Login
Login

1992 Mountain Dew Southern 500

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}{{Short description|21st race of the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}

{{NASCAR race season infobox|Type=NASWINSTON|Distance_km=655.112|Network=ESPN|First_Team=Darrell Waltrip Motorsports|First_Driver=Darrell Waltrip|Car=17|Most_laps=91|Most_Team=Leo Jackson Motorsports|Most_Driver=Harry Gant|Pole_Time=30.309|Pole_Team=Junior Johnson & Associates|Pole_Driver=Sterling Marlin|Attendance=70,000|Avg={{convert|129.114|mi/h|km/h}}|Weather=|Distance_mi=407.068|Description=|Distance_laps=298|Course_km=2.221|Course_mi=1.366|Location=Darlington Raceway, Darlington, South Carolina|Official name=|Caption=The 1992 Southern 500 program cover, featuring Davey Allison and Richard Petty.|Image=1992 Southern 500 program cover and logo.jpg|Season_No=29|Race_No=21|Year=1992|Details ref=|Race Name=|Announcers=Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons|Radio=Motor Racing Network|Race_Name=Mountain Dew Southern 500|Official_name=43rd Annual Mountain Dew Southern 500|Scheduled_laps=367|Scheduled_mi=501.322|Scheduled_km=806.799|Date=September 6}}The 1992 Mountain Dew Southern 500 was the 21st stock car race of the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 43rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 6, 1992, before an audience of 70,000 in Darlington, South Carolina, at Darlington Raceway, a {{Convert|1.366|mi|km}} permanent egg-shaped oval racetrack. The race was shortened from its scheduled 367 laps to 293 due to rain. In the final laps of the race, owner-driver Darrell Waltrip and his team decided to pit for fuel only on the final pit stop, contrary to most, who had pitted for tires and fuel. With a shorter pit stop, he was able to lead the final six laps before the red flag was put out to stop the race, with NASCAR officials deciding to end the race early, handing Waltrip the victory. The victory was Waltrip's 84th and final career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his third and final victory of the season.{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Mike |date=September 7, 1992 |title=Race called, Waltrip wins rain-shortened event |pages=14 |work=The Beaufort Gazette |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117987242/race-called-waltrip-wins/ |access-date=February 5, 2023}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=McKee |first=Sandra |date=September 7, 1992 |title=Waltrip completes Big Four bonanza |pages=41 |work=The Baltimore Sun |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117987359/waltrip-completes-big-four-bonanza/ |access-date=February 5, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} To fill out the top three, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin and Junior Johnson & Associates driver Bill Elliott would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

File:Darlington_raceway.svg, the venue where the race was held.]]

Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that is effective at both ends.

= Entry list =

  • (R) denotes rookie driver.

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Sponsor

1

|Rick Mast

|Precision Products Racing

|Oldsmobile

|Skoal

2

|Rusty Wallace

|Penske Racing South

|Pontiac

|Miller Genuine Draft

3

|Dale Earnhardt

|Richard Childress Racing

|Chevrolet

|GM Goodwrench Service Plus

4

|Ernie Irvan

|Morgan–McClure Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Kodak

5

|Ricky Rudd

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Tide

6

|Mark Martin

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|Valvoline

7

|Alan Kulwicki

|AK Racing

|Ford

|Hooters

8

|Dick Trickle

|Stavola Brothers Racing

|Ford

|Snickers

9

|Chad Little

|Melling Racing

|Ford

|Melling Racing

10

|Derrike Cope

|Whitcomb Racing

|Chevrolet

|Purolator Filters

11

|Bill Elliott

|Junior Johnson & Associates

|Ford

|Budweiser

12

|Hut Stricklin

|Bobby Allison Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Raybestos

15

|Geoff Bodine

|Bud Moore Engineering

|Ford

|Motorcraft

16

|Wally Dallenbach Jr.

