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1983 Like Cola 500

Auto race held at Pocono International Raceway in 1983

Auto race held at Pocono International Raceway in 1983

FieldValue
TypeCUST
DescriptionRace 18 of 30 in the 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
Race NameLike Cola 500
Details ref
Fulldate
Year1983
Race_No18
Season_No30
Image1983_Like_Cola_500_program_cover.png
Caption1983 Like Cola 500 program cover
Official nameLike Cola 500
LocationPocono International Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania
WeatherMild with temperatures of 75.9 F; wind speeds of 8 mph
Course_mi2.500
Course_km3.400
Distance_laps200
Distance_mi501.0
Distance_km804
Avg114.818 mph
Attendance65,000
Pole_DriverTim Richmond
Pole_TeamBlue Max Racing
Pole_Time59.218 seconds
Most_DriverBobby Allison
Most_TeamDiGard Motorsports
Most_laps56
Car27
First_DriverTim Richmond
First_TeamBlue Max Racing
NetworkMizlou
AnnouncersKen Squier
Buddy Baker

Buddy Baker

The 1983 Like Cola 500, the 10th running of the event, was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event held on July 24, 1983, at Pocono International Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.

Like Cola, the sponsor of the race, was an unsuccessful cola soft drink that was distributed and sold through the United States of America from 1982 to approximately 1985.

During the early 1980s, the NASCAR Winston Cup Series was plagued with top teams running big engines and finishing in third place to avoid inspection. Only manual transmission vehicles were allowed to participate in this race; a policy that NASCAR has retained to the present day.

Background

Pocono Raceway is one of six superspeedways to hold NASCAR races; the others are Daytona International Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The standard track at Pocono Raceway is a three-turn superspeedway that is 2.5 mi long. The track's turns are banked differently; the first is banked at 14°, the second turn at 8° and the final turn with 6°. However, each of the three straightaways are banked at 2°.

Race report

Out of the 42 drivers who tried to qualify for this event; 40 managed to qualify. John Callis and Jimmy Walker are the two drivers who failed to qualify for the race. John Callis would never return to NASCAR after failing to qualify for this race. With the exception of Canadian-born Trevor Boys, the grid was born in the United States of America. Clark Dwyer managed to receive the last-place finish due to an oil pressure issue on lap 6 in this 200-lap extravaganza. Pontiac and Buick vehicles made up the majority of the racing grid. Bobby Wawak would be the lowest-finishing driver to complete the event while Morgan Shepherd's attempt at a "top ten" finish would be sabotaged by a problematic engine on lap 193.

While Tim Richmond and Darrell Waltrip would dominate the opening laps of this event, the closing laps would see Bill Elliott, Dave Marcis and Tim Richmond exchange the first-place position during the closing laps. Richmond would eventually best Waltrip by almost two seconds in front of a live audience of 65,000 spectators driving in a used Pontiac LeMans machine as opposed to the newer Pontiac Grand Prix model. Other notable drivers in this event included Kyle Petty, J.D. McDuffie, Sterling Marlin, Benny Parsons and Buddy Arrington. Bobby Gerhart and Glenn Jarrett managed to collide into each other in a manner that would rip the entire rear end off of Gerhart's vehicle on lap 25.

The average speeds for this vehicles in this event was 114.818 mph while pole position winner Tim Richmond was practically sailing through the turns at speeds up to 151.981 mph during the solo qualifying runs. Individual race earnings varied from the winner's portion of $27,430 ($ when adjusted for inflation) to the last-place finisher's portion of $1,100 ($ when adjusted for inflation). NASCAR officials authorized a grand total of $246,500 to be awarded to all qualifying drivers for this racing event ($ when adjusted for inflation). After this event, the racing never got super-competitive at Pocono Raceway until the July 1995 running of the Miller Genuine Draft 500.

Glenn Jarrett would retire from NASCAR Cup Series racing after racing here. Notable crew chiefs who were in attendance for this race were Darrell Bryant, Joey Arrington, Elmo Langley, Dale Inman, Robin Pemberton, Bud Moore and Kirk Shelmerdine.

