1998 Pontiac Excitement 400
The 1998 Pontiac Excitement 400 was the 13th stock car race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 44th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, June 6, 1998, 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. With two laps to go, Hendrick Motorsports driver Terry Labonte would make a final pass in a battle with Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett. On the fourth turn of the penultimate lap, the caution would come out for Johnny Benson Jr. Labonte was able to defend Jarrett and complete the penultimate lap to take his 20th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the podium, Jarrett and Penske-Kranefuss Racing driver Rusty Wallace would finish second and third, respectively. The event was overshadowed when Rusty Wallace completely took out Jeff Gordon in turn 2 with 29 laps to go. Gordon in his interview when asked what happened, he replied "well, that's pretty obvious you tell me you know. You got on video. I think it's pretty simple you know I uh- I had the position on him. He just drove into the left rear. I don't know what happened."[3]
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 13 of 33 in the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||
 The 1998 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover, with artwork by Sam Bass. | |||
| Date | June 6, 1998 | ||
| Official name | 44th Annual Pontiac Excitement 400 | ||
| Location | Richmond, Virginia, Richmond International Raceway | ||
| Course |
Permanent racing facility 0.75 mi (1.21 km) | ||
| Distance | 400 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km) | ||
| Scheduled Distance | 400 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km) | ||
| Average speed | 97.044 miles per hour (156.177 km/h) | ||
| Attendance | 103,000 | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Hendrick Motorsports | ||
| Time | 21.504 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | |
| Laps | 108 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | ESPN | ||
| Announcers | Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, Ned Jarrett | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | Motor Racing Network | ||
Background
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.
*Replaced by Kevin Lepage for Green to recover from a bruised shoulder.[4]
Practice
First practice
The first practice session was held on the early afternoon of Friday, June 5. Ken Schrader, driving for Andy Petree Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 21.630 and an average speed of 124.827 mph (200.890 km/h).[5]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 33 | Ken Schrader | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 21.630 | 124.827 |
| 2 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 21.658 | 124.665 |
| 3 | 43 | John Andretti | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 21.670 | 124.596 |
| Full first practice results | ||||||
Second practice
The second practice session was held on late afternoon of Friday, June 5. Kenny Irwin Jr., driving for Robert Yates Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 21.651 and an average speed of 124.706 mph (200.695 km/h).[6]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 21.651 | 124.706 |
| 2 | 46 | Jeff Green | Team SABCO | Chevrolet | 21.672 | 124.585 |
| 3 | 42 | Joe Nemechek | Team SABCO | Chevrolet | 21.676 | 124.562 |
| Full second practice results | ||||||
Final practice
The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on the evening of Friday, June 5. Ricky Rudd, driving for Rudd Performance Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 22.080 and an average speed of 122.283 mph (196.795 km/h).[7]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | Ricky Rudd | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Ford | 22.080 | 122.283 |
| 2 | 42 | Joe Nemechek | Team SABCO | Chevrolet | 22.130 | 122.006 |
| 3 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 22.200 | 121.622 |
| Full Happy Hour practice results | ||||||
Qualifying
Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, June 5, at 6:00 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, June 6, at 2:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.[8] 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.[9]
Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 21.504 and an average speed of 125.558 miles per hour (202.066 km/h).[10]
Two drivers would fail to qualify: Kevin Lepage and Buckshot Jones.
Full qualifying results
*Time not available.
Race results
| Fin[11] | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 96 | running | 180 | $99,975 |
| 2 | 4 | 88 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 400 | 108 | running | 180 | $75,625 |
| 3 | 22 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske-Kranefuss Racing | Ford | 400 | 27 | running | 170 | $56,875 |
| 4 | 7 | 33 | Ken Schrader | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 400 | 0 | running | 160 | $62,075 |
| 5 | 19 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 400 | 73 | running | 160 | $65,025 |
| 6 | 15 | 12 | Jeremy Mayfield | Penske-Kranefuss Racing | Ford | 400 | 0 | running | 150 | $39,075 |
| 7 | 13 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Ford | 400 | 0 | running | 146 | $42,150 |
