1996 UAW-GM Quality 500

The 1996 UAW-GM Quality 500 was the 28th stock car race of the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 37th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, October 6, 1996, in Concord, North Carolina, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) permanent quad-oval. The race took the scheduled 334 laps to complete. In the late stages of the race, Hendrick Motorsports driver Terry Labonte would manage to make a late-race charge to the front, managing to close and come within one point of teammate Jeff Gordon in the point standings after a late season slump by Gordon. The win was Labonte's 18th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second and final victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin and Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett would finish second and third, respectively.

1996 UAW-GM Quality 500
Race details
Race 28 of 31 in the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1996 UAW-GM Quality 500 program cover, with artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
The 1996 UAW-GM Quality 500 program cover, with artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
Date October 6, 1996
Official name 37th Annual UAW-GM Quality 500
Location Concord, North Carolina, Charlotte Motor Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1.5 mi (2.41 km)
Distance 334 laps, 501 mi (806.281 km)
Scheduled Distance 334 laps, 501 mi (806.281 km)
Average speed 143.143 miles per hour (230.366 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Joe Gibbs Racing
Time 29.337
Most laps led
Driver Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 129
Winner
No. 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network TBS
Announcers Ken Squier, Buddy Baker, Dick Berggren
Radio in the United States
Radio Performance Racing Network

Background

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The layout of Charlotte Motor Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, as well as the UAW-GM Quality 500. The speedway was built in 1959 by Bruton Smith and is considered the home track for NASCAR with many race teams located in the Charlotte area. The track is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) with Marcus G. Smith (son of Bruton Smith) as track president.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Ford Masters Inn Economy
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac Hooters
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford Miller Silver Splash
02 Robbie Faggart Miles Motorsports Chevrolet Miles Motorsports
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 QVC
8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Circuit City
9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford Spam
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Lowe's
12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford Badcock Home Furniture
14 Robby Gordon Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Racing for Kids
15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford Hayes Modems
16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford PrimeStar, The Family Channel
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Parts America
18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
19 Loy Allen Jr. TriStar Motorsports Ford HealthSource RI
21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac MBNA
23 Jimmy Spencer Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford Camel Cigarettes
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
27 Todd Bodine David Blair Motorsports Ford David Blair Motorsports
28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Chad Little Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Cartoon Network, The Flintstones
30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
33 Robert Pressley Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet Skoal
37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford Kmart, Little Caesars
40 Greg Sacks Team SABCO Chevrolet First Union
41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac Coors Light
43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Prodigy
75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms
77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions
78 Billy Standridge Triad Motorsports Ford Diamond Rio
81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford Square D, TIC Financial Systems
87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet Burger King
88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford Quality Care Service, Ford Credit
90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford McDonald's
95 Gary Bradberry Sadler Brothers Racing Ford Shoney's Inn
97 Chad Little Mark Rypien Motorsports Pontiac Sterling Cowboy
98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford RCA
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Exide

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Wednesday, October 2, at 3:00 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 Thursday, October 3, at 1:30 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 26-38 would be decided on time,[3] 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.

Bobby Labonte, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 29.337 and an average speed of 184.068 miles per hour (296.229 km/h).[4]

