The 1997 Miller 400 was the 14th stock car race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 29th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, June 15, 1997, in Brooklyn, Michigan, at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. In a comeback victory, Robert Yates Racing driver Ernie Irvan would manage to dominate the late stages of the race to take his 15th and final career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Bill Elliott Racing driver Bill Elliott and Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would finish second and third, respectively.

1997 Miller 400
Race details
Race 14 of 32 in the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1997 Miller 400 program cover, featuring Rusty Wallace.
The 1997 Miller 400 program cover, featuring Rusty Wallace.
Date June 15, 1997
Official name 29th Annual Miller 400
Location Brooklyn, Michigan, Michigan International Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
2 mi (3.2 km)
Distance 200 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
Scheduled Distance 200 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
Average speed 153.338 miles per hour (246.774 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Robert Yates Racing
Time 39.201
Most laps led
Driver Ted Musgrave Roush Racing
Laps 68
Winner
No. 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing
Television in the United States
Network CBS
Announcers Ken Squier, Ned Jarrett, Buddy Baker
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

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

The race was held at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway as MIS's oval design was a direct basis of TWS, with moderate modifications to the banking in the corners, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Jerry Nadeau Precision Products Racing Pontiac R+L Carriers, Cruisin' America Phone Card
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, Tony the Tiger
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Valvoline
7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford QVC
8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Circuit City
9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford Melling Racing
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Close Call Phone Card
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
19 Gary Bradberry TriStar Motorsports Ford Child Support Recovery
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
27 Rick Wilson David Blair Motorsports Ford David Blair Motorsports
28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Jeff Green (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Cartoon Network, Scooby-Doo
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 Greg Sacks 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
46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet First Union
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Realtree
75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms
77 Morgan Shepherd Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions, Federal-Mogul
78 Billy Standridge Triad Motorsports Ford Diamond Rio, 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
91 Mike Wallace LJ Racing Chevrolet Spam
94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford McDonald's
95 Ed Berrier Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet Feed the Children
96 David Green (R) American Equipment Racing Chevrolet Caterpillar
97 Chad Little Mark Rypien Motorsports 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, June 13, at 3:30 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, June 14, at 10:45 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.

Dale Jarrett, driving for Robert Yates Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 39.201 and an average speed of 183.669 miles per hour (295.587 km/h).[4]

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 39.201 183.669
2 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 39.263 183.379
3 25 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39.303 183.192
4 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 39.410 182.695
5 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 39.474 182.399
6 46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet 39.482 182.362
7 30 Johnny Benson Jr. Bahari Racing Pontiac 39.512 182.223
8 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 39.526 182.159
9 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 39.547 182.062
10 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 39.580 181.910
11 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 39.611 181.768
12 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39.616 181.745
13 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 39.630 181.681
14 29 Jeff Green (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 39.647 181.603
15 37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 39.681 181.447
16 31 Mike Skinner (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 39.687 181.420
17 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 39.687 181.420
18 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39.693 181.392
19 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 39.709 181.319
20 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 39.713 181.301
21 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 39.715 181.292
22 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 39.739 181.182
23 97 Chad Little Mark Rypien Motorsports Pontiac 39.739 181.182
24 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 39.773 181.027
25 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 39.787 180.964
26 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 39.303 183.192
27 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 39.384 182.815
28 78 Billy Standridge Triad Motorsports Ford 39.493 182.311
29 96 David Green (R) American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 39.529 182.145
30 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 39.538 182.103
31 27 Rick Wilson David Blair Motorsports Ford 39.559 182.007
32 1 Jerry Nadeau Precision Products Racing Pontiac 39.566 181.974
33 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 39.610 181.772
34 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 39.625 181.703
35 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 39.702 181.351
36 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 39.710 181.315
37 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 39.730 181.223
38 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 39.735 181.200
Provisionals
39 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac -* -*
40 98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford -* -*
41 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford -* -*
42 36 Derrike Cope MB2 Motorsports Pontiac -* -*
Champion's Provisional
43 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
Failed to qualify
44 91 Mike Wallace LJ Racing Chevrolet -* -*
45 77 Morgan Shepherd Jasper Motorsports Ford -* -*
46 95 Ed Berrier Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet -* -*
47 40 Greg Sacks Team SABCO Chevrolet -* -*
48 19 Gary Bradberry TriStar Motorsports Ford -* -*
Official qualifying results

*Time not available.

