# 1989 AC Spark Plug 500

The 1989 AC Spark Plug 500 was the 16th stock car race of the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 17th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, July 23, 1989, before an audience of 70,000 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, at Pocono Raceway, a 2.5 miles (4.0 km) triangular permanent course. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Melling Racing driver Bill Elliott would make a late-race charge, passing for the lead with six laps left in the race to take his 31st career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second victory of the season. To fill out the top three, Blue Max Racing driver Rusty Wallace and Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would finish second and third, respectively.

## Background

The race was held at Pocono International Raceway, which is a three-turn superspeedway located in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The track hosts two annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, as well as one Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series event. Until 2019, the track also hosted an IndyCar Series race.
Pocono International Raceway is one of a very few NASCAR tracks not owned by either Speedway Motorsports, Inc. or International Speedway Corporation. It is operated by the Igdalsky siblings Brandon, Nicholas, and sister Ashley, and cousins Joseph IV and Chase Mattioli, all of whom are third-generation members of the family-owned Mattco Inc, started by Joseph II and Rose Mattioli.
Outside of the NASCAR races, the track is used throughout the year by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and motorcycle clubs as well as racing schools and an IndyCar race. The triangular oval also has three separate infield sections of racetrack – North Course, East Course and South Course. Each of these infield sections use a separate portion of the tri-oval to complete the track. During regular non-race weekends, multiple clubs can use the track by running on different infield sections. Also some of the infield sections can be run in either direction, or multiple infield sections can be put together – such as running the North Course and the South Course and using the tri-oval to connect the two.

