1997 Dura Lube 500

31st race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series February 2025 NASWINSTON November 2 The 1997 Dura Lube 500 program cover. Andy Petree Racing Robert Yates Racing Dale Jarrett Penske Racing South Rusty Wallace 117 Bobby Hamilton TNN Eli Gold, Buddy Baker, Dick Berggren 88 Motor Racing Network 110.824 mph km/h 32 Avondale, Arizona, Phoenix International Raceway 31 502.115 312 1.6 1 10th Annual Dura Lube 500 Dura Lube 500 1997 27.360 312 1997 Dura Lube 500.jpeg The 1997 Dura Lube 500 was the 31st and penultimate stock car race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 10th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, November 2, Avondale, Arizona at Phoenix International Raceway, a 1-mile (1.6 km) permanent low-banked tri-oval race track. The race took the scheduled 312 laps to complete. At race's end, Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett, despite being one lap down earlier in the race, would manage to dominate the late stages of the race to take his 15th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his seventh and final victory of the season.Poole David November 2, 1997 Jarrett battles for points position http://www.thatsracin.com/97/docs/1102.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20010303095348/http://www.thatsracin.com/97/docs/1102.htm March 3, 2001 October 6, 2022 That's Racin' The Charlotte ObserverHarris Mike November 3, 1997 Jarrett wins Dura-Lube, chases Winston 20 The Daily Journal https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110808675/jarrett-wins-dura-lube-chases-winston/ October 6, 2022 Newspapers.com To fill out the top three, Penske Racing South driver Rusty Wallace and Petty Enterprises driver Bobby Hamilton would finish second and third, respectively. Going into the final race of the season, the 1997 NAPA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a tight battle between the three mathematical eligible drivers for the championship, Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett, and Mark Martin was set. Gordon had 4,598 points, 77 points ahead of Jarrett and 87 points ahead of Martin. If Gordon was able to finish 18th or higher in the race, Gordon would automatically win the championship.November 3, 1997 Jarrett charge at Dura-Lube closes gap in points race 59 Tampa Bay Times https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110808921/jarrett-charge-at-dura-lube-closes-gap/ October 6, 2022 Newspapers.com Background thumb|The layout of Phoenix International Raceway, the venue where the race was held. Phoenix International Raceway – also known as PIR – is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It is named after the nearby metropolitan area of Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the IndyCar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The raceway is currently owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation. The raceway was originally constructed with a 2.5 mi (4.0 km) road course that ran both inside and outside of the main tri-oval. In 1991 the track was reconfigured with the current 1.51 mi (2.43 km) interior layout. PIR has an estimated grandstand seating capacity of around 67,000. Lights were installed around the track in 2004 following the addition of a second annual NASCAR race weekend. Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. #DriverTeamMake1Morgan ShepherdPrecision 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 MotorsportsChevrolet27Kenny Irwin Jr.David Blair MotorsportsFord28Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord29Jeff Green (R)Diamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet30Johnny Benson Jr.Bahari RacingPontiac31Mike Skinner (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet33Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet36Derrike CopeMB2 MotorsportsPontiac37Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord40Greg SacksTeam SABCOChevrolet41Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet42Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet43Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac44Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac46Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet52Jack SpragueHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet75Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord77Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord78Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFord81Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord90Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord94Bill 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, October 31, at 3:30 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, November 1, at 1:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.October 31, 1997 Dura-Lube 500 32 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110808237/dura-lube-500/ October 6, 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. Bobby Hamilton, driving for Petty Enterprises, would win the pole, setting a time of 27.360 and an average speed of 131.579 mph km/h.Harris Mike November 1, 1997 Hamilton wins Phoenix pole 42 The Stuart News https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110808396/hamilton-wins-phoenix-pole/ October 6, 2022 Newspapers.com In an obscure ruling, Hendrick Motorsports driver Ricky Craven would earn the 43rd spot based on an owner's points provisional, a spot which at the time was usually reserved to a driver who is a past champion who had not otherwise qualified into the field. At the time, if a champion did not need the spot, the field was only limited to 42 cars. Despite Craven using up all of his seven owner's provisionals within the 1997 season, he had placed the car within the top 38 within the owner's points, thus qualifying himself on an owner's points provisional.November 2, 1997 Craven added to field 36 The Courier-Journal https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110808102/craven-added-to-field/ October 6, 2022 Newspapers.com Four drivers would fail to qualify: Wally Dallenbach Jr., Jack Sprague, Morgan Shepherd, and Gary Bradberry. