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1988 Budweiser 500

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1988 Budweiser 500
Race details
Race 11 of 29 in the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1988 Budweiser 500 program cover, featuring Terry Labonte.
The 1988 Budweiser 500 program cover, featuring Terry Labonte.
Date June 5, 1988
Official name 20th Annual Budweiser 500
Location Dover, Delaware, Dover Downs 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 118.726 miles per hour (191.071 km/h)
Attendance 61,000
Pole position
Driver AK Racing
Time 24.543
Most laps led
Driver Bill Elliott Melling Racing
Laps 203
Winner
No. 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Gary Nelson
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

The 1988 Budweiser 500 was the 11th stock car race of the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 20th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, June 5, 1988, before an audience of 61,000 in Dover, Delaware at Dover Downs International Speedway, a 1-mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete. Coming back from a near two-lap deficit, Melling Racing driver Bill Elliott would manage to dominate the latter stages of the race, leading 203 laps to take his 25th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second victory of the season.[1][2][3][4] To fill out the top three, Morgan Shepherd a replacement driver for Jackson Bros. Motorsports driver Harry Gant, and Blue Max Racing driver Rusty Wallace would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

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

Dover Downs 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

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
2 Ernie Irvan (R) U.S. Racing Chevrolet Kroger
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service
4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile Kodak
5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Levi Garrett
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Stroh Light
7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford Zerex
8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller High Life
9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Coors Light
10 Ken Bouchard (R) Whitcomb Racing Ford Whitcomb Racing
11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet Budweiser
12 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller High Life
15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford Crisco
17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
21 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
23 Eddie Bierschwale B&B Racing Oldsmobile Wayne Paging
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Folgers
26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick Quaker State
27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac Kodiak
28 Davey Allison Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford Havoline
29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Oldsmobile Hardee's
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Country Time
31 Joe Ruttman Bob Clark Motorsports Oldsmobile Slender You Figure Salons
33 Morgan Shepherd Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet Skoal Bandit
41 Joe Booher Booher Racing Chevrolet Everride Radiator
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Piedmont Airlines
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Eureka
55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Crown, Skoal Classic
67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Ford Pannill Sweatshirts
68 Derrike Cope Testa Racing Ford Purolator Filters
70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac Rumple Furniture
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Lifebuoy
75 Neil Bonnett RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Valvoline
78 Jay Sommers Sommers Racing Chevrolet Doe & Associates
80 Jimmy Horton (R) S&H Racing Ford S&H Racing
83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile Wynn's, Kmart
88 Buddy Baker Baker-Schiff Racing Oldsmobile Red Baron Frozen Pizza
90 Benny Parsons Donlavey Racing Ford Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce
96 Dana Patten Patten Racing Buick U.S. Chrome
97 Rodney Combs Winkle Motorsports Buick AC Spark Plug
98 Brad Noffsinger (R) Curb Racing Buick Sunoco

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, June 3, at 3:00 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 20 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, June 4, 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 21-40 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.

Alan Kulwicki, driving for his own AK Racing team, would win the pole, setting a time of 24.543 and an average speed of 146.681 miles per hour (236.060 km/h) in the first round.[6]

Buddy Arrington was the only driver to fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 24.543 146.681
2 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 24.555 146.610
3 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 24.622 146.211
4 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 24.799 145.167
5 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 24.815 145.074
6 75 Neil Bonnett RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 24.983 144.098
7 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 24.996 144.023
8 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 25.041 143.764
9 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 25.067 143.615
10 12 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 25.071 143.592
11 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 25.087 143.501
12 33 Morgan Shepherd Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet 25.089 143.489
13 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 25.138 143.209
14 28 Davey Allison Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford 25.164 143.062
15 31 Joe Ruttman Bob Clark Motorsports Oldsmobile 25.164 143.062
16 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 25.198 142.868
17 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 25.201 142.851
18 44 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 25.227 142.704
19 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 25.237 142.648
20 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 25.258 142.529
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 25.015 143.914
22 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 25.037 143.787
23 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 25.051 143.707
24 90 Benny Parsons Donlavey Racing Ford 25.152 143.130
25 68 Derrike Cope Testa Racing Ford 25.260 142.518
26 21 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford 25.344 142.045
27 88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile 25.345 142.040
28 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 25.398 141.743
29 97 Rodney Combs Winkle Motorsports Buick 25.428 141.576
30 10 Ken Bouchard (R) Whitcomb Racing Ford 25.447 141.471
31 23 Eddie Bierschwale B&B Racing Oldsmobile 25.447 141.471
32 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 25.478 141.298
33 98 Brad Noffsinger (R) Curb Racing Buick 25.552 140.887
34 2 Ernie Irvan (R) U.S. Racing Chevrolet 25.554 140.878
35 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Oldsmobile 25.610 140.620
36 78 Jay Sommers Sommers Racing Chevrolet 25.670 140.242
37 96 Dana Patten Patten Racing Buick 25.864 139.190
38 41 Joe Booher Booher Racing Chevrolet 25.895 139.023
39 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac 25.911 138.937
40 80 Jimmy Horton (R) S&H Racing Ford 25.932 138.825
Failed to qualify
41 67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Ford -* -*
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

