# 1994 Mountain Dew Southern 500

The 1994 Mountain Dew Southern 500 was the 23rd stock car race of the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 45th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 4, 1994, before an audience of 50,000 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. In the final stages of the race, Junior Johnson & Associates driver Bill Elliott would make a late-race charge to the lead, passing with 13 to go to take his 40th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season. To fill out the top three, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt and Wood Brothers Racing driver Morgan Shepherd 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 | Ford | Skoal |
| 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford | Miller Genuine Draft |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | GM Goodwrench Service Plus |
| 4 | Sterling Marlin | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kodak |
| 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kellogg's Frosted Flakes |
| 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | Valvoline |
| 7 | Geoff Bodine | Geoff Bodine Racing | Ford | Exide |
| 8 | Jeff Burton (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | Raybestos |
| 9 | Phil Parsons | Melling Racing | Ford | Melling Racing |
| 10 | Ricky Rudd | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Ford | Tide |
| 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Budweiser |
| 12 | Derrike Cope | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Ford | Mane 'n Tail |
| 15 | Lake Speed | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | Ford Quality Care |
| 16 | Ted Musgrave | Roush Racing | Ford | The Family Channel |
| 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | Western Auto |
| 18 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | Interstate Batteries |
| 19 | Loy Allen Jr. (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Ford | Hooters |
| 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo |
| 22 | Bobby Labonte | Bill Davis Racing | Pontiac | Maxwell House |
| 23 | Hut Stricklin | Travis Carter Enterprises | Ford | Smokin' Joe's |
| 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | DuPont |
| 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kodiak |
| 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | Quaker State |
| 27 | Jimmy Spencer | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | McDonald's |
| 28 | Kenny Wallace | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | Texaco, Havoline |
| 29 | Steve Grissom | Diamond Ridge Motorsports | Chevrolet | Diamond Ridge Motorsports |
| 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | Pennzoil |
| 31 | Ward Burton | A.G. Dillard Motorsports | Chevrolet | Hardee's |
| 32 | Dick Trickle | Active Motorsports | Chevrolet | Active Motorsports |
| 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Chevrolet | Skoal Bandit |
| 40 | Bobby Hamilton | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Kendall |
| 41 | Joe Nemechek (R) | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Meineke |
| 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Mello Yello |
| 43 | John Andretti (R) | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 47 | Billy Standridge (R) | Johnson Standridge Racing | Ford | Johnson Standridge Racing |
| 52 | Brad Teague | Jimmy Means Racing | Ford | Priddy's Lumber |
| 55 | Butch Miller | RaDiUs Motorsports | Ford | RaDiUs Motorsports |
| 57 | Bob Schacht | Balough Racing | Ford | Kenova Golf Course Construction |
| 61 | Rick Carelli | Chesrown Racing | Chevrolet | Total Petroleum |
| 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | Olive Garden |
| 75 | Todd Bodine | Butch Mock Motorsports | Ford | Factory Stores of America |
| 77 | Greg Sacks | U.S. Motorsports Inc. | Ford | US Airways |
| 90 | Mike Wallace (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | Heilig-Meyers |
| 98 | Jeremy Mayfield (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | Fingerhut |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, September 2, 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 Saturday, September 3, at 11:30 am 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 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.
Geoff Bodine, driving for his own Geoff Bodine Racing team, would win the pole, setting a time of 29.447 and an average speed of 166.998 miles per hour (268.757 km/h) in the first round.
