1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series (Start Your Engines!)

Category:Start Your Engines!
The 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 50th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 27th modern-era Cup series season. The season included 40 races and three exhibition races, beginning with the Save Mart/Kragen 350 at Sears Point Raceway, and ending with the Los Angeles Times 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway.
==Teams and drivers==
===Complete schedule===
Manufacturer	Team 	No.	Race Driver 	Crew Chief 	Model
Chevrolet 	Dale Earnhardt, Inc. 	1 	Steve Park (R) 	Phillipe Lopez 	1998 Monte Carlo
Chevrolet 	Darrell Waltrip Racing 	17 	Darrell Waltrip 	Dave McCarty 	1998 Monte Carlo
Chevrolet 	Hendrick Motorsports 	5 	Terry Labonte 	Andy Graves 	1998 Monte Carlo
Chevrolet 	Hendrick Motorsports 	35 	Wally Dallenbach Jr.	Tim Brewer 	1998 Monte Carlo
Chevrolet 	Hendrick Motorsports 	50 	Ricky Craven 	Tony Furr 	1998 Monte Carlo
Chevrolet 	Marcis Auto Racing 	71 	Dave Marcis 	Bob Marcis 	1998 Monte Carlo
Chevrolet 	Morgan-McClure Motorsports 	4 	Bobby Hamilton 	Charley Pressley 	1998 Monte CArlo
Chevrolet 	Richard Childress Racing 	3 	Dale Earnhardt 	Larry McReynolds 	1998 Monte Carlo
Chevrolet 	Richard Childress Racing 	31 	Mike Skinner 	Kevin Hamlin 	1998 Monte Carlo
Dodge 	AK Racing 	7 	Alan Kulwicki 	Paul Andrews 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Bahari Racing 	30 	Clifford Allison 	Doug Hewitt 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Bill Davis Racing 	22 	Jeff Gordon 	Ray Evernham 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Bill Davis Racing 	23 	Bobby Labonte 	 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Bill Davis Racing 	24 	Ward Burton 	Tommy Baldwin Jr. 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Donlavey Racing 	90 	Dick Trickle 	Junie Donlavey 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Kelman Racing 	86 	Ryan Kelman 	Scott Searle 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Moroso Racing 	20 	Rob Moroso 	 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Pacific Coast Racing 	60 	Chloe Johnson 	Rodney Clay 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Pacific Coast Racing 	69 	Jenny Smith 	Andy Lyman 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Pacific Coast Racing 	80 	Tim Johnson 	Lyle White 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Pacific Coast Racing 	85 	Belle Armstrong 	Alan Walker 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Petty Enterprises 	43 	John Andretti 	Robbie Loomis 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	PE2 	44 	Kyle Petty 	Bobby Kennedy 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Team SABCO 	40 	Sterling Marlin 	Corrie Stott 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Team SABCO 	42 	Joe Nemechek 	Scott Eggleston 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Team SABCO 	46 	Morgan Shepherd 	Gary Grossenbacher	1998 Avenger
Ford 	Elliott-Marino Racing 	9 	Bill Elliott 	Joe Garone 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Elliott-Marino Racing 	13 	Jerry Nadeau (R) 	Jerry Pitts 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Elliott-Marino Racing 	13 	Dennis Setzer 	Jerry Pitts 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Elliott-Marino Racing 	13 	Tom Hubert 	Jerry Pitts 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Elliott-Marino Racing 	13 	Ted Musgrave 	Jerry Pitts 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Elliott-Marino Racing 	94 	Casey Elliott 	 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	FILMAR Racing 	82 	Kenny Wallace 	David Ifft 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Melling Racing 	92 	Lake Speed 	Jeff Buice 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Melling Racing 	92 	Butch Gilliland 	Jeff Buice 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Melling Racing 	92 	Jerry Nadeau (R) 	Jeff Buice 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Penske Racing South
Penske-Kranefuss Racing	2 	Rusty Wallace 	Robin Pemberton 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Penske Racing South
