1988 Champion Spark Plug 400
Race details | |||
---|---|---|---|
Race 19 of 29 in the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||
![]() The 1988 Champion Spark Plug 400 program cover, featuring Richard Petty. | |||
Date | August 21, 1988 | ||
Official name | 19th Annual Champion Spark Plug 400 | ||
Location | Brooklyn, Michigan, Michigan International Speedway | ||
Course | Permanent racing facility 2 mi (3.2 km) | ||
Distance | 200 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km) | ||
Scheduled Distance | 200 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km) | ||
Average speed | 156.863 miles per hour (252.447 km/h) | ||
Attendance | 72,000 | ||
Pole position | |||
Driver |
| Melling Racing | |
Time | 41.157 | ||
Most laps led | |||
Driver | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | |
Laps | 75 | ||
Winner | |||
No. 28 | Davey Allison | Ranier-Lundy Racing | |
Television in the United States | |||
Network | ESPN | ||
Announcers | Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Gary Nelson | ||
Radio in the United States | |||
Radio | Motor Racing Network |
The 1988 Champion Spark Plug 400 was the 19th stock car race of the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 19th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, August 21, 1988, before an audience of 72,000 in Brooklyn, Michigan, at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. Taking advantage of a misfortunate Bill Elliott, Ranier-Lundy Racing driver Davey Allison would manage to lead the final 23 laps of the race to take his third career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first victory of the season.[1][2][3][4] To fill out the top three, Blue Max Racing driver Rusty Wallace and Melling Racing driver Bill Elliott would finish second and third, respectively.
Background
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Michigan_International_Speedway_track_map.png/220px-Michigan_International_Speedway_track_map.png)
The race was held at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway as MIS's oval design was a direct basis of TWS, with moderate modifications to the banking in the corners, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).
Entry list
- (R) denotes rookie driver.
Qualifying
Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Saturday, August 20, at 11:30 AM 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 Saturday, August 20, 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 but were high enough in owner's points; up to two were given.
Bill Elliott, driving for Melling Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 41.157 and an average speed of 174.940 miles per hour (281.539 km/h) in the first round.[6]
Nine drivers would fail to qualify.
Full qualifying results
Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 41.157 | 174.940 |
2 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 41.289 | 174.381 |
3 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 41.295 | 174.355 |
4 | 28 | Davey Allison | Ranier-Lundy Racing | Ford | 41.342 | 174.157 |
5 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 41.343 | 174.153 |
6 | 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 41.434 | 173.770 |
7 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 41.449 | 173.707 |
8 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 41.472 | 173.611 |
9 | 88 | Morgan Shepherd | Baker-Schiff Racing | Oldsmobile | 41.520 | 173.410 |
10 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 41.617 | 173.006 |
11 | 1 | Dale Jarrett | Ellington Racing | Buick | 41.738 | 172.505 |
12 | 12 | Mike Alexander | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 41.745 | 172.476 |
13 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 41.752 | 172.447 |
14 | 44 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 41.769 | 172.377 |
15 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 41.779 | 172.335 |
16 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 41.805 | 172.228 |
17 | 68 | Derrike Cope | Testa Racing | Ford | 41.814 | 172.191 |
18 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 41.844 | 172.068 |
19 | 75 | Neil Bonnett | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 41.881 | 171.916 |
20 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Chevrolet | 41.884 | 171.903 |
Failed to lock in Round 1 | ||||||
21 | 90 | Benny Parsons | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 41.885 | 171.899 |
22 | 21 | Kyle Petty | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 41.911 | 171.793 |
