# 1983 World 600

The 1983 World 600, the 24th running of the event, was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on May 29, 1983, at the Charlotte Motor Speedway (Concord, North Carolina, US).

## Background

The race was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) quad-oval track located thirteen miles from Charlotte, North Carolina in Concord. The track sanctioned NASCAR Winston Cup Series events biannually during the 1983 season, with the other race being the Miller High Life 500. The track opened for the 1960 World 600, and was built by Bruton Smith and Curtis Turner.

## Summary

This event took four hours, fifteen minutes, and fifty-one seconds to complete. Five cautions were waved for twenty-eight laps. Neil Bonnett defeated Richard Petty by a margin of 0.8 seconds in front of 137,000 people. Notable speeds for this race were: 140.707 miles per hour (226.446 km/h) as the average speed and 162.841 miles per hour (262.067 km/h) as the pole position speed. Bonnett had previously won the 1982 running of the same event and would repeat his success. However, he would never win another World 600 race after this one. Canadian driver Trevor Boys started in 33rd and finished in 20th during this race in his #48 Chevrolet. Total winnings for this race were $407,190 ($1,245,650 when adjusted for inflation).
Jimmy Means was in the top 10 in points after this race. He was ahead in the point standings of NASCAR legends such as Ricky Rudd, Dave Marcis, Tim Richmond, Geoff Bodine, Kyle Petty, and Dale Earnhardt. Bobby Allison and Bill Elliott had a great race going for the lead until they were both swept up in the Sterlin Marlin, Slick Johnson spin out. There was some heavy rainfall after the race which did not affect the race.
Margaret Claud Padgett was the designated Miss Winston for this race in addition to every NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event held from 1981 to 1985.

## Qualifying

| Pos. | # | Driver | Make | Team/Owner | Avg. Speed (mph) |
| 1 | 21 | Buddy Baker | Ford | Wood Brothers Racing | 162.841 |
| 2 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Ford | Melling Racing | |
| 3 | 15 | Dale Earnhardt | Ford | Bud Moore Engineering | |
| 4 | 16 | David Pearson | Chevrolet | Bobby Hawkins Racing | |
| 5 | 75 | Neil Bonnett | Chevrolet | RahMoc Enterprises | |
| 6 | 98 | Joe Ruttman | Chevrolet | Benfield Racing | |
| 7 | 55 | Benny Parsons | Buick | Johnny Hayes Racing | |
| 8 | 33 | Harry Gant | Buick | Mach 1 Racing | |
| 9 | 3 | Ricky Rudd | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | |
| 10 | 90 | Dick Brooks | Ford | Donlavey Racing | |
| 11 | 27 | Tim Richmond | Pontiac | Blue Max Racing | |
| 12 | 28 | Cale Yarborough | Chevrolet | Ranier-Lundy Racing | |
| 13 | 22 | Bobby Allison | Buick | DiGard Motorsports | |
| 14 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | Junior Johnson & Associates | |
| 15 | 44 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet | Hagan Racing | |
| 16 | 88 | Geoffrey Bodine | Pontiac | Cliff Stewart Racing | |
| 17 | 43 | Richard Petty | Pontiac | Petty Enterprises | |
| 18 | 97 | Ken Ragan | Buick | Branch-Ragan Racing | |
| 19 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | Chrysler | Arrington Racing | |
| 20 | 01 | Mark Martin | Chevrolet | Zervakis Racing | |
| 21 | 7 | Kyle Petty | Pontiac | Petty Enterprises | |
| 22 | 2 | Morgan Shepherd | Buick | Jim Stacy Racing | |
| 23 | 77 | Dean Combs | Buick | Irv Sanderson | |
| 24 | 6 | D.K. Ulrich | Chevrolet | Ulrich Racing | |
| 25 | 64 | Tommy Gale | Ford | Langley Racing | |
| 26 | 18 | Slick Johnson | Buick | Satterfield Racing | |
| 27 | 47 | Ron Bouchard | Buick | Race Hill Farm Team | |
| 28 | 80 | Bob Senneker | Pontiac | Terry Marra | |
| 29 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Chevrolet | Marcis Auto Racing | |
| 30 | 17 | Sterling Marlin | Chevrolet | Hamby Racing | |
| 31 | 99 | Philip Duffie | Buick | Philip Duffie | |
| 32 | 1 | Lake Speed | Chevrolet | Ellington Racing | |
| 33 | 48 | Trevor Boys | Chevrolet | James Hylton Motorsports | |
| 34 | 24 | Jim Vandiver | Chrysler | Gordon Racing | |
| 35 | 32 | Tommy Ellis | Buick | Terry Motorsports | |
| 36 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Buick | Jimmy Means Racing | |
| 37 | 36 | H.B. Bailey | Pontiac | Bailey Racing | |
| 38 | 74 | Bobby Wawak | Chevrolet | Wawak Racing | |
| 39 | 70 | J.D. McDuffie | Pontiac | McDuffie Racing | |
| 40 | 8 | Bobby Hillin, Jr. | Buick | Hillin Racing | |
| 41 | 02 | Rick Newsom | Chevrolet | Reeder Racing | 151.647 |
Drivers that failed to qualify were: Ronnie Thomas (#41), Lennie Pond, Jody Ridley (#84) and Rick Baldwin (#04).

