# 1989 Peak Performance 500

The 1989 Peak Performance 500 was the 23rd stock car race of the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 19th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, September 17, 1989, before an audience of 64,000 in Dover, Delaware at Dover Downs International Speedway, a 1-mile (1.6 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete. At race's end, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would manage to fend off Roush Racing driver Mark Martin in the final laps of the race, completing a dominant performance of the race. The victory was Earnhardt's 38th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his fourth victory of the season. To fill out the top three, the aforementioned Mark Martin and Hendrick Motorsports driver Ken Schrader would finish second and third, respectively.

## Background

Dover Downs International Speedway is an oval race track in Dover, Delaware, United States that has held at least two NASCAR races since it opened in 1969. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosted USAC and the NTT IndyCar Series. The track features one layout, a 1-mile (1.6 km) concrete oval, with 24° banking in the turns and 9° banking on the straights. The speedway is owned and operated by Dover Motorsports.
The track, nicknamed "The Monster Mile", was built in 1969 by Melvin Joseph of Melvin L. Joseph Construction Company, Inc., with an asphalt surface, but was replaced with concrete in 1995. Six years later in 2001, the track's capacity moved to 135,000 seats, making the track have the largest capacity of sports venue in the mid-Atlantic. In 2002, the name changed to Dover International Speedway from Dover Downs International Speedway after Dover Downs Gaming and Entertainment split, making Dover Motorsports. From 2007 to 2009, the speedway worked on an improvement project called "The Monster Makeover", which expanded facilities at the track and beautified the track. After the 2014 season, the track's capacity was reduced to 95,500 seats.

