# 1989 Pontiac Excitement 400

The 1989 Pontiac Excitement 400 was the fourth stock car race of the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 35th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 26, 1989, before an audience of 50,000 in Richmond, Virginia, at Richmond International Raceway, a 0.75 miles (1.21 km) D-shaped oval. The race took the scheduled 400 laps to complete. With the assist of a late caution and a fast final pitstop, Blue Max Racing driver Rusty Wallace would manage to pull away from the field on the final restart with 17 laps left in the race to take his 12th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second victory of the season. To fill out the top three, owner-driver Alan Kulwicki and Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would finish second and third, respectively.

## Background

Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series. Known as "America's premier short track", it formerly hosted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, an IndyCar Series race, and two USAC sprint car races.

### Entry list

* (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 |
| 04 | Bill Meacham | Meacham Racing | Ford | Meacham Racing |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 19 | Bill Ingram | Gray Racing | Oldsmobile | Gray Racing |
| 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo |
| 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | B&B Racing |
| 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 |
| 31 | Jim Sauter | Bob Clark Motorsports | Pontiac | Slender You Figure Salons |
| 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Skoal Bandit |
| 34 | Rodney Combs | AAG Racing | Buick | AAG Racing |
| 40 | Ben Hess (R) | Hess Racing | Oldsmobile | Hess Racing |
| 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Peak Antifreeze |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 48 | Mickey Gibbs (R) | Winkle Motorsports | Pontiac | SmartLease |
| 49 | Tony Spanos | Hylton Motorsports | Buick | Hylton Motorsports |
| 51 | Butch Miller (R) | Miller Racing | Chevrolet | Miller Racing |
| 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 |
| 65 | Steve Seligman | O'Neil Racing | Ford | O'Neil Racing |
| 66 | Rick Mast (R) | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | Mach 1 Racing |
| 68 | Derrike Cope | Testa Racing | Pontiac | Purolator |
| 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | Rumple Furniture |
| 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | Lifebuoy |
| 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 | Greg Sacks | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | Crisco |
| 90 | Chad Little (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | Wahoo! |
| 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Sunoco |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Saturday, March 25, at 2:30 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 Saturday, March 25, at 4:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-34 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 but were high enough in owner's points; up to two were given.
Geoff Bodine, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 22.393 and an average speed of 120.573 miles per hour (194.043 km/h) in the first round.
Nine drivers would fail to qualify. One of the nine who failed to qualify, Richard Petty, would break a streak of 513 consecutive starts in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 22.393 | 120.573 |
| 2 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 22.441 | 120.315 |
| 3 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 22.556 | 119.702 |
| 4 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 22.563 | 119.665 |
| 5 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 22.570 | 119.628 |
| 6 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 22.571 | 119.623 |
| 7 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 22.582 | 119.564 |
| 8 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 22.680 | 119.048 |
| 9 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 22.732 | 118.775 |
| 10 | 51 | Butch Miller (R) | Miller Racing | Chevrolet | 22.758 | 118.640 |
| 11 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 22.782 | 118.515 |
| 12 | 16 | Larry Pearson (R) | Pearson Racing | Buick | 22.811 | 118.364 |
| 13 | 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 22.816 | 118.338 |
| 14 | 84 | Dick Trickle (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 22.827 | 118.281 |
| 15 | 2 | Ernie Irvan | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 22.827 | 118.281 |
| 16 | 66 | Rick Mast (R) | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | 22.834 | 118.245 |
| 17 | 90 | Chad Little | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 22.838 | 118.224 |
| 18 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 22.841 | 118.208 |
| 19 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 22.849 | 118.167 |
| 20 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 22.872 | 118.048 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 21 | 34 | Rodney Combs | AAG Racing | Buick | 22.819 | 118.322 |
| 22 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 22.829 | 118.271 |
| 23 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 22.841 | 118.208 |
| 24 | 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | 22.843 | 118.198 |
| 25 | 40 | Ben Hess (R) | Hess Racing | Oldsmobile | 22.888 | 117.966 |
| 26 | 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 22.889 | 117.961 |
| 27 | 88 | Greg Sacks | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | 22.897 | 117.919 |
| 28 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 22.899 | 117.909 |
| 29 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 22.905 | 117.878 |
| 30 | 75 | Morgan Shepherd | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 22.907 | 117.868 |
| 31 | 68 | Derrike Cope | Testa Racing | Pontiac | 22.920 | 117.801 |
