The 1993 Mello Yello 500 was the 27th stock car race of the 1993 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 34th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, October 10, 1993, before an audience of 110,000 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. At race's end, Robert Yates Racing driver Ernie Irvan would complete a dominant performance, leading 328 laps to take his ninth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his third and final victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin and Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would finish second and third, respectively.

1993 Mello Yello 500
Race details
Race 27 of 30 in the 1993 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1993 Mello Yello 500 program cover, with artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
The 1993 Mello Yello 500 program cover, with artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
Date October 10, 1993
Official name 34th Annual Mello Yello 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 154.537 miles per hour (248.703 km/h)
Attendance 110,000
Pole position
Driver Hendrick Motorsports
Time 30.391
Most laps led
Driver Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing
Laps 328
Winner
No. 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing
Television in the United States
Network TBS
Announcers Ken Squier, Neil Bonnett
Radio in the United States
Radio Performance Racing Network

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
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford Skoal
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac Miller Genuine Draft
02 T. W. Taylor Taylor Racing Ford Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Joe Nemechek Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Valvoline
7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford The Family Channel
8 Sterling Marlin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Raybestos
11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
12 Jimmy Spencer Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford Meineke
14 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
15 Lake Speed Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
16 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Roush Racing Ford Keystone
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Western Auto
18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
19 Chad Little Mark Rypien Motorsports Ford Kleenex
20 Bobby Hamilton Moroso Racing Ford FINA
21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Bobby Labonte (R) Bill Davis Racing Ford Maxwell House
24 Jeff Gordon (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford Quaker State
27 Hut Stricklin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford McDonald's
28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Andy Hillenburg Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Diamond Ridge Motorsports
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet Skoal Bandit
35 Bill Venturini Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet Rain-X
37 Loy Allen Jr. TriStar Motorsports Ford Naturally Fresh Foods
40 Kenny Wallace (R) SABCO Racing Pontiac Dirt Devil
41 Dick Trickle Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Manheim Auctions
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Mello Yello
44 Rick Wilson Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
45 Rich Bickle Terminal Trucking Motorsports Ford Kraft, Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce
47 Billy Standridge Johnson Standridge Racing Ford Johnson Standridge Racing
52 Mike Wallace Jimmy Means Racing Ford Duron Paint
55 Ted Musgrave RaDiUs Motorsports Ford USAir, Jasper Engines & Transmissions
58 Jeff McClure McClure Racing Chevrolet McClure Racing
63 Norm Benning O'Neil Racing Oldsmobile O'Neil Racing
65 Jerry O'Neil O'Neil Racing Chevrolet O'Neil Racing
68 Greg Sacks TriStar Motorsports Ford Country Time
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet J.A. Jones Construction
72 John Andretti Tex Racing Chevrolet Tex Racing
75 Todd Bodine (R) Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Factory Stores of America
85 Jim Sauter Mansion Motorsports Ford Burger King "I Love This Place!"
90 Bobby Hillin Jr. Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
95 Jeremy Mayfield Sadler Brothers Racing Ford Mac Tools
98 Derrike Cope Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford Bojangles
99 Brad Teague Ball Motorsports Chevrolet Ball Motorsports

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Wednesday, October 6, at 4:45 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 7, at 12:00 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,[3] 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.

Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 30.391 and an average speed of 177.684 miles per hour (285.955 km/h) in the first round.[4]

