1991 Champion Spark Plug 400

The 1991 Champion Spark Plug 400 was the 19th stock car race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 23rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, August 18, 1991, before an audience of 90,000 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. In the final laps of the race, Wood Brothers Racing driver Dale Jarrett would mount a late-race charge against Robert Yates Racing driver Davey Allison, passing Allison in the final lap of the race and besting Allison by 8 inches (20 cm) at the finish to take his first career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[1][2][3][4] To fill out the top three, Penske Racing South driver Rusty Wallace would finish third.

1991 Champion Spark Plug 400
Race details
Race 19 of 29 in the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1991 Champion Spark Plug 400 program cover, featuring Mark Martin. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
The 1991 Champion Spark Plug 400 program cover, featuring Mark Martin. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
Date August 18, 1991
Official name 22nd 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 142.972 miles per hour (230.091 km/h)
Attendance 90,000
Pole position
Driver AK Racing
Time 41.515
Most laps led
Driver Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing
Laps 61
Winner
No. 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers 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
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile Skoal
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac Miller Genuine Draft
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Folgers
7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford Hooters
8 Rick Wilson Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Snickers
9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Coors Light
10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet Purolator Filters
11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick Raybestos
14 Mike Chase A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile Copenhagen
15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Western Auto
19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford Tyson Foods
20 Buddy Baker Moroso Racing Oldsmobile Rob Moroso Memorial
21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Maxwell House
24 Dick Trickle Team III Racing Pontiac Team III Racing
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick Quaker State
28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal Bandit
36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac Almeda Auto Parts
42 Bobby Hillin Jr. SABCO Racing Pontiac Mello Yello
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Bobby Labonte Labonte Motorsports Oldsmobile Slim Jim
49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick Interstate Batteries
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Alka-Seltzer
55 Ted Musgrave (R) U.S. Racing Pontiac Jasper Engines & Transmissions
66 Lake Speed Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac Phillips 66 TropArtic
68 Bobby Hamilton (R) TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile Country Time
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Big Apple Market
75 Joe Ruttman RahMoc Enterprises Oldsmobile Dinner Bell Foods
79 Donny Paul Paul Racing Oldsmobile Paul Racing
89 Jim Sauter Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac Evinrude Outboard Motors
90 Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) Donlavey Racing Ford Donlavey Racing
94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Sunoco
98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet Banquet Foods

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, August 16, at 3:30 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 Saturday, August 17, at 11:00 AM 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. If needed, a past champion who did not qualify on either time or provisionals could use a champion's provisional, adding one more spot to the field.

Alan Kulwicki, driving for his own AK Racing team, would win the pole, setting a time of 41.515 and an average speed of 173.431 miles per hour (279.110 km/h) in the first round.[6][7]

