1998 MBNA Gold 400
Race details | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Race 26 of 33 in the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||||
Date | September 20, 1998 | ||||
Official name | 30th Annual MBNA Gold 400 | ||||
Location |
Dover International Speedway | ||||
Course |
Permanent racing facility 1 mi (1.6 km) | ||||
Distance | 400 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km) | ||||
Scheduled Distance | 400 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km) | ||||
Average speed | 113.834 miles per hour (183.198 km/h) | ||||
Pole position | |||||
Driver |
Roush Racing | ||||
Time | 23.082 | ||||
Most laps led | |||||
Driver | Mark Martin |
Roush Racing | |||
Laps | 379 | ||||
Winner | |||||
No. 6 | Mark Martin |
Network | TNN | ||
Announcers | Ken Squier, Dick Berggren, Buddy Baker | ||||
Radio in the United States | |||||
Radio | Motor Racing Network |
The 1998 MBNA Gold 400 was the 26th
The race would mark the first career
Background
Dover International Speedway is an oval
The track, nicknamed "The Monster Mile", was built in 1969 by Melvin Joseph of Melvin L. Joseph Construction Company, Inc., with an asphalt surface, but was replaced with concrete in 1995. Six years later in 2001, the track's capacity moved to 135,000 seats, making the track have the largest capacity of sports venue in the mid-Atlantic. In 2002, the name changed to Dover International Speedway from Dover Downs International Speedway after
Entry list
- (R) denotes rookie driver.
Practice
First practice
The first practice session was held on Friday, September 19, at 10:15 AM EST. The session would last for one hour and 15 minutes.[4] Ricky Rudd, driving for Rudd Performance Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 23.056 and an average speed of 156.142 miles per hour (251.286 km/h).[5]
Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 10 | Ricky Rudd | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Ford | 23.056 | 156.142 |
2 | 90 | Dick Trickle | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 23.136 | 155.602 |
3 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 23.138 | 155.588 |
Full first practice results |
Second practice
The second practice session was held on Friday, September 19, at 12:45 PM EST. The session would last for one hour and 15 minutes.[4] Mark Martin, driving for Roush Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 23.008 and an average speed of 156.467 miles per hour (251.809 km/h).[6]
Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 23.008 | 156.467 |
2 | 90 | Dick Trickle | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 23.140 | 155.575 |
3 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 23.143 | 155.555 |
Full second practice results |
Final practice
The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held Saturday, September 19 after the preliminary
Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske-Kranefuss Racing
|
Ford | 23.781 | 151.381 |
2 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing
|
Ford | 23.791 | 151.318 |
3 | 44 | Kyle Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 23.851 | 150.937 |
Full Happy Hour practice results |
Qualifying
Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, September 18, at 3:30 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 25 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 19, at 11:30 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.[4] On January 24, 1998, NASCAR would announce that the amount of provisionals given would be increased from last season. Positions 26-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champion needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.[8]
Three drivers would fail to qualify: Morgan Shepherd, Steve Grissom, and Dave Marcis.
Full qualifying results
Race results
Fin[10] | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing
|
Ford | 400 | 379 | running | 185 | $126,130 |
2 | 6 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 6 | running | 175 | $77,005 |
3 | 28 | 12 | Jeremy Mayfield | Penske-Kranefuss Racing
|
Ford | 400 | 0 | running | 165 | $49,305 |
4 | 5 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 400 | 0 | running | 160 | $57,410 |
5 | 2 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske-Kranefuss Racing
|
Ford | 400 | 13 | running | 160 | $40,370 |
6 | 16 | 94 | Matt Kenseth | Elliott-Marino Racing
|
Ford | 400 | 0 | running | 150 | $42,340 |
7 | 10 | 88 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing
|
Ford | 400 | 0 | running | 146 | $43,590 |
8 | 23 | 36 | Ernie Irvan | MB2 Motorsports | Pontiac | 400 | 0 | running | 142 | $34,440 |
9 | 7 | 43 | John Andretti | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 400 | 1 | running | 143 | $37,640 |
