1991 DieHard 500
Race details
Race 17 of 29 in the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1991 DieHard 500 program cover, featuring Richard Petty.
The 1991 DieHard 500 program cover, featuring Richard Petty.
Date July 28, 1991
Official name 23rd 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 147.383 miles per hour (237.190 km/h)
Attendance 95,000
Pole position
Driver Junior Johnson & Associates
Time 49.853
Most laps led
Driver Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing
Laps 101
Winner
No. 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing
Television in the United States
Network CBS
Announcers Ken Squier, Ned Jarrett
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

The 1991 DieHard 500 was the 17th stock car race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 23rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, July 28, 1991, before an audience of 95,000 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, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would manage to fend off the field, leading the final 28 laps of the race to take his 51st career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his third victory of the season.[1][2][3][4] To fill out the top three, Melling Racing driver Bill Elliott and Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would finish second and third, respectively.

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 the Camping World Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval, a 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which also is a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) tri-oval.

Entry list

  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile Skoal
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac Miller Genuine Draft
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Folgers
7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford Hooters
8 Rick Wilson Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Snickers
9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Coors Light
10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet Purolator Filters
11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick Raybestos
14 Mike Chase A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile Copenhagen
15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Western Auto
19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford Tyson Foods
20 Buddy Baker Moroso Racing Oldsmobile Rob Moroso Memorial
21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Maxwell House
24 Dick Trickle Team III Racing Pontiac Team III Racing
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick Quaker State
28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal Bandit
41 Larry Pearson Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
42 Bobby Hillin Jr. SABCO Racing Pontiac Mello Yello
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
47 Greg Sacks Close Racing Oldsmobile Kanawha Insurance
49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick Interstate Batteries
51 Jeff Purvis (R) Phoenix Racing Oldsmobile Phoenix Construction
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Alka-Seltzer
55 Ted Musgrave (R) U.S. Racing Pontiac U.S. Racing
59 Mark Gibson Gibson Racing Pontiac Gibson Racing
66 Lake Speed Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac Phillips 66 TropArtic
68 Bobby Hamilton (R) TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile Country Time
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Big Apple Market
73 Phil Barkdoll Barkdoll Racing Oldsmobile X-1R
75 Joe Ruttman RahMoc Enterprises Oldsmobile Dinner Bell Foods
90 Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) Donlavey Racing Ford Orkin
94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Sunoco
95 Eddie Bierschwale Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet Texaco
98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet Banquet Foods

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Thursday, July 24, at 4:30 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 15 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 Friday, July 25, at 4:30 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 16-40 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. If needed, a past champion who did not qualify on either time or provisionals could use a champion's provisional, adding one more spot to the field.

Sterling Marlin, driving for Junior Johnson & Associates, would win the pole, setting a time of 49.853 and an average speed of 192.085 miles per hour (309.131 km/h) in the first round.[6][7]