Two drivers would fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 7 | Geoff Bodine | Geoff Bodine Racing | Ford | 29.447 | 166.998 |
| 2 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.477 | 166.828 |
| 3 | 31 | Ward Burton (R) | A.G. Dillard Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.484 | 166.789 |
| 4 | 41 | Joe Nemechek (R) | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.528 | 166.540 |
| 5 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 29.534 | 166.506 |
| 6 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 29.538 | 166.484 |
| 7 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.547 | 166.433 |
| 8 | 22 | Bobby Labonte | Bill Davis Racing | Pontiac | 29.547 | 166.433 |
| 9 | 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 29.552 | 166.405 |
| 10 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Ford | 29.621 | 166.017 |
| 11 | 28 | Kenny Wallace | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 29.627 | 165.984 |
| 12 | 77 | Greg Sacks | U.S. Motorsports Inc. | Ford | 29.660 | 165.799 |
| 13 | 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 29.662 | 165.788 |
| 14 | 8 | Jeff Burton (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | 29.668 | 165.754 |
| 15 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.727 | 165.425 |
| 16 | 40 | Bobby Hamilton | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 29.775 | 165.159 |
| 17 | 32 | Dick Trickle | Active Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.803 | 165.004 |
| 18 | 10 | Ricky Rudd | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Ford | 29.865 | 164.662 |
| 19 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford | 29.920 | 164.358 |
| 20 | 12 | Derrike Cope | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Ford | 29.936 | 164.270 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 21 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.941 | 164.243 |
| 22 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.961 | 164.133 |
| 23 | 75 | Todd Bodine | Butch Mock Motorsports | Ford | 29.967 | 164.101 |
| 24 | 4 | Sterling Marlin | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.977 | 164.046 |
| 25 | 98 | Jeremy Mayfield (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 30.009 | 163.871 |
| 26 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 30.015 | 163.838 |
| 27 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 30.036 | 163.724 |
| 28 | 52 | Brad Teague | Jimmy Means Racing | Ford | 30.059 | 163.598 |
| 29 | 43 | John Andretti (R) | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 30.072 | 163.528 |
| 30 | 27 | Jimmy Spencer | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 30.076 | 163.506 |
| 31 | 16 | Ted Musgrave | Roush Racing | Ford | 30.134 | 163.191 |
| 32 | 29 | Steve Grissom (R) | Diamond Ridge Motorsports | Chevrolet | 30.139 | 163.164 |
| 33 | 47 | Billy Standridge (R) | Johnson Standridge Racing | Ford | 30.156 | 163.072 |
| 34 | 9 | Phil Parsons | Melling Racing | Ford | 30.216 | 162.748 |
| 35 | 18 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 30.235 | 162.646 |
| 36 | 23 | Hut Stricklin | Travis Carter Enterprises | Ford | 30.259 | 162.517 |
| 37 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 30.293 | 162.335 |
| 38 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 30.488 | 161.296 |
| 39 | 90 | Mike Wallace (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 30.519 | 161.132 |
| 40 | 15 | Lake Speed | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 30.551 | 160.963 |
| Provisionals |||||||
| 41 | 55 | Butch Miller | RaDiUs Motorsports | Ford | -* | -* |
| 42 | 19 | Loy Allen Jr. (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Ford | -* | -* |
| Failed to qualify |||||||
| 43 | 61 | Rick Carelli | Chesrown Racing | Chevrolet | -* | -* |
| 44 | 57 | Bob Schacht | Balough Racing | Ford | -* | -* |
| Official first round qualifying results |||||||
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 9 | 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 367 | 21 | running | 180 | $68,330 |
| 2 | 27 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 367 | 87 | running | 175 | $45,030 |
| 3 | 13 | 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 367 | 0 | running | 165 | $32,730 |
| 4 | 18 | 10 | Ricky Rudd | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Ford | 367 | 3 | running | 165 | $24,715 |
| 5 | 24 | 4 | Sterling Marlin | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 367 | 4 | running | 160 | $26,870 |
