The 1986 Talladega 500 was the 17th stock car race of the 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 18th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, July 27, 1986, before an audience of 105,000 in Lincoln, Alabama at Alabama International Motor Speedway, a 2.66 miles (4.28 km) permanent triangle-shaped superspeedway. The race took the scheduled 188 laps to complete.[1]

1986 Talladega 500
Race details
Race 17 of 29 in the 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1986 Talladega 500 program cover, featuring Cale Yarborough.
The 1986 Talladega 500 program cover, featuring Cale Yarborough.
Date July 27, 1986
Official name 18th Annual Talladega 500
Location Lincoln, Alabama, Alabama International Motor Speedway
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 151.522 miles per hour (243.851 km/h)
Attendance 105,000
Pole position
Driver Melling Racing
Time 45.817
Most laps led
Driver Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing
Laps 54
Winner
No. 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing
Television in the United States
Network CBS
Announcers Ken Squier, Ned Jarrett
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

In a race plagued by high temperatures, by the final laps of the race, few cars remained. Of the ones that did, a battle for the lead between Stavola Brothers Racing's Bobby Hillin Jr., Hendrick Motorsports' Tim Richmond, and Ricky Rudd, who at the time was replaced by Rusty Wallace, was created that stretched out into the final lap of the race. At the finish, Hillin Jr. was able to defend the two, securing his only career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory, his only win of the season, and at the time, the record for the youngest driver to win in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. To fill out the top three, Richmond and Rudd finished second and third, respectively.[2][3]

Background

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The layout of Alabama International Motor Speedway, 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

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Chevrolet Heyward Grooms Construction
1 Sterling Marlin Ellington Racing Chevrolet Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce
2 Rodney Combs Harrington Racing Chevrolet Soldier Seal, Gunk
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Wrangler
4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile Kodak
5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Levi Garrett
6 D. K. Ulrich U.S. Racing Chevrolet U.S. Racing
7 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford 7-Eleven
8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet Miller American
9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Coors
11 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet Budweiser
12 Neil Bonnett Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet Budweiser
14 A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile Copenhagen
15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft Quality Parts
17 Pancho Carter Hamby Racing Chevrolet Kmart
18 Tommy Ellis Freedlander Motorsports Chevrolet Freedlander Financial
22 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller American
23 Michael Waltrip (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac Hawaiian Punch
25 Tim Richmond Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Folgers
26 Joe Ruttman King Racing Buick Quaker State
27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac Alugard
28 Cale Yarborough Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford Hardee's
29 Grant Adcox Adcox Racing Chevrolet Adcox Racing
33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet Skoal Bandit
35 Alan Kulwicki (R) AK Racing Ford Quincy's Steakhouse
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Terry Labonte Hagan Enterprises Oldsmobile Piedmont Airlines
47 Morgan Shepherd Race Hill Farm Team Chevrolet Race Hill Farm Team
48 Ronnie Thomas Hylton Motorsports Chevrolet Hylton Motorsports
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Jimmy Means Racing
54 Eddie Bierschwale Gray Racing Chevrolet Kodak
55 Benny Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Copenhagen
64 Connie Saylor Langley Racing Ford Sunny King Ford
66 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal
67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Ford Pannill Sweatshirts
70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac Rumple Furniture
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Pontiac Helen Rae Special
73 Phil Barkdoll Barkdoll Racing Ford Helen Rae Special
75 Jim Sauter RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Nationwise Automotive
77 Ken Ragan Ragan Racing Chevrolet McCord Gasket
79 Derrike Cope Razore Racing Ford Peterbilt
81 Chet Fillip (R) Fillip Racing Ford Circle Bar Truck Corral
88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile Evinrude Outboard Motors
90 Ken Schrader Donlavey Racing Ford Red Baron Frozen Pizza
98 Ron Bouchard Curb Racing Pontiac Valvoline

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Thursday, July 24, at 2:00 PM EST. Each driver had one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 20 drivers in the round were guaranteed a starting spot in the race.[4] 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 2:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver had one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-40 were decided on time, 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.[5]

