1996 Pontiac Excitement 400

Third race of the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series February 2025 NASWINSTON 3 300 1996 21.822 Pontiac Excitement 400 0.75 482.803 482.803 1.21 400 400 300 42nd Annual Pontiac Excitement 400 Richmond, Virginia, Richmond International Raceway 102.75 mph km/h 31 March 3 24 Motor Racing Network ESPN Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, Ned Jarrett 129 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Bobby Hamilton Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Petty Enterprises The 1996 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover. 1996_Pontiac_Excitement_400.jpeg The 1996 Pontiac Excitement 400 was the third stock car race of the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 42nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 3, 1996, in Richmond, Virginia, at Richmond International Raceway, a 0.75 miles (1.21 km) D-shaped oval. The race took the scheduled 400 laps to complete. On the final restart with five to go, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would manage to pull away from the field to secure his 10th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first of the season.Higgins Tom March 4, 1996 Gordon out of pits, into Victory Lane http://www.thatsracin.com/96/docs/3_4pont.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20000815214014/http://www.thatsracin.com/96/docs/3_4pont.htm August 15, 2000 October 10, 2022 That's Racin' The Charlotte ObserverLuther Bill March 4, 1996 Gordon roars to first win 46 Citizens' Voice https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111047261/gordon-roars-to-first-win/ October 10, 2022 Newspapers.com To fill out the top three, Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett and Roush Racing driver Ted Musgrave would finish second and third, respectively. Background thumb|The layout of Richmond International Raceway, the venue where the race was at. Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series. Known as "America's premier short track", it formerly hosted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, an IndyCar Series race, and two USAC sprint car races. Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. #DriverTeamMake1Rick MastPrecision Products RacingPontiac2Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord02Robbie FaggartMiles MotorsportsChevrolet3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet6Mark MartinRoush RacingFord7Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord8Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord9Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord10Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord11Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord12Derrike CopeBobby Allison MotorsportsFord15Wally Dallenbach Jr.Bud Moore EngineeringFord16Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord17Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet18Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet19Dick TrickleTriStar MotorsportsFord21Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord22Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac23Jimmy SpencerHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet25Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet27Elton SawyerDavid Blair MotorsportsFord28Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord29Steve GrissomDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet30Johnny Benson Jr. (R)Bahari RacingPontiac33Robert PressleyLeo Jackson MotorsportsChevrolet37Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord41Ricky CravenLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet42Kyle PettyTeam SABCOPontiac43Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet75Morgan ShepherdButch Mock MotorsportsFord77Bobby Hillin Jr.Jasper MotorsportsFord78Randy MacDonaldTriad MotorsportsFord81Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord87Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsChevrolet88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord90Mike WallaceDonlavey RacingFord94Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord98Jeremy MayfieldCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord Qualifying Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, March 1, at 10:30 AM 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 2, at 11:30 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 26-36 would be decided on time,March 1, 1996 Pontiac 400 28 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111046010/pontiac-400/ October 10, 2022 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. Terry Labonte, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 21.822 and an average speed of 123.728 mph km/h.Martin Gerald March 2, 1996 Labonte, Gordon 1-2 for pole again 34 The News and Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111046137/labonte-gordon-1-2-for-pole-again/ October 10, 2022 Newspapers.com Three drivers would fail to qualify: Randy MacDonald, Robbie Faggart, and Dick Trickle. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed15Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.822123.728224Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.863123.496343Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac21.923123.158441Ricky CravenLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.931123.11356Mark MartinRoush RacingFord21.940123.063694Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord21.941123.057729Steve GrissomDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet21.954122.984887Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsChevrolet21.957122.96893Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.966122.9171081Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord21.970122.8951188Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord21.971122.8891217Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet21.972122.8841325Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.977122.856142Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord21.981122.8331516Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord22.013122.655164Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet22.023122.5991715Wally Dallenbach Jr.Bud Moore EngineeringFord22.030122.560181Rick MastPrecision Products RacingPontiac22.063122.377197Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord22.112122.1062027Elton SawyerDavid Blair MotorsportsFord22.123122.0452199Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord22.127122.0232275Morgan ShepherdButch Mock MotorsportsFord22.129122.0122333Robert PressleyLeo Jackson MotorsportsChevrolet22.137121.9682411Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord22.161121.8362590Mike WallaceDonlavey RacingFord22.174121.764Failed to lock in Round 12628Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord22.142121.9402712Derrike CopeBobby Allison MotorsportsFord22.181121.7262822Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac22.186121.6982998Jeremy MayfieldCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord22.186121.6983023Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord22.187121.693318Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord22.209121.5723271Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet22.225121.4853330Johnny Benson Jr. (R)Bahari RacingPontiac22.227121.4743410Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord22.229121.4633521Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord22.233121.4413642Kyle PettyTeam SABCOPontiac22.257121.310Provisionals3718Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet -* -*3837John AndrettiKranefuss-Haas RacingFord -* -*399Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord -* -*4077Bobby Hillin Jr.Jasper MotorsportsFord -* -*Failed to qualify4178Randy MacDonaldTriad MotorsportsFord -* -*4202Robbie FaggartMiles MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*4319Dick TrickleTriStar MotorsportsFord -* -*Official first round qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup *Time not available. Race results FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings1224Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet400124running180$92,40021188Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord40023running175$44,22531516Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord4000running165$42,20042199Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord40054running165$22,350556Mark MartinRoush RacingFord4000running155$37,8506343Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac400129running160$37,9007142Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord40026running151$28,375815Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet4003running147$34,47593410Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord4000running138$27,87510694Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord40026running139$27,22511164Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet4000running130$28,675123837John AndrettiKranefuss-Haas RacingFord4000running127$25,675132822Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac4000running124$26,725141325Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3990running121$22,925151081Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord3990running118$12,635162333Robert PressleyLeo Jackson MotorsportsChevrolet3991running120$22,57017441Ricky CravenLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet3990running112$21,87018399Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord3990running109$21,72019181Rick MastPrecision Products RacingPontiac3990running106$21,495203642Kyle PettyTeam SABCOPontiac3990running103$23,17021729Steve GrissomDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet3990running100$22,210222712Derrike CopeBobby Allison MotorsportsFord3980running97$21,085233718Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingChevrolet3980running94$26,515242590Mike WallaceDonlavey RacingFord3970running91$13,890252411Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord3970running88$20,940264077Bobby Hillin Jr.Jasper MotorsportsFord3970running85$13,615271217Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet3960running82$20,490282998Jeremy MayfieldCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord3950running79$13,365293023Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord3941running81$20,340302027Elton SawyerDavid Blair MotorsportsFord3940running73$10,3103193Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3930running70$27,265322275Morgan ShepherdButch Mock MotorsportsFord3920running67$12,74033197Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord39210running69$17,22534887Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsChevrolet3910running61$17,215353271Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet3913running63$10,215363521Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord3860crash55$17,215373330Johnny Benson Jr. (R)Bahari RacingPontiac3860running52$17,215382628Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord3790overheating49$32,71539318Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord2880running46$10,215401715Wally Dallenbach Jr.Bud Moore EngineeringFord190crash43$18,215Failed to qualify4178Randy MacDonaldTriad MotorsportsFord4202Robbie FaggartMiles MotorsportsChevrolet4319Dick TrickleTriStar MotorsportsFordOfficial race results References 1996 Goodwrench Service 400 1996 Purolator 500 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at Richmond Raceway Category:March 1996 sports events in the United States Category:1996 in sports in Virginia