41°03′19″N 75°30′41″W / 41.05539°N 75.51152°W / 41.05539; -75.51152

1983 Like Cola 500
Race details[1]
Race 18 of 30 in the 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
1983 Like Cola 500 program cover
1983 Like Cola 500 program cover
Date July 24, 1983 (1983-July-24)
Official name Like Cola 500
Location Pocono International Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Course Permanent racing facility
2.500 mi (3.400 km)
Distance 200 laps, 501.0 mi (804 km)
Weather Mild with temperatures of 75.9 °F (24.4 °C); wind speeds of 8 miles per hour (13 km/h)
Average speed 114.818 mph (184.782 km/h)
Attendance 65,000[2]
Pole position
Driver
Blue Max Racing
Time 59.218 seconds
Most laps led
Driver Bobby Allison DiGard Motorsports
Laps 56
Winner
No. 27 Tim Richmond Blue Max Racing
Television in the United States
Network Mizlou
Announcers Ken Squier
Buddy Baker

The 1983 Like Cola 500, the 10th running of the event, was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event held on July 24, 1983, at Pocono International Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.

Like Cola, the sponsor of the race, was an unsuccessful cola soft drink that was distributed and sold through the United States of America from 1982 to approximately 1985.

During the early 1980s, the NASCAR Winston Cup Series was plagued with top teams running big engines and finishing in third place to avoid inspection. Only manual transmission vehicles were allowed to participate in this race; a policy that NASCAR has retained to the present day.

The layout of Pocono Raceway, where the race was held.

Background

Pocono Raceway is one of six superspeedways to hold NASCAR races; the others are Daytona International Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.[3] The standard track at Pocono Raceway is a three-turn superspeedway that is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long.[4] The track's turns are banked differently; the first is banked at 14°, the second turn at 8° and the final turn with 6°. However, each of the three straightaways are banked at 2°.[4]

Race report

Out of the 42 drivers who tried to qualify for this event; 40 managed to qualify. John Callis and Jimmy Walker are the two drivers who failed to qualify for the race.[2] John Callis would never return to NASCAR after failing to qualify for this race. With the exception of Canadian-born Trevor Boys, the grid was born in the United States of America.[2] Clark Dwyer managed to receive the last-place finish due to an oil pressure issue on lap 6 in this 200-lap extravaganza.[2] Pontiac and Buick vehicles made up the majority of the racing grid.[2] Bobby Wawak would be the lowest-finishing driver to complete the event while Morgan Shepherd's attempt at a "top ten" finish would be sabotaged by a problematic engine on lap 193.[2]

While Tim Richmond and Darrell Waltrip would dominate the opening laps of this event, the closing laps would see Bill Elliott, Dave Marcis and Tim Richmond exchange the first-place position during the closing laps.[2] Richmond would eventually best Waltrip by almost two seconds in front of a live audience of 65,000 spectators driving in a used Pontiac LeMans machine as opposed to the newer Pontiac Grand Prix model.[2] Other notable drivers in this event included Kyle Petty, J.D. McDuffie, Sterling Marlin, Benny Parsons and Buddy Arrington.[2] Bobby Gerhart and Glenn Jarrett managed to collide into each other in a manner that would rip the entire rear end off of Gerhart's vehicle on lap 25.[2]

The average speeds for this vehicles in this event was 114.818 miles per hour (184.782 km/h) while pole position winner Tim Richmond was practically sailing through the turns at speeds up to 151.981 miles per hour (244.590 km/h) during the solo qualifying runs.[2] Individual race earnings varied from the winner's portion of $27,430 ($80,595 when adjusted for inflation) to the last-place finisher's portion of $1,100 ($3,232 when adjusted for inflation). NASCAR officials authorized a grand total of $246,500 to be awarded to all qualifying drivers for this racing event ($724,264 when adjusted for inflation).[5] After this event, the racing never got super-competitive at Pocono Raceway until the July 1995 running of the Miller Genuine Draft 500.

Glenn Jarrett would retire from NASCAR Cup Series racing after racing here.[6] Notable crew chiefs who were in attendance for this race were Darrell Bryant, Joey Arrington, Elmo Langley, Dale Inman, Robin Pemberton, Bud Moore and Kirk Shelmerdine.[7]

The most dominant drivers in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series during the 1980s were Bill Elliott, Darrell Waltrip, Terry Labonte, Bobby Allison, and Dale Earnhardt. During the early 1980s, the NASCAR Winston Cup Series was plagued with top teams running big engines and finishing in third place to avoid inspection.

