The 1992 DieHard 500 was the 17th stock car race of the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 24th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, July 26, 1992, in Lincoln, Alabama at Talladega Superspeedway, a 2.66 miles (4.28 km) permanent triangle-shaped superspeedway. The race took the scheduled 188 laps to complete. At race's end, Morgan–McClure Motorsports driver Ernie Irvan would manage to come back from a lap deficit and best out Junior Johnson & Associates driver Sterling Marlin by 19 thousandths of a second to take his sixth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series and his third and final victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, the aforementioned Sterling Marlin and Robert Yates Racing driver Davey Allison would finish second and third, respectively.

1992 DieHard 500
Race details
Race 17 of 29 in the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1992 DieHard 500 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt.
The 1992 DieHard 500 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt.
Date July 26, 1992
Official name 24th Annual DieHard 500
Location Lincoln, Alabama, Talladega Superspeedway
Course Permanent racing facility
2.66 mi (4.28 km)
Distance 188 laps, 500.08 mi (804.8 km)
Scheduled Distance 188 laps, 500.08 mi (804.8 km)
Average speed 176.309 miles per hour (283.742 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Junior Johnson & Associates
Time 50.245
Most laps led
Driver Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 54
Winner
No. 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan-McClure Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network CBS
Announcers Ken Squier, Ned Jarrett
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

With the help of relief driver Bobby Hillin Jr., Davey Allison would manage to retake the driver's championship lead after losing it in the previous race, leading second-place driver Bill Elliott by one point.[3]

Background

edit
 
The layout of Talladega Superspeedway, the venue where the race was held.

Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. The track is a tri-oval and was constructed in the 1960s by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line that's located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and the Camping World Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval, a 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which also is a 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) tri-oval.

Entry list

edit
  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Ford Masters Inn Economy
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 Valvoline
7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford Hooters
8 Dick Trickle Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Snickers
9 Chad Little Melling Racing Ford Melling Racing
10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet Purolator Filters
11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Chevrolet Raybestos
13 Stan Fox Folsom Racing Chevrolet Carrier "We're The Inside Guys."
15 Geoff Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
16 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Roush Racing Ford Keystone
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Western Auto
18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Maxwell House
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford 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
37 Randy Porter Porter Racing Pontiac Porter Racing
41 Greg Sacks Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Mello Yello
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
49 Stanley Smith BS&S Motorsports Chevrolet Ameritron Batteries
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Williams Service
55 Ted Musgrave RaDiUs Motorsports Chevrolet Jasper Engines & Transmissions
56 T. W. Taylor Tierney Racing Pontiac Bell Motors
59 Andy Belmont (R) Pat Rissi Racing Ford FDP Brakes
66 Jimmy Hensley (R) Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford Phillips 66 TropArtic
68 Bobby Hamilton TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet Country Time
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Southeastern Technology Group
85 Bobby Gerhart Bobby Gerhart Racing Chevrolet Thomas Chevrolet
90 Charlie Glotzbach Donlavey Racing Ford SplitFire
94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Ford Sunoco

*Due to injuries sustained in a crash at the 1992 Miller Genuine Draft 500, Allison would be replaced by relief driver Bobby Hillin Jr. for qualifying.[4] During the race, Allison would manage to start the race, before being replaced by Hillin Jr. As a result of starting the race, Allison is credited with the finish.[5]

Qualifying

edit

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, July 24, at 4:00 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, July 25, at 10:00 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,[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 provisionals 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.

Sterling Marlin, driving for Junior Johnson & Associates, would win the pole, setting a time of 50.245 and an average speed of 190.586 miles per hour (306.718 km/h) in the first round.[7]

No drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

edit
Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 50.245 190.586
2 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 50.298 190.385
3 28 Bobby Hillin Jr. Robert Yates Racing Ford 50.332 190.257
4 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 50.438 189.857
5 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford 50.472 189.729
6 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 50.500 189.624
7 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 50.611 189.208
8 18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 50.740 188.727
9 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 50.742 188.720
10 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 50.836 188.370
11 49 Stanley Smith BS&S Motorsports Chevrolet 50.837 188.367
12 9 Chad Little Melling Racing Ford 50.854 188.304
13 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 50.862 188.274
14 15 Geoff Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 50.868 188.252
15 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 50.905 188.115
16 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 50.918 188.067
17 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 50.931 188.019
18 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 50.937 187.997
19 90 Charlie Glotzbach Donlavey Racing Ford 50.972 187.868
20 66 Jimmy Hensley (R) Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 51.064 187.529
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Ford 51.112 187.353
22 16 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Roush Racing Ford 51.139 187.254
23 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Chevrolet 51.178 187.112
24 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 51.342 186.514
25 55 Ted Musgrave RaDiUs Motorsports Chevrolet 51.350 186.485
26 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51.409 186.271
27 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 51.428 186.202
28 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 51.535 185.815
29 41 Greg Sacks Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51.541 185.794
30 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 51.601 185.578
31 68 Bobby Hamilton TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 51.605 185.563
32 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 51.739 185.083
33 8 Dick Trickle Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 51.955 184.313
34 85 Bobby Gerhart Bobby Gerhart Racing Chevrolet 51.991 184.186
35 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 52.154 183.610
36 13 Stan Fox Folsom Racing Chevrolet 52.617 181.994
37 59 Andy Belmont (R) Pat Rissi Racing Ford 53.014 180.632
38 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Ford 53.081 180.404
39 37 Randy Porter Porter Racing Pontiac 53.187 180.044
40 56 T. W. Taylor Tierney Racing Pontiac 53.874 177.748
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

