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1994 Mountain Dew Southern 500

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1994 Mountain Dew Southern 500
Race details
Race 23 of 31 in the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1994 Mountain Dew Southern 500 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt.
The 1994 Mountain Dew Southern 500 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt.
Date September 4, 1994
Official name 45th Annual Mountain Dew Southern 500
Location Darlington Raceway, Darlington, South Carolina
Course Permanent racing facility
1.366 mi (2.221 km)
Distance 367 laps, 501.322 mi (806.799 km)
Scheduled Distance 367 laps, 501.322 mi (806.799 km)
Average speed 127.952 miles per hour (205.919 km/h)
Attendance 50,000
Pole position
Driver Geoff Bodine Racing
Time 29.447
Most laps led
Driver Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 127
Winner
No. 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

The 1994 Mountain Dew Southern 500 was the 23rd stock car race of the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 45th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 4, 1994, before an audience of 50,000 in Darlington, South Carolina, at Darlington Raceway, a 1.366 miles (2.198 km) permanent egg-shaped oval racetrack. The race took the scheduled 367 laps to complete. In the final stages of the race, Junior Johnson & Associates driver Bill Elliott would make a late-race charge to the lead, passing with 13 to go to take his 40th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt and Wood Brothers Racing driver Morgan Shepherd would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

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The layout of Darlington Raceway, the venue where the race was held.

Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that is effective at both ends.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford Skoal
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford Miller Genuine Draft
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Valvoline
7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford Exide
8 Jeff Burton (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Raybestos
9 Phil Parsons Melling Racing Ford Melling Racing
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford Mane 'n Tail
15 Lake Speed Bud Moore Engineering Ford Ford Quality Care
16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford The Family Channel
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Western Auto
18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
19 Loy Allen Jr. (R) TriStar Motorsports Ford Hooters
21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Bobby Labonte Bill Davis Racing Pontiac Maxwell House
23 Hut Stricklin Travis Carter Enterprises Ford Smokin' Joe's
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford Quaker State
27 Jimmy Spencer Junior Johnson & Associates Ford McDonald's
28 Kenny Wallace Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Diamond Ridge Motorsports
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
31 Ward Burton A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet Hardee's
32 Dick Trickle Active Motorsports Chevrolet Active Motorsports
33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet Skoal Bandit
40 Bobby Hamilton SABCO Racing Pontiac Kendall
41 Joe Nemechek (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Meineke
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Mello Yello
43 John Andretti (R) Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
47 Billy Standridge (R) Johnson Standridge Racing Ford Johnson Standridge Racing
52 Brad Teague Jimmy Means Racing Ford Priddy's Lumber
55 Butch Miller RaDiUs Motorsports Ford RaDiUs Motorsports
57 Bob Schacht Balough Racing Ford Kenova Golf Course Construction
61 Rick Carelli Chesrown Racing Chevrolet Total Petroleum
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Olive Garden
75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Factory Stores of America
77 Greg Sacks U.S. Motorsports Inc. Ford US Airways
90 Mike Wallace (R) Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
98 Jeremy Mayfield (R) Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford Fingerhut

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, September 2, 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 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, September 3, at 11:30 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,[3] 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 provisionals 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.

Geoff Bodine, driving for his own Geoff Bodine Racing team, would win the pole, setting a time of 29.447 and an average speed of 166.998 miles per hour (268.757 km/h) in the first round.[4]

Two drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

[edit]
Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 29.447 166.998
2 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.477 166.828
3 31 Ward Burton (R) A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet 29.484 166.789
4 41 Joe Nemechek (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.528 166.540
5 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford 29.534 166.506
6 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 29.538 166.484
7 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.547 166.433
8 22 Bobby Labonte Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 29.547 166.433
9 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 29.552 166.405
10 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford 29.621 166.017
11 28 Kenny Wallace Robert Yates Racing Ford 29.627 165.984
12 77 Greg Sacks U.S. Motorsports Inc. Ford 29.660 165.799
13 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 29.662 165.788
14 8 Jeff Burton (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 29.668 165.754
15 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 29.727 165.425
16 40 Bobby Hamilton SABCO Racing Pontiac 29.775 165.159
17 32 Dick Trickle Active Motorsports Chevrolet 29.803 165.004
18 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 29.865 164.662
19 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 29.920 164.358
20 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 29.936 164.270
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 29.941 164.243
22 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.961 164.133
23 75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 29.967 164.101
24 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 29.977 164.046
25 98 Jeremy Mayfield (R) Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 30.009 163.871
26 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 30.015 163.838
27 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 30.036 163.724
28 52 Brad Teague Jimmy Means Racing Ford 30.059 163.598
29 43 John Andretti (R) Petty Enterprises Pontiac 30.072 163.528
30 27 Jimmy Spencer Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 30.076 163.506
31 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 30.134 163.191
32 29 Steve Grissom (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 30.139 163.164
33 47 Billy Standridge (R) Johnson Standridge Racing Ford 30.156 163.072
34 9 Phil Parsons Melling Racing Ford 30.216 162.748
35 18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 30.235 162.646
36 23 Hut Stricklin Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 30.259 162.517
37 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 30.293 162.335
38 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 30.488 161.296
39 90 Mike Wallace (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 30.519 161.132
40 15 Lake Speed Bud Moore Engineering Ford 30.551 160.963
Provisionals
41 55 Butch Miller RaDiUs Motorsports Ford -* -*
42 19 Loy Allen Jr. (R) TriStar Motorsports Ford -* -*
Failed to qualify
43 61 Rick Carelli Chesrown Racing Chevrolet -* -*
44 57 Bob Schacht Balough Racing Ford -* -*
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

