The 1998 AC Delco 400 was the 32nd stock car race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 34th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, November 1, 1998, in Rockingham, North Carolina, at North Carolina Speedway, a 1.017 miles (1.637 km) permanent high-banked racetrack. The race took the scheduled 393 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would manage to make a late race pass on Penske-Kranefuss Racing driver Rusty Wallace to take his 41st career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his 12th victory of the season.[1][2]

1998 AC Delco 400
Race details
Race 32 of 33 in the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1998 AC Delco 400 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Dale Earnhardt.
The 1998 AC Delco 400 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Dale Earnhardt.
Date November 1, 1998
Official name 34th Annual AC Delco 400
Location Rockingham, North Carolina, North Carolina Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1.017 mi (1.636 km)
Distance 393 laps, 399.681 mi (643.224 km)
Scheduled Distance 393 laps, 399.681 mi (643.224 km)
Average speed 128.423 miles per hour (206.677 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Roush Racing
Time 23.394
Most laps led
Driver Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing
Laps 195
Winner
No. 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network TNN
Announcers Eli Gold, Buddy Baker, Dick Berggren
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

In the process, Jeff Gordon would manage to clinch his third career NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship, completing a dominant and historic run.[3]

Background

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The layout of North Carolina Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

North Carolina Speedway was opened as a flat, one-mile oval on October 31, 1965. In 1969, the track was extensively reconfigured to a high-banked, D-shaped oval just over one mile in length. In 1997, North Carolina Motor Speedway merged with Penske Motorsports, and was renamed North Carolina Speedway. Shortly thereafter, the infield was reconfigured, and competition on the infield road course, mostly by the SCCA, was discontinued. Currently, the track is home to the Fast Track High Performance Driving School.[4]

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Steve Park (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Pennzoil
2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford Miller Lite
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Bobby Hamilton 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 Mattei Motorsports Ford Philips
9 Jerry Nadeau (R) Melling Racing Ford Cartoon Network, The Powerpuff Girls
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide "Happy Holidays!"
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Paychex
12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford Mobil 1
13 Ted Musgrave Elliott-Marino Racing Ford FirstPlus Financial Group
16 Kevin Lepage (R) Roush Racing Ford PrimeStar
18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac Interstate Batteries
21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac MBNA
23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford Winston No Bull
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford Cheerios, Pop Secret
28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac Gumout
31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Lowe's
33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet Skoal
35 Darrell Waltrip Tyler Jet Motorsports Pontiac Tabasco
36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac Skittles
40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet Coors Light
41 David Green Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak Ice
42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet BellSouth
43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac Hot Wheels
46 Jeff Green Team SABCO Chevrolet The Money Store
50 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Team Realtree Camouflage
75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms
77 Ted Musgrave Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions
78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford Pilot Travel Centers
80 Andy Hillenburg Hover Motorsports Ford Hover Motorsports
81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford Square D
88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford Quality Care Service, Ford Credit
90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
91 Todd Bodine LJ Racing Chevrolet LJ Racing
94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford McDonald's
96 Steve Grissom American Equipment Racing Chevrolet Caterpillar
97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford John Deere
98 Rich Bickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford Thorn Apple Valley
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Exide Batteries

Practice

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First practice

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The first practice session was held on Friday, October 30, at 10:00 AM EST. The session would last for one hour and 25 minutes.[5] Rusty Wallace, driving for Penske-Kranefuss Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 23.550 and an average speed of 155.465 mph (250.197 km/h).[6]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 23.550 155.465
2 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 23.615 155.037
3 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.716 154.377
Full first practice results

Final practice

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The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, October 31, after the preliminary 1998 AC Delco 200 NASCAR Busch Series race. The session would last for one hour.[5] Jeff Burton, driving for Roush Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 24.318 and an average speed of 150.555 mph (242.295 km/h).[7]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 24.318 150.555
2 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 24.341 150.412
3 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 24.345 150.388
Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, October 30, at 2:00 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 25 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 Saturday, October 31, at 9:30 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.[5] On January 24, 1998, NASCAR would announce that the amount of provisionals given would be increased from last season. Positions 26-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champion needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.[8]

Mark Martin, driving for Roush Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 23.394 and an average speed of 156.502 miles per hour (251.866 km/h).[9]