Qualifying

Grid No. Driver Manufacturer Speed[8] Qualifying time[8] Owner
1 27Tim RichmondPontiac151.98159.218Raymond Beadle
2 33Harry GantBuick150.80959.678Hal Needham
3 11Darrell WaltripChevrolet150.49959.801Junior Johnson
4 75Neil BonnettChevrolet150.47159.812RahMoc Enterprises
5 44Terry LabonteChevrolet150.46159.816Billy Hagan
6 3Ricky RuddChevrolet149.7781:00.089Richard Childress
7 55Benny ParsonsChevrolet149.3581:00.258Johnny Hayes
8 9Bill ElliottFord149.2931:00.284Harry Melling
9 43Richard PettyPontiac148.9841:00.409Petty Enterprises
10 15Dale EarnhardtFord148.7331:00.511Bud Moore
11 88Geoff BodinePontiac148.6921:00.528
12 22Bobby AllisonBuick148.5881:00.570
13 98Joe RuttmanBuick148.4461:00.628
14 7Kyle PettyPontiac148.4321:00.634
15 47Ron BouchardBuick147.6141:00.970
16 90Dick BrooksFord147.1961:01.143
17 48Trevor BoysChevrolet147.1501:01.162
18 2Morgan ShepherdBuick147.0201:01.216
19 71Dave MarcisChevrolet146.0001:01.644
20 17Sterling MarlinPontiac145.3371:01.925
21 5Greg SacksChevrolet147.4811:01.025
22 8Bobby Hillin, Jr.Buick144.5501:02.262
23 67Buddy ArringtonDodge144.3161:02.363
24 64Tommy GaleFord143.9381:02.527
25 74Bobby WawakBuick143.8161:02.580
26 19Bobby GerhartBuick143.2391:02.832
27 02D.K. UlrichPontiac143.0871:02.899
28 52Jimmy MeansPontiac142.9391:02.964
29 18Slick JohnsonBuick142.8981:02.982
30 6Al ElmoreBuick142.3601:03.220
31 76Mike PotterOldsmobile142.3331:03.232
32 60Bob RileyPontiac142.3101:03.242
33 41Ronnie ThomasPontiac142.2651:03.262
34 10Clark DwyerChevrolet142.1351:03.320
35 65Glenn JarrettFord141.9361:03.409
36 24Cecil GordonChrysler141.1681:03.754
37 58Jerry BowmanFord141.0151:03.823
38 63Jocko MaggiacomoOldsmobile140.9881:03.835
39 70J.D. McDuffiePontiac140.9741:03.923
40 13Dick MayBuick139.3921:04.566

