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1988 Southern 500

21st race of the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

21st race of the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

The 1988 Southern 500 was the 21st stock car race of the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 39th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 4, 1988, before an audience of 50,000 in Darlington, South Carolina, at Darlington Raceway, a 1.366 mi permanent egg-shaped oval racetrack. The race took the scheduled 367 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Melling Racing's Bill Elliott would manage to fend off Blue Max Racing's Rusty Wallace to the finish to take his 28th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his fifth victory of the season. To fill out the top three, the aforementioned Rusty Wallace and Richard Childress Racing's Dale Earnhardt would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that is effective at both ends.

Entry list

  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
#DriverTeamMakeSponsor
2Ernie Irvan **(R)**U.S. RacingChevroletKroger
3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevroletGM Goodwrench Service
4Rick WilsonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobileKodak
04Hershel McGriffMcGriff RacingPontiacU.S. Bank
5Geoff BodineHendrick MotorsportsChevroletLevi Garrett
6Mark MartinRoush RacingFordStroh Light
7Alan KulwickiAK RacingFordZerex
8Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuickMiller High Life
9Bill ElliottMelling RacingFordCoors Light
10Ken Bouchard **(R)**Whitcomb RacingFordWhitcomb Racing
11Terry LabonteJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevroletBudweiser
12Mike AlexanderStavola Brothers RacingBuickMiller High Life
15Brett BodineBud Moore EngineeringFordCrisco
17Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevroletTide
21Kyle PettyWood Brothers RacingFordCitgo
23Eddie BierschwaleB&B RacingOldsmobileWayne Paging
25Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevroletFolgers
26Ricky RuddKing RacingBuickQuaker State
27Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiacKodiak
28Davey AllisonRanier-Lundy RacingFordHavoline
29Dale JarrettCale Yarborough MotorsportsOldsmobileHardee's
30Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiacCountry Time
31Jim SauterBob Clark MotorsportsOldsmobileSlender You Figure Salons
32Philip DuffieDuffie RacingBuickBob Beard Buick
33Harry GantMach 1 RacingChevroletSkoal Bandit
36H. B. BaileyBailey RacingPontiacAlmeda Auto Parts
43Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiacSTP
44Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobilePiedmont Airlines
52Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiacEureka
55Phil ParsonsJackson Bros. MotorsportsOldsmobileCrown Central Petroleum, Skoal Classic
57Morgan ShepherdOsterlund RacingBuickHeinz Ketchup
68Derrike CopeTesta RacingFordPurolator Filters
71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletLifebuoy
75Neil BonnettRahMoc EnterprisesPontiacValvoline
77Ken RaganRagan RacingFordBob Beard Ford
80Jimmy Horton **(R)**S&H RacingFordS&H Racing
83Lake SpeedSpeed RacingOldsmobileWynn's, Kmart
87Randy BakerBuck Baker RacingOldsmobileSony Magnetic Products
88Rick MastBaker-Schiff RacingOldsmobileRed Baron Frozen Pizza
90Benny ParsonsDonlavey RacingFordBull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce
97Rodney CombsWinkle MotorsportsBuickAC Spark Plug
98Brad Noffsinger **(R)**Curb RacingBuickSunoco

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Thursday, September 1, 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 Friday, September 2, at 2:00 PM 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 and depending on who needed it, a select amount of positions were given to cars who had not otherwise qualified on time but were high enough in owner's points; up to two provisionals were given.

Bill Elliott, driving for Melling Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 30.577 and an average speed of 160.827 mph in the first round.

Two drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed1234567891011121314151617181920Failed to lock in Round 12122232425262728293031323334353637383940Failed to qualify4142[Official first round qualifying results](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-press-nascar-qualifying/128446715/)[Official starting lineup](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-todays-lineup/128446848/)
9Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord**30.577****160.827**
3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30.697160.198
7Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord30.704160.162
5Geoff BodineHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet30.750159.922
27Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiac30.781159.761
17Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet30.803159.647
6Mark MartinRoush RacingFord30.929158.996
15Brett BodineBud Moore EngineeringFord30.989158.689
33Harry GantMach 1 RacingChevrolet31.007158.596
57Morgan ShepherdOsterlund RacingBuick31.085158.198
83Lake SpeedSpeed RacingOldsmobile31.115158.046
44Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobile31.124158.000
97Rodney CombsWinkle MotorsportsBuick31.145157.894
30Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac31.165157.792
28Davey AllisonRanier-Lundy RacingFord31.172157.757
8Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuick31.190157.666
2Ernie Irvan **(R)**U.S. RacingChevrolet31.213157.550
29Dale JarrettCale Yarborough MotorsportsOldsmobile31.222157.504
4Rick WilsonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobile31.247157.378
77Ken RaganRagan RacingFord31.251157.358
55Phil ParsonsJackson Bros. MotorsportsOldsmobile31.256157.333
88Rick MastBaker–Schiff RacingOldsmobile31.265157.288
11Terry LabonteJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevrolet31.296157.132
75Neil BonnettRahMoc EnterprisesPontiac31.328156.971
25Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.333156.946
43Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac31.343156.896
90Benny ParsonsDonlavey RacingFord31.350156.861
52Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac31.391156.656
26Ricky RuddKing RacingBuick31.415156.537
12Mike AlexanderStavola Brothers RacingBuick31.419156.517
68Derrike CopeTesta RacingFord31.432156.452
31Jim SauterBob Clark MotorsportsOldsmobile31.493156.149
23Eddie BierschwaleB&B RacingOldsmobile31.539155.921
36H. B. BaileyBailey RacingPontiac31.582155.709
21Kyle PettyWood Brothers RacingFord31.602155.610
10Ken Bouchard **(R)**Whitcomb RacingFord31.617155.537
87Randy BakerBuck Baker RacingOldsmobile31.733154.968
71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet31.748154.896
32Philip DuffieDuffie RacingBuick31.886154.224
80Jimmy Horton **(R)**S&H RacingFord31.922154.050
98Brad Noffsinger **(R)**Curb RacingBuick-*-*
04Hershel McGriffMcGriff RacingPontiac32.292152.285