Three drivers would fail to qualify: Steve Grissom, Andy Hillenburg, and Dave Marcis.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 23.394 156.502
2 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 23.530 155.597
3 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 23.544 155.505
4 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 23.557 155.419
5 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford 23.575 155.300
6 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 23.583 155.247
7 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 23.602 155.122
8 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 23.613 155.050
9 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.627 154.958
10 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 23.629 154.945
11 9 Jerry Nadeau (R) Melling Racing Ford 23.643 154.853
12 91 Todd Bodine LJ Racing Chevrolet 23.651 154.801
13 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 23.658 154.755
14 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 23.665 154.709
15 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 23.693 154.527
16 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 23.695 154.514
17 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 23.728 154.299
18 16 Kevin Lepage (R) Roush Racing Ford 23.728 154.299
19 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 23.729 154.292
20 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 23.742 154.208
21 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.746 154.182
22 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford 23.746 154.182
23 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 23.750 154.156
24 50 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.751 154.149
25 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 23.759 154.097
26 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 23.749 154.162
27 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford 23.775 153.994
28 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 23.779 153.968
29 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 23.787 153.916
30 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 23.787 153.916
31 98 Rich Bickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 23.787 153.916
32 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 23.792 153.884
33 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 23.806 153.793
34 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 23.818 153.716
35 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 23.820 153.703
36 41 David Green Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.820 153.703
Provisionals
37 36 Ricky Craven MB2 Motorsports Pontiac -* -*
38 1 Steve Park (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet -* -*
39 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford -* -*
40 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford -* -*
41 13 Ted Musgrave Elliott-Marino Racing Ford -* -*
42 46 Jeff Green Team SABCO Chevrolet -* -*
Champion's Provisional
43 35 Darrell Waltrip Tyler Jet Motorsports Pontiac -* -*
Failed to qualify
44 96 Steve Grissom American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 24.094 151.955
45 80 Andy Hillenburg Hover Motorsports Ford 24.456 149.706
46 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 24.648 148.539
Official qualifying results

*Time not available.

Race results

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Fin[10] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 9 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 393 29 running 180 $111,575
2 4 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 393 195 running 180 $80,625
3 3 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 393 152 running 170 $49,275
4 1 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 393 1 running 165 $53,750
5 13 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 393 1 running 160 $41,325
6 25 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 393 0 running 150 $49,550
7 15 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 393 0 running 146 $34,650
8 21 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 393 3 running 147 $36,500
9 29 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 393 8 running 143 $34,400
10 7 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 393 0 running 134 $43,150
11 5 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford 392 0 running 130 $31,375
12 26 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 392 1 running 132 $29,850
13 30 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 392 0 running 124 $21,975
14 14 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 392 0 running 121 $29,825
15 19 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 392 0 running 118 $34,125
16 34 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 392 0 running 115 $25,175
17 16 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 391 0 running 112 $27,875
18 31 98 Rich Bickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 391 0 running 109 $16,575
19 41 13 Ted Musgrave Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 391 0 running 106 $16,400
20 12 91 Todd Bodine LJ Racing Chevrolet 391 0 running 103 $22,925
21 28 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 391 0 running 100 $19,925
22 20 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 391 0 running 97 $26,375
23 39 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 391 0 running 94 $26,175
24 11 9 Jerry Nadeau (R) Melling Racing Ford 391 0 running 91 $19,975
25 8 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 390 0 running 88 $25,775
26 36 41 David Green Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 390 0 running 85 $22,275
27 42 46 Jeff Green Team SABCO Chevrolet 389 0 running 82 $18,475
28 27 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford 389 0 running 79 $15,575
29 6 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 388 0 running 76 $25,175
30 17 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 388 2 running 78 $24,975
31 32 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 388 0 running 70 $24,950
32 43 35 Darrell Waltrip Tyler Jet Motorsports Pontiac 388 0 running 67 $14,550
33 33 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 387 0 running 64 $29,650
34 10 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 387 0 running 61 $29,350
35 38 1 Steve Park (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 386 0 running 58 $17,250
36 24 50 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 381 0 running 55 $23,725
37 37 36 Ricky Craven MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 360 0 running 52 $21,200
38 40 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 328 0 running 49 $14,200
39 23 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 281 0 carburetor 46 $23,650
40 22 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford 257 0 radiator 43 $14,150
41 2 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 229 1 engine 45 $21,400
42 35 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 173 0 engine 37 $14,150
43 18 16 Kevin Lepage (R) Roush Racing Ford 67 0 water pump 34 $21,150
Failed to qualify
44 96 Steve Grissom American Equipment Racing Chevrolet
45 80 Andy Hillenburg Hover Motorsports Ford
46 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Poole, David (November 1, 1998). "Gordon picks up championship, drives it to Victory Lane". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  2. ^ Kurz Jr., Hank (November 2, 1998). "'A killer day'". York Daily Record. p. 25. Retrieved September 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Poole, David (November 1, 1998). "Victory puts proper garnish on title season". That's Racin'. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  4. ^ "Fast Track High Performance Driving School, Inc". Fasttrackracing.com. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  5. ^ a b c "Schedule for North Carolina Speedway events". That's Racin'. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  6. ^ "Friday morning practice speeds". That's Racin'. October 30, 1998. Archived from the original on June 8, 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  7. ^ "Burton fastest at Happy Hour". 2000-08-17. Archived from the original on 2000-08-17. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  8. ^ "Additional Provisionals announced". Motorsport.com. January 24, 1998. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  9. ^ Poole, David (October 30, 1998). "Martin on pole; Jarrett strong in qualifying". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  10. ^ "1998 AC Delco 400 - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
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