1997 DieHard 500

29th race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series February 2025 NASWINSTON 4.28 The 1997 DieHard 500 program cover, featuring Jeff Gordon. 49.547 Hendrick Motorsports Terry Labonte Mike Joy, Ned Jarrett, Buddy Baker Motor Racing Network CBS Hendrick Motorsports 5 70 Terry Labonte Ernie Irvan 156.601 mph km/h Lincoln, Alabama, Talladega Superspeedway Robert Yates Racing 804.8 188 32 29 DieHard 500 2.66 October 12 1997 500.08 29th Annual DieHard 500 1997_DieHard_500.jpeg The 1997 DieHard 500 was the 29th stock car race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 38th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, October 12, 1997, 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 three laps of the race, with help from brother Bobby Labonte, Hendrick Motorsports driver Terry Labonte would make a late-race charge through the field to take his 19th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.Poole David October 12, 1997 Labonte Bros. win for Terry http://www.thatsracin.com/97/docs/1012.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20001118105500/http://www.thatsracin.com/97/docs/1012.htm November 18, 2000 October 5, 2022 That's Racin' The Charlotte ObserverOctober 13, 1997 Big crash punctuates Terry Labonte's win 32 The Dispatch https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110766575/big-crash-punctuates-terry-labontes-win/ October 5, 2022 Newspapers.com To fill out the top three, the aforementioned Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte and Cale Yarborough Motorsports driver John Andretti would finish second and third, respectively. The drivers who finished in the top five (Terry Labonte, Bobby Labonte, John Andretti, Ken Schrader, and Ernie Irvan) qualified for the new Winston No Bull 5 program for the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. If either of these drivers won the next season's 1998 Daytona 500, they would win a $1 million bonus. The Winston No Bull 5 essentially replaced the Winston Million. Background thumb|The layout of Talladega Superspeedway, the venue where the race was held. Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), 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. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and the Camping World Truck Series. 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. #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 RacingFord16Ted 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 RacingFord40Elliott SadlerTeam SABCOChevrolet41Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet42Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet43Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac44Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac46Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet47Billy StandridgeStandridge MotorsportsFord71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet75Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord77Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord78Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFord81Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord90Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord91Kevin LepageLJ RacingChevrolet94Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord95Ed BerrierSadler Brothers RacingChevrolet96David 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 10, at 3:00 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, October 11, at 10:45 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.October 10, 1997 DieHard 500 17 The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110767127/diehard-500/ October 5, 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. Ernie Irvan, driving for Robert Yates Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 49.547 and an average speed of 193.271 mph km/h.Ford Tom October 11, 1997 Irvan's pole position a tribute 36 The Tampa Tribune https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110767336/the-tampa-tribune/ October 5, 2022 Newspapers.com Five drivers would fail to qualify: Ward Burton, Hut Stricklin, Gary Bradberry, Jeff Green, and Ed Berrier. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed128Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord49.547193.271298John AndrettiCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord49.574193.166323Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord49.674192.777499Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord49.690192.715536Derrike CopeMB2 MotorsportsPontiac49.691192.71165Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49.716192.614718Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac49.755192.463824Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49.771192.40192Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord49.773192.3931094Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord49.783192.3551177Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord49.787192.339123Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet49.820192.2121342Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet49.834192.1581433Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet49.848192.1041525Ricky CravenHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49.870192.0191631Mike Skinner (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet49.922191.8191711Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord49.932191.7811888Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord49.959191.6771930Johnny Benson Jr.Bahari RacingPontiac50.009191.486209Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord50.040191.3672190Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord50.065191.2712241Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet50.077191.2262375Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord50.080191.2142446Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet50.115191.081257Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord50.118191.0692647Billy StandridgeStandridge MotorsportsFord50.070191.2522721Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord50.170190.8712840Greg SacksTeam SABCOChevrolet50.232190.635291Morgan ShepherdPrecision Products RacingPontiac50.249190.571304Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet50.253190.556316Mark MartinRoush RacingFord50.283190.4423271Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet50.291190.4123317Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet50.361190.1473443Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac50.385190.0573581Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord50.397190.0113697Chad LittleRoush RacingPontiac50.401189.9963796David Green (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet50.402189.9923891Kevin LepageLJ RacingChevrolet50.417189.936Provisionals3916Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord -* -*4037Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord -* -*4110Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord -* -*4244Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac -* -*Failed to qualify4322Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac -* -*448Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord -* -*4578Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFord -* -*4629Jeff Green (R)Diamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*4795Ed BerrierSadler Brothers RacingChevrolet -* -*Official qualifying results *Time not available. Race results FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings165Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet18870running185$116,7252718Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac1885running175$76,6703298John AndrettiCale Yarborough MotorsportsFord1881running170$58,53041433Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet1886running165$53,7155128Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFord18811running160$57,27561525Ricky CravenHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1880running150$41,50074244Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac1880running146$32,7008257Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFord1882running147$38,05092375Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFord1880running138$36,9201092Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord1882running139$42,900113916Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFord1880running130$38,08012291Morgan ShepherdPrecision Products RacingPontiac1880running127$35,025131094Bill ElliottBill Elliott RacingFord1880running124$35,28014499Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord1880running121$39,410153581Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFord1880running118$36,760163796David Green (R)American Equipment RacingChevrolet1880running115$28,600173891Kevin LepageLJ RacingChevrolet1880running112$23,83518536Derrike CopeMB2 MotorsportsPontiac1880running109$27,280191930Johnny Benson Jr.Bahari RacingPontiac1870running106$33,950203443Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac1870running103$39,460211888Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord18713running105$39,930221711Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord1870running97$33,300232190Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFord1870running94$26,29024323Jimmy SpencerTravis Carter EnterprisesFord18711running96$32,940253271Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet1870running88$22,460264037Jeremy MayfieldKranefuss-Haas RacingFord1840handling85$25,360271177Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord1780running82$22,240282721Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFord1720running79$32,17029123Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet16725running81$48,50030316Mark MartinRoush RacingFord1675running78$37,030311342Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevrolet1650running70$24,440322241Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevrolet1630running67$28,870331631Mike Skinner (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet1591running69$21,790344110Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFord1530running61$36,74535824Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet1533running63$38,91536209Lake SpeedMelling RacingFord1530running55$21,670373317Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevrolet1470crash52$28,66038304Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet13927crash54$37,500392840Greg SacksTeam SABCOChevrolet1395crash51$28,500403697Chad LittleRoush RacingPontiac1390crash43$21,525412446Wally Dallenbach Jr.Team SABCOChevrolet991crash45$21,500422647Billy StandridgeStandridge MotorsportsFord510oil cooler37$21,500Failed to qualify4322Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac448Hut StricklinStavola Brothers RacingFord4578Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFord4629Jeff Green (R)Diamond Ridge MotorsportsChevrolet4795Ed BerrierSadler Brothers RacingChevroletOfficial race results Media Television The Diehard 500 was covered by CBS in the United States for the twenty third and final time. Mike Joy, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Ned Jarrett and 1975 race winner Buddy Baker called the race from the broadcast booth. Dick Berggren, Ralph Sheheen and Bill Stephens handled pit road for the television side. Joy replaced Ken Squier in the booth because Squier would serve as host which he would continue till the end of 2000. CBS Host Booth announcers Pit reporters Lap-by-lap Color-commentators Ken Squier Mike Joy Ned Jarrett Buddy Baker Dick Berggren Ralph Sheheen Bill Stephens References 1997 UAW-GM Quality 500 1997 AC Delco 400 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at Talladega Superspeedway Category:October 1997 sports events in the United States Category:1997 in sports in Alabama