The 1994 First Union 400 was the seventh stock car race of the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 44th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, April 17, 1994, in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina at the North Wilkesboro Speedway, a 0.625 miles (1.006 km) oval short track. The race took the scheduled 400 laps to complete. In a late-race charge, Hendrick Motorsports driver Terry Labonte would make a pass for the lead with 30 to go and hold off the field to take his 12th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory, his first victory of the season, and his first win in 135 races, having not won since the 1989 Talladega DieHard 500.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Penske Racing South driver Rusty Wallace and Robert Yates Racing driver Ernie Irvan would finish second and third, respectively.

1994 First Union 400
Race details
Race 7 of 31 in the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1994 First Union 400 program cover, featuring Rusty Wallace.
The 1994 First Union 400 program cover, featuring Rusty Wallace.
Date April 17, 1994
Official name 44th Annual First Union 400
Location North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Course Permanent racing facility
0.625 mi (1.006 km)
Distance 400 laps, 250 mi (402.336 km)
Scheduled Distance 400 laps, 250 mi (402.336 km)
Average speed 95.816 miles per hour (154.201 km/h)
Attendance 50,500
Pole position
Driver Robert Yates Racing
Time 18.905
Most laps led
Driver Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing
Laps 320
Winner
No. 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

edit
 
The layout of North Wilkesboro Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

North Wilkesboro Speedway is a short oval racetrack located on U.S. Route 421, about five miles east of the town of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, or 80 miles north of Charlotte. It measures 0.625 mi (1.006 km) and features a unique uphill backstretch and downhill frontstretch. It has previously held races in NASCAR's top three series, including 93 Winston Cup Series races. The track, a NASCAR original, operated from 1949, NASCAR's inception, until the track's original closure in 1996. The speedway briefly reopened in 2010 and hosted several stock car series races before closing again in the spring of 2011. It was re-opened in August 2022 for grassroots racing.

Entry list

edit
  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford Skoal
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford Miller Genuine Draft
02 Curtis Markham Taylor Racing Ford Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Valvoline
7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford Exide
8 Jeff Burton (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Raybestos
9 Rich Bickle Melling Racing Ford Melling Racing
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
12 Chuck Bown Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford Bobby Allison Motorsports
14 John Andretti (R) Hagan Racing Chevrolet Hagan Racing
15 Lake Speed Bud Moore Engineering Ford Ford Quality Care
16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford The Family Channel
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Western Auto
18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
19 Loy Allen Jr. (R) TriStar Motorsports Ford Hooters
21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Bobby Labonte Bill Davis Racing Pontiac Maxwell House
23 Hut Stricklin Travis Carter Enterprises Ford Smokin' Joe's
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford Quaker State
27 Jimmy Spencer Junior Johnson & Associates Ford McDonald's
28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Diamond Ridge Motorsports
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
31 Ward Burton A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet Hardee's
32 Dick Trickle Active Motorsports Chevrolet Active Motorsports
33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet Skoal Bandit
40 Bobby Hamilton SABCO Racing Pontiac Kendall
41 Joe Nemechek (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Meineke
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Mello Yello
43 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
52 Mike Skinner Jimmy Means Racing Ford NAPA Auto Parts
55 Jimmy Hensley RaDiUs Motorsports Ford Petron Plus
62 Freddie Query Gray Racing Ford Kenova
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet
75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Factory Stores of America
77 Greg Sacks U.S. Motorsports Inc. Ford US Airways
78 Jay Hedgecock Triad Motorsports Ford Triad Motorsports
90 Mike Wallace (R) Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
95 Jeremy Mayfield (R) Sadler Brothers Racing Ford Shoney's Inn
98 Derrike Cope Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford Fingerhut

Qualifying

edit

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, April 15, at 3:00 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, April 16, at 12:15 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-34 would be decided on time,[3] 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.

Ernie Irvan, driving for Robert Yates Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 18.905 and an average speed of 119.016 miles per hour (191.538 km/h) in the first round.[4]

