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.
 
 
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