1991 Pepsi 400
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}{{Short description|15th race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}
{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=NASWINSTON|Official_name=33rd Annual Pepsi 400|Caption=The 1991 Pepsi 400 program cover.|Date=July 6|Avg={{convert|159.116|mph|km/h}}|Season_No=29|Race_No=15|Scheduled_laps=160|Course_km=4.0|Distance_laps=160|Distance_km=643.737|Course_mi=2.5|Scheduled_km=643.737|Scheduled_mi=400|Race_Name=Pepsi 400|Location=Daytona Beach, Florida, Daytona International Speedway|Announcers=Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, Ned Jarrett|Radio=Motor Racing Network|Network=ESPN|First_Team=Melling Racing|First_Driver=Bill Elliott|Pole_Team=Junior Johnson & Associates|Most_Team=Morgan-McClure Motorsports|Pole_Driver=Sterling Marlin|Most_Driver=Ernie Irvan|Most_laps=85|Car=9|Year=1991|Distance_mi=400|Pole_Time=47.286|Image=1991_Pepsi_400.jpeg|Attendance=80,000}}
The 1991 Pepsi 400 was the 15th stock car race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 33rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, July 6, 1991, before an audience of 80,000 in Daytona Beach, Florida at Daytona International Speedway, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) permanent triangular-shaped superspeedway. The race took the scheduled 160 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Melling Racing driver Bill Elliott would manage to mount a late-race charge to the lead, passing for the lead with 13 to go to take his 34th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Tom |date=July 7, 1991 |title=Elliott pours on the power (Part 1) |pages=37 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119255434/elliott-pours-on-the-power-part-1/ |access-date=February 20, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Tom |date=July 7, 1991 |title=Elliott pours on the power (Part 2) |pages=40 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119255575/elliott-pours-on-the-power-part-2/ |access-date=February 20, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=Coble |first=Don |date=July 7, 1991 |title=Uh-huh... Elliott's the right one (Part 1) |pages=21 |work=Florida Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119256752/uh-huh-elliotts-the-right-one-part/ |access-date=February 20, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=Coble |first=Don |date=July 7, 1991 |title=Uh-huh... Elliott's the right one (Part 2) |pages=22 |work=Florida Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119256800/uh-huh-elliotts-the-right-one-part/ |access-date=February 20, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} To fill out the top three, Junior Johnson & Associates driver Geoff Bodine and Robert Yates Racing driver Davey Allison would finish second and third, respectively.
On lap 120 of the race, owner-driver Darrell Waltrip, along with RahMoc Enterprises driver Joe Ruttman, would both be involved in a crash on the track's back straightaway. Waltrip and Ruttman would both slide into the infield grass, and Waltrip's car, after hitting a bump in the infield, would then proceed to go into a series of violent flips, destroying Waltrip's car. Waltrip was not seriously hurt.{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Tom |date=July 7, 1991 |title=Daytona track not on Waltrip's list of favorites |pages=40 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119255622/daytona-track-not-on-waltrips-list-of/ |access-date=February 20, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=D'Angelo |first=Tom |date=July 7, 1991 |title=Waltrip on course - until crash |pages=51 |work=The Palm Beach Post |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119258088/waltrip-on-course-until-crash/ |access-date=February 20, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}
Background
File:Daytona_International_Speedway.svg, the venue where the race was held.]]
Daytona International Speedway is one of three superspeedways to hold NASCAR races, the other two being Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. The standard track at Daytona International Speedway is a four-turn superspeedway that is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long. The track's turns are banked at 31 degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, is banked at 18 degrees.
= Entry list =
- (R) denotes rookie driver.
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!# !Driver !Team !Make !Sponsor |
| 1 |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 5
|Tide |
| 6
|Ford |
| 7
|Ford |
| 8 |
| 9
|Ford |
| 10 |
| 11
|Ford |
| 12 |
| 14 |
| 15
|Ford |
| 17 |
| 19
|Ford |
| 20 |
| 21
|Ford |
| 22
|Ford |
| 23 |
| 24 |
| 25 |
| 26 |
| 28
|Ford |
| 30 |
| 33 |
| 41 |
| 42 |
| 43
|STP |
| 47 |
| 49
|Stanley Smith (R) |
| 51
|Jeff Purvis (R) |
| 52 |
| 55
|Ted Musgrave (R) |
| 66 |
| 68
|Bobby Hamilton (R) |
| 70 |
| 71 |
| 73
|X-1R |
| 75 |
| 80
|Ford |
| 90
|Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) |Ford |
| 94 |
| 95 |
| 98 |
Qualifying
Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Thursday, July 2, at 10:00 AM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 20 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 Friday, July 3, at 11:00 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-40 would be decided on time,{{Cite news |date=July 2, 1991 |title=NASCAR today |pages=26 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119258883/nascar-today/ |access-date=February 20, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} 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; up to two provisionals were given. If needed, a past champion who did not qualify on either time or provisionals could use a champion's provisional, adding one more spot to the field.
