1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series drivers

Full-time teams

Part-time teams

Schedule

Races

Busch Clash

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 6-Mark Martin
3. 9-Bill Elliott
4. 4-Ernie Irvan
5. 2-Rusty Wallace
6. 25-Ken Schrader
7. 42-Kyle Petty
8. 5-Ricky Rudd
9. 11-Geoffrey Bodine
10. 26-Brett Bodine

• After several years of mediocre competition, the race's format was slightly re-tooled. Instead of a single 20-lap sprint, the race was divided into two 10-lap segments. After the first 10-lap half, the caution was displayed, freezing the field. The field was inverted for the second 10-lap half. Prize money was awarded for finishing positions in both halves, encouraging drivers to race hard during the first segment, and not hold back or "sandbag" in order to start up front for the second half.

  Gatorade 125s

1. 28-Davey Allison
2. 43-Richard Petty
3. 12-Hut Stricklin
4. 1-Rick Mast
5. 5-Ricky Rudd
6. 33-Harry Gant
7. 30-Michael Waltrip
8. 9-Bill Elliott
9. 21-Dale Jarrett
10. 11-Geoffrey Bodine

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 4-Ernie Irvan
3. 42-Kyle Petty
4. 2-Rusty Wallace
5. 17-Darrell Waltrip
6. 22-Sterling Marlin
7. 75-Joe Ruttman
8. 88-Buddy Baker
9. 6-Mark Martin
10. 68-Bobby Hamilton

    Daytona 500 by STP

1. 4-Ernie Irvan
2. 22-Sterling Marlin
3. 75-Joe Ruttman
4. 1-Rick Mast
5. 3-Dale Earnhardt
6. 21-Dale Jarrett -1
7. 27-Bobby Hillin Jr. -1
8. 7-Alan Kulwicki -1
9. 5-Ricky Rudd -1
10. 68-Bobby Hamilton -1

    Pontiac Excitement 400

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 5-Ricky Rudd
3. 33-Harry Gant
4. 2-Rusty Wallace
5. 7-Alan Kulwicki
6. 6-Mark Martin
7. 17-Darrell Waltrip
8. 15-Morgan Shepherd -1
9. 22-Sterling Marlin -2
10. 25-Ken Schrader -2

Goodwrench 500

1. 42-Kyle Petty
2. 25-Ken Schrader
3. 33-Harry Gant -1
4. 5-Ricky Rudd -1
5. 9-Bill Elliott -1
6. 4-Ernie Irvan -2
7. 30-Michael Waltrip -2
8. 3-Dale Earnhardt -3
9. 17-Darrell Waltrip -4
10. 15-Morgan Shepherd -4

• This was the first live flag-to-flag Winston Cup Series race televised on TNN. Both races at Rockingham, along with Dover, and the series penultimate race at Phoenix, switched from ESPN to TNN starting in 1991. This was after ESPN moved some races to tape delay at the last minute in 1990. ESPN likewise decided to drop some of the longer, less-prestigious events, in favor of freeing up their schedules in favor of other sports. This was not the first race ever on TNN, however. Previous Winston Cup races had been shown tape-delayed on American Sports Cavalcade.

  Motorcraft 500

1. 25-Ken Schrader
2. 9-Bill Elliott
3. 3-Dale Earnhardt
4. 15-Morgan Shepherd
5. 30-Michael Waltrip
6. 5-Ricky Rudd
7. 22-Sterling Marlin
8. 7-Alan Kulwicki* -1
9. 17-Darrell Waltrip -1
10. 2-Rusty Wallace -1

• This was the last NASCAR race in this series not to be televised. It had been slated to air on ABC, but was a two-day race because of rain early in the race. The majority of the race was not televised and results were available only by local news.

