1996 MBNA 500

The 1996 MBNA 500 was the 25th stock car race of the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 28th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 15, 1996, in Dover, Delaware at Dover International Speedway, a 1-mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would manage to dominate the late stages of the race to take his 17th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his eighth victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Penske Racing South driver Rusty Wallace and Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett would finish second and third, respectively.

1996 MBNA 500
Race details
Race 25 of 31 in the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1996 Miller 500 program cover, featuring Ward Burton.
The 1996 Miller 500 program cover, featuring Ward Burton.
Date September 15, 1996
Official name 28th Annual MBNA 500
Location Dover, Delaware, Dover 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 105.646 miles per hour (170.021 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Joe Gibbs Racing
Time 23.213
Most laps led
Driver Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 204
Winner
No. 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network TNN
Announcers Eli Gold, Dick Berggren, Buddy Baker
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

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

Dover 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
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac Hooters
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford Miller Silver Splash
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 QVC
8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Circuit City
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 Badcock Home Furniture
15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford Hayes Modems
16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford PrimeStar, The Family Channel
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Parts America
18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac MBNA
23 Jimmy Spencer Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford Camel Cigarettes
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Chad Little Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Cartoon Network, The Flintstones
30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Team Realtree
33 Robert Pressley Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet Skoal
37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford Kmart, Little Caesars
41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac Coors Light
43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
49 Eric Smith Campbell Racing Ford Campbell Racing
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Prodigy
75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms
77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions
81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford Square D, TIC Financial Systems
87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet Burger King
88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford Quality Care Service, Ford Credit
90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford McDonald's
95 Gary Bradberry Sadler Brothers Racing Ford Shoney's Inn
98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford RCA
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Exide

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, September 13, at 3:00 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, September 14, 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 26-38 would be decided on time,[3] 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.

Bobby Labonte, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 23.213 and an average speed of 155.086 miles per hour (249.587 km/h).[4]

Eric Smith was the only driver to fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 23.213 155.086
2 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac 23.327 154.328
3 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.375 154.011
4 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.401 153.840
5 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 23.406 153.807
6 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 23.431 153.643
7 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 23.431 153.643
8 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 23.439 153.590
9 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 23.440 153.584
10 98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 23.440 153.584
11 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 23.455 153.485
12 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.472 153.374
13 75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 23.479 153.329
14 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 23.480 153.322
15 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 23.494 153.231
16 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 23.494 153.231
17 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 23.498 153.205
18 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 23.499 153.198
19 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 23.549 152.873
20 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 23.560 152.801
21 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 23.561 152.795
22 41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.587 152.626
23 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 23.611 152.471
24 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac 23.619 152.420
25 15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford 23.621 152.407
Failed to lock in Round 1
26 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 23.487 153.276
27 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 23.623 152.394
28 33 Robert Pressley Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 23.635 152.316
29 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 23.655 152.188
30 30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac 23.658 152.168
31 29 Chad Little Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 23.668 152.104
32 95 Gary Bradberry Sadler Brothers Racing Ford 23.686 151.989
33 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 23.698 151.912
34 77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford 23.712 151.822
35 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 23.715 151.803
36 37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 23.758 151.528
37 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 23.763 151.496
38 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 23.776 151.413
Provisionals
39 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford -* -*
40 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac -* -*
Champion's Provisional
41 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
Failed to qualify
42 49 Eric Smith Campbell Racing Ford -* -*
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 3 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 204 running 185 $153,630
2 6 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 500 0 running 170 $54,580
3 9 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 500 28 running 170 $40,880
4 1 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 500 3 running 165 $50,390
5 8 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 500 103 running 160 $48,820
6 2 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac 500 0 running 150 $33,740
7 33 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 500 39 running 151 $35,490
8 24 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac 500 0 running 142 $29,890
9 23 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 500 0 running 138 $28,740
10 40 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 500 2 running 139 $33,190
11 5 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 500 0 running 130 $31,090
12 34 77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford 500 4 running 132 $19,890
13 21 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 499 0 running 124 $26,490
14 10 98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 498 0 running 121 $19,090
15 36 37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 498 0 running 118 $26,890
16 20 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 498 11 running 120 $31,515
17 26 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 498 1 running 117 $31,515
18 13 75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 498 0 running 109 $18,100
19 16 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 498 0 running 106 $14,215
20 18 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 498 0 running 103 $15,965
21 4 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 496 57 running 105 $30,515
22 12 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 496 0 running 97 $24,765
23 7 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 495 0 running 94 $17,615
24 30 30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac 492 0 running 91 $25,465
25 35 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 490 0 crash 88 $24,490
26 38 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 490 0 running 85 $17,140
27 37 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 486 0 running 82 $23,990
28 27 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 483 0 running 79 $23,840
29 25 15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford 483 0 running 76 $23,690
30 39 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 472 0 running 73 $23,640
31 15 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 466 0 crash 70 $23,090
32 28 33 Robert Pressley Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 461 1 crash 72 $20,530
33 17 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 455 0 crash 64 $20,480
34 14 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 433 0 running 61 $28,430
35 22 41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 202 0 crash 58 $20,230
36 19 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 199 47 crash 60 $29,205
37 32 95 Gary Bradberry Sadler Brothers Racing Ford 156 0 crash 52 $13,205
38 11 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 91 0 crash 49 $13,205
39 41 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 74 0 engine 46 $20,205
40 29 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 4 0 crash 43 $13,205
41 31 29 Chad Little Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 3 0 crash 40 $20,205
Failed to qualify
42 49 Eric Smith Campbell Racing Ford
Official race results

References

  1. Higgins, Tom (September 16, 1996). "Gordon cruises at Dover". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  2. McKee, Sandra (September 16, 1996). "Gordon holds off Wallace by .441 of a second at Dover". The Baltimore Sun. p. 120. Retrieved October 24, 2022 via Newspapers.com. open access
  3. "MBNA 500". The Charlotte Observer. September 13, 1996. p. 30. Retrieved October 24, 2022 via Newspapers.com. open access
  4. Brinster, Dick (September 14, 1996). "Labonte wins pole, barely misses record". The Greenville News. p. 35. Retrieved October 24, 2022 via Newspapers.com. open access
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