1998 DieHard 500

Ninth race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series February 2025 NASWINSTON 4.28 The 1998 DieHard 500 program cover, featuring Mark Martin. 48.925 Joe Gibbs Racing Bobby Labonte Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons Motor Racing Network ABC Hendrick Motorsports 18 88 Terry Labonte Bobby Labonte 142.428 mph km/h Lincoln, Alabama, Talladega Superspeedway Joe Gibbs Racing 804.8 188 33 9 DieHard 500 2.66 April 26 1998 500.08 29th Annual DieHard 500 1998 DieHard 500.jpg The 1998 DieHard 500 was the ninth stock car race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 29th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, April 26, 1998, in Lincoln, Alabama at Talladega Superspeedway, a 2.66 miles (4.28 km) permanent triangle-shaped superspeedway. The race took the scheduled 188 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte would make a pass on Terry Labonte with two to go and fend off the field to take his seventh career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second and final victory of the season.Poole David April 26, 1998 Bobby Labonte gets push past Terry http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0426/0427500lede.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20000818005610/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0426/0427500lede.htm August 18, 2000 September 4, 2022 That's Racin' The Charlotte Observer To fill out the podium, Travis Carter Enterprises driver Jimmy Spencer and Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett would finish second and third, respectively. Background thumb|The layout of Talladega Superspeedway, the venue where the race was held. Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. The track is a tri-oval and was constructed in the 1960s by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line that's located just past the exit to pit road. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which also is a 2.5-mile-long (4 km) tri-oval. Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. #DriverTeamMake1Darrell WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet2Rusty WallacePenske-Kranefuss RacingFord3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4Bobby HamiltonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet6Mark MartinRoush RacingFord7Geoff BodineMattei MotorsportsFord07Dan PardusMidwest Transit RacingChevrolet8Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingChevrolet9Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord10Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord11Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord12Jeremy MayfieldPenske-Kranefuss RacingFord13Jerry Nadeau (R)Elliott-Marino RacingFord16Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord18Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac21Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord22Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac23Jimmy SpencerHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26Johnny Benson Jr.Roush RacingFord28Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)Robert Yates RacingFord29Jeff GreenDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet30Derrike CopeBahari RacingPontiac31Morgan ShepherdRichard Childress RacingChevrolet33Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet35Todd BodineISM RacingPontiac36Ernie IrvanMB2 MotorsportsPontiac40Sterling MarlinTeam SABCOChevrolet41Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet42Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet43John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesPontiac44Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac46Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet47Billy StandridgeStandridge MotorsportsFord50Randy LaJoieHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet60Matt KensethRoush RacingFord71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet75Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord77Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord78Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFord81Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord85Bob StraitMansion MotorsportsChevrolet88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord89Dennis SetzerElliott-Marino RacingFord90Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord91Kevin Lepage (R)LJ RacingChevrolet94Bill ElliottElliott-Marino RacingFord96David GreenAmerican Equipment RacingChevrolet97Chad LittleRoush RacingFord98Greg SacksCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord Practice First practice The first practice session was held on the afternoon of Friday, April 24. Bobby Labonte, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 49.136 and an average speed of 194.888 mph km/h.April 24, 1998 Friday Winston Cup practice speeds http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0426/0425practice.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20011008041019/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0426/0425practice.htm October 8, 2001 September 4, 2022 That's Racin' Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed118Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac49.136194.88825Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49.189194.67833Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet49.308194.208Full first practice results Second practice The second practice session was held on the morning of Saturday, April 25. Derrike Cope, driving for Bahari Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 49.156 and an average speed of 194.808 mph km/h.April 25, 1998 Saturday Winston Cup practice speeds http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0426/0426practice1.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20011215142908/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0426/0426practice1.htm December 15, 2001 September 5, 2022 That's Racin' Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed130Derrike CopeBahari RacingPontiac49.156194.808244Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac49.243194.464313Jerry Nadeau (R)Elliott-Marino RacingFord49.246194.452Full second practice results Final practice The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on the afternoon of Saturday, April 25. Kenny Irwin Jr., driving for Robert Yates Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 49.048 and an average speed of 195.237 mph km/h.April 25, 1998 Happy Hour practice speeds http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0426/0426happy.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20000818005806/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0426/0426happy.htm August 18, 2000 September 5, 2022 That's Racin' Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed128Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)Robert Yates RacingFord49.048195.237224Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49.089195.07435Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49.112194.983Full Happy Hour practice results Qualifying Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, April 24, at 3:00 PM CST. 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, April 24, at 5:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.April 24, 1998 Diehard 500 83 Tampa Bay Times https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108924045/diehard-500/ September 4, 2022 Newspapers.com On January 24, 1998, NASCAR would announce that the amount of provisionals given would be increased from last season. Positions 26-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh 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.January 24, 1998 Additional Provisionals announced https://us.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/additional-provisionals-announced/1697038/ August 31, 2022 Motorsport.com en Bobby Labonte, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 48.925 and an average speed of 195.728 mph km/h.Poole David April 24, 1998 Bobby Labonte waits his turn, cashes in http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0426/0425quallede.