1991 Banquet Frozen Foods 300

The 1991 Banquet Frozen Foods 300 was the 12th stock car race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season, the third race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston West Series season, and the third iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, June 9, 1991, before an audience of 62,000 at the Grand Prix layout of Sears Point Raceway, a 2.52 miles (4.06 km) permanent road course layout. The race took the scheduled 74 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Robert Yates Racing driver Davey Allison, with the assist of a late-race penalty on leader Ricky Rudd, would manage to comeback from a late-race spin to take his tenth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second victory of the season.[1][2][3][4] To fill out the top three, the aforementioned Ricky Rudd and Penske Racing South driver Rusty Wallace would finish second and third, respectively.

1991 Banquet Frozen Foods 300
Race details
Race 12 of 29 in the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1991 Banquet Frozen Foods 300 program cover, featuring Jimmy Spencer.
The 1991 Banquet Frozen Foods 300 program cover, featuring Jimmy Spencer.
Date June 9, 1991
Official name 3rd Annual Banquet Frozen Foods 300
Location Sonoma, California, Sears Point Raceway
Course Permanent racing facility
2.52 mi (4.06 km)
Distance 74 laps, 186.48 mi (300.11 km)
Scheduled Distance 74 laps, 186.48 mi (300.11 km)
Average speed 72.97 miles per hour (117.43 km/h)
Attendance 62,000
Pole position
Driver Hendrick Motorsports
Time 1:40.095
Most laps led
Driver Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South
Laps 45
Winner
No. 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

In what has been considered by NASCAR drivers and media as one of the most controversial rule callings in NASCAR history, Hendrick Motorsports driver Ricky Rudd was penalized after performing a bump and run maneuver on the final turn of the raceway with two laps to go in the race on leader Davey Allison. After Rudd completed his final lap, Rudd was shown the black flag instead of the checkered flag, instead showing the checkered flag to Allison to signify that Allison had won the race. Rudd, who was initially given a drive-through penalty, was given a five-second time penalty for the move on Allison for not taking the drive-through penalty, moving Rudd to a second-place finish.[5] Rudd argued that he had both not known of the penalty and that he did not enough time to serve a penalty, who was given the black flag on the final lap of the race. According to NASCAR rules, a driver had three laps to serve their penalty. Dave Marcis, who was near the accident, would agree with Rudd, saying "How is Ricky supposed to know he got a black flag? He was up in Turn 2 or 3 by then."[6] According to NASCAR's vice president for Competition, Les Richter, the move that Rudd had made was "unnecessary and avoidable",[7] a decision that which both confused and angered Rudd and his team, saying that NASCAR had never made such a decision before for a bump and run maneuver.[8]

Immediately after the race, Rudd and Rudd's crew chief, Waddell Wilson, would protest the results of the race. Wilson was recorded by The Charlotte Observer reporter Tom Higgins pleading to NASCAR president Bill France Jr. to change the results, saying "Don't take this race away from us, Billy!... You told all [the drivers] in the drivers' meeting that on the last lap they were on their own!"[1] Rudd himself would compare the officiating of NASCAR officials to the World Wrestling Federation, saying that "This is the best example of how NASCAR makes their own rules. NASCAR needs a Ford in victory lane."[9] Allison, the winner of the race, speaking in an article for The Press Democrat said "We feel like we deserve the victory, and we're going to savor it just like the rest of them."[10]

Background

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The layout of Sears Point Raceway used by NASCAR at the time.

Sears Point Raceway is one of two road courses to hold NASCAR races, the other being Watkins Glen International. The standard road course at Sears Point Raceway is a 12-turn course that is 2.52 miles (4.06 km) long;[11] the track was modified in 1998, adding the Chute, which bypassed turns 5 and 6, shortening the course to 1.95 miles (3.14 km). The Chute was only used for NASCAR events such as this race, and was criticized by many drivers, who preferred the full layout.[12] In 2001, it was replaced with a 70-degree turn, 4A, bringing the track to its current dimensions of 1.99 miles (3.20 km).[13]

