The 1989 Holly Farms 400 was the 26th stock car race of the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 40th iteration of the event. The race was originally scheduled to be held on Sunday, October 1, 1989, but due to rain throughout the race's weekend, the race was postponed until Sunday, October 15.[1][2] The race was held in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina at the North Wilkesboro Speedway, a 0.625 miles (1.006 km) oval short track. The race took the scheduled 400 laps to complete. On the final lap of the race, a battle between Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt and King Racing driver Ricky Rudd that had been culminating since the final restart of the race on lap 398 came to a head. Heading into the first turn, Rudd would dive-bomb Earnhardt, which led Rudd into Earnhardt's car, spinning both cars. As a result of the spin, the third place driver at the time, Hendrick Motorsports driver Geoff Bodine, would manage to avoid the wreck and take the victory. The victory was Bodine's seventh career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[3][4][5][6] Rudd and Earnhardt would finish ninth and tenth, respectively.

1989 Holly Farms 400
Race details
Race 26 of 29 in the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1989 Holly Farms 400 program cover, featuring Rusty Wallace.
The 1989 Holly Farms 400 program cover, featuring Rusty Wallace.
Date October 15, 1989
Official name 40th Annual Holly Farms 400
Location North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Course Permanent racing facility
0.625 mi (1.006 km)
Distance 400 laps, 250 mi (402.336 km)
Scheduled Distance 400 laps, 250 mi (402.336 km)
Average speed 90.269 miles per hour (145.274 km/h)
Pole position
Driver SABCO Racing
Time Set by 1989 owner's points
Most laps led
Driver Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing
Laps 343
Winner
No. 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

In the driver's championship points battle, leader Rusty Wallace was able to increase his lead over Earnhardt by two points to make his lead over Earnhardt 37 points with three races left in the season. Had Earnhardt either won or taken second in the race, Earnhardt would have retaken the driver's championship lead from Wallace.[7]

Background

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The layout of North Wilkesboro Speedway, the venue where the race was held

North Wilkesboro Speedway is a short oval racetrack located on U.S. Route 421, about five miles east of the town of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, or 80 miles north of Charlotte. It measures 0.625 mi (1.006 km) and features a unique uphill backstretch and downhill frontstretch. It has previously held races in NASCAR's top three series, including 93 Winston Cup Series races. The track, a NASCAR original, operated from 1949, NASCAR's inception, until the track's original closure in 1996. The speedway briefly reopened in 2010 and hosted several stock car series races before closing again in the spring of 2011. It was re-opened in August 2022 for grassroots racing.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac Kroger
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile Kodak
5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Levi Garrett
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Stroh's Light
7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford Zerex
8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller High Life
9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Coors Light
10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac Purolator
11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick Chattanooga Chew
17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
21 Tommy Ellis Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Folgers
26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick Quaker State
27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac Kodiak
28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac Hardee's
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Country Time
33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal Bandit
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Peak Antifreeze
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick Hylton Motorsports
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Alka-Seltzer
55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal, Crown Central Petroleum
57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac Heinz
62 Joe Ruttman Douglas Smith Racing Oldsmobile Baja Boats
70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac Rumple Furniture
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Lifebuoy
73 Dale Fischlein Barkdoll Racing Oldsmobile Barkdoll Racing
75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Valvoline
83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce
84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Miller High Life
88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac Crisco
94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Sunoco

Qualifying

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Qualifying was originally scheduled to be split into two rounds.[8] The first round was scheduled to be run on Friday, September 29, at 3:00 PM EST. 31 cars would manage to set times in the session before the session was stopped due to rain.[9][10] Originally, qualifying would have been condensed into one round and ran the next day on Saturday, September 30. However, due to persistent rain, qualifying was cancelled and the lineup was set by the current 1989 owner's points. As a result, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would win the pole.[11][12]

Four drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make
1 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
2 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac
3 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford
4 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
5 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick
6 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford
7 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
8 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford
9 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford
10 33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile
11 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
12 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile
13 75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac
14 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile
15 21 Tommy Ellis Wood Brothers Racing Ford
16 84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick
17 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford
18 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac
19 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford
20 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick
21 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile
22 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile
23 2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac
24 16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick
25 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac
26 57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac
27 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet
28 88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac
29 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac
30 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac
Provisionals
31 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac
32 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac
Failed to qualify
33 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac
34 62 Joe Ruttman Douglas Smith Racing Oldsmobile
35 49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick
36 73 Dale Fischlein Barkdoll Racing Oldsmobile
Official interrupted first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