10 | 37 | 4 | Bobby Hamilton | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 399 | 1 | running | 139 | $43,540 |
11 | 13 | 1 | Steve Park (R) | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 399 | 0 | running | 130 | $24,640 |
12 | 4 | 16 | Kevin Lepage (R) | Roush Racing
|
Ford | 399 | 0 | running | 127 | $31,040 |
13 | 11 | 10 | Ricky Rudd | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Ford | 399 | 0 | running | 124 | $35,140 |
14 | 15 | 7 | Geoff Bodine | Mattei Motorsports
|
Ford | 398 | 0 | running | 121 | $30,240 |
15 | 25 | 26 | Johnny Benson Jr. | Roush Racing
|
Ford | 398 | 0 | running | 118 | $31,290 |
16 | 35 | 40 | Sterling Marlin | Team SABCO
|
Chevrolet | 398 | 0 | running | 115 | $21,640 |
17 | 38 | 97 | Chad Little | Roush Racing
|
Ford | 397 | 0 | running | 112 | $21,540 |
18 | 24 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 397 | 0 | running | 109 | $33,425 |
19 | 42 | 98 | Rich Bickle | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 397 | 0 | running | 106 | $28,040 |
20 | 32 | 21 | Michael Waltrip | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 396 | 0 | running | 103 | $30,640 |
21 | 33 | 35 | Darrell Waltrip | Tyler Jet Motorsports | Pontiac | 396 | 0 | running | 100 | $17,240 |
22 | 31 | 11 | Brett Bodine | Brett Bodine Racing | Ford | 396 | 0 | running | 97 | $27,690 |
23 | 43 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 396 | 0 | running | 94 | $32,140 |
24 | 41 | 75 | Rick Mast | Butch Mock Motorsports
|
Ford | 396 | 0 | running | 91 | $22,490 |
25 | 39 | 50 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 396 | 0 | running | 88 | $27,315 |
26 | 21 | 13 | Ted Musgrave | Elliott-Marino Racing
|
Ford | 396 | 0 | running | 85 | $16,965 |
27 | 30 | 23 | Jimmy Spencer
|
Travis Carter Enterprises | Ford | 394 | 0 | running | 82 | $28,115 |
28 | 36 | 78 | Gary Bradberry | Triad Motorsports | Ford | 394 | 0 | running | 79 | $16,865 |
29 | 19 | 42 | Joe Nemechek | Team SABCO
|
Chevrolet | 392 | 0 | running | 76 | $26,915 |
30 | 40 | 77 | Hut Stricklin | Jasper Motorsports | Ford | 391 | 0 | running | 73 | $20,265 |
31 | 9 | 90 | Dick Trickle | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 370 | 0 | engine | 70 | $26,715 |
32 | 20 | 31 | Mike Skinner | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 367 | 0 | running | 67 | $19,155 |
33 | 17 | 22 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | Pontiac | 347 | 0 | running | 64 | $23,605 |
34 | 18 | 46 | Jeff Green | Team SABCO
|
Chevrolet | 319 | 0 | oil leak | 61 | $16,555 |
35 | 3 | 30 | Derrike Cope | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 314 | 0 | engine | 58 | $23,480 |
36 | 8 | 9 | Jerry Nadeau (R) | Melling Racing | Ford | 313 | 0 | crash | 55 | $18,855 |
37 | 26 | 91 | Todd Bodine | LJ Racing | Chevrolet | 310 | 0 | crash | 52 | $16,855 |
38 | 27 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing
|
Ford | 262 | 0 | crash | 49 | $32,955 |
39 | 29 | 33 | Ken Schrader | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 237 | 0 | engine | 46 | $23,355 |
40 | 12 | 28 | Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) | Robert Yates Racing
|
Ford | 168 | 0 | crash | 43 | $31,355 |
41 | 22 | 44 | Kyle Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 142 | 0 | engine | 40 | $23,355 |
42 | 14 | 00 | Buckshot Jones | Stavola Brothers Racing | Chevrolet | 84 | 0 | engine | 37 | $16,355 |
43 | 34 | 81 | Kenny Wallace | FILMAR Racing | Ford | 2 | 0 | engine | 34 | $16,355 |
Failed to qualify | ||||||||||
44 | 96 | Morgan Shepherd | American Equipment Racing | Chevrolet | ||||||
45 | 41 | Steve Grissom | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | ||||||
46 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | ||||||
Official race results |
References
- ^ Utter, Jim (September 20, 1998). "Martin overpowering in victory Sunday". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Utter, Jim (September 20, 1998). "Kenseth sparkles in Cup debut". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Schedule for the MBNA Gold 400". That's Racin'. September 15, 1998. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ "Rudd fastest in early practice". That's Racin'. September 18, 1998. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ "Martin fastest in 2nd practice". That's Racin'. September 18, 1998. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ "Wallace fastest at Happy Hour". That's Racin'. September 19, 1998. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ "Additional Provisionals announced". Motorsport.com. January 24, 1998. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ Utter, Jim (September 18, 1998). "Martin battles on, wins Dover pole". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ "1998 MBNA Gold 400 - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved September 15, 2022.