Bill Elliott, driving for Melling Racing, won the pole, setting a time of 45.817 and an average speed of 209.005 miles per hour (336.361 km/h) in the first round.[6]

Four drivers failed to qualify.[7]

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 45.817 209.005
2 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 46.027 208.052
3 25 Tim Richmond Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 46.141 207.538
4 55 Benny Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 46.171 207.403
5 1 Sterling Marlin Ellington Racing Chevrolet 46.218 207.192
6 7 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford 46.242 207.084
7 12 Davey Allison Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 46.408 206.344
8 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 46.441 206.197
9 44 Terry Labonte Hagan Enterprises Oldsmobile 46.466 206.086
10 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 46.495 205.958
11 14 A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile 46.519 205.851
12 88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile 46.523 205.834
13 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 46.537 205.772
14 47 Morgan Shepherd Race Hill Farm Team Buick 46.652 205.265
15 11 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 46.665 205.207
16 66 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 46.677 205.155
17 2 Rodney Combs Harrington Racing Chevrolet 46.713 204.996
18 75 Jim Sauter RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 46.763 204.777
19 28 Cale Yarborough Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford 46.803 204.602
20 15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 46.852 204.388
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 22 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 46.905 204.157
22 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 46.929 204.053
23 26 Joe Ruttman King Racing Buick 46.971 203.870
24 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 47.124 203.209
25 81 Chet Fillip (R) Fillip Racing Ford 47.124 203.209
26 18 Tommy Ellis Freedlander Motorsports Chevrolet 47.151 203.092
27 98 Ron Bouchard Curb Racing Pontiac 47.285 202.517
28 35 Alan Kulwicki (R) AK Racing Ford 47.302 202.444
29 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Pontiac 47.344 202.264
30 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Chevrolet 47.371 202.149
31 73 Phil Barkdoll Barkdoll Racing Ford 47.386 202.085
32 33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet 47.442 201.846
33 17 Pancho Carter Hamby Racing Chevrolet 47.501 201.596
34 23 Michael Waltrip (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac 47.529 201.477
35 90 Ken Schrader Donlavey Racing Ford 47.563 201.333
36 48 Ronnie Thomas Hylton Motorsports Chevrolet 47.615 201.113
37 67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Ford 47.616 201.109
38 54 Eddie Bierschwale Gray Racing Chevrolet 47.633 201.037
39 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 47.867 200.042
40 77 Ken Ragan Ragan Racing Chevrolet 47.913 199.862
Failed to qualify
41 6 D. K. Ulrich U.S. Racing Chevrolet -* -*
42 29 Grant Adcox Adcox Racing Chevrolet -* -*
43 64 Connie Saylor Langley Racing Ford -* -*
44 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac -* -*
WD 79 Derrike Cope Razore 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 13 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 188 16 running 180 $60,055
2 3 25 Tim Richmond Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 19 running 175 $34,345
3 20 15 Ricky Rudd[a] Bud Moore Engineering Ford 188 0 running 165 $29,255
4 5 1 Sterling Marlin Ellington Racing Chevrolet 188 9 running 165 $15,750
5 4 55 Benny Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 188 2 running 160 $12,815
6 14 47 Morgan Shepherd Race Hill Farm Team Buick 188 0 running 150 $9,170
7 7 12 Davey Allison Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 188 13 running 151 $17,820
8 23 26 Joe Ruttman King Racing Buick 188 0 running 142 $10,495
9 6 7 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford 188 2 running 143 $12,570
10 21 22 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 187 2 accident 139 $13,720
11 8 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 187 7 accident 135 $5,040
12 18 75 Jim Sauter RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 187 2 accident 132 $8,835
13 16 66 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 187 1 running 129 $4,350
14 34 23 Michael Waltrip (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac 186 1 running 126 $4,780
15 39 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 184 1 running 123 $8,380
16 36 48 Ronnie Thomas Hylton Motorsports Chevrolet 183 0 running 115 $7,800
17 27 98 Ron Bouchard Curb Racing Pontiac 174 0 accident 112 $3,730
18 40 77 Ken Ragan Ragan Racing Chevrolet 169 1 accident 114 $3,710
19 17 2 Rodney Combs[b] Harrington Racing Chevrolet 169 4 accident 111 $3,710
20 12 88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile 163 3 overheating 108 $4,130
21 37 67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Ford 162 0 running 100 $6,935
22 32 33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet 159 5 accident 102 $12,050
23 10 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 159 19 accident 99 $11,140
24 19 28 Cale Yarborough Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford 159 0 accident 91 $2,930
25 15 11 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 157 3 accident 93 $13,670
26 2 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 153 54 engine 95 $15,355
27 1 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 152 5 valve 87 $15,185
28 25 81 Chet Fillip (R) Fillip Racing Ford 150 0 accident 79 $3,625
29 30 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Chevrolet 140 0 engine 76 $2,565
30 11 14 A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile 119 0 wheel bearing 73 $7,010
31 35 90 Ken Schrader Donlavey Racing Ford 113 1 engine 75 $7,010
32 28 35 Alan Kulwicki (R) AK Racing Ford 112 2 clutch 72 $2,485
33 31 73 Phil Barkdoll Barkdoll Racing Ford 100 2 overheating 0 $3,225
34 26 18 Tommy Ellis Freedlander Motorsports Chevrolet 86 0 engine 61 $2,365
35 22 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 70 0 engine 58 $5,410
36 29 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Pontiac 61 0 head gasket 55 $5,210
37 24 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 51 5 accident 57 $5,080
38 9 44 Terry Labonte Hagan Enterprises Oldsmobile 37 8 oil pressure 54 $9,440
39 38 54 Eddie Bierschwale Gray Racing Chevrolet 37 0 valve 46 $1,990
40 33 17 Pancho Carter Hamby Racing Chevrolet 29 1 engine 48 $4,680
Failed to qualify
41 6 D. K. Ulrich U.S. Racing Chevrolet
42 29 Grant Adcox Adcox Racing Chevrolet
43 64 Connie Saylor Langley Racing Ford
44 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac
WD 79 Derrike Cope Razore Racing Ford
Official race results

