1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 42nd season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 19th modern-era Cup Series. It began on Sunday, February 11, and ended on Sunday, November 18. Because of a highly controversial penalty to Mark Martin early in the season, Dale Earnhardt with Richard Childress Racing was crowned the Winston Cup champion for the fourth time, edging out Martin by 26 points. Races. Busch Clash. The exhibition Busch Clash race, for drivers who have won a pole position in the previous season or have  won the event before, was held on February 11 at Daytona International Speedway. Jimmy Hensley drew the pole. Results Gatorade Twin 125s. The Gatorade Twin 125s qualifying for the Daytona 500 was held on February 15 at Daytona International Speedway. Race One: Top Ten Results Race Two: Top Ten Results Daytona 500. The 32nd annual Daytona 500 was held on February 18 at Daytona International Speedway. Ken Schrader won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 0-Delma Cowart, 13-Mike Potter, 19-Chad Little, 29-Joe Booher, 34-Charlie Glotzbach, 35-Bill Venturini, 37-Dennis Langston, 39-Blackie  Wangerin, 44-Jim Sauter, 48-Trevor Boys, 59-Mark Gibson, 70-J. D. McDuffie, 72-Stan Barrett, 77-Ken Ragan, 82-Mark Stahl, 85-Bobby Gerhart, 89-Rodney Combs, 96-Phillip Duffie, 01-Mickey Gibbs Pontiac Excitement 400. The Pontiac Excitement 400 was held on February 25 at Richmond International Raceway. Ricky Rudd won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 70-J. D. McDuffie, 53-Jerry O'Neil GM Goodwrench 500. The GM Goodwrench 500 was held on March 4, 1990, at North Carolina Motor Speedway. Kyle Petty won the pole. Top Ten results Motorcraft Quality Parts 500. The  Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 was held on March 18 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Dale Earnhardt won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 14-A. J. Foyt, 46-Greg Sacks, 70-J. D. McDuffie TranSouth 500. The TranSouth 500 was held on April 1 at Darlington Speedway. Geoff Bodine started on the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 48-Norm Benning, 74-Mike Potter, 82-Mark Stahl Valleydale Meats 500. The Valleydale Meats 500 was held on April 8 at Bristol International Raceway. The No. 4 of Ernie Irvan won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify : 19-Chad Little, 16-Larry Pearson First Union 400. The First Union 400 was held at North Wilkesboro Speedway on April 22, 1990. Mark Martin was the polesitter. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 48-Freddie Crawford, 70-J. D. McDuffie, 76-Bill Sedgwick Hanes Activewear 500. The Hanes Activewear 500 was held on April 29 at Martinsville Speedway. Geoff Bodine won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: none Winston 500. The Winston 500 was held on May 6 at Talladega Superspeedway. The No. 9 of Bill Elliott won the pole.* Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 70 -J. D. McDuffie, 80-Jimmy Horton, 82-Mark Stahl, 85-Bobby Gerhart Winston Open. The Winston Open, a shootout race for drivers who are normally not eligible for The Winston, was held May 20 at Charlotte Motor Speedway with the winner transferring to The Winston later in the day. Ernie Irvan was on the pole. Top Ten Results The Winston. The Winston was held May 20 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Dale Earnhardt started on the pole. Top Ten Results Coca-Cola 600. The Coca-Cola 600 was held May 27 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 25 of Ken Schrader  won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 0-Delma Cowart, 35-Bill Venturini, 36-H. B. Bailey, 38-Dick Johnson, 52-Jimmy Means, 53-Jerry O'Neil, 70-J. D. McDuffie, 74-Mike Potter, 82-Mark Stahl, 01-Mickey Gibbs, 04-Bill Meacham, 48-Robin Best Budweiser 500. The Budweiser 500 was held at Dover Downs International Speedway on June 3, 1990. Dick Trickle won the pole. Top Ten Results Banquet Frozen Foods 300. The Banquet Frozen Foods 300 was held June 10 at Sears Point Raceway. Ricky Rudd won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 52 -Jimmy Means, J. C. Danielson, St. James Davis, Mike Hickingbottom Miller Genuine Draft 500. The Miller Genuine Draft 500 was held at Pocono International Raceway on June 17, 1990. Ernie Irvan started on the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 74-John Linville Miller Genuine Draft 400. The Miller Genuine Draft 400 was held at Michigan International Speedway on June 24, 1990. Mark Martin won the pole via points as qualifying was rained out. