1997 TranSouth Financial 400

Fifth race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series February 2025 NASWINSTON March 23 171 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Robert Yates Racing Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Dale Jarrett 88 ESPN Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons Motor Racing Network 32 Darlington, South Carolina, Darlington Raceway 5 121.162 mph km/h TranSouth Financial 400 1997 293 644.12 2.198 1.366 28.742 400.238 The 1997 TranSouth Financial 400 program cover, featuring Darrell Waltrip. 1997 TranSouth Financial 400.jpeg The 1997 TranSouth Financial 400 was the fifth stock car race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 41st iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 23, 1997, in Darlington, South Carolina, at Darlington Raceway, a 1.366 mi km permanent egg-shaped oval racetrack. The race took the scheduled 293 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett would fiercely defend his lead against Roush Racing driver Ted Musgrave to take his tenth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory, his second victory of the season, and his second consecutive victory.Bonnell Rick March 23, 1997 Jarrett's at the top of his game http://www.thatsracin.com/97/docs/0323.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20000815213606/http://www.thatsracin.com/97/docs/0323.htm August 15, 2000 September 23, 2022 That's Racin' The Charlotte ObserverMcCollister Tom March 24, 1997 Jarrett earns victory; Musgrave gets respect https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110060955/jarrett-earns-victory-musgrave-gets/ September 23, 2022 The Atlanta Constitution 19 Newspapers.com To fill out the top three, Musgrave and Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would finish second and third, respectively. Background thumb|The layout of Darlington Raceway, the venue where the race was held. Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that is effective at both ends. Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. #DriverTeamMake1Morgan ShepherdPrecision Products RacingPontiac2Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet6Mark MartinRoush RacingFord7Geoff BodineMattei MotorsportsFord8Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord9Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord10Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord11Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord16Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord17Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet18Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac19Gary BradberryTriStar MotorsportsFord20Greg SacksRanier-Walsh RacingFord21Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord22Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac23Jimmy SpencerHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet25Ricky CravenHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord29Robert PressleyDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet30Johnny Benson Jr.Bahari RacingPontiac31Mike Skinner (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet33Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet36Derrike CopeMB2 MotorsportsPontiac37Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord40Robby Gordon (R)Team SABCOChevrolet41Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet42Joe Nemechek*Team SABCOChevrolet43Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac44Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet75Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord77Bobby Hillin Jr.Jasper MotorsportsFord78Billy StandridgeTriad MotorsportsFord81Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord90Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord91Mike WallaceLJ RacingChevrolet94Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord96David Green (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet97Chad LittleMark Rypien MotorsportsPontiac98John AndrettiCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord *Replaced by Phil Parsons in order for Joe Nemechek to mourn his brother John Nemechek, who had died in a racing accident.March 22, 1997 Truck racer John Nemcheck dies https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110062431/truck-racer-john-nemcheck-dies/ September 23, 2022 The Courier-Journal 55 Qualifying Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, March 21, at 3:00 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, March 22, at 11:30 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.March 21, 1997 TranSouth 400 29 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110061788/transouth-400/ September 23, 2022 Newspapers.com Positions 26-38 would be decided on time, while positions 39-43 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 next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional. Dale Jarrett, driving for Robert Yates Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 28.742 and an average speed of 171.095 mph km/h.March 22, 1997 Jarrett tops qualifying, Earnhardt 40th fastest 12 The Courier-Journal https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110062164/the-courier-journal/ September 23, 2022 Newspapers.com Three drivers would fail to qualify: Dick Trickle, Billy Standridge, and Steve Grissom. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed188Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord28.742171.095225Ricky CravenHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.750171.047318Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac28.773170.91047Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord28.801170.74456Mark MartinRoush RacingFord28.831170.566699Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord28.897170.17778Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord28.928169.994828Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord28.946169.88994Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet28.949169.8711024Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.961169.801119Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord28.980169.689125Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.993169.6131333Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet29.002169.5611419Gary BradberryTriStar MotorsportsFord29.042169.327152Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord29.063169.2051610Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord29.094169.0251791Mike WallaceLJ RacingChevrolet29.130168.8161894Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord29.134168.7921937Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord29.135168.7872071Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet29.140168.7582116Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord29.142168.7462296David Green (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet29.145168.729231Morgan ShepherdPrecision Products RacingPontiac29.155168.6712420Greg SacksRanier-Walsh RacingFord29.155168.6712536Derrike CopeMB2 MotorsportsPontiac29.158168.6542623Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord29.176168.5492721Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord29.191168.4632844Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac29.210168.3532942Phil ParsonsTeam SABCOChevrolet29.211168.3483081Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord29.234168.2153111Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord29.239168.1863297Chad LittleMark Rypien MotorsportsPontiac29.251168.1173398John AndrettiCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord29.268168.0203431Mike Skinner (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet29.276167.9743529Robert PressleyDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet29.287167.9113630Johnny Benson Jr.Bahari RacingPontiac29.289167.8993777Bobby Hillin Jr.Jasper MotorsportsFord29.330167.6653840Robby Gordon (R)Team SABCOChevrolet29.343167.590Provisionals3943Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac -* -*4022Ward BurtonBill Elliott RacingPontiac -* -*4117Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*4275Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord -* -*433Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet -* -*Failed to qualify4490Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord -* -*4578Billy StandridgeTriad MotorsportsFord -* -*4641Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*Official qualifying results *Time not available. Race results Fin1997 TranSouth Financial 400 - The Third Turn https://www.thethirdturn.com/wiki/1997_TranSouth_Financial_400 September 23, 2022 The Third Turn enSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings1188Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord293171running185$142,86022116Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord2930running170$54,33031024Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29316running170$56,2404699Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord29349running165$34,4205318Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac2930running155$38,2756152Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord2930running150$32,82572721Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord2930running146$26,54581333Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet2930running142$26,815947Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord2930running138$25,210103630Johnny Benson Jr.Bahari RacingPontiac2930running134$28,805114117Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet2930running130$24,15012231Morgan ShepherdPrecision Products RacingPontiac2930running127$23,82013125Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2920running124$34,235143081Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord2920running121$23,23015433Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet2920running118$28,625161894Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord2920running115$22,755171937Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord2920running112$15,500184022Ward BurtonBill Elliott RacingPontiac2920running109$15,265194275Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord2920running106$22,020202536Derrike CopeMB2 MotorsportsPontiac2920running103$13,89021828Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord29136running105$28,070222623Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord2910running97$21,500231610Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord2910running94$26,0552456Mark MartinRoush RacingFord2910running91$21,135253398John AndrettiCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord2910running88$21,1652678Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord2916running90$20,700273297Chad LittleMark Rypien MotorsportsPontiac2900running82$10,610282071Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet2900running79$13,550292420Greg SacksRanier-Walsh RacingFord2890running76$10,440303431Mike Skinner (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet2898running78$10,405312942Phil ParsonsTeam SABCOChevrolet2890running70$12,8453294Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet2780running67$26,310332844Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac2640running64$10,220343840Robby Gordon (R)Team SABCOChevrolet2320crash61$17,185353111Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord2240oil leak58$17,15036119Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord1880transmission55$17,115373943Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac1830oil pump52$25,101381419Gary BradberryTriStar MotorsportsFord1690running49$9,954393529Robert PressleyDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet1617crash51$9,95440225Ricky CravenHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1600crash43$17,100412296David Green (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet690crash40$9,954423777Bobby Hillin Jr.Jasper MotorsportsFord620oil leak37$9,954431791Mike WallaceLJ RacingChevrolet260crash34$9,954Official race results References 1997 Primestar 500 1997 Interstate Batteries 500 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at Darlington Raceway Category:March 1997 sports events in the United States Category:1997 in sports in South Carolina