# 1992 Bud 500

The 1992 Bud 500 was the 20th stock car race of the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 32nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, August 29, 1992, before an audience of 64,870 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, owner-driver Darrell Waltrip would manage to dominate the late stages of the race to take his 83rd career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second victory of the season. To fill out the top three, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt and Hendrick Motorsports driver Ken Schrader 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 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 20 | Jimmy Spencer | Moroso Racing | Ford | Food City |
| 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo |
| 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Maxwell House |
| 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 | Dick Trickle | 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 | Taco Bell |
| 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 | Jim Sauter | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | Marcis Auto Racing |
| 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Sunoco |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, August 28, at 7:35 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 15 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, August 29, at 1:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 15-30 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.
Ernie Irvan, driving for Morgan–McClure Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 15.919 and an average speed of 120.535 miles per hour (193.982 km/h) in the first round.
No drivers would fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 15.919 | 120.535 |
| 2 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 16.038 | 119.641 |
| 3 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 16.067 | 119.425 |
| 4 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 16.091 | 119.247 |
| 5 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 16.146 | 118.840 |
| 6 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 16.159 | 118.745 |
| 7 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 16.167 | 118.686 |
| 8 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 16.174 | 118.635 |
| 9 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 16.194 | 118.488 |
| 10 | 8 | Dick Trickle | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | 16.217 | 118.320 |
| 11 | 15 | Geoff Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 16.246 | 118.109 |
| 12 | 66 | Jimmy Hensley (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 16.261 | 118.000 |
| 13 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Chevrolet | 16.280 | 117.862 |
| 14 | 18 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 16.288 | 117.805 |
| 15 | 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 16.303 | 117.696 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 16 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | -* | -* |
| 17 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | -* | -* |
| 18 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | -* | -* |
| 19 | 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | -* | -* |
| 20 | 41 | Dave Marcis | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | -* | -* |
| 21 | 16 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Roush Racing | Ford | -* | -* |
| 22 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | -* | -* |
| 23 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | -* | -* |
| 24 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | -* | -* |
| 25 | 55 | Ted Musgrave | RaDiUs Motorsports | Ford | -* | -* |
| 26 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | -* | -* |
| 27 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | -* | -* |
| 28 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | -* | -* |
| 29 | 20 | Jimmy Spencer | Moroso Racing | Ford | -* | -* |
| 30 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | -* | -* |
| Provisionals |||||||
| 31 | 71 | Jim Sauter | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | -* | -* |
| 32 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | -* | -* |
| Official first round qualifying results |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 9 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 500 | 247 | running | 185 | $73,050 |
| 2 | 23 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 500 | 0 | running | 170 | $39,325 |
| 3 | 6 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 500 | 0 | running | 165 | $28,350 |
| 4 | 26 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 500 | 0 | running | 160 | $18,000 |
| 5 | 5 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 499 | 3 | running | 160 | $19,800 |
| 6 | 19 | 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 499 | 0 | running | 150 | $18,075 |
| 7 | 12 | 66 | Jimmy Hensley (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 499 | 0 | running | 146 | $11,775 |
| 8 | 2 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 499 | 139 | running | 147 | $16,875 |
| 9 | 3 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 499 | 35 | running | 143 | $14,225 |
| 10 | 8 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 498 | 0 | running | 134 | $14,575 |
| 11 | 11 | 15 | Geoff Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 497 | 0 | running | 130 | $14,425 |
| 12 | 17 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 497 | 0 | running | 127 | $9,115 |
| 13 | 15 | 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 497 | 0 | running | 124 | $11,775 |
| 14 | 22 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 497 | 0 | running | 121 | $11,525 |
| 15 | 27 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 495 | 0 | running | 118 | $11,325 |
| 16 | 30 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 493 | 0 | running | 115 | $10,775 |
| 17 | 14 | 18 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 492 | 0 | running | 112 | $10,525 |
| 18 | 31 | 71 | Jim Sauter | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 491 | 0 | running | 109 | $7,375 |
| 19 | 21 | 16 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Roush Racing | Ford | 489 | 0 | running | 106 | $5,465 |
| 20 | 29 | 20 | Jimmy Spencer | Moroso Racing | Ford | 487 | 0 | running | 103 | $6,125 |
| 21 | 28 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 484 | 0 | running | 100 | $11,075 |
| 22 | 25 | 55 | Ted Musgrave | RaDiUs Motorsports | Ford | 476 | 0 | running | 97 | $9,925 |
| 23 | 10 | 8 | Dick Trickle | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | 446 | 0 | running | 94 | $6,775 |
| 24 | 32 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 395 | 0 | running | 91 | $6,650 |
| 25 | 4 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 385 | 23 | crash | 93 | $13,605 |
| 26 | 16 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 349 | 35 | crash | 90 | $15,475 |
| 27 | 13 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Chevrolet | 339 | 0 | crash | 82 | $9,525 |
| 28 | 1 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 285 | 7 | crash | 84 | $17,000 |
| 29 | 24 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 276 | 0 | crash | 76 | $9,425 |
| 30 | 7 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 262 | 11 | crash | 78 | $16,025 |
| 31 | 18 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 125 | 0 | engine | 70 | $9,350 |
| 32 | 20 | 41 | Dave Marcis | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 101 | 0 | crash | 67 | $6,325 |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Bill Elliott | 2,946 |
| | 2 | Davey Allison | 2,837 (-109) |
| 1 | 3 | Alan Kulwicki | 2,813 (-133) |
| 1 | 4 | Harry Gant | 2,751 (–195) |
| | 5 | Mark Martin | 2,604 (–342) |
| 3 | 6 | Kyle Petty | 2,591 (–355) |
| 4 | 7 | Dale Earnhardt | 2,570 (–376) |
| | 8 | Morgan Shepherd | 2,539 (–407) |
| 2 | 9 | Ricky Rudd | 2,528 (–418) |
| 3 | 10 | Darrell Waltrip | 2,523 (–423) |
| Official driver's standings ||||