1998 Pontiac Excitement 400

The 1998 Pontiac Excitement 400 was the 13th stock car race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 44th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, June 6, 1998, 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. With two laps to go, Hendrick Motorsports driver Terry Labonte would make a final pass in a battle with Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett. On the fourth turn of the penultimate lap, the caution would come out for Johnny Benson Jr. Labonte was able to defend Jarrett and complete the penultimate lap to take his 20th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the podium, Jarrett and Penske-Kranefuss Racing driver Rusty Wallace would finish second and third, respectively. The event was overshadowed when Rusty Wallace completely took out Jeff Gordon in turn 2 with 29 laps to go. Gordon in his interview when asked what happened, he replied "well, that's pretty obvious you tell me you know. You got on video. I think it's pretty simple you know I uh- I had the position on him. He just drove into the left rear. I don't know what happened."[3]

1998 Pontiac Excitement 400
Race details
Race 13 of 33 in the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1998 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover, with artwork by Sam Bass.
The 1998 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover, with artwork by Sam Bass.
Date June 6, 1998
Official name 44th Annual Pontiac Excitement 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 97.044 miles per hour (156.177 km/h)
Attendance 103,000
Pole position
Driver Hendrick Motorsports
Time 21.504
Most laps led
Driver Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing
Laps 108
Winner
No. 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, Ned Jarrett
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
1 Darrell Waltrip Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Pennzoil
2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford Miller Lite
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Bobby Hamilton 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 Philips
8 Buckshot Jones Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet Circuit City
9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford Cartoon Network "Happy Birthday NASCAR!"
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Paychex
12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford Mobil 1
13 Jerry Nadeau (R) Elliott-Marino Racing Ford FirstPlus Financial Group
16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford PrimeStar
18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac Interstate Batteries
21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac MBNA
23 Jimmy Spencer Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford Winston No Bull
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford Cheerios, Pop Secret
28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac Gumout
31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Lowe's
33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet Skoal
35 Todd Bodine ISM Racing Pontiac Tabasco
36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac Skittles
40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet Coors Light
41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet BellSouth
43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac Hot Wheels
46 Jeff Green Team SABCO Chevrolet First Union
50 Randy LaJoie Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Team Realtree Camouflage
75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms
77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions
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 Kevin Lepage (R) LJ Racing Chevrolet LJ Racing
94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford McDonald's
96 David Green* American Equipment Racing Chevrolet Caterpillar
97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford John Deere
98 Rich Bickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford Thorn Apple Valley
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Exide Batteries

*Replaced by Kevin Lepage for Green to recover from a bruised shoulder.[4]

Practice

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First practice

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The first practice session was held on the early afternoon of Friday, June 5. Ken Schrader, driving for Andy Petree Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 21.630 and an average speed of 124.827 mph (200.890 km/h).[5]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 21.630 124.827
2 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21.658 124.665
3 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 21.670 124.596
Full first practice results

Second practice

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The second practice session was held on late afternoon of Friday, June 5. Kenny Irwin Jr., driving for Robert Yates Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 21.651 and an average speed of 124.706 mph (200.695 km/h).[6]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 21.651 124.706
2 46 Jeff Green Team SABCO Chevrolet 21.672 124.585
3 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 21.676 124.562
Full second practice results

Final practice

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The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on the evening of Friday, June 5. Ricky Rudd, driving for Rudd Performance Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 22.080 and an average speed of 122.283 mph (196.795 km/h).[7]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 22.080 122.283
2 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 22.130 122.006
3 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 22.200 121.622
Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, June 5, at 6:00 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, June 6, at 2:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.[8] 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.[9]

Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 21.504 and an average speed of 125.558 miles per hour (202.066 km/h).[10]

Two drivers would fail to qualify: Kevin Lepage and Buckshot Jones.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21.504 125.558
2 98 Rich Bickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 21.548 125.302
3 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 21.604 124.977
4 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 21.647 124.729
5 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 21.708 124.378
6 46 Jeff Green Team SABCO Chevrolet 21.733 124.235
7 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 21.738 124.206
8 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 21.746 124.161
9 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford 21.748 124.149
10 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 21.758 124.092
11 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 21.765 124.052
12 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 21.778 123.978
13 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 21.783 123.950
14 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 21.811 123.791
15 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 21.815 123.768
16 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21.818 123.751
17 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 21.823 123.723
18 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 21.823 123.723
19 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 21.839 123.632
20 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 21.868 123.468
21 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 21.878 123.412
22 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 21.879 123.406
23 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 21.887 123.361
24 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 21.887 123.361
25 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 21.889 123.350
26 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 21.892 123.333
27 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 21.895 123.316
28 50 Randy LaJoie Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21.919 123.181
29 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 21.927 123.136
30 96 David Green American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 21.936 123.085
31 35 Todd Bodine ISM Racing Pontiac 21.938 123.074
32 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21.944 123.040
33 21 Michael Waltrip Mattei Motorsports Ford 21.945 123.035
34 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 21.959 122.956
35 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 21.965 122.923
36 13 Jerry Nadeau (R) Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 21.967 122.912
Provisionals
37 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford -* -*
38 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet -* -*
39 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
40 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford -* -*
41 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford -* -*
42 1 Darrell Waltrip Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet -* -*
43 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac -* -*
Failed to qualify
44 91 Kevin Lepage (R) LJ Racing Chevrolet 22.116 122.084
45 8 Buckshot Jones Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet 22.756 118.650
Official qualifying results

