# 1990 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500

The 1990 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 was the fourth stock car race of the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 31st iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 18, 1990, before an audience of 45,000 in Hampton, Georgia, at Atlanta International Raceway, a 1.522 miles (2.449 km) permanent asphalt quad-oval intermediate speedway. The race took the scheduled 328 laps to complete. On the final restart with two laps in the race, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would manage to make a late-race charge to the lead, coming back from a poor final pit stop to take his 40th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first victory of the season. To fill out the top three, Bud Moore Engineering driver Morgan Shepherd and Morgan–McClure Motorsports driver Ernie Irvan would finish second and third, respectively.

## Background

Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a 1.522-mile race track in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has annually hosted NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car races since its inauguration in 1960.
The venue was bought by Speedway Motorsports in 1990. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two intermediate ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval, with a new official length of 1.54-mile (2.48 km) where before it was 1.522-mile (2.449 km). The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit.

### Entry list

* (R) - denotes rookie driver.
| # | Driver | Team | Make | Sponsor |
| 1 | Terry Labonte | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | Skoal |
| 01 | Mickey Gibbs | Gibbs Racing | Ford | Special Days Inn |
| 2 | Rick Mast | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | U.S. Racing |
| 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 | Mike Alexander | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick | Raybestos |
| 14 | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt Racing | Oldsmobile | Copenhagen |
| 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | Motorcraft |
| 16 | Larry Pearson | Pearson Racing | Buick | Country Music TV |
| 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Tide |
| 18 | Hut Stricklin | TriStar Motorsports | Pontiac | TriStar Motorsports |
| 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce |
| 20 | Rob Moroso (R) | Moroso Racing | Oldsmobile | Crown Central Petroleum |
| 21 | Neil Bonnett | 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 |
| 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac | Almeda Auto Parts |
| 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Peak Antifreeze |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 46 | Greg Sacks | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Superflo Motor Oil |
| 47 | Jack Pennington (R) | Close Racing | Oldsmobile | Kanawha Insurance |
| 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | Alka-Seltzer |
| 57 | Jimmy Spencer | 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 |
| 75 | Rick Wilson | RahMoc Enterprises | Oldsmobile | Dinner Bell Foods |
| 77 | Ken Ragan | Ragan Racing | Ford | Jasper Engines & Transmissions |
| 82 | Mark Stahl | Stahl Racing | Ford | Auto Bell Car Wash |
| 90 | Buddy Baker | Donlavey Racing | Ford | Sunny King Ford & Honda |
| 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Sunoco |
| 98 | Butch Miller | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | Banquet Foods |

