1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

The 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began February 12 and ended November 19. Rusty Wallace of the #27 Kodiak Pontiac for Blue Max Racing won the championship. This was the first year that every Winston Cup race was televised, with almost all of them being televised live.

See also: 1989 in NASCAR Busch Series

Busch Clash

The Busch Clash, an annual invitational event for all winners of the Busch Pole award from the previous season, was held February 12 at Daytona International Speedway. Ken Schrader drew for the pole.

Top Ten Results

# Ken Schrader
# Davey Allison
# Terry Labonte
# Geoffrey Bodine
# Rick Wilson
# Rusty Wallace
# Mark Martin
# Darrell Waltrip
# Morgan Shepherd
# Rick Mast

Gatorade 125s

The Gatorade 125s, a pair of qualifying races for the Daytona 500, were held February 16 at Daytona International Speedway. Ken Schrader and Darrell Waltrip won the poles for each event, respectively.

Race One Top Ten Results

# 25-Ken Schrader
# 75-Morgan Shepherd
# 6-Mark Martin
# 55-Phil Parsons
# 7-Alan Kulwicki
# 66-Rick Mast
# 9-Jody Ridley
# 10-Ken Bouchard
# 45-Joe Ruttman
# 71-Dave Marcis

Race Two Top Ten Results

# 11-Terry Labonte
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 33-Harry Gant
# 16-Larry Pearson
# 28-Davey Allison
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 15-Brett Bodine
# 29-Dale Jarrett

Daytona 500

Goodwrench 500

The Goodwrench 500 was held March 5 at North Carolina Motor Speedway. Rusty Wallace won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 7-Alan Kulwicki
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 6-Mark Martin
# 28-Davey Allison
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 83-Lake Speed
# 88-Greg Sacks
# 31-Jim Sauter

Motorcraft Quality Parts 500

The Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 was held March 12 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The #7 of Alan Kulwicki won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 84-Dick Trickle
# 42-Kyle Petty
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 4-Rick Wilson
# 21-Neil Bonnett
# 57-Hut Stricklin
# 29-Dale Jarrett
# 75-Morgan Shepherd

Pontiac Excitement 400

The Pontiac Excitement 400 was held March 26 at Richmond International Raceway. The #5 of Geoff Bodine won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 7-Alan Kulwicki
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 28-Davey Allison
# 16-Larry Pearson
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 2-Ernie Irvan
# 9-Bill Elliott

Failed to qualify: 43-Richard Petty

*After qualifying for 513 consecutive races, Petty failed to make the field for this race. His record would stand until the 1996 First Union 400 when Terry Labonte broke the record.

TranSouth 500

The TranSouth 500 was held April 2 at Darlington Raceway. Mark Martin won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 33-Harry Gant
# 28-Davey Allison
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 6-Mark Martin
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 7-Alan Kulwicki
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 30-Michael Waltrip
# 83-Lake Speed

Valleydale Meats 500

The Valleydale Meats 500 was held April 9 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mark Martin won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 28-Davey Allison
# 84-Dick Trickle
# 6-Mark Martin
# 88-Greg Sacks
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 33-Harry Gant

First Union 400

The First Union 400 was held April 16 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Rusty Wallace won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 7-Alan Kulwicki
# 6-Mark Martin
# 84-Dick Trickle
# 11-Terry Labonte
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 2-Ernie Irvan

Failed to qualify: 8-Bobby Hillin Jr., 43-Richard Petty, 55-Phil Parsons*, 70-J. D. McDuffie, 04-Bill Meacham, Jerry O'Neil, Kevin Evans, Mark Walbridge

*Phil Parsons' team purchased the #60 in this event in order to race. He finished 12th, 6 laps down.

Pannill Sweatshirts 500

The Pannill Sweatshirts 500 was held April 23 at Martinsville Speedway. The #5 of Geoff Bodine won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 84-Dick Trickle
# 4-Rick Wilson
# 11-Terry Labonte
# 6-Mark Martin
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 71-Dave Marcis
# 21-Neil Bonnett

Winston 500

The Winston 500 was held May 7 at Talladega Superspeedway. Mark Martin won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 28-Davey Allison
# 11-Terry Labonte
# 6-Mark Martin
# 75-Morgan Shepherd
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 33-Harry Gant
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 21-Neil Bonnett
# 27-Rusty Wallace

*This was the first race for the new Chevrolet Lumina bodystyle in Winston Cup.

