1995 Pontiac Excitement 400

The 1995 Pontiac Excitement 400 was the third stock car race of the 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 41st iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 5, 1995, in Richmond, Virginia, at Richmond International Raceway, a 0.75 miles (1.21 km) D-shaped oval. The race took the scheduled 400 laps to complete. At race's end, Hendrick Motorsports driver Terry Labonte would manage to dominate the final stages of the race to take his 15th 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 and Penske Racing South driver Rusty Wallace would finish second and third, respectively.

1995 Pontiac Excitement 400
Race details
Race 3 of 31 in the 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1995 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover.
The 1995 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover.
Date March 5, 1995
Official name 41st Annual Pontiac Excitement 400
Location Richmond, Virginia, Richmond International Raceway
Course Permanent racing facility
0.75 mi (1.21 km)
Distance 400 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km)
Scheduled Distance 400 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km)
Average speed 106.425 miles per hour (171.274 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Hendrick Motorsports
Time 21.642
Most laps led
Driver Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South
Laps 248
Winner
No. 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network TBS
Announcers Ken Squier, Ernie Irvan, Chuck Bown
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

The layout of Richmond International Raceway, the venue where the race was at.

Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series. Known as "America's premier short track", it formerly hosted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, an IndyCar Series race, and two USAC sprint car races.

Entry list

  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac Skoal
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford Miller Genuine Draft
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 Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Raybestos
9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford Spam
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Lowe's
12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford Mane 'n Tail
15 Dick Trickle 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 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Randy LaJoie (R) Bill Davis Racing Pontiac MBNA
23 Jimmy Spencer Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford Smokin' Joe's
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
26 Steve Kinser King Racing Ford Quaker State
27 Loy Allen Jr. Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Hooters
28 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Meineke
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
31 Ward Burton A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet Hardee's
32 Jimmy Hensley Active Motorsports Chevrolet Active Trucking
33 Robert Pressley (R) Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet Skoal Bandit
37 John Andretti Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford Little Caesars, Kmart
40 Greg Sacks Dick Brooks Racing Pontiac Kendall
41 Ricky Craven (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac Coors Light Silver Bullet
43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
47 Billy Standridge Standridge Motorsports Ford World Championship Wrestling
49 Eric Smith Smith Racing Ford 49 Express Pit Stop
52 Gary Bradberry Jimmy Means Racing Ford Advanced Communications, Race Page
66 Ben Hess 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 Davy Jones (R) Jasper Motorsports Ford US Airways, Jasper Engines & Transmissions
78 Jay Hedgecock Triad Motorsports Ford Diamond Rio
81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford TIC Financial Systems
87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet Burger King
90 Mike Wallace Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Hardy Racing Ford McDonald's
98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford RCA

Qualifying

Qualifying was originally scheduled to be split into two rounds. The first round was scheduled to be held on Friday, March 3, at 10:30 AM EST. However, qualifying was snowed out and postponed until Saturday, March 4, at 12:00 PM EST. Qualifying was eventually combined into only one round.[3] Each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 1-34 would be decided on time,[4] 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; which is usually four.

Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 21.642 and an average speed of 124.757 miles per hour (200.777 km/h).[5]

Nine drivers would fail to qualify: Jimmy Hensley, Kenny Wallace, Billy Standridge, Jay Hedgecock, Steve Grissom, Gary Bradberry, Ben Hess, Eric Smith, and Davy Jones.

Full qualifying results

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21.642 124.757
2 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 21.730 124.252
3 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 21.822 123.728
4 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 21.826 123.706
5 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 21.854 123.547
6 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21.880 123.400
7 15 Dick Trickle Bud Moore Engineering Ford 21.881 123.395
8 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 21.898 123.299
9 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 21.904 123.265
10 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 21.905 123.260
11 33 Robert Pressley (R) Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 21.926 123.141
12 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford 21.934 123.097
13 28 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 21.939 123.069
14 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 21.968 122.906
15 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 21.976 122.861
16 90 Mike Wallace Donlavey Racing Ford 22.047 122.466
17 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 22.087 122.244
18 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 22.095 122.200
19 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac 22.098 122.183
20 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 22.130 122.006
21 37 John Andretti Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 22.132 121.995
22 8 Jeff Burton Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 22.135 121.979
23 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 22.147 121.913
24 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22.158 121.852
25 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Hardy Racing Ford 22.177 121.748
26 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 22.186 121.698
27 40 Greg Sacks Dick Brooks Racing Pontiac 22.201 121.616
28 98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 22.215 121.540
29 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 22.223 121.496
30 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 22.260 121.294
31 41 Ricky Craven (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22.261 121.288
32 75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 22.270 121.239
33 31 Ward Burton A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet 22.284 121.163
34 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 22.350 120.805
Provisionals
35 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac -* -*
36 26 Steve Kinser King Racing Ford -* -*
37 22 Randy LaJoie (R) Bill Davis Racing Pontiac -* -*
38 27 Loy Allen Jr. Junior Johnson & Associates Ford -* -*
Failed to qualify
39 32 Jimmy Hensley Active Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
40 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford -* -*
41 47 Billy Standridge Standridge Motorsports Ford -* -*
42 78 Jay Hedgecock Triad Motorsports Ford -* -*
43 29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
44 52 Gary Bradberry Jimmy Means Racing Ford -* -*
45 66 Ben Hess RaDiUs Motorsports Ford -* -*
46 49 Eric Smith Smith Racing Ford -* -*
47 77 Davy Jones (R) Jasper Motorsports Ford -* -*
Official starting lineup

