1997 Hanes 500

{{Short description|27th race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}

{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=NASWINSTON|Location=Ridgeway, Virginia, Martinsville Speedway|Distance_mi=263|Pole_Time=20.272|Course_mi=0.526|Car=99|Scheduled_km=423.257|Distance_km=423.257|Distance_laps=500|Scheduled_laps=500|Scheduled_mi=263|Avg={{convert|73.072|mph|km/h}}|Date=September 29|Race_No=27|Season_No=32|Year=1997|Race_Name=Hanes 500|Most_laps=226|Most_Driver=Rusty Wallace|Most_Team=Penske Racing South|First_Driver=Jeff Burton|First_Team=Roush Racing|Pole_Driver=Ward Burton|Pole_Team=Bill Davis Racing|Network=ESPN|Radio=Motor Racing Network|Announcers=Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons|Official_name=49th Annual Hanes 500|Course_km=0.847|Caption=The 1997 Hanes 500 program cover.|Image=1997 Hanes 500.jpeg}}

The 1997 Hanes 500 was the 27th stock car race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 49th iteration of the event. The race was originally scheduled to held on Sunday, September 28, 1997, but was postponed until Monday, September 29 due to inclement weather.{{Cite news |last=Poole |first=David |date=September 29, 1997 |title=Rains sets Martinsville race back a day |pages=17 |work=The Charlotte Observer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110633528/rains-sets-martinsville-race-back-a-day/ |access-date=October 3, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} The race took place in Ridgeway, Virginia at Martinsville Speedway, a {{Convert|0.526|mi|km}} permanent oval-shaped short track. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete. In the late stages of the race, Roush Racing driver Jeff Burton would manage to take advantage of a penalty-stricken Rusty Wallace to take his third career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his third and final victory of the season.{{Cite web |last=Poole |first=David |date=September 29, 1997 |title=Burton takes over when Wallace draws Martinsville penalty |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/97/docs/0929.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000815213354/http://www.thatsracin.com/97/docs/0929.htm |archive-date=August 15, 2000 |access-date=October 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=The Charlotte Observer}}{{Cite news |last=McLaurin |first=Jim |date=September 30, 1997 |title=Burton gets good flag, Wallace gets bad one |pages=27 |work=The State |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110633658/burton-gets-good-flag-wallace-gets-bad/ |access-date=October 3, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} To fill out the top three, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt and Petty Enterprises driver Bobby Hamilton would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

File:Martinsville_Speedway_track_map.png, the venue where the race was held.]]

Martinsville Speedway is a NASCAR-owned stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At 0.526 miles (0.847 km) in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only remaining race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948.

= Entry list =

(R) denotes rookie driver.

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

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Sponsor

|Morgan Shepherd

|Precision Products Racing

1997 Hanes 500

Background

= Entry list =

Qualifying

= Full qualifying results =

Race results

References