The 1987 TranSouth 500 was the fifth stock car race of the 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 31st iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 29, 1987, before an audience of 60,000 in Darlington, South Carolina, at Darlington Raceway, a 1.366 miles (2.198 km) permanent egg-shaped oval racetrack. The race took the scheduled 367 laps to complete.

1987 TranSouth 500
Race details
Race 5 of 29 in the 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1987 TranSouth 500 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt.
The 1987 TranSouth 500 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt.
Date March 29, 1987
Official name 31st Annual TranSouth 500
Location Darlington, South Carolina, Darlington Raceway
Course Permanent racing facility
1.366 mi (2.198 km)
Distance 367 laps, 501.322 mi (806.799 km)
Scheduled Distance 367 laps, 501.322 mi (806.799 km)
Average speed 122.54 miles per hour (197.21 km/h)
Attendance 60,000
Pole position
Driver Donlavey Racing
Time 31.048
Most laps led
Driver Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing
Laps 239
Winner
No. 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Larry Nuber, Jerry Punch
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Taking advantage of a misfortunate Bill Elliott, who ran out of gas on the final lap, Richard Childress Racing's Dale Earnhardt, who had been the dominant car of the race, passed Elliott with half a lap remaining to take his 23rd career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his third victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, the aforementioned Bill Elliott and owner-driver Richard Petty finished second and third, respectively.

Background

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The layout of Darlington Raceway, the venue where the race was held.

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

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Ron Bouchard Ellington Racing Chevrolet Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce
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 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford Zerex
8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller American
9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Coors
10 Rodney Combs DiGard Motorsports Chevrolet DiGard Motorsports
11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet Budweiser
12 Slick Johnson Hamby Racing Chevrolet Hamby Racing
15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft Quality Parts
17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
18 Tommy Ellis Freedlander Motorsports Chevrolet Freedlander Financial
21 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller American
26 Morgan Shepherd King Racing Buick Quaker State
27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac Kodiak
28 Davey Allison (R) Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford Ranier-Lundy Racing
29 Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough Motorsports Oldsmobile Hardee's
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Chevrolet Domino's
32 Jonathan Lee Edwards Edwards Racing Chevrolet Edwards Racing
33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet Skoal Bandit
35 Benny Parsons Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Folgers
36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac Almeda Auto Parts
37 Joe Millikan Beahr Racing Ford Hanover Printing
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Piedmont Airlines
48 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Chevrolet Hylton Motorsports
50 Greg Sacks Dingman Brothers Racing Pontiac Valvoline
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Turtle Wax, Car and Driver
55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Copenhagen
62 Steve Christman (R) Winkle Motorsports Pontiac AC Spark Plug
64 Connie Saylor Langley Racing Ford Sunny King Ford
67 Eddie Bierschwale Arrington Racing Ford Pannill Sweatshirts
70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac Rumple Furniture
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Lifebuoy
75 Neil Bonnett RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Valvoline
77 Bobby Wawak Ragan Racing Ford Southlake Ford
81 Mike Potter Fillip Racing Ford Fillip Racing
82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford Auto Bell Car Wash
83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile Wynn's, Kmart
88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile Crisco
90 Ken Schrader Donlavey Racing Ford Red Baron Frozen Pizza

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Thursday, March 26, at 3:00 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. 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, March 27, 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,[3] 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 were given.

Ken Schrader, driving for Donlavey Racing, managed to win the pole, setting a time of 31.048 and an average speed of 158.387 miles per hour (254.899 km/h) in the first round.[4]