The most dominant drivers in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series during the 1980s were Bill Elliott, Darrell Waltrip, Terry Labonte, Bobby Allison, and Dale Earnhardt. During the early 1980s, the NASCAR Winston Cup Series was plagued with top teams running big engines and finishing in third place to avoid inspection.

Qualifying

GridNo.DriverManufacturerSpeedQualifying timeOwner12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940
27Tim RichmondPontiac151.98159.218Raymond Beadle
33Harry GantBuick150.80959.678Hal Needham
11Darrell WaltripChevrolet150.49959.801Junior Johnson
75Neil BonnettChevrolet150.47159.812RahMoc Enterprises
44Terry LabonteChevrolet150.46159.816Billy Hagan
3Ricky RuddChevrolet149.7781:00.089Richard Childress
55Benny ParsonsChevrolet149.3581:00.258Johnny Hayes
9Bill ElliottFord149.2931:00.284Harry Melling
43Richard PettyPontiac148.9841:00.409Petty Enterprises
15Dale EarnhardtFord148.7331:00.511Bud Moore
88Geoff BodinePontiac148.6921:00.528
22Bobby AllisonBuick148.5881:00.570
98Joe RuttmanBuick148.4461:00.628
7Kyle PettyPontiac148.4321:00.634
47Ron BouchardBuick147.6141:00.970
90Dick BrooksFord147.1961:01.143
48Trevor BoysChevrolet147.1501:01.162
2Morgan ShepherdBuick147.0201:01.216
71Dave MarcisChevrolet146.0001:01.644
17Sterling MarlinPontiac145.3371:01.925
5Greg SacksChevrolet147.4811:01.025
8Bobby Hillin, Jr.Buick144.5501:02.262
67Buddy ArringtonDodge144.3161:02.363
64Tommy GaleFord143.9381:02.527
74Bobby WawakBuick143.8161:02.580
19Bobby GerhartBuick143.2391:02.832
02D.K. UlrichPontiac143.0871:02.899
52Jimmy MeansPontiac142.9391:02.964
18Slick JohnsonBuick142.8981:02.982
6Al ElmoreBuick142.3601:03.220
76Mike PotterOldsmobile142.3331:03.232
60Bob RileyPontiac142.3101:03.242
41Ronnie ThomasPontiac142.2651:03.262
10Clark DwyerChevrolet142.1351:03.320
65Glenn JarrettFord141.9361:03.409
24Cecil GordonChrysler141.1681:03.754
58Jerry BowmanFord141.0151:03.823
63Jocko MaggiacomoOldsmobile140.9881:03.835
70J.D. McDuffiePontiac140.9741:03.923
13Dick MayBuick139.3921:04.566

