# 1990 AC Delco 500

The 1990 AC Delco 500 was the 27th stock car race of the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 26th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, October 21, 1990, before an audience of 55,800 in Rockingham, North Carolina, at North Carolina Speedway, a 1.017 miles (1.637 km) permanent high-banked racetrack. At race's end, owner-driver Alan Kulwicki would manage to dominate the late stages of the race to take his second career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season. To fill out the top three, Melling Racing driver Bill Elliott and Leo Jackson Motorsports driver Harry Gant would finish second and third, respectively.
In the driver's championship, second-place driver in the standings, Dale Earnhardt, was able to gain four points over first-place driver Mark Martin, dropping Martin's lead down to 45 points.

## Background

North Carolina Speedway was opened as a flat, one-mile oval on October 31, 1965. In 1969, the track was extensively reconfigured to a high-banked, D-shaped oval just over one mile in length. In 1997, North Carolina Motor Speedway merged with Penske Motorsports, and was renamed North Carolina Speedway. Shortly thereafter, the infield was reconfigured, and competition on the infield road course, mostly by the SCCA, was discontinued. Currently, the track is home to the Fast Track High Performance Driving School.

### Entry list

* (R) denotes rookie driver.
| # | Driver | Team | Make | Sponsor |
| 0 | Delma Cowart | H. L. Waters Racing | Ford | Masters Inn Economy |
| 1 | Terry Labonte | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | Skoal |
| 2 | Rick Jeffrey | U.S. Racing | Chevrolet | KFC |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | GM Goodwrench Service Plus |
| 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Kodak |
| 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Levi Garrett |
| 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | Folgers |
| 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | Zerex |
| 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | 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 |
| 13 | Mike Skinner | Mansion Motorsports | Chevrolet | Glidden |
| 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | Motorcraft |
| 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Tide |
| 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce |
| 20 | Jimmy Hensley | Moroso Racing | Oldsmobile | Crown Central Petroleum |
| 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo |
| 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kodiak |
| 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick | Quaker State |
| 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | Miller Genuine Draft |
| 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | Texaco, Havoline |
| 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | Country Time |
| 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Skoal Bandit |
| 40 | Tommy Kendall | Reno Enterprises | Chevrolet | Electronic Data Systems |
| 41 | Larry Pearson | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | General Motors Auctions |
| 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Peak Antifreeze |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 47 | Jack Pennington (R) | Close Racing | Oldsmobile | Sandoz Chemicals |
| 48 | James Hylton | Hylton Motorsports | Pontiac | Hylton Motorsports |
| 50 | Ted Musgrave | RaDiUs Motorsports | Chevrolet | RaDiUs Motorsports |
| 51 | Jeff Purvis | Phoenix Racing | Chevrolet | Plasti-Kote |
| 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | Alka-Seltzer |
| 57 | Jim Bown | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | Heinz |
| 66 | Dick Trickle | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | Phillips 66 TropArtic |
| 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | McDuffie Racing |
| 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | Big Apple Market |
| 72 | Tracy Leslie | Parker Racing | Oldsmobile | Detroit Gasket |
| 75 | Rick Wilson | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | Dinner Bell Foods |
| 82 | Mark Stahl | Stahl Racing | Ford | Hooters |
| 93 | Charlie Baker | Baker Racing | Buick | Baker Racing |
| 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Sunoco |
| 98 | Rick Mast | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | Banquet Foods |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Thursday, October 18, at 2:30 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 Friday, October 19, at 2:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-40 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.
Ken Schrader, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 24.769 and an average speed of 147.817 miles per hour (237.888 km/h) in the first round.
Four drivers would fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 24.769 | 147.817 |
| 2 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 24.880 | 147.154 |
| 3 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 24.909 | 146.983 |
| 4 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 25.003 | 146.430 |
| 5 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 25.018 | 146.343 |
| 6 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 25.036 | 146.237 |
| 7 | 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 25.057 | 146.115 |
| 8 | 98 | Rick Mast | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | 25.064 | 146.074 |
| 9 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25.069 | 146.045 |
| 10 | 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 25.098 | 145.876 |
| 11 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25.121 | 145.743 |
| 12 | 1 | Terry Labonte | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 25.154 | 145.551 |
| 13 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick | 25.174 | 145.436 |
| 14 | 66 | Dick Trickle | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 25.176 | 145.424 |
| 15 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 25.222 | 145.159 |
| 16 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 25.247 | 145.015 |
| 17 | 75 | Rick Wilson | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 25.255 | 144.969 |
| 18 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick | 25.265 | 144.912 |
| 19 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 25.266 | 144.906 |
| 20 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 25.282 | 144.814 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 21 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 24.922 | 146.908 |
