1998 Texas 500

• (R) denotes rookie driver.

The first practice session was held on the afternoon of Thursday, April 2. Jeremy Mayfield, driving for Penske-Kranefuss Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.652 and an average speed of 182.113 mph (293.082 km/h).[4]

The third practice session was held on the evening of Thursday, April 2. Jeremy Mayfield, driving for Penske-Kranefuss Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.298 and an average speed of 184.313 mph (296.623 km/h).[5]

The planned third, but eventual final practice session was held on the morning of Friday, April 3. Joe Nemechek, driving for Team SABCO, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.298 and an average speed of 184.313 mph (296.623 km/h).[6]

While a practice session was scheduled to be run on Saturday, April 4, numerous factors throughout the race weekend would eventually lead to the cancellation of the Happy Hour practice. Two major issues would plague the weekend; first, in response to the track surfacing issues in the 1997 race, turn four was repaved. However, the repavement would lead to a major bump on the exit of turn 4. Many drivers would complain to then-Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage about the bump, saying that the transition on the exit of turn 4 should be less severe. However, in response, Gossage would say that the turn was a unique corner of the speedway, comparing the turn to turn 4 at Darlington Raceway, saying "I understand where the Winston Cup drivers are coming from, but this is what we've got. A couple of drivers have said we need to move the wall in Turn 4. They've been saying that for 48 years at Darlington. Darlington should not move the wall back because that's what makes it quaint. Turn 4 is tricky. That's just the way it is.''[7] The second problem was water seepage problems in every turn but turn 2 due to heavy winter rains within the local area of the speedway, which would eventually lead to postponements of qualifying and practice sessions.[8][9]

Driver reactions throughout the weekend were mostly negative of the track. Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett would call for multiple-groove racing, saying that "The biggest thing here is that we need more than the one groove we have, and it would make for better racing. Right now it's just going to be a follow-the-leader type deal. If a guy gets out on the outside, he's going to get passed by a lot of cars. Long-time driver Darrell Waltrip would report that while every racetrack had "something wrong with them", that Texas Motor Speedway was new and that "when you build a racetrack new, you're supposed to eliminate all that. There's no reason here not to do what needs to be done."[10] Most drivers would report that they had felt that their cars had been too loose throughout the weekend, leading to a surplus of wrecks during practice and qualifying.[11][12] Some drivers felt that the problems had been blown out of proportion, with Jeff Burton saying "It definitely has been blown out of proportion. There's too much fuss about it. What we need more than anything else is to work a second groove up higher. Once we do that, I think you will hear a lot fewer complaints."[13]

Then-Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage would face harsh criticism for a lack of safety improvements since the inaugural race, the 1997 Interstate Batteries 500 and for trying to turn the complaints into a marketing scheme, with Gossage and Speedway Motorsports CEO Bruton Smith selling "Shut Up and Race" t-shirts at track souvenir stands for US$18 (adjusted for inflation$, 32).[14][15] In response, Gossage said that the new slogan for shirts would be to "Shut Up and Fix It" and that the track would look into fixing the bump in turn 4 along with fixing the turn 1 seepage issues.[16]

*Time not available.