1998 Pontiac Excitement 400

13th race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series February 2025 NASWINSTON 13 300 1998 21.504 Pontiac Excitement 400 0.75 482.803 1.21 400 44th Annual Pontiac Excitement 400 Richmond, Virginia, Richmond International Raceway 97.044 mph km/h 33 June 6 5 Motor Racing Network ESPN Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, Ned Jarrett 108 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Dale Jarrett Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Robert Yates Racing The 1998 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover, with artwork by Sam Bass. 1998 Pontiac Excitement 400.jpg 103,000 The 1998 Pontiac Excitement 400 was the 13th stock car race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 44th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, June 6, 1998, 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. With two laps to go, Hendrick Motorsports driver Terry Labonte would make a final pass in a battle with Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett. On the fourth turn of the penultimate lap, the caution would come out for Johnny Benson Jr. Labonte was able to defend Jarrett and complete the penultimate lap to take his 20th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.Poole David June 6, 1998 Terry Labonte earns first '98 victory in wild finish at Richmond http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/0607400lede.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20000818002234/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/0607400lede.htm August 18, 2000 September 6, 2022 That's Racin' The Charlotte ObserverKurz Jr. Hank June 7, 1998 Terry Labonte wins crash-filled Richmond https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109035399/terry-labonte-wins-crash-filled-richmond/ September 6, 2022 The South Bend Tribune 12 Newspapers.com To fill out the podium, Jarrett and Penske-Kranefuss Racing driver Rusty Wallace would finish second and third, respectively. The event was overshadowed when Rusty Wallace completely took out Jeff Gordon in turn 2 with 29 laps to go. Gordon in his interview when asked what happened, he replied "well, that's pretty obvious you tell me you know. You got on video. I think it's pretty simple you know I uh- I had the position on him. He just drove into the left rear. I don't know what happened."A wild finish to Pontiac 400 https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/sports/1998/06/08/a-wild-finish-to-pontiac/50570213007/ https://web.archive.org/web/20230321212421/https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/sports/1998/06/08/a-wild-finish-to-pontiac/50570213007/ 2023-03-21 2026-07-02 New Bedford Standard-Times en-US Background thumb|The layout of Richmond International Raceway, the venue where the race was at. Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a 3/4 mi km on, D-shaped, asphalt racetrack located just outside Richmond, Virginia, in Henrico County. It is known as "America's premier short track." 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 MotorsportsFord8Buckshot JonesStavola 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 RacingFord30Derrike CopeBahari RacingPontiac31Mike SkinnerRichard Childress RacingChevrolet33Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet35Todd BodineISM RacingPontiac36Ernie IrvanMB2 MotorsportsPontiac40Sterling MarlinTeam SABCOChevrolet41Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet42Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet43John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesPontiac44Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac46Jeff GreenTeam SABCOChevrolet50Randy LaJoieHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet75Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord77Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord81Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord90Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord91Kevin Lepage (R)LJ RacingChevrolet94Bill ElliottElliott-Marino RacingFord96David Green*American Equipment RacingChevrolet97Chad LittleRoush RacingFord98Rich BickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord *Replaced by Kevin Lepage for Green to recover from a bruised shoulder.Poole David Utter Jim June 6, 1998 Lepage finds ride, will race with pain http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/0607notes.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20000818002312/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/0607notes.htm August 18, 2000 September 6, 2022 That's Racin' The Charlotte Observer Practice First practice The first practice session was held on the early afternoon of Friday, June 5. Ken Schrader, driving for Andy Petree Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 21.630 and an average speed of 124.827 mph km/h on.June 5, 1998 Winston Cup practice speeds http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/0606practice1.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20000818002400/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/0606practice1.htm August 18, 2000 September 6, 2022 That's Racin' Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed133Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet21.630124.827224Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.658124.665343John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesPontiac21.670124.596Full first practice results Second practice The second practice session was held on late afternoon of Friday, June 5. Kenny Irwin Jr., driving for Robert Yates Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 21.651 and an average speed of 124.706 mph km/h on.June 5, 1998 Winston Cup practice, second session http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/0606practice2.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20000818002405/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/0606practice2.htm August 18, 2000 September 6, 2022 That's Racin' Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed128Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)Robert Yates RacingFord21.651124.706246Jeff GreenTeam SABCOChevrolet21.672124.585342Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet21.676124.562Full second practice results Final practice The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on the evening of Friday, June 5. Ricky Rudd, driving for Rudd Performance Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 22.080 and an average speed of 122.283 mph km/h on.June 5, 1998 Happy Hour practice speeds http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/0606happy.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20000818002426/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/0606happy.htm August 18, 2000 September 6, 2022 That's Racin' Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed110Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord22.080122.283242Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet22.130122.00635Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet22.200121.622Full Happy Hour practice results Qualifying Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, June 5, at 6:00 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, June 6, at 2:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. Your Guide To The Pontiac Excitement 400 http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20000815213132/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/ August 15, 2000 September 6, 2022 That's Racin' 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 Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 21.504 and an average speed of 125.558 mph km/h.Poole David June 5, 1998 Gordon on pole again http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/0606raceadv.