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Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 9 11 Bill Elliott Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 367 21 running 180 $68,330
2 27 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 367 87 running 175 $45,030
3 13 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 367 0 running 165 $32,730
4 18 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 367 3 running 165 $24,715
5 24 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 367 4 running 160 $26,870
6 7 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 366 0 running 150 $22,765
7 19 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 366 8 running 151 $23,620
8 14 8 Jeff Burton (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 366 0 running 142 $19,500
9 35 18 Dale Jarrett Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 365 0 running 138 $23,370
10 22 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 365 0 running 134 $21,930
11 11 28 Kenny Wallace Robert Yates Racing Ford 364 0 running 130 $20,765
12 37 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 362 0 running 127 $19,970
13 21 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 362 4 running 129 $16,180
14 36 23 Hut Stricklin Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 361 0 running 121 $11,890
15 34 9 Phil Parsons Melling Racing Ford 361 0 running 118 $8,750
16 29 43 John Andretti (R) Petty Enterprises Pontiac 360 0 running 115 $11,930
17 39 90 Mike Wallace (R) Donlavey Racing Ford 359 0 running 112 $11,160
18 41 55 Butch Miller RaDiUs Motorsports Ford 359 0 running 109 $7,885
19 12 77 Greg Sacks U.S. Motorsports Inc. Ford 358 0 running 106 $10,705
20 10 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford 356 0 running 103 $14,335
21 42 19 Loy Allen Jr. (R) TriStar Motorsports Ford 354 0 running 100 $7,200
22 16 40 Bobby Hamilton SABCO Racing Pontiac 353 0 running 97 $13,780
23 32 29 Steve Grissom (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 350 0 running 94 $9,560
24 33 47 Billy Standridge (R) Johnson Standridge Racing Ford 347 0 running 91 $6,785
25 6 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 342 105 engine 93 $20,975
26 23 75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 333 0 running 85 $9,015
27 1 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 323 6 engine 87 $17,805
28 38 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 321 0 engine 79 $8,595
29 5 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Ford 290 0 running 76 $12,385
30 28 52 Brad Teague Jimmy Means Racing Ford 281 0 crash 73 $6,125
31 26 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 278 2 engine 75 $12,040
32 2 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 272 127 oil 77 $13,350
33 25 98 Jeremy Mayfield (R) Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 265 0 engine 64 $7,785
34 3 31 Ward Burton (R) A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet 236 0 overheating 61 $5,750
35 20 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 213 0 crash 58 $11,140
36 8 22 Bobby Labonte Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 185 0 overheating 55 $10,080
37 30 27 Jimmy Spencer Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 181 0 crash 52 $5,570
38 17 32 Dick Trickle Active Motorsports Chevrolet 143 0 engine 49 $5,476
39 31 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 128 0 overheating 46 $9,390
40 40 15 Lake Speed Bud Moore Engineering Ford 112 0 overheating 43 $15,330
41 15 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 94 0 handling 40 $9,330
42 4 41 Joe Nemechek (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 66 0 oil pump 37 $5,330
Failed to qualify
43 61 Rick Carelli Chesrown Racing Chevrolet
44 57 Bob Schacht Balough Racing Ford
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 5, 1994). "Elliott keeps cool in steamy race". Kenosha News. p. 22. Retrieved January 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ Iacobelli, Pete (September 5, 1994). "No fade for Elliott in Southern 500". The Stuart News. p. 35. Retrieved January 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "NASCAR today". The Charlotte Observer. September 2, 1993. p. 32. Retrieved January 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Pearce, Al (September 3, 1994). "Drivers blister Darlington track record". St. Lucie News Tribune. p. 41. Retrieved January 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
Previous race:
1994 Goody's 500 (Bristol)
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1994 season
Next race:
1994 Miller Genuine Draft 400 (Richmond)