Two drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 49.853 192.085
2 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 49.896 191.919
3 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 49.964 191.658
4 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 50.138 190.993
5 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 50.140 190.985
6 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 50.188 190.803
7 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 50.208 190.727
8 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 50.333 190.253
9 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 50.353 190.177
10 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 50.374 190.098
11 11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 50.501 189.620
12 66 Lake Speed Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 50.541 189.470
13 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 50.604 189.234
14 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 50.647 189.073
15 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 50.822 188.422
16 68 Bobby Hamilton (R) TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile 50.878 188.215
17 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 50.885 188.189
18 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 50.919 188.063
19 75 Joe Ruttman RahMoc Enterprises Oldsmobile 50.948 187.956
20 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 51.012 187.721
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 42 Bobby Hillin Jr. SABCO Racing Pontiac 50.821 188.426
22 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 51.082 187.463
23 49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick 51.184 187.090
24 24 Dick Trickle Team III Racing Pontiac 51.201 187.028
25 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51.243 186.874
26 90 Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 51.299 186.670
27 55 Ted Musgrave (R) U.S. Racing Pontiac 51.328 186.565
28 41 Larry Pearson Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51.346 186.499
29 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 51.396 186.318
30 8 Rick Wilson Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 51.434 186.180
31 14 Mike Chase A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile 51.464 186.072
32 73 Phil Barkdoll Barkdoll Racing Oldsmobile 51.478 186.021
33 47 Greg Sacks Close Racing Oldsmobile 51.543 185.787
34 20 Buddy Baker Moroso Racing Oldsmobile 51.583 185.643
35 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 51.629 185.477
36 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 51.700 185.222
37 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 51.706 185.201
38 98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 51.769 184.976
39 95 Eddie Bierschwale Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet 51.795 184.883
40 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 51.799 184.868
Provisional
41 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 53.358 179.467
Failed to qualify
42 51 Jeff Purvis (R) Phoenix Racing Oldsmobile -* -*
43 59 Mark Gibson Gibson Racing Pontiac -* -*
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 4 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 188 101 running 185 $88,670
2 5 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 188 1 running 175 $51,185
3 2 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 188 3 running 170 $46,390
4 18 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 2 running 165 $29,400
5 1 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 188 33 running 160 $27,075
6 8 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 188 1 running 155 $16,250
7 13 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 188 4 running 151 $16,050
8 40 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 188 8 running 147 $14,400
9 7 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 188 12 running 143 $19,120
10 19 75 Joe Ruttman RahMoc Enterprises Oldsmobile 188 0 running 134 $15,800
11 21 42 Bobby Hillin Jr. SABCO Racing Pontiac 188 0 running 130 $16,330
12 6 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 188 7 running 132 $8,250
13 34 20 Buddy Baker Moroso Racing Oldsmobile 188 0 running 124 $9,930
14 22 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 188 0 running 121 $14,860
15 14 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 188 1 running 123 $10,135
16 10 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 187 0 running 115 $14,550
17 28 41 Larry Pearson Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 187 0 running 112 $7,385
18 20 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 187 0 running 109 $10,880
19 33 47 Greg Sacks Close Racing Oldsmobile 186 0 running 106 $7,100
20 24 24 Dick Trickle Team III Racing Pontiac 186 0 running 103 $9,160
21 41 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 186 0 running 100 $9,980
22 32 73 Phil Barkdoll Barkdoll Racing Oldsmobile 185 0 running 97 $6,625
23 36 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 185 0 running 94 $6,370
24 35 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 184 0 running 91 $9,215
25 31 14 Mike Chase A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile 184 0 running 88 $6,110
26 27 55 Ted Musgrave (R) U.S. Racing Pontiac 182 0 running 85 $7,635
27 39 95 Eddie Bierschwale Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet 181 0 running 82 $5,865
28 17 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 166 10 crash 84 $8,645
29 15 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 150 5 crash 81 $8,475
30 11 11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 150 0 crash 73 $14,455
31 23 49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick 147 0 oil pressure 70 $5,985
32 29 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 146 0 oil pressure 67 $8,215
33 3 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 146 0 crash 64 $13,645
34 16 68 Bobby Hamilton (R) TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile 130 0 running 61 $5,400
35 37 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 117 0 oil pan 58 $13,755
36 12 66 Lake Speed Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 109 0 axle 55 $7,995
37 38 98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 102 0 engine 52 $7,945
38 30 8 Rick Wilson Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 102 0 crash 49 $7,895
39 9 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 90 0 crash 46 $7,815
40 25 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 77 0 valve 43 $7,150
41 26 90 Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 2 0 crash 40 $5,150
Failed to qualify
42 51 Jeff Purvis (R) Phoenix Racing Oldsmobile
43 59 Mark Gibson Gibson Racing Pontiac
Official race results

Standings after the race

References

  1. Higgins, Tom (July 29, 1991). "Earnhardt fends off slingshot conspiracy to win (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 13. Retrieved February 22, 2023 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. Higgins, Tom (July 29, 1991). "Earnhardt fends off slingshot conspiracy to win (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 15. Retrieved February 22, 2023 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. Harris, Mike (July 29, 1991). "Leader of the packs (Part 1)". The Paducah Sun. p. 13. Retrieved February 22, 2023 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. Harris, Mike (July 29, 1991). "Leader of the packs (Part 2)". The Paducah Sun. p. 16. Retrieved February 22, 2023 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. "NASCAR today". The Charlotte Observer. July 26, 1991. p. 19. Retrieved February 22, 2023 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. Higgins, Tom (July 26, 1991). "Marlin edges Martin for Talladega pole (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 39. Retrieved February 22, 2023. Open access icon
  7. Higgins, Tom (July 26, 1991). "Marlin edges Martin for Talladega pole (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 44. Retrieved February 22, 2023. Open access icon
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