| 8 | 14 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 400 | 0 | running | 142 | $43,750 |
| 9 | 11 | 28 | Kenny Irwin Jr. (R) | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 400 | 0 | running | 138 | $41,850 |
| 10 | 3 | 40 | Sterling Marlin | Team SABCO | Chevrolet | 400 | 81 | running | 139 | $31,300 |
| 11 | 26 | 10 | Ricky Rudd | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Ford | 400 | 0 | running | 130 | $41,900 |
| 12 | 18 | 42 | Joe Nemechek | Team SABCO | Chevrolet | 400 | 0 | running | 127 | $32,750 |
| 13 | 9 | 97 | Chad Little | Roush Racing | Ford | 400 | 0 | running | 124 | $26,175 |
| 14 | 37 | 23 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Ford | 399 | 0 | running | 121 | $35,675 |
| 15 | 10 | 16 | Ted Musgrave | Roush Racing | Ford | 399 | 0 | running | 118 | $33,735 |
| 16 | 39 | 4 | Bobby Hamilton | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 399 | 0 | running | 115 | $35,500 |
| 17 | 20 | 90 | Dick Trickle | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 399 | 0 | running | 112 | $30,800 |
| 18 | 8 | 26 | Johnny Benson Jr. | Roush Racing | Ford | 399 | 12 | running | 114 | $30,450 |
| 19 | 24 | 22 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | Pontiac | 399 | 0 | running | 106 | $30,225 |
| 20 | 25 | 11 | Brett Bodine | Brett Bodine Racing | Ford | 398 | 0 | running | 103 | $32,150 |
| 21 | 38 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 398 | 0 | running | 100 | $34,250 |
| 22 | 29 | 43 | John Andretti | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 398 | 0 | running | 97 | $34,125 |
| 23 | 5 | 81 | Kenny Wallace | FILMAR Racing | Ford | 398 | 0 | running | 94 | $22,950 |
| 24 | 27 | 44 | Kyle Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 398 | 0 | running | 91 | $29,225 |
| 25 | 21 | 94 | Bill Elliott | Elliott-Marino Racing | Ford | 398 | 0 | running | 88 | $29,075 |
| 26 | 12 | 9 | Lake Speed | Melling Racing | Ford | 397 | 0 | running | 85 | $22,450 |
| 27 | 2 | 98 | Rich Bickle | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 397 | 0 | running | 82 | $25,425 |
| 28 | 41 | 7 | Geoff Bodine | Mattei Motorsports | Ford | 397 | 0 | running | 79 | $28,600 |
| 29 | 23 | 36 | Ernie Irvan | MB2 Motorsports | Pontiac | 397 | 0 | running | 76 | $28,375 |
| 30 | 34 | 31 | Mike Skinner | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 396 | 0 | running | 73 | $21,645 |
| 31 | 28 | 50 | Randy LaJoie | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 396 | 0 | running | 70 | $27,975 |
| 32 | 42 | 1 | Darrell Waltrip | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 395 | 0 | running | 67 | $20,925 |
| 33 | 30 | 96 | Kevin Lepage (R) | American Equipment Racing | Chevrolet | 390 | 0 | crash | 64 | $20,385 |
| 34 | 43 | 30 | Derrike Cope | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 390 | 0 | handling | 61 | $24,850 |
| 35 | 31 | 35 | Todd Bodine | ISM Racing | Pontiac | 379 | 0 | running | 58 | $17,825 |
| 36 | 35 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 374 | 0 | running | 55 | $17,800 |
| 37 | 1 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 372 | 2 | crash | 57 | $44,975 |
| 38 | 36 | 13 | Jerry Nadeau (R) | Elliott-Marino Racing | Ford | 361 | 0 | handling | 49 | $17,750 |
| 39 | 32 | 41 | Steve Grissom | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 348 | 0 | running | 46 | $24,725 |
| 40 | 33 | 21 | Michael Waltrip | Mattei Motorsports | Ford | 340 | 1 | crash | 48 | $24,700 |
| 41 | 17 | 77 | Robert Pressley | Jasper Motorsports | Ford | 260 | 0 | running | 40 | $17,675 |
| 42 | 6 | 46 | Jeff Green | Team SABCO | Chevrolet | 183 | 0 | crash | 37 | $17,650 |
| 43 | 40 | 75 | Rick Mast | Butch Mock Motorsports | Ford | 113 | 0 | engine | 34 | $17,650 |
| Failed to qualify | ||||||||||
| 44 | 91 | Kevin Lepage (R) | LJ Racing | Chevrolet | ||||||
| 45 | 8 | Buckshot Jones | Stavola Brothers Racing | Chevrolet | ||||||
| Official race results | ||||||||||
References
- Poole, David (June 6, 1998). "Terry Labonte earns first '98 victory in wild finish at Richmond". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- Kurz Jr., Hank (June 7, 1998). "Terry Labonte wins crash-filled Richmond". The South Bend Tribune. p. 12. Retrieved September 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "A wild finish to Pontiac 400".
- Poole, David; Utter, Jim (June 6, 1998). "Lepage finds ride, will race with pain". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- "Winston Cup practice speeds". That's Racin'. June 5, 1998. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- "Winston Cup practice, second session". That's Racin'. June 5, 1998. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- "Happy Hour practice speeds". That's Racin'. June 5, 1998. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- "Your Guide To The Pontiac Excitement 400". That's Racin'. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- "Additional Provisionals announced". Motorsport.com. January 24, 1998. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- Poole, David (June 5, 1998). "Gordon on pole again". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- "1998 MBNA Platinum 400 - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved September 5, 2022.