1986 Winston 500

The 1986 Winston 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on May 4, 1986, at Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega, Alabama.

1986 Winston 500

Race details[1]
Race 9 of 29 in the 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
Layout of Talladega Superspeedway
Date	May 4, 1986 (1986-May-04)
Official name	Winston 500
Location	Alabama International Motor Speedway, Talladega, Alabama
Course	Permanent racing facility 2.660 mi (4.280 km)
Distance	188 laps, 500.1 mi (804.8 km)
Weather	Warm with temperatures of 81 °F (27 °C); wind speeds of 6.7 miles per hour (10.8 km/h)
Average speed	212.229 miles per hour (341.549 km/h)
Attendance	133,000[2]
Pole position
Driver	Bill Elliott	Melling Racing
Time	45.121
Most laps led
Driver	Bill Elliott	Melling Racing
Laps	116
Winner
No. 22	Bobby Allison	Stavola Brothers Racing
Television in the United States
Network	ESPN
Announcers	Bob Jenkins Larry Nuber

Total earnings for each driver ranged from the winner's share of $77,905 ($181,707 when inflation is taken into effect) to the last-place finisher's share of $5,135 ($11,977 when inflation is taken into effect) out of a total purse of $499,905. ($1,165,990 when inflation is taken into effect).[3] The spectators who were watching the event at home on ESPN noticed that the "standard definition" graphics were superior to the rest of cable television during the late 1980s and the commercials to be on par with those aired during Super Bowl XX.

Background

Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. The track is a Tri-oval and was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in the 1960s. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line - located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the Sprint Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and the Camping World Truck Series. Talladega Superspeedway is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66 miles (4.28 km), and the track at its peak had a seating capacity of 175,000 spectators.[4]

Race report

Seven drivers failed to qualify for the race including: Mark Martin in his only DNQ[5] along with J. D. McDuffie, Davey Allison, and Alan Kulwicki.[2]

Bill Elliott would win the pole position with a speed of 212.229mph, a track record, which he broke the following year with a speed of 212.809mph.[6] The addition of restrictor plates starting in 1988 would eventually keep qualifying speeds below 200mph. There were nine cautions in the race; 24 different lead changes were made on the track.[2][7] The race took more than three hours to complete.[2][7]

The first half of the race was mostly a thrilling three-way battle between Dale Earnhardt, Bill Elliott, and Bobby Allison. No one else seemed to be able to run with the three, though many tried. Sterling Marlin was running well early until he shredded a tire going down the backstretch, eventually falling out of the race with a burnt piston. Kyle Petty may have had the fastest car on track, carving his way up to third place at one point. On lap 65, Petty was running inside the top 5 when Cale Yarborough blew an engine right in front of the pack. Petty went low top avoid the spinning Yarborough, clipped the infield grass on the backstretch, and spun up right in front of Geoff Bodine and Trevor Boys. Bodine piled into the side of Petty's Ford, while Boys went low and t-boned Yarborough. All four cars were eliminated, though Bodine and Petty would briefly return later on. Petty would eventually drop out after a second crash late in the event.[2]

By halfway, Elliott, Allison, and Earnhardt were pretty much running by themselves. Darrell Waltrip looked as if he might be able to challenge the trio, but blew his motor on lap 104 while chasing the leaders down. Elliott would go on to dominate the second half of the race, as Earnhardt found himself unable to catch up to Elliott.[2] With about 13 laps to go, Elliott suddenly slowed on track. For the second straight week in a row, his engine had expired. Bobby Allison, who had been drafting with Rick Wilson, inherited the lead briefly before the yellow came out for oil from Elliott's engine. Buddy Baker, having run midfield all day, took the lead on the restart. Baker, Allison, and Earnhardt enjoyed a good scrap for the lead over the last 10 laps, with Allison coming out on top after taking the lead with 6 to go.[2] Debris in addition to three major accidents and an oil spill would contribute to delays in the race; about 22% of the race was run under a caution flag while the average green flag run was nearly 15 laps.[2]

Bobby Allison (driving a 1986 Buick Regal) held off a last-lap pass attempt in the third turn by Dale Earnhardt to win by almost 0.2 seconds over Earnhardt in front of 133,000 people.[2][7] Dale Earnhardt's second-place finish, combined with Darrell Waltrip's engine failure, led to Earnhardt taking control of the Winston Cup points lead, which he wouldn't relinquish for the rest of the year.[2][7] Buddy Baker's third was his best result of the season, while Bobby Hillin Jr. and Phil Parsons scored career-best results of fourth and fifth respectively.[2][7] Allison was 48 years old, making him one of the oldest drivers to ever win a NASCAR Cup Series racing event. Allison's win would be the first since the 1984 World 600. Tommy Gale would finish his NASCAR career with this race.[7]

