The 1997 Hanes 500 was the 27th stock car race of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 49th iteration of the event. The race was originally scheduled to held on Sunday, September 28, 1997, but was postponed until Monday, September 29 due to inclement weather.[1] The race took place in Ridgeway, Virginia at Martinsville Speedway, a 0.526 miles (0.847 km) permanent oval-shaped short track. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete. In the late stages of the race, Roush Racing driver Jeff Burton would manage to take advantage of a penalty-stricken Rusty Wallace to take his third career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his third and final victory of the season.[2][3] To fill out the top three, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt and Petty Enterprises driver Bobby Hamilton would finish second and third, respectively.

1997 Hanes 500
Race details
Race 27 of 32 in the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1997 Hanes 500 program cover.
The 1997 Hanes 500 program cover.
Date September 29, 1997
Official name 49th Annual Hanes 500
Location Ridgeway, Virginia, Martinsville Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
0.526 mi (0.847 km)
Distance 500 laps, 263 mi (423.257 km)
Scheduled Distance 500 laps, 263 mi (423.257 km)
Average speed 73.072 miles per hour (117.598 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Bill Davis Racing
Time 20.272
Most laps led
Driver Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South
Laps 226
Winner
No. 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

Background

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The layout of Martinsville Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

Martinsville Speedway is an NASCAR-owned stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At 0.526 miles (0.847 km) in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only remaining race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Morgan Shepherd Precision Products Racing Pontiac R+L Carriers
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford Miller Lite
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Valvoline
7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford QVC
8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Circuit City
9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford Melling Racing
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Brett Bodine Racing
16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford PrimeStar, The Family Channel
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Parts America
18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac Interstate Batteries
21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac MBNA
23 Jimmy Spencer Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford Camel Cigarettes
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
27 Kenny Irwin Jr. David Blair Motorsports Ford Tonka, Winner's Circle
28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Jeff Green (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Cartoon Network, Tom and Jerry, Dexter's Laboratory, Cow and Chicken
30 Johnny Benson Jr. Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
31 Mike Skinner (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Lowe's
33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet Skoal
36 Derrike Cope MB2 Motorsports Pontiac Skittles
37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford Kmart, RC Cola
40 Steve Park Team SABCO Chevrolet Coors Light
41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet BellSouth
43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac Hot Wheels
46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet First Union
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Realtree
75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms
77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions, Federal-Mogul
78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford Hanes
81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford Square D
88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford Quality Care Service, Ford Credit
90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford McDonald's Mac Tonight
96 David Green (R) American Equipment Racing Chevrolet Caterpillar
97 Chad Little Roush Racing Pontiac John Deere
98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford RCA
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Exide

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, September 26. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 25 drivers in the round would be guaranteed a starting spot in the race. If a driver was not able to guarantee a spot in the first round, they had the option to scrub their time from the first round and try and run a faster lap time in a second round qualifying run, held on Saturday, September 27. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. Positions 26-38 would be decided on time, and depending on who needed it, the 39th thru either the 42nd, 43rd, or 44th position would be based on provisionals. Four spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The fifth is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champion needs the provisional, the field would be limited to 42 cars. If a champion needed it, the field would expand to 43 cars. If the race was a companion race with the NASCAR Winston West Series, four spots would be determined by NASCAR Winston Cup Series provisionals, while the final two spots would be given to teams in the Winston West Series, leaving the field at 44 cars.

Ward Burton, driving for Bill Davis Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 20.272 and an average speed of 93.410 miles per hour (150.329 km/h).[4]