Three drivers failed to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 90 Ken Schrader Donlavey Racing Ford 31.048 158.387
2 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 31.110 158.071
3 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 31.151 157.863
4 35 Benny Parsons Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.157 157.833
5 28 Davey Allison (R) Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford 31.165 157.792
6 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 31.318 157.022
7 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.324 156.991
8 22 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 31.381 156.706
9 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 31.395 156.636
10 15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 31.434 156.442
11 88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile 31.461 156.308
12 33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet 31.475 156.238
13 75 Neil Bonnett RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 31.479 156.218
14 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 31.488 156.174
15 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 31.572 155.758
16 44 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 31.709 155.085
17 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 31.729 154.988
18 26 Morgan Shepherd King Racing Buick 31.740 154.934
19 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.762 154.827
20 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 31.792 154.680
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 29 Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough Motorsports Oldsmobile 31.644 155.404
22 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 31.808 154.603
23 21 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford 31.824 154.525
24 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 31.836 154.467
25 1 Ron Bouchard Ellington Racing Chevrolet 31.872 154.292
26 18 Tommy Ellis Freedlander Motorsports Chevrolet 31.938 153.973
27 50 Greg Sacks Dingman Brothers Racing Pontiac 32.005 153.651
28 67 Eddie Bierschwale Arrington Racing Ford 32.025 153.555
29 10 Rodney Combs DiGard Motorsports Chevrolet 32.057 153.402
30 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Chevrolet 32.096 153.215
31 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 32.224 152.607
32 6 D. K. Ulrich U.S. Racing Chevrolet 32.286 152.314
33 64 Connie Saylor Langley Racing Ford 32.289 152.300
34 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 32.297 152.262
35 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac 32.306 152.219
36 12 Slick Johnson Hamby Racing Chevrolet 32.423 151.670
37 77 Bobby Wawak Ragan Racing Chevrolet 32.465 151.474
38 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac 32.469 151.455
39 62 Steve Christman (R) Winkle Motorsports Pontiac 32.641 150.657
40 32 Jonathan Lee Edwards Edwards Racing Chevrolet 32.707 150.353
Provisional
41 48 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Chevrolet 32.785 149.995
Failed to qualify
42 81 Mike Potter Fillip Racing Ford 33.200 148.120
43 37 Joe Millikan Beahr Racing Ford 33.219 148.036
44 82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford 33.728 145.802
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 2 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 367 239 running 185 $52,985
2 3 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 367 41 running 175 $31,485
3 24 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 367 1 running 170 $20,450
4 16 44 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 367 5 running 165 $17,105
5 1 90 Ken Schrader Donlavey Racing Ford 367 19 running 160 $16,650
6 13 75 Neil Bonnett RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 367 7 running 155 $10,065
7 12 33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet 366 0 running 146 $9,295
8 25 1 Ron Bouchard Ellington Racing Chevrolet 366 0 running 142 $4,810
9 15 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 366 0 running 138 $4,305
10 19 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 366 1 running 139 $5,180
11 7 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 364 0 running 130 $10,525
12 36 12 Slick Johnson Hamby Racing Chevrolet 363 0 running 127 $7,755
13 23 21 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford 362 0 running 124 $6,815
14 34 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 361 0 running 121 $7,375
15 21 29 Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough Motorsports Oldsmobile 354 0 running 118 $3,715
16 28 67 Eddie Bierschwale Arrington Racing Ford 349 0 running 115 $5,800
17 35 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac 348 0 running 112 $2,485
18 32 6 D. K. Ulrich U.S. Racing Chevrolet 347 0 running 109 $5,420
19 30 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Chevrolet 338 0 running 106 $5,040
20 6 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 322 0 overheating 103 $10,075
21 4 35 Benny Parsons Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 314 0 running 100 $11,275
22 18 26 Morgan Shepherd King Racing Buick 312 0 running 97 $4,785
23 20 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 307 0 overheating 94 $8,900
24 33 64 Connie Saylor Langley Racing Ford 291 0 running 91 $4,570
25 11 88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile 259 40 crash 93 $2,585
26 27 50 Greg Sacks Dingman Brothers Racing Pontiac 258 0 engine 85 $1,680
27 5 28 Davey Allison (R) Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford 214 0 crash 82 $2,375
28 8 22 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 214 1 crash 84 $8,580
29 37 77 Bobby Wawak Ragan Racing Chevrolet 168 0 crash 76 $1,535
30 10 15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 144 12 crash 78 $9,885
31 9 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 144 0 crash 70 $1,445
32 14 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 143 0 crash 67 $10,200
33 17 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 131 1 steering 69 $4,100
34 22 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 118 0 head gasket 61 $1,330
35 40 32 Jonathan Lee Edwards Edwards Racing Chevrolet 104 0 fuel pump 58 $1,300
36 31 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 85 0 engine 55 $3,270
37 29 10 Rodney Combs DiGard Motorsports Chevrolet 38 0 ignition 52 $1,740
38 41 48 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Chevrolet 14 0 ignition 49 $1,225
39 39 62 Steve Christman (R) Winkle Motorsports Pontiac 8 0 crash 46 $1,210
40 26 18 Tommy Ellis Freedlander Motorsports Chevrolet 3 0 quit 43 $1,180
41 38 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac 1 0 engine 40 $1,180
Failed to qualify
42 81 Mike Potter Fillip Racing Ford
43 37 Joe Millikan Beahr Racing Ford
44 82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (March 30, 1987). "Earnhardt Cashes In On Elliott Gamble At Darlington". The Charlotte Observer. pp. 1D, 5D. Retrieved September 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Gilbert, Bill (March 30, 1987). "Earnhardt nips a gasless Elliott for the checkered". Florence Morning News. pp. 1B, 2B. Retrieved September 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "NASCAR Today". The Charlotte Observer. March 26, 1987. pp. 6C. Retrieved September 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Higgins, Tom (March 27, 1987). "Schrader Takes Darlington Pole". The Charlotte Observer. pp. 1D, 5D. Retrieved September 25, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  


Previous race:
1987 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1987 season
Next race:
1987 First Union 400