- 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season began
February 16 and endedNovember 16 .Dale Earnhardt ofRCR Enterprises won his second championship this year.See also:
1986 in NASCAR Busch Series Busch Clash The Busch Clash was held on
February 9 atDaytona International Speedway .Harry Gant drew for the pole. Only eight drivers ran.Results
#
Dale Earnhardt
#Bill Elliott
#Neil Bonnett
#Geoffrey Bodine
#Terry Labonte
#Rusty Wallace
#Harry Gant
#Darrell Waltrip Gatorade 125s The
Gatorade 125s , a pair of qualifying races for theDaytona 500 , were heldFebruary 13 atDaytona International Speedway .Bill Elliott andGeoff Bodine won the poles for both races, respectively.Race One Top Ten Results
# 9-
Bill Elliott
# 22-Bobby Allison
# 44-Terry Labonte
# 7-Kyle Petty
# 1-Sterling Marlin
# 43-Richard Petty
# 12-Neil Bonnett
# 98-Ron Bouchard
# 4-Rick Wilson
# 66-Phil Parsons Race Two Top Ten Results
# 3-
Dale Earnhardt
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 47-Morgan Shepherd
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 71-Dave Marcis
# 28-Cale Yarborough
# 33-Harry Gant
# 88-Buddy Baker
# 6-Trevor Boys Daytona 500 The 28th annual Daytona 500 was held
February 16 atDaytona International Speedway . The #9 ofBill Elliott won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 5-
Geoff Bodine *
# 44-Terry Labonte
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 55-Benny Parsons
# 98-Ron Bouchard
# 4-Rick Wilson
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 1-Sterling Marlin
# 75-Lake Speed Failed to qualify: 0-
Delma Cowart , 19-Bob Park , 23-Michael Waltrip , 29-Grant Adcox , 35-Alan Kulwicki , 39-Blackie Wangerin , 48-Ron Esau , 49-Ferdin Wallace , 53-Donny Paul , 54-Slick Johnson , 60-Dick Skillen , 70-J. D. McDuffie , 73-Phil Barkdoll , 74-Bobby Wawak , 76-Clark Dwyer , 81-Chet Fillip , 82-Mark Stahl , 95-Davey Allison , 99-Connie Saylor , 07-Randy LaJoie *
Geoff Bodine won this race on fuel mileage after engaging in a long feud withDale Earnhardt . Earnhardt was forced to pit for gas with 3 laps to go, then blew the engine leaving the pits. This allowed Bodine to cruise to victory by a margin of over 11 seconds.Miller High Life 400 The
Miller High Life 400 was heldFebruary 23 atRichmond Fairgrounds Raceway .Geoff Bodine won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 7-
