1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

The 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on February 12 and concluded November 12. Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports won his first career championship.

Busch Clash

The Busch Clash, an invitational event for all pole winners from the previous season, was held February 12 at Daytona International Speedway. Geoffrey Bodine drew the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 94-Bill Elliott
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 75-Todd Bodine
# 10-Ricky Rudd
# 16-Ted Musgrave
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 23-Jimmy Spencer
# 1-Rick Mast

Gatorade 125s

The Gatorade 125s, the qualifying races for the Daytona 500, were held February 16 at Daytona International Speedway. Dale Jarrett and Dale Earnhardt won the poles for both races, respectively.

Race One Top Ten Results

# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 28-Dale Jarrett
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 5-Terry Labonte
# 42-Kyle Petty
# 30-Michael Waltrip
# 15-Dick Trickle
# 71-Dave Marcis

Race Two Top Ten Results

# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 6-Mark Martin
# 75-Todd Bodine
# 94-Bill Elliott
# 16-Ted Musgrave
# 41-Ricky Craven
# 9-Lake Speed
# 10-Ricky Rudd
# 18-Bobby Labonte

Daytona 500

= Goodwrench 500 =

The Goodwrench 500 was held February 26 at North Carolina Speedway. Jeff Gordon won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 18-Bobby Labonte
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 10-Ricky Rudd
# 28-Dale Jarrett, 1 Lap down
# 29-Steve Grissom, 1 Lap down
# 6-Mark Martin, 2 Laps down
# 12-Derrike Cope, 3 Laps down
# 31-Ward Burton, 3 Laps down
# 42-Kyle Petty, 3 Laps down

Failed to qualify (in order of speeds): 66-Ben Hess, 52-Gary Bradberry, 48-James Hylton, 47-Billy Standridge, 19-Phil Parsons

*This was the last 500 mile race at Rockingham.

Pontiac Excitement 400

The Pontiac Excitement 400 was held March 5 at Richmond International Raceway. Jeff Gordon won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 5-Terry Labonte
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 12-Derrike Cope
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 6-Mark Martin, 1 Lap down
# 43-Bobby Hamilton, 1 Lap down
# 37-John Andretti, 1 Lap down

Failed to qualify: 32-Jimmy Hensley, 81-Kenny Wallace, 47-Billy Standridge, 78-Jay Hedgecock, 29-Steve Grissom, 52-Gary Bradberry, 66-Ben Hess, 49-Eric Smith, 77-Davy Jones
*Steve Grissom entered this race 5th in points after back-to-back Top 10s, but failed to qualify based on points from 1994.

Purolator 500

The Purolator 500 was held March 12 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Dale Earnhardt won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 18-Bobby Labonte
# 5-Terry Labonte
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 28-Dale Jarrett, 1 Lap down
# 21-Morgan Shepherd, 1 Lap down
# 4-Sterling Marlin, 1 Lap down
# 10-Ricky Rudd, 1 Lap down
# 6-Mark Martin, 2 Laps down
# 2-Rusty Wallace, 2 Laps down

Failed to qualify: 31-Ward Burton, 52-Gary Bradberry, 27-Loy Allen Jr., 67-Ken Bouchard, 76-Johnny Chapman, 66-Ben Hess, 81-Kenny Wallace, 78-Pancho Carter

= TranSouth Financial 400 =

The TranSouth Financial 400 was held March 26 at Darlington Raceway. Jeff Gordon won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 16-Ted Musgrave
# 75-Todd Bodine
# 12-Derrike Cope
# 29-Steve Grissom
# 30-Michael Waltrip
# 21-Morgan Shepherd
# 43-Bobby Hamilton
# 37-John Andretti, 1 Lap down

Failed to qualify: 81-Kenny Wallace, 52-Brad Teague, 19-Phil Parsons

Food City 500

The Food City 500 was held April 2 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mark Martin won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 43-Bobby Hamilton
# 10-Ricky Rudd
# 28-Dale Jarrett
# 5-Terry Labonte, 1 Lap down
# 6-Mark Martin, 1 Lap down
# 4-Sterling Marlin, 1 Lap down
# 33-Robert Pressley, 2 Laps down