*Time not available.

Race results

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Fin[11] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 16 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 96 running 180 $99,975
2 4 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 400 108 running 180 $75,625
3 22 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 400 27 running 170 $56,875
4 7 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 400 0 running 160 $62,075
5 19 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 400 73 running 160 $65,025
6 15 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 400 0 running 150 $39,075
7 13 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 400 0 running 146 $42,150
8 14 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 400 0 running 142 $43,750
9 11 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) Robert Yates Racing Ford 400 0 running 138 $41,850
10 3 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 400 81 running 139 $31,300
11 26 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 400 0 running 130 $41,900
12 18 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 400 0 running 127 $32,750
13 9 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford 400 0 running 124 $26,175
14 37 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 399 0 running 121 $35,675
15 10 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 399 0 running 118 $33,735
16 39 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 399 0 running 115 $35,500
17 20 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 399 0 running 112 $30,800
18 8 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 399 12 running 114 $30,450
19 24 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 399 0 running 106 $30,225
20 25 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 398 0 running 103 $32,150
21 38 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 398 0 running 100 $34,250
22 29 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 398 0 running 97 $34,125
23 5 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 398 0 running 94 $22,950
24 27 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 398 0 running 91 $29,225
25 21 94 Bill Elliott Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 398 0 running 88 $29,075
26 12 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 397 0 running 85 $22,450
27 2 98 Rich Bickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 397 0 running 82 $25,425
28 41 7 Geoff Bodine Mattei Motorsports Ford 397 0 running 79 $28,600
29 23 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 397 0 running 76 $28,375
30 34 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 396 0 running 73 $21,645
31 28 50 Randy LaJoie Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 396 0 running 70 $27,975
32 42 1 Darrell Waltrip Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 395 0 running 67 $20,925
33 30 96 Kevin Lepage (R) American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 390 0 crash 64 $20,385
34 43 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 390 0 handling 61 $24,850
35 31 35 Todd Bodine ISM Racing Pontiac 379 0 running 58 $17,825
36 35 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 374 0 running 55 $17,800
37 1 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 372 2 crash 57 $44,975
38 36 13 Jerry Nadeau (R) Elliott-Marino Racing Ford 361 0 handling 49 $17,750
39 32 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 348 0 running 46 $24,725
40 33 21 Michael Waltrip Mattei Motorsports Ford 340 1 crash 48 $24,700
41 17 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 260 0 running 40 $17,675
42 6 46 Jeff Green Team SABCO Chevrolet 183 0 crash 37 $17,650
43 40 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 113 0 engine 34 $17,650
Failed to qualify
44 91 Kevin Lepage (R) LJ Racing Chevrolet
45 8 Buckshot Jones Stavola Brothers Racing Chevrolet
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Poole, David (June 6, 1998). "Terry Labonte earns first '98 victory in wild finish at Richmond". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  2. ^ Kurz Jr., Hank (June 7, 1998). "Terry Labonte wins crash-filled Richmond". The South Bend Tribune. p. 12. Retrieved September 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ "A wild finish to Pontiac 400".
  4. ^ Poole, David; Utter, Jim (June 6, 1998). "Lepage finds ride, will race with pain". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  5. ^ "Winston Cup practice speeds". That's Racin'. June 5, 1998. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  6. ^ "Winston Cup practice, second session". That's Racin'. June 5, 1998. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  7. ^ "Happy Hour practice speeds". That's Racin'. June 5, 1998. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  8. ^ "Your Guide To The Pontiac Excitement 400". That's Racin'. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  9. ^ "Additional Provisionals announced". Motorsport.com. January 24, 1998. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  10. ^ Poole, David (June 5, 1998). "Gordon on pole again". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  11. ^ "1998 MBNA Platinum 400 - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
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