Donny Paul was the only driver to fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 41.515 173.431
2 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 41.543 173.314
3 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 41.624 172.977
4 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 41.677 172.757
5 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 41.683 172.732
6 11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 41.749 172.459
7 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 41.909 171.801
8 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 42.008 171.396
9 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 42.053 171.213
10 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 42.069 171.147
11 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 42.080 171.103
12 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 42.115 170.960
13 98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 42.132 170.891
14 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 42.189 170.661
15 55 Ted Musgrave (R) U.S. Racing Pontiac 42.261 170.370
16 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 42.263 170.362
17 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 42.288 170.261
18 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 43.300 170.213
19 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 42.306 170.189
20 42 Bobby Hillin Jr. SABCO Racing Pontiac 42.307 170.185
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 41.692 172.695
22 20 Buddy Baker Moroso Racing Oldsmobile 42.069 171.147
23 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 42.070 171.143
24 49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick 42.121 170.936
25 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 42.134 170.883
26 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 42.137 170.871
27 66 Lake Speed Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 42.142 170.851
28 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 42.178 170.705
29 8 Rick Wilson Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 42.298 170.221
30 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 42.313 170.160
31 24 Dick Trickle Team III Racing Pontiac 42.373 169.920
32 75 Joe Ruttman RahMoc Enterprises Chevrolet 42.412 169.763
33 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 42.427 169.703
34 90 Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 42.487 169.464
35 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 42.533 169.280
36 68 Bobby Hamilton (R) TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile 42.643 168.844
37 89 Jim Sauter Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac 42.695 168.638
38 14 Mike Chase A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile 42.718 168.547
39 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac 42.758 168.390
40 44 Bobby Labonte Labonte Motorsports Oldsmobile 42.789 168.268
Failed to qualify
41 79 Donny Paul Paul Racing Oldsmobile -* -*
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 11 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 200 12 running 180 $74,150
2 3 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 200 61 running 180 $47,700
3 9 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 200 0 running 165 $23,600
4 2 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 200 13 running 165 $30,050
5 4 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 200 48 running 160 $26,600
6 14 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 200 14 running 155 $17,200
7 5 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 200 1 running 151 $18,850
8 1 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 200 1 running 147 $21,000
9 21 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 200 1 running 143 $14,850
10 18 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 199 7 running 139 $16,500
11 12 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 199 0 running 130 $15,850
12 8 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 199 0 running 127 $10,450
13 22 20 Buddy Baker Moroso Racing Oldsmobile 199 0 running 124 $9,850
14 17 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 198 0 running 121 $11,350
15 27 66 Lake Speed Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 198 0 running 118 $11,350
16 25 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 198 0 running 115 $10,050
17 15 55 Ted Musgrave (R) U.S. Racing Pontiac 198 0 running 112 $8,450
18 30 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 198 0 running 109 $9,450
19 36 68 Bobby Hamilton (R) TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile 198 0 running 106 $7,400
20 33 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 197 0 ignition 103 $9,750
21 31 24 Dick Trickle Team III Racing Pontiac 196 0 running 100 $6,575
22 34 90 Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 196 0 running 97 $5,775
23 23 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 195 0 running 94 $8,350
24 26 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 194 0 running 91 $16,425
25 16 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 194 0 running 88 $5,525
26 10 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 193 15 running 90 $12,975
27 35 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 193 1 running 87 $5,175
28 39 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac 186 0 running 79 $5,125
29 38 14 Mike Chase A. J. Foyt Racing Oldsmobile 156 0 overheating 76 $5,025
30 32 75 Joe Ruttman RahMoc Enterprises Chevrolet 143 0 running 73 $7,625
31 37 89 Jim Sauter Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac 140 0 crash 70 $4,825
32 7 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 134 0 valve 67 $5,400
33 20 42 Bobby Hillin Jr. SABCO Racing Pontiac 134 0 engine 64 $11,725
34 19 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 125 0 engine 61 $13,075
35 6 11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 123 26 engine 63 $13,925
36 13 98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 99 0 engine 55 $7,200
37 28 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 57 0 engine 52 $6,575
38 40 44 Bobby Labonte Labonte Motorsports Oldsmobile 40 0 engine 49 $4,550
39 29 8 Rick Wilson Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 39 0 fuel pump 46 $6,525
40 24 49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick 30 0 ignition 43 $4,475
Failed to qualify
41 79 Donny Paul Paul Racing Oldsmobile
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (August 19, 1991). "Jarrett breaks new ground with victory (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 25. Retrieved February 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (August 19, 1991). "Jarrett breaks new ground with victory (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 26. Retrieved February 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Crowe, Steve (August 19, 1991). "Every inch a winner (Part 1)". Detroit Free Press. p. 29. Retrieved February 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Crowe, Steve (August 19, 1991). "Every inch a winner (Part 2)". Detroit Free Press. p. 31. Retrieved February 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ "NASCAR today". The Charlotte Observer. August 16, 1991. p. 44. Retrieved February 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ Higgins, Tom (August 17, 1991). "Kulwicki edges Martin for Michigan pole (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 42. Retrieved February 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Higgins, Tom (August 17, 1991). "Kulwicki edges Martin for Michigan pole (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 44. Retrieved February 23, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
Previous race:
1991 Budweiser at The Glen
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1991 season
Next race:
1991 Bud 500