Sterling Marlin, driving for Junior Johnson & Associates, would win the pole, setting a time of 47.286 and an average speed of {{Convert|190.331|mph|km/h}} in the first round.{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Tom |date=July 5, 1991 |title=Marlin displays true grit (Part 1) |pages=13 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119259251/marlin-displays-true-grit-part-1/ |access-date=February 20, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Tom |date=July 5, 1991 |title=Marlin displays true grit (Part 2) |pages=15 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119259295/marlin-displays-true-grit-part-2/ |access-date=February 20, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}
Four drivers would fail to qualify.
= Full qualifying results =
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed |
| 1
|22 |Ford |47.286 |190.331 |
|---|
| 2
|28 |Ford |47.391 |189.909 |
| 3
|33 |47.402 |189.865 |
| 4
|11 |Ford |47.618 |189.004 |
| 5
|68 |Bobby Hamilton (R) |47.659 |188.842 |
| 6
|66 |47.679 |188.762 |
| 7
|30 |47.757 |188.454 |
| 8
|19 |Ford |47.765 |188.422 |
| 9
|1 |47.784 |188.348 |
| 10
|9 |Ford |47.788 |188.332 |
| 11
|4 |47.794 |188.308 |
| 12
|3 |47.795 |188.304 |
| 13
|5 |47.796 |188.300 |
| 14
|8 |47.910 |187.852 |
| 15
|12 |47.920 |187.813 |
| 16
|75 |47.957 |187.668 |
| 17
|7 |Ford |47.964 |187.641 |
| 18
|15 |Ford |48.055 |187.285 |
| 19
|20 |48.124 |187.017 |
| 20
|17 |48.128 |187.001 |
| colspan="7" |Failed to lock in Round 1 |
| 21
|43 |48.171 |186.834 |
| 22
|25 |48.188 |186.768 |
| 23
|26 |48.220 |186.645 |
| 24
|55 |Ted Musgrave (R) |48.249 |186.532 |
| 25
|42 |48.265 |186.471 |
| 26
|6 |Ford |48.286 |186.389 |
| 27
|49 |Stanley Smith (R) |48.298 |186.343 |
| 28
|2 |48.353 |186.131 |
| 29
|51 |Jeff Purvis (R) |48.378 |186.035 |
| 30
|14 |48.439 |185.801 |
| 31
|21 |Ford |48.444 |185.782 |
| 32
|98 |48.554 |185.361 |
| 33
|47 |48.593 |185.212 |
| 34
|41 |48.651 |184.991 |
| 35
|24 |48.654 |184.980 |
| 36
|10 |48.656 |184.972 |
| 37
|73 |48.689 |184.847 |
| 38
|52 |48.697 |184.816 |
| 39
|71 |48.774 |184.525 |
| 40
|90 |Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) |Ford |49.063 |183.438 |
| 41
|94 |49.147 |183.124 |
| colspan="7" |Failed to qualify |
| 42
|70 | -* | -* |
| 43
|23 | -* | -* |
| 44
|80 |Ford | -* | -* |
| 45
|95 | -* | -* |
| colspan="7" |[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119188346/pepsi-400/ Official first round qualifying results] |
| colspan="7" |[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119188719/todays-lineup/ Official starting lineup] |
Race results
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Fin !St !# !Driver !Team !Make !Laps !Led !Status !Pts !Winnings |
| 1
|10 |9 |Ford |160 |13 |running |180 |$75,000 |
|---|
| 2
|4 |11 |Ford |160 |4 |running |175 |$48,325 |
| 3
|2 |28 |Ford |160 |11 |running |170 |$36,950 |
| 4
|22 |25 |160 |21 |running |165 |$27,450 |
| 5
|11 |4 |160 |85 |running |165 |$36,525 |
| 6
|7 |30 |160 |4 |running |155 |$17,300 |
| 7
|12 |3 |160 |8 |running |151 |$23,200 |
| 8
|1 |22 |Ford |160 |2 |running |147 |$17,100 |
| 9
|13 |5 |160 |8 |running |143 |$16,500 |
| 10
|32 |98 |160 |2 |running |139 |$15,800 |
| 11
|26 |6 |Ford |160 |0 |running |130 |$17,090 |
| 12
|28 |2 |160 |0 |running |127 |$9,600 |
| 13
|19 |20 |160 |0 |running |124 |$9,210 |
| 14
|17 |7 |Ford |160 |0 |running |121 |$14,070 |
| 15