Jody Ridley received credit for his finish in last place due to an engine problem on the fourth lap of this 188-lap event.[2][7] Ron Bouchard would lead his final lap in his Cup Series career; after winning the 1981 Talladega 500 as a rookie on the same track. Trevor Boys (Canada) was the only foreigner in the race.[2]

A 20-year-old fan, Darren Charles Crowder stole the pace car of the race and took it for a joyride but was apprehended before completing two laps.[8]

Qualifying

Grid	No.	Driver	Manufacturer	Qualifying time[9]	Speed[9]	Owner
1	9	Bill Elliott	Ford	45.121	212.229	Harry Melling
2	22	Bobby Allison	Buick	45.758	209.274	Stavola Brothers
3	5	Geoffrey Bodine	Chevrolet	46.001	208.169	Rick Hendrick
4	28	Cale Yarborough	Ford	46.018	208.092	Harry Ranier
5	1	Sterling Marlin	Chevrolet	46.088	207.776	Hoss Ellington
6	47	Morgan Shepherd	Buick	46.174	207.389	Jack Beebe
7	88	Buddy Baker	Oldsmobile	46.227	207.151	Buddy Baker / Danny Schiff
8	55	Benny Parsons	Oldsmobile	46.240	207.093	Leo Jackson / Richard Jackson
9	7	Kyle Petty	Ford	46.306	206.798	Wood Brothers
10	8	Bobby Hillin, Jr.	Buick	46.308	206.789	Stavola Brothers

Finishing order

Section reference: [2]

1. Bobby Allison
2. Dale Earnhardt†
3. Buddy Baker†
4. Bobby Hillin, Jr.
5. Phil Parsons
6. Morgan Shepherd
7. Richard Petty
8. Rick Wilson
9. Ron Bouchard†
10. Greg Sacks
11. Dave Marcis
12. Tim Richmond†
13. Rusty Wallace
14. Ronnie Thomas
15. Doug Heveron
16. Jimmy Means
17. Joe Ruttman
18. Pancho Carter
19. Delma Cowart
20. Benny Parsons*†
21. Harry Gant*
22. Buddy Arrington
23. Chet Fillip
24. Bill Elliott*
25. Tommy Gale†
26. Ken Schrader
27. Geoffrey Bodine
28. Phil Barkdoll*
29. Terry Labonte*
30. Eddie Bierschwale*
31. Kyle Petty*
32. Tommy Ellis*
33. Connie Saylor*†
34. Darrell Waltrip*
35. Michael Waltrip*
36. Ricky Rudd*
37. Cale Yarborough*
38. Trevor Boys*
39. Sterling Marlin*
40. Neil Bonnett*†
41. Jim Sauter*†
42. Jody Ridley*

† signifies that the driver is known to be deceased
* Driver failed to finish race

Standings after the race

Pos	Driver	Points[2]	Differential
1	Dale Earnhardt	1417	0
2	Darrell Waltrip	1308	-109
3	Rusty Wallace	1216	-201
4	Bobby Allison	1198	-219
5	Terry Labonte	1189	-228
6	Kyle Petty	1152	-265
7	Bill Elliott	1141	-276
8	Tim Richmond	1135	-282
9	Harry Gant	1084	-333
10	Geoffrey Bodine	1082	-335

References

1. "1986 Winston 500 weather information". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
2. "1986 Winston 500 racing information". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
3. "1986 Winston 500 prize winnings information". Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet. Retrieved 2013-01-15.
4. "Track Facts". talladegasuperspeedway.com. Talladega Superspeedway. November 1, 2012. Archived from the original on November 1, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
5. "NASCAR Winston Cup / Nextel Cup / Sprint Cup / Monster Energy Cup DNQs or WDs for Mark Martin". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2018-07-29.
6. "A Look Back in Talladega History: The 200 MPH Field". Talladega Speedway. Retrieved 2013-05-01.
7. "1986 Winston 500 racing information". Race Database. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
8. https://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/05/sports/pace-car-detour-delays-allison-victory.html,
9. "1986 Winston 500 qualifying information". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2017-03-29.

Preceded by 1986 Sovran Bank 500	NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season 1986	Succeeded by 1986 Budweiser 500

Preceded by 1985	Winston 500 races 1986	Succeeded by 1987