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20000818002343/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0607/0606raceadv.htm August 18, 2000 September 6, 2022 That's Racin' The Charlotte Observer Two drivers would fail to qualify: Kevin Lepage and Buckshot Jones. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed124Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.504125.558298Rich BickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord21.548125.302340Sterling MarlinTeam SABCOChevrolet21.604124.977488Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord21.647124.729581Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord21.708124.378646Jeff GreenTeam SABCOChevrolet21.733124.235733Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet21.738124.206826Johnny Benson Jr.Roush RacingFord21.746124.161997Chad LittleRoush RacingFord21.748124.1491016Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord21.758124.0921128Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)Robert Yates RacingFord21.765124.052129Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord21.778123.9781399Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord21.783123.9501418Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac21.811123.7911512Jeremy MayfieldPenske-Kranefuss RacingFord21.815123.768165Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.818123.7511777Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord21.823123.7231842Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet21.823123.723196Mark MartinRoush RacingFord21.839123.6322090Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord21.868123.4682194Bill ElliottElliott-Marino RacingFord21.878123.412222Rusty WallacePenske-Kranefuss RacingFord21.879123.4062336Ernie IrvanMB2 MotorsportsPontiac21.887123.3612422Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac21.887123.3612511Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord21.889123.3502610Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord21.892123.3332744Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac21.895123.3162850Randy LaJoieHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.919123.1812943John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesPontiac21.927123.1363096David GreenAmerican Equipment RacingChevrolet21.936123.0853135Todd BodineISM RacingPontiac21.938123.0743241Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.944123.0403321Michael WaltripMattei MotorsportsFord21.945123.0353431Mike SkinnerRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.959122.9563571Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet21.965122.9233613Jerry Nadeau (R)Elliott-Marino RacingFord21.967122.912Provisionals3723Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord -* -*383Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet -* -*394Bobby HamiltonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*4075Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord -* -*417Geoff BodineMattei MotorsportsFord -* -*421Darrell WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet -* -*4330Derrike CopeBahari RacingPontiac -* -*Failed to qualify4491Kevin Lepage (R)LJ RacingChevrolet22.116122.084458Buckshot JonesStavola Brothers RacingChevrolet22.756118.650Official qualifying results *Time not available. Race results Fin1998 MBNA Platinum 400 - The Third Turn https://www.thethirdturn.com/wiki/1998_MBNA_Platinum_400 September 5, 2022 The Third Turn enSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings1165Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet40096running180$99,9752488Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord400108running180$75,6253222Rusty WallacePenske-Kranefuss RacingFord40027running170$56,8754733Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet4000running160$62,0755196Mark MartinRoush RacingFord40073running160$65,02561512Jeremy MayfieldPenske-Kranefuss RacingFord4000running150$39,07571399Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord4000running146$42,15081418Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac4000running142$43,75091128Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)Robert Yates RacingFord4000running138$41,85010340Sterling MarlinTeam SABCOChevrolet40081running139$31,300112610Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord4000running130$41,900121842Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet4000running127$32,75013997Chad LittleRoush RacingFord4000running124$26,175143723Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord3990running121$35,675151016Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord3990running118$33,73516394Bobby HamiltonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet3990running115$35,500172090Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord3990running112$30,80018826Johnny Benson Jr.Roush RacingFord39912running114$30,450192422Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac3990running106$30,225202511Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord3980running103$32,15021383Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3980running100$34,250222943John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesPontiac3980running97$34,12523581Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord3980running94$22,950242744Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac3980running91$29,225252194Bill ElliottElliott-Marino RacingFord3980running88$29,07526129Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord3970running85$22,45027298Rich BickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord3970running82$25,42528417Geoff BodineMattei MotorsportsFord3970running79$28,600292336Ernie IrvanMB2 MotorsportsPontiac3970running76$28,375303431Mike SkinnerRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3960running73$21,645312850Randy LaJoieHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3960running70$27,97532421Darrell WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet3950running67$20,925333096Kevin Lepage (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet3900crash64$20,385344330Derrike CopeBahari RacingPontiac3900handling61$24,850353135Todd BodineISM RacingPontiac3790running58$17,825363571Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet3740running55$17,80037124Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3722crash57$44,975383613Jerry Nadeau (R)Elliott-Marino RacingFord3610handling49$17,750393241Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet3480running46$24,725403321Michael WaltripMattei MotorsportsFord3401crash48$24,700411777Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord2600running40$17,67542646Jeff GreenTeam SABCOChevrolet1830crash37$17,650434075Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord1130engine34$17,650Official race results References 1998 MBNA Platinum 400 1998 Miller Lite 400 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at Richmond Raceway Category:June 1998 sports events in the United States Category:1998 in sports in Virginia