Failed to qualify: 98-Jeremy Mayfield, 87-Joe Nemechek, 26-Steve Kinser, 47-Billy Standridge, 78-Hut Stricklin, 66-Butch Miller, 52-Brad Teague, 27-Loy Allen Jr., 90-Mike Wallace

First Union 400

The First Union 400 was held April 9 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Jeff Gordon won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 6-Mark Martin
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 29-Steve Grissom
# 16-Ted Musgrave, 1 Lap down
# 4-Sterling Marlin, 1 Lap down
# 1-Rick Mast, 1 Lap down
# 11-Brett Bodine, 1 Lap down
# 17-Darrell Waltrip, 2 Laps down

Failed to qualify: 98-Jeremy Mayfield,
81-Kenny Wallace, 32-Chuck Bown, 78-Jay Hedgecock, 77-Davy Jones, 47-Billy Standridge, 27-Jeff Purvis, 26-Steve Kinser, 52-Randy MacDonald
*Steve Grissom re-entered the Top 10 in points after his DNQ at Richmond.
*Final NASCAR race for sprint car legend Steve Kinser.

= Hanes 500 =

The Hanes 500 was held April 23 at Martinsville Speedway. Bobby Labonte won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 16-Ted Musgrave
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 6-Mark Martin
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 28-Dale Jarrett
# 43-Bobby Hamilton
# 42-Kyle Petty, 1 Lap down
# 18-Bobby Labonte, 1 Lap down

Failed to qualify: 75-Todd Bodine, 23-Jimmy Spencer, 32-Chuck Bown, 78-Jay Hedgecock, 8-Jeff Burton, 22-Randy LaJoie, 77-Davy Jones

*This race was shortened to 356 laps due to a combination of a long red flag for rain, and darkness.

= Winston Select 500 =

The Winston Select 500 was held April 30 at Talladega Superspeedway. The #5 of Terry Labonte won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 6-Mark Martin
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 21-Morgan Shepherd
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 18-Bobby Labonte
# 94-Bill Elliott
# 7-Geoff Bodine
# 75-Todd Bodine
# 23-Jimmy Spencer
# 19-Loy Allen Jr.

Failed to qualify: 53-Ritchie Petty, 47-Billy Standridge, 87-Joe Nemechek, 65-Steve Seligman, 0-Delma Cowart
*This was Loy Allen Jr.'s only Top 10 finish in NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing.

= Save Mart Supermarkets 300 =

The Save Mart Supermarkets 300 was held May 7 at Sears Point International Raceway. Ricky Rudd won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 6-Mark Martin
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 10-Ricky Rudd
# 5-Terry Labonte
# 16-Ted Musgrave
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 75-Todd Bodine
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 30-Michael Waltrip

Failed to qualify: 40-Greg Sacks, 98-Jeremy Mayfield, 27-Elton Sawyer, 00w-Scott Gaylord, 64-Garrett Evans, 22w-St. James Davis, 19-Ernie Cope

*This was Dale Earnhardt's only career road course victory.
*Dale Jarrett got up on his side in a crash on Lap 62 trying to avoid a wreck between Rusty Wallace and Davy Jones. However, the marshals pushed him back on 4 wheels, and he finished the race in 23rd, on the lead lap.

Coca-Cola 600

The Coca-Cola 600 was held May 28 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The #24 of Jeff Gordon won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 18-Bobby Labonte
# 5-Terry Labonte
# 30-Michael Waltrip
# 4-Sterling Marlin, 1 Lap down
# 10-Ricky Rudd, 1 Lap down
# 3-Dale Earnhardt, 1 Lap down
# 26-Hut Stricklin, 1 Lap down
# 9-Lake Speed, 2 Laps down
# 43-Bobby Hamilton, 2 Laps down
# 41-Ricky Craven, 3 Laps down

Failed to qualify: 40-Greg Sacks, 20-Bobby Hillin Jr., 95-Jimmy Hensley, 77-Davy Jones, 44-Jeff Purvis, 67-Johnny Chapman

*Jimmy Hensley relieved Darrell Waltrip during this race because of the injuries that Waltrip suffered the previous Saturday night during The Winston.
*This was Bobby Labonte's first NASCAR Winston Cup win.

