1990 Pontiac Excitement 400

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}{{Short description|Second race of the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}

{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=NASWINSTON|Race_No=2|Distance_mi=300|Year=1990|Pole_Time=22.572|Race_Name=Pontiac Excitement 400|Course_mi=0.75|Scheduled_km=482.803|Distance_km=482.803|Course_km=1.21|Distance_laps=400|Scheduled_laps=400|Scheduled_mi=300|Official_name=36th Annual Pontiac Excitement 400|Location=Richmond, Virginia, Richmond International Raceway|Avg={{convert|92.158|mph|km/h}}|Season_No=29|Date=February 25|Car=6|Radio=Motor Racing Network|Network=TBS|Announcers=Ken Squier, Chris Economaki|Most_laps=148|First_Driver=Mark Martin|First_Team=Roush Racing|Most_Driver=Rusty Wallace|Pole_Driver=Ricky Rudd|Pole_Team=Hendrick Motorsports|Most_Team=Blue Max Racing|Caption=The 1990 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover, with artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.|Image=1990_Pontiac_Excitement_400.jpeg|Attendance=50,000}}

The 1990 Pontiac Excitement 400 was the second stock car race of the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 36th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, February 25, 1990, before an audience of 50,000 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. In the final laps of the race, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would manage to make a late-race charge to the front, passing for the lead with 16 laps left in the race to take his second career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first victory of the season.{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Tom |date=February 26, 1990 |title=Martin's Victory At Richmond A Costly One (Part 1) |pages=9 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122073807/martins-victory-at-richmond-a-costly/ |access-date=April 1, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Tom |date=February 26, 1990 |title=Martin's Victory At Richmond A Costly One (Part 2) |pages=11 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122073830/martins-victory-at-richmond-a-costly-on/ |access-date=April 1, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=Millsaps |first=Bill |date=February 26, 1990 |title=Winner of 400 kept his cool in the cold at RIR (Part 1) |pages=21 |work=Richmond Times-Dispatch |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122108462/winner-of-400-kept-his-cool-in-the-cold/ |access-date=April 2, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=Millsaps |first=Bill |date=February 26, 1990 |title=Winner of 400 kept his cool in the cold at RIR (Part 2) |pages=25 |work=Richmond Times-Dispatch |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122108498/winner-of-400-kept-his-cool-in-the-cold/ |access-date=April 2, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} To fill out the top three, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt and Hendrick Motorsports driver Ricky Rudd would finish second and third, respectively.

After the race, Martin's car was found to have an illegal carburetor spacer, with the spacer being half an inch wider than the maximum allowance of {{Convert|2|in|cm}} NASCAR had set according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. In response, NASCAR officials decided to fine Martin USD$40,000 (adjusted for inflation, USD${{Inflation|index=USD|value=40,000|start_year=1990|fmt=c}}), the largest fine ever levied in NASCAR history up to that point, along with 46 driver's championship points.{{Cite news |last=Pearson |first=Harold |date=February 26, 1990 |title=Martin wins but draws $40,000 fine (Part 1) |pages=21 |work=Richmond Times-Dispatch |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122108721/martin-wins-but-draws-40000-fine/ |access-date=April 2, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=Pearson |first=Harold |date=February 26, 1990 |title=Martin wins but draws $40,000 fine (Part 2) |pages=26 |work=Richmond Times-Dispatch |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122108770/martin-wins-but-draws-40000-fine-part/ |access-date=April 2, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} The punishment was considered extremely harsh and severe by NASCAR media along with Martin's team, in which Martin said in an interview with The Charlotte Observer "It's like running a stop sign when nothing's coming, but a policeman catches you... you shouldn't get a ticket for it, but you broke the law and you have to pay for it. But this is like getting the death penalty for it."{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Tom |date=February 27, 1990 |title=Martin Surprised At Severe Penalty (Part 1) |pages=11 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122109518/martin-surprised-at-severe-penalty/ |access-date=April 2, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Tom |date=February 27, 1990 |title=Martin Surprised At Severe Penalty (Part 2) |pages=12 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122109560/martin-surprised-at-severe-penalty-part/ |access-date=April 2, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}