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|Keystone

17

|Darrell Waltrip

|Darrell Waltrip Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Western Auto

18

|Dale Jarrett

|Joe Gibbs Racing

|Chevrolet

|Interstate Batteries

21

|Morgan Shepherd

|Wood Brothers Racing

|Ford

|Citgo

22

|Sterling Marlin

|Junior Johnson & Associates

|Ford

|Maxwell House

25

|Ken Schrader

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Kodiak

26

|Brett Bodine

|King Racing

|Ford

|Quaker State

28

|Davey Allison

|Robert Yates Racing

|Ford

|Texaco, Havoline

30

|Michael Waltrip

|Bahari Racing

|Pontiac

|Pennzoil

31

|Bobby Hillin Jr.

|Team Ireland

|Chevrolet

|Team Ireland

33

|Harry Gant

|Leo Jackson Motorsports

|Oldsmobile

|Skoal Bandit

41

|Dick Trickle

|Larry Hedrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Kellogg's Frosted Flakes

42

|Kyle Petty

|SABCO Racing

|Pontiac

|Mello Yello

43

|Richard Petty

|Petty Enterprises

|Pontiac

|STP

48

|James Hylton

|Hylton Motorsports

|Pontiac

|McElroy's Flower Shop

52

|Jimmy Means

|Jimmy Means Racing

|Pontiac

|CAS, Inc.

53

|John McFadden

|Jimmy Means Racing

|Pontiac

|Jimmy Means Racing

55

|Ted Musgrave

|RaDiUs Motorsports

|Oldsmobile

|Jasper Engines & Transmissions

59

|Andy Belmont (R)

|Pat Rissi Racing

|Ford

|FDP Brakes

66

|Jimmy Hensley (R)

|Cale Yarborough Motorsports

|Ford

|Phillips 66 TropArtic

68

|Bobby Hamilton

|TriStar Motorsports

|Oldsmobile

|Country Time

71

|Jim Sauter

|Marcis Auto Racing

|Chevrolet

|Marcis Auto Racing

77

|Mike Potter

|Balough Racing

|Buick

|Lance Inc.

83

|Lake Speed

|Speed Racing

|Ford

|Purex

94

|Terry Labonte

|Hagan Racing

|Oldsmobile

|Sunoco

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, September 4, at 3:00 PM 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 Saturday, September 5, at 11:30 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=September 4, 1992 |title=NASCAR today |pages=13 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117987457/nascar-today/ |access-date=February 5, 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 30.309 and an average speed of {{Convert|162.249|mph|km/h}} in the first round.{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Mike |date=September 5, 1992 |title=Marlin takes fifth pole of year in Southern 500 |pages=15 |work=The Times and Democrat |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117987542/marlin-takes-fifth-pole-of-year-in/ |access-date=February 5, 2023}} {{Open access}}

No drivers would fail to qualify.

= Full qualifying results =

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"

!Pos.

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Time

!Speed

1

|22

|Sterling Marlin

|Junior Johnson & Associates

|Ford

|30.309

|162.249

2

|4

|Ernie Irvan

|Morgan–McClure Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|30.357

|161.992

3

|25

|Ken Schrader

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|30.370

|161.923

4

|11

|Bill Elliott

|Junior Johnson & Associates

|Ford

|30.411

|161.705

5

|17

|Darrell Waltrip

|Darrell Waltrip Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|30.419

|161.662

6

|28

|Davey Allison

|Robert Yates Racing

|Ford

|30.436

|161.572

7

|66

|Jimmy Hensley (R)

|Cale Yarborough Motorsports

|Ford

|30.482

|161.328

8

|26

|Brett Bodine

|King Racing

|Ford

|30.523

|161.111

9

|7

|Alan Kulwicki

|AK Racing

|Ford

|30.547

|160.985

10

|15

|Geoff Bodine

|Bud Moore Engineering

|Ford

|30.566

|160.885

11

|33

|Harry Gant

|Leo Jackson Motorsports

|Oldsmobile

|30.580

|160.811

12

|16

|Wally Dallenbach Jr.

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|30.592

|160.748

13

|3

|Dale Earnhardt

|Richard Childress Racing

|Chevrolet

|30.644

|160.475

14

|8

|Dick Trickle

|Stavola Brothers Racing

|Ford

|30.644

|160.475

15

|94

|Terry Labonte

|Hagan Racing

|Oldsmobile

|30.648

|160.454

16

|31

|Bobby Hillin Jr.

