# 1991 Goody's 500

The 1991 Goody's 500 was the 24th stock car race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 43rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 22, 1991, 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 the final laps of the race, Leo Jackson Motorsports driver Harry Gant would mount a late-race charge to the lead after being spun on lap 376 of the race. After passing for the lead on lap 454, Gant was able to defend the field for the final laps of the race to take his 16th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory, his fifth and final victory of the season, and his fourth straight victory. To fill out the top three, King Racing driver Brett Bodine and Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would finish second and third, respectively.
With the victory, Gant, having won four out of the five races that occurred within the month of September of 1991, Gant would earn the nickname "Mr. September" by NASCAR media.

## 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 | 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 | Tyson Foods |
| 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo |
| 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Maxwell House |
| 24 | Jimmy Hensley | 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 |
| 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Mello Yello |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 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 |
| 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 Friday, September 20, 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 21, 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; 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.
Mark Martin, driving for Roush Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 20.324 and an average speed of 93.171 miles per hour (149.944 km/h) in the first round.
Jimmy Means was the only driver to fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 20.324 | 93.171 |
| 2 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick | 20.329 | 93.148 |
| 3 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.389 | 92.874 |
| 4 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.393 | 92.855 |
| 5 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 20.394 | 92.851 |
| 6 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 20.411 | 92.774 |
| 7 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 20.430 | 92.687 |
| 8 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 20.431 | 92.683 |
| 9 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.491 | 92.411 |
| 10 | 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 20.519 | 92.285 |
| 11 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 20.525 | 92.258 |
| 12 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 20.547 | 92.159 |
| 13 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 20.551 | 92.142 |
| 14 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick | 20.555 | 92.124 |
| 15 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 20.572 | 92.047 |
| 16 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 20.594 | 91.949 |
| 17 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 20.608 | 91.887 |
| 18 | 24 | Jimmy Hensley | Team III Racing | Pontiac | 20.608 | 91.887 |
| 19 | 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 20.621 | 91.829 |
| 20 | 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 20.653 | 91.686 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 21 | 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | 20.536 | 92.209 |
| 22 | 8 | Rick Wilson | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 20.644 | 91.726 |
| 23 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 20.644 | 91.726 |
| 24 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | 20.673 | 91.598 |
| 25 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 20.674 | 91.593 |
| 26 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 20.678 | 91.576 |
| 27 | 66 | Lake Speed | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 20.694 | 91.505 |
| 28 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 20.738 | 91.311 |
| 29 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 20.779 | 91.130 |
| 30 | 75 | Joe Ruttman | RahMoc Enterprises | Oldsmobile | 20.855 | 90.798 |
| Provisionals |||||||
| 31 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | -* | -* |
| 32 | 55 | Ted Musgrave (R) | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | -* | -* |
| Failed to qualify |||||||
| 33 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | -* | -* |
| Official first round qualifying results |||||||
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 12 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 500 | 226 | running | 185 | $64,000 |
| 2 | 2 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick | 500 | 59 | running | 175 | $36,625 |
| 3 | 5 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 500 | 9 | running | 170 | $30,350 |
| 4 | 13 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 500 | 62 | running | 165 | $19,300 |
| 5 | 1 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 500 | 13 | running | 160 | $24,575 |
| 6 | 26 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 500 | 0 | running | 150 | $12,900 |
| 7 | 7 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 500 | 64 | running | 151 | $11,500 |
| 8 | 4 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 500 | 2 | running | 147 | $15,300 |
| 9 | 9 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 500 | 0 | running | 138 | $10,700 |
| 10 | 18 | 24 | Jimmy Hensley | Team III Racing | Pontiac | 500 | 0 | running | 134 | $11,300 |
| 11 | 10 | 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 499 | 0 | running | 130 | $12,135 |
| 12 | 8 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 499 | 0 | running | 127 | $11,150 |
| 13 | 16 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 499 | 0 | running | 124 | $8,150 |
| 14 | 31 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 499 | 0 | running | 121 | $6,450 |
| 15 | 3 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 497 | 0 | running | 118 | $7,900 |
| 16 | 14 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick | 497 | 1 | running | 120 | $7,450 |
| 17 | 11 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 497 | 0 | running | 112 | $6,950 |
| 18 | 20 | 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 496 | 0 | running | 109 | $6,755 |
| 19 | 23 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 495 | 0 | running | 106 | $12,250 |
| 20 | 32 | 55 | Ted Musgrave (R) | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 495 | 0 | running | 103 | $6,025 |
| 21 | 28 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 492 | 1 | running | 105 | $6,125 |
| 22 | 6 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 485 | 19 | running | 102 | $9,550 |
| 23 | 19 | 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 484 | 0 | running | 94 | $11,050 |
| 24 | 24 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | 480 | 8 | running | 96 | $3,500 |
| 25 | 17 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 458 | 0 | running | 88 | $5,650 |
| 26 | 22 | 8 | Rick Wilson | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 447 | 0 | running | 85 | $5,400 |
| 27 | 15 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 437 | 0 | running | 82 | $9,950 |
| 28 | 21 | 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | 429 | 36 | running | 84 | $5,150 |
| 29 | 25 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 402 | 0 | running | 76 | $10,350 |
| 30 | 29 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 348 | 0 | crash | 73 | $4,500 |
| 31 | 30 | 75 | Joe Ruttman | RahMoc Enterprises | Oldsmobile | 271 | 0 | crash | 70 | $4,500 |
| 32 | 27 | 66 | Lake Speed | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 239 | 0 | brakes | 67 | $4,500 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 33 | | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 3,570 |
| | 2 | Ricky Rudd | 3,511 (-59) |
| | 3 | Ernie Irvan | 3,388 (-182) |
| | 4 | Davey Allison | 3,271 (–299) |
| | 5 | Mark Martin | 3,225 (–345) |
| 1 | 6 | Harry Gant | 3,206 (–364) |
| 1 | 7 | Ken Schrader | 3,175 (–395) |
| | 8 | Sterling Marlin | 3,102 (–468) |
| | 9 | Darrell Waltrip | 3,089 (–481) |
| | 10 | Rusty Wallace | 3,004 (–566) |
| Official driver's standings ||||