  TranSouth 500

1. 5-Ricky Rudd
2. 28-Davey Allison
3. 30-Michael Waltrip
4. 6-Mark Martin -1
5. 2-Rusty Wallace -2
6. 42-Kyle Petty -2
7. 4-Ernie Irvan -2
8. 15-Morgan Shepherd -2
9. 11-Geoffrey Bodine -2
10. 22-Sterling Marlin -2

Valleydale Meats 500

1. 2-Rusty Wallace
2. 4-Ernie Irvan
3. 28-Davey Allison
4. 6-Mark Martin
5. 5-Ricky Rudd
6. 17-Darrell Waltrip
7. 21-Dale Jarrett
8. 98-Jimmy Spencer
9. 94-Terry Labonte
10. 15-Morgan Shepherd -2

• After numerous complaints about the pit road procedure where cars could not pit for tires under caution, NASCAR attempted a new procedure for cautions. When the pits opened, the blue flag waved to permit the odd-numbered cars to pit first. The second lap, the even-numbered cars would then be able to pit. The blue-sticker cars lined up on the inside, the orange-sticker cars on the outside, and lapped cars to the rear on all restarts. Pit road was open for any cars on green flag situations.
• ESPN moved the finish of the race on tape delay because of a rain delay lasting 1 hour and 12 minutes.

  First Union 400

1. 17-Darrell Waltrip
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 98-Jimmy Spencer
4. 15-Morgan Shepherd
5. 25-Ken Schrader
6. 28-Davey Allison
7. 30-Michael Waltrip
8. 9-Bill Elliott
9. 6-Mark Martin
10. 4-Ernie Irvan

• NASCAR tinkered and modified the pit procedure one final time. The odd/even policy was abandoned. On the first lap of a caution flag after the field had lined up behind the pace car, all cars on the lead lap could pit. On the second lap of caution following the opening of pit road, all of the cars that were not on the lead lap could pit. The rule was waived if NASCAR called a "quickie caution". A new pit speed limit was implemented, and for the remainder of the 1991 season, cars would be run through pit road for tachometer readings. The use of a "second" pace car during cautions for the pit road was abandoned. The pit speed limit was in place for all situations when a car was on pit road, including green-flag stops. A violation of the speed limit on entrance was subject to a 15-second holding penalty before the car exited the pit. A violation on exit was subject to a stop-and-go penalty. A violation under caution resulted in being sent to the rear of the field on the ensuing restart.
• Waltrip's victory set a modern era NASCAR record with seven different winners in the first seven races of the season. It was the overall longest such streak since 1964.

  Hanes 500

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 42-Kyle Petty
3. 17-Darrell Waltrip
4. 26-Brett Bodine
5. 33-Harry Gant -1
6. 98-Jimmy Spencer -1
7. 30-Michael Waltrip -1
8. 28-Davey Allison -1
9. 7-Alan Kulwicki -3
10. 12-Hut Stricklin -4

• Dale Earnhardt becomes the 9th driver to win 50+ NASCAR races.
• Ernie Irvan required relief from Dick Trickle during the race due to heat exhaustion. Trickle had started the race in the #34 Buick for owner Ken Allen, but finished last after overheating problems popped up after only 12 laps.

  Winston 500

1. 33-Harry Gant
2. 17-Darrell Waltrip
3. 3-Dale Earnhardt
4. 22-Sterling Marlin
5. 30-Michael Waltrip
6. 11-Geoffrey Bodine
7. 25-Ken Schrader
8. 9-Bill Elliott
9. 98-Jimmy Spencer
10. 1-Rick Mast -1

• During the Big One on lap 71, Mark Martin's car became airborne, lifting to its nose, but it did not flip over.
• A mild controversy stirred up after the race, when it appeared Gant was being pushed by his teammate Rick Mast on the final lap. Video footage was inconclusive, and the results were unchanged. Gant and Mast insisted they were simply drafting very closely.
• Dale Earnhardt would take over the points lead from Ricky Rudd. He would hold on to the lead for the rest of 1991.
• Footage of Kyle Petty's rehabilitation from his injury was shown during the starting lineup on the telecast of the 1992 Daytona 500 on CBS.