Three drivers would fail to qualify: Gary Bradberry, Morgan Shepherd, and Dave Marcis.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 20.272 93.410
2 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 20.284 93.354
3 27 Kenny Irwin Jr. David Blair Motorsports Ford 20.328 93.152
4 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 20.329 93.148
5 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 20.347 93.065
6 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 20.359 93.010
7 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 20.363 92.992
8 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 20.394 92.851
9 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 20.399 92.828
10 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 20.408 92.787
11 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20.428 92.696
12 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 20.435 92.665
13 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 20.439 92.646
14 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 20.445 92.619
15 98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 20.453 92.583
16 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 20.457 92.565
17 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 20.459 92.556
18 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 20.473 92.493
19 31 Mike Skinner (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 20.478 92.470
20 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 20.485 92.438
21 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 20.496 92.389
22 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 20.500 92.371
23 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 20.521 92.276
24 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 20.525 92.258
25 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20.527 92.249
26 30 Johnny Benson Jr. Bahari Racing Pontiac 20.369 92.965
27 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 20.431 92.683
28 40 Steve Park Team SABCO Chevrolet 20.472 92.497
29 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 20.487 92.429
30 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 20.492 92.407
31 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 20.525 92.258
32 96 David Green (R) American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 20.531 92.231
33 29 Jeff Green (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 20.535 92.213
34 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Pontiac 20.544 92.173
35 46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet 20.557 92.115
36 25 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 20.572 92.047
37 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 20.589 91.971
38 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 20.592 91.958
Provisionals
39 37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford -* -*
40 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
41 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford -* -*
42 36 Derrike Cope MB2 Motorsports Pontiac -* -*
Failed to qualify
43 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford -* -*
44 1 Morgan Shepherd Precision Products Racing Pontiac -* -*
45 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet -* -*
Official qualifying results

*Time not available.

Race results

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Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 10 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 500 92 running 180 $78,675
2 13 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 500 0 running 170 $65,800
3 22 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 500 65 running 170 $40,075
4 11 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 21 running 165 $40,225
5 16 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 500 0 running 155 $34,775
6 6 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 500 0 running 150 $27,875
7 1 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 500 61 running 151 $35,275
8 36 25 Ricky Craven Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 0 running 142 $26,050
9 9 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 500 0 running 138 $25,345
10 30 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 500 0 running 134 $33,345
11 2 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 500 34 running 135 $34,485
12 21 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 500 0 running 127 $28,800
13 5 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 500 0 running 124 $27,065
14 24 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 500 0 running 121 $15,865
15 7 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 500 226 running 128 $39,065
16 4 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 499 0 running 115 $23,065
17 41 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 499 0 running 112 $22,365
18 39 37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 499 0 running 109 $16,770
19 26 30 Johnny Benson Jr. Bahari Racing Pontiac 499 0 running 106 $21,365
20 32 96 David Green (R) American Equipment Racing Chevrolet 499 0 running 103 $15,915
21 23 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 499 0 running 100 $20,465
22 25 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 499 0 running 97 $31,515
23 38 75 Rick Mast Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 499 0 running 94 $20,265
24 18 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 498 0 running 91 $20,115
25 8 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 498 0 running 88 $12,965
26 29 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 498 0 running 85 $12,815
27 20 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 495 0 running 82 $24,665
28 37 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 490 0 running 79 $19,615
29 15 98 John Andretti Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 489 0 running 76 $19,565
30 33 29 Jeff Green (R) Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 464 0 running 73 $12,015
31 19 31 Mike Skinner (R) Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 453 0 suspension 70 $9,465
32 27 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 444 1 crash 72 $16,440
33 12 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 428 0 rear end 64 $16,415
34 35 46 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Team SABCO Chevrolet 401 0 running 61 $9,390
35 34 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Pontiac 394 0 running 58 $9,365
36 42 36 Derrike Cope MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 289 0 engine 55 $9,340
37 3 27 Kenny Irwin Jr. David Blair Motorsports Ford 257 0 fuel pump 52 $9,325
38 17 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 240 0 engine 49 $7,075
39 14 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 239 0 crash 46 $23,075
40 40 41 Steve Grissom Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 198 0 overheating 43 $14,075
41 28 40 Steve Park Team SABCO Chevrolet 198 0 engine 40 $14,075
42 31 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 145 0 crash 37 $7,075
Failed to qualify
43 78 Gary Bradberry Triad Motorsports Ford
44 1 Morgan Shepherd Precision Products Racing Pontiac
45 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Poole, David (September 29, 1997). "Rains sets Martinsville race back a day". The Charlotte Observer. p. 17. Retrieved October 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Poole, David (September 29, 1997). "Burton takes over when Wallace draws Martinsville penalty". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  3. ^ McLaurin, Jim (September 30, 1997). "Burton gets good flag, Wallace gets bad one". The State. p. 27. Retrieved October 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Dutton, Monte (September 27, 1997). "Little Burton takes pole from Martin". Anderson Independent-Mail. p. 5. Retrieved October 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
Previous race:
1997 MBNA 400
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1997 season
Next race:
1997 UAW-GM Quality 500