Race

FinSt#DriverSponsorMakeTeam/OwnerLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940Failed to qualify
127Tim RichmondOld MilwaukeePontiacBlue Max Racing20039running180$27,430
311Darrell WaltripPepsi ChallengerChevroletJunior Johnson & Associates20050running175$23,375
1222Bobby AllisonMiller High LifeBuickDiGard Motorsports20056running175$21,950
475Neil BonnettHodgdonChevroletRahMoc Enterprises20025running165$16,525
233Harry GantSkoal BanditBuickMach 1 Racing20015running160$14,700
89Bill ElliottMelling Oil PumpsFordMelling Racing2002running155$9,630
63Ricky RuddPiedmont AirlinesChevroletRichard Childress Racing2000running146$7,460
1971Dave MarcisFun SeasonsChevroletMarcis Auto Racing2003running147$11,500
1398Joe RuttmanLevi GarrettBuickBenfield Racing2000running138$6,350
943Richard PettySTPPontiacPetty Enterprises2005running139$9,750
147Kyle Petty7-ElevenPontiacPetty Enterprises1990running130$5,880
544Terry LabonteBudweiserChevroletHagan Racing1992running132$6,370
1547Ron BouchardRace Hill FarmBuickRace Hill Farm Team1980running124$5,260
1748Trevor BoysHylton-McCaigChevroletJames Hylton Motorsports1970running121$5,450
1690Dick BrooksChameleon SunglassesFordDonlavey Racing1960running118$4,740
228Bobby Hillin, Jr.Trap Rock, Camper StoresBuickHillin Racing1960running115$2,500
2702D.K. UlrichReeder RacingPontiacReeder Racing1950running112$4,380
2017Sterling MarlinHesco ExhaustPontiacHamby Racing1950running109$3,990
182Morgan ShepherdACM Equipment SalesBuickJim Stacy Racing1930engine106$9,800
3341Ronnie ThomasYopaka KennelsPontiacRonnie Thomas1931running108$2,100
3176Mike PotterCam FarmOldsmobileMike Potter1920running100$2,000
306Al ElmoreUlrich RacingBuickUlrich Racing1910running97$3,580
3624Cecil GordonBoat ExchangeChryslerGordon Racing1890running94$1,850
2464Tommy GaleSunny King Ford & HondaFordElmo Langley1880running91$3,470
3970J.D. McDuffieMcDuffie RacingPontiacMcDuffie Racing1830running88$4,410
3863Jocko MaggiacomoTele-VideoOldsmobileLinro Motorsports1820running85$1,700
2574Bobby WawakSuperior PipingBuickWawak Racing1750running82$1,650
3758Jerry BowmanBel Air DatsunFordJerry Bowman1520oil pressure79$1,600
215Greg SacksSacks & SonsChevroletSacks & Sons1280crash76$2,050
1015Dale EarnhardtWranglerFordBud Moore Engineering710engine73$8,500
755Benny ParsonsCopenhagenChevroletJohnny Hayes Racing712engine75$1,450
2367Buddy ArringtonArrington RacingDodgeArrington Racing620crank67$2,400
4013Dick MayHalverson RacingBuickHalverson Racing340rear end64$1,350
2619Bobby GerhartGray RacingBuickGray Racing250crash61$1,300
2852Jimmy MeansBroadway MotorsPontiacJimmy Means Racing250crash58$2,250
3565Glenn JarrettSpohn's Body ShopFordSpohn Racing240crash55$1,200
2918Slick JohnsonSatterfield RacingBuickSatterfield Racing210engine52$1,175
3260Bob RileyRiley RacingPontiacRiley Racing100engine49$1,150
1188Geoffrey BodineGatoradePontiacCliff Stewart Racing70engine46$3,125
3410Clark DwyerKings InnChevroletRoger Hamby60oil pressure43$1,100
56John CallisChevroletJohn Callis
96Jimmy WalkerFordWill Cronkrite

Standings after the race

PosDriverPointsDifferential1 [[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]2 [[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]3 [[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]4 [[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]5 [[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]6 [[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]7 [[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]8 [[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]910
Bobby Allison28040
Darrell Waltrip2602-202
Bill Elliott2535-269
Harry Gant2523-281
Richard Petty2439-365
Neil Bonnett2425-379
Terry Labonte2221-583
Joe Ruttman2208-596
Ricky Rudd2188-616
Dale Earnhardt2124-680

References

References

  1. [http://www.almanac.com/weather/history/PA/Long%20Pond/1983-07-24 Weather information for the ''1983 Like Cola 500''] at The Old Farmers' Almanac
  2. "NASCAR Race Tracks". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc..
  3. "Pocono Raceway". Turner Sports.
  4. [http://www.racing-reference.info/race/1983_Like_Cola_500/W ''1983 Like Cola 500''] racing information at Racing Reference
  5. [http://fantasyracingcheatsheet.com/nascar/races/results/1983/pocono-raceway/like-cola-500/1609 Winnings information for the ''1983 Like Cola 500''] at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
  6. [http://www.race-database.com/results/results.php?year=1983&race=18&series_id=2 ''1983 Like Cola 500''] racing information at Race Database
  7. [https://www.racing-reference.info/entrylist/1983-18/W/C 1983 Like Cola 500 crew chiefs] at Racing Reference
  8. [http://www.racing-reference.info/getqualify/1983-18/W Additional qualifying information for the 1983 Like Cola 500] at Racing Reference
  9. "1983 Like Cola 500 - The Third Turn".
  10. "1983 Like Cola 500 race results".
Info: Wikipedia Source

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