The 1998 Primestar 500 was the fourth stock car race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 39th iteration of the event. The race was originally scheduled to be held on Sunday, March 8, 1998, but was postponed to Monday, March 9 due to rain.[1] The race was held in Hampton, Georgia at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.54 miles (2.48 km) permanent asphalt quad-oval intermediate speedway. The race took the scheduled 325 laps to complete. In the late stages of the race, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte would manage to pass for the lead with 47 to go and take his sixth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first victory of the season.[2][3] To fill out the podium, Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett and Penske-Kranefuss Racing driver Jeremy Mayfield would finish second and third, respectively.

1998 Primestar 500
Race details
Race 4 of 33 in the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1998 Primestar 500 program cover, featuring Ted Musgrave. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
The 1998 Primestar 500 program cover, featuring Ted Musgrave. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
Date March 9, 1998
Official name 39th Annual Primestar 500
Location Hampton, Georgia, Atlanta Motor Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1.54 mi (2.48 km)
Distance 325 laps, 500.5 mi (805.476 km)
Scheduled Distance 325 laps, 500.5 mi (805.476 km)
Average speed 139.501 miles per hour (224.505 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Petty Enterprises
Time 28.732
Most laps led
Driver Kenny Irwin Jr. Robert Yates Racing
Laps 113
Winner
No. 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Radio in the United States
Radio Performance Racing Network

Background

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The layout of Atlanta Motor Speedway, the circuit where the race was held.

Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a 1.54-mile race track in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has annually hosted NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car races since its inauguration in 1960.

The venue was bought by Speedway Motorsports in 1990. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two intermediate ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval, with a new official length of 1.54-mile (2.48 km) where before it was 1.522-mile (2.449 km). The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit.

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 Green Sauce
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 First Union
94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford McDonald's
95 Andy Hillenburg Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet Sadler Brothers Racing
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

*Was replaced by Phil Parsons after injuring himself in first practice.[4]

Practice

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Originally, two practice sessions were scheduled to be held, with one on Friday, March 6, and one on Saturday, March 7, However, due to rain on Saturday, the Saturday practice session was cancelled.[5]

The only practice session was held on Friday, March 6. Robert Pressley, driving for Jasper Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.359 and an average speed of 188.834 mph (303.899 km/h).[6]

During the session, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. rookie driver Steve Park would blow a tire heading into turn 4, causing him to slam the outside wall. The car, which had lost brakes by this point, would then proceed to ricochet again into front stretch outside wall two times. After proceeding the second front stretch hit, the car would proceed to head onto pit road, where Park slammed the pit road wall, with the car eventually stopping. Park would suffer fractures of the right thighbone, the left shoulder blade and collarbone and two broken front teeth. In replacement, Phil Parsons would attempt to qualify the car.[4] Park was out for five months before eventually returning in the 1998 Brickyard 400.[7]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 28.882 191.953
2 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 28.913 191.748
3 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 28.914 191.741
Full practice results

Qualifying

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Qualifying was originally meant to be split into two rounds, with the first round ran on Friday, March 6, and the second round on Saturday, March 7. However, due to rain, second-round qualifying was instead condensed into one round ran on Friday.[5]

Qualifying was held on Friday, March 6, at 12:00 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set at time.[8] On January 24, 1998, NASCAR would announce that the amount of provisionals given would be increased from last season. 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.[9]

John Andretti, driving for Petty Enterprises, would win the pole, setting a time of 28.732 and an average speed of 192.956 miles per hour (310.533 km/h).[10]

Seven drivers would fail to qualify: Chad Little, Sterling Marlin, Morgan Shepherd, Andy Hillenburg, Dave Marcis, Phil Parsons, and Jeff Green.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 28.732 192.956
2 35 Todd Bodine ISM Racing Pontiac 28.749 192.841
3 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 28.766 192.728
4 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 28.835 192.266
5 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 28.842 192.220
6 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 28.844 192.206
7 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 28.874 192.007
8 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.890 191.900
9 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.903 191.814
10 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 28.912 191.754
11 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 28.918 191.715
12 46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet 28.929 191.642
13 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 28.949 191.509
14 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 28.954 191.476
15 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 28.980 191.304
16 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 28.987 191.258
17 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 28.990 191.238
18 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford 29.011 191.100
19 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 29.067 190.732
20 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford 29.079 190.653
21 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 29.080 190.646
22 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 29.083 190.627
23 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 29.090 190.581
24 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 29.121 190.378
25 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 29.132 190.306
26 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 29.146 190.215
27 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 29.203 189.844
28 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet 29.226 189.694
29 98 Greg Sacks Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 29.227 189.688
30 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.243 189.584
31 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 29.252 189.526
32 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 29.254 189.513
33 96 David Green American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 29.258 189.487
34 91 Kevin Lepage (R) LJ Racing Chevrolet 29.272 189.396
35 13 Jerry Nadeau (R) Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 29.273 189.390
36 50 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.327 189.041
Provisionals
37 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 29.344 188.931
38 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 29.571 187.481
39 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 29.576 187.449
40 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.470 188.124
41 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 30.155 183.850
42 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 29.367 188.783
Champion's Provisional
43 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 29.690 186.727
Failed to qualify
44 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford 29.347 188.912
45 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 29.371 188.758
46 05 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Pontiac 29.403 188.552
47 95 Andy Hillenburg Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet 29.593 187.342
48 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 29.812 185.965
49 1 Phil Parsons Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 30.080 184.309
50 29 Jeff Green Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 33.990 163.107
Official qualifying results

