1988 Checker 500

28th race of the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series September 2023 NASWINSTON November 6 The 1988 Checker 500 program cover, featuring Terry Labonte. Hendrick Motorsports AK Racing Alan Kulwicki King Racing Ricky Rudd 183 Geoff Bodine ESPN Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett 7 Motor Racing Network 90.457 mph km/h 29 Avondale, Arizona, Phoenix International Raceway 28 502.115 502.115 312 312 1.6 312 1 Inaugural Checker 500 Checker 500 1988 29.220 312 60,000 1988 Checker 500.jpeg The 1988 Checker 500 was the 28th and penultimate stock car race of the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season, the eighth and final race of the 1988 NASCAR Winston West Series, and the inaugural iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, November 6, 1988, before an audience of 60,000 in 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. In the closing laps of the race, owner-driver Alan Kulwicki took advantage of a misfortunate Ricky Rudd, who suffered an engine failure after being the dominant driver of the race. Passing Rudd for the lead with 16 laps left in the race, Kulwicki was able to defend a large gap to take his first career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.Higgins Tom November 7, 1988 Kulwicki Rolls To First Win 1B, 3B The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-kulwicki-rolls-to/131966931/ September 18, 2023 Newspapers.com Armijo Mark November 7, 1988 Kulwicki engineers Checker victory D1, D6 The Arizona Republic https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-kulwicki-engineers-chec/131967102/ September 18, 2023 Newspapers.com To fill out the top three, Junior Johnson & Associates' Terry Labonte and Ranier-Lundy Racing's Davey Allison finished second and third, respectively. In the driver's championship battle for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, championship leader Bill Elliott maintained a 79-point lead over second-place driver Rusty Wallace heading into the final race of the season, the 1988 Atlanta Journal 500. In order for Elliott to guarantee the title victory in the final race, he needed to finish 18th or better in the race.Hinton Ed November 20, 1988 Elliott's Journal 500 Tactics In Quest For Title Draw Fire 25D The Atlanta Constitution https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution-elliotts-journ/132048807/ September 18, 2023 Newspapers.com In the driver's championship for the NASCAR Winston West Series, Razore Racing's Roy Smith won the championship over runner-up Bill Schmitt. 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. #DriverTeamMakeSponsor1Jim BownBown RacingChevroletRose Auto Wrecking2Ernie Irvan (R)U.S. RacingChevroletKroger3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevroletGM Goodwrench Service03Bill SchmittSchmitt RacingChevroletSchmitt Racing4Rick WilsonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobileKodak04Hershel McGriffMcGriff RacingPontiacU.S. Bank5Geoff BodineHendrick MotorsportsChevroletLevi Garrett6Mark MartinRoush RacingFordStroh Light7Alan KulwickiAK RacingFordZerex8Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuickMiller High Life9Bill ElliottMelling RacingFordCoors Light10Ken Bouchard (R)Whitcomb RacingFordWhitcomb Racing11Terry LabonteJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevroletBudweiser12Mike AlexanderStavola Brothers RacingBuickMiller High Life14Butch GillilandGilliland RacingBuickAnaheim Brakes & Wheels15Brett BodineBud Moore EngineeringFordCrisco17Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevroletTide19Chad LittleGeorge Jefferson RacingFordCoors Extra Gold20Scott GaylordBurney RacingOldsmobileOliver Manufacturing21Kyle PettyWood Brothers RacingFordCitgo22St. James DavisSt. James RacingBuickSt. James Racing23Eddie BierschwaleB&B RacingOldsmobileWayne Paging24Gary CollinsCollins MotorsportsOldsmobileNex Shop25Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevroletFolgers26Ricky RuddKing RacingBuickQuaker State27Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiacKodiak28Davey AllisonRanier-Lundy RacingFordTexaco, Havoline29Dale JarrettCale Yarborough MotorsportsOldsmobileHardee's30Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiacCountry Time31Johnny RutherfordBob Clark MotorsportsOldsmobileSlender You Figure Salons33Harry GantMach 1 RacingChevroletSkoal Bandit41Jack SellersVincent RacingChevroletCoca-Cola43Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiacSTP44Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobilePiedmont Airlines52Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiacEureka55Phil ParsonsJackson Bros. MotorsportsOldsmobileSkoal, Crown Central Petroleum66John KrebsKrebs RacingOldsmobileSkoal68Derrike CopeTesta RacingFordPurolator69Trevor BoysBoys RacingOldsmobileBoys Racing71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletLifebuoy73Joe RuttmanBarkdoll RacingFordHelen Rae75Neil BonnettRahMoc EnterprisesPontiacValvoline79Roy SmithRazore RacingFordPeterbilt82J. C. DanielsenGautsche RacingBuickChico Auto Parts83Lake SpeedSpeed RacingOldsmobileWynn's, Kmart88Greg SacksBaker-Schiff RacingOldsmobileRed Baron Frozen Pizza89Jim SauterMueller Brothers RacingPontiacEvinrude Outboard Motors90Benny ParsonsDonlavey RacingFordBull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce95Harry JeffersonGeorge Jefferson RacingFordPeterbilt98Brad Noffsinger (R)Curb RacingBuickSunoco Qualifying Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, November 4, at 3:00 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 20 drivers in the round were 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 5, at 1:30 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-40 were decided on time,November 4, 1988 NASCAR Today 4F The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-nascar-today/132048863/ September 18, 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; which was up to two for cars in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and up to two extra provisionals for the cars in the NASCAR Winston West Series. Geoff Bodine, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, managed to win the pole, setting a time of 29.220 and an average speed of 123.203 mph km/h in the first round.Higgins Tom November 5, 1988 Charging Bodine Snatches Pole 4B The Charlotte Observer https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-charging-bodine-s/131967247/ September 18, 2023 Newspapers.com Seven drivers failed to qualify. Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed15Geoff BodineHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.220123.203227Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiac29.299122.871333Harry GantMach 1 RacingChevrolet29.314122.808426Ricky RuddKing RacingBuick29.368122.582589Jim SauterMueller Brothers RacingPontiac29.371122.57069Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord29.395122.47076Mark MartinRoush RacingFord29.422122.357875Neil BonnettRahMoc EnterprisesPontiac29.432122.316944Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobile29.438122.291104Rick WilsonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobile29.468122.1661130Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac29.503122.0211283Lake SpeedSpeed RacingOldsmobile29.537121.881133Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.546121.8441412Mike AlexanderStavola Brothers RacingBuick29.558121.7941590Benny ParsonsDonlavey RacingFord29.581121.7001617Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.593121.6501711Terry LabonteJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevrolet29.603121.6091855Phil ParsonsJackson Bros. MotorsportsOldsmobile29.627121.5111904Hershel McGriffMcGriff RacingPontiac29.655121.3962028Davey AllisonRanier-Lundy RacingFord29.667121.347Failed to lock in Round 1217Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord29.465122.1792215Brett BodineBud Moore EngineeringFord29.535121.8892368Derrike CopeTesta RacingFord29.624121.5232425Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.625121.5192521Kyle PettyWood Brothers RacingFord29.634121.4822673Joe RuttmanBarkdoll RacingFord29.674121.322272Ernie Irvan (R)U.S. RacingPontiac29.678121.3022852Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac29.711121.1672979Roy SmithRazore RacingFord29.740121.0493043Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac29.756120.9843123Eddie BierschwaleB&B RacingOldsmobile29.758120.9763229Dale JarrettCale Yarborough MotorsportsOldsmobile29.775120.907338Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuick29.794120.8303431Johnny RutherfordBob Clark MotorsportsOldsmobile29.862120.5553588Greg SacksBaker-Schiff RacingOldsmobile29.878120.490361Jim BownBown RacingChevrolet29.987120.0523719Chad LittleGeorge Jefferson RacingFord29.993120.0283871Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet30.111119.5583924Gary CollinsCollins MotorsportsOldsmobile30.145119.4234069Trevor BoysBoys RacingOldsmobile30.156119.379Winston Cup provisionals4110Ken Bouchard (R)Whitcomb RacingPontiac -* -*4298Brad Noffsinger (R)Curb RacingBuick -* -*Winston West provisional4303Bill SchmittSchmitt RacingChevrolet -* -*Failed to qualify (results