# 1987 Sovran Bank 500

The 1987 Sovran Bank 500 was the eighth stock car race of the 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 38th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, April 26, 1987, before an audience of 40,000 in Martinsville, Virginia at Martinsville Speedway, a 0.526 miles (0.847 km) permanent oval-shaped short track. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete.
Taking advantage of a misfortunate Geoff Bodine, who spun from a large lead over the field with 17 laps in the race, Richard Childress Racing's Dale Earnhardt managed to hold the lead after Bodine's spin to take his 26th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory, his sixth victory of the season, and his fourth straight victory, increasing his driver's championship points lead to 157 points. To fill out the top three, Blue Max Racing's Rusty Wallace and the aforementioned Geoff Bodine finished second and third, respectively.

## Background

Martinsville Speedway is a NASCAR-owned stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At 0.526 miles (0.847 km) in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only remaining race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948.

### Entry list

* (R) denotes rookie driver.
| # | Driver | Team | Make | Sponsor |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | Wrangler |
| 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Levi Garrett |
| 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | Zerex |
| 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | Miller American |
| 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | Coors |
| 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Chevrolet | Budweiser |
| 12 | Slick Johnson | Hamby Racing | Chevrolet | Hesco Exhaust Systems |
| 15 | Ricky Rudd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | Motorcraft Quality Parts |
| 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Tide |
| 18 | Dale Jarrett (R) | Freedlander Motorsports | Chevrolet | Freedlander Financial |
| 19 | Derrike Cope (R) | Stoke Racing | Chevrolet | Stoke Racing |
| 21 | Kyle Petty | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo |
| 22 | Bobby Allison | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | Miller American |
| 26 | Morgan Shepherd | King Racing | Buick | Quaker State |
| 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | Kodiak |
| 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Chevrolet | Bahari Racing |
| 33 | Harry Gant | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | Skoal Bandit |
| 35 | Benny Parsons | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Folgers |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 44 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Piedmont Airlines |
| 48 | Tony Spanos | Hylton Motorsports | Chevrolet | Hylton Motorsports |
| 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | Turtle Wax |
| 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Copenhagen |
| 62 | Steve Christman (R) | Winkle Motorsports | Pontiac | AC Spark Plug |
| 64 | Jerry Cranmer | Langley Racing | Ford | Sunny King Ford |
| 67 | Eddie Bierschwale | Arrington Racing | Ford | Pannill Sweatshirts |
| 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | Rumple Furniture |
| 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | Lifebuoy |
| 75 | Neil Bonnett | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | Valvoline |
| 81 | Buddy Arrington | Fillip Racing | Ford | Pannill Sweatshirts |
| 90 | Ken Schrader | Donlavey Racing | Ford | Red Baron Frozen Pizza |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was originally scheduled to be split into two rounds. The first round was held on Thursday, April 23, at 2:00 pm EST. Originally, the first 20 positions were going to be determined by first round qualifying, with positions 21–30 meant to be determined the following day on Friday, April 24. However, due to rain, the second round was cancelled. As a result, the rest of the starting lineup was set using the results from the first round. Depending on who needed it, a select amount of positions were given to cars that had not otherwise qualified but were high enough in owner's points; up to two were given.
Morgan Shepherd, driving for King Racing, managed to win the pole, setting a time of 20.728 and an average speed of 91.355 miles per hour (147.022 km/h).
No drivers failed to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 26 | Morgan Shepherd | King Racing | Buick | 20.728 | 91.355 |
| 2 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Chevrolet | 20.737 | 91.315 |
| 3 | 33 | Harry Gant | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | 20.761 | 91.209 |
| 4 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 20.786 | 91.100 |
| 5 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 20.820 | 90.951 |
| 6 | 21 | Kyle Petty | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 20.832 | 90.899 |
| 7 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.868 | 90.742 |
| 8 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 20.869 | 90.737 |
| 9 | 75 | Neil Bonnett | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 20.869 | 90.737 |
| 10 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 20.907 | 90.573 |
| 11 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.913 | 90.547 |
