1996 Pontiac Excitement 400

{{Short description|Third race of the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=NASWINSTON|Race_No=3|Distance_mi=300|Year=1996|Pole_Time=21.822|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=42nd Annual Pontiac Excitement 400|Location=Richmond, Virginia, Richmond International Raceway|Avg={{convert|102.75|mph|km/h}}|Season_No=31|Date=March 3|Car=24|Radio=Motor Racing Network|Network=ESPN|Announcers=Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, Ned Jarrett|Most_laps=129|First_Driver=Jeff Gordon|First_Team=Hendrick Motorsports|Most_Driver=Bobby Hamilton|Pole_Driver=Terry Labonte|Pole_Team=Hendrick Motorsports|Most_Team=Petty Enterprises|Caption=The 1996 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover.|Image=1996_Pontiac_Excitement_400.jpeg|Attendance=}}

The 1996 Pontiac Excitement 400 was the third stock car race of the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 42nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 3, 1996, 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. On the final restart with five to go, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would manage to pull away from the field to secure his 10th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first of the season.{{Cite web |last=Higgins |first=Tom |date=March 4, 1996 |title=Gordon out of pits, into Victory Lane |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/96/docs/3_4pont.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000815214014/http://www.thatsracin.com/96/docs/3_4pont.htm |archive-date=August 15, 2000 |access-date=October 10, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=The Charlotte Observer}}{{Cite news |last=Luther |first=Bill |date=March 4, 1996 |title=Gordon roars to first win |pages=46 |work=Citizens' Voice |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111047261/gordon-roars-to-first-win/ |access-date=October 10, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} To fill out the top three, Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett and Roush Racing driver Ted Musgrave would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

File:Richmond_International_Speedway.png, 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 =

(R) denotes rookie driver.

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

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Sponsor

1

|Precision Products Racing

2

|Penske Racing South

02

|Robbie Faggart

|Miles Motorsports

|Miles Motorsports

3

|Dale Earnhardt

|Richard Childress Racing

|GM Goodwrench Service Plus

4

|Sterling Marlin

|Morgan–McClure Motorsports

5

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Kellogg's Frosted Flakes

6

7

|Geoff Bodine Racing

8

|Stavola Brothers Racing

9

|Melling Racing

10

|Rudd Performance Motorsports

11

|Brett Bodine Racing

12

|Bobby Allison Motorsports

15

|Wally Dallenbach Jr.

|Bud Moore Engineering

16

|PrimeStar, The Family Channel

17

|Darrell Waltrip

|Darrell Waltrip Motorsports

18

|Joe Gibbs Racing

|Interstate Batteries

19

|TriStar Motorsports

|HealthSource RI

21

|Michael Waltrip

|Wood Brothers Racing

22

|Bill Davis Racing

23

|Haas-Carter Motorsports

|Camel Cigarettes

24

|Hendrick Motorsports

25

|Hendrick Motorsports

27

|David Blair Motorsports

|David Blair Motorsports

28

|Robert Yates Racing

|Texaco, Havoline

29

|Diamond Ridge Motorsports

|Cartoon Network, The Flintstones

30

|Johnny Benson Jr. (R)

33

|Robert Pressley

|Leo Jackson Motorsports

37

|Jeremy Mayfield

|Kranefuss-Haas Racing

|Kmart, Little Caesars

41

|Larry Hedrick Motorsports

42

|Coors Light Silver Bullet

43

|Bobby Hamilton

|Petty Enterprises

71

|Marcis Auto Racing

75

|Morgan Shepherd

|Butch Mock Motorsports

|Remington Arms

77

|Bobby Hillin Jr.

|Jasper Motorsports

|Jasper Engines & Transmissions

78

|Randy MacDonald

|Triad Motorsports

81

|Square D, TIC Financial Systems

87

|NEMCO Motorsports

88

|Robert Yates Racing

|Quality Care Service, Ford Credit

90

|Donlavey Racing

94

|Bill Elliott Racing

98

|Jeremy Mayfield

|Cale Yarborough Motorsports

99

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, March 1, at 10:30 AM 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, March 2, 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 26-36 would be decided on time,{{Cite news |date=March 1, 1996 |title=Pontiac 400 |pages=28 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111046010/pontiac-400/ |access-date=October 10, 2022 |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.