Ten drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

edit
Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 18.905 119.016
2 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford 18.934 118.834
3 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 18.939 118.802
4 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 18.987 118.502
5 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 19.011 118.353
6 77 Greg Sacks U.S. Motorsports Inc. Ford 19.024 118.272
7 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 19.030 118.234
8 27 Jimmy Spencer Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 19.054 118.085
9 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19.064 118.023
10 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19.070 117.986
11 95 Jeremy Mayfield (R) Sadler Brothers Racing Ford 19.079 117.931
12 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 19.085 117.894
13 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 19.092 117.850
14 23 Hut Stricklin Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 19.099 117.807
15 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 19.106 117.764
16 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 19.107 117.758
17 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford 19.157 117.451
18 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 19.169 117.377
19 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 19.192 117.236
20 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 19.196 117.212
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 12 Chuck Bown Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 19.197 117.206
22 98 Derrike Cope Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 19.218 117.078
23 14 John Andretti (R) Hagan Racing Chevrolet 19.226 117.029
24 40 Bobby Hamilton SABCO Racing Pontiac 19.238 116.956
25 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 19.255 116.853
26 75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 19.257 116.841
27 43 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Petty Enterprises Pontiac 19.261 116.816
28 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 19.275 116.732
29 15 Lake Speed Bud Moore Engineering Ford 19.280 116.701
30 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 19.286 116.665
31 18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 19.311 116.514
32 78 Jay Hedgecock Triad Motorsports Ford 19.318 116.472
33 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 19.339 116.345
34 32 Dick Trickle Active Motorsports Chevrolet 19.379 116.105
Provisionals
35 8 Jeff Burton (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Ford -* -*
36 22 Bobby Labonte Bill Davis Racing Pontiac -* -*
Failed to qualify
37 29 Steve Grissom (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
38 31 Ward Burton (R) A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
39 9 Rich Bickle Melling Racing Ford -* -*
40 41 Joe Nemechek (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
41 19 Loy Allen Jr. (R) TriStar Motorsports Ford -* -*
42 55 Jimmy Hensley RaDiUs Motorsports Ford -* -*
43 90 Mike Wallace (R) Donlavey Racing Ford -* -*
44 02 Curtis Markham Taylor Racing Ford -* -*
45 52 Mike Skinner Jimmy Means Racing Ford -* -*
46 62 Freddie Query Gray Racing Ford -* -*
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

edit
Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 10 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 29 running 180 $61,640
2 16 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 400 38 running 175 $42,215
3 1 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 400 320 running 175 $41,565
4 28 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 400 0 running 160 $32,165
5 19 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 400 0 running 155 $26,740
6 25 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 400 5 running 155 $8,390
7 5 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 399 0 running 146 $16,565
8 30 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 399 0 running 142 $16,850
9 9 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 398 6 running 143 $15,025
10 17 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford 397 0 running 134 $16,130
11 18 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 397 0 running 130 $13,525
12 29 15 Lake Speed Bud Moore Engineering Ford 397 0 running 127 $15,975
13 13 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 397 0 running 124 $17,650
14 24 40 Bobby Hamilton SABCO Racing Pontiac 397 2 running 126 $12,875
15 12 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 396 0 running 118 $13,100
16 27 43 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Petty Enterprises Pontiac 396 0 running 115 $8,475
17 7 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 396 0 running 112 $15,425
18 4 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 395 0 running 109 $12,175
19 26 75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 395 0 running 106 $8,025
20 14 23 Hut Stricklin Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 395 0 running 103 $5,950
21 3 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 395 0 running 100 $11,800
22 15 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 395 0 running 97 $15,150
23 2 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford 395 0 running 94 $11,525
24 34 32 Dick Trickle Active Motorsports Chevrolet 394 0 running 91 $5,000
25 31 18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 394 0 running 88 $16,275
26 36 22 Bobby Labonte Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 394 0 running 85 $11,225
27 22 98 Derrike Cope Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 393 0 running 82 $7,050
28 33 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 390 0 running 79 $10,985
29 20 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 388 0 running 76 $6,800
30 11 95 Jeremy Mayfield (R) Sadler Brothers Racing Ford 388 0 running 73 $5,325
31 23 14 John Andretti (R) Hagan Racing Chevrolet 386 0 running 70 $10,750
32 8 27 Jimmy Spencer Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 353 0 running 67 $6,225
33 35 8 Jeff Burton (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 352 0 handling 64 $9,700
34 6 77 Greg Sacks U.S. Motorsports Inc. Ford 352 0 running 61 $4,225
35 21 12 Chuck Bown Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 274 0 engine 58 $8,200
36 32 78 Jay Hedgecock Triad Motorsports Ford 53 0 rear end 55 $4,700
Failed to qualify
37 29 Steve Grissom (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet
38 31 Ward Burton (R) A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet
39 9 Rich Bickle Melling Racing Ford
40 41 Joe Nemechek (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet
41 19 Loy Allen Jr. (R) TriStar Motorsports Ford
42 55 Jimmy Hensley RaDiUs Motorsports Ford
43 90 Mike Wallace (R) Donlavey Racing Ford
44 02 Curtis Markham Taylor Racing Ford
45 52 Mike Skinner Jimmy Means Racing Ford
46 62 Freddie Query Gray Racing Ford
Official race results

Standings after the race

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Foreman Jr., Tom (April 18, 1994). "Labonte gets back on track". Tallahassee Democrat. p. 39. Retrieved November 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Luther, Bill (April 18, 1994). "Labonte first in '400' after 135 also-rans". Kenosha News. p. 21. Retrieved November 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "NASCAR today". The Charlotte Observer. April 15, 1996. p. 34. Retrieved November 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Foreman Jr., Tom (April 16, 1994). "Irvan leads convoy of record-breakers". The Item. p. 13. Retrieved November 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
Previous race:
1994 Food City 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1994 season
Next race:
1994 Hanes 500