23 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 41.924 | 171.739 |
24 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 41.931 | 171.711 |
25 | 97 | Rodney Combs | Winkle Motorsports | Buick | 41.941 | 171.670 |
26 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 41.947 | 171.645 |
27 | 33 | Harry Gant | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | 41.991 | 171.465 |
28 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 42.002 | 171.420 |
29 | 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | 42.003 | 171.416 |
30 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 42.080 | 171.103 |
31 | 50 | Greg Sacks | Dingman Brothers Racing | Pontiac | 42.082 | 171.095 |
32 | 01 | Mickey Gibbs | Gibbs Racing | Ford | 42.086 | 171.078 |
33 | 96 | Dana Patten | Patten Racing | Buick | 42.152 | 170.810 |
34 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | 42.153 | 170.806 |
35 | 29 | Cale Yarborough | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 42.182 | 170.689 |
36 | 89 | Jim Sauter | Mueller Brothers Racing | Pontiac | 42.217 | 170.547 |
37 | 10 | Ken Bouchard (R) | Whitcomb Racing | Ford | 42.225 | 170.515 |
38 | 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac | 42.225 | 170.515 |
39 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 42.259 | 170.378 |
40 | 2 | Ernie Irvan (R) | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 42.362 | 169.964 |
Provisionals | ||||||
41 | 31 | Donnie Allison | Bob Clark Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 42.373 | 169.920 |
42 | 98 | Brad Noffsinger (R) | Curb Racing | Buick | 42.775 | 168.323 |
Failed to qualify | ||||||
43 | 51 | David Simko | Simko Racing | Pontiac | 42.718 | 168.547 |
44 | 40 | Ben Hess | Hess Racing | Oldsmobile | 42.719 | 168.543 |
45 | 80 | Jimmy Horton (R) | S&H Racing | Ford | 42.867 | 167.961 |
46 | 67 | Ron Esau | Arrington Racing | Ford | 43.017 | 167.376 |
47 | 95 | Slick Johnson | Sadler Brothers Racing | Chevrolet | 43.033 | 167.313 |
48 | 38 | Mike Laws | ProStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 43.362 | 166.044 |
49 | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | 43.650 | 164.948 |
50 | 06 | Lee Raymond | Coyle Racing | Chevrolet | 44.078 | 163.347 |
51 | 07 | Larry Moyer | Stark Racing | Pontiac | - | - |
Official starting lineup |
Race results
Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 | 28 | Davey Allison | Ranier-Lundy Racing | Ford | 200 | 38 | running | 180 | $60,475 |
2 | 7 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 200 | 75 | running | 180 | $37,250 |
3 | 1 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 200 | 36 | running | 170 | $31,775 |
4 | 9 | 88 | Morgan Shepherd | Baker-Schiff Racing | Oldsmobile | 200 | 6 | running | 165 | $19,600 |
5 | 16 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 200 | 0 | running | 155 | $14,650 |
6 | 6 | 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 200 | 0 | running | 150 | $18,425 |
7 | 28 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 200 | 0 | running | 146 | $12,365 |
8 | 22 | 21 | Kyle Petty | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 200 | 0 | running | 142 | $14,365 |
9 | 23 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 200 | 0 | running | 138 | $8,910 |
10 | 2 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 0 | running | 134 | $12,705 |
11 | 14 | 44 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 200 | 0 | running | 130 | $9,750 |
12 | 3 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 1 | running | 132 | $11,695 |
13 | 20 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Chevrolet | 199 | 1 | running | 129 | $12,190 |
14 | 25 | 97 | Rodney Combs | Winkle Motorsports | Buick | 199 | 0 | running | 121 | $4,860 |
15 | 21 | 90 | Benny Parsons | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 199 | 0 | running | 118 | $8,935 |
16 | 10 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 198 | 3 | engine | 120 | $7,895 |
17 | 15 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 198 | 1 | running | 117 | $11,085 |
18 | 35 | 29 | Cale Yarborough | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 198 | 0 | running | 109 | $5,175 |
19 | 36 | 89 | Jim Sauter | Mueller Brothers Racing | Pontiac | 198 | 0 | running | 106 | $3,665 |
20 | 13 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 198 | 0 | running | 103 | $7,205 |
21 | 27 | 33 | Harry Gant | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | 197 | 0 | running | 100 | $6,320 |
