1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series (Start Your Engines!)

The 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Season was the 40th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 17th modern-era Cup series. The season began on February 7 at Daytona International Speedway and ended on November 20 at the Atlanta International Speedway.
The 1988 season was notable for hosting the first of two tire wars between Goodyear and Hoosier. It also saw the return of Chrysler to NASCAR. Chrysler had left the sport in 1984 after Pacific Coast Racing’s disastrous campaign that year, with PCR running without factory support from 1985-87.
== Drivers and teams ==
=== Complete schedule ===
Subject to Change
Make 	Team 	No.	Driver 	Crew Chief 	Model 	Sponsor
Buick 	Curb Racing 	98 	Brad Noffsinger 	 	1988 Regal 	Sunoco
Buick 	King Racing 	26 	Ricky Rudd 	Larry McReynolds	1988 Regal 	Quaker State
Buick 	Shepherd Racing 	57 	Morgan Shepherd 	 	1988 Regal 	Heinz
Buick 	Stavola Brothers Racing 	8 	Bobby Hillin Jr. 	 	1988 Regal 	Miller High Life
Buick 	Stavola Brothers Racing 	12 	Bobby Allison 	Jimmy Fennig 	1988 Regal 	Miller High Life
Buick 	Winkle Motorsports 	97 	Rodney Combs 	 	1988 Regal 	AC
Chevrolet 	Hendrick Motorsports 	5 	Geoffrey Bodine 	Waddell Wilson 	1988 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe	Levi Garratt
Chevrolet 	Hendrick Motorsports 	17 	Darrell Waltrip 	Jeff Hammond 	1988 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe	Tide
Chevrolet 	Hendrick Motorsports 	25 	Tim Richmond 	Harry Hyde 	1988 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe	Folgers
Chevrolet 	Hendrick Motorsports 	35 	Benny Parsons 	Ray Evernham 	1988 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe	Folgers
Chevrolet 	Junior Johnson & Associates 	11 	Terry Labonte 	Tim Brewer 	1988 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe	Budweiser
Chevrolet 	Mach 1 Racing 	33 	Harry Gant 	Travis Carter 	1988 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe	Skoal Bandit
Chevrolet 	Marcis Auto Racing 	71 	Dave Marcis 	 	1988 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe	Lifebuoy
Chevrolet 	Richard Childress Racing 	3 	Dale Earnhardt 	Kirk Shelmerdine	1988 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe	GM Goodwrench
Chevrolet 	Whitcomb Racing 	10 	Ken Bouchard (R) 	 	1987 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe	unsponsored
Chrysler 	Adcox Racing 	24 	Grant Adcox 	 	1988 LeBaron 	Tab
Chrysler 	Bahari Racing 	30 	Michael Waltrip 	Mike Beam 	1988 LeBaron 	Country Time
Chrysler 	Donlavey Racing 	90 	Ken Schrader 	Doug Richert 	1988 LeBaron 	Bull's-Eye BBQ Sauce
Chrysler 	Hagan Motorsports 	44 	Sterling Marlin 	 	1988 LeBaron 	Piedmont
Chrysler 	Jackson Brothers Motorsports	55 	Phil Parsons 	Andy Petree 	1988 LeBaron 	Skoal Classic
Chrysler 	Kelman Racing 	86 	Ryan Kelman (R) 	Scott Searle 	1988 LeBaron 	AT&T
Chrysler 	Means Racing 	52 	Jimmy Means 	 	1988 LeBaron 	Eureka Vacuum Cleaners
Chrysler 	Pacific Coast Racing 	80 	Tim Johnson (R) 	Lyle White 	1988 LeBaron 	Mopar/Nintendo
Chrysler 	Petty Enterprises 	43 	Richard Petty 	Dale Inman 	1988 LeBaron 	STP
Chrysler 	Speed Racing 	83 	Lake Speed 	Darrell Bryant 	1988 LeBaron 	Wynn's
Ford 	AK Racing 	7 	Alan Kulwicki 	Paul Andrews 	1988 Thunderbird 	Zerex
Ford 	Bud Moore Engineering 	15 	Brett Bodine 	Bud Moore 	1988 Thunderbird 	Crisco
Ford 	Melling Racing 	9 	Bill Elliott 	Ernie Elliott 	1988 Thunderbird 	Coors