  The Winston

1. 28-Davey Allison
2. 25-Ken Schrader
3. 17-Darrell Waltrip
4. 9-Bill Elliott
5. 4-Ernie Irvan
6. 30-Michael Waltrip
7. 2-Rusty Wallace
8. 12-Hut Stricklin
9. 33-Harry Gant
10. 3-Dale Earnhardt

    Winston Open

1. 30-Michael Waltrip
2. 22-Sterling Marlin
3. 12-Hut Stricklin
4. 1-Rick Mast
5. 68-Bobby Hamilton
6. 43-Richard Petty
7. 47-Greg Sacks
8. 19-Chad Little
9. 94-Terry Labonte
10. 71-Dave Marcis

    Winston Legends Race

1. 64-Elmo Langley
2. 11-Cale Yarborough
3. 99-Paul Goldsmith
4. 06-Neil Castles
5. 28-Fred Lorenzen
6. 14-Coo Coo Marlin
7. 61-Hoss Ellington
8. 90-Dick Brooks
9. 42-Marvin Panch
10. 300-Tim Flock

• The race was shortened by 10 laps due to damp conditions.

  Coca-Cola 600

1. 28-Davey Allison
2. 25-Ken Schrader
3. 3-Dale Earnhardt
4. 33-Harry Gant
5. 21-Dale Jarrett
6. 12-Hut Stricklin
7. 4-Ernie Irvan -1
8. 17-Darrell Waltrip -1
9. 5-Ricky Rudd -1
10. 94-Terry Labonte -1

• During the previous week's The Winston, the #11 Junior Johnson-owned Ford was thrown out of the track. Johnson, crew chief Tim Brewer, and substitute driver Tommy Ellis were suspended for 12 weeks for the engine being larger than the legal limit of 358 cubic inches. Regular driver Geoffrey Bodine was injured in a practice crash for The Winston at Charlotte and was out for two races plus The Winston. All three parties appealed; Johnson and Brewer's suspensions were cut to four races, and Ellis, who drove as a late substitute, had his suspension nullified. Here, Ellis finished the race in 16th, 4 laps down. During the ban, Johnson designated his wife, Flossie as the car owner and changed the number of the car to 97.

  Budweiser 500

1. 25-Ken Schrader*
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 33-Harry Gant
4. 4-Ernie Irvan
5. 6-Mark Martin
6. 12-Hut Stricklin
7. 17-Darrell Waltrip -1
8. 15-Morgan Shepherd -2
9. 2-Rusty Wallace -2
10. 5-Ricky Rudd -3

• This race marked Ken Schrader's fourth and last victory in the Winston Cup Series. All four of his Cup Series wins came in the #25 car for Hendrick Motorsports.
• This was Michael Waltrip's first career pole position in the Winston Cup Series.

  Banquet Frozen Foods 300

1. 28-Davey Allison
2. 5-Ricky Rudd
3. 2-Rusty Wallace
4. 4-Ernie Irvan
5. 25-Ken Schrader
6. 94-Terry Labonte
7. 3-Dale Earnhardt
8. 97-Geoffrey Bodine*
9. 6-Mark Martin
10. 30-Michael Waltrip

• Geoffrey Bodine returned after missing two races and The Winston because of an injury during a practice crash for The Winston.

  Champion Spark Plug 500

1. 17-Darrell Waltrip
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 6-Mark Martin
4. 33-Harry Gant
5. 97-Geoffrey Bodine
6. 4-Ernie Irvan
7. 25-Ken Schrader
8. 22-Sterling Marlin
9. 15-Morgan Shepherd
10. 10-Derrike Cope

• A caution flag was thrown during the race for a chicken attempting to cross the track.
• This race was plagued by rain, even causing a red flag at one point, but it still ran to the full 500 mile distance.
• During the race, the wife of ESPN color commentator Benny Parsons, Connie, died of an illness. ESPN announcers Bob Jenkins and Ned Jarrett broke word of her death coming back from commercial. A video exists of the satellite feed, in which Jenkins and Jarrett were informed of Connie's passing, and previewed an obituary slide that was shown after the commercial break.
• Bill Elliott, whose day ended early with a valve problem, would leave to return to his hometown of Dawsonville, Georgia; as his grandmother also died later on that same day.

