1998 Texas 500

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

Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas. The track measures 1.5 miles (2.4 km) around and is banked 24 degrees in the turns, and is of the oval design, where the front straightaway juts outward slightly. The track layout is similar to Atlanta Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway (formerly Lowe's Motor Speedway). The track is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., the same company that owns Atlanta and Charlotte Motor Speedway, as well as the short-track Bristol Motor Speedway.

• (R) denotes rookie driver.

Originally, four practice sessions were scheduled to be held, with two on Thursday, April 2, one on Friday, April 3, and one on Saturday, April 4. However, due to complaints about poor track conditions on Saturday that had occurred throughout pre-race, the final practice session was cancelled. Drivers had reported major bumps in the exit of turn 4, along with major seepage throughout the racetrack since the opening of the track in 1997.{{Cite web |last=Poole |first=David |date=April 4, 1998 |title=Without question, Texas' problems need fixing now |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0405poole.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818010735/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0405poole.htm |archive-date=August 18, 2000 |access-date=September 2, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=The Charlotte Observer}}

The first practice session was held on the afternoon of Thursday, April 2. Jeremy Mayfield, driving for Penske-Kranefuss Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.652 and an average speed of {{Convert|182.113|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{Cite web |date=April 2, 1998 |title=First session practice speeds |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0403practice1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818011031/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0403practice1.htm |archive-date=August 18, 2000 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin'}}

The third practice session was held on the evening of Thursday, April 2. Jeremy Mayfield, driving for Penske-Kranefuss Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.298 and an average speed of {{Convert|184.313|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{Cite web |date=April 2, 1998 |title=Second practice session speeds |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0403practice2.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818011037/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0403practice2.htm |archive-date=August 18, 2000 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin'}}

The planned third, but eventual final practice session was held on the morning of Friday, April 3. Joe Nemechek, driving for Team SABCO, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.298 and an average speed of {{Convert|184.313|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{Cite web |date=April 3, 1998 |title=Friday first practice session speeds from Texas |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0404practice1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010503152845/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0404practice1.htm |archive-date=May 3, 2001 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin'}}

While a practice session was scheduled to be run on Saturday, April 4, numerous factors throughout the race weekend would eventually lead to the cancellation of the Happy Hour practice. Two major issues would plague the weekend; first, in response to the track surfacing issues in the 1997 race, turn four was repaved. However, the repavement would lead to a major bump on the exit of turn 4. Many drivers would complain to then-Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage about the bump, saying that the transition on the exit of turn 4 should be less severe. However, in response, Gossage would say that the turn was a unique corner of the speedway, comparing the turn to turn 4 at Darlington Raceway, saying "I understand where the Winston Cup drivers are coming from, but this is what we've got. A couple of drivers have said we need to move the wall in Turn 4. They've been saying that for 48 years at Darlington. Darlington should not move the wall back because that's what makes it quaint. Turn 4 is tricky. That's just the way it is.''{{Cite web |last=Strubin |first=John |last2=Gonzalez |first2=Simon |date=April 3, 1998 |title=Eddie Gossage gives `simple' advice for TMS racing |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0403gossage.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010503153622/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0403gossage.htm |archive-date=May 3, 2001 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=Fort Worth Star-Telegram}} The second problem was water seepage problems in every turn but turn 2 due to heavy winter rains within the local area of the speedway, which would eventually lead to postponements of qualifying and practice sessions.{{Cite web |last=Poole |first=David |date=April 5, 1998 |title=France warns TMS to get the leaks plugged |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0406france.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010503154126/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0406france.htm |archive-date=May 3, 2001 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=The Charlotte Observer}}{{Cite web |last=Herrin |first=Rick |date=April 3, 1998 |title=Drivers steaming over water-logged corner in Turn 1 |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0404reax.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010503152803/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0404reax.htm |archive-date=May 3, 2001 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=Fort Worth Star-Telegram}}