| 6 | 7 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 366 | 0 | running | 150 | $22,765 |
| 7 | 19 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford | 366 | 8 | running | 151 | $23,620 |
| 8 | 14 | 8 | Jeff Burton (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | 366 | 0 | running | 142 | $19,500 |
| 9 | 35 | 18 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 365 | 0 | running | 138 | $23,370 |
| 10 | 22 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 365 | 0 | running | 134 | $21,930 |
| 11 | 11 | 28 | Kenny Wallace | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 364 | 0 | running | 130 | $20,765 |
| 12 | 37 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 362 | 0 | running | 127 | $19,970 |
| 13 | 21 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 362 | 4 | running | 129 | $16,180 |
| 14 | 36 | 23 | Hut Stricklin | Travis Carter Enterprises | Ford | 361 | 0 | running | 121 | $11,890 |
| 15 | 34 | 9 | Phil Parsons | Melling Racing | Ford | 361 | 0 | running | 118 | $8,750 |
| 16 | 29 | 43 | John Andretti (R) | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 360 | 0 | running | 115 | $11,930 |
| 17 | 39 | 90 | Mike Wallace (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 359 | 0 | running | 112 | $11,160 |
| 18 | 41 | 55 | Butch Miller | RaDiUs Motorsports | Ford | 359 | 0 | running | 109 | $7,885 |
| 19 | 12 | 77 | Greg Sacks | U.S. Motorsports Inc. | Ford | 358 | 0 | running | 106 | $10,705 |
| 20 | 10 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Ford | 356 | 0 | running | 103 | $14,335 |
| 21 | 42 | 19 | Loy Allen Jr. (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Ford | 354 | 0 | running | 100 | $7,200 |
| 22 | 16 | 40 | Bobby Hamilton | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 353 | 0 | running | 97 | $13,780 |
| 23 | 32 | 29 | Steve Grissom (R) | Diamond Ridge Motorsports | Chevrolet | 350 | 0 | running | 94 | $9,560 |
| 24 | 33 | 47 | Billy Standridge (R) | Johnson Standridge Racing | Ford | 347 | 0 | running | 91 | $6,785 |
| 25 | 6 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 342 | 105 | engine | 93 | $20,975 |
| 26 | 23 | 75 | Todd Bodine | Butch Mock Motorsports | Ford | 333 | 0 | running | 85 | $9,015 |
| 27 | 1 | 7 | Geoff Bodine | Geoff Bodine Racing | Ford | 323 | 6 | engine | 87 | $17,805 |
| 28 | 38 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 321 | 0 | engine | 79 | $8,595 |
| 29 | 5 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 290 | 0 | running | 76 | $12,385 |
| 30 | 28 | 52 | Brad Teague | Jimmy Means Racing | Ford | 281 | 0 | crash | 73 | $6,125 |
| 31 | 26 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 278 | 2 | engine | 75 | $12,040 |
| 32 | 2 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 272 | 127 | oil | 77 | $13,350 |
| 33 | 25 | 98 | Jeremy Mayfield (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 265 | 0 | engine | 64 | $7,785 |
| 34 | 3 | 31 | Ward Burton (R) | A.G. Dillard Motorsports | Chevrolet | 236 | 0 | overheating | 61 | $5,750 |
| 35 | 20 | 12 | Derrike Cope | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Ford | 213 | 0 | crash | 58 | $11,140 |
| 36 | 8 | 22 | Bobby Labonte | Bill Davis Racing | Pontiac | 185 | 0 | overheating | 55 | $10,080 |
| 37 | 30 | 27 | Jimmy Spencer | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 181 | 0 | crash | 52 | $5,570 |
| 38 | 17 | 32 | Dick Trickle | Active Motorsports | Chevrolet | 143 | 0 | engine | 49 | $5,476 |
| 39 | 31 | 16 | Ted Musgrave | Roush Racing | Ford | 128 | 0 | overheating | 46 | $9,390 |
| 40 | 40 | 15 | Lake Speed | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 112 | 0 | overheating | 43 | $15,330 |
| 41 | 15 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Chevrolet | 94 | 0 | handling | 40 | $9,330 |
| 42 | 4 | 41 | Joe Nemechek (R) | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 66 | 0 | oil pump | 37 | $5,330 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 43 | | 61 | Rick Carelli | Chesrown Racing | Chevrolet | | | | | |
| 44 | | 57 | Bob Schacht | Balough Racing | Ford | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 3,450 |
| 1 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | 3,223 (-227) |
| 1 | 3 | Mark Martin | 3,167 (-283) |
| 2 | 4 | Ricky Rudd | 3,055 (–395) |
| 1 | 5 | Ernie Irvan | 3,026 (–424) |
| 1 | 6 | Ken Schrader | 3,001 (–449) |
| | 7 | Morgan Shepherd | 2,956 (–494) |
| 2 | 8 | Bill Elliott | 2,769 (–681) |
| 1 | 9 | Jeff Gordon | 2,746 (–704) |
| 1 | 10 | Michael Waltrip | 2,744 (–706) |
| Official driver's standings ||||