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed143Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac27.360131.579223Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord27.495130.93332Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord27.566130.596418Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac27.633130.279575Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord27.647130.213633Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet27.651130.19473Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet27.661130.147830Johnny Benson Jr.Bahari RacingPontiac27.684130.039988Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord27.688130.020109Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord27.690130.0111127Kenny Irwin Jr.David Blair MotorsportsFord27.705129.9401224Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet27.714129.8981390Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord27.716129.889146Mark MartinRoush RacingFord27.755129.7061511Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord27.757129.6971636Derrike CopeMB2 MotorsportsPontiac27.765129.660177Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord27.767129.6501842Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet27.785129.5661917Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet27.789129.5482041Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet27.790129.5432181Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord27.790129.5432237Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord27.799129.5012316Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord27.802129.4872477Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord27.820129.4032528Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord27.821129.399264Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet27.833129.3432722Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac27.835129.3342840Greg SacksTeam SABCOChevrolet27.865129.194295Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet27.868129.1803021Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord27.870129.1713114Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet27.888129.0883231Mike Skinner (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet27.889129.083338Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord27.900129.0323444Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac27.916128.9583598John AndrettiCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord27.917128.9543694Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord27.959128.7603799Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord27.980128.6633871Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet27.998128.581Provisionals3910Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord -* -*4029Jeff Green (R)Diamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*4196David Green (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet -* -*4297Chad LittleRoush RacingPontiac -* -*Owner's Points Provisional4325Ricky CravenHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*Failed to qualify4446Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet -* -*4552Jack SpragueHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*461Morgan ShepherdPrecision Products RacingPontiac -* -*4778Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFord -* -*Official qualifying results Race results FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings1988Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord31273running180$99,830232Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord312117running180$63,3553143Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac31291running170$47,2254633Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet3120running160$38,588573Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3121running160$39,3006146Mark MartinRoush RacingFord3120running150$33,2657830Johnny Benson Jr.Bahari RacingPontiac3123running151$29,01582041Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet3110running142$27,50593444Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac3110running138$19,90510177Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord3112running139$29,90511295Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3110running130$36,105121917Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet3110running127$25,205133799Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord3117running129$30,70514223Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord3113running126$24,605153694Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord3110running118$25,330161636Derrike CopeMB2 MotorsportsPontiac3110running115$16,580171224Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3100running112$29,880182528Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord3100running109$27,555192237Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord3100running106$16,155201127Kenny Irwin Jr.David Blair MotorsportsFord3100running103$12,170212840Greg SacksTeam SABCOChevrolet3100running100$15,745222316Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord3100running97$22,62023418Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac3100running94$27,095241842Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet3100running91$15,445254297Chad LittleRoush RacingPontiac3100running88$15,320263021Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord3100running85$22,19527264Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet31015running87$27,970283231Mike Skinner (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet3090running79$16,045294196David Green (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet3090running76$14,92030338Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord3090running73$21,89531575Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord3090running70$21,370324029Jeff Green (R)Diamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet3090running67$11,595331511Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord3090running64$18,570343871Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet3090running61$11,545352181Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord3080running58$18,520363910Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord3080running55$26,49537109Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord3070running52$11,450382477Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord3020running49$11,390393598John AndrettiCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord2990running46$18,390401390Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord2940ignition43$11,390413114Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet2400engine40$11,390422722Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac1280crash37$18,390434325Ricky CravenHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet390crash34$18,390Failed to qualify4446Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet4552Jack SpragueHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet461Morgan ShepherdPrecision Products RacingPontiac4778Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFordOfficial race results References 1997 AC Delco 400 1997 NAPA 500 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at Phoenix Raceway Category:November 1997 sports events in the United States Category:1997 in sports in Arizona