1989 Peak Performance 500

The 1989 Peak Performance 500 was the 23rd stock car race of the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 19th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 17, 1989, before an audience of 64,000 in Dover, Delaware at Dover Downs International Speedway, a 1-mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete. At race's end, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would manage to fend off Roush Racing driver Mark Martin in the final laps of the race, completing a dominant performance of the race. The victory was Earnhardt's 38th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his fourth victory of the season.[1][2][3][4] To fill out the top three, the aforementioned Mark Martin and Hendrick Motorsports driver Ken Schrader would finish second and third, respectively.

1989 Peak Performance 500
Race details
Race 23 of 29 in the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1989 Peak Performance 500 program cover, featuring Kyle Petty.
The 1989 Peak Performance 500 program cover, featuring Kyle Petty.
Date September 17, 1989
Official name 19th Annual Peak Performance 500
Location Dover, Delaware, Dover Downs International Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1 mi (1.6 km)
Distance 500 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Scheduled Distance 500 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Average speed 122.909 miles per hour (197.803 km/h)
Attendance 64,000
Pole position
Driver Robert Yates Racing
Time 24.629
Most laps led
Driver Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing
Laps 375
Winner
No. 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, Ned Jarrett
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

The layout of Dover Downs International Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

Dover Downs International Speedway is an oval race track in Dover, Delaware, United States that has held at least two NASCAR races since it opened in 1969. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosted USAC and the NTT IndyCar Series. The track features one layout, a 1-mile (1.6 km) concrete oval, with 24° banking in the turns and 9° banking on the straights. The speedway is owned and operated by Dover Motorsports.

The track, nicknamed "The Monster Mile", was built in 1969 by Melvin Joseph of Melvin L. Joseph Construction Company, Inc., with an asphalt surface, but was replaced with concrete in 1995. Six years later in 2001, the track's capacity moved to 135,000 seats, making the track have the largest capacity of sports venue in the mid-Atlantic. In 2002, the name changed to Dover International Speedway from Dover Downs International Speedway after Dover Downs Gaming and Entertainment split, making Dover Motorsports. From 2007 to 2009, the speedway worked on an improvement project called "The Monster Makeover", which expanded facilities at the track and beautified the track. After the 2014 season, the track's capacity was reduced to 95,500 seats.

Entry list

  • (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
04 Andy Belmont Hakes Racing Ford Ed Learn Ford
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
22 Rob Moroso Moroso Racing Oldsmobile Prestone
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
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Peak Antifreeze
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Jim Sauter Group 44 Pontiac Group 44
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
65 Tommie Crozier Leonard Racing Chevrolet Universal Steel
70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac McDuffie Racing
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Lifebuoy
75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Valvoline
83 Lake Speed 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
92 Jack Ely North Star Racing Buick North Star Racing
94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Sunoco
99 Norm Benning O'Neil Racing Chevrolet O'Neil Racing

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, September 14, 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 Saturday, September 15, at 11:30 AM 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.

Davey Allison, driving for Robert Yates Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 24.629 and an average speed of 146.169 miles per hour (235.236 km/h) in the first round.[6][7]

No drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 24.629 146.169
2 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 24.711 145.684
3 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 24.749 145.460
4 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 24.752 145.443
5 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 24.778 145.290
6 84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 24.841 144.922
7 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 24.884 144.671
8 16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick 24.902 144.567
9 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 24.921 144.456
10 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 24.928 144.416
11 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 24.951 144.283
12 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 24.958 144.242
13 33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 24.964 144.208
14 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 25.021 143.879
15 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 25.037 143.787
16 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 25.058 143.667
17 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 25.062 143.644
18 75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 25.063 143.638
19 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac 25.073 143.581
20 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 25.083 143.524
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 22 Rob Moroso Moroso Racing Oldsmobile 24.839 144.933
22 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 25.001 143.994
23 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 25.009 143.948
24 2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac 25.103 143.409
25 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 25.175 142.999
26 21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 25.244 142.608
27 88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac 25.316 142.203
28 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 25.328 142.135
29 57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac 25.466 141.365
30 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 25.471 141.337
31 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 25.498 141.188
32 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 25.584 140.713
33 44 Jim Sauter Group 44 Pontiac 25.604 140.603
34 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 25.680 140.187
35 04 Andy Belmont Hakes Racing Ford 26.315 136.804
36 99 Norm Benning O'Neil Racing Chevrolet 26.414 136.291
37 92 Jack Ely North Star Racing Buick 26.905 133.804
38 49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick 26.914 133.759
39 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac 27.125 132.719
40 65 Tommie Crozier Leonard Racing Chevrolet 27.764 129.664
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 15 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 500 375 running 185 $59,950
2 10 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 500 34 running 175 $35,540
3 3 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 21 running 170 $25,875
4 7 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 499 0 running 160 $23,125
5 14 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 498 0 running 155 $18,375
6 16 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 498 0 running 150 $11,675
7 4 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 497 0 running 146 $16,475
8 19 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac 497 2 running 147 $7,875
9 22 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 497 0 running 138 $9,175
10 27 88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac 496 0 running 134 $11,925
11 20 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 496 0 running 130 $4,025
12 33 44 Jim Sauter Group 44 Pontiac 495 0 running 127 $6,082
13 17 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 494 0 running 124 $7,175
14 25 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 494 0 running 121 $10,025
15 30 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 492 0 running 118 $7,525
16 18 75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 492 0 running 115 $10,800
17 12 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 489 0 running 112 $6,350
18 9 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 484 0 running 109 $11,300
19 11 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 483 0 running 106 $5,950
20 29 57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac 479 0 running 103 $4,875
21 34 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 476 0 running 100 $2,550
22 31 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 475 0 running 97 $5,500
23 28 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 472 0 engine 94 $5,400
24 1 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 470 37 engine 96 $14,300
25 6 84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 451 15 crash 93 $6,075
26 26 21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 449 0 crash 85 $5,050
27 5 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 427 0 crash 82 $9,250
28 21 22 Rob Moroso Moroso Racing Oldsmobile 414 0 crash 79 $2,700
29 35 04 Andy Belmont Hakes Racing Ford 373 0 brakes 76 $2,150
30 32 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 351 0 fatigue 73 $2,850
31 36 99 Norm Benning O'Neil Racing Chevrolet 276 0 wheel bearing 70 $2,050
32 2 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 274 16 engine 72 $5,075
33 24 2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac 266 0 ignition 64 $2,600
34 39 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac 237 0 engine 61 $1,900
35 37 92 Jack Ely North Star Racing Buick 204 0 rear end 58 $1,800
36 23 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 125 0 engine 55 $4,400
37 40 65 Tommie Crozier Leonard Racing Chevrolet 96 0 vibration 52 $1,750
38 13 33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 54 0 crank 49 $8,700
39 38 49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick 25 0 engine 46 $1,675
40 8 16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick 1 0 engine 43 $2,250
Official race results

Standings after the race

References

  1. Higgins, Tom (September 18, 1989). "Earnhardt Rolls To Dover Win, Increases Lead (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 21. Retrieved May 22, 2023 via Newspapers.com. open access
  2. Higgins, Tom (September 18, 1989). "Earnhardt Rolls To Dover Win, Increases Lead (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 25. Retrieved May 22, 2023 via Newspapers.com. open access
  3. King, Randy (September 18, 1989). "Earnhardt Rolls To Dover Win, Increases Lead (Part 1)". The Roanoke Times. p. 13. Retrieved May 22, 2023 via Newspapers.com. open access
  4. King, Randy (September 18, 1989). "Earnhardt Rolls To Dover Win, Increases Lead (Part 2)". The Roanoke Times. p. 18. Retrieved May 22, 2023 via Newspapers.com. open access
  5. "NASCAR Today". The Charlotte Observer. September 15, 1989. p. 30. Retrieved May 22, 2023 via Newspapers.com. open access
  6. Higgins, Tom (September 16, 1989). "Allison Bumps Kulwicki From Pole (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 83. Retrieved May 22, 2023 via Newspapers.com. open access
  7. Higgins, Tom (September 16, 1989). "Allison Bumps Kulwicki From Pole (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 87. Retrieved May 22, 2023 via Newspapers.com. open access
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