Ford 	Ranier-Lundy Racing 	28 	Davey Allison 	Robert Yates 	1988 Thunderbird 	Texaco
Ford 	Roush Racing 	6 	Mark Martin 	Robin Pemberton 	1988 Thunderbird 	Stroh's Light
Ford 	Testa Racing 	68 	Derrike Cope 	Dave Fuge 	1987 Thunderbird 	Purlator
Ford 	Wood Brothers Racing 	21 	Kyle Petty 	Leonard Wood 	1988 Thunderbird 	Citgo
Oldsmobile	Cale Yarborough Motorsports 	29 	Cale Yarborough (10)	Elmo Langley 	1988 Cutlass Supreme 	Hardee's
Oldsmobile	Cale Yarborough Motorsports 	29 	Dale Jarrett (19) 	Elmo Langley 	1988 Cutlass Supreme 	Hardee's
Oldsmobile	Bob Clark Motorsports 	31 	Brad Teague 	 	1987 Cutlass Supreme 	Slender Your Figure
Oldsmobile	Morgan-McClure Motorsports 	4 	Rick Wilson 	Tony Glover 	1988 Cutlass Supreme 	Kodak
Pontiac 	Baker-Schiff Racing 	88 	Buddy Baker 	Joey Knuckles 	1988 Grand Prix 	Red Baron Frozen Pizza
Pontiac 	Blue Max Racing 	28 	Rusty Wallace 	Barry Dodson 	1988 Grand Prix 	Kodiak
Pontiac 	Kennedy Racing 	03 	Melvin Kennedy (R) 	Mark Cutter 	1987 Grand Prix 2+2 	ShowBiz Pizza Time
Pontiac 	RahMoc Enterprises 	75 	Neil Bonnett 	Bob Rahilly 	1988 Grand Prix 	Valvoline
Pontiac 	U.S. Racing 	2 	Ernie Irvan (R) 	Bob Johnson 	1988 Grand Prix 	Pepsi/Kroger
== Schedule ==
No.	Race Title 	Track 	Date 	TV
 	Busch Clash Wildcard Race 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach 	February 7 	CBS
 	Busch Clash 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach 	February 7 	CBS
 	Twin 125 Qualifiers 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach 	February 11 	CBS
1 	Daytona 500 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach 	February 14 	CBS
2 	Pontiac Excitement 400 	Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, Richmond 	February 21 	TBS
 	Goodyear NASCAR 500 	Calder Park Thunderdome, Melbourne 	February 28 	ESPN
3 	Goodwrench 500 	North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham 	March 6 	ESPN
4 	Motorcraft Quality Parts 500	Atlanta International Speedway, Hampton 	March 20 	ABC
5 	TranSouth 500 	Darlington Raceway, Darlington 	March 27 	ESPN
6 	Valleydale Meats 500 	Bristol International Raceway, Bristol 	April 10 	ESPN
7 	First Union 400 	North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro 	April 17 	ESPN
8 	Pannill Sweatshirts 500 	Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway 	April 24 	SETN
9 	Winston 500 	Alabama International Motor Speedway, Talladega	May 1 	ESPN
10 	Diet Coke 500 	Coca-Cola Superspeedway, Denver 	May 7 	CBS
 	Winston Open 	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Charlotte 	May 22 	ABC
 	The Winston 	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Charlotte 	May 22 	ABC
11 	Coca-Cola 600 	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Charlotte 	May 29 	TBS
12 	Budweiser 500 	Dover Downs International Speedway, Dover 	June 5 	ESPN
13 	Budweiser 400 	Riverside International Raceway, Riverside 	June 12 	ESPN
14 	Miller High Life 500 	Pocono International Raceway, Long Pond 	June 19 	SCORE
15 	Miller High Life 400 	Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn 	June 26 	CBS
16 	Pepsi Firecracker 400 	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach 	July 2 	ABC
17 	Diet Coke 500 	Coca-Cola Superspeedway, Denver 	July 10 	CBS
18 	AC Spark Plug 500 	Pocono International Raceway, Long Pond 	July 24 	Showtime
19 	Talladega DieHard 500 	Alabama International Motor Speedway, Talladega	July 31 	CBS
