1997 CMT 300

25th race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series February 2025 NASWINSTON TNN Eli Gold, Dick Berggren, Buddy Baker 100.364 mph km/h Hendrick Motorsports Hendrick Motorsports Andy Petree Racing Ken Schrader Jeff Gordon Jeff Gordon 137 24 1.703 300 Loudon, New Hampshire, New Hampshire International Speedway 32 25 September 14 1.058 510.805 CMT 300 29.484 1997 317.4 Motor Racing Network 1997 CMT 300 program cover.png The 1997 CMT 300 program cover. The 1997 CMT 300 was the 25th stock car race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the inaugural iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 14, 1997, in Loudon, New Hampshire, at New Hampshire International Speedway, a 1.058 mi km on permanent, oval-shaped, low-banked racetrack. The race took the scheduled 300 laps to complete. At race's end, a fuel-only call by Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon late in the race would manage to help him propel to his 29th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his 10th and final victory of the season.Poole David September 14, 1997 Splash of gas gets Gordon 10th victory http://www.thatsracin.com/97/docs/0914.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20001118053700/http://www.thatsracin.com/97/docs/0914.htm November 18, 2000 October 3, 2022 That's Racin' The Charlotte ObserverSeptember 15, 1997 Gordon wins 10th of season 15 St. Cloud Times https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110612709/gordon-wins-10th-of-season/ October 3, 2022 Newspapers.com To fill out the top three, Robert Yates Racing driver Ernie Irvan and Petty Enterprises driver Bobby Hamilton would finish second and third, respectively. Background thumb|The layout of New Hampshire International Speedway, the venue where the race was held. New Hampshire International Speedway is a 1.058-mile (1.703 km) oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic. Nicknamed "The Magic Mile", the speedway is often converted into a 1.6-mile (2.6 km) road course, which includes much of the oval. The track was originally the site of Bryar Motorsports Park before being purchased and redeveloped by Bob Bahre. The track is currently one of eight major NASCAR tracks owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports. Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. #DriverTeamMake1Lance HooperPrecision 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 MotorsportsChevrolet28Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord29Jeff Green (R)Diamond 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 NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet43Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac44Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac46Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet75Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord77Morgan ShepherdJasper MotorsportsFord78Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFord81Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord90Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord91Kevin LepageLJ RacingChevrolet94Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord96David Green (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet97Chad LittleRoush RacingPontiac98John AndrettiCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord Qualifying Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, September 12, at 4:00 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, September 13, at 11:00 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.September 12, 1997 CMT 300 22 Concord Monitor https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110612923/cmt-300/ October 3, 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. Ken Schrader, driving for Andy Petree Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 29.484 and an average speed of 129.182 mph km/h.Harris Mike September 13, 1997 Qualifying late gives Schrader edge 22 Star-Gazette https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110613063/qualifying-late-gives-schrader-edge/ October 3, 2022 Newspapers.com Three drivers would fail to qualify: Lance Hooper, Steve Park, and Kevin Lepage. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed133Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet29.484129.182243Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac29.672128.363311Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord29.683128.316431Mike Skinner (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet29.827127.696598John AndrettiCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord29.837127.654625Ricky CravenHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.854127.581775Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord29.871127.508846Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet29.898127.39399Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord29.905127.3631094Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord29.921127.2951144Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac29.928127.2651218Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac29.929127.2611324Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.940127.214147Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord29.941127.2101517Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet29.944127.1971623Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord29.947127.185176Mark MartinRoush RacingFord29.969127.0911896David Green (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet29.974127.0701988Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord29.978127.0532030Johnny Benson Jr.Bahari RacingPontiac29.981127.0402116Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord29.984127.0282221Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord29.990127.0022341Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet30.008126.9262436Derrike CopeMB2 MotorsportsPontiac30.019126.880258Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord30.026126.8502640Robby Gordon (R)Team SABCOChevrolet29.852127.5892737Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord29.887127.4402890Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord29.888127.4362942Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet29.961127.125303Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.962127.1213178Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFord30.032126.8253271Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet30.037126.804332Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord30.120126.4543481Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord30.135126.3913522Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac30.151126.3243629Jeff Green (R)Diamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet30.234125.9773710Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord30.248125.9193897Chad LittleRoush RacingPontiac30.290125.744Provisionals3999Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord -* -*4028Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord -* -*414Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*4277Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord -* -*Champion's Provisional435Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*Failed to qualify441Lance HooperPrecision Products RacingPontiac -* -*4514Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet -* -*4691Kevin LepageLJ RacingChevrolet -* -*Official qualifying results *Time not available. Race results FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings11324Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet300137running185$188,62524028Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord3005running175$111,4253243Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac30062running170$84,92542341Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet3000running160$63,2255625Ricky CravenHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet30091running160$62,42561988Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord3000running150$52,12571623Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord3001running151$47,7258303Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3000running142$49,0259176Mark MartinRoush RacingFord3001running143$47,02510258Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord3000running134$47,325111094Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord3000running130$42,125121144Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac3000running127$33,225132942Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet3000running124$33,725143999Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord3000running121$46,025151218Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac3000running118$45,92516147Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord3000running115$38,82517598John AndrettiCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord3000running112$38,0001899Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord3000running109$30,300192030Johnny Benson Jr.Bahari RacingPontiac3000running106$37,00020775Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord3001running108$36,70021332Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord2990crash100$42,975222890Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord2990running97$29,175233522Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac2990running94$25,875242640Robby Gordon (R)Team SABCOChevrolet2990running91$37,575252737Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord2990running88$27,285262436Derrike CopeMB2 MotorsportsPontiac2990running85$27,975273481Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord2980running82$34,750283897Chad LittleRoush RacingPontiac2980running79$27,050293271Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet2980running76$24,350302116Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord2970running73$31,15031846Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet2970running70$23,950321517Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet2970running67$30,75033311Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord2950running64$32,050343178Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFord2950running61$23,35035431Mike Skinner (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet2950running58$23,150362221Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord2920crash55$29,95037133Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet2912running57$36,250383629Jeff Green (R)Diamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet2870running49$22,40039414Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet2820running46$38,400401896David Green (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet2740running43$22,40041435Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2640crash40$44,000423710Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord2330crash37$37,400434277Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord1850crash34$22,400Official race results References 1997 Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400 1997 MBNA 400 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Category:September 1997 sports events in the United States Category:1997 in sports in New Hampshire