1997 Goody's Headache Powder 500 (Martinsville)

The 1997 Goody's Headache Powder 500 was the eighth stock car race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 48th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, April 20, 1997, in Martinsville, Virginia at Martinsville Speedway, a 0.526 miles (0.847 km) permanent oval-shaped short track. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete. At race's end, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would dominate the majority of the race, recovering from a mid-race spin to take his 23rd career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory, his fourth victory of the season, and his second consecutive victory.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Petty Enterprises driver Bobby Hamilton and Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would finish second and third, respectively.

1997 Goody's Headache Powder 500
Race details
Race 8 of 32 in the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1997 Goody's Headache Powder 500 program cover, celebrating the track's 50th anniversary.
The 1997 Goody's Headache Powder 500 program cover, celebrating the track's 50th anniversary.
Date April 20, 1997
Official name 48th Annual Goody's Headache Powder 500
Location Martinsville, Virginia, Martinsville Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
0.526 mi (0.847 km)
Distance 500 laps, 263 mi (423.257 km)
Scheduled Distance 500 laps, 263 mi (423.257 km)
Average speed 70.347 miles per hour (113.213 km/h)
Pole position
Driver FILMAR Racing
Time 20.153
Most laps led
Driver Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 431
Winner
No. 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
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 Martinsville Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

Martinsville Speedway is an NASCAR-owned stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At 0.526 miles (0.847 km) in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only remaining race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Morgan Shepherd Precision Products Racing Pontiac Delco-Remy, Cruisin' America Phone Card
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford Miller Lite
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 Mattei Motorsports Ford QVC
8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Circuit City
9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford Melling Racing
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Close Call Phone Card
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 Pontiac Interstate Batteries
19 Gary Bradberry TriStar Motorsports Ford Child Support Recovery
20 Lance Hooper Ranier-Walsh Racing Ford Hardee's
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 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Robert Pressley Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Cartoon Network, Scooby-Doo
30 Johnny Benson Jr. Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
31 Mike Skinner (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Lowe's
33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet Skoal
36 Derrike Cope MB2 Motorsports Pontiac Skittles
37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford Kmart, RC Cola
40 Robby Gordon (R) Team SABCO Chevrolet Coors Light
41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet BellSouth
43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac Hot Wheels
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Realtree
75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms
77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions, Federal-Mogul
78 Billy Standridge Triad Motorsports Ford Diamond Rio, Hanes
79 Randy MacDonald T.R.I.X. Racing Chevrolet T.R.I.X. Racing
81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford Square D
88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford Quality Care Service, Ford Credit
90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
91 Mike Wallace LJ Racing Chevrolet Spam
94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford McDonald's
96 David Green (R) American Equipment Racing Chevrolet Caterpillar
97 Chad Little Mark Rypien Motorsports Pontiac John Deere
98 John Andretti 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 Friday, April 18, 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 Saturday, April 19, at 1:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.[3] Positions 26-38 would be decided on time, and depending on who needed it, the 39th thru either the 42nd, 43rd, or 44th position would be based on provisionals. Four spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The fifth is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champion needs the provisional, the field would be limited to 42 cars. If a champion needed it, the field would expand to 43 cars. If the race was a companion race with the NASCAR Winston West Series, four spots would be determined by NASCAR Winston Cup Series provisionals, while the final two spots would be given to teams in the Winston West Series, leaving the field at 44 cars.

Kenny Wallace, driving for FILMAR Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 20.153 and an average speed of 93.961 miles per hour (151.216 km/h).[4]

