# 1991 Heinz Southern 500

The 1991 Heinz Southern 500 was the 21st stock car race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 42nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 1, 1991, in Darlington, South Carolina, at Darlington Raceway, a 1.366 miles (2.198 km) permanent egg-shaped oval racetrack. The race took the scheduled 367 laps to complete. At race's end, Leo Jackson Motorsports driver Harry Gant would manage to dominate the late stages of the race, leading the final 70 laps of the race to take his 13th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second victory of the season. To fill out the top three, Morgan–McClure Motorsports driver Ernie Irvan and Hendrick Motorsports driver Ken Schrader would finish second and third, respectively.

## Background

Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that is effective at both ends.

### Entry list

* (R) denotes rookie driver.
| # | Driver | Team | Make | Sponsor |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | Purolator Filters |
| 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Budweiser |
| 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 | Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce |
| 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo |
| 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Maxwell House |
| 24 | Dick Trickle | Team III Racing | Pontiac | Team III Racing |
| 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 |
| 41 | Larry Pearson | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kellogg's Frosted Flakes |
| 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Mello Yello |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 47 | Greg Sacks | Close Racing | Oldsmobile | Kanawha Insurance |
| 48 | James Hylton | Hylton Motorsports | Buick | Hylton Motorsports |
| 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | Alka-Seltzer |
| 55 | Ted Musgrave (R) | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | Jasper Engines & Transmissions |
| 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 |
| 75 | Joe Ruttman | RahMoc Enterprises | Oldsmobile | Dinner Bell Foods |
| 82 | Mark Stahl | Stahl Racing | Ford | Auto Bell Car Wash |
| 87 | Randy Baker | Buck Baker Racing | Chevrolet | Armour Classics |
| 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Sunoco |
| 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | Banquet Foods |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Thursday, August 29, at 3:00 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 20 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 Friday, August 30, at 2:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-40 would be decided on time and depending on who needed it, a select amount of positions were given to cars who had not otherwise qualified on time but were high enough in owner's points; up to two provisionals were given. 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.
Davey Allison, driving for Robert Yates Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 30.261 and an average speed of 162.506 miles per hour (261.528 km/h) in the first round.
No drivers would fail to qualify,