  Miller Genuine Draft 400

1. 28-Davey Allison
2. 12-Hut Stricklin
3. 6-Mark Martin
4. 3-Dale Earnhardt
5. 4-Ernie Irvan
6. 25-Ken Schrader
7. 17-Darrell Waltrip
8. 5-Ricky Rudd
9. 15-Morgan Shepherd -1
10. 33-Harry Gant -1

Pepsi 400

1. 9-Bill Elliott
2. 11-Geoffrey Bodine
3. 28-Davey Allison
4. 25-Ken Schrader
5. 4-Ernie Irvan
6. 30-Michael Waltrip
7. 3-Dale Earnhardt
8. 22-Sterling Marlin
9. 5-Ricky Rudd
10. 98-Jimmy Spencer

• This race is probably best known for a wild crash involving the #17 of Darrell Waltrip and the #75 of Joe Ruttman on lap 119. Sterling Marlin got loose, slid into Alan Kulwicki, and Kulwicki slid into Ruttman. Waltrip and Ruttman hooked together on the backstretch and veered into the grass, jumping over part of the infield road course. Waltrip's car landed hard on the left side, dug into the dirt and grass, and barrel rolled while Ruttman's car spun back toward the racing surface.
• This was Bill Elliott's last win for Melling Racing; he would drive for Junior Johnson beginning in 1992. It was also Elliott's only win in a car that was not red.
• This race was the first race Benny Parsons covered for ESPN after the loss of his wife Connie three weeks earlier.
• A bizarre sidelight emerged involving Terry Labonte. Labonte would drop out of the race after 8 laps claiming an engine vibration, but when the car was tested in the garage, the engine was working normally. By that time, however, Labonte had already left and with the team unable to find a replacement driver, it was ultimately decided that the car would not attempt to return to the race.

  Miller Genuine Draft 500

1. 2-Rusty Wallace*
2. 6-Mark Martin
3. 11-Geoffrey Bodine
4. 12-Hut Stricklin
5. 22-Sterling Marlin
6. 21-Dale Jarrett
7. 4-Ernie Irvan
8. 26-Brett Bodine
9. 9-Bill Elliott -1
10. 75-Joe Ruttman -1

• When the red flag was thrown for rain, Rusty Wallace's car was nearly out of gas. The red flag was out for over two hours before the track dried and the cars were started again under a yellow condition. However, after just running 1 lap under yellow the rain started falling again. Rusty Wallace was VERY close to running out of gas so he was pushed around by Dale Earnhardt so that he wouldn't run out of gas. Once the field was given the white flag Earnhardt backed off. Under NASCAR rules, this is legal unless it is the final scheduled lap of the race.

  DieHard 500

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 9-Bill Elliott
3. 6-Mark Martin
4. 5-Ricky Rudd
5. 22-Sterling Marlin
6. 2-Rusty Wallace
7. 30-Michael Waltrip
8. 21-Dale Jarrett
9. 28-Davey Allison
10. 75-Joe Ruttman

• This race featured a blowover crash for the #1 of Rick Mast after he was spun around in the tri-oval by the #20 of Buddy Baker on lap 166.

  The Budweiser At The Glen

1. 4-Ernie Irvan
2. 5-Ricky Rudd
3. 6-Mark Martin
4. 2-Rusty Wallace
5. 21-Dale Jarrett
6. 17-Darrell Waltrip
7. 9-Bill Elliott
8. 12-Hut Stricklin
9. 43-Richard Petty
10. 28-Davey Allison

• The wreck that claimed J. D. McDuffie's life resulted in a nearly 2 hour long red flag to repair the Armco barrier and remove the two wrecked race cars. 23 years later, a similar accident happened again in 2014 at the in Suzuka when Jules Bianchi crashed heavily, sustaining serious head trauma and thus Adrian Sutil helps Bianchi to get out of his car. 9 months later Jules Bianchi died after suffering serious head injury.
• McDuffie's crash was just one in a long series of big wrecks in the Loop-Chute area at Watkins Glen in 1991. Before this crash, Tommy Kendall had broken both legs in the IMSA Camel Continental race in June after spinning out at 180 mph and hitting the Armco head on. Multiple drivers in the Winston Cup Series and in IROC crashed in Turn 5 during the August race weekend. A bus stop chicane was added before the entrance of Turn 5 for the 1992 season to slow cars before the entrance of what is now the Outer Loop.
• Chip Williams, a media coordinator for NASCAR, made the first announcement of McDuffie's death, which was after the red flag period ended, in an interview with Jerry Punch of ESPN.
• Last career top 10 for Richard Petty.