### 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 | Andy Belmont | Hakes Racing | Ford | Ed Learn Ford |
| 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 |
| 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Pontiac | Purolator |
| 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 |
| 22 | Rob Moroso | Moroso Racing | Oldsmobile | Prestone |
| 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 |
| 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Peak Antifreeze |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 44 | Jim Sauter | Group 44 | Pontiac | Group 44 |
| 49 | James Hylton | Hylton Motorsports | Buick | Hylton Motorsports |
| 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 |
| 65 | Tommie Crozier | Leonard Racing | Chevrolet | Universal Steel |
| 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | McDuffie Racing |
| 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 | Jimmy Spencer (R) | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | Crisco |
| 92 | Jack Ely | North Star Racing | Buick | North Star Racing |
| 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Sunoco |
| 99 | Norm Benning | O'Neil Racing | Chevrolet | O'Neil Racing |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, September 14, at 3:00 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 Saturday, September 15, at 11:30 AM 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 provisionals were given.
Davey Allison, driving for Robert Yates Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 24.629 and an average speed of 146.169 miles per hour (235.236 km/h) in the first round.
No drivers would fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 24.629 | 146.169 |
| 2 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 24.711 | 145.684 |
| 3 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 24.749 | 145.460 |
| 4 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 24.752 | 145.443 |
| 5 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 24.778 | 145.290 |
| 6 | 84 | Dick Trickle (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 24.841 | 144.922 |
| 7 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 24.884 | 144.671 |
| 8 | 16 | Larry Pearson (R) | Pearson Racing | Buick | 24.902 | 144.567 |
| 9 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 24.921 | 144.456 |
| 10 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 24.928 | 144.416 |
| 11 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 24.951 | 144.283 |
| 12 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 24.958 | 144.242 |
| 13 | 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 24.964 | 144.208 |
| 14 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 25.021 | 143.879 |
| 15 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 25.037 | 143.787 |
| 16 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 25.058 | 143.667 |
| 17 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 25.062 | 143.644 |
| 18 | 75 | Morgan Shepherd | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 25.063 | 143.638 |
| 19 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Pontiac | 25.073 | 143.581 |
| 20 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 25.083 | 143.524 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 21 | 22 | Rob Moroso | Moroso Racing | Oldsmobile | 24.839 | 144.933 |
| 22 | 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 25.001 | 143.994 |
| 23 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 25.009 | 143.948 |
| 24 | 2 | Ernie Irvan | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 25.103 | 143.409 |
| 25 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 25.175 | 142.999 |
| 26 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 25.244 | 142.608 |
| 27 | 88 | Jimmy Spencer (R) | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | 25.316 | 142.203 |
| 28 | 29 | Dale Jarrett | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 25.328 | 142.135 |
| 29 | 57 | Hut Stricklin (R) | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | 25.466 | 141.365 |
| 30 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 25.471 | 141.337 |
| 31 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 25.498 | 141.188 |
| 32 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 25.584 | 140.713 |
| 33 | 44 | Jim Sauter | Group 44 | Pontiac | 25.604 | 140.603 |
| 34 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 25.680 | 140.187 |
| 35 | 04 | Andy Belmont | Hakes Racing | Ford | 26.315 | 136.804 |
| 36 | 99 | Norm Benning | O'Neil Racing | Chevrolet | 26.414 | 136.291 |
| 37 | 92 | Jack Ely | North Star Racing | Buick | 26.905 | 133.804 |
| 38 | 49 | James Hylton | Hylton Motorsports | Buick | 26.914 | 133.759 |
| 39 | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | 27.125 | 132.719 |
| 40 | 65 | Tommie Crozier | Leonard Racing | Chevrolet | 27.764 | 129.664 |
| Official first round qualifying results |||||||
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| 1 | 15 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 500 | 375 | running | 185 | $59,950 |
| 2 | 10 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 500 | 34 | running | 175 | $35,540 |
| 3 | 3 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 500 | 21 | running | 170 | $25,875 |
| 4 | 7 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 499 | 0 | running | 160 | $23,125 |
| 5 | 14 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 498 | 0 | running | 155 | $18,375 |
| 6 | 16 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 498 | 0 | running | 150 | $11,675 |
| 7 | 4 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 497 | 0 | running | 146 | $16,475 |
| 8 | 19 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Pontiac | 497 | 2 | running | 147 | $7,875 |
| 9 | 22 | 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 497 | 0 | running | 138 | $9,175 |
| 10 | 27 | 88 | Jimmy Spencer (R) | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | 496 | 0 | running | 134 | $11,925 |
| 11 | 20 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 496 | 0 | running | 130 | $4,025 |
| 12 | 33 | 44 | Jim Sauter | Group 44 | Pontiac | 495 | 0 | running | 127 | $6,082 |
| 13 | 17 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 494 | 0 | running | 124 | $7,175 |
| 14 | 25 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 494 | 0 | running | 121 | $10,025 |
| 15 | 30 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 492 | 0 | running | 118 | $7,525 |
| 16 | 18 | 75 | Morgan Shepherd | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 492 | 0 | running | 115 | $10,800 |
| 17 | 12 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 489 | 0 | running | 112 | $6,350 |
| 18 | 9 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 484 | 0 | running | 109 | $11,300 |
| 19 | 11 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 483 | 0 | running | 106 | $5,950 |
| 20 | 29 | 57 | Hut Stricklin (R) | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | 479 | 0 | running | 103 | $4,875 |
| 21 | 34 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 476 | 0 | running | 100 | $2,550 |
| 22 | 31 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 475 | 0 | running | 97 | $5,500 |
| 23 | 28 | 29 | Dale Jarrett | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 472 | 0 | engine | 94 | $5,400 |
| 24 | 1 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 470 | 37 | engine | 96 | $14,300 |
| 25 | 6 | 84 | Dick Trickle (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 451 | 15 | crash | 93 | $6,075 |
| 26 | 26 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 449 | 0 | crash | 85 | $5,050 |
| 27 | 5 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 427 | 0 | crash | 82 | $9,250 |
| 28 | 21 | 22 | Rob Moroso | Moroso Racing | Oldsmobile | 414 | 0 | crash | 79 | $2,700 |
| 29 | 35 | 04 | Andy Belmont | Hakes Racing | Ford | 373 | 0 | brakes | 76 | $2,150 |
| 30 | 32 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 351 | 0 | fatigue | 73 | $2,850 |
| 31 | 36 | 99 | Norm Benning | O'Neil Racing | Chevrolet | 276 | 0 | wheel bearing | 70 | $2,050 |
| 32 | 2 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 274 | 16 | engine | 72 | $5,075 |
| 33 | 24 | 2 | Ernie Irvan | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 266 | 0 | ignition | 64 | $2,600 |
| 34 | 39 | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | 237 | 0 | engine | 61 | $1,900 |
| 35 | 37 | 92 | Jack Ely | North Star Racing | Buick | 204 | 0 | rear end | 58 | $1,800 |
| 36 | 23 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 125 | 0 | engine | 55 | $4,400 |
| 37 | 40 | 65 | Tommie Crozier | Leonard Racing | Chevrolet | 96 | 0 | vibration | 52 | $1,750 |
| 38 | 13 | 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 54 | 0 | crank | 49 | $8,700 |
| 39 | 38 | 49 | James Hylton | Hylton Motorsports | Buick | 25 | 0 | engine | 46 | $1,675 |
| 40 | 8 | 16 | Larry Pearson (R) | Pearson Racing | Buick | 1 | 0 | engine | 43 | $2,250 |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 3,397 |
| | 2 | Rusty Wallace | 3,295 (-102) |
| | 3 | Mark Martin | 3,191 (-206) |
| | 4 | Darrell Waltrip | 3,072 (–325) |
| 1 | 5 | Bill Elliott | 2,956 (–441) |
| 1 | 6 | Ricky Rudd | 2,937 (–460) |
| 2 | 7 | Ken Schrader | 2,894 (–503) |
| 3 | 8 | Davey Allison | 2,892 (–505) |
| 1 | 9 | Geoff Bodine | 2,808 (–589) |
| 1 | 10 | Terry Labonte | 2,805 (–592) |
| Official driver's standings ||||