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
00 Scott Gaylord Oliver Racing Oldsmobile Oliver Gravity Separators
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile Skoal
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac Miller Genuine Draft
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
04 Hershel McGriff Lipseia Racing Pontiac U.S. Bank
5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Folgers
7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford Hooters
8 Rick Wilson Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Snickers
9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Coors Light
09 R. K. Smith Midgley Racing Pontiac Midgley Racing
10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet Purolator Filters
12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick Raybestos
15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Western Auto
19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford Red Baron
20 Kim Campbell Moroso Racing Oldsmobile NAPA Auto Parts
21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Maxwell House
23 Mike Chase Freymiller Racing Ford Freymiller Trucking
24 Mickey Gibbs Team III Racing Pontiac Team III Racing
24W Butch Gilliland Gilliland Racing Pontiac Gear Engineering
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick Quaker State
28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal Bandit
42 Tommy Kendall SABCO Racing Pontiac Mello Yello
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Irv Hoerr Labonte Motorsports Oldsmobile Bay Area Oldsmobile
44W Jack Sellers Emerson Racing Buick Coca-Cola
49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick Interstate Batteries
52 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Alka-Seltzer
55 Ted Musgrave (R) U.S. Racing Pontiac U.S. Racing
66 Lake Speed Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac Phillips 66 TropArtic
68 Bobby Hamilton (R) TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile Country Time
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Big Apple Market
73 Bill Schmitt Schmitt Racing Ford Raley's Supermarkets
75 Joe Ruttman RahMoc Enterprises Oldsmobile Dinner Bell Foods
76 Bill Sedgwick Spears Motorsports Chevrolet Spears Manufacturing
91 Robert Sprague Rouse Racing Ford Rouse Racing
93 Troy Beebe Beebe Racing Buick Taco Bell
94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Sunoco
97 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet Banquet Foods
99 John Krebs KC Racing Pontiac Skoal

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, June 7, at 6:30 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 8, at 1:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 26-40 would be decided on time,[14] 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; which was one for cars in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and two extra provisionals for the NASCAR Winston West Series. If needed, a past champion who did not qualify on either time or provisionals could use a champion's provisional, adding one more spot to the field.

Ricky Rudd, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 1:40.095 and an average speed of 90.634 miles per hour (145.861 km/h) in the first round.[15][16]