20 	Budweiser at the Glen 	Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen 	August 14 	ESPN
21 	Champion Spark Plug 400 	Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn 	August 21 	ESPN
22 	Busch 500 	Bristol International Raceway, Bristol 	August 27 	ESPN
23 	Southern 500 	Darlington Raceway, Darlington 	September 4 	ESPN
24 	Miller Hight Life 500 	Richmond International Raceway, Richmond 	September 11	TBS
25 	Delaware 500 	Dover Downs International Speedway, Dover 	September 18	ESPN
26 	Goody's 500 	Martinsville Raceway, Ridgeway 	September 25	ESPN
27 	Oakwood Homes 500 	Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord 	October 9 	SCORE
28 	Holly Farms 400 	North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro 	October 16 	ESPN
29 	AC Delco 500 	North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham 	October 23 	ESPN
30 	Checker 500 	Phoenix International Speedway, Avondale 	November 6 	ESPN
31 	Atlanta Journal 500 	Atlanta International Speedway, Hampton 	November 20 	ESPN
== Season summary ==
=== Busch Clash Wildcard Race ===
The Busch Clash Wildcard Race was held on February 7 at Daytona International Speedway. The race was not part of the initial schedule, but was added when it was discovered that only seven drivers were eligible to run the Busch Clash, and only six would enter due to Dennis Malone retiring from full-time driving. Therefore, the decision was made to expand eligibility to past winners of the Clash, and run a Wildcard Race where the top ten would advance to the main race. The race was only open to drivers who had run at least one race in 1987. Ken Schrader drew for the pole.
Top Ten Results
# 55-Phil Parsons *
# 86-Ryan Kelman
# 16-Larry Pearson
# 90-Ken Schrader
# 21-Kyle Petty
# 89-Jim Sauter
# 27-Rusty Wallace
# 1-Dale Jarrett
# 8-Bobby Hillin Jr.
# 30-Michael Waltrip
* This was the first race for the new Chrysler LeBaron. Four Chryslers finished in the top ten and advanced to the main race, including race winner Phil Parsons.
=== Busch Clash ===
The Busch Clash, an invitational event for all Busch Pole winners the previous season, as well as past winners of the Clash and the top ten finishers of the wildcard race earlier that day, was held February 7 at Daytona International Speedway. Rusty Wallace drew for the pole.
Top Ten Results
# 25-Tim Richmond
# 11-Terry Labonte
# 3-Dale Earnhardt
# 89-Jim Sauter
# 1-Dale Jarrett
# 24-Grant Adcox
# 86-Ryan Kelman
# 8-Bobby Hillin Jr.
# 55-Phil Parsons
# 9-Bill Elliott
== Results ==
No.	Race 	Pole position	Most laps led	Winner 	Make/Model
 	Busch Clash Wildcard Race	Ken Schrader 	Phil Parsons
Ken Schrader	Phil Parsons	1988 Chrysler LeBaron
 	Busch Clash 	Rusty Wallace	Tim Richmond 	Tim Richmond	1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe
 	Twin 125 Race 1 	 	 	 	
 	Twin 125 Race 2 	 	 	 	
1 	Daytona 500 	 	 	 	
== Cars Used in 1988 ==
File:1987 chevrolet monte carlo.jpeg|Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe (final full year)
File:1988 pontiac grand prix.jpg|Pontiac Grand Prix
File:1985 pontiac grand prix.jpg|Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 (final year for this particular variant)
File:1988 ford thunderbird.jpg|Ford Thunderbird (final year for this nose)
File:1988 buick regal.jpg|Buick Regal (RETURNING)
File:1988 oldsmobile cutlass supreme.jpg|Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
File:1988 chrysler lebaron.jpg|Chrysler LeBaron (NEW)
Category:Start Your Engines!