Penske-Kranefuss Racing	12 	Tim Richmond 	Paul Andrews 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Robert Yates Racing 	28 	Davey Allison 	Marc Reno 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Robert Yates Racing 	88 	Ernie Irvan 	Todd Parrott 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Roush Racing 	6 	Mark Martin 	Jimmy Fennig 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Roush Racing 	16 	Ted Musgrave 	James Ince 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Roush Racing 	16 	Kevin Lepage (R) 	James Ince 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Roush Racing 	26 	Johnny Benson 	Ben Leslie 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Roush Racing 	97 	Chad Little 	Jeff Hammond 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Roush Racing 	99 	Jeff Burton 	Frank Stoddard 	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Steele Racing with Brett Favre	15 	Tim Steele (R) 	 	1998 Taurus
Lincoln 	Butch Mock Motorsports 	75 	Rick Mast 	Dave Charpentier 	1998 Mark VIII
Lincoln 	Mattei Motorsports 	70 	Geoff Bodine 	Pete Peterson 	1998 Mark VIII
Lincoln 	Team Scandia
Brett Bodine Racing	11 	Brett Bodine 	Gere Kennon 	1998 Mark VIII
Lincoln 	Travis Carter Enterprises 	32 	Jimmy Spencer 	Donnie Wingo 	1998 Mark VIII
Lincoln 	Travis Carter Enterprises 	32 	Frank Kimmel 	Donnie Wingo 	1998 Mark VIII
Lincoln 	Travis Carter Enterprises 	32 	Ted Musgrave 	Donnie Wingo 	1998 Mark VIII
Mercury 	Cale Yarborough Motorsports 	98 	Jeremy Mayfield 	Michael McSwain 	1998 Sable
Mercury 	Jasper Motorsports 	77 	Robert Pressley 	Newt Moore 	1998 Sable
Mercury 	Jasper Motorsports 	77 	Hut Stricklin 	Newt Moore 	1998 Sable
Mercury 	Jasper Motorsports 	77 	Ted Musgrave 	Newt Moore 	1998 Sable
Mercury 	Orr Motorsports 	57 	Rodney Orr 	 	1998 Sable
Mercury 	Rudd Performance Motorsports 	10 	Ricky Rudd 	Bill Ingle 	1998 Sable
Mercury 	Wood Brothers Racing 	21 	Michael Waltrip 	Glen Wood 	1998 Sable
Oldsmobile 	American Equipment Racing 	96 	David Green 	Sammy Johns 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	American Equipment Racing 	96 	Kevin Lepage (R) 	Sammy Johns 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	American Equipment Racing 	96 	Hut Stricklin 	Sammy Johns 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	American Equipment Racing 	96 	Robby Gordon 	Sammy Johns 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	American Equipment Racing 	96 	Ron Fellows 	Sammy Johns 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	American Equipment Racing 	96 	Ted Musgrave 	Sammy Johns 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	American Equipment Racing 	96 	Mike Bliss 	Sammy Johns 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	American Equipment Racing 	96 	Steve Grissom 	Sammy Johns 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	Andy Petree Racing 	33 	Ken Schrader 	Andy Petree 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	Larry Hedrick Motorsports 	41 	Steve Grissom 	 	1997 Alero
Oldsmobile 	Larry Hedrick Motorsports 	41 	David Green 	 	1997 Alero
Oldsmobile 	Larry Hedrick Motorsports 	41 	Rick Wilson 	 	1997 Alero
Oldsmobile 	LJ Racing 	91 	Kevin Lepage (R) 	Doug Richert 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	LJ Racing 	91 	Tommy Kendall 	Doug Richert 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	LJ Racing 	91 	Andy Hillenburg 	Doug Richert 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	LJ Racing 	91 	Todd Bodine 	Doug Richert 	1998 Alero
Pontiac 	ISM Racing 	45 	Todd Bodine 	Pat Tryson
Phil Hammer	1998 Grand Prix
Pontiac 	ISM Racing 	45 	Rich Bickle 	Pat Tryson
Phil Hammer	1998 Grand Prix
Pontiac 	Joe Gibbs Racing 	18 	Dale Jarrett 	Jimmy Makar 	1998 Grand Prix
Pontiac 	Joe Gibbs Racing 	81 	Shawna Robinson 	 	1998 Grand Prix
Pontiac 	Kennedy Racing 	03 	Melvin Kennedy 	Mark Cutter 	1998 Grand Prix
Pontiac 	Kennedy Racing 	04 	Willy T. Ribbs 	 	1998 Grand Prix
Pontiac 	MB2 Motorsports 	36 	Derrike Cope 	Ryan Pemberton 	1998 Grand Prix
=== Limited schedule ===
Manufacturer	Team 	No.	Race driver 	Crew chief 	Model
Chevrolet 	BMR Motorsports 	46 	Jeff Ward 	 	1997 Monte Carlo
Chevrolet 	Chris Raudman Racing 	58 	Chris Raudman 	 	1997 Monte Carlo
Chevrolet 	Gerhart Racing 	54 	Bobby Gerhart 	 	1998 Monte Carlo
Chevrolet 	T.R.I.X. Racing 	79 	Norm Benning 	Ted Walters 	1997 Monte Carlo
Chevrolet 	T.R.I.X. Racing 	79 	Randy MacDonald 	Ted Walters 	1997 Monte Carlo
Chevrolet 	T.R.I.X. Racing 	79 	Ken Bouchard 	Ted Walters 	1997 Monte Carlo
Dodge 	Barkdoll Racing 	73 	Mike Wallace 	 	1997 Avenger
Dodge 	Diamond Ridge Motorsports	29 	Jeff Green 	 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Diamond Ridge Motorsports	92 	Elliott Sadler 	Butch Hylton
Sandy Jones	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Midwest Transit Racing 	07 	Dan Pardus 	Chet Shirah Jr.
