1989 Heinz Southern 500

The 1989 Heinz Southern 500 was the 21st stock car race of the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 40th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 3, 1989, before an audience of 80,000 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 dominate the late stages of the race, leading the final 63 laps of the race to take his 37th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his third victory of the season.[1][2][3][4] To fill out the top three, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin and King Racing driver Ricky Rudd would finish second and third, respectively.

1989 Heinz Southern 500
Race details
Race 21 of 29 in the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1989 Heinz Southern 500 program cover, featuring Darrell Waltrip.
The 1989 Heinz Southern 500 program cover, featuring Darrell Waltrip.
Date September 3, 1989
Official name 40th 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 135.462 miles per hour (218.005 km/h)
Attendance 80,000
Pole position
Driver AK Racing
Time 30.705
Most laps led
Driver Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing
Laps 153
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

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
2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac Kroger
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
15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick Chattanooga Chew
17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
24 John McFadden 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
48 Greg Sacks Winkle Motorsports Pontiac Dinner Bell Foods
49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick Hylton Motorsports
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Alka-Seltzer
55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal, Crown Central Petroleum
57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac Heinz
62 Joe Ruttman Douglas Smith Racing Oldsmobile Baja Boats
70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac Rumple Furniture
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Lifebuoy
75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Valvoline
81 Mike Potter Welch Racing Ford O. C. Welch Ford
83 Rodney Combs 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
94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Sunoco

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Thursday, August 31, 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, September 1, 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.

Alan Kulwicki, driving for his own AK Racing team, would win the pole, setting a time of 30.705 and an average speed of 160.156 miles per hour (257.746 km/h) in the first round.[6][7]

No drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 30.705 160.156
2 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30.731 160.021
3 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 30.781 159.761
4 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 30.797 159.678
5 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 30.799 159.668
6 33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 30.870 159.300
7 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30.874 159.280
8 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 31.005 158.607
9 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.030 158.479
10 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 31.109 158.076
11 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 31.128 157.980
12 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac 31.266 157.283
13 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 31.272 157.252
14 84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 31.291 157.157
15 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 31.299 157.117
16 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 31.300 157.112
17 16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick 31.310 157.062
18 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 31.332 156.951
19 21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 31.374 156.741
20 2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac 31.394 156.640
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 83 Rodney Combs Speed Racing Oldsmobile 31.374 156.741
22 48 Greg Sacks Winkle Motorsports Pontiac 31.408 156.572
23 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 31.438 156.422
24 75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 31.452 156.353
25 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 31.462 156.303
26 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 31.486 156.184
27 88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac 31.497 156.129
28 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 31.518 156.025
29 57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac 31.654 155.355
30 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 31.798 154.651
31 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 31.835 154.471
32 62 Joe Ruttman Douglas Smith Racing Oldsmobile 32.067 153.354
33 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 32.108 153.158
34 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 32.275 152.366
35 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac 32.514 151.246
36 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac 32.932 149.326
37 24 John McFadden McFadden Racing Chevrolet 32.934 149.317
38 81 Mike Potter Welch Racing Ford 34.029 144.512
39 49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick 34.688 141.767
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 10 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 367 153 running 185 $71,150
2 3 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 367 0 running 170 $37,550
3 8 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 367 0 running 165 $26,865
4 5 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 367 94 running 165 $24,330
5 2 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 367 5 running 160 $20,390
6 6 33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 367 83 running 155 $17,000
7 4 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 367 4 running 151 $18,430
8 18 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 367 0 running 142 $11,195
9 24 75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 366 0 running 138 $16,287
10 16 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 365 1 running 139 $12,430
11 13 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 365 0 running 130 $9,385
12 7 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 365 0 running 127 $12,120
13 15 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 364 0 running 124 $8,960
14 23 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 364 0 running 121 $4,840
15 19 21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 363 1 running 123 $9,140
16 11 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 363 0 running 115 $8,300
17 14 84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 363 0 running 112 $8,690
18 25 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 362 0 running 109 $12,595
19 29 57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac 362 0 running 106 $6,095
20 26 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 361 0 running 103 $7,810
21 31 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 360 0 running 100 $6,645
22 9 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 359 3 running 102 $112,890
23 21 83 Rodney Combs Speed Racing Oldsmobile 351 0 running 0 $6,895
24 20 2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac 325 0 running 91 $4,175
25 12 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac 320 0 running 88 $4,105
26 34 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 309 0 engine 85 $3,090
27 35 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac 295 0 running 82 $3,000
28 30 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 286 6 crash 84 $5,605
29 17 16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick 225 0 engine 76 $3,490
30 32 62 Joe Ruttman Douglas Smith Racing Oldsmobile 224 0 water pump 73 $2,810
31 37 24 John McFadden McFadden Racing Chevrolet 213 0 vibration 70 $2,615
32 1 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 184 17 engine 72 $8,005
33 28 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 167 0 engine 64 $9,500
34 38 81 Mike Potter Welch Racing Ford 137 0 header 61 $2,455
35 33 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 91 0 engine 58 $2,995
36 36 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac 90 0 engine 55 $2,350
37 27 88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac 80 0 crash 52 $4,870
38 22 48 Greg Sacks Winkle Motorsports Pontiac 21 0 crash 49 $2,215
39 39 49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick 13 0 engine 46 $2,100
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 4, 1989). "Earnhardt Tames Darlington (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 13. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 4, 1989). "Earnhardt Tames Darlington (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 15. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ King, Randy (September 4, 1989). "Earnhardt cashes in at Darlington (Part 1)". The Roanoke Times. p. 13. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ King, Randy (September 4, 1989). "Earnhardt cashes in at Darlington (Part 2)". The Roanoke Times. p. 16. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ "NASCAR Today". The Charlotte Observer. August 31, 1989. p. 55. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 1, 1989). "Waltrip 9th As Kulwicki Takes Darlington Pole (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 69. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 1, 1989). "Waltrip 9th As Kulwicki Takes Darlington Pole (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 76. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  


Previous race:
1989 Busch 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1989 season
Next race:
1989 Miller High Life 400 (Richmond)