1998 DieHard 500

The 1998 DieHard 500 was the ninth stock car race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 29th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, April 26, 1998, in Lincoln, Alabama at Talladega Superspeedway, a 2.66 miles (4.28 km) permanent triangle-shaped superspeedway. The race took the scheduled 188 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte would make a pass on Terry Labonte with two to go and fend off the field to take his seventh career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second and final victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the podium, Travis Carter Enterprises driver Jimmy Spencer and Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett would finish second and third, respectively.

1998 DieHard 500
Race details
Race 9 of 33 in the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1998 DieHard 500 program cover, featuring Mark Martin.
The 1998 DieHard 500 program cover, featuring Mark Martin.
Date April 26, 1998
Official name 29th Annual DieHard 500
Location Lincoln, Alabama, Talladega Superspeedway
Course Permanent racing facility
2.66 mi (4.28 km)
Distance 188 laps, 500.08 mi (804.8 km)
Scheduled Distance 188 laps, 500.08 mi (804.8 km)
Average speed 142.428 miles per hour (229.216 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Joe Gibbs Racing
Time 48.925
Most laps led
Driver Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 88
Winner
No. 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing
Television in the United States
Network ABC
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

The layout of Talladega Superspeedway, the venue where the race was held.

Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. The track is a tri-oval and was constructed in the 1960s by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line that's located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Camping World Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which also is a 2.5-mile-long (4 km) tri-oval.

Entry list

  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Darrell Waltrip 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
07 Dan Pardus Midwest Transit Racing Chevrolet Midwest Transit
8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet Circuit City
9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford Cartoon Network, The Huckleberry Hound Show
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Paychex
12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford Mobil 1
13 Jerry Nadeau (R) Elliott-Marino Racing Ford FirstPlus Financial Group
16 Ted Musgrave 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 Haas-Carter Motorsports 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
29 Jeff Green Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Team Monte Carlo, Tasmanian Devil
30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac Gumout
31 Morgan Shepherd Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Lowe's
33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet Skoal
35 Todd Bodine ISM Racing Pontiac Tabasco
36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac Skittles
40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet Coors Light
41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet BellSouth, The Real Yellow Pages
43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac Hot Wheels
46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet First Union
47 Billy Standridge Standridge Motorsports Ford Philips
50 Randy LaJoie Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
60 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford Peterbilt
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Team Realtree Camouflage
75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms Camo
77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions
78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford Pilot Travel Centers
81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford Square D
85 Bob Strait Mansion Motorsports Chevrolet Mansion Motorsports
88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford Quality Care Service, Ford Credit
89 Dennis Setzer Elliott-Marino Racing Ford Get McRib!
90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
91 Kevin Lepage (R) LJ Racing Chevrolet Dare County Tourism, Barrier Island Station
94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford McDonald's
96 David Green American Equipment Racing Chevrolet Caterpillar
97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford John Deere
98 Greg Sacks Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford Thorn Apple Valley
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Exide Batteries

Practice

First practice

The first practice session was held on the afternoon of Friday, April 24. Bobby Labonte, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 49.136 and an average speed of 194.888 miles per hour (313.642 km/h).[3]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 49.136 194.888
2 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.189 194.678
3 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 49.308 194.208
Full first practice results

Second practice

The second practice session was held on the morning of Saturday, April 25. Derrike Cope, driving for Bahari Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 49.156 and an average speed of 194.808 miles per hour (313.513 km/h).[4]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 49.156 194.808
2 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 49.243 194.464
3 13 Jerry Nadeau (R) Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 49.246 194.452
Full second practice results

Final practice

The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on the afternoon of Saturday, April 25. Kenny Irwin Jr., driving for Robert Yates Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 49.048 and an average speed of 195.237 miles per hour (314.203 km/h).[5]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 49.048 195.237
2 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.089 195.074
3 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.112 194.983
Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, April 24, at 3:00 PM CST. 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, April 24, at 5:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.[6] 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.[7]

Bobby Labonte, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 48.925 and an average speed of 195.728 miles per hour (314.994 km/h).[8]

Nine drivers would fail to qualify: Todd Bodine, Jeff Green, Hut Stricklin, Matt Kenseth, Rich Bickle, Dan Pardus, Gary Bradberry, Geoff Bodine, and Bob Strait.