Four drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1:40.095 90.634
2 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 1:40.123 90.609
3 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 1:40.468 90.297
4 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 1:40.668 90.118
5 42 Tommy Kendall SABCO Racing Pontiac 1:40.783 90.015
6 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 1:40.820 89.982
7 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 1:40.876 89.932
8 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 1:41.080 89.751
9 66 Lake Speed Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 1:41.088 89.744
10 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 1:41.203 89.642
11 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 1:41.230 89.618
12 97 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 1:41.265 89.587
13 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 1:41.477 89.400
14 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 1:41.559 89.327
15 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 1:41.814 89.104
16 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 1:41.887 89.040
17 75 Joe Ruttman RahMoc Enterprises Oldsmobile 1:41.902 89.027
18 44 Irv Hoerr Labonte Motorsports Oldsmobile 1:41.923 89.008
19 8 Rick Wilson Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 1:41.960 88.976
20 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 1:42.025 88.919
21 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 1:42.140 88.819
22 04 Hershel McGriff Lipseia Racing Pontiac 1:42.158 88.804
23 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 1:42.249 88.725
24 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 1:42.380 88.611
25 73 Bill Schmitt Schmitt Racing Ford 1:42.543 88.470
Failed to lock in Round 1
26 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 1:40.924 89.889
27 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 1:41.819 89.099
28 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 1:42.657 88.372
29 76 Bill Sedgwick Spears Motorsports Chevrolet 1:42.715 88.322
30 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 1:42.837 88.217
31 00 Scott Gaylord Oliver Racing Oldsmobile 1:42.973 88.101
32 24 Mickey Gibbs Team III Racing Pontiac 1:43.131 87.966
33 52 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 1:43.250 87.864
34 49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick 1:43.508 87.645
35 68 Bobby Hamilton (R) TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile 1:43.550 87.610
36 09 R. K. Smith Midgley Racing Pontiac 1:43.624 87.547
37 55 Ted Musgrave (R) U.S. Racing Pontiac 1:43.755 87.437
38 98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 1:43.833 87.371
39 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 1:44.075 87.168
40 99 John Krebs KC Racing Pontiac 1:44.180 87.080
Winston Cup provisional
41 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 1:44.581 86.746
Winston West provisionals
42 23 Mike Chase Freymiller Racing Ford 1:44.221 87.046
43 91 Robert Sprague Rouse Racing Ford 1:45.919 85.650
Failed to qualify
44 24W Butch Gilliland Gilliland Racing Pontiac -* -*
45 44 Jack Sellers Emerson Racing Buick -* -*
46 93 Troy Beebe Beebe Racing Buick -* -*
47 20 Kim Campbell Moroso Racing Oldsmobile -* -*
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 13 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 74 2 running 180 $61,950
2 1 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 74 12 running 175 $41,975
3 4 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Pontiac 74 45 running 175 $34,975
4 11 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 74 0 running 160 $20,350
5 6 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 74 0 running 155 $17,225
6 2 94 Terry Labonte Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 74 0 running 150 $14,400
7 3 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 74 0 running 146 $19,800
8 12 97 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 74 0 running 142 $7,650
9 14 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 74 0 running 138 $16,850
10 8 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 74 0 running 134 $10,600
11 28 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 74 0 running 130 $10,100
12 9 66 Lake Speed Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 74 0 running 127 $9,600
13 25 73 Bill Schmitt Schmitt Racing Ford 74 0 running 124 $7,300
14 32 24 Mickey Gibbs Team III Racing Pontiac 74 0 running 121 $6,600
15 29 76 Bill Sedgwick Spears Motorsports Chevrolet 74 0 running 118 $6,400
16 19 8 Rick Wilson Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 74 0 running 115 $7,450
17 7 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 74 0 running 112 $11,275
18 5 42 Tommy Kendall SABCO Racing Pontiac 74 12 running 114 $12,450
19 41 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 73 0 running 106 $7,225
20 26 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 73 0 running 103 $13,700
21 33 52 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 73 0 running 100 $4,100
22 35 68 Bobby Hamilton (R) TriStar Motorsports Oldsmobile 73 0 running 97 $5,775
23 34 49 Stanley Smith (R) BS&S Motorsports Buick 73 0 running 94 $4,050
24 16 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 72 0 running 91 $6,830
25 10 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 71 0 running 88 $4,820
26 15 22 Sterling Marlin Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 71 0 running 85 $4,650
27 23 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 70 0 running 82 $6,600
28 27 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 67 0 running 79 $3,850
29 38 98 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 65 0 running 76 $6,490
30 30 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 64 0 running 73 $12,210
31 17 75 Joe Ruttman RahMoc Enterprises Oldsmobile 64 0 running 70 $6,350
32 22 04 Hershel McGriff Lipseia Racing Pontiac 61 0 accident 67 $3,675
33 31 00 Scott Gaylord Oliver Racing Oldsmobile 61 0 running 64 $3,625
34 39 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 59 0 accident 61 $5,200
35 24 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 59 0 running 58 $5,575
36 18 44 Irv Hoerr Labonte Motorsports Oldsmobile 58 0 rear end 55 $3,565
37 37 55 Ted Musgrave (R) U.S. Racing Pontiac 58 0 running 52 $3,795
38 40 99 John Krebs KC Racing Pontiac 57 1 running 54 $3,525
39 43 91 Robert Sprague Rouse Racing Ford 54 1 engine 51 $3,500
40 42 23 Mike Chase Freymiller Racing Ford 53 0 transmission 43 $3,475
41 21 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 46 1 ignition 45 $5,475
42 20 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 39 0 engine 37 $10,475
43 36 09 R. K. Smith Midgley Racing Pontiac 2 0 engine 34 $3,475
Failed to qualify
44 24W Butch Gilliland Gilliland Racing Pontiac
45 44 Jack Sellers Emerson Racing Buick
46 93 Troy Beebe Beebe Racing Buick
47 20 Kim Campbell Moroso Racing Oldsmobile
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ a b Higgins, Tom (June 10, 1991). "Allison gets victory; Rudd gets angry (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 17. Retrieved February 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (June 10, 1991). "Allison gets victory; Rudd gets angry (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 19. Retrieved February 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Ralph, Leef (June 10, 1991). "Allison gets a bump (Part 1)". The Press Democrat. p. 15. Retrieved February 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ Ralph, Leef (June 10, 1991). "Allison gets a bump (Part 2)". The Press Democrat. p. 19. Retrieved February 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ Harris, Mike (June 10, 1991). "Rough road for Rudd". The News Journal. p. 21. Retrieved February 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ Higgins, Tom (June 11, 1991). "Hard feelings linger after controversial NASCAR finish". The Modesto Bee. p. 9. Retrieved February 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Trosky, Steve (June 10, 1991). "Allison handed Banquet 300 after Rudd's bumping incident". The Napa Valley Register. p. 12. Retrieved February 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  8. ^ Sakkis, Tony (June 10, 1991). "Win exterminated by black flag". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 31. Retrieved February 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ Silver, Michael (June 10, 1991). "Rudd rips NASCAR decision (Part 1)". The Press Democrat. p. 15. Retrieved February 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  10. ^ Silver, Michael (June 10, 1991). "Rudd rips NASCAR decision (Part 2)". The Press Democrat. p. 19. Retrieved February 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  11. ^ "Sears Point". www.gt-racing.co.uk. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  12. ^ "Passing is tough in Chute | chronicle.augusta.com". June 7, 2011. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  13. ^ "SEARS POINT BREAKS GROUND ON MODIFIED CHUTE - RacingWest". September 29, 2007. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  14. ^ "NASCAR today". The Charlotte Observer. June 6, 1991. p. 39. Retrieved February 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  15. ^ Higgins, Tom (June 8, 1991). "Rudd saving some for Sunday's race (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 37. Retrieved February 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  16. ^ Higgins, Tom (June 8, 1991). "Rudd saving some for Sunday's race (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 39. Retrieved February 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
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