Race results

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Fin[5] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 20 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 200 33 running 180 $93,830
2 26 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 200 46 running 175 $73,830
3 11 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 200 23 running 170 $48,805
4 5 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 200 68 running 170 $42,200
5 12 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 200 0 running 155 $47,425
6 1 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 200 0 running 150 $46,525
7 22 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 200 0 running 146 $41,375
8 42 36 Derrike Cope MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 200 0 running 142 $33,475
9 8 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 200 3 running 143 $36,125
10 7 30 Johnny Benson Jr. Bahari Racing Pontiac 200 0 running 134 $33,625
11 36 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 200 0 running 130 $23,975
12 15 37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 200 1 running 132 $23,400
13 34 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 200 0 running 124 $33,750
14 9 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 200 3 running 126 $33,300
15 10 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 200 0 running 118 $26,750
16 38 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 200 0 running 115 $28,525
17 4 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 200 1 running 117 $33,650
18 3 25 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 200 8 running 114 $33,365
19 35 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 199 0 running 106 $27,550
20 6 46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet 199 0 running 103 $16,635
21 31 27 Rick Wilson David Blair Motorsports Ford 199 0 running 100 $16,415
22 37 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 199 0 running 97 $26,900
23 17 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 199 0 running 94 $19,665
24 43 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 199 1 running 96 $26,455
25 23 97 Chad Little Mark Rypien Motorsports Pontiac 198 0 running 88 $19,220
26 39 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 198 0 running 85 $18,960
27 30 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 198 0 running 82 $25,800
28 29 96 David Green (R) American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 198 0 running 79 $15,640
29 19 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 197 13 out of gas 81 $32,505
30 41 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 197 0 running 73 $25,440
31 14 29 Jeff Green (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 197 0 running 70 $18,310
32 24 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 197 0 running 67 $30,240
33 28 78 Billy Standridge Triad Motorsports Ford 195 0 running 64 $15,135
34 25 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 189 0 running 61 $17,565
35 27 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 188 0 running 58 $21,995
36 32 1 Jerry Nadeau Precision Products Racing Pontiac 186 0 running 55 $21,950
37 40 98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 174 0 running 52 $21,890
38 21 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 162 0 running 49 $21,780
39 18 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 135 0 handling 46 $37,880
40 13 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 121 0 engine 43 $21,780
41 2 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 69 0 engine 40 $15,780
42 16 31 Mike Skinner (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 8 0 crash 37 $21,780
43 33 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 1 0 engine 34 $21,780
Failed to qualify
44 91 Mike Wallace LJ Racing Chevrolet
45 77 Morgan Shepherd Jasper Motorsports Ford
46 95 Ed Berrier Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet
47 40 Greg Sacks Team SABCO Chevrolet
48 19 Gary Bradberry TriStar Motorsports Ford
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Poole, David (June 15, 1997). "Irvan `blessed' with win". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  2. ^ Berger, Ken (June 16, 1997). "Irvan wins in Michigan return". The Stuart News. p. 13. Retrieved September 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "Miller 400". The Charlotte Observer. June 13, 1997. p. 32. Retrieved September 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ "Jarrett back on track winning pole at Michigan 400". Palladium-Item. June 14, 1997. p. 15. Retrieved September 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ "1997 Miller 400 - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved September 28, 2022.


Previous race:
1997 Pocono 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1997 season
Next race:
1997 California 500