NASCAR Winston Cup Series Hanes 500: Fact Sheet
24 September 1997
1997 NASCAR WINSTON CUP SERIES FACT SHEET WHAT: Hanes 500 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Race #27 of 32 WHERE: Martinsville Speedway Martinsville, VA 0.526-Mile Paved Speedway WHEN: Sunday, September 28, 1997 12:30 pm EDT DISTANCE: 500 Laps/263 Miles POSTED AWARDS: $1,252,331 FIELD: 43 cars possible. Fastest 38 cars through time trials. Four provisional starting positions based on 1997 NWC owner points and one past champion provisional. SANCTION: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. PROMOTER: Martinsville Speedway, Inc. TV: ESPN (Live) Airtime: 12:40 pm (EDT) Announcers: Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons and Ned Jarrett Pit Reporters: Dr. Jerry Punch, John Kernan and Bill Weber RADIO: MRN (Live) Airtime: 12:15 pm (EDT) Announcers: Allen Bestwick and Barney Hall SCHEDULE: Friday, September 26 6:00 am : Team Haulers Enter 7:00 am : NASCAR Garage Opens 10:30 am : Rookie Drivers' Meeting 11:00 am : Qualifying Draw 11:30 am - 2:00 pm : Practice 3:00 pm : Qualifying (Positions 1-25) Saturday, September 20 8:00 am : NASCAR Garage Opens 9:30 - 11:00 am : Practice 11:00 am : Qualifying (Positions 26-38) TBD : Final Practice following NCT event PARTICIPATING AWARDS SPONSORS: Winston, AE Clevite Engine Parts, Aeroquip, Auto Meter Products, Bowman Distribution, Busch Beer, Champion Spark Plugs, Competition Cams, Craftsman Tools, Crane Cams, DuPont Automotive Finishes, Edelbrock Manifolds, Fram Fuel Filters, Gatorade Sports Beverage, Goodyear Tires, Goody's Headache Powders, Holley Carburetors, Hurst Shifters, JE Pistons, Jesel Rocker Arms, Longacre Computerscales, MCI, Mac Tools, Mechanix Wear, Moog Chassis Parts, Motorcraft Batteries, Opryland, Plasti-Kote Spray Paint, RCA, Raybestos Brakes, Simpson Helmets, Spicer Drive Shafts, Stant Radiator Caps, STP Oil Treatment & Oil Filters, 3M Automotive Products, True Value Hardware, Unocal Gasoline, 76/NASCAR High Performance Motor Oil, Western Auto Stores, Wiseco Pistons, Wix Air Filters RECORDS: Qualifying: Ted Musgrave; Ford; 94.129 mph; 20.117 seconds; 9/23/94 Race (263 Miles): Jeff Gordon; Chevrolet; 82.223 mph; 3 hours, 11 minutes, 50 seconds; 9/22/96 THE TRACK: Degree of Banking in Corners - 12 degrees Degree of Banking on Straights - none Length of Frontstretch - 800 feet Length of Backstretch - 800 feet 1996 REVIEW: Jeff Gordon dominated, leading the last 112 laps, to pick up his ninth win of the 1996 season, besting teammate Terry Labonte to the line by 0.490 of a second. There were 11 lead changes among four drivers and Gordon produced five of those changes. Busch Pole sitter Bobby Hamilton didn't lead until lap 36, but was strong, staying in front for the next 87 laps. Gordon and Hamilton then swapped the lead seven more times before Gordon took control. Hamilton finished third, followed by Rick Mast and John Andretti. ###