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1996 Miller 500 (Pocono)

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1996 Miller 500
Race details
Race 17 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 July 21, 1996
Official name 24th Annual Miller 500
Location Long Pond, Pennsylvania, Pocono Raceway
Course Permanent racing facility
2.5 mi (4.0 km)
Distance 200 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Scheduled Distance 200 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Average speed 144.892 miles per hour (233.181 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Roush Racing
Time 53.441
Most laps led
Driver Mark Martin Roush Racing
Laps 121
Winner
No. 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South
Television in the United States
Network TBS
Announcers Ken Squier, Buddy Baker, Dick Berggren
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

The 1996 Miller 500 was the 17th stock car race of the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 24th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, July 21, 1996, in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, at Pocono Raceway, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) triangular permanent course. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Penske Racing South driver Rusty Wallace would manage to pull away from the field on the final restart with 14 to go to take his 45th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his fifth victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Rudd Performance Motorsports driver Ricky Rudd and Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

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The layout of Pocono Raceway, the venue where the race was held.

The race was held at Pocono Raceway, which is a three-turn superspeedway located in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The track hosts two annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, as well as one Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series event. Until 2019, the track also hosted an IndyCar Series race.

Pocono Raceway is one of a very few NASCAR tracks not owned by either Speedway Motorsports, Inc. or International Speedway Corporation. It is operated by the Igdalsky siblings Brandon, Nicholas, and sister Ashley, and cousins Joseph IV and Chase Mattioli, all of whom are third-generation members of the family-owned Mattco Inc, started by Joseph II and Rose Mattioli.

Outside of the NASCAR races, the track is used throughout the year by Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and motorcycle clubs as well as racing schools and an IndyCar race. The triangular oval also has three separate infield sections of racetrack – North Course, East Course and South Course. Each of these infield sections use a separate portion of the tri-oval to complete the track. During regular non-race weekends, multiple clubs can use the track by running on different infield sections. Also some of the infield sections can be run in either direction, or multiple infield sections can be put together – such as running the North Course and the South Course and using the tri-oval to connect the two.

Entry list

[edit]
  • (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
14 Jeff Green Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Racing for Kids
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 Loy Allen Jr. 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, 1996 Summer Olympics
28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Greg Sacks 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
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
78 Randy MacDonald Triad Motorsports Ford Diamond Rio
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 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford McDonald's
98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford RCA
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Exide

Qualifying

[edit]

Qualifying was originally scheduled to be split into two rounds. The first round was scheduled to be held on Friday, July 19, at 3:00 PM EST. However, only six drivers were able to set a lap before qualifying was rained out and postponed until Friday, July 20, at 9:00 AM EST. Qualifying was eventually combined into only one round.[3] Each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 26-38 would be decided on time,[4] 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.

Mark Martin, driving for Roush Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 53.441 and an average speed of 168.410 miles per hour (271.030 km/h).[5]

No drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

[edit]
Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 53.441 168.410
2 75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 53.737 167.482
3 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 53.738 167.479
4 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 53.906 166.957
5 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 53.910 166.945
6 30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac 53.976 166.741
7 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 53.993 166.688
8 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 53.997 166.676
9 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 53.998 166.673
10 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 54.007 166.645
11 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 54.070 166.451
12 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 54.109 166.331
13 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 54.118 166.303
14 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 54.131 166.263
15 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 54.136 166.248
16 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 54.271 165.834
17 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 54.297 165.755
18 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 54.306 165.728
19 78 Randy MacDonald Triad Motorsports Ford 54.315 165.700
20 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 54.357 165.572
21 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 54.367 165.542
22 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 54.377 165.511
23 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac 54.400 165.441
24 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 54.418 165.386
25 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 54.440 165.320
26 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac 54.479 165.201
27 15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford 54.482 165.192
28 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 54.485 165.183
29 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 54.504 165.125
30 77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford 54.541 165.013
31 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 54.548 164.992
32 98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 54.569 164.929
33 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 54.601 164.832
34 41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 54.661 164.651
35 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 54.737 164.423
36 37 John Andretti Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 54.965 163.741
37 14 Jeff Green Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 55.088 163.375
38 29 Greg Sacks Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 55.100 163.339
Provisionals
39 33 Robert Pressley Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
40 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford -* -*
41 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
Official starting lineup

Race results

[edit]
Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 13 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 200 30 running 180 $59,165
2 7 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 200 9 running 175 $56,615
3 20 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 200 13 running 170 $35,705
4 35 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 200 10 running 165 $44,590
5 6 30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac 200 5 running 160 $36,400
6 17 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 200 0 running 150 $35,925
7 15 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 200 1 running 151 $35,825
8 11 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 200 0 running 142 $24,925
9 1 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 200 121 running 148 $46,950
10 10 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 200 0 running 134 $27,825
11 4 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 200 3 running 135 $22,975
12 32 98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 199 0 running 127 $15,625
13 24 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 199 0 running 124 $22,325
14 8 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 199 0 running 121 $27,925
15 22 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 199 0 running 118 $22,925
16 21 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 199 0 running 115 $27,025
17 2 75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 199 2 running 117 $14,525
18 33 90 Dick Trickle Donlavey Racing Ford 199 0 running 109 $14,225
19 28 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 199 0 running 106 $20,975
20 34 41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 199 0 running 103 $22,550
21 12 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 199 0 running 100 $20,425
22 5 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 199 0 running 97 $24,825
23 36 37 John Andretti Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 199 0 running 94 $20,100
24 18 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 198 0 running 91 $19,950
25 39 33 Robert Pressley Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 198 0 running 88 $19,975
26 26 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac 198 1 running 90 $19,625
27 16 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 198 0 running 82 $19,475
28 29 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 197 0 running 79 $12,425
29 38 29 Greg Sacks Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 197 3 running 81 $18,875
30 23 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac 196 0 running 73 $16,325
31 19 78 Randy MacDonald Triad Motorsports Ford 195 0 running 70 $9,275
32 40 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 194 0 running 67 $9,225
33 27 15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford 189 0 running 64 $16,175
34 14 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 179 2 crash 66 $16,050
35 9 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 176 0 running 58 $8,975
36 25 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 175 0 engine 55 $8,900
37 3 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 168 0 engine 52 $24,835
38 30 77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford 139 0 engine 49 $8,125
39 31 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 6 0 crash 46 $16,125
40 41 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 4 0 crash 43 $15,125
41 37 14 Jeff Green Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 2 0 crash 40 $8,125
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (July 22, 1996). "Caution: Wallace rides hot streak". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  2. ^ Harris, Mike (July 22, 1996). "Rusty Wallace works hard to win Pocono". Republican and Herald. p. 11. Retrieved October 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "Rain trims NASCAR qualifying". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. July 20, 1996. p. 104. Retrieved October 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "Miller 500". The Charlotte Observer. July 19, 1996. p. 28. Retrieved October 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ Harris, Mike (July 21, 1996). "Pole starts Martin's second-half switch". Tallahassee Democrat. p. 41. Retrieved October 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
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1996 Jiffy Lube 300
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1996 season
Next race:
1996 DieHard 500