# 1994 Food City 500

The 1994 Food City 500 was the sixth stock car race of the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 34th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, April 10, 1994, in Bristol, Tennessee at Bristol Motor Speedway, a 0.533 miles (0.858 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete. At race's end, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would manage to dominate the late stages of the race to take his 61st career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second victory of the season. To fill out the top three, Hendrick Motorsports driver Ken Schrader and Bud Moore Engineering driver Lake Speed would finish second and third, respectively.

## Background

The Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway, is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Despite its short length, Bristol is among the most popular tracks on the NASCAR schedule because of its distinct features, which include extraordinarily steep banking, an all concrete surface, two pit roads, and stadium-like seating. It has also been named one of the loudest NASCAR tracks.

### 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 |
| 10 | Ricky Rudd | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Ford | Tide |
| 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Budweiser |
| 12 | Chuck Bown | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Ford | Masterbuilt |
| 14 | John Andretti (R) | Hagan Racing | Chevrolet | Hagan Racing |
| 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 | Ernie Irvan | 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 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 52 | Brad Teague | Jimmy Means Racing | Ford | NAPA Auto Parts |
| 55 | Jimmy Hensley | RaDiUs Motorsports | Ford | Petron Plus |
| 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | Tri-City Aviation |
| 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 |
| 95 | Jeremy Mayfield (R) | Sadler Brothers Racing | Ford | Shoney's Inn |
| 98 | Derrike Cope | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | Fingerhut |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, April 8, 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 9, 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 21-34 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; 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.
Chuck Bown, driving for Bobby Allison Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 15.357 and an average speed of 124.946 miles per hour (201.081 km/h) in the first round.
Five drivers would fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 12 | Chuck Bown | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Ford | 15.357 | 124.946 |
| 2 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford | 15.364 | 124.889 |
| 3 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 15.369 | 124.849 |
| 4 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.389 | 124.686 |
| 5 | 16 | Ted Musgrave | Roush Racing | Ford | 15.431 | 124.347 |
| 6 | 41 | Joe Nemechek (R) | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.438 | 124.291 |
| 7 | 28 | Ernie Irvan | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 15.440 | 124.275 |
| 8 | 75 | Todd Bodine | Butch Mock Motorsports | Ford | 15.453 | 124.170 |
| 9 | 22 | Bobby Labonte | Bill Davis Racing | Pontiac | 15.474 | 124.002 |
| 10 | 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 15.481 | 123.945 |
| 11 | 10 | Ricky Rudd | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Ford | 15.485 | 123.913 |
| 12 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.487 | 123.897 |
| 13 | 15 | Lake Speed | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 15.494 | 123.841 |
| 14 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 15.509 | 123.722 |
| 15 | 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 15.514 | 123.682 |
| 16 | 27 | Jimmy Spencer | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 15.520 | 123.634 |
| 17 | 98 | Derrike Cope | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 15.523 | 123.610 |
| 18 | 4 | Sterling Marlin | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.540 | 123.475 |
| 19 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 15.548 | 123.411 |
| 20 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.552 | 123.380 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 21 | 31 | Ward Burton (R) | A.G. Dillard Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.464 | 124.082 |
| 22 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.564 | 123.285 |
| 23 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 15.584 | 123.126 |
| 24 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 15.589 | 123.087 |
| 25 | 90 | Mike Wallace (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 15.604 | 122.968 |
| 26 | 23 | Hut Stricklin | Travis Carter Enterprises | Ford | 15.610 | 122.921 |
| 27 | 7 | Geoff Bodine | Geoff Bodine Racing | Ford | 15.624 | 122.811 |
| 28 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Ford | 15.634 | 122.733 |
| 29 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 15.638 | 122.701 |
| 30 | 29 | Steve Grissom (R) | Diamond Ridge Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.659 | 122.537 |
| 31 | 77 | Greg Sacks | U.S. Motorsports Inc. | Ford | 15.666 | 122.482 |
| 32 | 32 | Dick Trickle | Active Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.670 | 122.451 |
| 33 | 43 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 15.686 | 122.326 |
| 34 | 40 | Bobby Hamilton | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 15.691 | 122.287 |