### 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 |
| 04 | Bob Schacht | Hakes Racing | Ford | Hakes Racing |
| 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Levi Garrett |
| 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | Stroh's Light |
| 06 | Terry Byers | Byers Racing | Buick | Byers Racing |
| 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 |
| 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Pontiac | Purolator |
| 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Budweiser |
| 13 | Eddie Bierschwale | Rosenblum Racing | Chevrolet | Genesee Brewing Company |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Skoal Bandit |
| 38 | Dick Johnson | Dick Johnson Racing | Ford | Redkote Steel Tubing |
| 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Peak Antifreeze |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 44 | Jim Sauter | Group 44 | Pontiac | Group 44 |
| 48 | Greg Sacks | Winkle Motorsports | Pontiac | Dinner Bell Foods |
| 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 |
| 62 | Joe Ruttman | Douglas Smith Racing | Oldsmobile | Baja Boats |
| 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | Rumple Furniture |
| 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | Lifebuoy |
| 75 | Morgan Shepherd | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | Valvoline |
| 80 | Jimmy Horton | S&H Racing | Pontiac | S&H Racing |
| 81 | Mike Potter | Welch Racing | Ford | O. C. Welch Ford |
| 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce |
| 84 | Dick Trickle (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | Miller High Life |
| 88 | Jimmy Spencer (R) | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | Crisco |
| 93 | Charlie Baker | Salmon Racing | Buick | Salmon Racing |
| 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Sunoco |
| 99 | Norm Benning | O'Neil Racing | Chevrolet | O'Neil Racing |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was originally scheduled to be split into two rounds. The first round was scheduled to be held on Friday, July 21, at 3:00 PM EST. However, due to fog, the first round was cancelled, and qualifying was condensed into one round, which was held on Saturday, July 22, at 8:00 AM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 1–40 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 provisionals were given.
Ken Schrader, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 57.031 and an average speed of 157.809 miles per hour (253.969 km/h).
Four drivers would fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 57.031 | 157.809 |
| 2 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 57.095 | 157.632 |
| 3 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 57.174 | 157.414 |
| 4 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 57.223 | 157.279 |
| 5 | 15 | Brett Bodine | RahMoc Enterprises | Ford | 57.292 | 157.090 |
| 6 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 57.312 | 157.036 |
| 7 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 57.348 | 156.937 |
| 8 | 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 57.447 | 156.666 |
| 9 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 57.484 | 156.565 |
| 10 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 57.600 | 156.250 |
| 11 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 57.652 | 156.109 |
| 12 | 75 | Morgan Shepherd | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 57.675 | 156.047 |
| 13 | 16 | Larry Pearson | Pearson Racing | Buick | 57.680 | 156.033 |
| 14 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 57.713 | 155.944 |
| 15 | 48 | Greg Sacks | Winkle Motorsports | Pontiac | 57.753 | 155.836 |
| 16 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 57.810 | 155.682 |
| 17 | 29 | Dale Jarrett | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 57.812 | 155.677 |
| 18 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 57.834 | 155.618 |
| 19 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 57.876 | 155.505 |
| 20 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Pontiac | 57.915 | 155.400 |
| 21 | 88 | Jimmy Spencer | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | 57.974 | 155.242 |
| 22 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 58.037 | 155.073 |
| 23 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 58.078 | 154.964 |
| 24 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 58.117 | 154.860 |
| 25 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 58.132 | 154.820 |
| 26 | 62 | Joe Ruttman | Douglas Smith Racing | Oldsmobile | 58.155 | 154.759 |
| 27 | 2 | Ernie Irvan | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 58.179 | 154.695 |
| 28 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 58.279 | 154.430 |
| 29 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 58.313 | 154.340 |
| 30 | 44 | Jim Sauter | Group 44 | Pontiac | 58.532 | 153.762 |
| 31 | 84 | Dick Trickle | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 58.557 | 153.696 |
| 32 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 58.651 | 153.450 |
| 33 | 80 | Jimmy Horton | S&H Racing | Pontiac | 58.670 | 153.400 |
| 34 | 57 | Hut Stricklin | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | 58.743 | 153.210 |
| 35 | 04 | Bob Schacht | Hakes Racing | Ford | 58.784 | 153.103 |
| 36 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 58.901 | 152.799 |
| 37 | 38 | Dick Johnson | Dick Johnson Racing | Ford | 58.998 | 152.548 |
| 38 | 13 | Eddie Bierschwale | Rosenblum Racing | Chevrolet | 59.085 | 152.323 |
| 39 | 06 | Terry Byers | Byers Racing | Chevrolet | 59.110 | 152.259 |
| 40 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 59.331 | 151.691 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||
| 41 | 93 | Charlie Baker | Salmon Racing | Buick | -* | -* |
| 42 | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | -* | -* |
| 43 | 81 | Mike Potter | Welch Racing | Ford | -* | -* |
| 44 | 99 | Norm Benning | O'Neil Racing | Chevrolet | -* | -* |
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 14 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 200 | 8 | running | 180 | $58,400 |
| 2 | 6 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 200 | 68 | running | 180 | $46,875 |
| 3 | 7 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 200 | 4 | running | 170 | $26,300 |
| 4 | 24 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 19 | running | 165 | $23,850 |
| 5 | 8 | 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 200 | 0 | running | 155 | $20,350 |
| 6 | 23 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 200 | 1 | running | 155 | $16,225 |
| 7 | 1 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 7 | running | 151 | $16,050 |
| 8 | 12 | 75 | Morgan Shepherd | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 200 | 0 | running | 142 | $13,925 |
| 9 | 3 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 200 | 3 | running | 143 | $14,275 |
| 10 | 5 | 15 | Brett Bodine | RahMoc Enterprises | Ford | 200 | 0 | running | 134 | $12,250 |
| 11 | 29 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 200 | 16 | running | 135 | $8,950 |
| 12 | 36 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 200 | 0 | running | 127 | $11,207 |
| 13 | 22 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 199 | 2 | running | 129 | $12,850 |
| 14 | 11 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 199 | 16 | running | 126 | $4,150 |
| 15 | 21 | 88 | Jimmy Spencer | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | 199 | 0 | running | 118 | $9,400 |
| 16 | 30 | 44 | Jim Sauter | Group 44 | Pontiac | 199 | 0 | running | 115 | $3,850 |
| 17 | 2 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 199 | 41 | running | 117 | $12,750 |
| 18 | 17 | 29 | Dale Jarrett | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 198 | 0 | running | 109 | $7,550 |
| 19 | 32 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 198 | 5 | running | 111 | $7,325 |
| 20 | 31 | 84 | Dick Trickle | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 198 | 7 | running | 108 | $8,175 |
| 21 | 39 | 06 | Terry Byers | Byers Racing | Chevrolet | 197 | 0 | running | 100 | $3,175 |
| 22 | 37 | 38 | Dick Johnson | Dick Johnson Racing | Ford | 196 | 0 | running | 97 | $3,075 |
| 23 | 19 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 195 | 3 | running | 99 | $6,295 |
| 24 | 40 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 195 | 0 | running | 91 | $2,925 |
| 25 | 10 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 192 | 0 | running | 88 | $6,100 |
| 26 | 27 | 2 | Ernie Irvan | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 164 | 0 | running | 85 | $3,825 |
| 27 | 35 | 04 | Bob Schacht | Hakes Racing | Ford | 139 | 0 | engine | 82 | $2,775 |
| 28 | 28 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 128 | 0 | water pump | 79 | $6,675 |
| 29 | 16 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 127 | 0 | crash | 76 | $5,525 |
| 30 | 15 | 48 | Greg Sacks | Winkle Motorsports | Pontiac | 114 | 0 | crash | 73 | $3,425 |
| 31 | 18 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 111 | 0 | engine | 70 | $9,575 |
| 32 | 38 | 13 | Eddie Bierschwale | Rosenblum Racing | Chevrolet | 83 | 0 | crash | 67 | $2,575 |
| 33 | 33 | 80 | Jimmy Horton | S&H Racing | Pontiac | 71 | 0 | crash | 64 | $3,175 |
| 34 | 26 | 62 | Joe Ruttman | Douglas Smith Racing | Oldsmobile | 60 | 0 | engine | 61 | $2,400 |
| 35 | 20 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Pontiac | 56 | 0 | engine | 58 | $3,100 |
| 36 | 9 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 45 | 0 | engine | 55 | $5,000 |
| 37 | 34 | 57 | Hut Stricklin | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | 24 | 0 | engine | 52 | $2,925 |
| 38 | 25 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 22 | 0 | engne | 49 | $2,875 |
| 39 | 4 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 10 | 0 | engine | 46 | $4,825 |
| 40 | 13 | 16 | Larry Pearson | Pearson Racing | Buick | 2 | 0 | oil line | 43 | $2,740 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 41 | | 93 | Charlie Baker | Salmon Racing | Buick | | | | | |
| 42 | | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | | | | | |
| 43 | | 81 | Mike Potter | Welch Racing | Ford | | | | | |
| 44 | | 99 | Norm Benning | O'Neil Racing | Chevrolet | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 2,314 |
| | 2 | Rusty Wallace | 2,227 (-87) |
| | 3 | Darrell Waltrip | 2,179 (-135) |
| 1 | 4 | Bill Elliott | 2,153 (–161) |
| 1 | 5 | Mark Martin | 2,148 (–166) |
| 3 | 6 | Davey Allison | 2,016 (–298) |
| 1 | 7 | Geoff Bodine | 1,996 (–318) |
| 2 | 8 | Sterling Marlin | 1,995 (–319) |
| 1 | 9 | Terry Labonte | 1,984 (–330) |
| 1 | 10 | Ken Schrader | 1,971 (–343) |
| Official driver's standings ||||