| 12 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 20.939 | 90.434 |
| 13 | 22 | Bobby Allison | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 20.953 | 90.374 |
| 14 | 18 | Dale Jarrett (R) | Freedlander Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.966 | 90.318 |
| 15 | 15 | Ricky Rudd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 20.969 | 90.305 |
| 16 | 81 | Buddy Arrington | Fillip Racing | Ford | 21.004 | 90.154 |
| 17 | 35 | Benny Parsons | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 21.030 | 90.043 |
| 18 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Chevrolet | 21.052 | 89.949 |
| 19 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 21.079 | 89.833 |
| 20 | 90 | Ken Schrader | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 21.128 | 89.625 |
| 21 | 44 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 21.158 | 89.498 |
| 22 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 21.199 | 89.325 |
| 23 | 64 | Jerry Cranmer | Langley Racing | Ford | 21.329 | 88.781 |
| 24 | 62 | Steve Christman (R) | Winkle Motorsports | Pontiac | 21.356 | 88.668 |
| 25 | 67 | Eddie Bierschwale | Arrington Racing | Ford | 21.404 | 88.469 |
| 26 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 21.437 | 88.333 |
| 27 | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | 21.487 | 88.128 |
| 28 | 12 | Slick Johnson | Hamby Racing | Oldsmobile | 21.523 | 87.980 |
| 29 | 19 | Derrike Cope (R) | Stoke Racing | Chevrolet | 21.578 | 87.756 |
| 30 | 48 | Tony Spanos | Hylton Motorsports | Chevrolet | 23.044 | 82.173 |
| Provisional |||||||
| 31 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | - | - |
| Official first round qualifying results |||||||
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 4 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 500 | 156 | running | 185 | $50,850 |
| 2 | 5 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 500 | 63 | running | 175 | $27,325 |
| 3 | 7 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 500 | 116 | running | 170 | $20,750 |
| 4 | 19 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 500 | 0 | running | 160 | $10,275 |
| 5 | 2 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Chevrolet | 498 | 0 | running | 155 | $16,425 |
| 6 | 31 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 498 | 66 | running | 155 | $12,950 |
| 7 | 20 | 90 | Ken Schrader | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 498 | 0 | running | 146 | $8,280 |
| 8 | 13 | 22 | Bobby Allison | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 497 | 0 | running | 142 | $8,850 |
| 9 | 9 | 75 | Neil Bonnett | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 496 | 0 | running | 138 | $6,630 |
| 10 | 18 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Chevrolet | 495 | 0 | running | 134 | $7,285 |
| 11 | 16 | 81 | Buddy Arrington | Fillip Racing | Ford | 494 | 0 | running | 130 | $2,370 |
| 12 | 6 | 21 | Kyle Petty | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 493 | 0 | running | 127 | $6,020 |
| 13 | 29 | 19 | Derrike Cope (R) | Stoke Racing | Chevrolet | 490 | 0 | running | 124 | $2,720 |
| 14 | 26 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 488 | 0 | running | 121 | $5,450 |
| 15 | 22 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 452 | 0 | rear end | 118 | $7,820 |
| 16 | 15 | 15 | Ricky Rudd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 440 | 0 | rear end | 115 | $9,050 |
| 17 | 1 | 26 | Morgan Shepherd | King Racing | Buick | 396 | 34 | engine | 117 | $9,550 |
| 18 | 30 | 48 | Tony Spanos | Hylton Motorsports | Chevrolet | 386 | 0 | running | 0 | $1,555 |
| 19 | 21 | 44 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 378 | 0 | running | 106 | $4,385 |
| 20 | 23 | 64 | Jerry Cranmer | Langley Racing | Ford | 369 | 0 | clutch | 103 | $4,850 |
| 21 | 11 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 360 | 45 | engine | 105 | $2,200 |
| 22 | 10 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 347 | 0 | timing chain | 97 | $4,375 |
| 23 | 12 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 333 | 0 | rear end | 94 | $4,100 |
| 24 | 25 | 67 | Eddie Bierschwale | Arrington Racing | Ford | 269 | 0 | engine | 91 | $3,485 |
| 25 | 24 | 62 | Steve Christman (R) | Winkle Motorsports | Pontiac | 264 | 0 | running | 88 | $1,375 |
| 26 | 17 | 35 | Benny Parsons | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 223 | 0 | valve | 85 | $9,350 |
| 27 | 3 | 33 | Harry Gant | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | 186 | 20 | rear end | 87 | $5,405 |
| 28 | 8 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 185 | 0 | oil line | 79 | $4,970 |
| 29 | 14 | 18 | Dale Jarrett (R) | Freedlander Motorsports | Chevrolet | 113 | 0 | engine | 0 | $4,135 |
| 30 | 28 | 12 | Slick Johnson | Hamby Racing | Oldsmobile | 87 | 0 | timing chain | 73 | $2,660 |
| 31 | 27 | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | 21 | 0 | engine | 70 | $1,160 |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 1,390 |
| | 2 | Bill Elliott | 1,233 (-157) |
| 1 | 3 | Neil Bonnett | 1,138 (-252) |
| 1 | 4 | Richard Petty | 1,105 (–285) |
| | 5 | Ricky Rudd | 1,085 (–305) |
| | 6 | Terry Labonte | 1,078 (–312) |
| 2 | 7 | Rusty Wallace | 1,061 (–329) |
| | 8 | Kyle Petty | 1,029 (–361) |
| 1 | 9 | Ken Schrader | 1,028 (–362) |
| 3 | 10 | Darrell Waltrip | 1,022 (–368) |
| Official driver's standings ||||