The 1994 Pepsi 400 was the 15th stock car race of the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 36th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, July 2, 1994, in Daytona Beach, Florida at Daytona International Speedway, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) permanent triangular-shaped superspeedway. The race took the scheduled 160 laps to complete. In a last-lap battle to the finish, Junior Johnson & Associates driver Jimmy Spencer would manage to best out Robert Yates Racing driver Ernie Irvan in one of the closest NASCAR Winston Cup Series finishes in history, besting Irvan by eight one-thousandths of a second. The win was Spencer's first career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would finish third.

1994 Pepsi 400
Race details
Race 15 of 31 in the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1994 Pepsi 400 program cover.
The 1994 Pepsi 400 program cover.
Date July 2, 1994
Official name 36th Annual Pepsi 400
Location Daytona Beach, Florida, Daytona International Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
2.5 mi (4.0 km)
Distance 160 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
Scheduled Distance 160 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
Average speed 155.558 miles per hour (250.346 km/h)
Attendance 100,000
Pole position
Driver Richard Childress Racing
Time 47.037
Most laps led
Driver Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing
Laps 86
Winner
No. 27 Jimmy Spencer Junior Johnson & Associates
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, Ned Jarrett
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

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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.[3] 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.[4]

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Ford Masters Inn Economy
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford Skoal
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford Miller Genuine Draft
02 Jeremy Mayfield (R) Taylor Racing Ford Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Valvoline
7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford Exide
8 Jeff Burton (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Raybestos
9 Rich Bickle (R) Melling Racing Ford Melling Racing
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
12 Tim Steele Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford Teletron
14 John Andretti (R) Hagan Racing Chevrolet Hagan Racing
15 Lake Speed Bud Moore Engineering Ford Ford Quality Care
16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford The Family Channel
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Western Auto
18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
19 Loy Allen Jr. (R) TriStar Motorsports Ford Hooters
20 Bobby Hillin Jr. Moroso Racing Ford FINA
21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Bobby Labonte Bill Davis Racing Pontiac Maxwell House
23 Hut Stricklin Travis Carter Enterprises Ford Smokin' Joe's
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford Quaker State
27 Jimmy Spencer Junior Johnson & Associates Ford McDonald's
28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Diamond Ridge Motorsports
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
31 Ward Burton A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet Hardee's
32 Dick Trickle Active Motorsports Chevrolet SkyBox International
33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet Skoal Bandit
40 Bobby Hamilton SABCO Racing Pontiac Kendall
41 Joe Nemechek (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Meineke
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Mello Yello
43 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
47 Billy Standridge Johnson Standridge Racing Ford Johnson Standridge Racing
51 Jeff Purvis Phoenix Racing Chevrolet Country Time
52 Brad Teague Jimmy Means Racing Ford Jimmy Means Racing
53 Ritchie Petty Petty Brothers Racing Ford Winston Cup Bottled Water
55 Jimmy Hensley RaDiUs Motorsports Ford RaDiUs Motorsports
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Olive Garden
75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Factory Stores of America
77 Greg Sacks U.S. Motorsports Inc. Ford US Airways
80 Joe Ruttman Hover Motorsports Ford Hover Motorsports
90 Mike Wallace (R) Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
98 Derrike Cope Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford Fingerhut

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Thursday, June 30, at 2:30 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, July 1, at 1:00 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 but were high enough in owner's points; up to two provisionals 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.

Dale Earnhardt, driving for Richard Childress Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 47.037 and an average speed of 191.339 miles per hour (307.930 km/h) in the first round.[6]