Driver reactions throughout the weekend were mostly negative of the track. Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett would call for multiple-groove racing, saying that "The biggest thing here is that we need more than the one groove we have, and it would make for better racing. Right now it's just going to be a follow-the-leader type deal. If a guy gets out on the outside, he's going to get passed by a lot of cars. Long-time driver Darrell Waltrip would report that while every racetrack had "something wrong with them", that Texas Motor Speedway was new and that "when you build a racetrack new, you're supposed to eliminate all that. There's no reason here not to do what needs to be done."{{Cite web |last=Lebreton |first=Gil |date=April 4, 1998 |title=Win by Jarrett on TMS stage would dry track's tears |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0405lebreton.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818010746/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0405lebreton.htm |archive-date=August 18, 2000 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=Fort Worth Star-Telegram}} Most drivers would report that they had felt that their cars had been too loose throughout the weekend, leading to a surplus of wrecks during practice and qualifying.{{Cite web |last=Markiewicz |first=David |date=April 3, 1998 |title=Drivers at TMS work out the kinks |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0403scanners.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818011042/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0403scanners.htm |archive-date=August 18, 2000 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=Fort Worth Star-Telegram}}{{Cite web |last=Blount |first=Terry |date=April 4, 1998 |title=Texas 500 track test drivers |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0405hclede.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818010813/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0405hclede.htm |archive-date=August 18, 2000 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=Houston Chronicle}} Some drivers felt that the problems had been blown out of proportion, with Jeff Burton saying "It definitely has been blown out of proportion. There's too much fuss about it. What we need more than anything else is to work a second groove up higher. Once we do that, I think you will hear a lot fewer complaints."{{Cite web |last=Blount |first=Terry |date=April 3, 1998 |title=Drivers resume issuing TMS complaints |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0404hcnotes.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818010924/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0404hcnotes.htm |archive-date=August 18, 2000 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=Houston Chronicle}}

Then-Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage would face harsh criticism for a lack of safety improvements since the inaugural race, the 1997 Interstate Batteries 500 and for trying to turn the complaints into a marketing scheme, with Gossage and Speedway Motorsports CEO Bruton Smith selling "Shut Up and Race" t-shirts at track souvenir stands for US$18 (adjusted for inflation$, {{Inflation|index=US|value=18|start_year=1998}}).{{Cite web |last=Gonzalez |first=Simon |date=April 2, 1998 |title=Bruton Smith's message: Shut Up And Race |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0402tms.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010503155313/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0402tms.htm |archive-date=May 3, 2001 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=Fort Worth Star-Telegram}}{{Cite web |last=Reeves |first=Jim |date=April 3, 1998 |title=Joke turns all wet as TMS springs its latest leak |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0404reeves.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010503153748/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0404reeves.htm |archive-date=May 3, 2001 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=Fort Worth Star-Telegram}} In response, Gossage said that the new slogan for shirts would be to "Shut Up and Fix It" and that the track would look into fixing the bump in turn 4 along with fixing the turn 1 seepage issues.{{Cite web |last=Strubin |first=John |date=April 3, 1998 |title=Bump on track tests drivers' dip-lomacy |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0403bumps.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001009202453/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0403bumps.htm |archive-date=October 9, 2000 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=Fort Worth Star-Telegram}}

Qualifying was scheduled to be split into two rounds. Qualifying had run on Friday, April 3; however, after seven drivers made qualifying runs, due to complaints from drivers throughout race weekend, qualifying was eventually postponed to Saturday, April 4 with only one round. The seven drivers were forced to stand on their times on Friday.

The continuation of qualifying was held on Saturday, April 4, at 9:15 AM CST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. Jeremy Mayfield, driving for Penske-Kranefuss Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 29.047 and an average speed of {{Convert|185.906|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |last=Poole |first=David |date=April 4, 1998 |title=It was just a matter of time for Mayfield |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0405500adv.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818010655/http://www.thatsracin.com/98/0405/0405500adv.htm |archive-date=August 18, 2000 |access-date=September 3, 2022 |website=That's Racin' |publisher=The Charlotte Observer}}

During qualifying, numerous drivers would crash. Derrike Cope would suffer a crash in turn 4, causing him to miss a race and several broken ribs. Then, Lake Speed would crash also, but would make the race on a provisional.

Five drivers would fail to qualify: Todd Bodine, Jerry Nadeau, Andy Hillenburg, Billy Standridge, and Derrike Cope.

*Time not available.

The DirecTV 500 was covered by CBS in the United States for the fourth straight year and it was their final DirecTV 500 race as coverage would switch to Fox in 2001. Mike Joy, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Ned Jarrett and nineteen time NASCAR Cup Series race winner Buddy Baker called the race from the broadcast booth. Dick Berggren, Ralph Sheheen and Bill Stephens handled pit road for the television side. Ken Squier would serve as host.

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Category:NASCAR races at Texas Motor Speedway

Category:April 1998 sports events in the United States

Category:1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

Category:1998 in sports in Texas