The 1997 MBNA 400 was the 26th stock car race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 29th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 21, 1997, in Dover, Delaware at Dover International Speedway, a 1-mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 400 laps to complete. Depending on fuel mileage, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would manage to save enough fuel to secure his 22nd career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his fourth and final victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt and Petty Enterprises driver Kyle Petty would finish second and third, respectively.

1997 MBNA 400
Race details
Race 26 of 32 in the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1997 MBNA 400 program cover, featuring Ward Burton.
The 1997 MBNA 400 program cover, featuring Ward Burton.
Date September 21, 1997
Official name 29th Annual MBNA 400
Location Dover, Delaware, Dover International Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1 mi (1.6 km)
Distance 400 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
Scheduled Distance 400 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
Average speed 132.719 miles per hour (213.591 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Roush Racing
Time 23.679
Most laps led
Driver Mark Martin Roush Racing
Laps 194
Winner
No. 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing
Television in the United States
Network TNN
Announcers Eli Gold, Dick Berggren, Buddy Baker
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

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The layout of Dover International Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

Dover International Speedway is an oval race track in Dover, Delaware, United States that has held at least two NASCAR races since it opened in 1969. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosted USAC and the NTT IndyCar Series. The track features one layout, a 1-mile (1.6 km) concrete oval, with 24° banking in the turns and 9° banking on the straights. The speedway is owned and operated by Dover Motorsports.

The track, nicknamed "The Monster Mile", was built in 1969 by Melvin Joseph of Melvin L. Joseph Construction Company, Inc., with an asphalt surface, but was replaced with concrete in 1995. Six years later in 2001, the track's capacity moved to 135,000 seats, making the track have the largest capacity of sports venue in the mid-Atlantic. In 2002, the name changed to Dover International Speedway from Dover Downs International Speedway after Dover Downs Gaming and Entertainment split, making Dover Motorsports. From 2007 to 2009, the speedway worked on an improvement project called "The Monster Makeover", which expanded facilities at the track and beautified the track. After the 2014 season, the track's capacity was reduced to 95,500 seats.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Morgan Shepherd Precision Products Racing Pontiac R+L Carriers
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford Miller Lite
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 QVC
8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Circuit City
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Brett Bodine Racing
14 Steve Park Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Burger King
16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford PrimeStar, The Family Channel
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Parts America
18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac Interstate Batteries
21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac MBNA
23 Jimmy Spencer Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford Camel Cigarettes
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Jeff Green (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Cartoon Network, Tom and Jerry, Dexter's Laboratory, Cow and Chicken
30 Johnny Benson Jr. Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
31 Mike Skinner (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Lowe's
33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet Skoal
36 Derrike Cope MB2 Motorsports Pontiac Skittles
37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford Kmart, RC Cola
40 Robby Gordon (R) Team SABCO Chevrolet Coors Light
41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet BellSouth
43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac Hot Wheels
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Realtree
75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms
77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions, Federal-Mogul
78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford Hanes
81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford Square D
88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford Quality Care Service, Ford Credit
90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford McDonald's Mac Tonight
96 David Green (R) American Equipment Racing Chevrolet Caterpillar
97 Chad Little Roush Racing Pontiac John Deere
98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford RCA
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Exide

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, September 19, at 3:00 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 25 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, September 20, at 11:30 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.[3] Positions 26-38 would be decided on time, and depending on who needed it, the 39th thru either the 42nd, 43rd, or 44th position would be based on provisionals. Four spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The fifth is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champion needs the provisional, the field would be limited to 42 cars. If a champion needed it, the field would expand to 43 cars. If the race was a companion race with the NASCAR Winston West Series, four spots would be determined by NASCAR Winston Cup Series provisionals, while the final two spots would be given to teams in the Winston West Series, leaving the field at 44 cars.