Six drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 47.037 191.339
2 19 Loy Allen Jr. (R) TriStar Motorsports Ford 47.153 190.868
3 27 Jimmy Spencer Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 47.225 190.577
4 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 47.452 189.665
5 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 47.499 189.478
6 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 47.662 188.830
7 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 47.662 188.830
8 77 Greg Sacks U.S. Motorsports Inc. Ford 47.680 188.758
9 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 47.690 188.719
10 55 Jimmy Hensley RaDiUs Motorsports Ford 47.773 188.391
11 18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 47.775 188.383
12 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 47.783 188.352
13 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 47.928 187.782
14 22 Bobby Labonte Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 47.935 187.754
15 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 47.940 187.735
16 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 47.982 187.570
17 75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 48.000 187.500
18 90 Mike Wallace (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 48.023 187.410
19 51 Jeff Purvis Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 48.039 187.348
20 23 Hut Stricklin Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 48.077 187.200
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 29 Steve Grissom (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 48.077 187.200
22 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford 48.127 187.005
23 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 48.158 186.885
24 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 48.176 186.815
25 32 Dick Trickle Active Motorsports Chevrolet 48.179 186.803
26 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 48.184 186.784
27 8 Jeff Burton (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 48.211 186.679
28 14 John Andretti (R) Hagan Racing Chevrolet 48.237 186.579
29 12 Tim Steele Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 48.245 186.548
30 02 Jeremy Mayfield (R) Taylor Racing Ford 48.255 186.509
31 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 48.306 186.312
32 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 48.314 186.281
33 15 Lake Speed Bud Moore Engineering Ford 48.315 186.278
34 9 Rich Bickle (R) Melling Racing Ford 48.318 186.266
35 53 Ritchie Petty Petty Brothers Racing Ford 48.353 186.131
36 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 48.361 186.100
37 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 48.399 185.954
38 41 Joe Nemechek (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48.405 185.931
39 98 Derrike Cope Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 48.468 185.690
40 31 Ward Burton (R) A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet 48.480 185.644
Provisionals
41 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford 49.249 182.745
42 40 Bobby Hamilton SABCO Racing Pontiac 48.535 185.433
Champion's Provisional
43 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 48.759 184.581
Failed to qualify
44 52 Brad Teague Jimmy Means Racing Ford -* -*
45 20 Bobby Hillin Jr. Moroso Racing Ford -* -*
46 80 Joe Ruttman Hover Motorsports Ford -* -*
47 43 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Petty Enterprises Pontiac -* -*
48 47 Billy Standridge Johnson Standridge Racing Ford -* -*
49 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters 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 3 27 Jimmy Spencer Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 160 1 running 180 $75,880
2 5 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 160 86 running 180 $50,275
3 1 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 160 31 running 170 $50,050
4 15 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 160 3 running 165 $36,575
5 6 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 160 0 running 155 $30,150
6 7 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 160 9 running 155 $25,875
7 17 75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 160 0 running 146 $19,675
8 12 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 160 19 running 147 $25,175
9 24 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 160 0 running 138 $24,275
10 33 15 Lake Speed Bud Moore Engineering Ford 160 0 running 134 $25,825
11 11 18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 160 0 running 130 $24,265
12 18 90 Mike Wallace (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 160 0 running 127 $16,570
13 23 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 160 0 running 124 $19,180
14 16 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 160 0 running 121 $18,840
15 9 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 160 0 running 118 $21,850
16 22 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford 160 0 running 115 $18,310
17 31 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 160 3 running 117 $13,985
18 27 8 Jeff Burton (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 160 0 running 109 $18,080
19 43 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 160 0 running 106 $19,240
20 34 9 Rich Bickle (R) Melling Racing Ford 160 0 running 103 $11,025
21 25 32 Dick Trickle Active Motorsports Chevrolet 159 0 running 100 $12,655
22 14 22 Bobby Labonte Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 159 0 running 97 $16,435
23 39 98 Derrike Cope Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 159 0 running 94 $12,165
24 42 40 Bobby Hamilton SABCO Racing Pontiac 159 0 running 91 $15,945
25 37 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 159 0 running 88 $15,725
26 13 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 159 0 running 85 $21,655
27 32 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 158 0 running 82 $11,310
28 4 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 158 6 running 84 $20,190
29 41 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford 158 0 running 76 $15,095
30 30 02 Jeremy Mayfield (R) Taylor Racing Ford 158 0 running 73 $9,500
31 26 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 158 0 running 70 $14,445
32 10 55 Jimmy Hensley RaDiUs Motorsports Ford 157 0 running 67 $8,915
33 21 29 Steve Grissom (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 157 0 running 64 $8,885
34 36 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 156 0 running 61 $19,855
35 28 14 John Andretti (R) Hagan Racing Chevrolet 154 0 running 58 $12,825
36 40 31 Ward Burton (R) A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet 151 0 running 55 $8,795
37 8 77 Greg Sacks U.S. Motorsports Inc. Ford 145 1 running 57 $8,766
38 19 51 Jeff Purvis Phoenix Racing Chevrolet 118 0 crash 49 $8,750
39 38 41 Joe Nemechek (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 118 0 crash 46 $8,745
40 2 19 Loy Allen Jr. (R) TriStar Motorsports Ford 101 1 engine 48 $8,705
41 35 53 Ritchie Petty Petty Brothers Racing Ford 73 0 overheating 40 $8,705
42 20 23 Hut Stricklin Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 46 0 engine 37 $8,705
43 29 12 Tim Steele Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 20 0 vibration 34 $12,705
Failed to qualify
44 52 Brad Teague Jimmy Means Racing Ford
45 20 Bobby Hillin Jr. Moroso Racing Ford
46 80 Joe Ruttman Hover Motorsports Ford
47 43 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Petty Enterprises Pontiac
48 47 Billy Standridge Johnson Standridge Racing Ford
49 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Ford
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Hembree, Mike (July 3, 1994). "One lap proves good enough for Spencer". The Greenville News. p. 11. Retrieved December 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Harris, Mike (July 3, 1994). "Spencer slips past Irvan at Daytona". The Times-Mail. p. 19. Retrieved December 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "NASCAR.COM : Tracks". 2010-08-11. Archived from the original on 2010-08-11. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
  4. ^ "Daytona International Speedway: The World Center of Racing". 2010-08-30. Archived from the original on 2010-08-30. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
  5. ^ "NASCAR today". The Charlotte Observer. June 30, 1994. p. 29. Retrieved December 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ Long, Gary (July 1, 1994). "Earnhardt wins pole for 400". The Miami Herald. p. 35. Retrieved December 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
Previous race:
1994 Miller Genuine Draft 400 (Michigan)
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1994 season
Next race:
1994 Slick 50 300