|Team Ireland

|Chevrolet

|30.649

|160.449

17

|18

|Dale Jarrett

|Joe Gibbs Racing

|Chevrolet

|30.658

|160.402

18

|5

|Ricky Rudd

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|30.675

|160.313

19

|10

|Derrike Cope

|Whitcomb Racing

|Chevrolet

|30.693

|160.219

20

|1

|Rick Mast

|Precision Products Racing

|Oldsmobile

|30.713

|160.115

colspan="7" |Failed to lock in Round 1
21

|2

|Rusty Wallace

|Penske Racing South

|Pontiac

|30.764

|159.849

22

|30

|Michael Waltrip

|Bahari Racing

|Pontiac

|30.816

|159.579

23

|12

|Hut Stricklin

|Bobby Allison Motorsports

|Ford

|30.819

|159.564

24

|68

|Bobby Hamilton

|TriStar Motorsports

|Ford

|30.831

|159.502

25

|6

|Mark Martin

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|30.966

|158.806

26

|21

|Morgan Shepherd

|Wood Brothers Racing

|Ford

|31.034

|158.458

27

|9

|Chad Little

|Melling Racing

|Ford

|31.055

|158.351

28

|41

|Dave Marcis

|Larry Hedrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|31.162

|157.808

29

|55

|Ted Musgrave

|RaDiUs Motorsports

|Ford

|31.202

|157.606

30

|42

|Kyle Petty

|SABCO Racing

|Pontiac

|31.203

|157.600

31

|43

|Richard Petty

|Petty Enterprises

|Pontiac

|31.351

|156.856

32

|71

|Jim Sauter

|Marcis Auto Racing

|Chevrolet

|31.676

|155.247

33

|83

|Lake Speed

|Speed Racing

|Ford

|31.888

|154.215

34

|52

|Jimmy Means

|Jimmy Means Racing

|Pontiac

|32.135

|153.029

35

|59

|Andy Belmont (R)

|Pat Rissi Racing

|Ford

|33.175

|148.232

36

|77

|Mike Potter

|Balough Racing

|Buick

| -

| -

37

|53

|John McFadden

|Jimmy Means Racing

|Pontiac

| -

| -

38

|48

|James Hylton

|Hylton Motorsports

|Pontiac

| -

| -

colspan="7" |[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117945700/nascar-qualifying/ Official first round qualifying results]
colspan="7" |[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117945938/nascar-lineup/ Official starting lineup]

Race results

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"

!Fin

!St

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Laps

!Led

!Status

!Pts

!Winnings

1

|5

|17

|Darrell Waltrip

|Darrell Waltrip Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|298

|6

|running

|180

|$66,030

2

|25

|6

|Mark Martin

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|298

|26

|running

|175

|$41,355

3

|4

|11

|Bill Elliott

|Junior Johnson & Associates

|Ford

|298

|4

|running

|170

|$32,620

4

|8

|26

|Brett Bodine

|King Racing

|Ford

|298

|0

|running

|160

|$23,260

5

|6

|28

|Davey Allison

|Robert Yates Racing

|Ford

|298

|72

|running

|160

|$38,845

6

|17

|18

|Dale Jarrett

|Joe Gibbs Racing

|Chevrolet

|298

|21

|running

|155

|$19,055

7

|30

|42

|Kyle Petty

|SABCO Racing

|Pontiac

|298

|0

|running

|146

|$16,310

8

|9

|7

|Alan Kulwicki

|AK Racing

|Ford

|298

|0

|running

|142

|$17,890

9

|21

|2

|Rusty Wallace

|Penske Racing South

|Pontiac

|298

|7

|running

|143

|$17,060

10

|18

|5

|Ricky Rudd

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|297

|3

|running

|139

|$18,470

11

|23

|12

|Hut Stricklin

|Bobby Allison Motorsports

|Ford

|297

|0

|running

|130

|$13,985

12

|19

|10

|Derrike Cope

|Whitcomb Racing

|Chevrolet

|297

|0

|running

|127

|$10,690

13

|3

|25

|Ken Schrader

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|297

|0

|running

|124

|$16,600

14

|15

|94

|Terry Labonte

|Hagan Racing

|Oldsmobile

|297

|0

|running

|121

|$13,210

15

|7

|66

|Jimmy Hensley (R)

|Cale Yarborough Motorsports

|Ford

|297

|0

|running

|118

|$11,320

16

|11

|33

|Harry Gant

|Leo Jackson Motorsports

|Oldsmobile

|297

|91

|running

|125

|$18,600

17

|16

|31

|Bobby Hillin Jr.