Race

Fin[9][10] St # Driver Sponsor Make Team/Owner Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 127Tim RichmondOld MilwaukeePontiac Blue Max Racing200 39 running 180 $27,430
2 311Darrell WaltripPepsi ChallengerChevrolet Junior Johnson & Associates200 50 running 175 $23,375
3 1222Bobby AllisonMiller High LifeBuick DiGard Motorsports200 56 running 175 $21,950
4 475Neil BonnettHodgdonChevrolet RahMoc Enterprises200 25 running 165 $16,525
5 233Harry GantSkoal BanditBuick Mach 1 Racing200 15 running 160 $14,700
6 89Bill ElliottMelling Oil PumpsFord Melling Racing200 2 running 155 $9,630
7 63Ricky RuddPiedmont AirlinesChevrolet Richard Childress Racing200 0 running 146 $7,460
8 1971Dave MarcisFun SeasonsChevrolet Marcis Auto Racing200 3 running 147 $11,500
9 1398Joe RuttmanLevi GarrettBuick Benfield Racing200 0 running 138 $6,350
10 943Richard PettySTPPontiac Petty Enterprises200 5 running 139 $9,750
11 147Kyle Petty7-ElevenPontiac Petty Enterprises199 0 running 130 $5,880
12 544Terry LabonteBudweiserChevrolet Hagan Racing199 2 running 132 $6,370
13 1547Ron BouchardRace Hill FarmBuick Race Hill Farm Team198 0 running 124 $5,260
14 1748Trevor BoysHylton-McCaigChevrolet James Hylton Motorsports197 0 running 121 $5,450
15 1690Dick BrooksChameleon SunglassesFord Donlavey Racing196 0 running 118 $4,740
16 228Bobby Hillin, Jr.Trap Rock, Camper StoresBuick Hillin Racing196 0 running 115 $2,500
17 2702D.K. UlrichReeder RacingPontiac Reeder Racing195 0 running 112 $4,380
18 2017Sterling MarlinHesco ExhaustPontiac Hamby Racing195 0 running 109 $3,990
19 182Morgan ShepherdACM Equipment SalesBuick Jim Stacy Racing193 0 engine 106 $9,800
20 3341Ronnie ThomasYopaka KennelsPontiac Ronnie Thomas193 1 running 108 $2,100
21 3176Mike PotterCam FarmOldsmobile Mike Potter192 0 running 100 $2,000
22 306Al ElmoreUlrich RacingBuick Ulrich Racing191 0 running 97 $3,580
23 3624Cecil GordonBoat ExchangeChrysler Gordon Racing189 0 running 94 $1,850
24 24 64 Tommy Gale Sunny King Ford & Honda Ford Elmo Langley 188 0 running 91 $3,470
25 39 70 J.D. McDuffie McDuffie Racing Pontiac McDuffie Racing 183 0 running 88 $4,410
26 38 63 Jocko Maggiacomo Tele-Video Oldsmobile Linro Motorsports 182 0 running 85 $1,700
27 25 74 Bobby Wawak Superior Piping Buick Wawak Racing 175 0 running 82 $1,650
28 37 58 Jerry Bowman Bel Air Datsun Ford Jerry Bowman 152 0 oil pressure 79 $1,600
29 21 5 Greg Sacks Sacks & Sons Chevrolet Sacks & Sons 128 0 crash 76 $2,050
30 1015Dale EarnhardtWranglerFord Bud Moore Engineering71 0 engine 73 $8,500
31 755Benny ParsonsCopenhagenChevrolet Johnny Hayes Racing71 2 engine 75 $1,450
32 23 67 Buddy Arrington Arrington Racing Dodge Arrington Racing 62 0 crank 67 $2,400
33 4013Dick MayHalverson RacingBuick Halverson Racing34 0 rear end 64 $1,350
34 26 19 Bobby Gerhart Gray Racing Buick Gray Racing 25 0 crash 61 $1,300
35 28 52 Jimmy Means Broadway Motors Pontiac Jimmy Means Racing 25 0 crash 58 $2,250
36 35 65 Glenn Jarrett Spohn's Body Shop Ford Spohn Racing 24 0 crash 55 $1,200
37 29 18 Slick Johnson Satterfield Racing Buick Satterfield Racing 21 0 engine 52 $1,175
38 32 60 Bob Riley Riley Racing Pontiac Riley Racing 10 0 engine 49 $1,150
39 1188Geoffrey BodineGatoradePontiac Cliff Stewart Racing7 0 engine 46 $3,125
40 34 10 Clark Dwyer Kings Inn Chevrolet Roger Hamby 6 0 oil pressure 43 $1,100
Failed to qualify
56 John Callis Chevrolet John Callis
96 Jimmy Walker Ford Will Cronkrite

Standings after the race

Pos Driver Points[2] Differential
1 Bobby Allison 2804 0
2 Darrell Waltrip 2602 -202
3 Bill Elliott 2535 -269
4 Harry Gant 2523 -281
5 Richard Petty 2439 -365
6 Neil Bonnett 2425 -379
7 Terry Labonte 2221 -583
8 Joe Ruttman 2208 -596
9 Increase Ricky Rudd 2188 -616
10 Decrease Dale Earnhardt 2124 -680

References

  1. ↑ Weather information for the 1983 Like Cola 500 at The Old Farmers' Almanac
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1983 Like Cola 500 racing information at Racing Reference
  3. ↑ "NASCAR Race Tracks". NASCAR. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  4. 1 2 "Pocono Raceway". NASCAR. Turner Sports. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
  5. ↑ Winnings information for the 1983 Like Cola 500 at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
  6. ↑ 1983 Like Cola 500 racing information at Race Database
  7. ↑ 1983 Like Cola 500 crew chiefs at Racing Reference
  8. 1 2 Additional qualifying information for the 1983 Like Cola 500 at Racing Reference
  9. ↑ "1983 Like Cola 500 - The Third Turn". www.thethirdturn.com. Retrieved 2021-06-28.
  10. ↑ "1983 Like Cola 500 race results". Racing-Reference. Archived from the original on 2021-04-28.
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