Terry Labonte, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 21.822 and an average speed of {{Convert|123.728|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite news |last=Martin |first=Gerald |date=March 2, 1996 |title=Labonte, Gordon 1-2 for pole again |pages=34 |work=The News and Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111046137/labonte-gordon-1-2-for-pole-again/ |access-date=October 10, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}

Three drivers would fail to qualify: Randy MacDonald, Robbie Faggart, and Dick Trickle.

= Full qualifying results =

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

!Pos.

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Time

!Speed

1

|5

|Hendrick Motorsports

|21.822

|123.728

2

|24

|Hendrick Motorsports

|21.863

|123.496

3

|43

|Bobby Hamilton

|Petty Enterprises

|21.923

|123.158

4

|41

|Larry Hedrick Motorsports

|21.931

|123.113

5

|6

|21.940

|123.063

6

|94

|Bill Elliott Racing

|21.941

|123.057

7

|29

|Diamond Ridge Motorsports

|21.954

|122.984

8

|87

|NEMCO Motorsports

|21.957

|122.968

9

|3

|Dale Earnhardt

|Richard Childress Racing

|21.966

|122.917

10

|81

|21.970

|122.895

11

|88

|Robert Yates Racing

|21.971

|122.889

12

|17

|Darrell Waltrip

|Darrell Waltrip Motorsports

|21.972

|122.884

13

|25

|Hendrick Motorsports

|21.977

|122.856

14

|2

|Penske Racing South

|21.981

|122.833

15

|16

|22.013

|122.655

16

|4

|Sterling Marlin

|Morgan–McClure Motorsports

|22.023

|122.599

17

|15

|Wally Dallenbach Jr.

|Bud Moore Engineering

|22.030

|122.560

18

|1

|Precision Products Racing

|22.063

|122.377

19

|7

|Geoff Bodine Racing

|22.112

|122.106

20

|27

|David Blair Motorsports

|22.123

|122.045

21

|99

|22.127

|122.023

22

|75

|Morgan Shepherd

|Butch Mock Motorsports

|22.129

|122.012

23

|33

|Robert Pressley

|Leo Jackson Motorsports

|22.137

|121.968

24

|11

|Brett Bodine Racing

|22.161

|121.836

25

|90

|Donlavey Racing

|22.174

|121.764

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

26

|28

|Robert Yates Racing

|22.142

|121.940

27

|12

|Bobby Allison Motorsports

|22.181

|121.726

28

|22

|Bill Davis Racing

|22.186

|121.698

29

|98

|Jeremy Mayfield

|Cale Yarborough Motorsports

|22.186

|121.698

30

|23

|Travis Carter Enterprises

|22.187

|121.693

31

|8

|Stavola Brothers Racing

|22.209

|121.572

32

|71

|Marcis Auto Racing

|22.225

|121.485

33

|30

|Johnny Benson Jr. (R)

|22.227

|121.474

34

|10

|Rudd Performance Motorsports

|22.229

|121.463

35

|21

|Michael Waltrip

|Wood Brothers Racing

|22.233

|121.441

36

|42

|22.257

|121.310

colspan="7" |Provisionals

37

|18

|Joe Gibbs Racing

| -*

| -*

38

|37

|Kranefuss-Haas Racing

| -*

| -*

39

|9

|Melling Racing

| -*

| -*

40

|77

|Bobby Hillin Jr.

|Jasper Motorsports

| -*

| -*

colspan="7" |Failed to qualify

41

|78

|Randy MacDonald

|Triad Motorsports

| -*

| -*

42

|02

|Robbie Faggart

|Miles Motorsports

| -*

| -*

43

|19

|TriStar Motorsports

| -*

| -*

colspan="7" |[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111044710/nascar-qualifying/ Official first round qualifying results]

colspan="7" |[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111044621/pontiac-400-lineup/ Official starting lineup]

*Time not available.

