1998 Farm Aid on CMT 300

{{Short description|23rd race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}

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

{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=NASWINSTON|Scheduled_laps=300|Network=TNN|Announcers=Ken Squier, Dick Berggren, Buddy Baker|Avg={{convert|112.078|mph|km/h}}|First_Team=Hendrick Motorsports|Most_Team=Roush Racing|Pole_Team=Hendrick Motorsports|Pole_Driver=Jeff Gordon|First_Driver=Jeff Gordon|Most_Driver=Mark Martin|Most_laps=193|Car=24|Course_km=1.703|Distance_laps=300|Location=Loudon, New Hampshire, New Hampshire International Speedway|Official_name=Second Annual Farm Aid on CMT 300|Season_No=33|Race_No=23|Date=August 30|Course_mi=1.058|Scheduled_mi=317.4|Distance_km=510.805|Scheduled_km=510.805|Race_Name=Farm Aid on CMT 300|Pole_Time=29.518|Year=1998|Distance_mi=317.4|Radio=Motor Racing Network|Image=1998_Farm_Aid_on_CMT_300.png|Caption=The 1998 Farm Aid on CMT 300 program cover.}}

The 1998 Farm Aid on CMT 300 was the 23rd stock car race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the second iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, August 30, 1998, in Loudon, New Hampshire, at New Hampshire International Speedway, a {{convert|1.058|mi|km|adj=on}} permanent, oval-shaped, low-banked racetrack. The race took the scheduled 300 laps to complete. At race's end, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would manage to dominate the final laps of the race to take his 38th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his eighth victory of the season.{{Cite web |last=Poole |first=David |date=August 30, 1998 |title=It's deja victory for Gordon |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0830/0831300lede.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817233846/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0830/0831300lede.htm |archive-date=August 17, 2000 |access-date=September 14, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=The Charlotte Observer}}{{Cite news |last=Vega |first=Michael |date=August 31, 1998 |title=Silence golden for Gordon |pages=49 |work=The Boston Globe |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109531656/silence-golden-for-gordon/ |access-date=September 14, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} To fill out the podium, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin and Petty Enterprises driver John Andretti would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

File:New_Hampshire_Motor_Speedway.PNG, the venue where the race was held.]]

New Hampshire International Speedway is a 1.058-mile (1.703 km) oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic. Nicknamed "The Magic Mile", the speedway is often converted into a 1.6-mile (2.6 km) road course, which includes much of the oval. The track was originally the site of Bryar Motorsports Park before being purchased and redeveloped by Bob Bahre. The track is currently one of eight major NASCAR tracks owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports.

= Entry list =

  • (R) denotes rookie driver.

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

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Sponsor

00

|Buckshot Jones

|Stavola Brothers Racing

|Chevrolet

|Realtree Extra

1

|Steve Park (R)

|Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

|Chevrolet

|Pennzoil

2

|Rusty Wallace

|Penske-Kranefuss Racing

|Ford

|Miller Lite

3

|Dale Earnhardt

|Richard Childress Racing

|Chevrolet

|GM Goodwrench Service Plus

4

|Bobby Hamilton

|Morgan–McClure Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Kodak

5

|Terry Labonte

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Kellogg's Frosted Flakes

6

|Mark Martin

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|Valvoline

7

|Geoff Bodine

|Mattei Motorsports

|Ford

|Philips

07

|Dan Pardus

|Midwest Transit Racing

|Chevrolet

|Midwest Transit

9

|Jerry Nadeau (R)

|Melling Racing

|Ford

|Cartoon Network "Happy Birthday NASCAR!"

