1989 Autoworks 500

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1989 Autoworks 500
Race details[1][2]
Race 28 of 29 in the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
The view from outside the 4th turn at Phoenix International Raceway in 1989
The view from outside the 4th turn at Phoenix International Raceway in 1989
Date November 5, 1989 (1989-November-05)
Official name Autoworks 500
Location Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale, Arizona
Course Permanent racing facility
1.000 mi (1.609 km)
Distance 312 laps, 312 mi (502 km)
Weather Hot with temperatures reaching up to 90 °F (32 °C); wind speeds up to 8 miles per hour (13 km/h)
Average speed 105.683 miles per hour (170.080 km/h)
Pole position
Driver
Hendrick Motorsports
Most laps led
Driver Alan Kulwicki Alan Kulwicki Racing
Laps 96
Winner
No. 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins
Ned Jarrett
Benny Parsons

The 1989 Autoworks 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on November 5, 1989, at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.

A scenic backdrop of mountains and cactuses along with the warm temperatures of the Sonoran Desert helped to provide a pleasant venue for a late-season NASCAR Cup Series event; combining the man-made elements of NASCAR with the elements naturally found in the rural parts of the Southwestern United States.

Summary

Bill Elliott defeated Terry Labonte by six car lengths in front of 63,000 spectators.[2] Three hundred and twelve laps were run on a paved oval spanning 1 mile or 1.6 kilometres in two hours and fifty-seven minutes.[2][3] Ken Schrader would qualify for the pole position with a speed of 124.645 miles per hour (200.597 km/h) while the average speed at the actual race was 105.683 miles per hour (170.080 km/h).[2][3] Five cautions were handed out by NASCAR officials for 24 laps.[2][3] Forty-three drivers competed in this race; the only foreign competitor was Canadian Roy Smith.[2] Butch Miller would finish the race in last place due to an engine problem on lap 16.[2][3][4]

An incident occurred during this race that sparked some controversy.[5] Wallace was leading coming up on the lap car of #90 Stan Barrett while driving on lap 254.[5] Barrett’s car came flying at Wallace on turn on, causing it to veer right and slam the leader into the outside wall.[5] Wallace’s car was damaged but still in racing condition.[5] He would lose a lap and the fans would consider this incident to be a controversy.[5] Rusty Wallace fans would eventually calm down a week later when the Missouri native won his first and only championship over Dale Earnhardt.[5] An incident involving Jimmie Johnson and Sam Hornish, Jr. at the 2009 Checker Auto Parts 500 would invoke nostalgic memories of the Wallace-Barrett incident.

Alan Kulwicki, one of the last great independent drivers in NASCAR history, led the most amount of laps in the race. Bobby Hamilton would make his Winston Cup debut in this race along with Bill Segdwick.[6] Hamilton qualified in fifth place using a "movie car" from the 1990 American motion picture Days of Thunder,[2][4] which was sponsored by Exxon[2][3] and driven by the fictional driver Rowdy Burns (Michael Rooker). Just 19 years before this race, Hamilton had quit school in the eighth grade in order to embark on a glorious career in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Finishing order

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  1. Bill Elliott
  2. Terry Labonte
  3. Mark Martin
  4. Darrell Waltrip
  5. Dale Jarrett
  6. Dale Earnhardt
  7. Dick Trickle
  8. Harry Gant
  9. Michael Waltrip
  10. Jimmy Spencer
  11. Alan Kulwicki
  12. Morgan Shepherd
  13. Ken Schrader
  14. Derrike Cope
  15. Dave Marcis
  16. Rusty Wallace
  17. Jim Sauter
  18. Bobby Hillin, Jr.
  19. Brett Bodine
  20. Joe Ruttman
  21. Kyle Petty
  22. Lake Speed
  23. Hut Stricklin
  24. Larry Pearson
  25. Jimmy Means
  26. Bill Schmidt
  27. Rodney Combs
  28. Geoffrey Bodine*
  29. Ricky Rudd*
  30. Sterling Marlin*
  31. Stan Barrett*
  32. Bobby Hamilton*
  33. Ernie Irvan*
  34. Neil Bonnett*
  35. Ron Esau*
  36. Bill Sedgwick*
  37. Phil Parsons*
  38. Greg Sacks*
  39. Davey Allison*
  40. Rick Wilson*
  41. Roy Smith*
  42. Richard Petty*
  43. Butch Miller*

* Driver failed to finish race

Standings after the race

Pos Driver Points[2]
1 Rusty Wallace 4058
2 Mark Martin 3985
3 Dale Earnhardt 3979
4 Darrell Waltrip 3811
5 Bill Elliott 3692

References

  1. ↑ Weather information for the 1989 Autoworks 500 at The Old Farmers' Almanac
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 1989 Autoworks 500 information at Racing Reference
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 1989 Autoworks 500 at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 1989 Autoworks 500 information at Driver Averages
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 1989 Autoworks 500 controversy at Speedway Media
  6. ↑ 1989 Autoworks 500 racing information at Race-Database
Preceded by NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season
1989		 Succeeded by
1989 Atlanta Journal 500
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