1991 Mello Yello 500

26th race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series January 2023 NASWINSTON October 6 806.281 806.281 138.984 mph km/h Roush Racing TBS Mark Martin Performance Racing Network Ken Squier, Neil Bonnett Roush Racing Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates 198 29 Concord, North Carolina, Charlotte Motor Speedway 30.595 159,000 501 334 334 2.41 1.5 26 32nd Annual Mello Yello 500 11 Mello Yello 500 1991 501 Mark Martin 1991_Mello_Yello_500.jpeg The 1991 Mello Yello 500 program cover, featuring Kyle Petty. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass. The 1991 Mello Yello 500 was the 26th stock car race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 32nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, October 6, 1991, before an audience of 159,000 in Concord, North Carolina, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) permanent quad-oval. The race took the scheduled 334 laps to complete. Running on fumes, Junior Johnson & Associates driver Geoff Bodine would manage to run the final 76 laps of the race on one tank of fuel to take his 11th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.Higgins Tom October 7, 1991 Gas gamble pays dividend for Bodine (Part 1) 11 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120480890/gas-gamble-pays-dividend-for-bodine/ March 9, 2023 Newspapers.com Higgins Tom October 7, 1991 Gas gamble pays dividend for Bodine (Part 2) 18 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120480909/gas-gamble-pays-dividend-for-bodine-par/ March 9, 2023 Newspapers.com Foreman Jr. Tom October 7, 1991 Geoff Bodine beats Allison 40 The Morning Call https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120481313/geoff-bodine-beats-allison/ March 9, 2023 Newspapers.com To fill out the top three, Robert Yates Racing driver Davey Allison and owner-driver Alan Kulwicki would finish second and third, respectively. With a poor finish from Dale Earnhardt's nearest competitor in the driver's championship standings, Ricky Rudd, Earnhardt was considered the favorite to win the driver's championship, having a 138-point lead over Rudd.Clarke Liz Higgins Tom October 7, 1991 Earnhardt closing in on title? 18 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120481787/earnhardt-closing-in-on-title/ March 9, 2023 Newspapers.com Background thumb|The layout of Charlotte Motor Speedway, the venue where the race was held. Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, as well as the UAW-GM Quality 500. The speedway was built in 1959 by Bruton Smith and is considered the home track for NASCAR with many race teams located in the Charlotte area. The track is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) with Marcus G. Smith (son of Bruton Smith) as track president. Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. #DriverTeamMake1Rick MastPrecision Products RacingOldsmobile2Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiac3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet5Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet6Mark MartinRoush RacingFord7Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord8Rick WilsonStavola Brothers RacingBuick9Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord10Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet11Geoff BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord12Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsBuick13Mike SkinnerMansion MotorsportsChevrolet15Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFord17Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet19Chad LittleLittle RacingFord20Buddy BakerMoroso RacingOldsmobile21Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFord22Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord24Jimmy HensleyTeam III RacingPontiac25Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26Brett BodineKing RacingBuick27Gary BaloughLinro MotorsportsPontiac28Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord30Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac33Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile41Larry PearsonLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet42Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac43Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac47Greg SacksClose RacingOldsmobile49Stanley Smith (R)BS&S MotorsportsBuick51Jeff Purvis (R)Phoenix RacingChevrolet52Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac53Bobby Hillin Jr.Team IrelandChevrolet55Ted Musgrave (R)U.S. RacingPontiac66Dorsey SchroederCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiac68Bobby Hamilton (R)TriStar MotorsportsOldsmobile71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet74Mike PotterWawak RacingPontiac75Joe RuttmanRahMoc EnterprisesOldsmobile87Randy BakerBuck Baker RacingChevrolet89Jim SauterMueller Brothers RacingPontiac90Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R)Donlavey RacingFord94Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobile95Kerry TeagueSadler Brothers RacingOldsmobile98Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet99Brad TeagueBall MotorsportsChevrolet Qualifying Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was originally scheduled to be held on Wednesday, October 2, at 5:00 PM EST, but was delayed to Thursday, October 3, at 8:30 AM EST due to rain.Higgins Tom October 3, 1991 Rain-delayed qualifying resumes today 21 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120481610/rain-delayed-qualifying-resumes-today/ March 9, 2023 Newspapers.com Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 20 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 Thursday, October 3, at 1:30 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-40 would be decided on time,October 2, 1991 Charlotte race week schedule 14 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120481493/charlotte-race-week-schedule/ March 9, 2023 Newspapers.com and depending on who needed it, a select amount of positions were given to cars who had not otherwise qualified but were high enough in owner's points; up to two were given. If needed, a past champion who did not qualify on either time or provisionals could use a champion's provisional, adding one more spot to the field. Mark Martin, driving for Roush Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 30.595 and an average speed of 176.499 mph km/h in the first round.Higgins Tom October 4, 1991 Martin manages a record (Part 1) 15 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120481677/martin-manages-a-record-part-1/ March 9, 2023 Newspapers.com Higgins Tom October 4, 1991 Martin manages a record (Part 2) 17 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120481695/martin-manages-a-record-part-2/ March 9, 2023 Newspapers.com Six drivers would fail to qualify. