1998 MBNA Platinum 400

The 1998 MBNA Platinum 400 was the 12th stock car race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 30th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, May 31, 1998, 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. Within the final laps of the race, Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett would manage to save enough fuel and overtake the dominant driver of the race, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon to take his 17th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the podium, Roush Racing driver Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon would finish second and third, respectively.

1998 MBNA Platinum 400
Race details
Race 12 of 33 in the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1998 MBNA Platinum 400 program cover.
The 1998 MBNA Platinum 400 program cover.
Date May 31, 1998
Official name 30th Annual MBNA Platinum 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 120.603 miles per hour (194.092 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Penske-Kranefuss Racing
Time 23.092
Most laps led
Driver Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 375
Winner
No. 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates 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 Darrell Waltrip 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
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Valvoline
7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford Philips
8 Buckshot Jones Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet Circuit City
9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford Cartoon Network "Happy Birthday NASCAR!"
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 Dennis Setzer Elliott-Marino Racing Ford FirstPlus Financial Group
16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford PrimeStar
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 Platinum
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
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 Randy LaJoie Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser, Louie the Lizard
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 Rich Bickle 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 the early afternoon of Friday, May 29. Rick Mast, driving for Butch Mock Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 23.281 and an average speed of 154.633 miles per hour (248.858 km/h).[3]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 23.281 154.633
2 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 23.291 154.566
3 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 23.421 153.708
Full first practice results

Second practice

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The second practice session was held on the late afternoon of Friday, May 29. Mark Martin, driving for Roush Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 23.168 and an average speed of 155.387 miles per hour (250.071 km/h).[4]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 23.168 155.387
2 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 23.229 154.979
3 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.250 154.839
Full second practice results

Final practice

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The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on the afternoon of Saturday, May 30. Mark Martin, driving for Roush Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 23.919 and an average speed of 150.508 miles per hour (242.219 km/h).[5]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 23.919 150.508
2 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 23.998 150.013
3 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 24.000 150.000
Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, May 29, 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, May 30, at 11:30 AM EST. 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]

Rusty Wallace, driving for Penske-Kranefuss Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 23.092 and an average speed of 155.898 miles per hour (250.894 km/h).[8]

Three drivers would fail to qualify: Dennis Setzer, Morgan Shepherd, and Todd Bodine.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 23.092 155.898
2 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.220 155.039
3 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 23.224 155.012
4 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 23.270 154.706
5 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 23.281 154.633
6 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 23.301 154.500
7 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 23.304 154.480
8 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 23.405 153.813
9 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 23.423 153.695
10 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 23.493 153.237
11 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 23.508 153.139
12 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 23.512 153.113
13 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 23.517 153.081
14 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 23.526 153.022
15 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 23.545 152.899
16 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 23.550 152.866
17 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.556 152.827
18 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 23.564 152.775
19 8 Buckshot Jones Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet 23.578 152.685
20 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 23.581 152.665
21 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 23.599 152.549
22 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 23.599 152.549
23 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 23.599 152.549
24 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 23.603 152.523
25 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 23.613 152.458
26 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford 23.406 153.807
27 98 Rich Bickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 23.567 152.756
28 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 23.614 152.452
29 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 23.624 152.387
30 96 David Green American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 23.629 152.355
31 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 23.635 152.316
32 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 23.642 152.271
33 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 23.651 152.213
34 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 23.670 152.091
35 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford 23.670 152.091
36 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 23.676 152.053
Provisionals
37 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford -* -*
38 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
39 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford -* -*
40 50 Randy LaJoie Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
41 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
42 91 Kevin Lepage (R) LJ Racing Chevrolet -* -*
Champion's Provisional
43 1 Darrell Waltrip Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet -* -*
Failed to qualify
44 13 Dennis Setzer Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 23.740 151.643
45 46 Morgan Shepherd Team SABCO Chevrolet 23.826 151.095
46 35 Todd Bodine ISM Racing Pontiac 23.936 150.401
Official qualifying results

*Time not available.

Race results

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Fin[9] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 4 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 400 8 running 180 $89,950
2 37 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 400 9 running 175 $62,250
3 2 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 375 running 175 $79,350
4 36 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 400 0 running 160 $55,500
5 12 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 399 0 running 155 $42,325
6 5 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 399 1 running 155 $49,275
7 3 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 399 3 running 151 $40,780
8 19 8 Buckshot Jones Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet 399 0 running 142 $26,580
9 8 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 398 0 running 138 $35,130
10 17 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 398 0 running 134 $43,430
11 7 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 398 0 running 130 $28,455
12 16 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 398 0 running 127 $36,255
13 24 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 398 0 running 124 $31,165
14 21 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 397 0 running 121 $31,655
15 25 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 397 0 running 118 $32,905
16 29 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 397 0 running 115 $30,780
17 38 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 397 0 running 112 $33,795
18 1 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 397 3 running 114 $39,680
19 20 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 396 0 running 106 $22,655
20 43 1 Darrell Waltrip Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 396 0 running 103 $23,955
21 13 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 396 0 running 100 $29,955
22 22 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 396 0 running 97 $29,305
23 26 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford 396 0 running 94 $29,455
24 15 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 395 1 running 96 $29,305
25 34 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 395 0 running 88 $33,205
26 6 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 394 0 running 85 $28,555
27 18 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 394 0 running 82 $21,405
28 42 91 Kevin Lepage (R) LJ Racing Chevrolet 394 0 running 79 $22,255
29 10 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 393 0 running 76 $28,105
30 33 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 393 0 running 73 $17,955
31 27 98 Rich Bickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 392 0 running 70 $24,905
32 41 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 392 0 running 67 $27,845
33 9 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 391 0 running 64 $32,795
34 35 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford 391 0 running 61 $17,745
35 32 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 390 0 running 58 $27,545
36 11 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 390 0 running 55 $20,030
37 39 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford 229 0 handling 52 $17,520
38 30 96 David Green American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 187 0 crash 49 $20,000
39 23 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 120 0 handling 46 $17,500
40 31 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 32 0 crash 43 $17,500
41 14 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 9 0 crash 40 $24,500
42 28 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 9 0 crash 37 $24,500
43 40 50 Randy LaJoie Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 9 0 crash 34 $24,500
Failed to qualify
44 13 Dennis Setzer Elliott-Marino Racing Ford
45 46 Morgan Shepherd Team SABCO Chevrolet
46 35 Todd Bodine ISM Racing Pontiac
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Poole, David (May 31, 1998). "Jarrett's superior mileage brings home a victory". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  2. ^ Brinster, Dick (June 1, 1998). "Extra splash of gas helps Jarrett roar to win". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 25. Retrieved September 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "Winston Cup practice speeds". That's Racin'. May 29, 1998. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  4. ^ "Final Winston Cup practice session". That's Racin'. May 29, 1998. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  5. ^ "Happy Hour speeds". That's Racin'. May 30, 1998. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  6. ^ "At A Glance". The Billings Gazette. May 28, 1998. p. 18. Retrieved September 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Additional Provisionals announced". Motorsport.com. January 24, 1998. Retrieved August 31, 2022.  
  8. ^ Utter, Jim (May 29, 1998). "`Snake' slithers to Dover pole". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  9. ^ "1998 MBNA Platinum 400 - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
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NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1998 season
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1998 Pontiac Excitement 400