Miller Genuine Draft 500

The Miller Genuine Draft 500 was held June 4 at Dover International Speedway. Jeff Gordon won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 42-Kyle Petty
# 18-Bobby Labonte
# 16-Ted Musgrave
# 26-Hut Stricklin
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 24-Jeff Gordon, 1 Lap down
# 4-Sterling Marlin, 1 Lap down
# 30-Michael Waltrip, 1 Lap down
# 2-Rusty Wallace, 1 Lap down
# 87-Joe Nemechek, 1 Lap down

Failed to qualify: 79-Doug French, 19-Loy Allen Jr.

*This was the first race at Dover after the track surface had been changed from asphalt to concrete.

*This race was marred by "The Big One," a 20 car crash on Lap 2 coming out of Turn 4. Usually, these occur only during plate races, but they have been known to occur at Dover.

*This was Kyle Petty's eighth and most recent NASCAR Winston Cup win. He started 37th and avoided the early carnage to lead 271 of the 500 laps (54.2%).

= UAW-GM Teamwork 500 =

The UAW-GM Teamwork 500 was held June 11 at Pocono Raceway. Ken Schrader won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 5-Terry Labonte
# 16-Ted Musgrave
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 26-Hut Stricklin
# 94-Bill Elliott
# 21-Morgan Shepherd
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 30-Michael Waltrip
# 11-Brett Bodine

*Terry Labonte made the pass for the win on the final restart with less than 10 laps to go, when teammate Jeff Gordon missed the upshift from 2nd to 3rd gear. The result of that was that the entire line of cars swept to the left and passed Gordon. Gordon ended up finishing 16th, last car on the lead lap.

= Miller Genuine Draft 400 =

The Miller Genuine Draft 400 was held June 18 at Michigan International Speedway. Jeff Gordon won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 18-Bobby Labonte
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 37-John Andretti
# 21-Morgan Shepherd
# 28-Dale Jarrett
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 6-Mark Martin
# 5-Terry Labonte
# 16-Ted Musgrave

Failed to qualify: 88-Gary Bradberry, 40-Greg Sacks

*Late in the race, the #9 of Lake Speed (who finished 11th) accidentally pinched the #30 of Michael Waltrip (who finished 12th) into the wall. Waltrip took exception to this move and confronted Speed on pit road after the race. He ended up throwing a couple of punches through the driver's side window of Speed's Spam Ford.

= Pepsi 400 =

The Pepsi 400 was held July 1 at Daytona International Speedway. Dale Earnhardt won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 6-Mark Martin
# 16-Ted Musgrave
# 25-Ken Schrader
# 42-Kyle Petty
# 10-Ricky Rudd
# 23-Jimmy Spencer
# 94-Bill Elliott

Failed to Qualify: 81-Kenny Wallace, 0-Delma Cowart, 65-Steve Seligman

= Slick 50 300 =

The Slick 50 300 was held July 9 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Mark Martin won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 21-Morgan Shepherd
# 6-Mark Martin
# 5-Terry Labonte
# 10-Ricky Rudd
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 12-Derrike Cope
# 16-Ted Musgrave
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 25-Ken Schrader

Failed to Qualify: 49-Eric Smith

= Miller Genuine Draft 500 =

The Miller Genuine Draft 500 was held July 16 at Pocono Raceway. Bill Elliott won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 28-Dale Jarrett
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 10-Ricky Rudd
# 16-Ted Musgrave
# 94-Bill Elliott
# 7-Geoff Bodine
# 6-Mark Martin
# 98-Jeremy Mayfield
# 87-Joe Nemechek
# 15-Dick Trickle

Failed to Qualify: 14-Randy MacDonald, 82-Terry Byers

= DieHard 500 =

The DieHard 500 was held July 23 at Talladega Superspeedway. Sterling Marlin won the pole. The race was most remembered for Ken Schrader's wild end-over-end tumble in "the Big One" on lap 139, which collected 13 other cars. He was not injured, though.