10

|Ricky Rudd

|Rudd Performance Motorsports

|Ford

|Tide

11

|Brett Bodine

|Brett Bodine Racing

|Ford

|Paychex

12

|Jeremy Mayfield

|Penske-Kranefuss Racing

|Ford

|Mobil 1

13

|Dennis Setzer

|Elliott-Marino Racing

|Ford

|FirstPlus Financial Group

16

|Kevin Lepage (R)

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|PrimeStar

18

|Bobby Labonte

|Joe Gibbs Racing

|Pontiac

|Interstate Batteries

21

|Michael Waltrip

|Wood Brothers Racing

|Ford

|Citgo

22

|Ward Burton

|Bill Davis Racing

|Pontiac

|MBNA Platinum

23

|Jimmy Spencer

|Travis Carter Enterprises

|Ford

|Winston No Bull

24

|Jeff Gordon

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|DuPont

26

|Johnny Benson Jr.

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|Cheerios, Pop Secret

28

|Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)

|Robert Yates Racing

|Ford

|Texaco, Havoline

30

|Derrike Cope

|Bahari Racing

|Pontiac

|Gumout

31

|Mike Skinner

|Richard Childress Racing

|Chevrolet

|Lowe's

33

|Ken Schrader

|Andy Petree Racing

|Chevrolet

|Skoal

35

|Darrell Waltrip

|Tyler Jet Motorsports

|Pontiac

|Tabasco

36

|Ernie Irvan

|MB2 Motorsports

|Pontiac

|Skittles

40

|Sterling Marlin

|Team SABCO

|Chevrolet

|Coors Light

41

|Steve Grissom

|Larry Hedrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Kodiak

42

|Joe Nemechek

|Team SABCO

|Chevrolet

|BellSouth

43

|John Andretti

|Petty Enterprises

|Pontiac

|STP

44

|Kyle Petty

|Petty Enterprises

|Pontiac

|Hot Wheels

46

|Jeff Green

|Team SABCO

|Chevrolet

|The Money Store

50

|Wally Dallenbach Jr.

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Budweiser

71

|Dave Marcis

|Marcis Auto Racing

|Chevrolet

|TNN Inside Outdoors, Realtree

75

|Rick Mast

|Butch Mock Motorsports

|Ford

|Remington Arms

77

|Robert Pressley

|Jasper Motorsports

|Ford

|Jasper Engines & Transmissions

79

|Ken Bouchard

|T.R.I.X. Racing

|Chevrolet

|T.R.I.X. Racing, NUCAR Connection

81

|Kenny Wallace

|FILMAR Racing

|Ford

|Square D

88

|Dale Jarrett

|Robert Yates Racing

|Ford

|Quality Care Service, Ford Credit

90

|Dick Trickle

|Donlavey Racing

|Ford

|Heilig-Meyers

91

|Morgan Shepherd

|LJ Racing

|Chevrolet

|LJ Racing

94

|Bill Elliott

|Elliott-Marino Racing

|Ford

|McDonald's

96

|Ron Fellows

|American Equipment Racing

|Chevrolet

|Caterpillar

97

|Chad Little

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|John Deere

98

|Rich Bickle

|Cale Yarborough Motorsports

|Ford

|Thorn Apple Valley

99

|Jeff Burton

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|Exide Batteries

Practice

= First practice =

The first practice session was held on Friday, August 28, at 2:00 PM EST. The session would last for one hour.{{Cite web |date=August 25, 1998 |title=Schedule for New Hampshire |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0830/sked.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817234435/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0830/sked.htm |archive-date=August 17, 2000 |access-date=September 14, 2022 |website=That's Racin'}} Jeremy Mayfield, driving for Penske-Kranefuss Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.815 and an average speed of {{Convert|127.748|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{Cite web |date=August 28, 1998 |title=Winston Cup practice speeds |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0830/0829practice.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817234021/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0830/0829practice.htm |archive-date=August 17, 2000 |access-date=September 14, 2022 |website=That's Racin'}}

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

!Pos.

