1998 GM Goodwrench Service Plus 400

The 1998 GM Goodwrench Service Plus 400 was the second stock car race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 33rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, February 22, 1998, in Rockingham, North Carolina, at North Carolina Speedway, a 1.017 miles (1.637 km) permanent high-banked racetrack. The race took the scheduled 393 laps to complete. Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would manage to claw his way after an initial bad start to the race within the closing laps to take his 30th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first of the season.[1][2] To fill out the podium, Penske-Kranefuss Racing driver Rusty Wallace and Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would finish second and third, respectively.

1998 GM Goodwrench Service Plus 400
Race details
Race 2 of 33 in the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1998 GM Goodwrench Service Plus 400 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt.
The 1998 GM Goodwrench Service Plus 400 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt.
Date February 22, 1998
Official name 33rd Annual GM Goodwrench Service Plus 400
Location Rockingham, North Carolina, North Carolina Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1.017 mi (1.637 km)
Distance 393 laps, 399.681 mi (643.224 km)
Scheduled Distance 393 laps, 399.681 mi (643.224 km)
Average speed 117.065 miles per hour (188.398 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Butch Mock Motorsports
Time 23.415
Most laps led
Driver Mark Martin Roush Racing
Laps 104
Winner
No. 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network TNN
Announcers Eli Gold, Buddy Baker, Dick Berggren
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

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

North Carolina Speedway was opened as a flat, one-mile oval on October 31, 1965. In 1969, the track was extensively reconfigured to a high-banked, D-shaped oval just over one mile in length. In 1997, North Carolina Motor Speedway merged with Penske Motorsports, and was renamed North Carolina Speedway. Shortly thereafter, the infield was reconfigured, and competition on the infield road course, mostly by the SCCA, was discontinued. Currently, the track is home to the Fast Track High Performance Driving School.[3]

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Steve Park (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Pennzoil
2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford Miller Lite
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
05 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Pontiac Good Stuff America
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Valvoline
7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford Philips
8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet Circuit City
9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford Cartoon Network, The Huckleberry Hound Show
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Paychex
12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford Mobil 1
13 Jerry Nadeau (R) Elliott-Marino Racing Ford FirstPlus Financial Group
16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford PrimeStar
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Speedblock
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 Winston No Bull
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford Cheerios, Pop Secret
28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Jeff Green Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Team Monte Carlo, Tasmanian Devil
30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac Gumout
31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Lowe's
33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet Skoal
35 Todd Bodine ISM Racing Pontiac Tabasco
36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac Skittles
40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet Coors Light
41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet BellSouth
43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac Hot Wheels
46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet First Union
50 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Team Realtree Camouflage
75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms
77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions
78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford Pilot Travel Centers
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 Kevin Lepage (R) LJ Racing Chevrolet LJ Racing
94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford McDonald's
96 David Green American Equipment Racing Chevrolet Caterpillar
97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford John Deere
98 Greg Sacks Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford Thorn Apple Valley
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Exide Batteries

Practice

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First practice

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The first practice session was held on Friday, February 20. Dale Jarrett, driving for Robert Yates Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 23.654 and an average speed of 154.781 mph (249.096 km/h).[4]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 23.654 154.781
2 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 23.772 154.013
3 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 23.791 153.890
Full first practice results

Final practice

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The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, February 21. Johnny Benson Jr., driving for Roush Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 24.346 and an average speed of 150.382 mph (242.016 km/h).[5]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 24.346 150.382
2 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 24.367 150.252
3 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 24.380 150.172
Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, February 20, at 2:30 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, February 21. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.[6] On January 24, 1998, NASCAR would announce that the amount of provisionals given would be increased from last season. Positions 26-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champion needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.[7]

Rick Mast, driving for Butch Mock Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 23.415 and an average speed of 156.361 miles per hour (251.639 km/h).[8]

