1995 Save Mart Supermarkets 300

The 1995 Save Mart Supermarkets 300 was the tenth stock car race of the 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, the third race of the 1995 NASCAR Winston West Series, and the seventh iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, May 7, 1995, at the Grand Prix layout of Sears Point Raceway, a 2.52 miles (4.06 km) permanent road course layout. The race took the scheduled 74 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would manage to make a late-race pass on the leader with two laps to go to take his 65th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin and Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would finish second and third, respectively.

1995 Save Mart Supermarkets 300
Race details
Race 10 of 31 in the 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1995 Save Mart Supermarkets 300 program cover, featuring Ken Schrader and Mark Martin.
The 1995 Save Mart Supermarkets 300 program cover, featuring Ken Schrader and Mark Martin.
Date May 7, 1995
Official name 7th Annual Save Mart Supermarkets 300
Location Sonoma, California, Sears Point Raceway
Course Permanent racing facility
2.52 mi (4.06 km)
Distance 74 laps, 186.48 mi (300.11 km)
Scheduled Distance 74 laps, 186.48 mi (300.11 km)
Average speed 70.681 miles per hour (113.750 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Rudd Performance Motorsports
Time 1:38.467
Most laps led
Driver Mark Martin Roush Racing
Laps 66
Winner
No. 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

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The layout of Sears Point Raceway used by NASCAR at the time.

Sears Point Raceway is one of two road courses to hold NASCAR races, the other being Watkins Glen International. The standard road course at Sears Point Raceway is a 12-turn course that is 2.52 miles (4.06 km) long;[3] the track was modified in 1998, adding the Chute, which bypassed turns 5 and 6, shortening the course to 1.95 miles (3.14 km). The Chute was only used for NASCAR events such as this race, and was criticized by many drivers, who preferred the full layout.[4] In 2001, it was replaced with a 70-degree turn, 4A, bringing the track to its current dimensions of 1.99 miles (3.20 km).[5]

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
00W Scott Gaylord Oliver Racing Ford Oliver Gravity Separators
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac Skoal
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford Miller Genuine Draft
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Valvoline
7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford Exide
07 Doug George Olson Technology Racing Ford Olson Technology
8 Jeff Burton Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Raybestos
9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford Spam
09 Terry Fisher Fisher Racing Pontiac Fisher Racing
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Lowe's
12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford Mane 'n Tail
15 Dick Trickle Bud Moore Engineering Ford Ford Quality Care
16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford The Family Channel
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Western Auto
18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
19 Ernie Cope Lew Miller Racing Chevrolet Mane 'n Tail
21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Randy LaJoie (R) Bill Davis Racing Pontiac MBNA
22W St. James Davis St. James Racing Pontiac St. James Racing
23 Jimmy Spencer Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford Smokin' Joe's
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
26 Hut Stricklin King Racing Ford Quaker State
27 Elton Sawyer Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Hooters
28 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Meineke
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
31 Ward Burton A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet Hardee's
33 Robert Pressley (R) Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet Skoal Bandit
37 John Andretti Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford Little Caesars, Kmart
38 Butch Gilliland Stroppe Motorsports Ford Ultra Wheels
40 Greg Sacks Dick Brooks Racing Pontiac Kendall
41 Ricky Craven (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac Coors Light Silver Bullet
43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
45 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Strauser Racing Chevrolet Star Race Computers
64 Garrett Evans White Racing Chevrolet White Racing
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Olive Garden
72 Dan Obrist Obrist Racing Chevrolet Fight Team USA
75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Factory Stores of America
77 Davy Jones (R) Jasper Motorsports Ford US Airways, Jasper Engines & Transmissions
87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet Burger King
90 Mike Wallace Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
90W Joe Heath Heath Racing Ford Coors
91 Ken Pedersen Kenny Shaw Racing Ford Coors
94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Hardy Racing Ford McDonald's
98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford RCA

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, May 5, at 6:30 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, May 6, at 1:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 26-37 would be decided on time,[6] and four spots would be determined by NASCAR Winston Cup Series provisionals, while two more additional provisionals would be given to teams in the Winston West Series.

Ricky Rudd, driving for Rudd Performance Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 1:38.467 and an average speed of 92.132 miles per hour (148.272 km/h) in the first round.[7]