edit
Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 7 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 188 41 running 180 $81,815
2 1 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 188 34 running 175 $54,760
3 3 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 188 30 running 170 $42,845
4 2 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 187 54 running 170 $32,195
5 15 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 187 6 running 160 $27,965
6 6 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 187 0 running 150 $20,840
7 9 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 187 0 running 146 $18,640
8 12 9 Chad Little Melling Racing Ford 187 0 running 142 $10,990
9 26 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 187 0 running 138 $18,960
10 5 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford 187 7 running 139 $17,530
11 28 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 187 3 running 135 $17,220
12 25 55 Ted Musgrave RaDiUs Motorsports Chevrolet 187 0 running 127 $15,640
13 10 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 187 0 running 124 $14,520
14 22 16 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Roush Racing Ford 187 0 running 121 $8,550
15 4 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 187 0 running 118 $14,325
16 23 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Chevrolet 187 0 running 115 $13,740
17 32 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 186 0 running 112 $18,075
18 21 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Ford 186 0 running 109 $13,170
19 29 41 Greg Sacks Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 186 0 running 106 $9,790
20 16 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 186 0 running 103 $16,250
21 8 18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 186 13 running 105 $12,270
22 24 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 186 0 running 97 $9,090
23 13 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 186 0 running 94 $16,460
24 31 68 Bobby Hamilton TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet 185 0 running 91 $12,630
25 18 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 185 0 running 88 $14,700
26 17 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 185 0 running 85 $11,275
27 11 49 Stanley Smith BS&S Motorsports Chevrolet 185 0 running 82 $6,555
28 33 8 Dick Trickle Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 185 0 running 79 $8,085
29 35 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 184 0 running 76 $7,990
30 19 90 Charlie Glotzbach Donlavey Racing Ford 184 0 running 73 $6,345
31 20 66 Jimmy Hensley (R) Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 184 0 running 70 $8,575
32 27 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 181 0 running 67 $7,730
33 39 37 Randy Porter Porter Racing Pontiac 180 0 running 64 $6,135
34 34 85 Bobby Gerhart Bobby Gerhart Racing Chevrolet 179 0 running 61 $6,090
35 40 56 T. W. Taylor Tierney Racing Pontiac 138 0 piston 58 $6,045
36 36 13 Stan Fox Folsom Racing Chevrolet 102 0 engine 55 $6,010
37 38 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Ford 100 0 running 52 $5,985
38 14 15 Geoff Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 76 0 engine 49 $10,450
39 37 59 Andy Belmont (R) Pat Rissi Racing Ford 53 0 engine 46 $6,155
40 30 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 52 0 engine 43 $18,140
Official race results

Standings after the race

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (July 27, 1992). "Irvin wins DieHard 500 by just .019". Santa Maria Times. p. 17. Retrieved February 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Harris, Mike (July 27, 1992). "Irvan learning how to win". Alabama Journal. p. 13. Retrieved February 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Higgins, Tom (July 27, 1992). "Hillin helps hobbled Allison with a 3rd-place showing". The Charlotte Observer. p. 13. Retrieved February 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Sims, Tommy; Archibold, Hunt (July 25, 1992). "Davey takes big step towards DieHard 500 drive". The Montgomery Advertiser. p. 43. Retrieved February 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ Romano, John (July 27, 1992). "For a switch, Hillin finishes". Tampa Bay Times. p. 19. Retrieved February 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ "NASCAR today". The Charlotte Observer. July 23, 1992. p. 14. Retrieved February 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Harris, Mike (July 25, 1992). "Marlin takes DieHard pole". The Evening Sun. p. 17. Retrieved February 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
Previous race:
1992 Miller Genuine Draft 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1992 season
Next race:
1992 Budweiser at The Glen