Six drivers would fail to qualify: Kevin Lepage, Todd Bodine, Wally Dallenbach Jr., Morgan Shepherd, Dave Marcis, and Gary Bradberry.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 23.415 156.361
2 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 23.540 155.531
3 96 David Green American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 23.546 155.491
4 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.549 155.472
5 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 23.561 155.392
6 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 23.567 155.353
7 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 23.587 155.221
8 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 23.612 155.057
9 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 23.630 154.939
10 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet 23.648 154.821
11 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 23.654 154.781
12 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 23.655 154.775
13 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 23.658 154.755
14 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 23.661 154.736
15 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 23.668 154.690
16 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 23.672 154.664
17 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 23.678 154.625
18 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 23.687 154.566
19 1 Steve Park (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 23.700 154.481
20 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford 23.714 154.390
21 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.744 154.195
22 50 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.771 154.020
23 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.780 153.961
24 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 23.783 153.942
25 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 23.786 153.922
26 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 23.791 153.890
27 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 23.797 153.851
28 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 23.807 153.787
29 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 23.809 153.774
30 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 23.810 153.767
31 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 23.818 153.716
32 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 23.829 153.645
33 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 23.830 153.638
34 13 Jerry Nadeau (R) Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 23.830 153.638
35 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 23.831 153.632
36 29 Jeff Green Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 23.835 153.606
Provisionals
37 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet -* -*
38 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac -* -*
39 98 Greg Sacks Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford -* -*
40 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac -* -*
41 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford -* -*
42 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford -* -*
Champion's Provisional
43 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
Failed to qualify
44 91 Kevin Lepage (R) LJ Racing Chevrolet 23.846 153.535
45 35 Todd Bodine ISM Racing Pontiac 23.867 153.400
46 46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet 23.949 152.875
47 05 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Pontiac 24.043 152.277
48 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 24.045 152.265
49 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford 24.917 146.936
Official qualifying results

Race results

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Fin[9] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 4 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 393 73 running 180 $90,090
2 7 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 393 74 running 175 $49,240
3 6 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 393 104 running 175 $51,940
4 28 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 393 0 running 160 $45,120
5 20 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford 393 11 running 160 $39,225
6 16 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 393 3 running 155 $35,225
7 32 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 393 7 running 151 $42,500
8 21 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 393 0 running 142 $36,625
9 33 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 393 1 running 143 $31,825
10 22 50 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 393 6 running 139 $36,025
11 14 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 393 0 running 130 $30,750
12 1 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 393 58 running 132 $33,700
13 9 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 393 0 running 124 $32,600
14 5 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 392 17 running 126 $28,400
15 35 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 392 0 running 118 $29,500
16 24 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 392 0 running 115 $28,750
17 37 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 392 1 running 117 $32,100
18 12 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 392 0 running 109 $33,500
19 40 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 391 0 running 106 $26,950
20 23 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 391 0 running 103 $28,850
21 42 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford 391 0 running 100 $19,500
22 36 29 Jeff Green Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 391 0 running 97 $19,100
23 31 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 391 0 running 94 $25,850
24 25 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 391 0 running 91 $25,650
25 27 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 391 0 running 88 $18,450
26 29 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 390 0 running 85 $31,340
27 41 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 390 0 running 82 $19,340
28 34 13 Jerry Nadeau (R) Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 390 0 running 79 $15,190
29 10 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet 389 0 running 76 $17,515
30 8 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 388 38 valve 78 $14,965
31 19 1 Steve Park (R) Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 374 0 crash 70 $14,765
32 18 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 366 0 crash 67 $14,715
33 38 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 364 0 crash 64 $29,565
34 13 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 363 0 crash 61 $21,515
35 11 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 363 0 running 58 $21,415
36 39 98 Greg Sacks Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 362 0 running 55 $21,390
37 15 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 316 0 radiator 52 $21,365
38 2 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 272 0 crash 49 $14,590
39 17 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 269 0 crash 46 $21,315
40 26 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 130 0 brakes 43 $14,290
41 43 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 123 0 crash 40 $21,265
42 3 96 David Green American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 106 0 crash 37 $14,340
43 30 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 90 0 engine 34 $30,615
Failed to qualify
44 91 Kevin Lepage (R) LJ Racing Chevrolet
45 35 Todd Bodine ISM Racing Pontiac
46 46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet
47 05 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Pontiac
48 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet
49 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Poole, David (February 22, 1998). "Gordon's Day: Bad to worse to first". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  2. ^ "Gordon surprised". The Windsor Star. February 23, 1998. p. 31. Retrieved August 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "Fast Track High Performance Driving School, Inc". Fasttrackracing.com. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  4. ^ "Rockingham first session practice speeds". That's Racin'. February 20, 1998. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  5. ^ "Final Winston Cup practice speeds". That's Racin'. February 21, 1998. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  6. ^ "Schedule". Courier-Post. February 12, 1998. p. 39. Retrieved August 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ "Additional Provisionals announced". Motorsport.com. January 24, 1998. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  8. ^ Fowler, Scott (February 20, 1998). "Inspired by Earnhardt, Mast takes pole". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  9. ^ "1998 GM Goodwrench Service Plus 400 - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
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1998 Daytona 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1998 season
Next race:
1998 Las Vegas 400