Kyle Petty *
# 26-Joe Ruttman
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 22-Bobby Allison
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 12-Neil Bonnett
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 71-Dave Marcis
# 27-Rusty Wallace *This was Petty's first career Cup win.
*Petty won this race as the direct result of
Dale Earnhardt andDarrell Waltrip wrecking while racing for the lead with 2 laps to go. Going into Turn 3, Earnhardt hooked the right rear corner of Waltrip's car and turned him head on into the wall. Geoff Bodine and Joe Ruttman, running 3rd and 4th at the time then proceeded to pile in behind Earnhardt and Waltrip. Petty, who was running 5th at the time of the caution, was the first lead lap car through the mess, and thus was gifted his first career victory.Goodwrench 500 The
Goodwrench 500 was heldMarch 2 atNorth Carolina Motor Speedway .Terry Labonte won the pole.Top Ten Results
#44-
Terry Labonte
#33-Harry Gant
#43-Richard Petty
#47-Morgan Shepherd
#11-Darrell Waltrip
#28-Cale Yarborough
#9-Bill Elliott
#3-Dale Earnhardt
#12-Neil Bonnett
#75-Lake Speed Motorcraft 500 The
Motorcraft 500 was heldMarch 16 atAtlanta Motor Speedway .Dale Earnhardt won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 47-
Morgan Shepherd
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 44-Terry Labonte
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 55-Benny Parsons
# 25-Tim Richmond
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 22-Bobby Allison
# 5-Geoff Bodine Valleydale 500 The
Valleydale 500 was heldApril 6 atBristol Motor Speedway . The #5 ofGeoff Bodine won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 27-
Rusty Wallace *
# 15-Ricky Rudd
# 17-Darrell Waltrip
# 33-Harry Gant
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 22-Bobby Allison
# 44-Terry Labonte
# 25-Tim Richmond
# 7-Kyle Petty
# 3-Dale Earnhardt *This was
Rusty Wallace 's 1st careerWinston Cup victory.TranSouth 500 The
TranSouth 500 was heldApril 13 atDarlington Raceway . The #5 ofGeoff Bodine won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 3-
Dale Earnhardt
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 22-Bobby Allison
# 12-Neil Bonnett
# 25-Tim Richmond
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 43-Richard Petty
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 7-Kyle Petty
# 90-Ken Schrader First Union 400 The
First Union 400 was heldApril 20 atNorth Wilkesboro Speedway .Geoff Bodine won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 3-
Dale Earnhardt
# 15-Ricky Rudd
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 26-Joe Ruttman
# 22-Bobby Allison
# 33-Harry Gant
# 7-Kyle Petty
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 27-Rusty Wallace *This race marked the 1st career
Winston Cup start forWilly T. Ribbs , best known for being the 1stAfrican-American to start theIndianapolis 500 in 1991. Ribbs struggled during the race, spinning out twice on his way to a 22nd place finish, 13 laps down.*The #6 of
Trevor Boys smacked the wall in Turn 3 on Lap 89 and came to a stop at the entrance of pit road, blocking it. Instead of throwing a caution, the tow truck was sent out to tow the D. K. Ulrich-owned car to his pit stall/hauler (until the September 1988 event at the track, race team haulers were literally parked right behind their chosen pit stall) while the rest of the cars continued around the track at full speed.*This race included two caution periods around halfway due to rain. However, the race was not red flagged either time the caution was thrown for the rain showers.
Sovran Bank 500 The
Sovran Bank 500 was heldApril 27 atMartinsville Speedway . The #25 ofTim Richmond won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 15-
Ricky Rudd *
# 26-Joe Ruttman
# 44-Terry Labonte
# 35-Alan Kulwicki
# 7-Kyle Petty
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 90-Ken Schrader
# 22-Bobby Allison
# 79-Derrike Cope
# 75-Jody Ridley *
Ricky Rudd 's official margin of victory in the race was 1 lap, and an additional 6 seconds.*According to
Bill Elliott 's book,Awesome Bill From Dawsonville , Elliott suffered his first engine failure in 3 years in this race.*This race marked the first career
Winston Cup start for Mike Skinner. Skinner finished 22nd, 156 laps behind.
= Winston 500 =The Winston 500 was held
May 4 at Alabama International Motor Speedway. The #9 ofBill Elliott won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 22-
Bobby Allison
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 88-Buddy Baker
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 55-Phil Parsons
# 47-Morgan Shepherd
# 43-Richard Petty
# 4-Rick Wilson
# 98-Ron Bouchard
# 10-Greg Sacks Failed to Qualify:35-
Alan Kulwicki , 60-Dick Skillen , 70-J. D. McDuffie , 77-Ken Ragan , 95-Davey Allison , 02-Mark Martin, Steve Moore*This race is most notable for the fact that a drunken fan stole the pace car before the race started and drove a lap around the track. Local Sheriff's Deputies and track workers quickly set up a road block at the exit of Turn 4. When the fan stopped the
Pontiac Firebird , the sheriffs opened the door, pulled the driver out and detained him.The Winston
The second edition of The Winston, an all-start event for previous NASCAR winners, was held at Atlanta International Raceway on May 11.
This was the only time the race was run at Atlanta, and featured a 200-kilometer (83 lap) format, with a mandatory green flag pit stop. Because there were only nine race winners, the highest placed non-winner from the 1985 point standings was also invited.
