1988 Valleydale Meats 500

The 1988 Valleydale Meats 500 was the sixth stock car race of the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 28th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, April 10, 1988, before an audience of 48,800, in Bristol, Tennessee, at Bristol International Raceway, a 0.533 miles (0.858 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack.

1988 Valleydale Meats 500
Race details
Race 6 of 29 in the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1988 Valleydale Meats 500 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, and Ricky Rudd.
The 1988 Valleydale Meats 500 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, and Ricky Rudd.
Date April 10, 1988
Official name 28th Annual Valleydale Meats 500
Location Bristol, Tennessee, Bristol International Raceway
Course Permanent racing facility
0.533 mi (0.858 km)
Distance 500 laps, 266.5 mi (428.89 km)
Scheduled Distance 500 laps, 266.5 mi (428.89 km)
Average speed 83.115 miles per hour (133.761 km/h)
Attendance 48,800
Pole position
Driver Morgan–McClure Motorsports
Time 16.323
Most laps led
Driver Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports
Laps 121
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

With nine laps left in the race, race Melling Racing driver Bill Elliott would spin after contact with second-place driver, Hendrick Motorsports' Geoff Bodine. After racing back to the line, putting out the caution with eight laps left in the race, Elliott would manage to maintain second place. After the race proceeded to restart with four laps left in the race, Elliott would manage to mount a comeback, passing for the lead with three laps left in the race. Elliott would manage to defend Bodine for the victory, completing a spin-and-win late in the race. The victory was Elliott's 24th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first victory of the season.[1][2][3][4] To fill out the top three, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin and the aforementioned Geoff Bodine would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

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The layout of Bristol Motor Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

The Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway, is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Despite its short length, Bristol is among the most popular tracks on the NASCAR schedule because of its distinct features, which include extraordinarily steep banking, an all concrete surface, two pit roads, and stadium-like seating. It has also been named one of the loudest NASCAR tracks.

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
4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile Kodak
5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Levi Garrett
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Stroh's 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
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 Texaco, Havoline
29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Oldsmobile Hardee's
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Country Time
31 Brad Teague Bob Clark Motorsports Oldsmobile Slender You Figure Salons
33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet Skoal Bandit
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Piedmont Airlines
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet Eureka
55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal, Crown Central Petroleum
68 Derrike Cope Testa Racing Ford Purolator
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Lifebuoy
75 Neil Bonnett RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Valvoline
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

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, April 8, at 4:45 pm EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 15 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, April 9, at 12:00 pm EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 16-30 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 were given.

Rick Wilson, driving for Morgan–McClure Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 16.323 and an average speed of 117.552 miles per hour (189.182 km/h) in the first round.[6]

No drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 16.323 117.552
2 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 16.368 117.229
3 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 16.387 117.093
4 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 16.398 117.014
5 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 16.413 116.907
6 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 16.423 116.836
7 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 16.489 116.368
8 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 16.508 116.235
9 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 16.530 116.080
10 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 16.530 116.080
11 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 16.599 115.597
12 33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet 16.605 115.556
13 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 16.608 115.535
14 21 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford 16.625 115.417
15 44 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 16.626 115.410
Failed to lock in Round 1
16 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 16.627 115.403
17 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 16.638 115.326
18 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 16.657 115.195
19 28 Davey Allison Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford 16.673 115.084
20 31 Brad Teague Bob Clark Motorsports Oldsmobile 16.701 114.891
21 12 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 16.720 114.761
22 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 16.726 114.720
23 10 Ken Bouchard (R) Whitcomb Racing Ford 16.781 114.344
24 68 Derrike Cope Testa Racing Ford 16.784 114.323
25 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Oldsmobile 16.788 114.296
26 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 16.843 113.923
27 90 Benny Parsons Donlavey Racing Ford 16.856 113.835
28 2 Ernie Irvan (R) U.S. Racing Chevrolet 16.861 113.801
29 75 Neil Bonnett RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 16.890 113.606
30 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 17.031 112.665
Provisionals
31 88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile 17.180 111.688
32 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick - -
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 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 500 116 running 180 $45,750
2 5 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 500 0 running 170 $21,250
3 3 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 74 running 170 $17,425
4 16 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 499 0 running 160 $14,370
5 21 12 Bobby Allison Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 498 0 running 155 $12,625
6 17 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 497 0 running 150 $9,800
7 14 21 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Racing Ford 495 0 running 146 $9,300
8 15 44 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 495 0 running 142 $6,700
9 18 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 493 48 running 143 $6,250
10 6 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 493 0 running 134 $9,600
11 29 75 Neil Bonnett RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 490 0 running 130 $8,250
12 22 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 486 0 running 127 $5,550
13 27 90 Benny Parsons Donlavey Racing Ford 483 0 running 124 $5,200
14 4 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 461 95 running 126 $12,050
15 32 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 448 24 running 123 $5,200
16 9 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 437 0 running 115 $7,560
17 11 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 430 0 running 112 $9,120
18 12 33 Harry Gant Mach 1 Racing Chevrolet 421 121 quit 119 $6,830
19 2 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 383 0 running 106 $4,940
20 10 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 378 1 crash 108 $4,800
21 23 10 Ken Bouchard (R) Whitcomb Racing Ford 361 0 running 100 $2,360
22 7 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 360 0 crash 97 $3,920
23 8 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 327 0 running 94 $7,230
24 24 68 Derrike Cope Testa Racing Ford 298 0 overheating 91 $3,790
25 1 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 291 21 running 93 $4,775
26 28 2 Ernie Irvan (R) U.S. Racing Chevrolet 284 0 crash 85 $2,345
27 20 31 Brad Teague Bob Clark Motorsports Oldsmobile 265 0 crash 82 $1,390
28 25 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Oldsmobile 129 0 oil pump 79 $1,360
29 19 28 Davey Allison Ranier-Lundy Racing Ford 91 0 engine 76 $9,430
30 26 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 81 0 engine 73 $1,300
31 31 88 Buddy Baker Baker–Schiff Racing Oldsmobile 77 0 engine 70 $3,450
32 30 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 26 0 crash 67 $3,400
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (April 11, 1988). "Elliott Takes Car For A Spin, Then Wins Race (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 15. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (April 11, 1988). "Elliott Takes Car For A Spin, Then Wins Race (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 18. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Mulhurn, Mike (April 11, 1988). "Elliott Survives Wreck, Outruns Field in Bristol (Part 1)". Winston-Salem Journal. p. 17. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Mulhurn, Mike (April 11, 1988). "Elliott Survives Wreck, Outruns Field in Bristol (Part 2)". Winston-Salem Journal. p. 19. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ "NASCAR Today". The Charlotte Observer. April 8, 1988. p. 72. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ Waid, Steve (April 9, 1988). "On Home Track, Wilson Speeds To Career's First Pole". The Charlotte Observer. p. 32. Retrieved June 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  


Previous race:
1988 TranSouth 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1988 season
Next race:
1988 First Union 400