The Winston

The Winston, an annual all-star race for previous winners and champions, was held May 21 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The #11 of Terry Labonte won the pole. Rusty Wallace spun Darrell Waltrip out of the lead coming to the white flag to earn the victory. This sparked a fight between Wallace and Waltrip's crewmembers in the pits before Wallace got to victory lane.

Top Ten Results

# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 7-Alan Kulwicki
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 88-Greg Sacks

Coca-Cola 600

The Coca-Cola 600 was held May 28 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The #7 of Alan Kulwicki won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 6-Mark Martin
# 21-Neil Bonnett
# 15-Brett Bodine
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 26-Ricky Rudd

Budweiser 500

The Budweiser 500 was held June 4 at Dover International Speedway. Mark Martin won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 6-Mark Martin
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 11-Terry Labonte
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 21-Neil Bonnett
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 55-Phil Parsons

Banquet Frozen Foods 300

The inaugural Banquet Frozen Foods 300 was held June 11 at Sears Point International Raceway. Rusty Wallace won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 83-Lake Speed
# 88-Joe Ruttman
# 75-Morgan Shepherd
# 4-Rick Wilson
# 28-Davey Allison
# 30-Michael Waltrip

*Mark Martin actually rolled his car during the race due to an error by a new tire changer (only 2 of 5 lugnuts were properly fastened on the car). Right after the car left the pits, the right rear came off, the car spun, hit the tire barrier and rolled onto its roof. However, he came back to finish the race in 31st, 5 laps down.

Miller High Life 500

The Miller High Life 500 was held June 18 at Pocono Raceway. The #27 of Rusty Wallace won the pole. This race was one of the few races telecast on Pay Per View.

Top Ten Results

# 11-Terry Labonte
# 33-Harry Gant
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 75-Morgan Shepherd
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 29-Dale Jarrett
# 21-Neil Bonnett
# 16-Larry Pearson
# 15-Brett Bodine

Miller High Life 400

The Miller High Life 400 was held June 25 at Michigan International Speedway. The #25 of Ken Schrader won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 9-Bill Elliott
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 15-Brett Bodine
# 4-Rick Wilson
# 83-Lake Speed
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 10-Derrike Cope
# 42-Kyle Petty

Pepsi 400

The Pepsi 400 was held July 1 at Daytona International Speedway. The #6 of Mark Martin won the pole. This race featured a rollover crash involving the #83 of Lake Speed on lap 144.

Top Ten Results

# 28-Davey Allison
# 75-Morgan Shepherd
# 55-Phil Parsons
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 7-Alan Kulwicki
# 11-Terry Labonte
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 84-Dick Trickle
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 57-Hut Stricklin

*This was the first Pepsi 400 to be shown on television live, flag-to-flag. Previous to this, the race was aired as part of ABC's Wide World of Sports and only the last 25 laps or so of the race would be aired.

AC Spark Plug 500

The AC Spark Plug 500 was held on July 23 at Pocono International Raceway. Ken Schrader won the pole. This race was notable for a big wreck that involved the #48 of Greg Sacks and the #83 of Lake Speed. The two cars got together going into turn 1 and went into the wall head-on. The hit punched a hole in the wall, and sent Sacks flipping. This required a red flag to fix the wall. Speed broke his shoulder in the crash and had to sit out for a couple weeks.

Top Ten Finishers

# 9-Bill Elliott
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 6-Mark Martin
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 28-Davey Allison
# 33-Harry Gant
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 75-Morgan Shepherd
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 15-Brett Bodine

Talladega DieHard 500

The Talladega DieHard 500 was held July 30 at Talladega Superspeedway. Mark Martin won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 11-Terry Labonte
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 6-Mark Martin
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 4-Rick Wilson
# 75-Morgan Shepherd
# 42-Kyle Petty
# 33-Harry Gant
# 28-Davey Allison
# 21-Neil Bonnett

*Joe Ruttman substituted for Lake Speed in the #83, and crashed spectacularly on lap 145. Ruttman hit the wall nearly head-on and almost got on his side as a result.