Race results

FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940Failed to qualify4142[Official race results](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-sundays-results/128446933/)
19Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord367154running185$75,800
527Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiac36750running175$38,850
23Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet36785running170$31,375
617Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3675running165$19,850
1244Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobile36721running160$21,130
2155Phil ParsonsJackson Bros. MotorsportsOldsmobile3660running150$12,950
45Geoff BodineHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3667running151$11,310
2311Terry LabonteJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevrolet3660running142$13,260
1528Davey AllisonRanier-Lundy RacingFord3669running143$15,105
2926Ricky RuddKing RacingBuick3666running139$13,130
2525Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3660running130$10,980
1183Lake SpeedSpeed RacingOldsmobile3660running127$6,815
2790Benny ParsonsDonlavey RacingFord36525running129$19,305
3012Mike AlexanderStavola Brothers RacingBuick3652running126$11,495
37Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord3650running118$8,735
2475Neil BonnettRahMoc EnterprisesPontiac3640running115$11,195
815Brett BodineBud Moore EngineeringFord3632running117$12,635
3610Ken Bouchard **(R)**Whitcomb RacingFord3600running109$6,240
76Mark MartinRoush RacingFord3580running106$5,040
172Ernie Irvan **(R)**U.S. RacingChevrolet3580running103$4,985
1397Rodney CombsWinkle MotorsportsBuick3570running100$3,320
3871Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet3550running97$6,320
3231Jim SauterBob Clark MotorsportsOldsmobile3510running0$4,120
2852Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac3500running91$5,000
1430Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac3430running88$5,955
3323Eddie BierschwaleB&B RacingOldsmobile3400running85$2,815
3436H. B. BaileyBailey RacingPontiac3400running82$2,725
3521Kyle PettyWood Brothers RacingFord3371running84$9,630
3932Philip DuffieDuffie RacingBuick3320running76$2,540
168Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuick3170oil pressure73$5,335
2077Ken RaganRagan RacingFord3080accident70$2,340
2288Rick MastBaker–Schiff RacingOldsmobile3050running0$5,530
2643Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac2660engine64$4,925
1829Dale JarrettCale Yarborough MotorsportsOldsmobile2390engine61$2,850
3168Derrike CopeTesta RacingFord2030accident58$4,755
3787Randy BakerBuck Baker RacingOldsmobile1350engine55$2,055
4080Jimmy Horton **(R)**S&H RacingFord1140engine52$2,005
194Rick WilsonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobile820engine49$2,580
1057Morgan ShepherdOsterlund RacingBuick530engine46$1,910
933Harry GantMach 1 RacingChevrolet500engine43$4,450
98Brad Noffsinger **(R)**Curb RacingBuick
04Hershel McGriffMcGriff RacingPontiac

Standings after the race

;Drivers' Championship standings

PosDriverPoints[Official driver's standings](https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-and-record-point-standings/128452384/)
[[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]1Bill Elliott3,212
[[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]2Rusty Wallace3,186 (-26)
[[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]3Dale Earnhardt3,071 (-141)
[[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]4Ken Schrader2,832 (–380)
[[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]5Terry Labonte2,796 (–416)
[[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]6Geoff Bodine2,791 (–421)
[[File:1rightarrow.png10px]]7Sterling Marlin2,704 (–508)
[[File:1uparrow green.svg10px]] **1**8Darrell Waltrip2,669 (–543)
[[File:1downarrow red.svg10px]] **1**9Phil Parsons2,661 (–551)
[[File:1uparrow green.svg10px]] **1**10Davey Allison2,509 (–703)
  • Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.

References

References

  1. Higgins, Tom. (September 5, 1988). "Elliott Holds Off Wallace At Darlington". [[The Charlotte Observer]].
  2. McLaurin, Jim. (September 5, 1988). "Elliott nabs Southern 500". [[The State (newspaper).
  3. (September 1, 1988). "NASCAR Today". [[The Charlotte Observer]].
  4. Higgins, Tom. (September 2, 1988). "Elliott To Start Out Front". [[The Charlotte Observer]].
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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