1989 Autoworks 500


The 1989 Autoworks 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that took place on November 5, 1989, at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona.

Race report

Five of the most dominant drivers of the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season were Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin, Darrell Waltrip, and Bill Elliott.
The first caution was for a dog on the track on lap 48.
Bill Elliott defeated Terry Labonte by six car lengths in front of 63,000 spectators. Three hundred and twelve laps were run on the paved oval spanning in two hours and fifty-seven minutes. Ken Schrader would qualify for the pole position with a speed of while the average speed at the actual race was. Five cautions occurred for 24 laps. Forty-three drivers competed in this race; the only foreign competitor was Canadian Roy Smith. Butch Miller would finish last due to an engine problem on lap 16.
Richard Petty only finished 42nd once, in this race. He did finish worse on two occasions in races with larger fields.
An incident occurred during this race that sparked some controversy. Wallace was leading and coming up on the lapped car of #90 Stan Barrett on lap 254. Barrett’s car made contact with Wallace in turn one, causing it to veer right and slam into the outside wall. Wallace’s car was damaged but still in racing condition. He would lose a lap. The next week the Missouri native won his first and only championship over Dale Earnhardt.
Alan Kulwicki led the most laps in the race. Bobby Hamilton would make his Winston Cup debut in this race and was performing astoundingly, taking the lead from Geoff Bodine on lap 209. Five laps after he took the lead going into turn 3. However, the engine let go, spraying oil and parts all over the track, ending his day. He was possibly heading toward winning in his debut. Hamilton qualified in fifth place using a "movie car" from the 1990 motion picture Days of Thunder, which was sponsored by Exxon and driven by the fictional driver Rowdy Burns.
This was the final career race for car owner Leroy Throop.

Qualifying

Failed to qualify: Tommy Ellis, Danny Lawson, Bob Howard, Keith Van Houten, Mark Walbridge, Jack Sellers, Robert Sprague, Butch Gilliland, St. James Davis, Bob Walker, Rick McCray, John Krebs, Duke Hoenshell, Hershel McGriff, Rick Scribner

Finishing order

Section reference:
  1. Bill Elliott
  2. Terry Labonte
  3. Mark Martin
  4. Darrell Waltrip
  5. Dale Jarrett
  6. Dale Earnhardt
  7. Dick Trickle
  8. Harry Gant
  9. Michael Waltrip
  10. Jimmy Spencer
  11. Alan Kulwicki
  12. Morgan Shepherd
  13. Ken Schrader
  14. Derrike Cope
  15. Dave Marcis
  16. Rusty Wallace
  17. Jim Sauter
  18. Bobby Hillin, Jr.
  19. Brett Bodine
  20. Joe Ruttman
  21. Kyle Petty
  22. Lake Speed
  23. Hut Stricklin
  24. Larry Pearson
  25. Jimmy Means
  26. Bill Schmidt
  27. Rodney Combs
  28. Geoffrey Bodine*
  29. Ricky Rudd*
  30. Sterling Marlin*
  31. Stan Barrett*
  32. Bobby Hamilton*
  33. Ernie Irvan*
  34. Neil Bonnett*
  35. Ron Esau*
  36. Bill Sedgwick*
  37. Phil Parsons*
  38. Greg Sacks*
  39. Davey Allison*
  40. Rick Wilson*
  41. Roy Smith*
  42. Richard Petty*
  43. Butch Miller*
* Driver failed to finish race

Standings after the race