# 1989 First Union 400

The 1989 First Union 400 was the seventh stock car race of the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 39th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, April 16, 1989, before an audience of 36,000 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina at the North Wilkesboro Speedway, a 0.625 miles (1.006 km) oval short track. The race took the scheduled 400 laps to complete. At race's end, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would manage to dominate a majority of the race, leading 296 laps to take his 35th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first victory of the season. To fill out the top three, owner-driver Alan Kulwicki and Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would finish second and third, respectively.

## Background

North Wilkesboro Speedway is a short oval racetrack located on U.S. Route 421, about five miles east of the town of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, or 80 miles north of Charlotte. It measures 0.625 mi (1.006 km) and features a unique uphill backstretch and downhill frontstretch. It has previously held races in NASCAR's top three series, including 93 Winston Cup Series races. The track, a NASCAR original, operated from 1949, NASCAR's inception, until the track's original closure in 1996. The speedway briefly reopened in 2010 and hosted several stock car series races before closing again in the spring of 2011. It was re-opened in August 2022 for grassroots racing.

### Entry list

* (R) denotes rookie driver.
| # | Driver | Team | Make | Sponsor |
| 2 | Ernie Irvan | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | Kroger |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | GM Goodwrench Service Plus |
| 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Kodak |
| 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Levi Garrett |
| 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | Stroh's Light |
| 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | Zerex |
| 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | Miller High Life |
| 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | Coors Light |
| 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Budweiser |
| 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | Motorcraft |
| 16 | Larry Pearson (R) | Pearson Racing | Buick | Chattanooga Chew |
| 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Tide |
| 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo |
| 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | B&B Racing |
| 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Folgers |
| 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | Quaker State |
| 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | Kodiak |
| 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | Texaco, Havoline |
| 29 | Dale Jarrett | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | Hardee's |
| 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | Country Time |
| 31 | Jim Sauter | Bob Clark Motorsports | Pontiac | Bob Clark Motorsports |
| 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Skoal Bandit |
| 40 | Ben Hess (R) | Hess Racing | Oldsmobile | Hess Racing |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | Alka-Seltzer |
| 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Skoal, Crown Central Petroleum |
| 57 | Hut Stricklin (R) | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | Heinz |
| 60 | Rodney Combs | Combs Racing | Chevrolet | Combs Racing |
| 66 | Rick Mast (R) | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | Banquet Foods |
| 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | Rumple Furniture |
| 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | Lifebuoy |
| 75 | Morgan Shepherd | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | Valvoline |
| 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce |
| 84 | Dick Trickle (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | Miller High Life |
| 88 | Greg Sacks | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | Crisco |
| 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Sunoco |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, April 14, at 3:00 pm EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 10 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 15, at 12:15 pm EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 11-30 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 were given.
Rusty Wallace, driving for Blue Max Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 19.357 and an average speed of 116.237 miles per hour (187.065 km/h) in the first round.
Four drivers would fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 19.145 | 117.524 |
| 2 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 19.190 | 117.249 |
| 3 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 19.203 | 117.169 |
| 4 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 19.254 | 116.859 |
| 5 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 19.273 | 116.744 |
| 6 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 19.285 | 116.671 |
| 7 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 19.313 | 116.502 |
| 8 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 19.317 | 116.478 |
| 9 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 19.372 | 116.147 |
| 10 | 84 | Dick Trickle (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 19.387 | 116.057 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 11 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 19.396 | 116.003 |
| 12 | 66 | Rick Mast (R) | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | 19.400 | 115.979 |
| 13 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 19.405 | 115.949 |
| 14 | 40 | Ben Hess (R) | Hess Racing | Oldsmobile | 19.429 | 115.806 |
| 15 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 19.453 | 115.663 |