| Provisionals |||||||
| 35 | 8 | Jeff Burton (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | -* | -* |
| 36 | 18 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | -* | -* |
| Champion's Provisional |||||||
| 37 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | -* | -* |
| Failed to qualify |||||||
| 38 | 14 | John Andretti (R) | Hagan Racing | Chevrolet | -* | -* |
| 39 | 55 | Jimmy Hensley | RaDiUs Motorsports | Ford | -* | -* |
| 40 | 19 | Loy Allen Jr. (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Ford | -* | -* |
| 41 | 95 | Jeremy Mayfield (R) | Sadler Brothers Racing | Ford | -* | -* |
| 42 | 52 | Brad Teague | Jimmy Means Racing | Ford | -* | -* |
| Official first round qualifying results |||||||
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 24 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 500 | 183 | running | 185 | $72,570 |
| 2 | 22 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 500 | 0 | running | 170 | $43,445 |
| 3 | 13 | 15 | Lake Speed | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 500 | 0 | running | 165 | $35,020 |
| 4 | 27 | 7 | Geoff Bodine | Geoff Bodine Racing | Ford | 499 | 160 | running | 165 | $24,356 |
| 5 | 23 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 497 | 0 | running | 155 | $20,135 |
| 6 | 9 | 22 | Bobby Labonte | Bill Davis Racing | Pontiac | 496 | 0 | running | 150 | $18,785 |
| 7 | 2 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford | 494 | 81 | running | 151 | $23,385 |
| 8 | 18 | 4 | Sterling Marlin | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 491 | 0 | running | 142 | $20,285 |
| 9 | 34 | 40 | Bobby Hamilton | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 488 | 0 | running | 138 | $19,280 |
| 10 | 29 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 486 | 0 | running | 134 | $15,280 |
| 11 | 31 | 77 | Greg Sacks | U.S. Motorsports Inc. | Ford | 482 | 0 | running | 130 | $9,480 |
| 12 | 30 | 29 | Steve Grissom (R) | Diamond Ridge Motorsports | Chevrolet | 480 | 0 | running | 127 | $10,230 |
| 13 | 19 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 478 | 0 | running | 124 | $16,155 |
| 14 | 26 | 23 | Hut Stricklin | Travis Carter Enterprises | Ford | 478 | 0 | running | 121 | $8,905 |
| 15 | 37 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 476 | 0 | running | 118 | $15,755 |
| 16 | 6 | 41 | Joe Nemechek (R) | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 473 | 0 | running | 115 | $11,480 |
| 17 | 33 | 43 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 464 | 0 | running | 112 | $11,330 |
| 18 | 10 | 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 457 | 0 | running | 109 | $18,580 |
| 19 | 5 | 16 | Ted Musgrave | Roush Racing | Ford | 431 | 0 | running | 106 | $15,170 |
| 20 | 14 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 426 | 0 | running | 103 | $19,511 |
| 21 | 3 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 425 | 8 | crash | 105 | $20,405 |
| 22 | 4 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 425 | 68 | crash | 102 | $14,855 |
| 23 | 1 | 12 | Chuck Bown | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Ford | 393 | 0 | running | 94 | $19,105 |
| 24 | 12 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 373 | 0 | running | 91 | $18,130 |
| 25 | 21 | 31 | Ward Burton (R) | A.G. Dillard Motorsports | Chevrolet | 368 | 0 | running | 88 | $8,585 |
| 26 | 8 | 75 | Todd Bodine | Butch Mock Motorsports | Ford | 358 | 0 | running | 85 | $10,355 |
| 27 | 17 | 98 | Derrike Cope | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 276 | 0 | running | 82 | $10,231 |
| 28 | 25 | 90 | Mike Wallace (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 262 | 0 | engine | 79 | $10,080 |
| 29 | 28 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Ford | 222 | 0 | crash | 76 | $9,950 |
| 30 | 15 | 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 198 | 0 | crash | 73 | $13,625 |
| 31 | 35 | 8 | Jeff Burton (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | 197 | 0 | crash | 70 | $12,625 |
| 32 | 11 | 10 | Ricky Rudd | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Ford | 187 | 0 | crash | 67 | $6,625 |
| 33 | 7 | 28 | Ernie Irvan | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 167 | 0 | engine | 64 | $18,225 |
| 34 | 32 | 32 | Dick Trickle | Active Motorsports | Chevrolet | 164 | 0 | crash | 61 | $6,625 |
| 35 | 16 | 27 | Jimmy Spencer | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 159 | 0 | head gasket | 58 | $6,625 |
| 36 | 36 | 18 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 66 | 0 | crash | 55 | $12,025 |
| 37 | 20 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Chevrolet | 10 | 0 | crash | 52 | $10,625 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 38 | | 14 | John Andretti (R) | Hagan Racing | Chevrolet | | | | | |
| 39 | | 55 | Jimmy Hensley | RaDiUs Motorsports | Ford | | | | | |
| 40 | | 19 | Loy Allen Jr. (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Ford | | | | | |
| 41 | | 95 | Jeremy Mayfield (R) | Sadler Brothers Racing | Ford | | | | | |
| 42 | | 52 | Brad Teague | Jimmy Means Racing | Ford | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| 1 | 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 964 |
| 1 | 2 | Ernie Irvan | 924 (-40) |
| | 3 | Mark Martin | 884 (-80) |
| | 4 | Ken Schrader | 838 (–126) |
| 3 | 5 | Lake Speed | 812 (–152) |
| 3 | 6 | Sterling Marlin | 757 (–207) |
| | 7 | Morgan Shepherd | 749 (–215) |
| 3 | 8 | Ricky Rudd | 724 (–240) |
| 1 | 9 | Jeff Gordon | 716 (–248) |
| 3 | 10 | Rusty Wallace | 711 (–253) |
| Official driver's standings ||||