1985 Winston 500
CUST
DescriptionRace 9 of 28 in the 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
Race nameWinston 500
Details ref[1]
FulldateMay 5, 1985
Year1985
Race no9
Season no28
WeatherTemperatures of 81 °F (27 °C); wind speeds of 4.1 miles per hour (6.6 km/h)
Official nameWinston 500
LocationAlabama International Motor Speedway, Talladega, Alabama
Course2.660 mi
Course4.280 km
Distance laps188
Distance500.1 mi
Distance804.8 km
Avg186.288 mph (299.801 km/h)
2 hours, 41 minutes, 04 seconds
Attendance122,000[2]
Pole driverBill Elliott
45.7311 seconds
209.398 mph (336.993 km/h)
Pole teamMelling Racing
Most driverCale Yarborough
Most teamRanier-Lundy Racing
Most laps97
Car9
First driverBill Elliott
First teamMelling Racing
NetworkNBC
AnnouncersPaul Page
Bobby Unser

The 1985 Winston 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that took place on May 5, 1985, at Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega, Alabama as race number 9 of 28 of the 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season.

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.[3]

Bill Elliott dominated the early part of the 1985 season, including winning the Daytona 500, the first race of the Winston Million promotion. The Winston 500 was the second. Later in the season at the Southern 500, Elliott would go on to become the first Winston Million winner.[4]

Race report

There were 40 drivers who qualified for this race with 1 driver withdrawing (Greg Sacks due to a blown engine); the pole position winner was Bill Elliott who qualified at a then-track record speed of 209.398 miles per hour (336.993 km/h) in a Ford Thunderbird.[5][2][6] He would go on to beat Kyle Petty by nearly two seconds at a then-record average speed of 186.288 miles per hour (299.801 km/h) for the race;[2][6] a record that stood until broken in the 1997 Winston 500 by Mark Martin.

More than 100,000 live spectators saw more than two and a half hours of racing with two cautions periods (lasting for only eight laps).[2] This relatively clean race would see 28 different lead changes.[2][6] Canadian driver Trevor Boys would finish in last place due to a problem with the engine on lap 6.[2][6] Bosco Lowe and Dick Skillen would exit NASCAR after this race while Geoff Bodine would lose the championship points lead to Terry Labonte.[6]

Some of the drivers were complaining (most notably Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip) about how it was difficult to draft off the back end of the '85 Thunderbird's in general and Elliott in specific. They commented that they felt the shape of the rear of the car was the reason why the average NASCAR driver found it difficult to draft off of Elliott.

Early in the race, a broken oil fitting would put Elliott nearly two laps out of the lead before he managed a comeback. Elliott would return to the track and begin consistently running laps near 205 mph, making up the two laps lost without the aide of a yellow flag or the draft.[7]

The Ford Thunderbirds placed 1-2-3 with Kyle Petty beating Cale Yarborough in a photo finish for second place behind Elliott. The Ford trio were the only drivers to finish on the lead lap.[2][6]

Full Results

[8] Average speed: 186.288 mph (299.801 km/h)
Pole speed: 209.398 mph (336.993 km/h)
Attendance: 122,000