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 50-Rich Vogler, 77-Ken Ragan, 34-Charlie Glotzbach Pepsi 400. The Pepsi 400 was held at Daytona International  Speedway on July 7, 1990. Greg Sacks won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 70-J. D. McDuffie*, 72-Tracy Leslie, 80-Jimmy Horton* AC Spark Plug 500. The AC Spark Plug 500 was held July 22 at Pocono Raceway. Mark Martin qualified on the top spot. Top Ten Results Did not start: 50-Rich Vogler (credited with 40th-place finish) Failed to qualify: 2-Troy Beebe, 70-J. D. McDuffie, 85-Bobby Gerhart Diehard 500. The Diehard 500 was held July 29, 1990, at Talladega Superspeedway. Dale Earnhardt won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify : 0-Delma Cowart, 70-J. D. McDuffie, 77-Ken Ragan Budweiser at The Glen. The Budweiser at The Glen was held at Watkins Glen International on August 12, 1990. Dale Earnhardt won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 93-Troy Beebe Champion Spark Plug 400. The Champion Spark Plug 400 was held on August 19, 1990, at Michigan International Speedway. The No. 7 of Alan Kulwicki won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 34-Charlie Glotzbach, 36-H. B. Bailey, 70-J. D. McDuffie, 72-Tracy Leslie Busch 500. The Busch 500 was held August 25 , 1990, at Bristol International Raceway. Dale Earnhardt won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 19-Chad Little, 70-J. D. McDuffie, 74-Mike Potter Heinz Southern 500. The Heinz Southern 500 was held on September 2, 1990, at Darlington Raceway. Dale Earnhardt won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 70-J. D. McDuffie Miller Genuine Draft 400. The Miller Genuine Draft 400 was held September 9, 1990, at Richmond International Raceway. Ernie Irvan won the pole. Failed to qualify: 70-J. D. McDuffie, 47-Jack Pennington, 13-Kerry Teague Peak AntiFreeze 500. The Peak AntiFreeze 500  was held at Dover Downs International Speedway on September 16, 1990. Bill Elliott won the pole Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 13-Kerry Teague Goody's 500. The Goody's 500 was held at Martinsville Speedway on September 23, 1990. Mark Martin won the pole. Top ten results Failed to qualify: 2–Ron Esau, 70–J. D. McDuffie Tyson Holly Farms 400. The Tyson Holly Farms 400 was held September 30, 1990, at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Kyle Petty won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 2-Ron Esau, 40-Tommy Kendall, 41-Larry Pearson, 47-Jack Pennington , 70-J. D. McDuffie Mello Yello 500. The Mello Yello 500 was held on October 7, 1990, at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Brett Bodine won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 13-Mike Skinner, 65-Dave Mader III, 89-Rodney Combs, 64-Gary Wright, 40-Tommy Kendall, 13-Kerry Teague, 70-J. D. McDuffie, 74-Mike Potter, 93-Troy Beebe, 72-Tracy Leslie, 53-Jerry O'Neil, 36-H. B. Bailey, 54-Bob Schacht, 0-Delma Cowart, 04-Bill Meacham, 35-Bill Venturini. AC Delco 500. The AC Delco 500 was held October 21, 1990, at North Carolina Speedway. Ken  Schrader won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 0-Delma Cowart, 48-James Hylton, 70-J. D. McDuffie, 82-Mark Stahl Checker 500. The Checker 500 was held November 4, 1990, at Phoenix International Raceway. Rusty Wallace won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 04-Hershel McGriff, 34-Ted Kennedy, 24-Butch Gilliland, 61-Rick Scribner, 44-Jack Sellers, 22-St. James Davis Atlanta Journal 500. The final race of the season was held on November 18, 1990, at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Rusty Wallace won the pole. Top Ten Results Failed to qualify: 82-Mark Stahl  Full Drivers' Championship. () Bold – Pole position awarded by time. "Italics" – Pole position set by owner's points. * – Most laps led. Rookie of the Year. The 1990 season was a slim season for Rookie of the Year contenders. 1989 Busch Series champion Rob Moroso had a top-ten finish and qualified for every race, but he was killed in a car crash before the end of the year and was awarded the top rookie award posthumously. His top runner-up was Jack Pennington, a late-model dirt racing champion, who had 14 starts and no top-tens in an unsponsored car . The only other declarees were Jerry O'Neil and Jeff Purvis, who did not run enough races to be completely eligible for the honor.