  Champion Spark Plug 400

1. 21-Dale Jarrett*
2. 28-Davey Allison
3. 2-Rusty Wallace
4. 6-Mark Martin
5. 9-Bill Elliott
6. 33-Harry Gant
7. 4-Ernie Irvan
8. 7-Alan Kulwicki
9. 30-Michael Waltrip
10. 25-Ken Schrader -1

• This was Dale Jarrett's first career Winston Cup victory. Jarrett raced door to door to the finish line with the #28 of Davey Allison. The official margin of victory was 10 inches. The win was special to Dale's father Ned Jarrett who was in the ESPN broadcast booth for the telecast.

  Bud 500

1. 7-Alan Kulwicki
2. 22-Sterling Marlin
3. 25-Ken Schrader
4. 6-Mark Martin -1
5. 5-Ricky Rudd -1
6. 15-Morgan Shepherd -2
7. 3-Dale Earnhardt -2
8. 17-Darrell Waltrip -2
9. 94-Terry Labonte -7
10. 26-Brett Bodine -7

Heinz Southern 500

1. 33-Harry Gant
2. 4-Ernie Irvan
3. 25-Ken Schrader
4. 10-Derrike Cope -1
5. 94-Terry Labonte -1
6. 22-Sterling Marlin -2
7. 11-Geoffrey Bodine -2
8. 3-Dale Earnhardt -2
9. 75-Joe Ruttman -2
10. 68-Bobby Hamilton -3

    Miller Genuine Draft 400

1. 33-Harry Gant
2. 28-Davey Allison
3. 2-Rusty Wallace
4. 4-Ernie Irvan
5. 5-Ricky Rudd
6. 7-Alan Kulwicki
7. 17-Darrell Waltrip
8. 25-Ken Schrader
9. 9-Bill Elliott
10. 22-Sterling Marlin -1

• This was the 1st night race for the Winston Cup Series held at Richmond International Raceway.

  Peak Antifreeze 500

1. 33-Harry Gant
2. 11-Geoffrey Bodine -1
3. 15-Morgan Shepherd -1
4. 12-Hut Stricklin -1
5. 30Michael Waltrip -2
6. 24-Dick Trickle -4
7. 5-Ricky Rudd -7
8. 68-Bobby Hamilton -7
9. 1-Rick Mast -7
10. 71-Dave Marcis -10

• Harry Gant's official margin of victory in this race was 1 lap, and an additional 19 seconds.

  Goody's 500

1. 33-Harry Gant*
2. 26-Brett Bodine
3. 3-Dale Earnhardt
4. 4-Ernie Irvan
5. 6-Mark Martin
6. 94-Terry Labonte
7. 2-Rusty Wallace
8. 5-Ricky Rudd
9. 25-Ken Schrader
10. 24-Jimmy Hensley

• This was Harry Gant's 4th consecutive victory, tying the modern-era record for consecutive victories. Gant more or less dominated the race, but crashed on lap 377 in Turn 3. The crash damaged the right front of the #33 Skoal Bandit Oldsmobile. This incident led ESPN's race analyst Benny Parsons to discount Gant as a threat to win the race. The team repaired the car the best they could, and sent Gant back out. Gant proceeded to charge up through the field and overtook Brett Bodine for the victory with about 50 laps to go.

  Tyson Holly Farms 400

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 33-Harry Gant
3. 15-Morgan Shepherd
4. 28-Davey Allison
5. 6-Mark Martin
6. 2-Rusty Wallace
7. 26-Brett Bodine
8. 25-Ken Schrader
9. 21-Dale Jarrett
10. 7-Alan Kulwicki

• Dale Earnhardt passed Harry Gant for the victory with 12 laps to go, denying Gant a 5th consecutive victory. Gant had dominated the race when with just a few laps to go an O-Ring failed giving Gant limited braking for the final few laps allowing Earnhardt to pass.

