The 1991 Hardee's 500 was the 29th and final stock car race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 32nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, November 17, 1991, before an audience of 125,000 in Hampton, Georgia, at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.522 miles (2.449 km) permanent asphalt quad-oval intermediate speedway. The race took the scheduled 328 laps to complete. At race's end, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would manage to dominate the majority of the race to take his fifth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[1][2][3][4]

1991 Hardee's 500
Race details
Race 29 of 29 in the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1991 Hardee's 500 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt.
The 1991 Hardee's 500 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt.
Date November 17, 1991
Official name 32nd Annual Hardee's 500
Location Hampton, Georgia, Atlanta Motor Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1.522 mi (2.449 km)
Distance 328 laps, 499.216 mi (803.41 km)
Scheduled Distance 328 laps, 499.216 mi (803.41 km)
Average speed 137.968 miles per hour (222.038 km/h)
Attendance 125,000
Pole position
Driver Melling Racing
Time 30.793
Most laps led
Driver Mark Martin Roush Racing
Laps 190
Winner
No. 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

By starting the race, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would clinch his fifth NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship. With the championship, he was two championships away from tying Richard Petty for the record of the most NASCAR Winston Cup Series championships, with Petty having seven.[5]

Background

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The layout of Atlanta Motor Speedway, the circuit where the race was held.

Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a 1.522-mile race track in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has annually hosted NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car races since its inauguration in 1960.

The venue was bought by Speedway Motorsports in 1990. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two intermediate ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval, with a new official length of 1.54-mile (2.48 km) where before it was 1.522-mile (2.449 km). The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit.

Entry list

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  • (R) - denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Ford Masters Inn
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
13 Kerry Teague Linro Motorsports Buick Linro Motorsports
15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Western Auto
19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce
21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Maxwell House
24 Kenny Wallace 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
35 Bill Venturini Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet Rain-X
36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac Almeda Auto Parts
41 Larry Pearson Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Mello Yello
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
47 Greg Sacks Close Racing Oldsmobile Kanawha Insurance
49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick Interstate Batteries
52 Mike Wallace Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Alka-Seltzer
53 Bobby Hillin Jr. Team Ireland Chevrolet Longhorn Steaks
55 Ted Musgrave (R) U.S. Racing Pontiac Jasper Engines & Transmissions
59 Mark Gibson Gibson Racing Pontiac Gibson Racing
66 Randy LaJoie 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
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
95 Eddie Bierschwale Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet Texaco
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, November 15, at 2:00 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, November 16, at 10:30 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,[6] 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.

Bill Elliott, driving for Melling Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 30.793 and an average speed of 177.937 miles per hour (286.362 km/h) in the first round.[7]