The Budweiser at the Glen

The Budweiser at the Glen was held August 13 at Watkins Glen International Raceway. Morgan Shepherd won the pole. This race is notable for a big wreck on lap 89 involving the #5 of Geoff Bodine. Bodine lost a tire at the end of the backstraight, spun around and went through the barrier and hitting a fence behind the barrier (more or less marking off the property line of Watkins Glen International's land). Bodine was uninjured.

Top Ten Results

# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 6-Mark Martin
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 28-Davey Allison
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 75-Morgan Shepherd
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 4-Rick Wilson
# 44-Jim Sauter
# 30-Michael Waltrip

*Eddie Bierschwale was the substitute driver in the #83 for Lake Speed, who was still recovering from his shoulder injury at Pocono. He finished 38th.

Champion Spark Plug 400

The Champion Spark Plug 400 was held August 20 at Michigan International Speedway. Geoff Bodine won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 75-Morgan Shepherd
# 33-Harry Gant
# 57-Hut Stricklin
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 10-Derrike Cope
# 28-Davey Allison
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 6-Mark Martin
# 7-Alan Kulwicki

Busch 500

The Busch 500 was held August 26 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Alan Kulwicki won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 7-Alan Kulwicki
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 33-Harry Gant
# 11-Terry Labonte
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 88-Jimmy Spencer
# 21-Neil Bonnett
# 29-Dale Jarrett

Heinz Southern 500

The Heinz Southern 500 was held September 3 at Darlington Raceway. The #7 of Alan Kulwicki won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 6-Mark Martin
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 33-Harry Gant
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 75-Morgan Shepherd
# 94-Sterling Marlin

*Darrell Waltrip had a chance to win the Winston Million at Darlington, but hit the wall early in the race and finished 22nd.

*Rodney Combs replaced Joe Ruttman as Lake Speed's substitute driver in the #83 at Darlington. He finished 23rd.

Miller High Life 400

The Miller High Life 400 was held September 10 at Richmond International Raceway. The #9 of Bill Elliott won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 33-Harry Gant
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 21-Neil Bonnett
# 84-Dick Trickle
# 57-Hut Stricklin
# 28-Davey Allison

*Lake Speed returned to the #83 at Richmond after sitting out 5 races due to injury.

Peak Performance 500

The Peak Performance 500 was held September 17 at Dover International Speedway. The #28 of Davey Allison won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 6-Mark Martin
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 30-Michael Waltrip
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 10-Derrike Cope
# 15-Brett Bodine
# 88-Jimmy Spencer

*Neil Bonnett broke his sternum in a crash at Dover. This forced him to step out of the car for 3 races.

Goody's 500

The Goody's 500 was held September 24 at Martinsville Speedway. Dale Earnhardt started on the pole, which was actually won by Jimmy Hensley (as a substitute driver) as Earnhardt and others could not reach the track in time due to Hurricane Hugo, which affected the area.

Top Ten Results

# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 33-Harry Gant
# 84-Dick Trickle
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 29-Dale Jarrett
# 2-Ernie Irvan
# 15-Brett Bodine
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 25-Ken Schrader

*Tommy Ellis substituted for Neil Bonnett in the #21 in this race, and the next 2 events in Charlotte and North Wilkesboro.

All Pro Auto Parts 500

The All Pro Auto Parts 500 was held October 8 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Bill Elliott won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 25-Ken Schrader
# 33-Harry Gant
# 6-Mark Martin
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 28-Davey Allison
# 10-Derrike Cope
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 75-Morgan Shepherd

Failed to Qualify:14-A.J. Foyt*

*A.J. Foyt was involved in a practice crash where he suffered a significant concussion which kept him from attempting to qualify.

Holly Farms 400

The Holly Farms 400 was held October 15 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Dale Earnhardt won the pole. This race was notable for the race for the win between Dale Earnhardt and Ricky Rudd. On the last lap, Earnhardt and Rudd touched in turn 1, spinning both cars out. This allowed Geoff Bodine to win the race.