|Team Ireland

|Chevrolet

|297

|0

|running

|112

|$6,880

18

|28

|41

|Dave Marcis

|Larry Hedrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|296

|0

|running

|109

|$9,205

19

|10

|15

|Geoff Bodine

|Bud Moore Engineering

|Ford

|295

|0

|running

|106

|$11,725

20

|31

|43

|Richard Petty

|Petty Enterprises

|Pontiac

|295

|0

|running

|103

|$12,055

21

|24

|68

|Bobby Hamilton

|TriStar Motorsports

|Ford

|293

|0

|running

|100

|$11,920

22

|34

|52

|Jimmy Means

|Jimmy Means Racing

|Pontiac

|284

|0

|running

|97

|$5,900

23

|20

|1

|Rick Mast

|Precision Products Racing

|Oldsmobile

|280

|0

|running

|94

|$10,630

24

|12

|16

|Wally Dallenbach Jr.

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|276

|0

|running

|91

|$7,355

25

|2

|4

|Ernie Irvan

|Morgan–McClure Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|266

|10

|transmission

|93

|$15,395

26

|33

|83

|Lake Speed

|Speed Racing

|Ford

|253

|0

|running

|85

|$5,335

27

|14

|8

|Dick Trickle

|Stavola Brothers Racing

|Ford

|242

|0

|running

|82

|$6,875

28

|1

|22

|Sterling Marlin

|Junior Johnson & Associates

|Ford

|241

|57

|running

|84

|$13,265

29

|13

|3

|Dale Earnhardt

|Richard Childress Racing

|Chevrolet

|241

|0

|running

|76

|$16,555

30

|29

|55

|Ted Musgrave

|RaDiUs Motorsports

|Ford

|225

|1

|crank

|78

|$9,520

31

|26

|21

|Morgan Shepherd

|Wood Brothers Racing

|Ford

|224

|0

|crash

|70

|$9,310

32

|35

|59

|Andy Belmont (R)

|Pat Rissi Racing

|Ford

|212

|0

|ignition

|67

|$4,670

33

|36

|77

|Mike Potter

|Balough Racing

|Buick

|164

|0

|engine

|64

|$4,605

34

|27

|9

|Chad Little

|Melling Racing

|Ford

|135

|0

|crash

|61

|$4,570

35

|22

|30

|Michael Waltrip

|Bahari Racing

|Pontiac

|102

|0

|engine

|58

|$8,985

36

|32

|71

|Jim Sauter

|Marcis Auto Racing

|Chevrolet

|47

|0

|engine

|55

|$5,900

37

|38

|48

|James Hylton

|Hylton Motorsports

|Pontiac

|13

|0

|engine

|52

|$4,330

38

|37

|53

|John McFadden

|Jimmy Means Racing

|Pontiac

|3

|0

|vibration

|49

|$4,290

colspan="11" |[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117944287/sundays-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

| Bill Elliott

| style="text-align:center;"| 3,116

align="left"| 10px

| style="text-align:center;"| 2

| Davey Allison

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,997 (-119)

align="left"| 10px

| style="text-align:center;"| 3

| Alan Kulwicki

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,955 (-161)

align="left"| 10px

| style="text-align:center;"| 4

| Harry Gant

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,876 (–240)

align="left"| 10px

| style="text-align:center;"| 5

| Mark Martin

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,779 (–337)

align="left"| 10px

| style="text-align:center;"| 6

| Kyle Petty

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,737 (–379)

align="left"| 10px 4

| style="text-align:center;"| 7

| Darrell Waltrip

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,703 (–413)

align="left"| 10px 1

| style="text-align:center;"| 8

| Ricky Rudd

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,667 (–449)

align="left"| 10px 2

| style="text-align:center;"| 9

| Dale Earnhardt

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,646 (–470)

align="left"| 10px 2

| style="text-align:center;"| 10

| Morgan Shepherd

| style="text-align:center;"| 2,609 (–507)

class="sortbottom"

!colspan="9"|[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/117987695/nascar-standings/ 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=1992 Bud 500|Series=NASCAR Winston Cup Series|Monsteryear=1992|Next_race=1992 Miller Genuine Draft 400 (Richmond)}}{{1992 Winston Cup}}{{Bojangles' Southern 500}}{{NASCAR on ESPN}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1992 Mountain Dew Southern 500}}

Mountain Dew Southern 500

Mountain Dew Southern 500

Mountain Dew Southern 500

Category:NASCAR races at Darlington Raceway