Race results

Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 24 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 131 running 180 $82,950
2 26 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 400 11 running 175 $57,200
3 3 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 400 248 running 175 $29,600
4 6 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 0 running 160 $31,100
5 8 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 400 0 running 155 $34,400
6 5 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 400 2 running 155 $23,900
7 17 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 400 0 running 146 $21,875
8 9 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 399 0 running 142 $26,075
9 2 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 399 0 running 138 $11,875
10 21 37 John Andretti Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 399 7 running 139 $13,925
11 20 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 398 0 running 130 $25,575
12 7 15 Dick Trickle Bud Moore Engineering Ford 398 0 running 127 $20,175
13 4 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 398 0 running 124 $20,025
14 10 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 397 0 running 121 $10,625
15 14 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 397 0 running 118 $20,335
16 25 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Hardy Racing Ford 397 0 running 115 $10,400
17 28 98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 397 0 running 112 $10,300
18 15 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 397 0 running 109 $23,250
19 27 40 Greg Sacks Dick Brooks Racing Pontiac 396 0 running 106 $19,325
20 29 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 395 0 running 103 $11,700
21 30 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 395 0 running 100 $23,150
22 33 31 Ward Burton A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet 395 0 running 97 $10,125
23 35 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 395 0 running 94 $19,050
24 23 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 393 0 running 91 $13,825
25 13 28 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 393 0 running 88 $24,375
26 16 90 Mike Wallace Donlavey Racing Ford 393 0 running 85 $9,950
27 37 22 Randy LaJoie (R) Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 392 0 running 82 $19,625
28 36 26 Steve Kinser King Racing Ford 391 0 running 79 $19,000
29 38 27 Loy Allen Jr. Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 389 0 running 76 $17,875
30 18 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 388 0 transmission 73 $18,345
31 22 8 Jeff Burton Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 378 0 running 70 $18,200
32 34 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 375 0 running 67 $9,775
33 19 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac 374 0 running 64 $18,060
34 12 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford 302 0 engine 61 $17,950
35 11 33 Robert Pressley (R) Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 266 0 crash 58 $18,350
36 1 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 183 1 fuel pump 60 $28,750
37 32 75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 148 0 crash 52 $17,750
38 31 41 Ricky Craven (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 141 0 engine 49 $12,750
Failed to qualify
39 32 Jimmy Hensley Active Motorsports Chevrolet
40 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford
41 47 Billy Standridge Standridge Motorsports Ford
42 78 Jay Hedgecock Triad Motorsports Ford
43 29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet
44 52 Gary Bradberry Jimmy Means Racing Ford
45 66 Ben Hess RaDiUs Motorsports Ford
46 49 Eric Smith Smith Racing Ford
47 77 Davy Jones (R) Jasper Motorsports Ford
Official race results

References

  1. Macenka, Joe (March 6, 1995). "Labonte wins second straight at Richmond". Messenger-Inquirer. p. 13. Retrieved October 27, 2022 via Newspapers.com. open access
  2. Higgins, Tom (March 6, 1995). "Excitement's plentiful as Labonte wins Pontiac 400". The Daily Herald. p. 8. Retrieved October 27, 2022 via Newspapers.com. open access
  3. Higgins, Tom (March 4, 1995). "Snow postpones qualifying". The Charlotte Observer. p. 20. Retrieved October 27, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Pontiac Excitement 400". The Charlotte Observer. March 3, 1995. p. 14. Retrieved October 27, 2022 via Newspapers.com. open access
  5. Higgins, Tom (March 5, 1995). "Qualifying deja vu: Gordon wins pole with record speed". The Charlotte Observer. p. 103. Retrieved October 27, 2022. open access
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