# 1992 Hanes 500

The 1992 Hanes 500 was the eighth stock car race of the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 43rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, April 26, 1992, before an audience of 48,300 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. In a race marred with rear axle failures, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would manage to keep his car intact and hold off the field on the final restart with four to go to take his sixth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first victory of the season. To fill out the top three, Junior Johnson & Associates driver Sterling Marlin and owner-driver Darrell Waltrip would finish 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 |
| 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 | Valvoline |
| 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | Hooters |
| 8 | Dick Trickle | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | Snickers |
| 9 | Dave Mader III | Melling Racing | Ford | Melling Racing |
| 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | Purolator Filters |
| 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Budweiser |
| 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Chevrolet | Raybestos |
| 15 | Geoff Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | Motorcraft |
| 16 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Roush Racing | Ford | Keystone |
| 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | Western Auto |
| 18 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | Interstate Batteries |
| 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo |
| 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Maxwell House |
| 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | SplitFire |
| 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kodiak |
| 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 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 | Greg Sacks | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kellogg's Frosted Flakes |
| 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Mello Yello |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | Jimmy Means Racing |
| 55 | Ted Musgrave | RaDiUs Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Jasper Engines & Transmissions |
| 66 | Jimmy Hensley (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | Phillips 66 TropArtic |
| 68 | Bobby Hamilton | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Country Time |
| 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | McGetrick Electric |
| 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Sunoco |
| 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | Moly Black Gold |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, April 24, 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, April 25, at 12:30 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-30 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; which was usually two. 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.
Darrell Waltrip, driving for his own Darrell Waltrip Motorsports team, would win the pole, setting a time of 20.371 and an average speed of 92.956 miles per hour (149.598 km/h) in the first round.
Two drivers would fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.371 | 92.956 |
| 2 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 20.418 | 92.742 |
| 3 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 20.420 | 92.733 |
| 4 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 20.436 | 92.660 |
| 5 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.446 | 92.615 |
| 6 | 66 | Jimmy Hensley (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 20.467 | 92.520 |
| 7 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 20.511 | 92.321 |
| 8 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 20.519 | 92.285 |
| 9 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 20.559 | 92.106 |
| 10 | 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 20.566 | 92.074 |
| 11 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 20.568 | 92.065 |
| 12 | 15 | Geoff Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 20.579 | 92.016 |
| 13 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 20.590 | 91.967 |
| 14 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 20.611 | 91.873 |
| 15 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 20.652 | 91.691 |
| 16 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.704 | 91.461 |
| 17 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 20.726 | 91.364 |
| 18 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.772 | 91.161 |
| 19 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 20.811 | 90.990 |
| 20 | 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 20.811 | 90.990 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 21 | 18 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 20.510 | 92.326 |
| 22 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 20.540 | 92.191 |
| 23 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 20.545 | 92.168 |
| 24 | 9 | Dave Mader III | Melling Racing | Ford | 20.550 | 92.146 |
| 25 | 41 | Greg Sacks | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.559 | 92.106 |
| 26 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.623 | 91.820 |
| 27 | 8 | Dick Trickle | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | 20.628 | 91.798 |
| 28 | 55 | Ted Musgrave | RaDiUs Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 20.791 | 91.078 |
| 29 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 20.839 | 90.868 |
| 30 | 16 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Roush Racing | Ford | 20.855 | 90.798 |
| Provisionals |||||||
| 31 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 20.862 | 90.768 |
| 32 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 21.318 | 88.826 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||
| 33 | 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | -* | -* |
| 34 | 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | -* | -* |
| Official first round qualifying results |||||||
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 14 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 500 | 33 | running | 180 | $59,300 |
| 2 | 22 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 500 | 0 | running | 170 | $32,775 |
| 3 | 1 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 499 | 0 | running | 165 | $30,700 |
| 4 | 19 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 499 | 0 | running | 160 | $19,700 |
| 5 | 15 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 498 | 0 | running | 155 | $22,875 |
| 6 | 20 | 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 498 | 0 | running | 150 | $16,400 |
| 7 | 18 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 498 | 0 | running | 146 | $17,700 |
| 8 | 3 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 498 | 9 | running | 147 | $15,850 |
| 9 | 2 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 497 | 167 | running | 143 | $22,550 |
| 10 | 10 | 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 497 | 0 | running | 134 | $16,900 |
| 11 | 26 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Chevrolet | 495 | 0 | running | 130 | $11,835 |
| 12 | 25 | 41 | Greg Sacks | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 495 | 0 | running | 127 | $5,450 |
| 13 | 31 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 494 | 0 | running | 124 | $11,050 |
| 14 | 11 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 490 | 0 | running | 121 | $10,850 |
| 15 | 6 | 66 | Jimmy Hensley (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 488 | 0 | running | 118 | $8,950 |
| 16 | 9 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 464 | 219 | running | 125 | $25,200 |
| 17 | 27 | 8 | Dick Trickle | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | 464 | 0 | running | 112 | $10,050 |
| 18 | 17 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 450 | 0 | crash | 109 | $9,455 |
| 19 | 30 | 16 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Roush Racing | Ford | 450 | 0 | running | 106 | $4,150 |
| 20 | 28 | 55 | Ted Musgrave | RaDiUs Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 440 | 0 | running | 103 | $9,650 |
| 21 | 24 | 9 | Dave Mader III | Melling Racing | Ford | 438 | 7 | running | 105 | $9,050 |
| 22 | 4 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 434 | 0 | running | 97 | $6,100 |
| 23 | 5 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 426 | 0 | running | 94 | $11,850 |
| 24 | 13 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 406 | 0 | axle | 91 | $5,150 |
| 25 | 16 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 386 | 65 | axle | 93 | $14,000 |
| 26 | 23 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 383 | 0 | crash | 85 | $13,500 |
| 27 | 8 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 358 | 0 | running | 82 | $4,850 |
| 28 | 21 | 18 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 351 | 0 | running | 79 | $5,225 |
| 29 | 29 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 286 | 0 | engine | 76 | $7,600 |
| 30 | 32 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 232 | 0 | handling | 73 | $4,525 |
| 31 | 7 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 176 | 0 | valve | 70 | $11,000 |
| 32 | 12 | 15 | Geoff Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 104 | 0 | engine | 67 | $8,000 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 33 | | 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | | | | | |
| 34 | | 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Davey Allison | 1,214 |
| | 2 | Harry Gant | 1,198 (-16) |
| 1 | 3 | Terry Labonte | 1,173 (-41) |
| 1 | 4 | Bill Elliott | 1,157 (–57) |
| | 5 | Alan Kulwicki | 1,131 (–83) |
| 1 | 6 | Morgan Shepherd | 1,119 (–95) |
| 1 | 7 | Dale Earnhardt | 1,070 (–144) |
| 2 | 8 | Geoff Bodine | 1,052 (–162) |
| | 9 | Dick Trickle | 1,005 (–209) |
| 2 | 10 | Mark Martin | 1,001 (–213) |
| Official driver's standings ||||