Top Ten Results

# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 28-Dale Jarrett
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 21-Morgan Shepherd
# 94-Bill Elliott
# 42-Kyle Petty
# 6-Mark Martin
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 30-Michael Waltrip
# 23-Jimmy Spencer, 1 Lap down

Failed to qualify: 22-Jimmy Hensley, 0-Delma Cowart, 65-Steve Seligman

*Jeff Gordon was very distraught, even in tears, over Ken Schrader's crash because he tapped him to begin the series of events that led to him flipping through the infield grass. He was afraid he had killed his teammate, but Schrader actually got on Gordon's radio after he got out of the infield care center to tell him that he was ok and not to worry about him.

Brickyard 400

The Brickyard 400 was held August 5 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Jeff Gordon won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 28-Dale Jarrett
# 94-Bill Elliott
# 6-Mark Martin
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 1-Rick Mast
# 18-Bobby Labonte
# 21-Morgan Shepherd

Failed to qualify: 44-Jeff Purvis, 95-Loy Allen Jr., 66-Billy Standridge, 78-Pancho Carter, 71-Dave Marcis, 65-Steve Seligman, 50-A.J. Foyt, 80-Joe Ruttman, 99-Danny Sullivan

*The start of the race was delayed until approximately 5:15pm due to rain. As a result, the 160 lap distance was just completed before sunset.
*Danny Sullivan's entry was withdrawn after his career-ending crash in the Marlboro 500 at Michigan.

= The Bud At The Glen =

The Bud At The Glen was held August 12 at Watkins Glen International Raceway. Mark Martin won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 6-Mark Martin
# 22-Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 10-Ricky Rudd
# 5-Terry Labonte
# 18-Bobby Labonte
# 37-John Andretti
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 7-Geoff Bodine
# 41-Ricky Craven

Failed to Qualify: 61-David Murry, 90-Mike Wallace, 49-Eric Smith

*This was Mark Martin's 3rd consecutive win from the pole at Watkins Glen.

*Wally Dallenbach, Jr., in a one-off drive for Bill Davis Racing, was leading by almost 10 seconds late in the race with Mark Martin gaining on him by about 1 second a lap when a caution came out for fluid on the track from Joe Nemechek's broken transmission. Martin passed Dallenbach half a lap after the restart to claim the win.

= GM Goodwrench 400 =

The GM Goodwrench 400 was held August 19 at Michigan International Speedway. Bobby Labonte won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 18-Bobby Labonte
# 5-Terry Labonte
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 31-Ward Burton
# 41-Ricky Craven
# 43-Bobby Hamilton
# 94-Bill Elliott, 1 Lap down
# 26-Hut Stricklin, 1 Lap down

Failed to Qualify: 40-Rich Bickle, 72-Tracy Leslie, 02-Tim Steele, 95-Loy Allen Jr.

*This was Ward Burton's last race in the #31 Hardees Chevrolet for A.G. Dillard Motorsports.

= Goody's 500 =

The Goody's 500 was held August 26 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mark Martin won the pole. This race is likely the most memorable race of the entire 1995 season due to the infamous finish of the event where Dale Earnhardt ran Terry Labonte down from 3 seconds behind in the late stages of the race and tapped him coming off Turn 4 on the last lap. This tap got Labonte loose, and then Labonte overcorrected (slightly grazing the #31 Hardees/Ferguson Chevrolet of Greg Sacks in the process). This put Labonte head on into the outside wall just beyond the start-finish line, still ahead of Earnhardt to claim the victory.

Top Ten Results

# 5-Terry Labonte
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 28-Dale Jarrett
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 6-Mark Martin
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 90-Mike Wallace
# 8-Jeff Burton
# 12-Derrike Cope, 1 Lap down

Failed to qualify: 42-Kyle Petty, 95-Joe Ruttman, 81-Kenny Wallace, 32-Jimmy Hensley, 77-Bobby Hillin, Jr., 75-Todd Bodine, 27-Elton Sawyer

*This race started roughly an hour and a half to two hours behind schedule due to persistent rains from Tropical Storm Jerry, which had made landfall to the south earlier in the week. It actually rained off and on during the race once it started, but never hard enough to cause a caution.