|25 |42 |160 |0 |running |118 |$14,480 |
| 16
|15 |12 |160 |2 |running |120 |$10,440 |
| 17
|36 |10 |160 |0 |running |112 |$14,825 |
| 18
|31 |21 |Ford |160 |0 |running |109 |$9,810 |
| 19
|9 |1 |160 |0 |running |106 |$9,295 |
| 20
|18 |15 |Ford |159 |0 |running |103 |$13,730 |
| 21
|34 |41 |159 |0 |running |100 |$5,510 |
| 22
|21 |43 |159 |0 |running |97 |$8,490 |
| 23
|3 |33 |159 |0 |running |94 |$8,470 |
| 24
|14 |8 |158 |0 |running |91 |$8,050 |
| 25
|39 |71 |157 |0 |running |88 |$7,930 |
| 26
|38 |52 |157 |0 |running |85 |$4,810 |
| 27
|35 |24 |154 |0 |running |82 |$5,440 |
| 28
|5 |68 |Bobby Hamilton (R) |153 |0 |running |79 |$6,070 |
| 29
|8 |19 |Ford |150 |0 |running |76 |4,475 |
| 30
|29 |51 |Jeff Purvis (R) |144 |0 |running |73 |$5,080 |
| 31
|16 |75 |125 |0 |crash |70 |$7,000 |
| 32
|20 |17 |119 |0 |crash |67 |$5,945 |
| 33
|30 |14 |106 |0 |crash |64 |$4,265 |
| 34
|40 |90 |Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) |Ford |89 |0 |ignition |61 |$4,585 |
| 35
|37 |73 |84 |0 |crash |58 |$4,205 |
| 36
|23 |26 |17 |0 |engine |55 |$6,800 |
| 37
|24 |55 |Ted Musgrave (R) |12 |0 |crash |52 |$4,745 |
| 38
|6 |66 |12 |0 |crash |49 |$6,130 |
| 39
|33 |47 |12 |0 |crash |46 |$4,120 |
| 40
|27 |49 |Stanley Smith (R) |12 |0 |crash |43 |$4,080 |
| 41
|41 |94 |8 |0 |quit |40 |$6,080 |
| colspan="11" |Failed to qualify |
| 42
! rowspan="4" | |70 ! colspan="5" rowspan="4" | |
| 43
|23 |
| 44
|80 |Ford |
| 45
|95 |
| colspan="11" |[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119187870/saturdays-results/ Official race results] |
Standings after the race
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
;Drivers' Championship standings
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |
| ! Pos
! Driver ! Points |
|---|
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 1 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,353 |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 2 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,207 (-146) |
| align="left"| 10px 1
| style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,139 (-214) |
| align="left"| 10px 1
| style="text-align:center;"| 4 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,137 (–216) |
| align="left"| 10px 1
| style="text-align:center;"| 5 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,124 (–229) |
| align="left"| 10px 3
| style="text-align:center;"| 6 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,060 (–293) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 7 | style="text-align:center;"| 2,000 (–353) |
| align="left"| 10px
| style="text-align:center;"| 8 | style="text-align:center;"| 1,985 (–368) |
| align="left"| 10px 1
| style="text-align:center;"| 9 | style="text-align:center;"| 1,852 (–501) |
| align="left"| 10px 1
| style="text-align:center;"| 10 | style="text-align:center;"| 1,841 (–512) |
| class="sortbottom"
!colspan="9"|[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/119259793/nascar-winston-cup-points/ Official driver's standings] |
- Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}{{NASCAR next race|Previous_race=1991 Miller Genuine Draft 400 (Michigan)|Next_race=1991 Miller Genuine Draft 500|Monsteryear=1991|Series=NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}
{{1991 Winston Cup}}{{NASCAR on ESPN}}
Category:1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
Category:NASCAR races at Daytona International Speedway