Five drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 30.793 177.937
2 11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 30.984 176.840
3 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 31.055 176.435
4 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 31.057 176.424
5 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 31.123 176.050
6 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 31.260 175.278
7 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 31.270 175.222
8 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 31.297 175.071
9 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 31.352 174.764
10 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 31.392 174.541
11 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 31.411 174.436
12 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 31.435 174.303
13 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.473 174.092
14 98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 31.532 173.766
15 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 31.532 173.766
16 68 Bobby Hamilton (R) TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile 31.578 173.513
17 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 31.581 173.497
18 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 31.588 173.458
19 55 Ted Musgrave (R) U.S. Racing Pontiac 31.600 173.392
20 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 31.625 173.255
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 53 Bobby Hillin Jr. Team Ireland Chevrolet 31.442 174.264
22 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 31.512 173.877
23 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 31.539 173.728
24 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 31.698 172.856
25 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 31.709 172.796
26 49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick 31.715 172.764
27 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 31.733 172.666
28 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 31.748 172.584
29 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.749 172.579
30 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 31.786 172.378
31 24 Kenny Wallace Team III Racing Pontiac 31.790 172.356
32 8 Rick Wilson Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 31.812 172.237
33 41 Larry Pearson Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.838 172.096
34 66 Randy LaJoie Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 31.948 171.504
35 47 Greg Sacks Close Racing Oldsmobile 31.949 171.498
36 52 Mike Wallace Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 32.045 170.985
37 95 Eddie Bierschwale Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet 32.125 170.559
38 89 Jim Sauter Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac 32.142 170.469
39 90 Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 32.216 170.077
Failed to qualify
40 75 Joe Ruttman RahMoc Enterprises Chevrolet 32.224 170.035
41 35 Bill Venturini Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
42 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Ford -* -*
43 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac -* -*
44 13 Kerry Teague Linro Motorsports Buick -* -*
45 59 Mark Gibson Gibson Racing Pontiac -* -*
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 4 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 328 190 running 185 $88,950
2 3 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 328 11 running 175 $39,025
3 1 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 328 29 running 170 $36,950
4 9 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 328 10 running 165 $21,250
5 5 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 328 39 running 160 $27,825
6 25 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 328 5 running 155 $17,050
7 11 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 327 0 running 146 $11,150
8 2 11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 327 3 running 147 $16,850
9 8 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 326 0 running 138 $16,000
10 22 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 326 4 running 139 $11,600
11 29 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 326 0 running 130 $12,800
12 27 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 326 0 running 127 $9,675
13 18 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 325 0 running 124 $9,575
14 33 41 Larry Pearson Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 324 0 running 121 $5,300
15 17 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 324 0 running 118 $9,750
16 10 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 324 0 running 115 $8,750
17 6 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 324 24 running 117 $16,850
18 16 68 Bobby Hamilton (R) TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile 323 1 running 114 $7,200
19 12 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 322 0 running 106 $11,650
20 40 75 Joe Ruttman RahMoc Enterprises Chevrolet 322 0 running 103 $8,800
21 20 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 320 0 running 100 $4,425
22 30 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 319 0 running 97 $7,425
23 31 24 Kenny Wallace Team III Racing Pontiac 319 0 running 94 $5,225
24 15 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 318 0 engine 91 $12,525
25 26 49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick 318 0 running 88 $4,375
26 35 47 Greg Sacks Close Racing Oldsmobile 310 0 engine 85 $3,975
27 37 95 Eddie Bierschwale Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet 310 0 running 82 $3,875
28 28 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 271 0 valve 79 $6,775
29 23 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 269 0 valve 76 $6,575
30 19 55 Ted Musgrave (R) U.S. Racing Pontiac 257 2 overheating 78 $4,675
31 34 66 Randy LaJoie Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 244 0 valve 70 $6,225
32 21 53 Bobby Hillin Jr. Team Ireland Chevrolet 230 10 block 72 $6,375
33 32 8 Rick Wilson Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 207 0 valve 64 $6,075
34 24 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 197 0 accident 61 $4,025
35 38 89 Jim Sauter Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac 195 0 accident 58 $3,350
36 39 90 Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 173 0 engine 55 $3,325
37 13 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 86 0 accident 52 $5,945
38 14 98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 71 0 head 49 $5,915
39 36 52 Mike Wallace Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 69 0 accident 46 $3,300
40 7 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 26 0 accident 43 $5,275
Failed to qualify
41 35 Bill Venturini Venturini Motorsports Chevrolet
42 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Ford
43 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac
44 13 Kerry Teague Linro Motorsports Buick
45 59 Mark Gibson Gibson Racing Pontiac
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (November 18, 1991). "Martin finishes tough season a winner (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 11. Retrieved March 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (November 18, 1991). "Martin finishes tough season a winner (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 16. Retrieved March 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Branham, H. A. (November 18, 1991). "Pressure off as Martin wins finale (Part 1)". The Tampa Tribune. p. 13. Retrieved March 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Branham, H. A. (November 18, 1991). "Pressure off as Martin wins finale (Part 2)". The Tampa Tribune. p. 17. Retrieved March 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ Pearson, Harold (November 18, 1991). "Earnhardt says third straight title not out of question". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. 27. Retrieved March 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ "NASCAR today". The Charlotte Observer. November 15, 1991. p. 22. Retrieved March 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Higgins, Tom (November 16, 1991). "Elliott takes Atlanta pole in farewell race with Melling". The Charlotte Observer. p. 17. Retrieved March 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
Previous race:
1991 Pyroil 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1991 season
Next race:
1992 Daytona 500