## Qualifying

Two rounds of qualifying were scheduled to be held on Friday, March 16, and Saturday, March 17. However, Friday's sessions were cancelled due to rain, with both rounds then scheduled to commence on Saturday. However, Saturday's sessions would also be cancelled due to rain, leaving qualifying to be determined by a system of owner's points and postmarks on entry list blanks. The top 30 positions would be determined by the current 1990 owner's points, while the final nine spots would be determined by a system of provisionals that included past winners, and finally postmarks. As a result, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would win the pole.
Three drivers would fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make |
| 1 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 2 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac |
| 3 | 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford |
| 4 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 5 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac |
| 6 | 57 | Jimmy Spencer | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac |
| 7 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford |
| 8 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 9 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile |
| 10 | 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford |
| 11 | 66 | Dick Trickle | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac |
| 12 | 1 | Terry Labonte | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile |
| 13 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet |
| 14 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 15 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick |
| 16 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick |
| 17 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford |
| 18 | 98 | Butch Miller | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet |
| 19 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac |
| 20 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet |
| 21 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile |
| 22 | 90 | Buddy Baker | Donlavey Racing | Ford |
| 23 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac |
| 24 | 16 | Larry Pearson | Pearson Racing | Buick |
| 25 | 12 | Mike Alexander | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick |
| 26 | 2 | Rick Mast | U.S. Racing | Pontiac |
| 27 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 28 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford |
| 29 | 75 | Rick Wilson | Hendrick Motorsports | Oldsmobile |
| 30 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile |
| Provisionals |||||
| 31 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford |
| 32 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac |
| 33 | 77 | Ken Ragan | Ragan Racing | Ford |
| 34 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford |
| 35 | 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac |
| 36 | 20 | Rob Moroso (R) | Moroso Racing | Oldsmobile |
| 37 | 01 | Mickey Gibbs | Gibbs Racing | Ford |
| 38 | 18 | Hut Stricklin | TriStar Motorsports | Pontiac |
| 39 | 82 | Mark Stahl | Stahl Racing | Ford |
| 40 | 47 | Jack Pennington (R) | Close Racing | Oldsmobile |
| Failed to qualify |||||
| 41 | 46 | Greg Sacks | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 42 | 14 | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt Racing | Oldsmobile |
| 43 | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac |
| Official starting lineup |||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 1 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 328 | 216 | running | 185 | $85,000 |
| 2 | 3 | 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 328 | 14 | running | 175 | $36,000 |
| 3 | 30 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 328 | 1 | running | 170 | $31,957 |
| 4 | 14 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 328 | 10 | running | 165 | $22,900 |
| 5 | 17 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 328 | 0 | running | 155 | $20,850 |
| 6 | 5 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 328 | 3 | running | 155 | $15,075 |
| 7 | 10 | 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 328 | 80 | running | 151 | $19,250 |
| 8 | 31 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 327 | 0 | running | 142 | $11,625 |
| 9 | 21 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 327 | 0 | running | 138 | $13,600 |
| 10 | 9 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 326 | 2 | running | 139 | $12,300 |
| 11 | 15 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick | 326 | 0 | running | 130 | $9,495 |
| 12 | 7 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 326 | 0 | running | 127 | $13,875 |
| 13 | 28 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 326 | 0 | running | 124 | $12,155 |
| 14 | 11 | 66 | Dick Trickle | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 326 | 0 | running | 121 | $9,935 |
| 15 | 6 | 57 | Jimmy Spencer | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | 325 | 0 | running | 118 | $8,680 |
| 16 | 16 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 325 | 0 | running | 115 | $8,545 |
| 17 | 29 | 75 | Rick Wilson | Hendrick Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 324 | 0 | running | 112 | $8,235 |
| 18 | 27 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 322 | 0 | running | 109 | $7,625 |
| 19 | 34 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | 322 | 0 | running | 106 | $4,415 |
| 20 | 18 | 98 | Butch Miller | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | 321 | 0 | running | 103 | $4,970 |
| 21 | 22 | 90 | Buddy Baker | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 319 | 0 | running | 0 | $4,135 |
| 22 | 20 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 317 | 0 | running | 97 | $7,050 |
| 23 | 25 | 12 | Mike Alexander | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick | 317 | 0 | running | 94 | $3,965 |
| 24 | 2 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 316 | 1 | engine | 96 | $14,930 |
| 25 | 32 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 315 | 0 | running | 88 | $4,845 |
| 26 | 8 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 312 | 1 | running | 90 | $12,755 |
| 27 | 4 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 307 | 0 | running | 82 | $6,545 |
| 28 | 39 | 82 | Mark Stahl | Stahl Racing | Ford | 300 | 0 | running | 79 | $3,660 |
| 29 | 13 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 255 | 0 | engine | 76 | $8,625 |
| 30 | 40 | 47 | Jack Pennington (R) | Close Racing | Oldsmobile | 253 | 0 | engine | 73 | $4,290 |
| 31 | 23 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 251 | 0 | engine | 70 | $4,230 |
| 32 | 35 | 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac | 214 | 0 | engine | 67 | $3,480 |
| 33 | 36 | 20 | Rob Moroso (R) | Moroso Racing | Oldsmobile | 149 | 0 | engine | 64 | $3,670 |
| 34 | 24 | 16 | Larry Pearson | Pearson Racing | Buick | 135 | 0 | engine | 61 | $6,095 |
| 35 | 26 | 2 | Rick Mast | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 113 | 0 | engine | 58 | $6,050 |
| 36 | 33 | 77 | Ken Ragan | Ragan Racing | Ford | 101 | 0 | valve | 55 | $3,350 |
| 37 | 38 | 18 | Hut Stricklin | TriStar Motorsports | Pontiac | 84 | 0 | valve | 52 | $3,330 |
| 38 | 19 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 53 | 0 | timing chain | 49 | $5,960 |
| 39 | 37 | 01 | Mickey Gibbs | Gibbs Racing | Ford | 40 | 0 | valve | 46 | $3,285 |
| 40 | 12 | 1 | Terry Labonte | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 4 | 0 | engine | 43 | $6,580 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 41 | | 46 | Greg Sacks | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | | | | | |
| 42 | | 14 | A. J. Foyt | A. J. Foyt Racing | Oldsmobile | | | | | |
| 43 | | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 659 |
| 1 | 2 | Morgan Shepherd | 601 (-58) |
| 1 | 3 | Rusty Wallace | 562 (-97) |
| 1 | 4 | Kyle Petty | 561 (–98) |
| 5 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | 538 (–121) |
| 3 | 6 | Sterling Marlin | 534 (–125) |
| | 7 | Bill Elliott | 526 (–133) |
| 2 | 8 | Jimmy Spencer | 521 (–138) |
| 5 | 9 | Ken Schrader | 507 (–152) |
| 1 | 10 | Dick Trickle | 507 (–152) |
| Official driver's standings ||||