  Mello Yello 500

1. 11-Geoffrey Bodine
2. 28-Davey Allison
3. 7-Alan Kulwicki -1
4. 33-Harry Gant -1
5. 22-Sterling Marlin -3
6. 94-Terry Labonte -4
7. 30-Michael Waltrip -4
8. 26-Brett Bodine -4
9. 17-Darrell Waltrip -5
10. 19-Chad Little -5

• Five days before this race, Richard Petty held a press conference at his Level Cross, North Carolina, race shop. Petty said that instead of retiring at the end of 1991, he would race for one more year. The 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, his last as a driver, would be dubbed the "Fan Appreciation Tour". Petty denied it was a farewell tour because he "wasn't going anywhere".

  AC Delco 500

1. 28-Davey Allison
2. 33-Harry Gant
3. 6-Mark Martin
4. 11-Geoffrey Bodine
5. 25-Ken Schrader -1
6. 68-Bobby Hamilton -2
7. 3-Dale Earnhardt -2
8. 22-Sterling Marlin -2
9. 42-Kyle Petty -2
10. 9-Bill Elliott -2

Pyroil 500K

1. 28-Davey Allison
2. 17-Darrell Waltrip
3. 22-Sterling Marlin
4. 7-Alan Kulwicki
5. 2-Rusty Wallace
6. 4-Ernie Irvan
7. 98-Jimmy Spencer -1
8. 11-Geoffrey Bodine -1
9. 3-Dale Earnhardt -1
10. 15-Morgan Shepherd -1

• The only time that Davey Allison would score back-to-back wins in his career.

  Hardee's 500

1. 6-Mark Martin
2. 4-Ernie Irvan
3. 9-Bill Elliott
4. 33-Harry Gant
5. 3-Dale Earnhardt*
6. 15-Morgan Shepherd
7. 22-Sterling Marlin -1
8. 11-Geoffrey Bodine -1
9. 7-Alan Kulwicki -2
10. 17-Darrell Waltrip -2

Final points standings

1. Dale Earnhardt – 4287
2. Ricky Rudd – 4092
3. Davey Allison – 4088
4. Harry Gant – 3985
5. Ernie Irvan – 3925
6. Mark Martin – 3914
7. Sterling Marlin – 3839
8. Darrell Waltrip – 3711
9. Ken Schrader – 3690
10. Rusty Wallace – 3582
11. Bill Elliott – 3535
12. Morgan Shepherd – 3438
13. Alan Kulwicki – 3354
14. Geoffrey Bodine – 3277
15. Michael Waltrip – 3254
16. Hut Stricklin – 3199
17. Dale Jarrett – 3124
18. Terry Labonte – 3024
19. Brett Bodine – 2980
20. Joe Ruttman – 2938
21. Rick Mast – 2918
22. Bobby Hamilton – 2915
23. Ted Musgrave – 2841
24. Richard Petty – 2817
25. Jimmy Spencer – 2790
26. Rick Wilson – 2723
27. Chad Little – 2678
28. Derrike Cope – 2516
29. Dave Marcis – 2374
30. Bobby Hillin Jr. – 2317
31. Kyle Petty – 2078
32. Lake Speed – 1742
33. Jimmy Means – 1562
34. Mickey Gibbs – 1401
35. Dick Trickle – 1258
36. Stanley Smith – 893
37. Larry Pearson – 848
38. Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 803
39. Greg Sacks – 791
40. Buddy Baker – 552
41. Jimmy Hensley – 488
42. Eddie Bierschwale – 431
43. Jim Sauter – 423
44. Kenny Wallace – 412
45. Jeff Purvis – 399
46. Phil Barkdoll – 364
47. Mike Chase – 356
48. J. D. McDuffie – 335
49. Bill Sedgwick – 324
50. Randy LaJoie – 304

    Rookie of the Year