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Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 11 5 Geoff Bodine Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 1 running 180 $47,800
2 3 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 400 51 running 175 $28,075
3 9 11 Terry Labonte Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 400 0 running 165 $18,300
4 10 33 Harry Gant Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 400 0 running 160 $12,775
5 13 75 Morgan Shepherd RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 400 0 running 155 $15,200
6 6 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 400 0 running 150 $13,570
7 2 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 400 0 running 146 $11,880
8 23 2 Ernie Irvan U.S. Racing Pontiac 400 5 running 147 $6,792
9 5 26 Ricky Rudd King Racing Buick 400 0 running 138 $8,630
10 1 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 400 343 running 144 $15,155
11 17 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 398 0 running 130 $5,875
12 16 84 Dick Trickle (R) Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 398 0 running 127 $6,275
13 7 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 397 0 running 124 $7,150
14 27 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 396 0 running 121 $5,295
15 20 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 395 0 running 118 $5,650
16 15 21 Tommy Ellis Wood Brothers Racing Ford 394 0 running 115 $4,900
17 19 15 Brett Bodine Bud Moore Engineering Ford 394 0 running 112 $4,775
18 28 88 Jimmy Spencer (R) Baker–Schiff Racing Pontiac 393 0 running 109 $4,900
19 12 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 391 0 running 106 $4,425
20 4 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 388 0 running 103 $10,125
21 8 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 379 0 running 100 $8,930
22 32 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 373 0 running 97 $1,805
23 18 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 368 0 running 94 $4,130
24 24 16 Larry Pearson (R) Pearson Racing Buick 312 0 running 91 $2,555
25 21 83 Lake Speed Speed Racing Oldsmobile 304 0 running 88 $4,025
26 30 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Pontiac 296 0 running 85 $2,380
27 25 29 Dale Jarrett Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 218 0 overheating 82 $3,830
28 22 55 Phil Parsons Jackson Bros. Motorsports Oldsmobile 199 0 crash 79 $3,755
29 14 4 Rick Wilson Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile 181 0 ignition 76 $2,130
30 26 57 Hut Stricklin (R) Osterlund Racing Pontiac 177 0 running 73 $1,630
31 31 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 124 0 distributor 70 $1,580
32 29 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 124 0 crash 67 $2,330
Failed to qualify
33 70 J. D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac
34 62 Joe Ruttman Douglas Smith Racing Oldsmobile
35 49 James Hylton Hylton Motorsports Buick
36 73 Dale Fischlein Barkdoll Racing Oldsmobile
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 1, 1989). "Rain Postpones N. Wilkesboro For 2 Weeks (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 15. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 1, 1989). "Rain Postpones N. Wilkesboro For 2 Weeks (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 16. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 16, 1989). "Bump Benefits Bodine (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 21. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 16, 1989). "Bump Benefits Bodine (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 24. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ Mulhurn, Mike (October 16, 1989). "Bodine Gets Win; Earnhardt, Rudd Get Mad (Part 1)". Winston-Salem Journal. p. 13. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ Mulhurn, Mike (October 16, 1989). "Bodine Gets Win; Earnhardt, Rudd Get Mad (Part 2)". Winston-Salem Journal. p. 20. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Mulhurn, Mike (October 16, 1989). "Earnhardt–Rudd Accident Has Big Impact on Points Race". Winston-Salem Journal. p. 20. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  8. ^ "NASCAR Today". The Charlotte Observer. September 29, 1989. p. 33. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 30, 1989). "Schrader Takes Pole, Perhaps Temporarily (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 89. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  10. ^ Higgins, Tom (September 30, 1989). "Schrader Takes Pole, Perhaps Temporarily (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 93. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  11. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 1, 1989). "Rain Wipes Out Schrader's Bonus (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 81. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  12. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 1, 1989). "Rain Wipes Out Schrader's Bonus (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 82. Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  


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1989 All Pro Auto Parts 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1989 season
Next race:
1989 AC Delco 500