| 22 | 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 24.935 | 146.830 |
| 23 | 20 | Jimmy Hensley | Moroso Racing | Oldsmobile | 25.154 | 145.551 |
| 24 | 51 | Jeff Purvis | Phoenix Racing | Chevrolet | 25.186 | 145.366 |
| 25 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 25.288 | 144.780 |
| 26 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | 25.326 | 144.563 |
| 27 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 25.410 | 144.085 |
| 28 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25.425 | 144.000 |
| 29 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 25.435 | 143.943 |
| 30 | 41 | Larry Pearson | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25.448 | 143.870 |
| 31 | 47 | Jack Pennington (R) | Close Racing | Oldsmobile | 25.464 | 143.779 |
| 32 | 2 | Rick Jeffrey | U.S. Racing | Chevrolet | 25.487 | 143.650 |
| 33 | 13 | Mike Skinner | Mansion Motorsports | Buick | 25.527 | 143.425 |
| 34 | 40 | Tommy Kendall | Reno Enterprises | Chevrolet | 25.601 | 143.010 |
| 35 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 25.609 | 142.965 |
| 36 | 50 | Ted Musgrave | RaDiUs Motorsports | Chevrolet | 25.790 | 141.962 |
| 37 | 72 | Tracy Leslie | Parker Racing | Oldsmobile | 25.803 | 141.890 |
| 38 | 57 | Jim Bown | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | 25.809 | 141.857 |
| 39 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 25.868 | 141.534 |
| 40 | 93 | Charlie Baker | Baker Racing | Buick | 26.043 | 140.583 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||
| 41 | 48 | James Hylton | Hylton Motorsports | Pontiac | -* | -* |
| 42 | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | -* | -* |
| 43 | 0 | Delma Cowart | H. L. Waters Racing | Ford | -* | -* |
| 44 | 82 | Mark Stahl | Stahl Racing | Ford | -* | -* |
| Official first round qualifying results |||||||
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 3 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 492 | 151 | running | 180 | $53,300 |
| 2 | 5 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 492 | 82 | running | 175 | $40,775 |
| 3 | 4 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 492 | 0 | running | 165 | $23,575 |
| 4 | 7 | 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 492 | 4 | running | 165 | $23,625 |
| 5 | 1 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 492 | 31 | running | 160 | $26,025 |
| 6 | 29 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 491 | 0 | running | 150 | $12,882 |
| 7 | 11 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 491 | 0 | running | 146 | $10,925 |
| 8 | 28 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 491 | 3 | running | 147 | $15,425 |
| 9 | 9 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 490 | 0 | running | 138 | $10,325 |
| 10 | 20 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 490 | 0 | running | 134 | $19,750 |
| 11 | 21 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 490 | 0 | running | 130 | $13,350 |
| 12 | 22 | 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 490 | 0 | running | 127 | $10,025 |
| 13 | 12 | 1 | Terry Labonte | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 490 | 0 | running | 124 | $9,175 |
| 14 | 27 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 490 | 0 | running | 121 | $8,875 |
| 15 | 16 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 489 | 0 | running | 118 | $9,050 |
| 16 | 10 | 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 489 | 0 | running | 115 | $8,525 |
| 17 | 18 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick | 489 | 0 | running | 112 | $10,825 |
| 18 | 17 | 75 | Rick Wilson | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 487 | 0 | running | 109 | $7,475 |
| 19 | 30 | 41 | Larry Pearson | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 487 | 0 | running | 106 | $4,275 |
| 20 | 6 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 485 | 207 | running | 113 | $13,850 |
| 21 | 35 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 485 | 0 | running | 100 | $5,350 |
| 22 | 8 | 98 | Rick Mast | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | 484 | 0 | running | 97 | $4,650 |
| 23 | 25 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 483 | 2 | running | 99 | $6,950 |
| 24 | 31 | 47 | Jack Pennington (R) | Close Racing | Oldsmobile | 482 | 0 | running | 91 | $4,400 |
| 25 | 26 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | 479 | 0 | running | 88 | $3,675 |
| 26 | 34 | 40 | Tommy Kendall | Reno Enterprises | Chevrolet | 477 | 0 | running | 85 | $3,525 |
| 27 | 38 | 57 | Jim Bown | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | 477 | 0 | running | 82 | $4,175 |
| 28 | 39 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 471 | 0 | running | 79 | $4,100 |
| 29 | 2 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 470 | 12 | running | 81 | $14,700 |
| 30 | 32 | 2 | Rick Jeffrey | U.S. Racing | Chevrolet | 467 | 0 | running | 73 | $5,300 |
| 31 | 23 | 20 | Jimmy Hensley | Moroso Racing | Oldsmobile | 452 | 0 | running | 70 | $3,850 |
| 32 | 19 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 421 | 0 | engine | 67 | $14,075 |
| 33 | 15 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 268 | 0 | valve | 64 | $7,975 |
| 34 | 13 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick | 236 | 0 | engine | 61 | $4,050 |
| 35 | 33 | 13 | Mike Skinner | Mansion Motorsports | Buick | 230 | 0 | rear end | 58 | $2,825 |
| 36 | 14 | 66 | Dick Trickle | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 217 | 0 | engine | 55 | $6,350 |
| 37 | 36 | 50 | Ted Musgrave | RaDiUs Motorsports | Chevrolet | 93 | 0 | engine | 52 | $2,700 |
| 38 | 24 | 51 | Jeff Purvis | Phoenix Racing | Chevrolet | 75 | 0 | engine | 49 | $2,690 |
| 39 | 37 | 72 | Tracy Leslie | Parker Racing | Oldsmobile | 67 | 0 | engine | 46 | $2,650 |
| 40 | 40 | 93 | Charlie Baker | Baker Racing | Buick | 35 | 0 | engine | 43 | $2,600 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 41 | | 48 | James Hylton | Hylton Motorsports | Pontiac | | | | | |
| 42 | | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | | | | | |
| 43 | | 0 | Delma Cowart | H. L. Waters Racing | Ford | | | | | |
| 44 | | 82 | Mark Stahl | Stahl Racing | Ford | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Mark Martin | 4,120 |
| | 2 | Dale Earnhardt | 4,075 (-45) |
| | 3 | Bill Elliott | 3,716 (-404) |
| | 4 | Geoff Bodine | 3,700 (–420) |
| | 5 | Rusty Wallace | 3,479 (–641) |
| | 6 | Kyle Petty | 3,421 (–694) |
| | 7 | Ricky Rudd | 3,419 (–701) |
| | 8 | Morgan Shepherd | 3,344 (–776) |
| | 9 | Ernie Irvan | 3,309 (–811) |
| | 10 | Alan Kulwicki | 3,302 (–818) |
| Official driver's standings ||||