1991 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500

The 1991 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 was the fourth stock car race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 32nd iteration of the event. The race took place over the days of Sunday, March 17 and Monday, March 18, 1991, due to rain delays that left only the first 47 laps of the race being run on Sunday.[1] The race was held 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. Depending on fuel mileage, Hendrick Motorsports driver Ken Schrader would manage to stretch the final 65 laps of the race on one tank of fuel to take his third career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first victory of the season.[2][3] To fill out the top three, Melling Racing driver Bill Elliott and Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would finish second and third, respectively.

1991 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500
Race details
Race 4 of 29 in the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1991 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 program cover, featuring Morgan Shepherd.
The 1991 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 program cover, featuring Morgan Shepherd.
Date March 17 & 18, 1991
Official name 32nd Annual Motorcraft Quality Parts 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 140.47 miles per hour (226.06 km/h)
Pole position
Driver AK Racing
Time 31.415
Most laps led
Driver Bill Elliott Melling Racing
Laps 102
Winner
No. 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network ABC
Announcers Paul Page, Benny Parsons, Bobby Unser
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

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
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 Mike Skinner Mansion Motorsports Chevrolet Glidden
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
20 Bobby Hillin Jr. Moroso Racing Oldsmobile Rob Moroso Memorial
21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Maxwell House
24 Mickey Gibbs 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
29 Andy Hillenburg Andy Hillenburg Racing Buick Max Xorb
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal Bandit
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Mello Yello
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
47 Rich Bickle Close Racing Oldsmobile Kanawha Insurance
49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick Interstate Batteries
51 Jeff Purvis (R) Phoenix Racing Oldsmobile PlastiKote
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Alka-Seltzer
55 Ted Musgrave (R) U.S. Racing Pontiac U.S. Racing
65 Dave Mader III Bahre Racing Pontiac Jasper Engines & Transmissions
66 Dick Trickle 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
82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford Hooters
90 Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) Donlavey Racing Ford Ford Motorsport
94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Sunoco
98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet Banquet Foods

*Sponsored Alan Kulwicki in a one-race deal after their primary driver they sponsored, Mark Stahl failed to qualify.[4]

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, March 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, March 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,[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; which was usually two. 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 31.415 and an average speed of 174.413 miles per hour (280.691 km/h) in the first round.[6] In the second round, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would manage to beat his time with a time of 31.247; however, since the time was in the second round, Earnhardt would only garner the 21st starting position.[7]