Eight drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 1:38.467 92.132
2 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1:38.697 91.918
3 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 1:38.918 91.712
4 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 1:39.052 91.588
5 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1:39.168 91.481
6 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 1:39.208 91.444
7 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1:39.221 91.432
8 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac 1:39.408 91.260
9 28 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 1:39.499 91.177
10 90 Mike Wallace Donlavey Racing Ford 1:39.581 91.102
11 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 1:39.713 90.981
12 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 1:39.723 90.972
13 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 1:39.838 90.867
14 31 Ward Burton A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet 1:39.847 90.859
15 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 1:40.455 90.309
16 26 Hut Stricklin King Racing Ford 1:40.537 90.235
17 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 1:40.562 90.213
18 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 1:40.700 90.089
19 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Hardy Racing Ford 1:40.737 90.056
20 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 1:40.768 90.029
21 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 1:40.769 90.028
22 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 1:40.785 90.013
23 8 Jeff Burton Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 1:40.804 89.996
24 77 Davy Jones (R) Jasper Motorsports Ford 1:40.904 89.907
25 37 John Andretti Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 1:40.980 89.840
Failed to lock in Round 1
26 75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 1:39.850 90.856
27 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 1:40.442 90.321
28 29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 1:40.545 90.228
29 33 Robert Pressley (R) Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 1:40.621 90.160
30 22 Randy LaJoie (R) Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 1:40.642 90.141
31 11 Brett Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 1:40.933 89.881
32 45 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Strauser Racing Chevrolet 1:41.010 89.813
33 38 Butch Gilliland Stroppe Motorsports Ford 1:41.085 89.746
34 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 1:41.104 89.729
35 91 Ken Pedersen Kenny Shaw Racing Ford 1:41.178 89.664
36 09 Terry Fisher Fisher Racing Pontiac 1:41.249 89.601
37 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 1:41.270 89.582
Winston Cup provisionals
38 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet -* -*
39 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford -* -*
40 15 Dick Trickle Bud Moore Engineering Ford -* -*
41 41 Ricky Craven (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
Winston West provisionals
42 07 Doug George Olson Technology Racing Ford -* -*
43 72 Dan Obrist Obrist Racing Chevrolet -* -*
Failed to qualify
44 40 Greg Sacks Dick Brooks Racing Pontiac -* -*
45 98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford -* -*
46 27 Elton Sawyer Junior Johnson & Associates Ford -* -*
47 00W Scott Gaylord Oliver Racing Ford -* -*
48 64 Garrett Evans White Racing Chevrolet -* -*
49 22W St. James Davis St. James Racing Pontiac -* -*
50 19 Ernie Cope Lew Miller Racing Chevrolet -* -*
51 90W Joe Heath Heath Racing Ford -* -*
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 4 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 74 2 running 180 $74,860
2 3 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 74 66 running 180 $68,915
3 5 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 74 0 running 165 $41,625
4 1 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 74 4 running 165 $39,870
5 2 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 74 0 running 155 $35,020
6 12 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 74 0 running 150 $26,420
7 20 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 74 0 running 146 $27,670
8 26 75 Todd Bodine Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 74 0 running 142 $24,470
9 7 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 74 2 running 143 $28,920
10 13 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 74 0 running 134 $17,215
11 25 37 John Andretti Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 74 0 running 130 $12,405
12 15 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 74 0 running 127 $16,305
13 38 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 74 0 running 124 $23,050
14 21 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 74 0 running 121 $15,405
15 27 21 Morgan Shepherd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 74 0 running 118 $19,905
16 39 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Ford 74 0 running 115 $19,455
17 34 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 74 0 running 112 14,280
18 23 8 Jeff Burton Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 74 0 running 109 $19,130
19 19 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Hardy Racing Ford 74 0 running 106 $10,505
20 6 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 74 0 running 103 $25,680
21 14 31 Ward Burton A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet 74 0 running 100 $10,380
22 11 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 74 0 running 97 24,955
23 9 28 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 74 0 running 94 24,730
24 40 15 Dick Trickle Bud Moore Engineering Ford 74 0 running 91 $18,760
25 41 41 Ricky Craven (R) Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 74 0 running 88 $14,650
26 28 29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 74 0 running 85 $13,530
27 37 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 74 0 running 82 $10,205
28 8 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac 74 0 running 79 $18,330
29 31 11 Brett Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 74 0 running 76 $23,120
30 29 33 Robert Pressley (R) Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 73 0 running 73 $18,690
31 42 07 Doug George Olson Technology Racing Ford 73 0 running 70 $10,005
32 30 22 Randy LaJoie (R) Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 70 0 running 67 $17,955
33 16 26 Hut Stricklin King Racing Ford 68 0 running 64 $17,920
34 10 90 Mike Wallace Donlavey Racing Ford 65 0 rear end 61 $12,405
35 17 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 64 0 running 58 $14,880
36 24 77 Davy Jones (R) Jasper Motorsports Ford 60 0 crash 55 $9,865
37 18 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 58 0 running 52 $9,760
38 36 09 Terry Fisher Fisher Racing Pontiac 57 0 running 49 $9,760
39 32 45 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Strauser Racing Chevrolet 41 0 suspension 46 $9,760
40 22 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 32 0 running 43 $9,760
41 35 91 Ken Pedersen Kenny Shaw Racing Ford 25 0 handling 40 $9,760
42 33 38 Butch Gilliland Stroppe Motorsports Ford 19 0 engine 37 $9,760
43 43 72 Dan Obrist Obrist Racing Chevrolet 7 0 ignition 34 $9,760
Failed to qualify
44 40 Greg Sacks Dick Brooks Racing Pontiac
45 98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford
46 27 Elton Sawyer Junior Johnson & Associates Ford
47 00W Scott Gaylord Oliver Racing Ford
48 64 Garrett Evans White Racing Chevrolet
49 22W St. James Davis St. James Racing Pontiac
50 19 Ernie Cope Lew Miller Racing Chevrolet
51 90W Joe Heath Heath Racing Ford
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Spander, Art (May 8, 1995). "Earnhardt's one for the road". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 49. Retrieved November 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ Peterson, Anne M. (May 8, 1995). "Milestone win for Earnhardt". Citizens' Voice. p. 56. Retrieved November 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Sears Point". www.gt-racing.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-11-13.
  4. ^ "Passing is tough in Chute | chronicle.augusta.com". 2011-06-07. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2021-11-13.
  5. ^ "SEARS POINT BREAKS GROUND ON MODIFIED CHUTE - RacingWest". 2007-09-29. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2021-11-13.
  6. ^ "Save Mart 300". The Charlotte Observer. May 5, 1995. p. 28. Retrieved November 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Peterson, Anne M. (May 6, 1995). "Rudd sets record in winning Save Mart pole". The Item. p. 15. Retrieved November 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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1995 Winston Select 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1995 season
Next race:
1995 Coca-Cola 600