1991 Hardee's 500

March 202329th race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series NASWINSTON 137.968 mph km/h Motor Racing Network The 1991 Hardee's 500 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt. 32nd Annual Hardee's 500 Bill Elliott 30.793 Roush Racing Roush Racing Mark Martin Mark Martin 190 6 Melling Racing November 17 Hampton, Georgia, Atlanta Motor Speedway 29 29 ESPN Hardee's 500 1991 328 328 803.41 499.216 803.41 2.449 1.522 499.216 Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons 1991 Hardee's 500.jpeg 125,000 The 1991 Hardee's 500 was the 29th and final stock car race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 32nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, November 17, 1991, before an audience of 125,000 in Hampton, Georgia, at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.522 mi km permanent asphalt quad-oval intermediate speedway. The race took the scheduled 328 laps to complete. At race's end, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would manage to dominate the majority of the race to take his fifth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.Higgins Tom November 18, 1991 Martin finishes tough season a winner (Part 1) 11 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120664431/martin-finishes-tough-season-a-winner/ March 11, 2023 Newspapers.com Higgins Tom November 18, 1991 Martin finishes tough season a winner (Part 2) 16 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120664465/martin-finishes-tough-season-a-winner-p/ March 11, 2023 Newspapers.com Branham H. A. November 18, 1991 Pressure off as Martin wins finale (Part 1) 13 The Tampa Tribune https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120665088/pressure-off-as-martin-wins-finale/ March 11, 2023 Newspapers.com Branham H. A. November 18, 1991 Pressure off as Martin wins finale (Part 2) 17 The Tampa Tribune https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120665286/pressure-off-as-martin-wins-finale/ March 11, 2023 Newspapers.com By starting the race, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would clinch his fifth NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship. With the championship, he was two championships away from tying Richard Petty for the record of the most NASCAR Winston Cup Series championships, with Petty having seven.Pearson Harold November 18, 1991 Earnhardt says third straight title not out of question 27 Richmond Times-Dispatch https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120665640/earnhardt-says-third-straight-title-not/ March 11, 2023 Newspapers.com Background thumb|The layout of Atlanta Motor Speedway, the circuit where the race was held. Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a 1.522-mile race track in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has annually hosted NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car races since its inauguration in 1960. The venue was bought by Speedway Motorsports in 1990. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two intermediate ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval, with a new official length of 1.54 mi km on where before it was 1.522 mi km on. The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit. Entry list (R) - denotes rookie driver. #DriverTeamMake0Delma CowartH. L. Waters RacingFord1Rick 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 MotorsportsBuick13Kerry TeagueLinro MotorsportsBuick15Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFord17Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet19Chad LittleLittle RacingFord21Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFord22Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord24Kenny WallaceTeam III RacingPontiac25Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26Brett BodineKing RacingBuick28Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord30Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac33Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile35Bill VenturiniVenturini MotorsportsChevrolet36H. B. BaileyBailey RacingPontiac41Larry PearsonLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet42Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac43Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac47Greg SacksClose RacingOldsmobile49Stanley Smith (R)BS&S MotorsportsBuick52Mike WallaceJimmy Means RacingPontiac53Bobby Hillin Jr.Team IrelandChevrolet55Ted Musgrave (R)U.S. RacingPontiac59Mark GibsonGibson RacingPontiac66Randy LaJoieCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiac68Bobby Hamilton (R)TriStar MotorsportsOldsmobile71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet75Joe RuttmanRahMoc EnterprisesOldsmobile89Jim SauterMueller Brothers RacingPontiac90Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R)Donlavey RacingFord94Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobile95Eddie BierschwaleSadler Brothers RacingChevrolet98Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet Qualifying Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, November 15, at 2:00 PM EST. 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 Saturday, November 16, at 10:30 AM 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,November 15, 1991 NASCAR today 22 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120666008/nascar-today/ March 11, 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. Bill Elliott, driving for Melling Racing, won the pole, setting a time of 30.793 and an average speed of 177.937 mph km/h on in the first round.Higgins Tom November 16, 1991 Elliott takes Atlanta pole in farewell race with Melling 17 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120666274/elliott-takes-atlanta-pole-in-farewell/ March 11, 2023 Newspapers.com Five drivers would fail to qualify. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed19Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord30.793177.937211Geoff BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord30.984176.84034Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet31.055176.43546Mark MartinRoush RacingFord31.057176.42453Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31.123176.050628Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord31.260175.278730Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac31.270175.22287Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord31.297175.071933Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile31.352174.7641021Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFord31.392174.5411122Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord31.411174.4361242Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac31.435174.3031325Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.473174.0921498Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet31.532173.7661510Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet31.532173.7661668Bobby Hamilton (R)TriStar MotorsportsOldsmobile31.578173.5131794Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobile31.581173.4971812Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsBuick31.588173.4581955Ted Musgrave (R)U.S. RacingPontiac31.600173.3922019Chad LittleLittle RacingFord31.625173.255Failed to lock in Round 12153Bobby Hillin Jr.Team IrelandChevrolet31.442174.2642217Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet31.512173.8772326Brett BodineKing RacingBuick31.539173.728242Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiac31.698172.8562515Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFord31.709172.7962649Stanley Smith (R)BS&S MotorsportsBuick31.715172.7642771Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet31.733172.666281Rick MastPrecision Products RacingOldsmobile31.748172.584295Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.749172.5793043Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac31.786172.3783124Kenny WallaceTeam III RacingPontiac31.790172.356328Rick WilsonStavola Brothers RacingBuick31.812172.2373341Larry PearsonLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.838172.0963466Randy LaJoieCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiac31.948171.5043547Greg SacksClose RacingOldsmobile31.949171.4983652Mike WallaceJimmy Means RacingPontiac32.045170.9853795Eddie BierschwaleSadler Brothers RacingChevrolet32.125170.5593889Jim SauterMueller Brothers RacingPontiac32.142170.4693990Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R)Donlavey RacingFord32.216170.077Failed to qualify4075Joe RuttmanRahMoc EnterprisesChevrolet32.224170.0354135Bill VenturiniVenturini MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*420Delma CowartH. L. Waters RacingFord -* -*4336H. B. BaileyBailey RacingPontiac -* -*4413Kerry TeagueLinro MotorsportsBuick -* -*4559Mark GibsonGibson RacingPontiac -* -*Official first round qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup Race results FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings146Mark MartinRoush RacingFord328190running185$88,950234Ernie IrvanMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet32811running175$39,025319Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord32829running170$36,9504933Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsOldsmobile32810running165$21,250553Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet32839running160$27,82562515Morgan ShepherdBud Moore EngineeringFord3285running155$17,05071122Sterling MarlinJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord3270running146$11,1508211Geoff BodineJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord3273running147$16,850987Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord3260running138$16,000102217Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet3264running139$11,60011295Ricky RuddHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3260running130$12,800122771Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet3260running127$9,675131812Hut StricklinBobby Allison MotorsportsBuick3250running124$9,575143341Larry PearsonLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet3240running121$5,300151794Terry LabonteHagan RacingOldsmobile3240running118$9,750161021Dale JarrettWood Brothers RacingFord3240running115$8,75017628Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord32424running117$16,850181668Bobby Hamilton (R)TriStar MotorsportsOldsmobile3231running114$7,200191242Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac3220running106$11,650204075Joe RuttmanRahMoc EnterprisesChevrolet3220running103$8,800212019Chad LittleLittle RacingFord3200running100$4,425223043Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac3190running97$7,425233124Kenny WallaceTeam III RacingPontiac3190running94$5,225241510Derrike CopeWhitcomb RacingChevrolet3180engine91$12,525252649Stanley Smith (R)BS&S MotorsportsBuick3180running88$4,375263547Greg SacksClose RacingOldsmobile3100engine85$3,975273795Eddie BierschwaleSadler Brothers RacingChevrolet3100running82$3,87528281Rick MastPrecision Products RacingOldsmobile2710valve79$6,775292326Brett BodineKing RacingBuick2690valve76$6,575301955Ted Musgrave (R)U.S. RacingPontiac2572overheating78$4,675313466Randy LaJoieCale Yarborough MotorsportsPontiac2440valve70$6,225322153Bobby Hillin Jr.Team IrelandChevrolet23010block72$6,37533328Rick WilsonStavola Brothers RacingBuick2070valve64$6,07534242Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthPontiac1970accident61$4,025353889Jim SauterMueller Brothers RacingPontiac1950accident58$3,350363990Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R)Donlavey RacingFord1730engine55$3,325371325Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet860accident52$5,945381498Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesChevrolet710head49$5,915393652Mike WallaceJimmy Means RacingPontiac690accident46$3,30040730Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac260accident43$5,275Official race results Standings after the race Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 10px 1 Dale Earnhardt 4,287 10px 1 2 Ricky Rudd 4,092 (-195) 10px 1 3 Davey Allison 4,088 (-199) 10px 4 Harry Gant 3,985 (–302) 10px 5 Ernie Irvan 3,925 (–362) 10px 6 Mark Martin 3,914 (–373) 10px 7 Sterling Marlin 3,839 (–448) 10px 1 8 Darrell Waltrip 3,711 (–576) 10px 1 9 Ken Schrader 3,690 (–597) 10px 10 Rusty Wallace 3,582 (–705)Official driver's standings Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings. References 1991 Pyroil 500 1992 Daytona 500 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at Atlanta Motor Speedway Category:November 1991 sports events in the United States Category:1991 in sports in Georgia (U.S. state)