Two drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 31.415 174.413
2 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 31.494 173.976
3 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 31.501 173.937
4 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 31.532 173.766
5 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.618 173.294
6 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 31.621 173.277
7 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 31.623 173.266
8 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 31.632 173.217
9 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 31.682 172.932
10 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 31.776 172.432
11 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.780 172.410
12 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 31.809 172.253
13 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 31.821 172.188
14 20 Bobby Hillin Jr. Moroso Racing Oldsmobile 31.823 172.177
15 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 31.853 172.015
16 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 31.871 171.918
17 98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 31.927 171.617
18 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 31.931 171.595
19 68 Bobby Hamilton (R) TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile 31.961 171.434
20 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 31.967 171.402
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 31.247 175.351
22 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 31.595 173.420
23 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 31.853 172.015
24 89 Jim Sauter Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac 31.902 171.751
25 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 31.973 171.370
26 11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 32.001 171.220
27 66 Dick Trickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 32.009 171.177
28 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 32.027 171.081
29 51 Jeff Purvis (R) Phoenix Racing Oldsmobile 32.079 170.803
30 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 32.106 170.660
31 8 Rick Wilson Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 32.120 170.585
32 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 32.129 170.538
33 90 Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 32.152 170.416
34 55 Ted Musgrave (R) RaDiUs Motorsports Pontiac 32.189 170.220
35 24 Mickey Gibbs Team III Racing Pontiac 32.223 169.987
36 65 Dave Mader III Bahre Racing Pontiac 32.255 169.871
37 29 Andy Hillenburg Andy Hillenburg Racing Buick 32.320 169.530
38 75 Joe Ruttman RahMoc Enterprises Oldsmobile 32.364 169.299
39 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 32.370 169.268
40 47 Rich Bickle Close Racing Oldsmobile 32.441 168.897
Failed to qualify
41 49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick -* -*
42 82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford -* -*
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 5 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 328 59 running 180 $69,250
2 15 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 328 102 running 180 $47,675
3 21 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 328 29 running 170 $37,000
4 20 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 328 0 running 160 $23,600
5 13 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 328 30 running 160 $21,400
6 11 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 328 0 running 150 $17,750
7 4 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 328 41 running 151 $17,600
8 1 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 327 8 running 147 $20,150
9 16 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 327 0 running 138 $7,450
10 3 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 327 0 running 134 $6,700
11 9 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 327 0 running 130 $14,670
12 31 8 Rick Wilson Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 326 0 running 127 $12,725
13 18 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 326 0 running 124 $11,930
14 10 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 326 0 running 121 $12,710
15 2 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 325 0 running 118 $10,230
16 17 98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 325 0 running 115 $11,070
17 6 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 325 21 running 117 $15,310
18 28 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 325 0 running 109 $8,500
19 12 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 325 0 running 106 $8,690
20 22 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 325 0 running 103 $10,470
21 14 20 Bobby Hillin Jr. Moroso Racing Oldsmobile 324 0 running 100 $5,960
22 24 89 Jim Sauter Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac 323 0 running 97 $5,800
23 26 11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 323 1 running 99 $13,490
24 29 51 Jeff Purvis (R) Phoenix Racing Oldsmobile 321 0 running 91 $5,380
25 35 24 Mickey Gibbs Team III Racing Pontiac 320 0 running 88 $5,075
26 33 90 Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 319 0 running 85 $4,420
27 38 75 Joe Ruttman RahMoc Enterprises Oldsmobile 319 0 running 82 $7,310
28 27 66 Dick Trickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 319 0 running 79 $7,175
29 23 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 319 0 running 76 $6,975
30 36 65 Dave Mader III Bahre Racing Pontiac 318 0 running 73 $4,740
31 25 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 316 0 running 70 $4,680
32 37 29 Andy Hillenburg Andy Hillenburg Racing Buick 314 0 running 67 $4,120
33 19 68 Bobby Hamilton (R) TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile 290 0 running 64 $3,780
34 40 47 Rich Bickle Close Racing Oldsmobile 282 0 engine 61 $4,445
35 32 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 256 0 camshaft 58 $6,385
36 39 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 240 0 engine 55 $6,220
37 34 55 Ted Musgrave (R) RaDiUs Motorsports Pontiac 210 0 engine 52 $4,280
38 30 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 188 0 engine 49 $6,240
39 7 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 173 37 engine 51 $12,115
40 8 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 56 0 crash 43 $13,175
Failed to qualify
41 49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick
42 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 18, 1991). "Rain halts race, Marlin; NASCAR resumes today". The Charlotte Observer. p. 14. Retrieved February 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (March 19, 1991). "Schrader makes last drop count". The Charlotte Observer. p. 32. Retrieved February 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Schulz, Bill (March 19, 1991). "Ken Schrader holds off Bill Elliott to win rain-delayed Motorcraft 500". The Times and Democrat. p. 8. Retrieved February 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Williams, Chuck (March 18, 1991). "Hooters sponsors Kulwicki for a day". Ledger-Enquirer. p. 15. Retrieved February 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ "NASCAR today". The Charlotte Observer. March 15, 1991. p. 33. Retrieved February 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ Higgins, Tom (March 16, 1991). "Kulwicki runs on faith, finds reward in Atlanta". The Charlotte Observer. p. 45. Retrieved February 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Pearson, Harold (March 17, 1991). "Kulwicki earns pole; Earnhardt driving hot car". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. 43. Retrieved February 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
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1991 GM Goodwrench 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1991 season
Next race:
1991 TranSouth 500