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 20.153 93.961
2 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 20.204 93.724
3 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 20.241 93.553
4 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20.287 93.341
5 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 20.312 93.226
6 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 20.318 93.198
7 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20.320 93.189
8 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 20.329 93.148
9 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 20.331 93.139
10 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 20.345 93.074
11 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 20.346 93.070
12 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 20.350 93.052
13 29 Robert Pressley Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 20.351 93.047
14 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 20.356 93.024
15 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 20.366 92.978
16 31 Mike Skinner (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 20.377 92.928
17 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 20.386 92.887
18 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 20.440 92.642
19 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 20.445 92.619
20 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 20.456 92.569
21 1 Morgan Shepherd Precision Products Racing Pontiac 20.461 92.547
22 30 Johnny Benson Jr. Bahari Racing Pontiac 20.466 92.524
23 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 20.467 92.520
24 36 Derrike Cope MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 20.474 92.488
25 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 20.491 92.411
26 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 20.330 93.143
27 98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 20.400 92.824
28 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20.493 92.402
29 37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 20.496 92.389
30 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 20.496 92.389
31 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 20.498 92.380
32 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 20.500 92.371
33 97 Chad Little Mark Rypien Motorsports Pontiac 20.511 92.321
34 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 20.512 92.317
35 25 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20.526 92.254
36 91 Mike Wallace LJ Racing Chevrolet 20.533 92.222
37 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 20.537 92.204
38 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 20.558 92.110
Provisionals
39 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford -* -*
40 40 Robby Gordon (R) Team SABCO Chevrolet -* -*
41 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet -* -*
42 77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford -* -*
Failed to qualify
43 79 Randy MacDonald T.R.I.X. Racing Chevrolet -* -*
44 78 Billy Standridge Triad Motorsports Ford -* -*
45 96 David Green (R) American Equipment Racing Chevrolet -* -*
46 20 Lance Hooper Ranier-Walsh Racing Ford -* -*
47 19 Gary Bradberry TriStar Motorsports Ford -* -*
Official qualifying results

Race results

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Fin[5] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 4 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 431 running 185 $99,225
2 8 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 500 48 running 175 $50,575
3 39 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 500 0 running 165 $42,375
4 7 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 0 running 160 $42,925
5 15 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 500 0 running 155 $33,875
6 1 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 500 0 running 150 $35,375
7 29 37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 500 0 running 146 $19,775
8 14 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 500 0 running 142 $29,650
9 17 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 500 0 running 138 $25,445
10 26 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 500 0 running 134 $30,945
11 11 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 500 0 running 130 $23,685
12 25 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 500 0 running 127 $28,400
13 5 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 500 0 running 124 $27,065
14 6 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 500 0 running 121 $22,765
15 19 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 500 0 running 118 $28,215
16 23 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 499 0 running 115 $28,265
17 22 30 Johnny Benson Jr. Bahari Racing Pontiac 499 0 running 112 $22,365
18 18 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 499 0 running 109 $14,770
19 2 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 499 21 running 111 $15,865
20 28 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 498 0 running 103 $23,115
21 38 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 498 0 running 100 $25,965
22 35 25 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 498 0 running 97 $20,415
23 13 29 Robert Pressley Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 498 0 running 94 $13,265
24 12 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 497 0 running 91 $20,115
25 20 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 497 0 running 88 $20,215
26 34 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 496 0 running 85 $19,815
27 37 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 496 0 running 82 $19,665
28 27 98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 496 0 running 79 $19,615
29 3 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 495 0 crash 76 $20,065
30 31 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 495 0 running 73 $9,515
31 30 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 494 0 running 70 $24,465
32 16 31 Mike Skinner (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 490 0 running 67 $10,440
33 42 77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford 489 0 running 64 $9,415
34 24 36 Derrike Cope MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 481 0 running 61 $11,140
35 21 1 Morgan Shepherd Precision Products Racing Pontiac 479 0 running 58 $16,365
36 32 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 477 0 running 55 $16,340
37 9 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 454 0 running 52 $14,075
38 41 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 417 0 running 49 $7,075
39 36 91 Mike Wallace LJ Racing Chevrolet 414 0 running 46 $7,075
40 10 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 398 0 handling 43 $7,075
41 40 40 Robby Gordon (R) Team SABCO Chevrolet 395 0 crash 40 $7,075
42 33 97 Chad Little Mark Rypien Motorsports Pontiac 394 0 running 37 $7,075
Failed to qualify
43 79 Randy MacDonald T.R.I.X. Racing Chevrolet
44 78 Billy Standridge Triad Motorsports Ford
45 96 David Green (R) American Equipment Racing Chevrolet
46 20 Lance Hooper Ranier-Walsh Racing Ford
47 19 Gary Bradberry TriStar Motorsports Ford
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Poole, David (April 20, 1997). "Despite scare, Gordon scores victory". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  2. ^ Harris, Mike (April 21, 1997). "Short track ace Gordon wins again". Citizens' Voice. p. 53. Retrieved September 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "Goody's 500". The Charlotte Observer. April 18, 1997. p. 29. Retrieved September 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Harris, Mike (April 19, 1997). "Kenny Wallace grabs 1st Winston Cup pole". Times Record News. p. 44. Retrieved September 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ "1997 Goody's Headache Powder 500 (Martinsville) - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
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1997 Food City 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1997 season
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1997 Save Mart Supermarkets 300