
5 5 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 334 1 running 160 $27,990
6 9 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac 334 2 running 155 $16,775
7 11 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 334 7 running 151 $15,750
8 6 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 333 45 running 147 $23,900
9 22 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 332 0 running 138 $12,300
10 17 75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 332 0 running 134 $17,825
11 18 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 332 0 running 130 $13,450
12 13 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 332 0 running 127 $9,770
13 30 66 Rick Mast (R) Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet 332 0 running 124 $6,070
14 4 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 331 0 out of gas 121 $16,000
15 28 16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick 331 0 running 118 $7,350
16 34 88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac 331 0 running 115 $8,160
17 14 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 331 0 running 112 $7,760
18 19 21 Tommy Ellis Wood Brothers Racing Ford 331 0 running 0 $7,360
19 42 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 331 0 running 106 $9,617
20 41 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 331 0 running 103 $7,735
21 16 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 331 0 running 100 $10,480
22 10 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 330 0 running 97 $10,480
23 23 57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac 329 0 running 94 $3,830
24 29 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 328 0 running 91 $5,450
25 36 23 Eddie Bierschwale B&B Racing Oldsmobile 324 0 running 88 $2,580
26 35 50 Mickey Gibbs (R) Dingman Brothers Racing Pontiac 323 0 running 85 $2,360
27 38 77 Ken Ragan Ragan Racing Ford 322 0 running 82 $2,240
28 7 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 278 0 engine 79 $5,970
29 33 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 269 0 engine 76 $2,000
30 26 84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 247 0 a frame 73 $4,610
31 21 18 Brad Teague TriStar Motorsports Pontiac 245 0 engine 0 $2,350
32 31 89 Rodney Combs Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac 221 0 engine 67 $1,810
33 25 2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac 184 0 crash 64 $2,455
34 27 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 142 0 engine 61 $2,410
35 32 48 Greg Sacks Winkle Motorsports Pontiac 128 2 transmission 63 $1,950
36 39 53 Jerry O'Neil Aroneck Racing Oldsmobile 85 0 crash 55 $1,740
37 24 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 58 0 engine 52 $1,730
38 20 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 41 0 engine 49 $4,345
39 40 02 Rich Bickle Bickle Racing Buick 36 0 engine 46 $1,710
40 37 44 Jim Sauter Group 44 Pontiac 32 0 engine 43 $1,700
41 8 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 25 0 engine 40 $4,800
42 12 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 13 0 camshaft 37 $11,250
Failed to qualify
43 93 Charlie Baker Salmon Racing Buick
44 90 Tracy Leslie Donlavey Racing Ford
45 47 Jack Pennington Close Racing Chevrolet
46 24 Robert Pressley McFadden Racing Chevrolet
47 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac
48 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac
49 49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick
WD 14 A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile
Official race results

Standings after the race

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Notes

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  1. ^ Foyt would withdraw from the race after suffering severe bruises to his upper chest and neck due to crashing in a practice session on Tuesday, October 3.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 9, 1989). "Schrader Shows 'Em (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 47. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 9, 1989). "Schrader Shows 'Em (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 50. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Hardin, Ed (October 9, 1989). "Ken Schrader takes All-Pro victory flag (Part 1)". News & Record. p. 19. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Hardin, Ed (October 9, 1989). "Ken Schrader takes All-Pro victory flag (Part 2)". News & Record. p. 21. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 9, 1989). "Mishap Costs Earnhardt Lead In Points Race". The Charlotte Observer. p. 50. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ "Race Week". The Charlotte Observer. October 2, 1989. p. 19. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 5, 1989). "An Awesome Run By Elliott (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 53. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  8. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 5, 1989). "An Awesome Run By Elliott (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 56. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ Higgins, Tom; Laye, Leonard (October 5, 1989). "Injured Foyt Withdraws Car". The Charlotte Observer. p. 56. Retrieved May 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  


Previous race:
1989 Goody's 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1989 season
Next race:
1989 Holly Farms 400