Bill Elliott won the race.A non-winner's race, the Atlanta Invitational, was added, and was
Benny Parsons ' last NASCAR-sanctioned win in his career when he won the 100-lap, 152.2 mile race.While only 18,500 attended the event, and only 23 cars featured (10 in The Winston, 13 in the Atlanta Invitational), the all-star weekend format of having a non-winners race and a winners race would be a permanent part of the weekend afterwards, although NASCAR made the non-winner's race the next year and afterwards a "last chance" race to make the winner's race.
Budweiser 500 The
Budweiser 500 was heldMay 18 atDover International Speedway .Ricky Rudd won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 5-
Geoff Bodine
# 22-Bobby Allison
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 15-Ricky Rudd
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 43-Richard Petty
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 18-Tommy Ellis
# 90-Ken Schrader Coca-Cola 600 The
Coca-Cola 600 was heldMay 25 atCharlotte Motor Speedway . The #5 ofGeoff Bodine won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 3-
Dale Earnhardt
# 25-Tim Richmond
# 28-Cale Yarborough
# 33-Harry Gant
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 1-Sterling Marlin
# 15-Ricky Rudd
# 47-Morgan Shepherd
# 27-Rusty Wallace *
Richard Petty was not allowed to bring out a backup car after crashing his #43STP Pontiac in practice. As a result,Petty Enterprises bought thelime green -and-white #6Chevrolet owned byD.K. Ulrich , put STP logos on it, and raced that car. Petty finished 38th as a result of a blown engine after completing 123 laps.*This was the 1st career
Winston Cup start forBrett Bodine , who drove a Hendrick Motorsports #2Chevrolet to an 18th place finish, 6 laps down.Budweiser 400 The
Budweiser 400 was heldJune 1 atRiverside International Raceway .Darrell Waltrip won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 11-
Darrell Waltrip
# 25-Tim Richmond
# 15-Ricky Rudd
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 43-Richard Petty
# 22-Bobby Allison
# 12-Neil Bonnett
# 33-Harry Gant
# 18-Glen Steurer *This was the 1st career
Winston Cup start forChad Little , who was then a regular in theWinston West series. Little finished 13th, 3 laps down in the race after starting 25th.Miller High Life 500 The
Miller High Life 500 was heldJune 8 atPocono International Speedway .Geoff Bodine won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 25-
Tim Richmond
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 28-Cale Yarborough
# 15-Ricky Rudd
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 26-Joe Ruttman
# 7-Kyle Petty
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr. Miller American 400 The
Miller American 400 was heldJune 15 atMichigan International Speedway .Tim Richmond won the pole.During qualifying, 31-year old ARCA driver Rick Baldwin, in the
Buddy Arrington #67Ford Thunderbird , suffered a severe crash in qualifying that resulted in the car hitting the wall flush with the driver's side, knocking him unconscious into a coma from the massive head injuries, from which he would succumb eleven years later.Top Ten Results
# 9-
Bill Elliott
# 33-Harry Gant
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 88-Buddy Baker
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 4-Rick Wilson
# 26-Joe Ruttman
# 15-Ricky Rudd Firecracker 400 The
Firecracker 400 was heldJuly 4 atDaytona International Speedway .Cale Yarborough won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 25-
Tim Richmond
# 1-Sterling Marlin
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 7-Kyle Petty
# 15-Ricky Rudd
# 26-Joe Ruttman
# 2-Rusty Wallace
# 66-Phil Parsons
# 35-Alan Kulwicki *This race marked
Richard Petty 's 1000th career start in theWinston Cup Series , dating all the way back to 1958.Summer 500 The
Summer 500 was heldJuly 20 atPocono International Raceway .Harry Gant won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 25-