John McQueen	1997 Avenger
Dodge 	Pacific Coast Racing 	02 	Dennis Malone 	 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Precision Products Racing	14 	Loy Allen Jr. 	 	1998 Avenger
Dodge 	Precision Products Racing	14 	Lance Hooper 	 	1998 Avenger
Ford 	Elliott-Marino Racing 	89 	Dennis Setzer 	Mike Brandt 	1997 Thunderbird
Ford 	Moore-Robinson Racing 	15 	Loy Allen Jr. 	Joey Knuckles	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Moore-Robinson Racing 	15 	Ted Musgrave 	Joey Knuckles	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Roush Racing 	60 	Matt Kenseth 	Robbie Reiser	1998 Taurus
Ford 	Ware Racing Enterprises 	70 	Rick Ware 	 	1997 Thunderbird
Lincoln 	CSG Racing 	59 	Mark Gibson 	Tony Gibson 	1998 Mark VIII
Lincoln 	CSG Racing 	59 	Brian Cunningham	 	1998 Mark VIII
Lincoln 	Hilton Racing 	38 	Butch Gilliland 	 	1998 Mark VIII
Lincoln 	SBIII Racing 	58 	Rick Wilson 	 	1998 Mark VIII
Mercury 	Gunselman Racing 	37 	Larry Gunselman 	 	1997 Sable
Mercury 	Roehrig Motorsports 	19 	Tony Raines 	Mike Bodick 	1998 Sable
Mercury 	Roehrig Motorsports 	19 	Tom Hubert 	Mike Bodick 	1998 Sable
Mercury 	Roehrig Motorsports 	19 	Robby Gordon 	Mike Bodick 	1998 Sable
Mercury 	Standridge Motorsports 	47 	Billy Standridge	 	1997 Sable
Mercury 	Triad Motorsports 	78 	Gary Bradberry 	 	1997 Sable
Oldsmobile 	Andy Petree Racing 	55 	Hut Stricklin 	Jimmy Elledge	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	Buckshot Racing 	66 	Buckshot Jones 	Ricky Pearson	1997 Alero
Oldsmobile 	Highland Timber Racing 	08 	Harris DeVane 	 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	Stavola Brothers Racing 	8 	Hut Stricklin 	 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	Stavola Brothers Racing 	8 	Buckshot Jones 	 	1998 Alero
Oldsmobile 	Stavola Brothers Racing 	8 	Morgan Shepherd 	 	1998 Alero
Pontiac 	Shepherd Racing 	05 	Morgan Shepherd 	J.T. Townsend	1997 Grand Prix
== Schedule ==
No.	Race title 	Track 	Date 	TV
1 	Save Mart/Kragen 350 	Sears Point Raceway, Sonoma 	January 25 	ESPN
 	Bud Shootout Qualifier 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach	February 8 	CBS
 	Bud Shootout 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach	February 8 	CBS
 	Gatorade 125s 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach	February 12 	CBS
2 	Daytona 500 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach	February 15 	CBS
3 	GM Goodwrench Service Plus 400 	North Carolina Speedway, Rockingham 	February 22 	TNN
4 	Las Vegas 400 	Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas 	March 1 	ABC
5 	Primestar 500 	Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton 	March 9 	ESPN
6 	San Jose 500 	San Jose Motorplex, Gilroy 	March 15 	TNN
7 	TranSouth Financial 400 	Darlington Raceway, Darlington 	March 22 	ESPN
8 	Food City 500 	Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol 	March 29 	ESPN
9 	Texas 400 	Texas World Speedway, College Station 	April 5 	CBS
10 	Goody's Headache Powder 500 	Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway 	April 20 	ESPN
11 	DieHard 500 	Talladega Superspeedway, 	April 26 	ABC
12 	California 500 presented by NAPA 	California Speedway, Fontana 	May 3 	ESPN
13 	Diet Coke 500 	Coca-Cola Superspeedway, Denver 	May 10 	CBS
 	No Bull 25 Shootout 	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord 	May 16 	TNN
 	Winston Open 	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord 	May 16 	TNN
 	The Winston 	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord 	May 16 	TNN
14 	Coca-Cola 600 	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord 	May 24 	TBS
15 	MBNA Platinum 400 	Dover Downs International Speedway, Dover 	May 31 	TNN
16 	Pontiac Excitement 400 	Richmond International Raceway, Richmond 	June 6 	ESPN
17 	Pabst Blue Ribbon 400 	The Milwaukee Mile, West Allis 	June 14 	TNN
18 	Dodge Avenger 400 	Nazareth Speedway, Nazareth 	June 21 	CBS
19 	Budweiser 400 	Riverside International Raceway, Riverside 	June 28 	ESPN