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20010501163709/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0426/0425quallede.htm May 1, 2001 September 4, 2022 That's Racin' The Charlotte Observer Nine drivers would fail to qualify: Todd Bodine, Jeff Green, Hut Stricklin, Matt Kenseth, Rich Bickle, Dan Pardus, Gary Bradberry, Geoff Bodine, and Bob Strait. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed118Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac48.925195.72823Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet49.059195.19435Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49.246194.452433Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet49.259194.401531Morgan ShepherdRichard Childress RacingChevrolet49.330194.121624Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49.404193.830730Derrike CopeBahari RacingPontiac49.430193.72989Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord49.457193.623988Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord49.492193.4861050Randy LaJoieHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49.590193.1031142Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet49.614193.0101213Jerry Nadeau (R)Elliott-Marino RacingFord49.622192.9791310Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord49.641192.9051440Sterling MarlinTeam SABCOChevrolet49.688192.7231543John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesPontiac49.767192.4171690Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord49.773192.3931794Bill ElliottElliott-Marino RacingFord49.781192.3631899Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord49.815192.2311936Ernie IrvanMB2 MotorsportsPontiac49.819192.2162022Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac49.929191.7922146Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet49.946191.7272223Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord49.951191.708232Rusty WallacePenske-Kranefuss RacingFord49.960191.673241Darrell WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet49.978191.6042528Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)Robert Yates RacingFord49.985191.5772689Dennis SetzerElliott-Marino RacingFord49.789192.3322796David GreenAmerican Equipment RacingChevrolet49.811192.2472871Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet49.915191.8462991Kevin Lepage (R)LJ RacingChevrolet49.942191.742304Bobby HamiltonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet49.990191.5583147Billy StandridgeStandridge MotorsportsFord50.025191.4243244Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac50.032191.3983321Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord50.051191.3253497Chad LittleRoush RacingFord50.079191.2183581Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord50.091191.1723675Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord50.098191.145Provisionals3712Jeremy MayfieldPenske-Kranefuss RacingFord -* -*386Mark MartinRoush RacingFord -* -*3926Johnny Benson Jr.Roush RacingFord -* -*4016Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord -* -*4111Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord -* -*4241Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*4377Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord -* -*Failed to qualify4435Todd BodineISM RacingPontiac50.222190.6734529Jeff GreenDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet50.237190.616468Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingChevrolet50.260190.5294760Matt KensethRoush RacingFord50.278190.4614898Rich BickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord50.340190.2264907Dan PardusMidwest Transit RacingChevrolet50.352190.1815078Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFord50.549189.440517Geoff BodineMattei MotorsportsFord50.655189.0445285Bob StraitMansion MotorsportsChevrolet - -Official qualifying results Race results Fin1998 DieHard 500 - The Third Turn https://www.thethirdturn.com/wiki/1998_DieHard_500 September 4, 2022 The Third Turn enSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings1118Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac18860running180$141,87022223Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord1880running170$97,9203988Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord1888running170$82,370435Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet18888running170$85,5205624Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1883running160$74,49061936Ernie IrvanMB2 MotorsportsPontiac1880running150$52,08073581Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord1880running146$45,83082022Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac1880running142$46,63091440Sterling MarlinTeam SABCOChevrolet18813running143$37,230101050Randy LaJoieHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1880running134$48,580114111Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord1881running135$44,67512232Rusty WallacePenske-Kranefuss RacingFord1880running127$44,295133712Jeremy MayfieldPenske-Kranefuss RacingFord1880running124$39,615142991Kevin Lepage (R)LJ RacingChevrolet1870running121$30,78515241Darrell WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet1870running118$28,555164241Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet1870running115$39,065172796David GreenAmerican Equipment RacingChevrolet1870running112$30,400183675Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord1860running109$29,710192689Dennis SetzerElliott-Marino RacingFord1860running106$26,620201690Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord1850running103$37,810213321Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord1843running105$36,57022730Derrike CopeBahari RacingPontiac1820running97$35,30023386Mark MartinRoush RacingFord1800running94$41,990241310Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord1790running91$40,9852589Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord1780running88$34,580262146Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet1760running85$27,300272871Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet1760running82$24,045283147Billy StandridgeStandridge MotorsportsFord1720running79$23,89029433Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet1570crash76$33,83530304Bobby HamiltonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet1530handling73$38,580314377Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord1520running70$33,725321142Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet1500crash67$32,770331543John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesPontiac1500crash64$38,140343497Chad LittleRoush RacingFord1450crash61$23,21035531Morgan ShepherdRichard Childress RacingChevrolet1450crash58$22,9553623Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet14410crash60$38,250371213Jerry Nadeau (R)Elliott-Marino RacingFord1440crash52$22,586383244Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac1420crash49$29,350391794Bill ElliottElliott-Marino RacingFord1412crash51$31,850402528Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)Robert Yates RacingFord1280engine43$37,250413926Johnny Benson Jr.Roush RacingFord1270engine40$29,050424016Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord1100engine37$28,950431899Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord510engine34$38,450Official race results Media Television The race was moved from ESPN as it would air the fall race at Talladega. It aired live on ABC in the United States. Bob Jenkins and 1973 Cup Series champion Benny Parsons called the race from the broadcast booth. Jerry Punch, Bill Weber and Jack Arute handled pit road for the television side. ABC Booth announcers Pit reporters Lap-by-lap Color-commentators Bob Jenkins Benny Parsons Jerry Punch Bill Weber Jack Arute References 1998 California 500 1998 Goody's Headache Powder 500 (Martinsville) 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at Talladega Superspeedway Category:April 1998 sports events in the United States Category:1998 in sports in Alabama