Tim Richmond
# 15-Ricky Rudd
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 22-Bobby Allison
# 44-Terry Labonte
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 7-Kyle Petty
# 18-Tommy Ellis
# 4-Rick Wilson*This race was shortened to 150 laps (375 miles) due to a combination of rain, fog and darkness.
*Late in the race,
Tim Richmond was spun out coming out of the Tunnel Turn (Turn 2). His car had both front tires flattened and was in a position so that he could not drive it forwards. Richmond backed the car out, then drove it in reverse the nearly 1 mile to his pit. At that point, his crew fixed the car so that he could go forward, but only in high gear (4th). It was at this point thatNASCAR announced the impending end of the race due to darkness. Richmond then charged through the field after the restart and won the race in a photo finish. A modified version of this incident was featured in the 1990 movieDays of Thunder .Talladega 500 The
Talladega 500 was heldJuly 27 atAlabama International Motor Speedway . The #9 ofBill Elliott won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 8-
Bobby Hillin, Jr. *
# 25-Tim Richmond
# 15-Ricky Rudd *
# 1-Sterling Marlin
# 55-Benny Parsons
# 47-Morgan Shepherd
# 12-Davey Allison *
# 26-Joe Ruttman
# 7-Kyle Petty
# 22-Bobby Allison *This was
Bobby Hillin, Jr. 's 1st and only careerWinston Cup victory.*
Ricky Rudd was relieved during the race byRusty Wallace , who had blown an engine earlier.*
Davey Allison drove the race in relief ofNeil Bonnett , who was injured in a multi-car wreck at Pocono the previous week.The Budweiser At The Glen The Budweiser At The Glen was heldAugust 10 atWatkins Glen International .Tim Richmond won the pole. It was the first time a NASCAR race had been run at the track since 1965.Top Ten Results
# 25-
Tim Richmond
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 12-Neil Bonnett
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 15-Ricky Rudd
# 55-Benny Parsons
# 7-Kyle Petty
# 43-Richard Petty Failed to Qualify:30-
Willy T. Ribbs Champion Spark Plug 400 The
Champion Spark Plug 400 was heldAugust 17 atMichigan International Speedway . The #55 ofBenny Parsons won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 9-
Bill Elliott
# 25-Tim Richmond
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 28-Cale Yarborough
# 33-Harry Gant
# 66-Phil Parsons
# 21-David Pearson **This was
David Pearson 's lastWinston Cup start.Busch 500 The
Busch 500 was heldAugust 23 atBristol International Speedway .Geoff Bodine won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 11-
Darrell Waltrip
# 44-Terry Labonte
# 5-Geoffrey Bodine
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 33-Harry Gant
# 25-Tim Richmond
# 43-Richard Petty
# 22-Bobby Allison
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 35-Alan Kulwicki Southern 500 The
Southern 500 was heldAugust 31 atDarlington Raceway .Tim Richmond won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 25-
Tim Richmond
# 22-Bobby Allison
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 47-Morgan Shepherd
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 15-Ricky Rudd
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 5-Geoffrey Bodine
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 28-Cale Yarborough *This race was plagued by rain, to the point of the race running on a damp surface and the drivers having to race as if
Darlington Raceway were a dirt track.Wrangler Jeans Indigo 400 The
Wrangler Jeans Indigo 400 was heldSeptember 7 atRichmond Fairgrounds Raceway .Harry Gant won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 25-
Tim Richmond
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 75-Morgan Shepherd *
# 43-Richard Petty
# 12-Neil Bonnett
# 26-Joe Ruttman
# 33-Harry Gant
# 22-Bobby Allison
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr. *
Morgan Shepherd was hired byRAHMOC Enterprises to replaceJody Ridley as the driver of the #75Nationwise Auto Parts Pontiac .Delaware 500 The