Five drivers would fail to qualify: Joe Nemechek, Gary Bradberry, Dave Marcis, Robbie Faggart, and Delma Cowart.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 29.337 184.068
2 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.577 182.574
3 37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 29.597 182.451
4 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 29.626 182.272
5 27 Todd Bodine David Blair Motorsports Ford 29.626 182.272
6 29 Jeff Green Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 29.628 182.260
7 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 29.635 182.217
8 41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.679 181.947
9 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 29.695 181.849
10 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 29.716 181.720
11 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 29.718 181.708
12 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 29.730 181.635
13 14 Robby Gordon Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 29.731 181.629
14 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 29.736 181.598
15 75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 29.819 181.093
16 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.820 181.087
17 30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac 29.868 180.796
18 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac 29.885 180.693
19 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 29.886 180.687
20 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 29.892 180.650
21 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 29.895 180.632
22 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 29.900 180.602
23 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 29.941 180.355
24 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 29.961 180.234
25 77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford 29.985 180.090
26 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 29.987 180.078
27 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30.000 180.000
28 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 30.005 179.970
29 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 30.026 179.844
30 97 Chad Little Mark Rypien Motorsports Pontiac 30.028 179.832
31 98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 30.034 179.796
32 78 Billy Standridge Triad Motorsports Ford 30.041 179.754
33 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 30.049 179.706
34 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 30.060 179.641
35 40 Greg Sacks Team SABCO Chevrolet 30.065 179.611
36 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 30.076 179.545
37 15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford 30.125 179.253
38 19 Loy Allen Jr. TriStar Motorsports Ford 30.147 179.122
Provisionals
39 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford -* -*
40 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac -* -*
41 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford -* -*
42 33 Robert Pressley Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
Champion's Provisional
43 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
Failed to qualify
44 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
45 95 Gary Bradberry Sadler Brothers Racing Ford -* -*
46 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet -* -*
47 02 Robbie Faggart Miles Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
48 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters 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 16 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 334 129 running 185 $133,950
2 12 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 334 56 running 175 $85,100
3 10 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 334 0 running 165 $58,300
4 33 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 334 0 running 160 $60,100
5 8 41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 334 86 running 160 $63,400
6 34 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 334 15 running 155 $44,700
7 14 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 334 0 running 146 $37,500
8 23 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 334 0 running 142 $35,000
9 11 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 334 0 running 138 $31,000
10 21 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 334 0 running 134 $31,100
11 7 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 334 11 running 135 $26,900
12 20 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 334 0 running 127 $24,300
13 39 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 333 0 running 124 $26,250
14 17 30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac 333 0 running 121 $22,450
15 18 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac 333 0 running 118 $21,450
16 28 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 333 1 running 120 $19,450
17 19 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 332 0 running 112 $18,450
18 36 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 332 0 running 109 $17,950
19 4 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 332 0 running 106 $20,050
20 26 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 332 0 running 103 $23,450
21 5 27 Todd Bodine David Blair Motorsports Ford 332 0 running 100 $7,900
22 30 97 Chad Little Mark Rypien Motorsports Pontiac 331 0 running 97 $6,195
23 15 75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 330 0 running 94 $9,515
24 35 40 Greg Sacks Team SABCO Chevrolet 330 0 running 91 $5,875
25 24 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 330 0 running 88 $9,340
26 6 29 Jeff Green Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 328 0 running 85 $16,615
27 32 78 Billy Standridge Triad Motorsports Ford 328 0 running 82 $5,500
28 22 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 327 0 running 79 $15,580
29 27 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 325 0 running 76 $15,370
30 41 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 325 1 running 78 $8,365
31 2 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 319 14 running 75 $35,070
32 42 33 Robert Pressley Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 314 0 running 67 $14,995
33 37 15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford 311 0 axle 64 $14,415
34 38 19 Loy Allen Jr. TriStar Motorsports Ford 286 0 handling 61 $4,890
35 29 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 230 0 crash 58 $4,865
36 25 77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford 228 0 crash 55 $4,840
37 9 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 208 0 crash 52 $20,220
38 13 14 Robby Gordon Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 206 0 crash 49 $4,800
39 31 98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 206 0 crash 46 $5,300
40 1 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 179 21 engine 48 $48,900
41 40 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac 114 0 engine 40 $11,800
42 43 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 88 0 clutch 37 $11,800
43 3 37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 17 0 crash 34 $15,300
Failed to qualify
44 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet
45 95 Gary Bradberry Sadler Brothers Racing Ford
46 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet
47 02 Robbie Faggart Miles Motorsports Chevrolet
48 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Ford
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 7, 1996). "CMS victory leaves Labonte one behind Gordon with 3 races left". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  2. ^ Harris, Mike (October 7, 1996). "Labonte's victory tightens points race". The Republic. p. 14. Retrieved October 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "Charlotte schedule". The State. October 2, 1996. p. 14. Retrieved October 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Hembree, Mike (October 3, 1996). "Bobby Labonte on Charlotte pole". The Greenville News. p. 21. Retrieved October 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
Previous race:
1996 Tyson Holly Farms 400
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1996 season
Next race:
1996 AC Delco 400