Race results

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

!Fin

!St

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Laps

!Led

!Status

!Pts

!Winnings

1

|2

|24

|Hendrick Motorsports

|400

|124

|running

|180

|$92,400

2

|11

|88

|Robert Yates Racing

|400

|23

|running

|175

|$44,225

3

|15

|16

|400

|0

|running

|165

|$42,200

4

|21

|99

|400

|54

|running

|165

|$22,350

5

|5

|6

|400

|0

|running

|155

|$37,850

6

|3

|43

|Bobby Hamilton

|Petty Enterprises

|400

|129

|running

|160

|$37,900

7

|14

|2

|Penske Racing South

|400

|26

|running

|151

|$28,375

8

|1

|5

|Hendrick Motorsports

|400

|3

|running

|147

|$34,475

9

|34

|10

|Rudd Performance Motorsports

|400

|0

|running

|138

|$27,875

10

|6

|94

|Bill Elliott Racing

|400

|26

|running

|139

|$27,225

11

|16

|4

|Sterling Marlin

|Morgan–McClure Motorsports

|400

|0

|running

|130

|$28,675

12

|38

|37

|Kranefuss-Haas Racing

|400

|0

|running

|127

|$25,675

13

|28

|22

|Bill Davis Racing

|400

|0

|running

|124

|$26,725

14

|13

|25

|Hendrick Motorsports

|399

|0

|running

|121

|$22,925

15

|10

|81

|399

|0

|running

|118

|$12,635

16

|23

|33

|Robert Pressley

|Leo Jackson Motorsports

|399

|1

|running

|120

|$22,570

17

|4

|41

|Larry Hedrick Motorsports

|399

|0

|running

|112

|$21,870

18

|39

|9

|Melling Racing

|399

|0

|running

|109

|$21,720

19

|18

|1

|Precision Products Racing

|399

|0

|running

|106

|$21,495

20

|36

|42

|399

|0

|running

|103

|$23,170

21

|7

|29

|Diamond Ridge Motorsports

|399

|0

|running

|100

|$22,210

22

|27

|12

|Bobby Allison Motorsports

|398

|0

|running

|97

|$21,085

23

|37

|18

|Joe Gibbs Racing

|398

|0

|running

|94

|$26,515

24

|25

|90

|Donlavey Racing

|397

|0

|running

|91

|$13,890

25

|24

|11

|Brett Bodine Racing

|397

|0

|running

|88

|$20,940

26

|40

|77

|Bobby Hillin Jr.

|Jasper Motorsports

|397

|0

|running

|85

|$13,615

27

|12

|17

|Darrell Waltrip

|Darrell Waltrip Motorsports

|396

|0

|running

|82

|$20,490

28

|29

|98

|Jeremy Mayfield

|Cale Yarborough Motorsports

|395

|0

|running

|79

|$13,365

29

|30

|23

|Travis Carter Enterprises

|394

|1

|running

|81

|$20,340

30

|20

|27

|David Blair Motorsports

|394

|0

|running

|73

|$10,310

31

|9

|3

|Dale Earnhardt

|Richard Childress Racing

|393

|0

|running

|70

|$27,265

32

|22

|75

|Morgan Shepherd

|Butch Mock Motorsports

|392

|0

|running

|67

|$12,740

33

|19

|7

|Geoff Bodine Racing

|392

|10

|running

|69

|$17,225

34

|8

|87

|NEMCO Motorsports

|391

|0

|running

|61

|$17,215

35

|32

|71

|Marcis Auto Racing

|391

|3

|running

|63

|$10,215

36

|35

|21

|Michael Waltrip

|Wood Brothers Racing

|386

|0

|crash

|55

|$17,215

37

|33

|30

|Johnny Benson Jr. (R)

|386

|0

|running

|52

|$17,215

38

|26

|28

|Robert Yates Racing

|379

|0

|overheating

|49

|$32,715

39

|31

|8

|Stavola Brothers Racing

|288

|0

|running

|46

|$10,215

40

|17

|15

|Wally Dallenbach Jr.

|Bud Moore Engineering

|19

|0

|crash

|43

|$18,215

colspan="11" |Failed to qualify

41

! rowspan="3" |

|78

|Randy MacDonald

|Triad Motorsports

! colspan="5" rowspan="3" |

42

|02

|Robbie Faggart

|Miles Motorsports

43

|19

|TriStar Motorsports

colspan="11" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20000707022226/http://nascar.com/winstoncup/races96/pontiacexcitement400/race.html Official race results]

References

{{Reflist}}{{NASCAR next race|Previous_race=1996 Goodwrench Service 400|Next_race=1996 Purolator 500|Monsteryear=1996|Series=NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}

{{NASCAR on ESPN}}{{1996 Winston Cup}}

Category:1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

Category:NASCAR races at Richmond Raceway

Category:March 1996 sports events in the United States

Category:1996 in sports in Virginia