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed16Mark MartinRoush RacingFord30.595176.499228Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord30.767175.51337Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord30.850175.04144Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet30.887174.831525Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet30.925174.616611Geoff BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord30.981174.300742Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac30.984174.28482Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiac31.024174.05999Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord31.081173.740105Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.135173.4381130Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac31.148173.3661217Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet31.149173.3601322Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord31.201173.0711468Bobby Hamilton (R)TriStar MotorsportsOldsmobile31.222172.955153Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31.224172.9441612Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsBuick31.230172.9111733Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile31.243172.839181Rick MastPrecision Products RacingOldsmobile31.293172.5631926Brett BodineKing RacingBuick31.297172.5402015Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFord31.375172.112Failed to lock in Round 12147Greg SacksClose RacingOldsmobile31.396171.9962221Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFord31.447171.717238Rick WilsonStavola Brothers RacingBuick31.447171.7172494Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobile31.487171.4992524Jimmy HensleyTeam III RacingPontiac31.517171.3362610Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet31.612170.8212719Chad LittleLittle RacingFord31.632170.7132871Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet31.732170.1752952Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac31.781169.9133049Stanley Smith (R)BS&S MotorsportsBuick31.806169.7793155Ted Musgrave (R)U.S. RacingPontiac31.816169.7263275Joe RuttmanRahMoc EnterprisesOldsmobile31.863169.4763398Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet32.037168.5553427Gary BaloughLinro MotorsportsPontiac32.048168.4973553Bobby Hillin Jr.Team IrelandChevrolet32.051168.4813666Dorsey SchroederCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiac32.309167.1363795Kerry TeagueSadler Brothers RacingOldsmobile32.349166.9293899Brad TeagueBall MotorsportsChevrolet32.369166.8263943Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac32.406166.6364013Mike SkinnerMansion MotorsportsChevrolet32.526166.021Provisional4190Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R)Donlavey RacingFord -* -*Failed to qualify4220Buddy BakerMoroso RacingOldsmobile -* -*4351Jeff Purvis (R)Phoenix RacingChevrolet -* -*4474Mike PotterWawak RacingPontiac -* -*4589Jim SauterMueller Brothers RacingPontiac -* -*4687Randy BakerBuck Baker RacingChevrolet -* -*4741Larry PearsonLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet - -Official first round qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup Race results FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings1611Geoff BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord33423running180$92,2002228Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord33457running175$69,350337Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord3330running165$47,25041733Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile3330running160$31,35051322Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord3310running155$25,10062494Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobile3300running150$20,30071130Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac3300running146$17,70081926Brett BodineKing RacingBuick3300running142$16,00091217Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet3290running138$12,500102719Chad LittleLittle RacingFord3290running134$12,3001199Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord3290running130$16,700123943Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac3290running127$11,40013181Rick MastPrecision Products RacingOldsmobile3290running124$10,600143155Ted Musgrave (R)U.S. RacingPontiac3280running121$9,05015742Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac3270running118$13,625163275Joe RuttmanRahMoc EnterprisesOldsmobile3260running115$8,20017238Rick WilsonStavola Brothers RacingBuick3250running112$7,800183553Bobby Hillin Jr.Team IrelandChevrolet3240running109$4,600194190Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R)Donlavey RacingFord3230running106$4,700202524Jimmy HensleyTeam III RacingPontiac3230running103$6,150213899Brad TeagueBall MotorsportsChevrolet3220running100$4,175223049Stanley Smith (R)BS&S MotorsportsBuick3210running97$4,050233398Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet3190ignition94$6,700242952Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac3130ignition91$3,85025153Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30256valve93$22,460262221Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFord3020valve85$6,3802782Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiac2960running82$4,775282015Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFord2920accident79$10,525291468Bobby Hamilton (R)TriStar MotorsportsOldsmobile2830engine76$4,1003044Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet2630accident73$12,875312147Greg SacksClose RacingOldsmobile2520engine70$3,30032105Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2320accident67$10,550332610Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet2250accident64$5,825342871Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet2250accident61$11,5753516Mark MartinRoush RacingFord212198engine68$70,955361612Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsBuick1350piston55$5,740373795Kerry TeagueSadler Brothers RacingOldsmobile1240accident52$3,12538525Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet590piston49$6,615393427Gary BaloughLinro MotorsportsPontiac420camshaft46$3,110404013Mike SkinnerMansion MotorsportsChevrolet120oil line43$3,105413666Dorsey SchroederCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiac20head gasket40$5,105Official race results Standings after the race Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 10px 1 Dale Earnhardt 3,843 10px 2 Ricky Rudd 3,705 (-138) 10px 1 3 Davey Allison 3,606 (-237) 10px 1 4 Harry Gant 3,546 (–297) 10px 2 5 Ernie Irvan 3,525 (–318) 10px 6 Mark Martin 3,448 (–395) 10px 1 7 Sterling Marlin 3,381 (–462) 10px 1 8 Ken Schrader 3,366 (–477) 10px 9 Darrell Waltrip 3,330 (–513) 10px 10 Rusty Wallace 3,236 (–607)Official driver's standings Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings. References 1991 Tyson Holly Farms 400 1991 AC Delco 500 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at Charlotte Motor Speedway Category:October 1991 sports events in the United States Category:1991 in sports in North Carolina