Mark Martin, driving for Roush Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 23.679 and an average speed of 152.033 miles per hour (244.673 km/h).[4]

Steve Park was the only driver to fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 23.679 152.033
2 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.718 151.783
3 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 23.768 151.464
4 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 23.831 151.064
5 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 23.854 150.918
6 98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 23.870 150.817
7 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 23.886 150.716
8 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 23.890 150.691
9 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 23.954 150.288
10 25 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.970 150.188
11 96 David Green (R) American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 23.971 150.181
12 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Pontiac 23.972 150.175
13 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 23.979 150.131
14 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 23.982 150.113
15 1 Morgan Shepherd Precision Products Racing Pontiac 23.993 150.044
16 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 24.000 150.000
17 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 24.014 149.913
18 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 24.023 149.856
19 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 24.028 149.825
20 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 24.040 149.750
21 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 24.053 149.669
22 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 24.054 149.663
23 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 24.060 149.626
24 37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 24.061 149.620
25 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 24.065 149.595
26 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford 24.001 149.994
27 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 24.070 149.564
28 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 24.079 149.508
29 30 Johnny Benson Jr. Bahari Racing Pontiac 24.082 149.489
30 31 Mike Skinner (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 24.123 149.235
31 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 24.161 149.000
32 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 24.185 148.853
33 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 24.197 148.779
34 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 24.198 148.773
35 40 Robby Gordon (R) Team SABCO Chevrolet 24.210 148.699
36 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 24.230 148.576
37 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 24.292 148.197
38 36 Derrike Cope MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 24.400 147.541
Provisionals
39 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford -* -*
40 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford -* -*
41 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
42 29 Jeff Green (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
Failed to qualify
43 14 Steve Park Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet -* -*
Official qualifying results

Race results

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Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 1 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 400 194 running 185 $195,305
2 33 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 400 4 running 175 $63,105
3 23 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 400 191 running 170 $40,205
4 5 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 400 0 running 160 $41,465
5 3 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 399 0 running 155 $39,845
6 16 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 399 0 running 150 $34,440
7 2 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 398 11 running 151 $38,190
8 13 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 398 0 running 142 $29,990
9 31 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 397 0 running 138 $32,340
10 9 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 396 0 running 134 $32,390
11 39 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 396 0 running 130 $33,190
12 14 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 396 0 running 127 $27,090
13 34 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 396 0 running 124 $30,390
14 25 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 396 0 running 121 $26,390
15 6 98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 396 0 running 118 $26,990
16 22 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 395 0 running 115 $31,590
17 8 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 395 0 running 112 $25,590
18 4 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 395 0 running 109 $18,375
19 30 31 Mike Skinner (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 394 0 running 106 $19,090
20 7 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 394 0 running 103 $19,190
21 28 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 394 0 running 100 $24,790
22 27 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 393 0 running 97 $24,640
23 24 37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 393 0 running 94 $17,490
24 40 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 393 0 running 91 $24,340
25 11 96 David Green (R) American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 393 0 running 88 $17,415
26 17 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 393 0 running 85 $24,015
27 21 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 393 0 running 82 $29,865
28 29 30 Johnny Benson Jr. Bahari Racing Pontiac 392 0 running 79 $23,815
29 12 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Pontiac 392 0 running 76 $16,765
30 38 36 Derrike Cope MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 392 0 running 73 $16,215
31 15 1 Morgan Shepherd Precision Products Racing Pontiac 392 0 running 70 $20,665
32 41 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 391 0 running 67 $20,605
33 35 40 Robby Gordon (R) Team SABCO Chevrolet 389 0 running 64 $20,555
34 37 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 388 0 running 61 $13,505
35 26 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford 384 0 running 58 $13,830
36 18 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 384 0 running 55 $20,305
37 36 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 382 0 running 52 $34,905
38 19 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 363 0 running 49 $20,305
39 32 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 230 0 drivetrain 46 $13,305
40 42 29 Jeff Green (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 166 0 steering 43 $13,305
41 10 25 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 109 0 engine 40 $21,805
42 20 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 86 0 crash 37 $20,305
Failed to qualify
43 14 Steve Park Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Poole, David (September 21, 1997). "Martin gets rich on fuel efficiency". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  2. ^ "Fuel management helps Mark Martin tame Monster Mile". San Angelo Standard-Times. September 22, 1997. p. 13. Retrieved October 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "MBNA 400". The Akron Beacon Journal. September 19, 1997. p. 38. Retrieved October 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Brinster, Dick (September 20, 1997). "Martin barely edges Gordon for MBNA 400 pole". Intelligencer Journal. p. 25. Retrieved October 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
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1997 CMT 300
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1997 season
Next race:
1997 Hanes 500