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1996 Miller 500 (Dover)

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1996 Miller 500
Race details
Race 12 of 31 in the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1996 Miller 500 program cover, featuring Rusty Wallace. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
The 1996 Miller 500 program cover, featuring Rusty Wallace. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
Date June 2, 1996
Official name 28th Annual Miller 500
Location Dover, Delaware, Dover International Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1 mi (1.6 km)
Distance 500 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Scheduled Distance 500 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Average speed 122.741 miles per hour (197.532 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Hendrick Motorsports
Time 23.258
Most laps led
Driver Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 307
Winner
No. 10 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network TNN
Announcers Eli Gold, Dick Berggren, Buddy Baker
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

The 1996 Miller 500 was the 12th stock car race of the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 28th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, June 2, 1996, in Dover, Delaware at Dover International Speedway, a 1-mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete. At race's end, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would manage to dominate the late stages of the race to take his 13th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his fourth victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Hendrick Motorsports driver Terry Labonte and Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

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

Dover International Speedway is an oval race track in Dover, Delaware, United States that has held at least two NASCAR races since it opened in 1969. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosted USAC and the NTT IndyCar Series. The track features one layout, a 1-mile (1.6 km) concrete oval, with 24° banking in the turns and 9° banking on the straights. The speedway is owned and operated by Dover Motorsports.

The track, nicknamed "The Monster Mile", was built in 1969 by Melvin Joseph of Melvin L. Joseph Construction Company, Inc., with an asphalt surface, but was replaced with concrete in 1995. Six years later in 2001, the track's capacity moved to 135,000 seats, making the track have the largest capacity of sports venue in the mid-Atlantic. In 2002, the name changed to Dover International Speedway from Dover Downs International Speedway after Dover Downs Gaming and Entertainment split, making Dover Motorsports. From 2007 to 2009, the speedway worked on an improvement project called "The Monster Makeover", which expanded facilities at the track and beautified the track. After the 2014 season, the track's capacity was reduced to 95,500 seats.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac Hooters
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford Miller
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 Spam
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Lowe's
12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford Badcock Home Furniture
15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford Hayes Modems
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 Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
19 Dick Trickle TriStar Motorsports Ford HealthSource RI
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 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
26 Hermie Sadler Sadler Racing Chevrolet Peebles Department Stores
28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Cartoon Network, The Flintstones
30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
33 Robert Pressley Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet Skoal
37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford Kmart, Little Caesars
41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac Coors Light Earnhardt Protest
43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Prodigy
75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms
77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions
81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford Square D, TIC Financial Systems
87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet Burger King
88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford Quality Care Service, Ford Credit
90 Mike Wallace Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
94 Todd Bodine Bill Elliott Racing Ford McDonald's Monopoly
95 Gary Bradberry Sadler Brothers Racing Ford Shoney's Inn
98 Jeremy Mayfield 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, May 31, at 3:00 pm EST. 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, June 1, at 11:30 am EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 26–38 would be decided on time,[3] and depending on who needed it, a select amount of positions were given to cars who had not otherwise qualified but were high enough in owner's points.

Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 23.258 and an average speed of 154.785 miles per hour (249.102 km/h).[4]

No drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

[edit]
Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.258 154.785
2 19 Dick Trickle TriStar Motorsports Ford 23.390 153.912
3 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 23.392 153.899
4 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.428 153.662
5 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 23.461 153.446
6 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 23.497 153.211
7 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 23.499 153.198
8 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 23.503 153.172
9 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 23.505 153.159
10 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac 23.514 153.100
11 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 23.519 153.068
12 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 23.542 152.918
13 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 23.550 152.866
14 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 23.554 152.840
15 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac 23.560 152.801
16 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 23.580 152.672
17 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 23.594 152.581
18 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 23.597 152.562
19 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 23.637 152.304
20 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 23.670 152.091
21 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 23.671 152.085
22 77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford 23.671 152.085
23 30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac 23.686 151.989
24 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 23.690 151.963
25 37 John Andretti Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 23.699 151.905
Failed to lock in Round 1
26 95 Gary Bradberry Sadler Brothers Racing Ford 23.637 152.304
27 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 23.681 152.021
28 90 Mike Wallace Donlavey Racing Ford 23.685 151.995
29 41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.712 151.822
30 26 Hermie Sadler Sadler Racing Chevrolet 23.713 151/815
31 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23.726 151.732
32 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 23.737 151.662
33 94 Todd Bodine Bill Elliott Racing Ford 23.740 151.815
34 15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford 23.757 151.534
35 29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 23.772 151.439
36 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 23.774 151.426
37 75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 23.777 151.407
38 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 23.779 151.394
Provisionals
39 98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford -* -*
40 33 Greg Sacks Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
41 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
42 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet -* -*
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

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Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 1 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 307 running 185 $138,730
2 4 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 500 0 running 170 $57,480
3 14 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 500 90 running 170 $60,080
4 21 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 500 16 running 165 $42,440
5 7 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 499 0 running 155 $42,295
6 24 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 499 0 running 150 $37,215
7 8 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 499 0 running 146 $22,265
8 16 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 499 0 running 142 $32,765
9 18 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 499 0 running 138 $22,115
10 31 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 499 0 running 134 $32,465
11 27 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 498 0 running 130 $27,365
12 39 98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 497 0 running 127 $19,765
13 20 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 497 0 running 124 $26,365
14 29 41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 497 1 running 126 $25,965
15 33 94 Todd Bodine Bill Elliott Racing Ford 496 0 running 118 $25,765
16 3 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 496 0 running 115 $29,490
17 23 30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac 496 0 running 112 $26,065
18 15 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac 496 0 running 109 $24,850
19 28 90 Mike Wallace Donlavey Racing Ford 495 0 running 106 $17,665
20 9 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 495 0 running 103 $19,315
21 38 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 495 0 running 100 $24,365
22 34 15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford 493 0 running 97 $24,215
23 17 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 492 0 running 94 $24,065
24 11 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 490 0 running 91 $23,915
25 36 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 488 0 running 88 $23,940
26 32 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 481 0 running 85 $23,690
27 40 33 Greg Sacks Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 480 0 running 82 $24,140
28 2 19 Dick Trickle TriStar Motorsports Ford 471 0 running 79 $13,990
29 22 77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford 467 0 running 76 $13,540
30 13 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 467 0 running 73 $20,490
31 42 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 452 0 running 70 $13,450
32 37 75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 434 0 running 67 $13,380
33 25 37 John Andretti Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 429 3 engine 69 $20,330
34 5 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 421 0 engine 61 $13,280
35 10 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac 405 0 crash 58 $20,080
36 6 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 374 83 crash 60 $22,055
37 30 26 Hermie Sadler Sadler Racing Chevrolet 349 0 handling 52 $13,055
38 26 95 Gary Bradberry Sadler Brothers Racing Ford 345 0 engine 49 $13,055
39 41 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 229 0 handling 46 $20,055
40 12 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 219 0 engine 43 $29,855
41 19 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 87 0 engine 40 $29,655
42 35 29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 64 0 crash 37 $20,055
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Laye, Leonard (June 3, 1996). "Gordon conqueror of Monster Mile". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  2. ^ Brinster, Dick (June 3, 1996). "Patience pays off in Gordon's win". The State. p. 8. Retrieved October 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "Miller 500". The Charlotte Observer. May 31, 1996. p. 16. Retrieved October 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Brinster, Dick (June 1, 1996). "Gordon under close scrutiny". The Daily American. p. 11. Retrieved October 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
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1996 Coca-Cola 600
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1996 season
Next race:
1996 UAW-GM Teamwork 500