22 | 18 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 197 | 0 | running | 97 | $6,160 |
23 | 12 | 12 | Mike Alexander | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 197 | 0 | running | 94 | $10,075 |
24 | 29 | 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | 197 | 0 | running | 91 | $2,965 |
25 | 37 | 10 | Ken Bouchard (R) | Whitcomb Racing | Ford | 196 | 0 | running | 88 | $3,710 |
26 | 42 | 98 | Brad Noffsinger (R) | Curb Racing | Buick | 196 | 0 | running | 85 | $3,030 |
27 | 34 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | 195 | 0 | running | 82 | $2,725 |
28 | 38 | 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac | 195 | 0 | running | 79 | $2,670 |
29 | 5 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 194 | 39 | running | 81 | $14,315 |
30 | 33 | 96 | Dana Patten | Patten Racing | Buick | 193 | 0 | running | 73 | $2,535 |
31 | 32 | 01 | Mickey Gibbs | Gibbs Racing | Ford | 186 | 0 | running | 70 | $2,490 |
32 | 26 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 162 | 0 | engine | 67 | $3,295 |
33 | 40 | 2 | Ernie Irvan (R) | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 157 | 0 | engine | 64 | $2,400 |
34 | 17 | 68 | Derrike Cope | Testa Racing | Ford | 127 | 0 | engine | 61 | $5,080 |
35 | 41 | 31 | Donnie Allison | Bob Clark Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 114 | 0 | engine | 58 | $3,000 |
36 | 8 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 104 | 0 | engine | 55 | $4,955 |
37 | 39 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 94 | 0 | engine | 52 | $4,915 |
38 | 30 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 72 | 0 | spindle | 49 | $4,870 |
39 | 24 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 68 | 0 | distributor | 46 | $4,825 |
40 | 19 | 75 | Neil Bonnett | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 51 | 0 | engine | 43 | $9,210 |
41 | 11 | 1 | Dale Jarrett | Ellington Racing | Buick | 50 | 0 | oil pan | 40 | $2,210 |
42 | 31 | 50 | Greg Sacks | Dingman Brothers Racing | Pontiac | 21 | 0 | ignition | 37 | $2,710 |
Failed to qualify | ||||||||||
43 | 51 | David Simko | Simko Racing | Pontiac | ||||||
44 | 40 | Ben Hess | Hess Racing | Oldsmobile | ||||||
45 | 80 | Jimmy Horton (R) | S&H Racing | Ford | ||||||
46 | 67 | Ron Esau | Arrington Racing | Ford | ||||||
47 | 95 | Slick Johnson | Sadler Brothers Racing | Chevrolet | ||||||
48 | 38 | Mike Laws | ProStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | ||||||
49 | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | ||||||
50 | 06 | Lee Raymond | Coyle Racing | Chevrolet | ||||||
51 | 07 | Larry Moyer | Stark Racing | Pontiac | ||||||
Official race results |
Standings after the race
|
References
- ^ Higgins, Tom (August 22, 1988). "Allison Gets Victory To Dedicate To Dad (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 17. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Higgins, Tom (August 22, 1988). "Allison Gets Victory To Dedicate To Dad (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 20. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Brown, Clifton (August 22, 1988). "Davey Allison breaks '88 jinx (Part 1)". Detroit Free Press. p. 41. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Brown, Clifton (August 22, 1988). "Davey Allison breaks '88 jinx (Part 2)". Detroit Free Press. p. 48. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "NASCAR Today". The Charlotte Observer. August 20, 1988. p. 32. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Higgins, Tom (August 21, 1988). "Winston Cup Front-Runners To Duel At Michigan Today". The Charlotte Observer. p. 138. Retrieved July 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
Previous race: 1988 The Budweiser at The Glen | NASCAR Winston Cup Series 1988 season | Next race: 1988 Busch 500 |
- v
- t
- e
- Daytona 500
- Pontiac Excitement 400
- Goodwrench 500
- Motorcraft Quality Parts 500
- TranSouth 500
- Valleydale Meats 500
- First Union 400
- Pannill Sweatshirts 500
- Winston 500
- Coca-Cola 600
- Budweiser 500
- Budweiser 400
- Miller High Life 500
- Miller High Life 400 (Michigan)
- Pepsi Firecracker 400
- AC Spark Plug 500
- Talladega DieHard 500
- The Budweiser at The Glen
- Champion Spark Plug 400
- Busch 500
- Southern 500
- Miller High Life 400 (Richmond)
- Delaware 500
- Goody's 500
- Oakwood Homes 500
- Holly Farms 400
- AC Delco 500
- Checker 500
- Atlanta Journal 500
- Busch Clash
- Twin 125 Qualifiers
- Goodyear NASCAR 500
- The Winston