| 32 | 29 | Dale Jarrett | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 22.923 | 117.786 |
| 33 | 31 | Jim Sauter | Bob Clark Motorsports | Pontiac | 22.935 | 117.724 |
| 34 | 48 | Mickey Gibbs (R) | Winkle Motorsports | Pontiac | 22.973 | 117.529 |
| Provisionals |||||||
| 35 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 22.992 | 117.432 |
| 36 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 23.058 | 117.096 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||
| 37 | 57 | Hut Stricklin (R) | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | 23.004 | 117.371 |
| 38 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 23.020 | 117.289 |
| 39 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 23.167 | 116.545 |
| 40 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 23.169 | 116.535 |
| 41 | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | 23.589 | 114.460 |
| 42 | 04 | Bill Meacham | Meacham Racing | Ford | 23.657 | 114.131 |
| 43 | 65 | Steve Seligman | O'Neil Racing | Ford | 23.824 | 113.331 |
| 44 | 19 | Bill Ingram | Gray Racing | Oldsmobile | 24.038 | 112.322 |
| 45 | 49 | Tony Spanos | Hylton Motorsports | Buick | 24.623 | 109.654 |
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 2 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 400 | 88 | running | 180 | $63,025 |
| 2 | 4 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 400 | 108 | running | 175 | $28,625 |
| 3 | 6 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 400 | 43 | running | 170 | $30,900 |
| 4 | 18 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 400 | 0 | running | 160 | $13,600 |
| 5 | 35 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 399 | 11 | running | 160 | $17,607 |
| 6 | 12 | 16 | Larry Pearson (R) | Pearson Racing | Buick | 399 | 0 | running | 150 | $5,350 |
| 7 | 11 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 399 | 0 | running | 146 | $10,600 |
| 8 | 8 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 398 | 0 | running | 142 | $8,900 |
| 9 | 15 | 2 | Ernie Irvan | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 398 | 0 | running | 138 | $5,000 |
| 10 | 9 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 397 | 0 | running | 134 | $14,275 |
| 11 | 3 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 397 | 0 | running | 130 | $6,000 |
| 12 | 23 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 397 | 0 | running | 127 | $5,675 |
| 13 | 22 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 397 | 0 | running | 124 | $5,525 |
| 14 | 26 | 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 396 | 0 | running | 121 | $5,250 |
| 15 | 29 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 396 | 0 | running | 118 | $5,750 |
| 16 | 16 | 66 | Rick Mast (R) | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | 396 | 0 | running | 115 | $5,050 |
| 17 | 5 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 396 | 0 | running | 112 | $4,550 |
| 18 | 1 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 395 | 126 | running | 119 | $12,350 |
| 19 | 7 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 394 | 0 | running | 106 | $7,775 |
| 20 | 36 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 394 | 0 | running | 103 | $5,275 |
| 21 | 28 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 393 | 0 | running | 100 | $4,250 |
| 22 | 17 | 90 | Chad Little | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 392 | 0 | running | 97 | $2,625 |
| 23 | 32 | 29 | Dale Jarrett | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 390 | 0 | running | 94 | $4,025 |
| 24 | 25 | 40 | Ben Hess (R) | Hess Racing | Oldsmobile | 385 | 0 | running | 91 | $1,850 |
| 25 | 14 | 84 | Dick Trickle (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 377 | 1 | engine | 93 | $4,125 |
| 26 | 10 | 51 | Butch Miller (R) | Miller Racing | Chevrolet | 376 | 0 | running | 85 | $1,775 |
| 27 | 20 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 323 | 23 | running | 87 | $3,250 |
| 28 | 13 | 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 275 | 0 | valve | 79 | $3,220 |
| 29 | 34 | 48 | Mickey Gibbs (R) | Winkle Motorsports | Pontiac | 229 | 0 | engine | 76 | $1,690 |
| 30 | 19 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 202 | 0 | crash | 73 | $7,420 |
| 31 | 24 | 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | 152 | 0 | camshaft | 70 | $1,640 |
| 32 | 21 | 34 | Rodney Combs | AAG Racing | Buick | 133 | 0 | clutch | 67 | $2,260 |
| 33 | 30 | 75 | Morgan Shepherd | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 128 | 0 | valve | 64 | $7,250 |
| 34 | 27 | 88 | Greg Sacks | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | 87 | 0 | engine | 61 | $2,900 |
| 35 | 31 | 68 | Derrike Cope | Testa Racing | Pontiac | 15 | 0 | crash | 58 | $1,400 |
| 36 | 33 | 31 | Jim Sauter | Bob Clark Motorsports | Pontiac | 1 | 0 | engine | 55 | $1,400 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 37 | | 57 | Hut Stricklin (R) | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | | | | | |
| 38 | | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | | | | | |
| 39 | | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | | | | | |
| 40 | | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | | | | | |
| 41 | | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | | | | | |
| 42 | | 04 | Bill Meacham | Meacham Racing | Ford | | | | | |
| 43 | | 65 | Steve Seligman | O'Neil Racing | Ford | | | | | |
| 44 | | 19 | Bill Ingram | Gray Racing | Oldsmobile | | | | | |
| 45 | | 49 | Tony Spanos | Hylton Motorsports | Buick | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 680 |
| | 2 | Alan Kulwicki | 616 (-64) |
| 1 | 3 | Darrell Waltrip | 582 (-98) |
| 1 | 4 | Sterling Marlin | 573 (–107) |
| 2 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | 560 (–120) |
| 2 | 6 | Rusty Wallace | 554 (–126) |
| 1 | 7 | Rick Wilson | 521 (–159) |
| 1 | 8 | Ken Schrader | 497 (–183) |
| 3 | 9 | Michael Waltrip | 459 (–221) |
| 1 | 10 | Rick Mast | 458 (–222) |
| Official driver's standings ||||