1989 Champion Spark Plug 400

The 1989 Champion Spark Plug 400 was the 19th stock car race of the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 20th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, August 20, 1989, before an audience of 80,000 in Brooklyn, Michigan, at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. At race's end, Blue Max Racing driver Rusty Wallace would manage to dominate a majority of the race, leading 162 laps en route to his 15th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his fifth victory of the season.[1][2][3][4] To fill out the top three, RahMoc Enterprises driver Morgan Shepherd and Jackson Bros. Motorsports driver Harry Gant would finish second and third, respectively.

1989 Champion Spark Plug 400
Race details
Race 19 of 29 in the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1989 Champion Spark Plug 400 program cover.
The 1989 Champion Spark Plug 400 program cover.
Date August 20, 1989
Official name 20th Annual Champion Spark Plug 400
Location Brooklyn, Michigan, Michigan International Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
2 mi (3.2 km)
Distance 200 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
Scheduled Distance 200 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
Average speed 157.704 miles per hour (253.800 km/h)
Attendance 80,000
Pole position
Driver Hendrick Motorsports
Time 40.968
Most laps led
Driver Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing
Laps 162
Winner
No. 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

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The layout of Michigan International Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

The race was held at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway as MIS's oval design was a direct basis of TWS, with moderate modifications to the banking in the corners, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac Kroger
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
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 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac Purolator
11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
14 Tracy Leslie A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile Copenhagen
15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick Chattanooga Chew
17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
18 Rick Jeffrey TriStar Motorsports Pontiac TriStar Motorsports
21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
23 Eddie Bierschwale B&B Racing Oldsmobile Melling Oil Pumps
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 Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac Hardee's
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Country Time
33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal Bandit
38 Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Redkote Steel Tubing
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Peak Antifreeze
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Jim Sauter Group 44 Pontiac Group 44
48 Greg Sacks Winkle Motorsports Pontiac Dinner Bell Foods
49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick Hylton Motorsports
51 Butch Miller Miller Racing Chevrolet Miller Racing
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Alka-Seltzer
55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal, Crown Central Petroleum
57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac Heinz
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Lifebuoy
75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Valvoline
77 Ken Ragan Ragan Racing Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions
83 Joe Ruttman Speed Racing Oldsmobile Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce
84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller High Life
88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac Crisco
90 Chad Little (R) Donlavey Racing Ford Hawaiian Tropic
94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Sunoco

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Saturday, August 19, at 11:30 AM 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 Saturday, August 19, 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,[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.

Geoff Bodine, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 40.968 and an average speed of 175.962 miles per hour (283.183 km/h) in the first round.[6][7]

Two drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 40.968 175.962
2 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 41.014 175.336
3 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 41.067 175.323
4 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 41.084 175.251
5 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 41.088 175.234
6 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 41.190 174.800
7 75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 41.198 174.766
8 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 41.216 174.689
9 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 41.315 174.271
10 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 41.333 174.195
11 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 41.378 174.006
12 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 41.419 173.833
13 2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac 41.520 173.410
14 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 41.532 173.360
15 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 41.534 173.352
16 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 41.536 173.344
17 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 41.545 173.306
18 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac 41.575 173.181
19 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 41.613 173.023
20 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 41.692 172.695
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 41.551 173.281
22 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 41.704 172.645
23 83 Joe Ruttman Speed Racing Oldsmobile 41.736 172.513
24 90 Chad Little (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 41.740 172.496
25 21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 41.776 172.348
26 57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac 41.799 172.253
27 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 41.835 172.105
28 48 Greg Sacks Winkle Motorsports Pontiac 41.851 172.039
29 88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac 41.868 171.969
30 84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 41.920 171.756
31 51 Butch Miller Miller Racing Chevrolet 41.950 171.633
32 44 Jim Sauter Group 44 Pontiac 42.009 171.392
33 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 42.034 171.290
34 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 42.038 171.274
35 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 42.093 171.050
36 16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick 42.115 170.960
37 18 Rick Jeffrey TriStar Motorsports Pontiac 42.154 170.802
38 14 Tracy Leslie A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile 42.231 170.491
39 77 Ken Ragan Ragan Racing Ford 42.758 168.390
40 23 Eddie Bierschwale B&B Racing Oldsmobile 42.869 167.954
Failed to qualify
41 38 Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford -* -*
42 49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick -* -*
Official starting lineup

Race results

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Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 2 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 200 162 running 185 $67,900
2 7 75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 200 7 running 175 $38,975
3 21 33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 200 4 running 170 $28,425
4 26 57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac 200 3 running 165 $20,232
5 1 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 200 2 running 160 $23,750
6 18 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac 200 1 running 155 $15,375
7 11 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 200 0 running 146 $17,150
8 16 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 200 0 running 142 $15,050
9 4 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 200 2 running 143 $13,075
10 3 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 200 9 running 139 $14,700
11 6 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 199 3 running 135 $13,400
12 29 88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac 199 0 running 127 $10,350
13 9 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 199 0 running 124 $5,800
14 34 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 199 0 running 121 $9,400
15 25 21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 198 0 running 118 $9,600
16 36 16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick 198 0 running 115 $6,450
17 15 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 198 0 running 112 $13,450
18 17 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 198 0 running 109 $5,750
19 30 84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 197 0 running 106 $7,350
20 38 14 Tracy Leslie A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile 197 0 running 103 $4,875
21 23 83 Joe Ruttman Speed Racing Oldsmobile 197 0 running 0 $6,825
22 31 51 Butch Miller Miller Racing Chevrolet 197 0 running 97 $3,725
23 32 44 Jim Sauter Group 44 Pontiac 196 0 running 94 $3,625
24 35 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 196 0 running 91 $6,475
25 13 2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac 196 0 running 88 $4,500
26 24 90 Chad Little (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 196 0 running 85 $3,325
27 33 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 195 0 running 82 $3,275
28 40 23 Eddie Bierschwale B&B Racing Oldsmobile 194 0 running 79 $3,225
29 39 77 Ken Ragan Ragan Racing Ford 193 0 running 76 $3,125
30 37 18 Rick Jeffrey TriStar Motorsports Pontiac 191 0 running 73 $3,125
31 22 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 190 1 running 75 $5,735
32 5 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 186 0 engine 67 $5,645
33 20 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 177 0 running 64 $5,580
34 10 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 172 0 running 61 $5,490
35 28 48 Greg Sacks Winkle Motorsports Pontiac 158 0 running 58 $2,815
36 12 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 128 0 clutch 55 $5,425
37 19 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 119 6 camshaft 57 $12,115
38 27 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 119 0 rear end 49 $5,350
39 8 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 103 0 engine 46 $13,585
40 14 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 69 0 engine 43 $9,725
Failed to qualify
41 38 Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford
42 49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (August 21, 1989). "Crew Lifts Wallace To Victory (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 15. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (August 21, 1989). "Crew Lifts Wallace To Victory (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 18. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Crowe, Steve (August 21, 1989). "Wallace wins MIS, points to season title (Part 1)". Detroit Free Press. p. 44. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Crowe, Steve (August 21, 1989). "Wallace wins MIS, points to season title (Part 2)". Detroit Free Press. p. 51. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ "NASCAR Today". The Charlotte Observer. August 19, 1989. p. 19. Retrieved May 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ Higgins, Tom (August 20, 1989). "Bodine Regains Form, Speeds To Pole Win (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 81. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Higgins, Tom (August 20, 1989). "Bodine Regains Form, Speeds To Pole Win (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 90. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  


Previous race:
1989 The Budweiser at The Glen
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1989 season
Next race:
1989 Busch 500