unknown)4414Butch GillilandGilliland RacingBuick -* -*4520Scott GaylordBurney RacingOldsmobile -* -*4622St. James DavisSt. James RacingBuick -* -*4741Jack SellersVincent RacingChevrolet -* -*4866John KrebsKrebs RacingOldsmobile -* -*4982J. C. DanielsenGautsche RacingBuick -* -*5095Harry JeffersonGeorge Jefferson RacingFord -* -*Official first round qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup Race results FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings1217Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord31241running180$54,10021711Terry LabonteJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevrolet3122running175$31,07532028Davey AllisonRanier-Lundy RacingFord3120running165$24,275469Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord3120running160$19,4755227Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiac31268running160$20,400615Geoff BodineHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3112running155$13,7007338Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuick3110running146$11,40081590Benny ParsonsDonlavey RacingFord3110running142$9,65091855Phil ParsonsJackson Bros. MotorsportsOldsmobile3110running138$9,05010944Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobile31111running139$10,15011133Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3110running130$15,10012333Harry GantMach 1 RacingChevrolet3110running127$7,850131617Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3100running124$10,550142425Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3100running121$9,250151283Lake SpeedSpeed RacingOldsmobile3100running118$4,850162368Derrike CopeTesta RacingFord3090running115$2,450172521Kyle PettyWood Brothers RacingFord3090running112$9,500183871Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet3080running109$5,575193719Chad LittleGeorge Jefferson RacingFord3070running106$4,450204069Trevor BoysBoys RacingOldsmobile3060running103$2,87521875Neil BonnettRahMoc EnterprisesPontiac3060running100$9,15022272Ernie Irvan (R)U.S. RacingPontiac3050running97$3,875234110Ken Bouchard (R)Whitcomb RacingPontiac3040running94$3,300242852Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac3030running91$4,080254298Brad Noffsinger (R)Curb RacingBuick2990running88$2,17526426Ricky RuddKing RacingBuick296183engine95$17,350271412Mike AlexanderStavola Brothers RacingBuick2935running87$9,550281130Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiac2920running79$4,75029104Rick WilsonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobile2210running76$2,690302979Roy SmithRazore RacingFord2180running73$1,975313229Dale JarrettCale Yarborough MotorsportsOldsmobile2150engine70$2,60032589Jim SauterMueller Brothers RacingPontiac2130engine67$1,900333924Gary CollinsCollins MotorsportsOldsmobile2120engine64$2,525341904Hershel McGriffMcGriff RacingPontiac1770engine61$2,475353043Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac1680oilpan58$4,4353676Mark MartinRoush RacingFord1590crash55$3,805374303Bill SchmittSchmitt RacingChevrolet1570crash52$1,795383588Greg SacksBaker-Schiff RacingOldsmobile1570crash49$3,775393431Johnny RutherfordBob Clark MotorsportsOldsmobile1550crash46$3,775403123Eddie BierschwaleB&B RacingOldsmobile1330engine43$1,750412673Joe RuttmanBarkdoll RacingFord650crash40$1,72542361Jim BownBown RacingChevrolet640engine37$1,725432215Brett BodineBud Moore EngineeringFord130engine34$1,725Failed to qualify (results unknown)4414Butch GillilandGilliland RacingBuick4520Scott GaylordBurney RacingOldsmobile4622St. James DavisSt. James RacingBuick4741Jack SellersVincent RacingChevrolet4866John KrebsKrebs RacingOldsmobile4982J. C. DanielsenGautsche RacingBuick5095Harry JeffersonGeorge Jefferson RacingFordOfficial race results Standings after the race Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 10px 1 Bill Elliott 4,358 10px 2 Rusty Wallace 4,279 (-79) 10px 3 Dale Earnhardt 4,130 (-228) 10px 4 Terry Labonte 3,835 (–493) 10px 5 Ken Schrader 3,703 (–655) 10px 6 Geoff Bodine 3,676 (–682) 10px 7 Darrell Waltrip 3,604 (–754) 10px 8 Phil Parsons 3,515 (–843) 10px 9 Sterling Marlin 3,489 (–869) 10px 10 Davey Allison 3,456 (–902)Official driver's standings Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings. References 1988 AC Delco 500 1988 Atlanta Journal 500 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series1988 American National Bank 200 NASCAR Winston West Series 1988 1989 Budweiser 200 Category:1988 in sports in Arizona Category:1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Category:NASCAR races at Phoenix Raceway Category:November 1988 sports events in the United States