Standings after the race

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Notes

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  1. ^ On the race's 116th lap, Rudd was replaced by Rusty Wallace as Rudd was suffering from the flu. Wallace had previously retired from the race on the 70th lap. As Rudd started the race, he is credited with the finishing position.[8]
  2. ^ Midway into the race, Combs was replaced by Alan Kulwicki as Combs reported numbness in his arm. Kulwicki had previously retired from the race on the 112th lap. As Combs started the race, he is credited with the finishing position.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Fondren, Ty (July 28, 1986). "'Youngest Lion' Wins 500". Montgomery Advertiser. pp. 1B, 5B. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (July 28, 1986). "Hillin Survives Talladega". The Charlotte Observer. pp. 1D, 5D. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Williams, Chuck (July 28, 1986). "Hillin wins in bang-up finish". The Anniston Star. pp. 1B, 2B. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Shoemaker, Mack (July 24, 1986). "Drivers brace for a hot race". Birmingham Post-Herald. pp. B1. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ Shoemaker, Mack (July 25, 1986). "Awesome Bill". Birmingham Post-Herald. pp. B1, B4. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ Higgins, Tom (July 25, 1986). "Elliott's Fastest". The Charlotte Observer. pp. 1C, 4C. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Bean, Dave (July 26, 1986). "Talladega Qualifying Cools Down a Bit". Ledger-Enquirer. pp. B1, B3. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  
  8. ^ Mulhurn, Mike (July 28, 1986). "Hillin Roars To Victory At Talladega". Winston-Salem Journal. pp. 15, 20. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ Melick, Ray (July 5, 1986). "Hot day ends happily for Hillin". Birmingham Post-Herald. pp. B8. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  


Previous race:
1986 Summer 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1986 season
Next race:
1986 The Budweiser at The Glen