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Make | Team/Owner | Sponsor | Laps | Led | Status | Pts |
| 1 | 5 | 75 | Neil Bonnett | Chevrolet | RahMoc Enterprises | Hodgdon | 400 | 69 | running | 180 |
| 2 | 17 | 43 | Richard Petty | Pontiac | Petty Enterprises | STP | 400 | 4 | running | 175 |
| 3 | 13 | 22 | Bobby Allison | Buick | DiGard Motorsports | Miller High Life | 400 | 188 | running | 175 |
| 4 | 14 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | Junior Johnson & Associates | Pepsi Challenger | 399 | 0 | running | 160 |
| 5 | 3 | 15 | Dale Earnhardt | Ford | Bud Moore Engineering | Wrangler | 399 | 55 | running | 160 |
| 6 | 32 | 1 | Lake Speed | Chevrolet | Ellington Racing | UNO | 398 | 0 | running | 150 |
| 7 | 1 | 21 | Buddy Baker | Ford | Wood Brothers Racing | Valvoline | 398 | 0 | running | 146 |
| 8 | 21 | 7 | Kyle Petty | Pontiac | Petty Enterprises | 7-Eleven | 395 | 1 | running | 147 |
| 9 | 22 | 2 | Morgan Shepherd | Buick | Jim Stacy Racing | ACM Equipment Sales | 392 | 0 | running | 138 |
| 10 | 29 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Chevrolet | Marcis Auto Racing | Transmissions Unlimited | 390 | 0 | running | 134 |
| 11 | 40 | 8 | Bobby Hillin, Jr. | Buick | Hillin Racing | Danelle Jeans | 388 | 0 | running | 130 |
| 12 | 19 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | Chrysler | Arrington Racing | Motorsports Designs | 388 | 0 | running | 127 |
| 13 | 23 | 77 | Dean Combs | Buick | Irv Sanderson | Best Products | 388 | 0 | running | 124 |
| 14 | 6 | 98 | Joe Ruttman | Chevrolet | Benfield Racing | Levi Garrett | 388 | 0 | running | 121 |
| 15 | 35 | 32 | Tommy Ellis | Buick | Terry Motorsports | Big Daddy's | 386 | 0 | running | 118 |
| 16 | 2 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Ford | Melling Racing | Melling Oil Pumps | 384 | 47 | running | 120 |
| 17 | 18 | 97 | Ken Ragan | Buick | Branch-Ragan Racing | Clinomint | 381 | 0 | running | 112 |
| 18 | 38 | 74 | Bobby Wawak | Chevrolet | Wawak Racing | Superior Piping | 378 | 0 | running | 109 |
| 19 | 30 | 17 | Sterling Marlin | Chevrolet | Hamby Racing | Hesco Exhaust | 377 | 0 | running | 106 |
| 20 | 33 | 48 | Trevor Boys | Chevrolet | James Hylton Motorsports | Hylton-McCaig | 376 | 0 | running | 103 |
| 21 | 34 | 24 | Jim Vandiver | Chrysler | Gordon Racing | Western Carolina Forklift | 369 | 0 | running | 100 |
| 22 | 37 | 36 | H.B. Bailey | Pontiac | Bailey Racing | Monroe RV | 369 | 0 | running | 97 |