| 16 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 19.483 | 115.485 |
| 17 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 19.492 | 115.432 |
| 18 | 29 | Dale Jarrett | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 19.513 | 115.308 |
| 19 | 88 | Greg Sacks | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | 19.515 | 115.296 |
| 20 | 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 19.517 | 115.284 |
| 21 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 19.527 | 115.225 |
| 22 | 31 | Jim Sauter | Bob Clark Motorsports | Pontiac | 19.538 | 115.160 |
| 23 | 16 | Larry Pearson (R) | Pearson Racing | Buick | 19.548 | 115.101 |
| 24 | 57 | Hut Stricklin (R) | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | 19.572 | 114.960 |
| 25 | 75 | Morgan Shepherd | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 19.590 | 114.855 |
| 26 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 19.597 | 114.813 |
| 27 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 19.634 | 114.597 |
| 28 | 60 | Rodney Combs | Combs Racing | Chevrolet | 19.634 | 114.597 |
| 29 | 2 | Ernie Irvan | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 19.707 | 114.173 |
| 30 | 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 19.775 | 113.780 |
| Provisionals |||||||
| 31 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 19.780 | 113.751 |
| 32 | 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | 19.859 | 113.299 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||
| 33 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 19.784 | 113.728 |
| 34 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 19.823 | 113.505 |
| 35 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 20.029 | 112.337 |
| 36 | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | - | - |
| Official first round qualifying results |||||||
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 3 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 400 | 296 | running | 185 | $51,225 |
| 2 | 13 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 400 | 0 | running | 170 | $25,575 |
| 3 | 4 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 400 | 0 | running | 165 | $19,425 |
| 4 | 10 | 84 | Dick Trickle (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 400 | 5 | running | 165 | $13,800 |
| 5 | 7 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 400 | 0 | running | 155 | $14,025 |
| 6 | 8 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 400 | 0 | running | 150 | $7,475 |
| 7 | 2 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 19 | running | 151 | $9,200 |
| 8 | 15 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 74 | running | 147 | $11,505 |
| 9 | 1 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 399 | 6 | running | 143 | $16,850 |
| 10 | 29 | 2 | Ernie Irvan | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 396 | 0 | running | 134 | $9,575 |
| 11 | 17 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 395 | 0 | running | 130 | $9,495 |
| 12 | 28 | 60 | Phil Parsons | Combs Racing | Chevrolet | 394 | 0 | running | 127 | $2,245 |
| 13 | 11 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 394 | 0 | running | 124 | $5,170 |
| 14 | 31 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 394 | 0 | running | 121 | $7,840 |
| 15 | 14 | 40 | Ben Hess (R) | Hess Racing | Oldsmobile | 393 | 0 | running | 118 | $3,025 |
| 16 | 24 | 57 | Hut Stricklin (R) | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | 390 | 0 | running | 115 | $2,120 |
| 17 | 25 | 75 | Morgan Shepherd | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 390 | 0 | running | 112 | $9,695 |
| 18 | 32 | 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | 388 | 0 | running | 109 | $3,395 |
| 19 | 18 | 29 | Dale Jarrett | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 383 | 0 | running | 106 | $4,745 |
| 20 | 26 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 376 | 0 | running | 103 | $5,545 |
| 21 | 19 | 88 | Greg Sacks | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | 374 | 0 | running | 100 | $6,350 |
| 22 | 5 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 367 | 0 | running | 97 | $11,250 |
| 23 | 30 | 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 329 | 0 | running | 94 | $6,025 |
| 24 | 23 | 16 | Larry Pearson (R) | Pearson Racing | Buick | 323 | 0 | engine | 91 | $2,757 |
| 25 | 12 | 66 | Rick Mast (R) | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | 321 | 0 | engine | 88 | $4,200 |
| 26 | 6 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 301 | 0 | camshaft | 85 | $3,975 |
| 27 | 21 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 297 | 0 | running | 82 | $3,875 |
| 28 | 20 | 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 275 | 0 | oil cooler | 79 | $4,575 |
| 29 | 9 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 272 | 0 | crash | 76 | $3,775 |
| 30 | 27 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 270 | 0 | crash | 73 | $3,225 |
| 31 | 22 | 31 | Jim Sauter | Bob Clark Motorsports | Pontiac | 161 | 0 | brakes | 70 | $1,650 |
| 32 | 16 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 77 | 0 | rear end | 67 | $1,650 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 33 | | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | | | | | |
| 34 | | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | | | | | |
| 35 | | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | | | | | |
| 36 | | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| 3 | 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 1,054 |
| 1 | 2 | Geoff Bodine | 1,051 (-3) |
| | 3 | Alan Kulwicki | 1,045 (-9) |
| 2 | 4 | Rusty Wallace | 1,024 (–30) |
| 1 | 5 | Darrell Waltrip | 954 (–100) |
| 1 | 6 | Sterling Marlin | 936 (–93) |
| | 7 | Davey Allison | 916 (–118) |
| 1 | 8 | Mark Martin | 893 (–161) |
| 4 | 9 | Ricky Rudd | 853 (–201) |
| 5 | 10 | Dick Trickle | 831 (–223) |
| Official driver's standings ||||