Top Ten Results

# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 6-Mark Martin
# 11-Terry Labonte
# 33-Harry Gant
# 75-Morgan Shepherd
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 2-Ernie Irvan
# 26-Ricky Rudd
# 3-Dale Earnhardt

AC Delco 500

The AC Delco 500 was held October 22 at North Carolina Motor Speedway. Alan Kulwicki won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 6-Mark Martin*
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 84-Dick Trickle
# 21-Neil Bonnett*
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 7-Alan Kulwicki
# 42-Kyle Petty

*This was Mark Martin's first career Winston Cup victory.

*This was Neil Bonnett's first race back from his sternum injury that he suffered at Dover.

Autoworks 500

The Autoworks 500 was held November 5 at Phoenix International Raceway. Ken Schrader won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 9-Bill Elliott
# 11-Terry Labonte
# 6-Mark Martin
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 29-Dale Jarrett
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 84-Dick Trickle
# 33-Harry Gant
# 30-Michael Waltrip
# 88-Jimmy Spencer

*2 cars entered by Hendrick Motorsports (The #46 City Chevrolet driven by Greg Sacks and the #51 Exxon Chevrolet driven by Bobby Hamilton) were entered to get in-race footage for the 1990 movie, Days of Thunder. Hamilton actually led the race with 100 laps to go (in his 1st career start) before the engine blew.

Atlanta Journal 500

The Atlanta Journal 500 was held November 19 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The #7 of Alan Kulwicki won the pole. On Lap 203, Grant Adcox struck the wall and suffered a heart attack and severe head injuries. Adcox died shortly after the accident.

Top Ten Results

# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 94-Sterling Marlin
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 42-Kyle Petty
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 75-Morgan Shepherd
# 21-Neil Bonnett
# 83-Lake Speed

*Rusty Wallace's 15th place finish clinched the 1989 Winston Cup championship. It was his only Winston Cup.

Final points standings

#Rusty Wallace - 4176
#Dale Earnhardt - 4164
#Mark Martin - 4053
#Darrell Waltrip - 3971
#Ken Schrader - 3876
#Bill Elliott - 3774
#Harry Gant - 3610
#Ricky Rudd - 3608
#Geoff Bodine - 3600
#Terry Labonte - 3569
#Davey Allison - 3481
#Sterling Marlin - 3422
#Morgan Shepherd - 3403
#Alan Kulwicki - 3236
#Dick Trickle - 3203
#Bobby Hillin, Jr. - 3139
#Rick Wilson - 3119
#Michael Waltrip - 3057
#Brett Bodine - 3051
#Neil Bonnett - 2995
#Phil Parsons - 2933
#Ernie Irvan - 2919
#Larry Pearson - 2860
#Dale Jarrett - 2789
#Dave Marcis - 2715
#Hut Stricklin - 2705
#Lake Speed - 2550
#Derrike Cope - 2180
#Richard Petty - 2148
#Kyle Petty - 2099
#Jimmy Means - 1698
#Greg Sacks - 1565
#Jim Sauter - 1510
#Jimmy Spencer - 1445
#Rick Mast - 1315
#Eddie Bierschwale - 1306
#Ben Hess - 921
#Chad Little - 602
#Butch Miller - 576
#A.J. Foyt - 527
#Mickey Gibbs - 508
#Rodney Combs - 470
#Joe Ruttman - 469
#J. D. McDuffie - 457
#Phil Barkdoll - 378
#Jimmy Horton - 377
#Dick Johnson - 322
#Ken Bouchard - 313
#Terry Byers - 306
#Darin Brassfield - 306

Rookie of the Year

Dick Trickle was named the 1989 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year, despite entering the competition in the second week of the season, replacing Mike Alexander at Stavola Brothers Racing. The top runner-up was former Dash champion Hut Stricklin, driving for returning car owner Rod Osterlund. Two-time Busch champion Larry Pearson and former modified driver Jimmy Spencer were the only other candidates to make a full schedule, as Rick Mast, Ben Hess, Chad Little, Butch Miller, and Mickey Gibbs all ran part-time.

External links

* [http://www.racing-reference.info/raceyear?yr=1989&series=W Winston Cup Standings and Statistics for 1989]