*This was Ward Burton's first race in the #22 MBNA America Pontiac for Bill Davis Racing. However, it was a short debut as Burton crashed out of the race and finished 34th.

*Dale Earnhardt was sent to the rear of the field after spinning Rusty Wallace coming out of Turn 4 on Lap 32. This resulted in an argument between Wallace and Earnhardt after the race where Wallace threw a water bottle at Earnhardt.

*Later in the race, Earnhardt ran into the back of Derrike Cope's #12 Mane n' Tail/Straight Arrow Ford on a restart. This significantly damaged the front of Earnhardt's car and forced him to pit road for repairs once the caution flag waved again. This was the reason why Earnhardt had to charge through the field in order to catch Terry Labonte at the end of the race.

*At one point, the #94 McDonalds Ford of Bill Elliott climbed the wall coming out of Turn 2.

*The #43 of Bobby Hamilton was given a 5 lap penalty for rough driving for wrecking the #11 Lowe's Ford of Brett Bodine twice within 20 laps.

*Lake Speed suffered from a slight case of smoke inhalation as a result of a crash on Lap 390 that broke an oil line on his #9 Spam Ford. The broken oil line (and the accompanying substantial oil leak, which was streaming down the left front fender of the car) caused a fire while Speed was trying to get the car back to his pit stall.

= Mountain Dew Southern 500 =

The Mountain Dew Southern 500 was held September 3 at Darlington Raceway. The #37 of John Andretti won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 22-Ward Burton
# 30-Michael Waltrip
# 10-Ricky Rudd
# 26-Hut Stricklin
# 18-Bobby Labonte
# 9-Lake Speed
# 4-Sterling Marlin

Failed to Qualify: 66-Billy Standridge, 52-Brad Teague, 88-Gary Bradberry

Miller Genuine Draft 400

The Miller Genuine Draft 400 was held September 9 at Richmond International Raceway. Dale Earnhardt won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 5-Terry Labonte
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 28-Dale Jarrett
# 43-Bobby Hamilton
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 37-John Andretti, 1 Lap down
# 10-Ricky Rudd, 1 Lap down
# 25-Ken Schrader, 1 Lap down
# 16-Ted Musgrave, 1 Lap down

Failed to Qualify: 32-Ed Berrier, 78-Jay Hedgecock, 40-Shane Hall, 29-Steve Grissom, 90-Mike Wallace, 49-Eric Smith

*Steve Grissom failed to qualify for both Richmond Winston Cup races in 1995.

= MBNA 500 =

The MBNA 500 was held September 17 at Dover International Speedway. The #1 of Rick Mast won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 43-Bobby Hamilton
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 87-Joe Nemechek
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 12-Derrike Cope, 1 Lap down
# 6-Mark Martin, 1 Lap down
# 18-Bobby Labonte, 2 Laps down
# 10-Ricky Rudd, 2 Laps down

Failed to Qualify: 66-Billy Standridge, 67-Terry Fisher, 31-Greg Sacks

Goody's 500

The Goody's 500 was held September 24 at Martinsville Speedway. Qualifying was rained out, so point leader Jeff Gordon was awarded with the pole position.

Top Ten Results

# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 5-Terry Labonte
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 43-Bobby Hamilton
# 7-Geoff Bodine
# 94-Bill Elliott
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 12-Derrike Cope
# 28-Dale Jarrett

Failed to Qualify: 31-Jimmy Hensley, 32-Greg Sacks, 40-Rich Bickle, 71-Dave Marcis, 77-Bobby Hillin, Jr., 81-Kenny Wallace

*In the middle part of the race, rookie Robert Pressley's brakes were wearing thin. On the backstretch he touched Ted Musgrave, who was running on seven cylinders, and sent him spinning into the pit wall. The back wheels of the Family Channel Ford climbed on top of the pit wall. This essentially ended Musgrave's title hopes, as he never really regained his earlier season form.