| 23 | 24 | 6 | D.K. Ulrich | Chevrolet | Ulrich Racing | Ulrich Racing | 366 | 0 | running | 94 |
| 24 | 26 | 18 | Slick Johnson | Buick | Satterfield Racing | Leon Satterfield | 359 | 0 | running | 91 |
| 25 | 8 | 33 | Harry Gant | Buick | Mach 1 Racing | Skoal Bandit | 352 | 2 | running | 93 |
| 26 | 39 | 70 | J.D. McDuffie | Pontiac | McDuffie Racing | McDuffie Racing | 344 | 0 | running | 85 |
| 27 | 28 | 80 | Bob Senneker | Pontiac | Terry Marra | Elk Vans | 326 | 0 | battery | 82 |
| 28 | 12 | 28 | Cale Yarborough | Chevrolet | Ranier-Lundy Racing | Hardee's | 321 | 31 | engine | 84 |
| 29 | 20 | 01 | Mark Martin | Chevrolet | Zervakis Racing | Activision | 279 | 0 | crash | 76 |
| 30 | 31 | 99 | Philip Duffie | Buick | Philip Duffie | U.S. Duffie Sand & Gravel | 277 | 0 | overheating | 73 |
| 31 | 41 | 02 | Rick Newsom | Chevrolet | Reeder Racing | Louise Smith Special | 261 | 0 | running | 70 |
| 32 | 9 | 3 | Ricky Rudd | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | Piedmont Airlines | 245 | 0 | running | 67 |
| 33 | 15 | 44 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet | Hagan Racing | Budweiser | 231 | 3 | oil pump | 69 |
| 34 | 7 | 55 | Benny Parsons | Buick | Johnny Hayes Racing | Skoal | 201 | 0 | rear end | 61 |
| 35 | 25 | 64 | Tommy Gale | Ford | Langley Racing | Sunny King Ford & Honda | 94 | 0 | engine | 58 |
| 36 | 16 | 88 | Geoffrey Bodine | Pontiac | Cliff Stewart Racing | Gatorade | 67 | 0 | crash | 55 |
| 37 | 10 | 90 | Dick Brooks | Ford | Donlavey Racing | Chameleon Sunglasses | 67 | 0 | crash | 52 |
| 38 | 36 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Buick | Jimmy Means Racing | Broadway Motors | 65 | 0 | crash | 49 |
| 39 | 4 | 16 | David Pearson | Chevrolet | Bobby Hawkins Racing | Chattanooga Chew | 65 | 0 | crash | 46 |
| 40 | 11 | 27 | Tim Richmond | Pontiac | Blue Max Racing | Old Milwaukee | 17 | 0 | engine | 43 |
| 41 | 27 | 47 | Ron Bouchard | Buick | Race Hill Farm Team | Race Hill Farm | 14 | 0 | oil seal | 40 |

## Standings after the race

| Pos | Driver | Points | Differential |
| 1 | Bobby Allison | 1881 | 0 |
| 2 | Darrell Waltrip | 1696 | -185 |
| 3 | Neil Bonnett | 1681 | -200 |
| 4 | Bill Elliott | 1675 | -206 |
| 5 | Harry Gant | 1665 | -216 |
| 6 | Darrell Waltrip | 1658 | -223 |
| 7 | Joe Ruttman | 1647 | -234 |
| 8 | Terry Labonte | 1421 | -460 |
| 9 | Dick Brooks | 1416 | -465 |
| 10 | Jimmy Means | 1381 | -500 |