Box Score

PosGridNo.DriverManufacturerLapsLaps
led		PointsTime/Status
119Bill ElliottFord Thunderbird18860180*2:41:04
247Kyle PettyFord Thunderbird1889175*-1.72 seconds
3228Cale YarboroughFord Thunderbird18897175**Flagged
41722Bobby AllisonBuick Regal1873165*-1 lap
51515Ricky RuddFord Thunderbird187155-1 lap
63288Buddy BakerOldsmobile Cutlass185150-3 laps
7344Terry LabonteChevrolet Monte Carlo1852151*-3 laps
81871Dave MarcisChevrolet Monte Carlo185142-3 laps
978Bobby Hillin Jr.Chevrolet Monte Carlo184138-4 laps
102075Lake SpeedPontiac Grand Prix183134-5 laps
11145Geoffrey BodineChevrolet Monte Carlo182130-6 laps
122452Jimmy MeansChevrolet Monte Carlo181127-7 Laps
132238Morgan ShepherdChevrolet Monte Carlo180124-8 Laps
142867Buddy ArringtonFord Thunderbird175121-13 Laps
153870J.D. McDuffiePontiac Grand Prix174118-14 Laps
162727Tim RichmondPontiac Grand Prix171115-17 Laps
173717Bosco LoweChevrolet Monte Carlo171-17 Laps
183979Dick SkillenChevrolet Monte Carlo167109-21 Laps
19316Eddie BierschwaleChevrolet Monte Carlo161106Engine
202190Ken SchraderFord Thunderbird159103-29 Laps
21133Dale EarnhardtChevrolet Monte Carlo15512105*Engine
222699Connie SaylorChevrolet Monte Carlo15597Ignition
232964Clark DwyerFord Thunderbird15094Ignition
24511Darrell WaltripChevrolet Monte Carlo137196*Piston
251095Sterling MarlinChevrolet Monte Carlo11388Engine
261212Neil BonnettChevrolet Monte Carlo106190*Water Leak
27943Richard PettyPontiac Grand Prix94187*Valve
281947Ron BouchardBuick Regal8579Suspension
291655Benny ParsonsChevrolet Monte Carlo74281*Driveshaft
3064Joe RuttmanChevrolet Monte Carlo7073Transmission
312384Mike AlexanderChevrolet Monte Carlo7070Engine
323474Bobby WawakChevrolet Monte Carlo6167Wheel
333649Don HumeChevrolet Monte Carlo3564Vibration
341166Phil ParsonsChevrolet Monte Carlo3361Wheel Bearing
353300Phil BarkdollChevrolet Monte Carlo3358Engine
36821David PearsonChevrolet Monte Carlo2655Carburetor
37352Rusty WallacePontiac Grand Prix752Engine
382533Harry GantChevrolet Monte Carlo749Engine
393098Trevor BoysChevrolet Monte Carlo646Engine
WD4051Greg SacksChevrolet Monte Carlo0Withdrawn due
to Engine Failure

* - Includes 5 bonus points for leading at least 1 lap.
** - Includes additional 5 bonus points for leading the most laps.

Cautions

2 for 8 laps

Start
Lap		End
Lap
  1. of
    laps
Reason
1601634Geoffrey Bodine accident, turn 4
1741774Eddie Bierschwale accident, turn 4

Lap Leader Breakdown

Lead changes: 28

DriverFrom
Lap		To
Lap
  1. of
    Laps
Cale Yarborough144
Kyle Petty551
Bill Elliott62722
Dale Earnhardt28336
Bill Elliott34363
Terry Labonte37371
Dale Earnhardt38392
Kyle Petty40423
Dale Earnhardt43431
Cale Yarborough44474
Dale Earnhardt48481
Richard Petty49491
Kyle Petty50534
Cale Yarborough547017
Neil Bonnett71711
Benny Parsons72732
Bobby Allison74752
Cale Yarborough7610227
Bobby Allison1031031
Darrell Waltrip1041041
Terry Labonte1051051
Cale Yarborough10613126
Dale Earnhardt1321332
Kyle Petty1341341
Cale Yarborough13514410
Bill Elliott14515915
Cale Yarborough1601689
Bill Elliott16918820

Failed to qualify

NameCar #Car manufacturer
Eldon Dotson96Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Delma Cowart0Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Slick Johnson05Ford Thunderbird
Blackie Wangerin39Ford Thunderbird
Craig Spetman08Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Rick Newsom20Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Ronnie Thomas41Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Mike Potter68Ford Thunderbird
Steve Moore73Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Mark Stahl82Ford Thunderbird
Ken Ragan
(car was driven by Bosco Lowe)		17Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Standings after the race

PosDriverPointsDifferential
1Terry Labonte13550
2Geoffrey Bodine1343-12
3Bill Elliott1312-43
4Neil Bonnett1279-76
5Ricky Rudd1228-127
6Lake Speed1215-140
7Darrell Waltrip1208-147
8Kyle Petty1197-158
9Bobby Allison1187-168
10Dale Earnhardt1150-205

[8]

References

  1. ^ 1985 Winston 500 weather conditions at The Old Farmers' Almanac
  2. ^ 1985 Winston 500 at Racing Reference
  3. ^ "Track Facts". talladegasuperspeedway.com. Talladega Superspeedway. November 1, 2012. Archived November 1, 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  4. ^ "Bill Elliott". The Crittenden Automotive Library. Retrieved May 8, 2007.
  5. ^ Elliott Was Awesome At Talladega In 1985 at GeorgiaRacingHistory.com
  6. ^ 1985 Winston 500 at Race Database
  7. ^ 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Recap Archived 2011-10-28 at the Wayback Machine at Auto.Howstuffworks.com
  8. ^ "Race Results"