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 30.261 | 162.506 |
| 2 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 30.480 | 161.339 |
| 3 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 30.484 | 161.317 |
| 4 | 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 30.499 | 161.238 |
| 5 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 30.574 | 160.843 |
| 6 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 30.580 | 160.811 |
| 7 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 30.584 | 160.790 |
| 8 | 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 30.622 | 160.590 |
| 9 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 30.688 | 160.245 |
| 10 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 30.773 | 159.802 |
| 11 | 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 30.814 | 159.590 |
| 12 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 30.841 | 159.450 |
| 13 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 30.894 | 159.177 |
| 14 | 24 | Dick Trickle | Team III Racing | Pontiac | 30.933 | 158.976 |
| 15 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 30.963 | 158.822 |
| 16 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 30.976 | 158.755 |
| 17 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 31.003 | 158.617 |
| 18 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 31.006 | 158.602 |
| 19 | 41 | Larry Pearson | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 31.010 | 158.581 |
| 20 | 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | 31.028 | 158.489 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 21 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 30.832 | 159.497 |
| 22 | 8 | Rick Wilson | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 31.055 | 158.351 |
| 23 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 31.065 | 158.300 |
| 24 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 31.079 | 158.229 |
| 25 | 66 | Lake Speed | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 31.124 | 158.000 |
| 26 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick | 31.153 | 157.853 |
| 27 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick | 31.298 | 157.122 |
| 28 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | 31.330 | 156.961 |
| 29 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 31.342 | 156.901 |
| 30 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 31.388 | 156.671 |
| 31 | 55 | Ted Musgrave (R) | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 31.393 | 156.646 |
| 32 | 75 | Joe Ruttman | RahMoc Enterprises | Chevrolet | 31.537 | 155.931 |
| 33 | 47 | Greg Sacks | Close Racing | Oldsmobile | 31.665 | 155.301 |
| 34 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 31.782 | 154.729 |
| 35 | 87 | Randy Baker | Buck Baker Racing | Chevrolet | 31.802 | 154.632 |
| 36 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 32.225 | 152.602 |
| 37 | 82 | Mark Stahl | Stahl Racing | Ford | 33.801 | 145.487 |
| 38 | 48 | James Hylton | Hylton Motorsports | Buick | 34.329 | 143.249 |
| Official first round qualifying results |||||||
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 5 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 367 | 152 | running | 185 | $179,450 |
| 2 | 6 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 367 | 14 | running | 175 | $40,525 |
| 3 | 9 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 367 | 0 | running | 165 | $26,940 |
| 4 | 17 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 366 | 0 | running | 160 | $24,330 |
| 5 | 23 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 366 | 0 | running | 155 | $19,515 |
| 6 | 15 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 365 | 0 | running | 150 | $12,875 |
| 7 | 4 | 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 365 | 0 | running | 146 | $18,230 |
| 8 | 3 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 365 | 22 | running | 147 | $20,470 |
| 9 | 32 | 75 | Joe Ruttman | RahMoc Enterprises | Chevrolet | 365 | 0 | running | 138 | $11,990 |
| 10 | 21 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 364 | 5 | running | 139 | $14,250 |
| 11 | 24 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 364 | 8 | running | 135 | $11,015 |
| 12 | 1 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 363 | 151 | running | 132 | $21,120 |
| 13 | 22 | 8 | Rick Wilson | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 363 | 0 | running | 124 | $10,930 |
| 14 | 27 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick | 363 | 0 | running | 121 | $9,940 |
| 15 | 18 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 363 | 0 | running | 118 | $14,100 |
| 16 | 30 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 363 | 0 | running | 115 | $9,380 |
| 17 | 26 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick | 363 | 0 | running | 112 | $9,110 |
| 18 | 2 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 362 | 0 | running | 109 | $13,935 |
| 19 | 11 | 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 361 | 0 | running | 106 | $12,755 |
| 20 | 31 | 55 | Ted Musgrave (R) | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 360 | 1 | running | 108 | $7,785 |
| 21 | 33 | 47 | Greg Sacks | Close Racing | Oldsmobile | 358 | 0 | running | 100 | $5,260 |
| 22 | 16 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 357 | 0 | engine | 97 | $12,140 |
| 23 | 14 | 24 | Dick Trickle | Team III Racing | Pontiac | 354 | 0 | running | 94 | $5,770 |
| 24 | 12 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 351 | 1 | running | 96 | $5,605 |
| 25 | 8 | 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 350 | 1 | running | 93 | $7,545 |
| 26 | 35 | 87 | Randy Baker | Buck Baker Racing | Chevrolet | 343 | 0 | running | 85 | $4,585 |
| 27 | 29 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 333 | 0 | running | 82 | $7,150 |
| 28 | 34 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 309 | 0 | engine | 79 | $4,365 |
| 29 | 10 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 303 | 12 | engine | 81 | $14,255 |
| 30 | 19 | 41 | Larry Pearson | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 244 | 0 | engine | 73 | $4,195 |
| 31 | 20 | 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | 220 | 0 | valve | 70 | $6,660 |
| 32 | 13 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 214 | 0 | engine | 67 | $5,045 |
| 33 | 36 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 173 | 0 | engine | 64 | $6,455 |
| 34 | 25 | 66 | Lake Speed | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 156 | 0 | engine | 61 | $5,820 |
| 35 | 7 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 148 | 0 | engine | 58 | $10,710 |
| 36 | 28 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | 123 | 0 | engine | 55 | $3,650 |
| 37 | 37 | 82 | Mark Stahl | Stahl Racing | Ford | 14 | 0 | flagged | 52 | $3,580 |
| 38 | 38 | 48 | James Hylton | Hylton Motorsports | Buick | 12 | 0 | flagged | 49 | $3,540 |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 3,142 |
| | 2 | Ricky Rudd | 3,053 (-89) |
| 2 | 3 | Ernie Irvan | 2,979 (-163) |
| | 4 | Davey Allison | 2,940 (–202) |
| 2 | 5 | Mark Martin | 2,901 (–241) |
| | 6 | Ken Schrader | 2,826 (–316) |
| 1 | 7 | Sterling Marlin | 2,735 (–407) |
| 1 | 8 | Darrell Waltrip | 2,719 (–423) |
| 1 | 9 | Harry Gant | 2,656 (–486) |
| 1 | 10 | Rusty Wallace | 2,590 (–552) |
| Official driver's standings ||||