Eight drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 24 Jeff Gordon (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30.391 177.684
2 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 30.424 177.491
3 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 30.427 177.474
4 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30.508 177.003
5 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 30.570 176.644
6 68 Greg Sacks TriStar Motorsports Ford 30.584 176.563
7 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 30.599 176.476
8 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30.644 176.217
9 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 30.647 176.200
10 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford 30.657 176.142
11 4 Joe Nemechek Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 30.725 175.753
12 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford 30.730 175.724
13 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 30.789 175.387
14 98 Derrike Cope Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 30.805 175.296
15 12 Jimmy Spencer Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 30.827 175.171
16 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 30.850 175.041
17 75 Todd Bodine (R) Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 30.857 175.001
18 44 Rick Wilson Petty Enterprises Pontiac 30.898 174.769
19 45 Rich Bickle Terminal Trucking Motorsports Ford 30.913 174.684
20 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 30.943 174.514
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 30.950 174.475
22 14 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Chevrolet 30.981 174.300
23 27 Hut Stricklin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 30.994 174.227
24 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 31.009 174.143
25 29 Andy Hillenburg Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 31.016 174.104
26 55 Ted Musgrave RaDiUs Motorsports Ford 31.073 173.784
27 41 Dick Trickle Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.076 173.768
28 20 Bobby Hamilton Moroso Racing Ford 31.110 173.578
29 85 Jim Sauter Mansion Motorsports Ford 31.159 173.305
30 95 Jeremy Mayfield Sadler Brothers Racing Ford 31.187 173.149
31 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 31.193 173.116
32 65 Jerry O'Neil O'Neil Racing Chevrolet 31.221 172.961
33 16 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Roush Racing Ford 31.244 172.833
34 8 Sterling Marlin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 31.263 172.728
35 52 Mike Wallace Jimmy Means Racing Ford 31.267 172.706
36 15 Lake Speed Bud Moore Engineering Ford 31.268 172.701
37 90 Bobby Hillin Jr. Donlavey Racing Ford 31.275 172.662
38 18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 31.314 172.447
39 19 Chad Little Mark Rypien Motorsports Ford 31.314 172.447
40 72 John Andretti Tex Racing Chevrolet 31.359 172.199
Provisionals
41 22 Bobby Labonte (R) Bill Davis Racing Ford 31.367 172.155
42 40 Kenny Wallace (R) SABCO Racing Pontiac 31.398 171.985
Failed to qualify
43 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet -* -*
44 47 Billy Standridge Johnson Standridge Racing Ford -* -*
45 37 Loy Allen Jr. TriStar Motorsports Ford -* -*
46 35 Bill Venturini Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
47 63 Norm Benning O'Neil Racing Oldsmobile -* -*
48 99 Brad Teague Ball Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
49 58 Jeff McClure McClure Racing Chevrolet -* -*
50 02 T. W. Taylor Taylor Racing Ford -* -*
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 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 334 328 running 185 $146,450
2 7 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 334 2 running 175 $67,900
3 9 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 334 3 running 170 $56,900
4 21 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 334 0 running 160 $42,950
5 1 24 Jeff Gordon (R) Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 334 1 running 160 $56,875
6 15 12 Jimmy Spencer Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 334 0 running 150 $32,750
7 31 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 334 0 running 146 $28,500
8 8 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 333 0 running 142 $24,500
9 4 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 332 0 running 138 $25,400
10 5 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 332 0 running 134 $29,050
11 36 15 Lake Speed Bud Moore Engineering Ford 332 0 running 130 $20,200
12 13 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 331 0 running 127 $20,425
13 3 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 331 0 running 124 $23,150
14 16 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 331 0 running 121 $15,050
15 10 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford 331 0 running 118 $14,800
16 22 14 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Chevrolet 331 0 running 115 $13,025
17 34 8 Sterling Marlin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 331 0 running 112 $12,200
18 12 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford 331 0 running 109 $11,600
19 24 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 330 0 running 106 $16,625
20 37 90 Bobby Hillin Jr. Donlavey Racing Ford 330 0 running 103 $6,650
21 26 55 Ted Musgrave RaDiUs Motorsports Ford 329 0 running 100 $10,800
22 27 41 Dick Trickle Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 329 0 running 97 $7,575
23 23 27 Hut Stricklin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 329 0 running 94 $10,310
24 33 16 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Roush Racing Ford 328 0 running 91 $10,050
25 11 4 Joe Nemechek Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 326 0 running 88 $14,880
26 38 18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 325 0 running 85 $13,160
27 20 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 324 0 running 82 $9,645
28 41 22 Bobby Labonte (R) Bill Davis Racing Ford 324 0 running 79 $7,010
29 30 95 Jeremy Mayfield Sadler Brothers Racing Ford 324 0 running 76 $4,830
30 35 52 Mike Wallace Jimmy Means Racing Ford 323 0 running 73 $4,745
31 40 72 John Andretti Tex Racing Chevrolet 323 0 running 70 $4,630
32 6 68 Greg Sacks TriStar Motorsports Ford 314 0 running 67 $5,250
33 39 19 Chad Little Mark Rypien Motorsports Ford 314 0 running 64 $4,475
34 32 65 Jerry O'Neil O'Neil Racing Chevrolet 311 0 oil pressure 61 $4,450
35 42 40 Kenny Wallace (R) SABCO Racing Pontiac 304 0 running 58 $5,975
36 18 44 Rick Wilson Petty Enterprises Pontiac 302 0 running 55 $5,925
37 28 20 Bobby Hamilton Moroso Racing Ford 299 0 running 52 $4,390
38 29 85 Jim Sauter Mansion Motorsports Ford 265 0 engine 49 $4,380
39 14 98 Derrike Cope Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 253 0 engine 46 $8,870
40 19 45 Rich Bickle Terminal Trucking Motorsports Ford 252 0 handling 43 $4,365
41 25 29 Andy Hillenburg Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 242 0 fatigue 40 $4,365
42 17 75 Todd Bodine (R) Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 140 0 crash 37 $5,365
Failed to qualify
43 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet
44 47 Billy Standridge Johnson Standridge Racing Ford
45 37 Loy Allen Jr. TriStar Motorsports Ford
46 35 Bill Venturini Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet
47 63 Norm Benning O'Neil Racing Oldsmobile
48 99 Brad Teague Ball Motorsports Chevrolet
49 58 Jeff McClure McClure Racing Chevrolet
50 02 T. W. Taylor Taylor Racing Ford
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 11, 1993). "Irvan right at home with first win on home track". The Charlotte Observer. p. 25. Retrieved January 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Harris, Mike (October 11, 1993). "Irvan far from mellow following victory in 500". The Tribune. p. 12. Retrieved January 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "Race Week Schedule". The Charlotte Observer. October 5, 1993. p. 11. Retrieved January 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Harris, Mike (October 7, 1993). "Gordon wins Mello Yello 500 pole". The Anniston Star. p. 30. Retrieved January 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
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1993 Tyson Holly Farms 400
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1993 season
Next race:
1993 AC Delco 500