20 	Pepsi Firecracker 400 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach	July 4 	CBS
21 	Jiffy Lube 300 	New Hampshire International Speedway, Loudon 	July 12 	TNN
22 	Music City USA 420 	Nashville Speedway USA, Nashville 	July 19 	TNN
23 	Pennsylvania 500 	Pocono Raceway, Long Pond 	July 26 	TBS
24 	Brickyard 400 	Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway 	August 1 	ABC
25 	The Bud at The Glen 	Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen 	August 9 	ESPN
26 	Pepsi 400 presented by Meijer 	Michigan Speedway, Brooklyn 	August 16 	ESPN
27 	Goody's Headache Powder 500 	Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol 	August 22 	ESPN
28 	Tyson Holly Farms 400 	North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro 	August 30 	ESPN
29 	Pepsi Southern 500 	Darlington Raceway, Darlington 	September 6 	ESPN
30 	Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400	Richmond International Raceway, Richmond 	September 12	ESPN
31 	MBNA Gold 400 	Dover Downs International Speedway, Dover 	September 20	TNN
32 	NAPA Autocare 500 	Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway 	September 27	ESPN
33 	UAW-GM Quality 500 	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord 	October 4 	TBS
34 	Winston 500 	Talladega Superspeedway, Lincoln 	October 11 	ESPN
35 	Gilead 500 	San Jose Motorplex, Gilroy 	October 17 	TNN
36 	Dura Lube/Kmart 500 	Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale 	October 25 	TNN
37 	AC Delco 400 	North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham 	November 1 	TNN
38 	NAPA 500 	Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton 	November 8 	ESPN
39 	Sprite 500 	Coca-Cola Superspeedway, Denver 	November 15 	TNN
40 	Los Angeles Times 500 	Ontario Motor Speedway, Ontario 	November 22 	ABC
 	Coca-Cola 500 	Twin Ring Motegi, Motegi, Japan 	November 29 	TBS
==Technical Changes==
For the second year of the SAFER Car, all manufacturers made numerous changes. Most were minor body adjustments, with the biggest changes being to car models.
*Ford had discontinued the Thunderbird in 1997, and thus needed a new model. Ultimately, they went with the Ford Taurus (which was built on the same platform as the Mercury Sable) and the Lincoln Mark VIII (which shared underpinnings with the Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar), marking the first time Lincoln had run in NASCAR since the 1950s
*Oldsmobile gained a fourth full-time team in their camp, LJ Racing, another team whom General Motors had reportedly duped into signing with the flagging company to free up resources for their top-tier Chevy and Pontiac teams
1998 had the most manufacturers in NASCAR at seven since the mid-1970s. As it stood, General Motors now had three marquees (Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile), as did Ford Motor Company (Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln), while Chrysler wisely focused their efforts on a single marquee (Dodge). At the 1998 Daytona 500, Ned Jarrett famously referred to this situation as "Manufacturer Critical Mass". After 1998, though, the number of manufacturers rapidly declined, with Oldsmobile pulling out after 1998, Mercury and Lincoln after 2002, and Pontiac after 2003 (though Pontiac would return in 2015). Another "Manufacturer Critical Mass" situation wouldn't occur again until Nissan joined Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Toyota, Pontiac, and Honda in 2021.
== Cars used in 1998 ==
File:1998 chevrolet monte carlo.jpg|Chevrolet Monte Carlo
File:1998 ford taurus.jpg|Ford Taurus (NEW)
File:1997 ford thunderbird.jpg|1997 Ford Thunderbird (final year; no factory support)
File:1998 dodge avenger.jpg|Dodge Avenger (final year)
File:1998 pontiac grand prix.jpg|Pontiac Grand Prix
File:1998 mercury sable.jpg|Mercury Sable
File:1998 lincoln mark viii.jpg|Lincoln Mark VIII (NEW, only year with factory support)
File:1998 oldsmobile alero.jpg|Oldsmobile Alero (final year)