Delaware 500 was heldSeptember 14 atDover Downs International Speedway . The #5 ofGeoff Bodine won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 15-
Ricky Rudd
# 12-Neil Bonnett
# 7-Kyle Petty
# 88-Buddy Baker
# 71-Dave Marcis
# 26-Joe Ruttman
# 35-Alan Kulwicki
# 18-Tommy Ellis
# 8-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
# 75-Morgan Shepherd Goody's 500 The
Goody's 500 was heldSeptember 21 atMartinsville Speedway .Geoff Bodine won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 27-
Rusty Wallace
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 33-Harry Gant
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 26-Joe Ruttman
# 7-Kyle Petty
# 90-Ken Schrader
# 12-Neil Bonnett
# 71-Dave Marcis
# 25-Tim Richmond Holly Farms 400 The
Holly Farms 400 was heldSeptember 28 atNorth Wilkesboro Speedway . The #25 ofTim Richmond won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 11-
Darrell Waltrip
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 43-Richard Petty
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 33-Harry Gant
# 26-Joe Ruttman
# 15-Ricky Rudd
# 71-Dave Marcis
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 44-Terry Labonte Oakwood Homes 500 The
Oakwood Homes 500 was heldOctober 5 atCharlotte Motor Speedway . The #25 ofTim Richmond won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 3-
Dale Earnhardt
# 33-Harry Gant
# 12-Neil Bonnett
# 15-Ricky Rudd
# 88-Buddy Baker
# 5-Geoff Bodine
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 66-Phil Parsons Nationwise 500 The
Nationwise 500 was heldOctober 19 atNorth Carolina Motor Speedway . The #25 ofTim Richmond won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 12-
Neil Bonnett
# 15-Ricky Rudd
# 11-Darrell Waltrip
# 33-Harry Gant
# 88-Buddy Baker
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 43-Richard Petty
# 26-Joe Ruttman
# 7-Kyle Petty Atlanta Journal 500 The
Atlanta Journal 500 was heldNovember 2 atAtlanta Motor Speedway .Bill Elliott won the pole.Top Ten Results
# 3-
Dale Earnhardt *
# 43-Richard Petty
# 9-Bill Elliott
# 25-Tim Richmond
# 88-Buddy Baker
# 12-Neil Bonnett
# 7-Kyle Petty
# 44-Terry Labonte
# 26-Joe Ruttman
# 66-Phil Parsons *
Dale Earnhardt 's official margin of victory was 1 lap, and an additional 3 seconds. Winning the race clinched Earnhardt's 2ndWinston Cup Championship .Winston Western 500 The
Winston Western 500 was heldNovember 16 atRiverside International Raceway .Tim Richmond won the pole.Top Ten Results
#
Tim Richmond
#Dale Earnhardt
#Geoff Bodine
#Darrell Waltrip
#Joe Ruttman
#Bobby Hillin, Jr.
#Bobby Allison
#Rusty Wallace
#Neil Bonnett
#Terry Labonte Final points standings
#
Dale Earnhardt - 4468
#Darrell Waltrip - 4180
#Tim Richmond - 4174
#Bill Elliott - 3844
#Ricky Rudd - 3823
#Rusty Wallace - 3762
#Bobby Allison - 3698
#Geoff Bodine - 3678
#Bobby Hillin, Jr. - 3546
#Kyle Petty - 3537
#Harry Gant - 3498
#Terry Labonte - 3473
#Neil Bonnett - 3369
#Richard Petty - 3314
#Joe Ruttman - 3295
#Ken Schrader - 3052
#Dave Marcis - 2912
#Morgan Shepherd - 2896
#Michael Waltrip - 2853
#Buddy Arrington - 2776
#Alan Kulwicki - 2705
#Jimmy Means - 2495
#Tommy Ellis - 2393
#Buddy Baker - 1924
#Eddie Bierschwale - 1860
#J. D. McDuffie - 1825
#Phil Parsons - 1742
#Rick Wilson - 1698
#Cale Yarborough - 1642
#Benny Parsons - 1555
#Ron Bouchard - 1553
#Chet Fillip - 1433
#Jody Ridley - 1213
#Trevor Boys - 1064
#Doug Heveron - 1052
#Sterling Marlin - 989
#D.K. Ulrich - 804
#Pancho Carter - 706
#Ken Ragan - 627
#Lake Speed - 608
#Greg Sacks - 579
#Ronnie Thomas - 504
#Bobby Wawak - 480
#Rodney Combs - 421
#Derrike Cope - 400
#James Hylton - 386
#Davey Allison - 364
#Mark Martin - 364
#Jim Sauter - 361
#A. J. Foyt - 355Alan Kulwicki , driving for a team that had only one car, won the Rookie of the Year award in 1986, finishing in the top-ten four times. Of the rest of the candidates, only runner-upMichael Waltrip ran a complete schedule.External links
* [http://www.racing-reference.info/raceyear?yr=1986&series=W Winston Cup Standings and Statistics for 1986]
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