Tyson Holly Farms 400

The Tyson Holly Farms 400 was held October 1 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The #16 of Ted Musgrave won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 6-Mark Martin
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 5-Terry Labonte
# 10-Ricky Rudd
# 88-Ernie Irvan
# 28-Dale Jarrett
# 25-Ken Schrader, 1 Lap down
# 3-Dale Earnhardt, 1 Lap down
# 94-Bill Elliott, 1 Lap down

Failed to Qualify: 75-Todd Bodine, 32-Greg Sacks, 98-Jeremy Mayfield, 22-Ward Burton, 8-Jeff Burton, 90-Mike Wallace, 78-Jay Hedgecock

*This was Ernie Irvan's first race back in the Winston Cup Series since his near-fatal crash in practice at Michigan in August 1994. This resulted in Robert Yates Racing unveiling the #88 in order to give Irvan a car to re-acclimate himself to racing before going full-time in 1996.

*All 36 cars starting the race finished the event within ten laps of the winner. (Jimmy Spencer was 36th, 10 laps down.) It was the first race since 1959 that an entire starting field finished the race, with no drivers scoring a DNF.

= UAW-GM Quality 500 =

The UAW-GM Quality 500 was held October 8 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Ricky Rudd won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 6-Mark Martin
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 5-Terry Labonte
# 10-Ricky Rudd
# 28-Dale Jarrett
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 22-Ward Burton
# 18-Bobby Labonte
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 43-Bobby Hamilton

Failed to Qualify: 97-Chad Little, 81-Kenny Wallace, 44-Jeff Purvis, 0-Delma Cowart, 66-Billy Standridge

*Dale Earnhardt took the Past Champion's Provisional to get into this race. Within 70 laps, he was 2nd.

AC Delco 400

The AC Delco 400 was held October 22 at North Carolina Speedway. The #26 of Hut Stricklin won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 22-Ward Burton
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 6-Mark Martin
# 5-Terry Labonte
# 8-Jeff Burton
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 41-Ricky Craven
# 87-Joe Nemechek
# 94-Bill Elliott

Failed to qualify: 71-Dave Marcis, 88-Ernie Irvan, 19-Loy Allen Jr., 78-Jay Hedgecock, 84-Norm Benning, 70-Alan Russell, 14-Richard Brickhouse

*This was Ward Burton's first career Winston Cup win, coming in just his seventh race for Bill Davis Racing.

*This race featured an unusual 10+ lap long caution due to an error by NASCAR officials pertaining to Dale Earnhardt's car. On a green flag pit stop, Earnhardt's crew changed 4 tires like any other stop. However, one of the lugnuts on the left front tire was not painted red like the rest. As a result, an official called Earnhardt's car back in the pits to fix the problem that didn't actually exist. NASCAR then threw the caution in order to essentially put Earnhardt back where he was before the officials' error occurred, which was more or less unprecedented.

= Dura Lube 500 =

The Dura Lube 500 was held October 29 at Phoenix International Raceway. The #94 of Bill Elliott won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 10-Ricky Rudd
# 12-Derrike Cope
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 24-Jeff Gordon
# 16-Ted Musgrave
# 21-Morgan Shepherd
# 6-Mark Martin
# 1-Rick Mast
# 25-Ken Schrader

Failed to Qualify: 50-A.J. Foyt, 97-Chad Little, 08-Mike Bliss, 40-Shane Hall, 00w-Scott Gaylord, 58w-Wayne Jacks, 7w-L.J. Pryor, 36w-Rich Woodland, Jr.

*This victory gave Ricky Rudd a victory in 13 consecutive seasons, dating back to 1983 (when he earned his 1st career victory at Riverside while driving the #3 Piedmont Airlines Chevrolet for Richard Childress).

= NAPA 500 =

The NAPA 500 was held November 12 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The #17 of Darrell Waltrip won the pole.

Top Ten Results

# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 4-Sterling Marlin
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 94-Bill Elliott
# 22-Ward Burton
# 23-Jimmy Spencer
# 88-Ernie Irvan, 1 Lap down
# 18-Bobby Labonte, 1 Lap down
# 77-Bobby Hillin, Jr., 1 Lap down
# 10-Ricky Rudd, 1 Lap down

Failed to Qualify: 40-Shane Hall, 90-Mike Wallace, 68-Jack Sprague, 66-Billy Standridge

*Dale Earnhardt, knowing that he had to be near perfect to win the championship, went out, won the race and led the most laps by far (268; Bill Elliott was second with 17 laps led). However, it was not enough to overcome Jeff Gordon.

