1996 UAW-GM Quality 500

{{Short description|28th race of the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}

{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=NASWINSTON|Date=October 6|Scheduled_km=806.281|Distance_km=806.281|Avg={{convert|143.143|mph|km/h}}|Pole_Team=Joe Gibbs Racing|Network=TBS|Most_Driver=Terry Labonte|Radio=Performance Racing Network|Announcers=Ken Squier, Buddy Baker, Dick Berggren|Most_Team=Hendrick Motorsports|First_Driver=Terry Labonte|First_Team=Hendrick Motorsports|Most_laps=129|Season_No=31|Location=Concord, North Carolina, Charlotte Motor Speedway|Pole_Time=29.337|Attendance=|Scheduled_mi=501|Distance_laps=334|Scheduled_laps=334|Course_km=2.41|Course_mi=1.5|Race_No=28|Official_name=37th Annual UAW-GM Quality 500|Car=5|Race_Name=UAW-GM Quality 500|Year=1996|Distance_mi=501|Pole_Driver=Bobby Labonte|Image=1996_UAW-GM_Quality_500.jpeg|Caption=The 1996 UAW-GM Quality 500 program cover, with artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.}}

The 1996 UAW-GM Quality 500 was the 28th stock car race of the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 37th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, October 6, 1996, in Concord, North Carolina, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) permanent quad-oval. The race took the scheduled 334 laps to complete. In the late stages of the race, Hendrick Motorsports driver Terry Labonte would manage to make a late-race charge to the front, managing to close and come within one point of teammate Jeff Gordon in the point standings after a late season slump by Gordon. The win was Labonte's 18th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second and final victory of the season.{{Cite web |last=Higgins |first=Tom |date=October 7, 1996 |title=CMS victory leaves Labonte one behind Gordon with 3 races left |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/96/docs/10_06uaw.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000815213656/http://www.thatsracin.com/96/docs/10_06uaw.htm |archive-date=August 15, 2000 |access-date=October 25, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=The Charlotte Observer}}{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Mike |date=October 7, 1996 |title=Labonte's victory tightens points race |pages=14 |work=The Republic |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111962613/labontes-victory-tightens-points-race/ |access-date=October 25, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} To fill out the top three, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin and Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

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

Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, as well as the UAW-GM Quality 500. The speedway was built in 1959 by Bruton Smith and is considered the home track for NASCAR with many race teams located in the Charlotte area. The track is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) with Marcus G. Smith (son of Bruton Smith) as track president.

= Entry list =

(R) denotes rookie driver.

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1996 UAW-GM Quality 500

Background

= Entry list =

Qualifying

= Full qualifying results =

Race results

References