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Time

!Speed

1

|12

|Jeremy Mayfield

|Penske-Kranefuss Racing

|Ford

|29.815

|127.748

2

|6

|Mark Martin

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|29.853

|127.585

3

|33

|Ken Schrader

|Andy Petree Racing

|Chevrolet

|29.900

|127.385

colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20000817234021/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0830/0829practice.htm Full first practice results]

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, August 28, at 4:00 PM 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, August 29, at 11:00 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. On January 24, 1998, NASCAR would announce that the amount of provisionals given would be increased from last season. Positions 26-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champion needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.{{Cite web |date=January 24, 1998 |title=Additional Provisionals announced |url=https://us.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/additional-provisionals-announced/1697038/ |access-date=August 31, 2022 |website=Motorsport.com |language=en}}

Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 29.518 and an average speed of {{Convert|129.033|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |last=Poole |first=David |date=August 28, 1998 |title=Top drivers get handle on NHIS |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0830/0829quallede.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817234013/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0830/0829quallede.htm |archive-date=August 17, 2000 |access-date=September 14, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=The Charlotte Observer}}

Three drivers would fail to qualify: Derrike Cope, Buckshot Jones, and Dan Pardus.

= Full qualifying results =

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

!Pos.

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Time

!Speed

1

|24

|Jeff Gordon

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|29.518

|129.033

2

|18

|Bobby Labonte

|Joe Gibbs Racing

|Pontiac

|29.664

|128.398

3

|33

|Ken Schrader

|Andy Petree Racing

|Chevrolet

|29.707

|128.212

4

|81

|Kenny Wallace

|FILMAR Racing

|Ford

|29.714

|128.182

5

|6

|Mark Martin

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|29.738

|128.079

6

|12

|Jeremy Mayfield

|Penske-Kranefuss Racing

|Ford

|29.756

|128.001

7

|88

|Dale Jarrett

|Robert Yates Racing

|Ford

|29.813

|127.756

8

|75

|Rick Mast

|Butch Mock Motorsports

|Ford

|29.814

|127.752

9

|43

|John Andretti

|Petty Enterprises

|Pontiac

|29.839

|127.645

10

|4

|Bobby Hamilton

|Morgan–McClure Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|29.859

|127.560

11

|28

|Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)

|Robert Yates Racing

|Ford

|29.875

|127.491

12

|31

|Mike Skinner

|Richard Childress Racing

|Chevrolet

|29.908

|127.351

13

|5

|Terry Labonte

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|29.967

|127.100

14

|2

|Rusty Wallace

|Penske-Kranefuss Racing

|Ford

|29.969

|127.091

15

|41

|Steve Grissom

|Larry Hedrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|29.971

|127.083

16

|11

|Brett Bodine

|Brett Bodine Racing

|Ford

|29.976

|127.062

17

|23

|Jimmy Spencer

|Travis Carter Enterprises

|Ford

|29.982

|127.036

18

|3

|Dale Earnhardt

|Richard Childress Racing

|Chevrolet

|29.990

|127.002

19

|36

|Ernie Irvan

|MB2 Motorsports

|Pontiac

|30.010

|126.918

20

|22

|Ward Burton

|Bill Davis Racing

|Pontiac

|30.013

|126.905

21

|46

|Jeff Green

|Team SABCO

|Chevrolet

|30.021

|126.871

22

|94

|Bill Elliott

|Elliott-Marino Racing

|Ford

|30.041

|126.787

23

|44

|Kyle Petty

|Petty Enterprises

|Pontiac

|30.054

|126.732

24

|77

|Robert Pressley

|Jasper Motorsports

|Ford

|30.064

|126.690

25

|99

|Jeff Burton

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|30.067

|126.677

26

|9

|Jerry Nadeau (R)

|Melling Racing

|Ford

|29.864

|127.538

27

|97

|Chad Little

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|29.865

|127.534

28

|90

|Dick Trickle

|Donlavey Racing

|Ford

|29.866

|127.530

29

|21

|Michael Waltrip

|Wood Brothers Racing

|Ford

|29.873

|127.500

30

|91

|Morgan Shepherd

|LJ Racing

|Chevrolet

|29.900

|127.385

31

|7

|Geoff Bodine

|Mattei Motorsports

|Ford

|29.976

|127.062

32

|42

|Joe Nemechek

|Team SABCO

|Chevrolet

|30.003

|126.947

33

|16

|Kevin Lepage

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|30.011

|126.913

34

|13

|Dennis Setzer

|Elliott-Marino Racing

|Ford

|30.022

|126.867

35

|10

|Ricky Rudd

|Rudd Performance Motorsports

|Ford

|30.105

|126.517

36

|50

|Wally Dallenbach Jr.

