1997 NAPA 500

32nd race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series February 2025 NASWINSTON 159.904 mph km/h PRN The 1997 NAPA 500 program cover, with artwork by Sam Bass. 38th Annual NAPA 500 Geoff Bodine 28.074 Joe Gibbs Racing Joe Gibbs Racing Bobby Labonte Bobby Labonte 168 18 Geoff Bodine Racing November 16 Hampton, Georgia, Atlanta Motor Speedway 32 32 ESPN NAPA 500 1997 325 805.476 2.48 1.54 500.5 Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons 1997_NAPA_500.jpeg The 1997 NAPA 500 was the 32nd and final stock car race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 38th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, November 16, 1997, in Hampton, Georgia at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.54 mi km permanent asphalt quad-oval intermediate speedway. The race took the scheduled 325 laps to complete. At race's end, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte would manage to dominate a majority of the race to take his fifth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.Poole David November 16, 1997 Just what they needed http://www.thatsracin.com/97/docs/1116.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20001118145100/http://www.thatsracin.com/97/docs/1116.htm November 18, 2000 October 6, 2022 That's Racin' The Charlotte ObserverStrubin John November 17, 1997 Labonte repeats to save season 42 Fort Worth Star-Telegram https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110817836/labonte-repeats-to-save-season/ October 6, 2022 Newspapers.com To fill out the top three, Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett and Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would finish second and third, respectively. Needing an 18th-place finish or higher in the race, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would manage to lock up the championship after staying consistently within the top 18, eventually securing a 17th-place finish to win his second career NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship, finishing 14 points ahead of runner-up Dale Jarrett.Harris Mike November 17, 1997 Gordon wins championship; Labonte wins race 47 Citizens' Voice https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110821934/gordon-wins-championship-labonte-wins/ October 6, 2022 Newspapers.com Background thumb|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 mi km on where before it was 1.522 mi km on. The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit. Entry list (R) - denotes rookie driver. #DriverTeamMake00Buckshot JonesBuckshot RacingPontiac1Morgan ShepherdPrecision Products RacingPontiac2Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet6Mark MartinRoush RacingFord7Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord8Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord9Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord10Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord11Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord14Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet16Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord17Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet18Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac21Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord22Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac23Jimmy SpencerHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet25Ricky CravenHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet27Kenny Irwin Jr.David Blair MotorsportsFord28Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord29Jeff Green (R)Diamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet30Johnny Benson Jr.Bahari RacingPontiac31Mike Skinner (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet33Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet35Todd BodineISM RacingPontiac36Derrike CopeMB2 MotorsportsPontiac37Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord40Greg SacksTeam SABCOChevrolet41Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet42Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet43Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac44Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac46Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet75Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord77Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord78Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFord81Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord90Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord91Kevin LepageLJ RacingChevrolet94Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord95Ed BerrierSadler Brothers RacingChevrolet96David Green (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet97Chad LittleRoush RacingPontiac98John AndrettiCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord Qualifying Qualifying was scheduled to be split into two rounds. If the events had run as scheduled, the first round was scheduled to be held on Friday, November 14, 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, which was scheduled to be held on Saturday, November 15, at 11:00 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.November 14, 1997 NAPA 500 30 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110822263/napa-500/ October 6, 2022 Newspapers.com Positions 26-38 would be decided on time, and depending on who needed it, the 39th thru either the 42nd, 43rd, or 44th position 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 field would be limited to 42 cars. If a champion needed it, the field would expand to 43 cars. If the race was a companion race with the NASCAR Winston West Series, four spots would be determined by NASCAR Winston Cup Series provisionals, while the final two spots would be given to teams in the Winston West Series, leaving the field at 44 cars. The first round of qualifying was postponed until Saturday, November 15 due to rain. This would leave only one round of qualifying ran, cancelling the second round.November 15, 1997 Rain is only story at Atlanta - again 15 Daily Press https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110844961/rain-is-only-story-at-atlanta-again/ October 7, 2022 Newspapers.com Geoff Bodine, driving for Geoff Bodine Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 28.074 and an average speed of 197.478 mph km/h.November 16, 1997 Geoff takes pole, but run for Cup takes center stage 7 Star-Gazette https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110845073/geoff-takes-pole-but-run-for-cup-takes/ October 7, 2022 Newspapers.com Seven drivers would fail to qualify: Todd Bodine, Robert Pressley, David Green, Hut Stricklin, Greg Sacks, Ed Berrier, and Dave Marcis. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed17Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord28.074197.478222Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac28.365195.452388Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord28.414195.11545Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.420195.074542Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet28.428195.01963Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet28.498194.540729Jeff Green (R)Diamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet28.515194.424827Kenny Irwin Jr.David Blair MotorsportsFord28.519194.39796Mark MartinRoush RacingFord28.566194.0771094Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord28.613193.7581110Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord28.628193.6571230Johnny Benson Jr.Bahari RacingPontiac28.646193.5351333Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet28.666193.4001436Derrike CopeMB2 MotorsportsPontiac28.692193.2251541Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.698193.1841675Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord28.709193.1101778Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFord28.724193.0091811Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord28.729192.9761981Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord28.737192.9222044Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac28.748192.8482118Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac28.776192.6612290Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord28.779192.6402328Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord28.792192.5532497Chad LittleRoush RacingPontiac28.801192.4932514Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet28.825192.3332691Kevin LepageLJ RacingChevrolet28.858192.113274Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet28.861192.0932831Mike Skinner (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet28.868192.047299Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord28.895191.8673046Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet28.903191.8143198John AndrettiCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord28.913191.7483200Buckshot JonesBuckshot RacingPontiac28.989191.245332Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord28.995191.2053416Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord29.018191.0543521Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord29.029190.981361Morgan ShepherdPrecision Products RacingPontiac29.043190.8893724Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.076190.6733837Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord29.086190.607Provisionals3999Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord -* -*4043Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac -* -*4125Ricky CravenHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*4223Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord -* -*Champion's Provisionals4317Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*Failed to qualify4435Todd BodineISM RacingPontiac -* -*4577Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord -* -*4696David Green (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet -* -*478Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord -* -*4840Greg SacksTeam SABCOChevrolet -* -*4995Ed BerrierSadler Brothers RacingChevrolet -* -*5071Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet -* -*Official qualifying results *Time not available. Race results FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings12118Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac325168running185$158,6002388Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord3255running175$79,600396Mark MartinRoush RacingFord32552running170$60,3004729Jeff Green (R)Diamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet3250running160$43,47551436Derrike CopeMB2 MotorsportsPontiac3252running160$38,10062044Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac3245running155$34,07574043Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac3240running146$43,0308542Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet32441running147$35,9509222Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac32313running143$39,425101230Johnny Benson Jr.Bahari RacingPontiac3230running134$38,95011274Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet3230running130$41,975122328Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord3234running132$41,050133521Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord3220running124$38,425142290Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord3220running121$28,975152514Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet3220running118$25,6501663Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet32224running120$43,075173724Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3220running112$41,155182497Chad LittleRoush RacingPontiac3217running114$27,440193837Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord3210running106$27,100201333Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet3210running103$33,6852145Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3210running100$44,470223198John AndrettiCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord3200running97$33,055232831Mike Skinner (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet3200running94$25,740244223Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord3200running91$32,42525827Kenny Irwin Jr.David Blair MotorsportsFord3200running88$21,91026299Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord3170running85$24,99527361Morgan ShepherdPrecision Products RacingPontiac3170running82$31,780281541Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet3170running79$31,565292691Kevin LepageLJ RacingChevrolet3170running76$21,505301981Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord3170running73$31,430313416Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord3150running70$30,86532332Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord3140running67$38,3003317Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord3144running69$43,735343999Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord3130running61$36,170351675Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord3020running58$28,105361094Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord2740clutch55$28,040371110Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord2420handling52$36,030383046Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet2310running49$20,875394125Ricky CravenHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1730handling46$27,875404317Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet1140ignition43$27,875411811Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord570handling40$29,375421778Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFord500crash37$20,875433200Buckshot JonesBuckshot RacingPontiac380crash34$20,875Failed to qualify4435Todd BodineISM RacingPontiac4577Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord4696David Green (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet478Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord4840Greg SacksTeam SABCOChevrolet4995Ed BerrierSadler Brothers RacingChevrolet5071Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletOfficial race results References 1997 Dura Lube 500 1998 Daytona 500 NASCAR Winston Cup Series 1997 Category:1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at Atlanta Motor Speedway Category:November 1997 sports events in the United States Category:1997 in sports in Georgia (U.S. state)