1989 Miller High Life 400 (Richmond)

The 1989 Miller High Life 400 was the 22nd stock car race of the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 32nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 10, 1989, before an audience of 60,000 in Richmond, Virginia, at Richmond International Raceway, a 0.75 miles (1.21 km) D-shaped oval. The race took the scheduled 400 laps to complete. Gambling on fuel strategy, Blue Max Racing driver Rusty Wallace would manage to run the last 129 laps of the race on one tank of fuel to take his 16th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his sixth and final victory of the season.[1][2][3][4] To fill out the top three, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt and Hendrick Motorsports driver Geoff Bodine would finish second and third, respectively.

1989 Miller High Life 400
Race details
Race 22 of 29 in the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1989 Miller Genuine Draft 400 program cover, featuring Bobby Allison. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
The 1989 Miller Genuine Draft 400 program cover, featuring Bobby Allison. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
Date September 10, 1989
Official name 32nd Annual Miller High Life 400
Location Richmond, Virginia, Richmond International Raceway
Course Permanent racing facility
0.75 mi (1.21 km)
Distance 400 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km)
Scheduled Distance 400 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km)
Average speed 88.38 miles per hour (142.23 km/h)
Attendance 60,000
Pole position
Driver Melling Racing
Time 22.289
Most laps led
Driver Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing
Laps 211
Winner
No. 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing
Television in the United States
Network TBS
Announcers Ken Squier, Johnny Hayes, Chris Economaki
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

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The layout of Richmond International Raceway, the venue where the race was at.

Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series. Known as "America's premier short track", it formerly hosted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, an IndyCar Series race, and two USAC sprint car races.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac Kroger
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile Kodak
5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Levi Garrett
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Stroh's Light
7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford Zerex
8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller High Life
9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Coors Light
10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac Purolator
11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick Chattanooga Chew
17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Folgers
26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick Quaker State
27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac Kodiak
28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac Hardee's
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Country Time
33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal Bandit
40 Darin Brassfield Brassfield Racing Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Peak Antifreeze
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
48 Greg Sacks Winkle Motorsports Pontiac Dinner Bell Foods
51 Butch Miller (R) Miller Racing Chevrolet Miller Racing
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Alka-Seltzer
55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal, Crown Central Petroleum
57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac Heinz
70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac Rumple Furniture
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Lifebuoy
75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Valvoline
83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce
84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller High Life
88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac Crisco
90 Lennie Pond Donlavey Racing Ford V8
94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Sunoco

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Thursday, September 8, 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 Friday, September 9, at 11:00 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-34 would be decided on time,[5] 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 were given.

Bill Elliott, driving for Melling Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 22.289 and an average speed of 121.136 miles per hour (194.949 km/h) in the first round.[6][7]

Greg Sacks was the only driver to fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 22.289 121.136
2 51 Butch Miller (R) Miller Racing Chevrolet 22.293 121.114
3 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22.332 120.903
4 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 22.462 120.203
5 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 22.474 120.139
6 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 22.478 120.117
7 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 22.478 120.117
8 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 22.516 119.915
9 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 22.518 119.904
10 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 22.544 119.766
11 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 22.659 119.158
12 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22.690 118.995
13 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 22.703 118.927
14 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 22.719 118.843
15 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac 22.736 118.754
16 16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick 22.740 118.734
17 2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac 22.740 118.734
18 33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 22.777 118.541
19 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22.806 118.390
20 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 22.858 118.121
Failed to lock in Round 1
21 84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 22.485 120.080
22 57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac 22.734 118.765
23 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 22.827 118.281
24 21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22.866 118.079
25 90 Lennie Pond Donlavey Racing Ford 22.875 118.033
26 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 22.891 117.950
27 88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac 22.913 117.837
28 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 22.931 117.745
29 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 22.975 117.519
30 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 22.981 117.488
31 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 23.026 117.259
32 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac 23.050 117.137
33 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 23.062 117.076
34 75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 23.084 116.964
35 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 23.148 116.641
36 40 Darin Brassfield Brassfield Racing Chevrolet 23.299 115.885
Failed to qualify
37 48 Greg Sacks Winkle Motorsports Pontiac -* -*
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 6 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 400 211 running 185 $55,650
2 8 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 400 135 running 175 $31,475
3 19 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 0 running 165 $21,750
4 7 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 399 0 running 160 $16,450
5 18 33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 399 0 running 155 $15,175
6 12 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 399 0 running 150 $13,150
7 24 21 Neil Bonnett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 398 0 running 146 $9,475
8 21 84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 398 0 running 142 $9,425
9 22 57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac 398 0 running 138 $6,100
10 5 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 394 0 running 134 $13,450
11 25 90 Lennie Pond Donlavey Racing Ford 394 0 running 130 $3,475
12 4 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 391 7 running 132 $8,425
13 31 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 383 0 running 124 $9,132
14 23 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 374 0 running 121 $6,425
15 14 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 372 0 running 118 $6,925
16 30 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 365 3 running 120 $7,975
17 10 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 353 0 running 112 $5,675
18 1 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 334 41 drivetrain 114 $16,075
19 29 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 324 0 fuel line 106 $2,775
20 16 16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick 285 0 crash 103 $4,900
21 2 51 Butch Miller (R) Miller Racing Chevrolet 268 0 crash 100 $3,650
22 13 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 268 1 crash 102 $5,205
23 9 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 265 0 engine 94 $5,000
24 3 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 226 0 crash 91 $7,675
25 15 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac 202 0 engine 88 $3,600
26 17 2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac 182 2 engine 90 $3,275
27 34 75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 165 0 crash 82 $9,225
28 11 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 156 0 engine 79 $4,670
29 27 88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac 139 0 crash 76 $4,615
30 36 40 Darin Brassfield Brassfield Racing Chevrolet 112 0 rear end 73 $2,495
31 32 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac 110 0 overheating 70 $2,365
32 20 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 76 0 crash 67 $2,335
33 35 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 76 0 clutch 64 $2,925
34 33 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 35 0 water pump 61 $3,675
35 26 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 17 0 crash 58 $3,675
36 28 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 8 0 crash 55 $3,675
Failed to qualify
37 48 Greg Sacks Winkle Motorsports Pontiac
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 11, 1989). "Wallace Defeats Elements (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 15. Retrieved May 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 11, 1989). "Wallace Defeats Elements (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 17. Retrieved May 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ King, Randy (September 11, 1989). "Wallace 'coasts' at Richmond (Part 1)". The Roanoke Times. p. 11. Retrieved May 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ King, Randy (September 11, 1989). "Wallace 'coasts' at Richmond (Part 2)". The Roanoke Times. p. 17. Retrieved May 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ "NASCAR Today". The Charlotte Observer. September 8, 1989. p. 62. Retrieved May 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 9, 1989). "Elliott To Start No. 1 At Richmond (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 33. Retrieved May 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 9, 1989). "Elliott To Start No. 1 At Richmond (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 44. Retrieved May 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  


Previous race:
1989 Heinz Southern 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1989 season
Next race:
1989 Peak Performance 500