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|30.145

|126.349

colspan="7" |Provisionals
37

|40

|Sterling Marlin (R)

|Team SABCO

|Chevrolet

| -*

| -*

38

|26

|Johnny Benson Jr.

|Roush Racing

|Ford

| -*

| -*

39

|1

|Steve Park (R)

|Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

|Chevrolet

| -*

| -*

40

|98

|Rich Bickle

|Cale Yarborough Motorsports

|Ford

| -*

| -*

41

|96

|Ron Fellows

|American Equipment Racing

|Chevrolet

| -*

| -*

42

|71

|Dave Marcis

|Marcis Auto Racing

|Chevrolet

| -*

| -*

colspan="7" |Champion's Provisional
43

|35

|Darrell Waltrip

|Tyler Jet Motorsports

|Pontiac

| -*

| -*

colspan="7" |Failed to qualify
44

|30

|Derrike Cope

|Bahari Racing

|Pontiac

|30.274

|125.811

45

|00

|Buckshot Jones

|Stavola Brothers Racing

|Chevrolet

|30.548

|124.682

46

|07

|Dan Pardus

|Midwest Transit Racing

|Chevrolet

| -

| -

WD

|79

|Ken Bouchard

|T.R.I.X. Racing

|Chevrolet

| -

| -

colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/19991008035023/http://nascar.com/winstoncup/races98/cmt300/qual.html Official qualifying results]

Race results

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

!Fin{{Cite web |title=1998 Farm Aid on CMT 300 - The Third Turn |url=https://www.thethirdturn.com/wiki/1998_Farm_Aid_on_CMT_300 |access-date=September 13, 2022 |website=The Third Turn |language=en}}

!St

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Laps

!Led

!Status

!Pts

!Winnings

1

|1

|24

|Jeff Gordon

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|300

|68

|running

|180

|$205,400

2

|5

|6

|Mark Martin

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|300

|193

|running

|180

|$119,750

3

|9

|43

|John Andretti

|Petty Enterprises

|Pontiac

|300

|0

|running

|165

|$87,300

4

|7

|88

|Dale Jarrett

|Robert Yates Racing

|Ford

|300

|2

|running

|165

|$78,875

5

|25

|99

|Jeff Burton

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|300

|0

|running

|155

|$66,700

6

|4

|81

|Kenny Wallace

|FILMAR Racing

|Ford

|300

|30

|running

|155

|$52,900

7

|2

|18

|Bobby Labonte

|Joe Gibbs Racing

|Pontiac

|300

|1

|running

|151

|$57,350

8

|14

|2

|Rusty Wallace

|Penske-Kranefuss Racing

|Ford

|300

|0

|running

|142

|$51,350

9

|18

|3

|Dale Earnhardt

|Richard Childress Racing

|Chevrolet

|300

|0

|running

|138

|$50,550

10

|35

|10

|Ricky Rudd

|Rudd Performance Motorsports

|Ford

|300

|0

|running

|134

|$59,500

11

|11

|28

|Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)

|Robert Yates Racing

|Ford

|300

|0

|running

|130

|$51,350

12

|24

|77

|Robert Pressley

|Jasper Motorsports

|Ford

|300

|0

|running

|127

|$39,650

13

|17

|23

|Jimmy Spencer

|Travis Carter Enterprises

|Ford

|300

|0

|running

|124

|$44,900

14

|27

|97

|Chad Little

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|300

|1

|running

|126

|$36,650

15

|12

|31

|Mike Skinner

|Richard Childress Racing

|Chevrolet

|300

|0

|running

|118

|$37,600

16

|33

|16

|Kevin Lepage

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|300

|0

|running

|115

|$42,550

17

|37

|40

|Sterling Marlin (R)

|Team SABCO

|Chevrolet

|300

|0

|running

|112

|$34,525

18

|32

|42

|Joe Nemechek

|Team SABCO

|Chevrolet

|300

|0

|running

|109

|$40,825

19

|28

|90

|Dick Trickle

|Donlavey Racing

|Ford

|300

|0

|running

|106

|$40,425

20

|6

|12

|Jeremy Mayfield

|Penske-Kranefuss Racing

|Ford

|299

|0

|running

|103

|$41,225

21

|38

|26

|Johnny Benson Jr.