Race results

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Fin[11] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 14 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 325 47 running 180 $106,800
2 4 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 325 29 running 175 $72,600
3 26 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 325 11 running 170 $54,400
4 22 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 325 0 running 160 $50,250
5 5 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 325 113 running 165 $58,150
6 3 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 325 2 running 155 $45,750
7 24 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 325 17 running 151 $34,100
8 10 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 325 0 running 142 $44,025
9 15 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 324 1 running 143 $26,475
10 2 35 Todd Bodine ISM Racing Pontiac 324 46 running 139 $33,575
11 31 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 324 0 running 130 $40,545
12 8 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 324 16 running 132 $46,925
13 30 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 324 2 running 129 $39,055
14 34 91 Kevin Lepage (R) LJ Racing Chevrolet 323 0 running 121 $24,685
15 42 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 323 0 running 118 $37,655
16 40 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 323 0 running 115 $35,495
17 37 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 323 0 running 112 $35,135
18 32 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 323 0 running 109 $33,665
19 9 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 323 0 running 106 $44,865
20 1 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 323 33 running 108 $42,835
21 41 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 323 0 running 100 $34,325
22 18 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford 323 2 running 102 $29,465
23 23 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 322 0 running 94 $38,555
24 17 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 322 0 running 91 $32,720
25 6 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 321 2 running 93 $39,115
26 27 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 321 0 running 85 $32,760
27 7 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 321 0 running 82 $21,750
28 13 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 321 0 running 79 $25,675
29 38 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 320 0 running 76 $32,135
30 33 96 David Green American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 319 0 running 73 $24,675
31 29 98 Greg Sacks Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 319 0 running 70 $31,515
32 35 13 Jerry Nadeau (R) Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 318 0 running 67 $21,255
33 25 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 314 0 running 64 $24,260
34 36 50 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 308 0 running 61 $31,125
35 21 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 305 0 running 58 $31,090
36 39 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 267 0 engine 55 $30,565
37 28 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet 255 0 running 52 $21,050
38 19 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 203 4 crash 54 $28,400
39 12 46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet 177 0 engine 46 $20,995
40 43 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 136 0 handling 43 $27,985
41 11 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 83 0 engine 40 $27,975
42 16 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 17 0 crash 37 $20,965
43 20 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford 12 0 ignition 34 $20,955
Failed to qualify
44 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford
45 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet
46 05 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Pontiac
47 95 Andy Hillenburg Sadler Brothers Racing Chevrolet
48 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet
49 1 Phil Parsons Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet
50 29 Jeff Green Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Poole, David (March 8, 1998). "Rain victorious at Atlanta Motor Speedway". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  2. ^ Poole, David (March 9, 1998). "Labonte the master of Atlanta Motor Speedway". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on February 16, 2001. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  3. ^ Kreuzer, Laura (March 10, 1998). "It's Labonte once again". Ledger-Enquirer. p. 15. Retrieved September 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ a b Strubin, John (March 6, 1998). "Park suffers setback in crash at Atlanta Motor Speedway". That's Racin'. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Thompson, Chuck (March 7, 1998). "Weather becomes another unknown in Primestar 500". That's Racin'. The Macon Telegraph. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  6. ^ Poole, David (March 6, 1998). "Park suffers broken leg in practice crash". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  7. ^ Strubin, John (March 7, 1998). "Steve Park expected to be sidelined three to five months". That's Racin'. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Archived from the original on May 3, 2001. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  8. ^ "Friday Auto Racing". The Macon Telegraph. March 1, 1998. p. 135. Retrieved September 1, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ "Additional Provisionals announced". Motorsport.com. January 24, 1998. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  10. ^ Poole, David (March 6, 1998). "Andretti puts No. 43 on Atlanta pole". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  11. ^ "1998 Primestar 500 - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
Previous race:
1998 Las Vegas 400
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1998 season
Next race:
1998 TranSouth Financial 400