Full qualifying results

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 48.925 195.728
2 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 49.059 195.194
3 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.246 194.452
4 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 49.259 194.401
5 31 Morgan Shepherd Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 49.330 194.121
6 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.404 193.830
7 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 49.430 193.729
8 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 49.457 193.623
9 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 49.492 193.486
10 50 Randy LaJoie Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.590 193.103
11 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 49.614 193.010
12 13 Jerry Nadeau (R) Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 49.622 192.979
13 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 49.641 192.905
14 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 49.688 192.723
15 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 49.767 192.417
16 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 49.773 192.393
17 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 49.781 192.363
18 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 49.815 192.231
19 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 49.819 192.216
20 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 49.929 191.792
21 46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet 49.946 191.727
22 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 49.951 191.708
23 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 49.960 191.673
24 1 Darrell Waltrip Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 49.978 191.604
25 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 49.985 191.577
26 89 Dennis Setzer Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 49.789 192.332
27 96 David Green American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 49.811 192.247
28 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 49.915 191.846
29 91 Kevin Lepage (R) LJ Racing Chevrolet 49.942 191.742
30 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 49.990 191.558
31 47 Billy Standridge Standridge Motorsports Ford 50.025 191.424
32 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 50.032 191.398
33 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 50.051 191.325
34 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford 50.079 191.218
35 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 50.091 191.172
36 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 50.098 191.145
Provisionals
37 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford -* -*
38 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford -* -*
39 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford -* -*
40 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford -* -*
41 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford -* -*
42 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
43 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford -* -*
Failed to qualify
44 35 Todd Bodine ISM Racing Pontiac 50.222 190.673
45 29 Jeff Green Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 50.237 190.616
46 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet 50.260 190.529
47 60 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford 50.278 190.461
48 98 Rich Bickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 50.340 190.226
49 07 Dan Pardus Midwest Transit Racing Chevrolet 50.352 190.181
50 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford 50.549 189.440
51 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford 50.655 189.044
52 85 Bob Strait Mansion Motorsports Chevrolet - -
Official qualifying results

Race results

Fin[9] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 1 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 188 60 running 180 $141,870
2 22 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 188 0 running 170 $97,920
3 9 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 188 8 running 170 $82,370
4 3 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 88 running 170 $85,520
5 6 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 3 running 160 $74,490
6 19 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 188 0 running 150 $52,080
7 35 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 188 0 running 146 $45,830
8 20 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 188 0 running 142 $46,630
9 14 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 188 13 running 143 $37,230
10 10 50 Randy LaJoie Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 0 running 134 $48,580
11 41 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 188 1 running 135 $44,675
12 23 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 188 0 running 127 $44,295
13 37 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 188 0 running 124 $39,615
14 29 91 Kevin Lepage (R) LJ Racing Chevrolet 187 0 running 121 $30,785
15 24 1 Darrell Waltrip Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 187 0 running 118 $28,555
16 42 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 187 0 running 115 $39,065
17 27 96 David Green American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 187 0 running 112 $30,400
18 36 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 186 0 running 109 $29,710
19 26 89 Dennis Setzer Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 186 0 running 106 $26,620
20 16 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 185 0 running 103 $37,810
21 33 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 184 3 running 105 $36,570
22 7 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 182 0 running 97 $35,300
23 38 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 180 0 running 94 $41,990
24 13 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 179 0 running 91 $40,985
25 8 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 178 0 running 88 $34,580
26 21 46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet 176 0 running 85 $27,300
27 28 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 176 0 running 82 $24,045
28 31 47 Billy Standridge Standridge Motorsports Ford 172 0 running 79 $23,890
29 4 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 157 0 crash 76 $33,835
30 30 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 153 0 handling 73 $38,580
31 43 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 152 0 running 70 $33,725
32 11 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 150 0 crash 67 $32,770
33 15 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 150 0 crash 64 $38,140
34 34 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford 145 0 crash 61 $23,210
35 5 31 Morgan Shepherd Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 145 0 crash 58 $22,955
36 2 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 144 10 crash 60 $38,250
37 12 13 Jerry Nadeau (R) Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 144 0 crash 52 $22,586
38 32 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 142 0 crash 49 $29,350
39 17 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 141 2 crash 51 $31,850
40 25 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 128 0 engine 43 $37,250
41 39 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 127 0 engine 40 $29,050
42 40 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 110 0 engine 37 $28,950
43 18 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 51 0 engine 34 $38,450
Failed to qualify
44 35 Todd Bodine ISM Racing Pontiac
45 29 Jeff Green Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet
46 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet
47 60 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford
48 98 Rich Bickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford
49 07 Dan Pardus Midwest Transit Racing Chevrolet
50 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford
51 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford
52 85 Bob Strait Mansion Motorsports Chevrolet
Official race results

References

  1. Poole, David (April 26, 1998). "Bobby Labonte gets push past Terry". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  2. "Bobby Labonte rules Talladega". The Capital Times. April 27, 1998. p. 15. Retrieved September 4, 2022 via Newspapers.com. open access
  3. "Friday Winston Cup practice speeds". That's Racin'. April 24, 1998. Archived from the original on October 8, 2001. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  4. "Saturday Winston Cup practice speeds". That's Racin'. April 25, 1998. Archived from the original on December 15, 2001. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  5. "Happy Hour practice speeds". That's Racin'. April 25, 1998. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  6. "Diehard 500". Tampa Bay Times. April 24, 1998. p. 83. Retrieved September 4, 2022 via Newspapers.com. open access
  7. "Additional Provisionals announced". Motorsport.com. January 24, 1998. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  8. Poole, David (April 24, 1998). "Bobby Labonte waits his turn, cashes in". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on May 1, 2001. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  9. "1998 DieHard 500 - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
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