*Jeff Gordon came into the race only having to finish 41st or better to win the championship. As a result, he took it easy during the race (at one point, the team did a pit stop with Ray Evernham (Gordon's crew chief) serving as a tire changer. Gordon clinched the championship by leading a lap during a round of green flag pit stops. Gordon finished 14 laps down in 32nd, but it was enough to earn the championship.

*Hendrick Motorsports entered a 4th car just for this race just in case the unforeseen were to hit Gordon's car. If problems were to befall Gordon's car, the car would immediately pull off the track and retire from the race. This was the #58 Chevrolet with "Racing for a Reason" on the quarterpanels. Racing for a Reason referred to finding a cure for leukemia, a disease that owner Rick Hendrick had been diagnosed with. The team had originally hired Jimmy Horton to drive the car in the race. Horton qualified the car in 34th, but was unable to race it due to serious injuries suffered in a terrible crash in the ARCA Bondo Mar-Hyde Series support race the day before the NAPA 500. Jeff Purvis was then hired to sub for Horton in the #58 and drove the car to a 26th place finish, 8 laps down.

*Final race for King Racing, owned by drag racing legend Kenny Bernstein.

Final Points Standings

#24-Jeff Gordon - 4614
#3-Dale Earnhardt - 4580
#4-Sterling Marlin - 4361
#6-Mark Martin - 4320
#2-Rusty Wallace - 4240
#5-Terry Labonte - 4146
#16-Ted Musgrave - 3949
#94-Bill Elliott - 3746
#10-Ricky Rudd - 3734
#18-Bobby Labonte - 3718
#21-Morgan Shepherd - 3618
#30-Michael Waltrip - 3601
#28-Dale Jarrett - 3584
#43-Bobby Hamilton - 3576
#12-Derrike Cope - 3384
#7-Geoff Bodine - 3357
#25-Ken Schrader - 3221
#37-John Andretti - 3140
#17-Darrell Waltrip - 3078
#11-Brett Bodine - 2988
#1-Rick Mast - 2984
#22-Ward Burton - 2926
#9-Lake Speed - 2921
#41-Ricky Craven - 2883
#15-Dick Trickle - 2875
#23-Jimmy Spencer - 2809
#29-Steve Grissom - 2757
#87-Joe Nemechek - 2742
#33-Robert Pressley - 2663
#42-Kyle Petty - 2638
#98-Jeremy Mayfield - 2637
#8-Jeff Burton - 2556
#75-Todd Bodine - 2372
#90-Mike Wallace - 2178
#71-Dave Marcis - 2126
#26-Hut Stricklin - 2082
#77-Bobby Hillin, Jr. - 1686
#27-Elton Sawyer - 1499
#32-Greg Sacks - 1349
#Randy LaJoie - 1133
#19-Loy Allen Jr. - 890
#Kenny Wallace - 878
#Chuck Bown - 618
#Jimmy Hensley - 558
#Rich Bickle - 538
#Davy Jones - 520
#58-Jeff Purvis - 391
#88-Ernie Irvan - 354
#Steve Kinser - 287
#Wally Dallenbach, Jr. - 221

= Rookie of the Year =

29-year-old Ricky Craven from Newburgh, Maine to clinch the 1995 Rookie of the Year award. Craven took the #41 Kodiak Chevy owned by Sue and Larry Hedrick to four top-tens and finished 24th in the points. Runner-up was Craven's former Busch Series opponent Robert Pressley, posting one top-ten in the Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevy. The next runner-up, Randy LaJoie, began the year in the 22 car, but struggled and was released midway through the year, while Elton Sawyer didn't join the battle until Martinsville. The final two contenders were Steve Kinser and Davy Jones, a pair of open-wheel veterans who struggled in their transition to stock cars.

External links

* [http://www.racing-reference.info/raceyear?yr=1995&series=W Winston Cup Standings and Statistics 1995]