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Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 17 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 500 203 running 185 $53,000
2 12 33 Morgan Shepherd Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet 500 110 running 175 $29,300
3 11 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 500 51 running 170 $26,350
4 21 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 499 0 running 160 $13,550
5 14 28 Davey Allison Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford 499 74 running 160 $20,150
6 1 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 499 7 running 155 $16,400
7 3 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 498 0 running 146 $8,225
8 4 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 498 0 running 142 $9,325
9 2 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 497 20 running 143 $7,075
10 10 12 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 497 0 running 134 $13,300
11 18 44 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 497 0 running 130 $7,525
12 16 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 497 0 running 127 $10,225
13 27 88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile 496 0 running 124 $6,275
14 30 10 Ken Bouchard (R) Whitcomb Racing Ford 496 0 running 121 $5,075
15 19 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 495 0 running 118 $6,275
16 9 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 495 0 running 115 $13,450
17 28 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 495 0 running 112 $5,450
18 25 68 Derrike Cope Testa Racing Ford 494 0 running 109 $5,600
19 20 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 493 0 running 106 $5,200
20 35 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Oldsmobile 492 0 running 103 $3,700
21 13 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 490 0 running 100 $8,250
22 24 90 Benny Parsons Donlavey Racing Ford 490 0 running 97 $4,900
23 22 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 490 0 running 94 $9,150
24 33 98 Brad Noffsinger (R) Curb Racing Buick 477 0 running 91 $2,100
25 39 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac 476 1 running 93 $2,150
26 34 2 Ernie Irvan (R) U.S. Racing Chevrolet 426 1 valve 90 $2,000
27 32 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 425 4 running 87 $3,950
28 37 96 Dana Patten Patten Racing Buick 413 0 engine 79 $1,900
29 29 97 Rodney Combs Winkle Motorsports Buick 406 0 engine 76 $1,850
30 15 31 Joe Ruttman Bob Clark Motorsports Oldsmobile 391 0 oil pump 73 $2,475
31 5 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 391 15 engine 75 $10,350
32 8 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 362 0 crash 67 $5,100
33 26 21 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford 357 0 engine 64 $8,650
34 40 80 Jimmy Horton (R) S&H Racing Ford 314 0 wheel bearing 61 $1,600
35 6 75 Neil Bonnett RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 297 0 engine 58 $8,550
36 23 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 295 0 engine 55 $4,150
37 36 78 Jay Sommers Sommers Racing Chevrolet 280 0 overheating 52 $1,510
38 38 41 Joe Booher Booher Racing Chevrolet 272 0 crash 49 $1,495
39 7 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 209 14 valve 51 $4,020
40 31 23 Eddie Bierschwale B&B Racing Oldsmobile 15 0 valve 43 $1,400
Failed to qualify
41 67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Ford
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (June 6, 1988). "Elliott Rallies To Victory In Dover Race (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 45. Retrieved July 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (June 6, 1988). "Elliott Rallies To Victory In Dover Race (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 50. Retrieved July 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ Bryson, Gene (June 6, 1988). "Elliott trades tires and wins Bud 500 (Part 1)". The News Journal. p. 17. Retrieved July 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Bryson, Gene (June 6, 1988). "Elliott trades tires and wins Bud 500 (Part 2)". The News Journal. p. 22. Retrieved July 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ "NASCAR Today". The Charlotte Observer. June 3, 1989. p. 38. Retrieved July 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ Higgins, Tom (June 4, 1988). "Kulwicki Takes Dover Pole With Sizzling Run". The Charlotte Observer. p. 35. Retrieved July 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon


Previous race:
1988 Coca-Cola 600
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1988 season
Next race:
1988 Budweiser 400