|Roush Racing

|Ford

|299

|0

|running

|100

|$40,850

22

|8

|75

|Rick Mast

|Butch Mock Motorsports

|Ford

|299

|0

|running

|97

|$32,500

23

|31

|7

|Geoff Bodine

|Mattei Motorsports

|Ford

|299

|0

|running

|94

|$40,100

24

|34

|13

|Dennis Setzer

|Elliott-Marino Racing

|Ford

|299

|0

|running

|91

|$28,600

25

|15

|41

|Steve Grissom

|Larry Hedrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|299

|0

|running

|88

|$38,700

26

|30

|91

|Morgan Shepherd

|LJ Racing

|Chevrolet

|299

|0

|running

|85

|$32,000

27

|29

|21

|Michael Waltrip

|Wood Brothers Racing

|Ford

|299

|0

|running

|82

|$38,075

28

|19

|36

|Ernie Irvan

|MB2 Motorsports

|Pontiac

|298

|0

|running

|79

|$37,775

29

|26

|9

|Jerry Nadeau (R)

|Melling Racing

|Ford

|298

|0

|running

|76

|$31,575

30

|16

|11

|Brett Bodine

|Brett Bodine Racing

|Ford

|298

|0

|running

|73

|$36,875

31

|20

|22

|Ward Burton

|Bill Davis Racing

|Pontiac

|298

|0

|running

|70

|$34,175

32

|43

|35

|Darrell Waltrip

|Tyler Jet Motorsports

|Pontiac

|297

|0

|running

|67

|$26,975

33

|23

|44

|Kyle Petty

|Petty Enterprises

|Pontiac

|295

|0

|running

|64

|$33,775

34

|10

|4

|Bobby Hamilton

|Morgan–McClure Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|293

|0

|running

|61

|$41,575

35

|42

|71

|Dave Marcis

|Marcis Auto Racing

|Chevrolet

|286

|2

|running

|63

|$26,375

36

|41

|96

|Ron Fellows

|American Equipment Racing

|Chevrolet

|286

|0

|running

|55

|$26,175

37

|22

|94

|Bill Elliott

|Elliott-Marino Racing

|Ford

|254

|0

|running

|52

|$32,975

38

|21

|46

|Jeff Green

|Team SABCO

|Chevrolet

|252

|0

|crash

|49

|$25,625

39

|13

|5

|Terry Labonte

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|249

|2

|engine

|51

|$41,625

40

|40

|98

|Rich Bickle

|Cale Yarborough Motorsports

|Ford

|232

|0

|crash

|43

|$32,625

41

|39

|1

|Steve Park (R)

|Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

|Chevrolet

|218

|0

|running

|40

|$25,625

42

|3

|33

|Ken Schrader

|Andy Petree Racing

|Chevrolet

|175

|1

|crash

|42

|$36,625

43

|36

|50

|Wally Dallenbach Jr.

|Hendrick Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|169

|0

|engine

|34

|$36,625

colspan="11" |Failed to qualify
44

! rowspan="4" |

|30

|Derrike Cope

|Bahari Racing

|Pontiac

! colspan="5" rowspan="4" |

45

|00

|Buckshot Jones

|Stavola Brothers Racing

|Chevrolet

46

|07

|Dan Pardus

|Midwest Transit Racing

|Chevrolet

WD

|79

|Ken Bouchard

|T.R.I.X. Racing

|Chevrolet

colspan="11" |[https://web.archive.org/web/19990210165347/http://www.nascar.com/winstonCup/races98/cmt300/race.html Official race results]

References