1986 The Winston
Race details[1]
Race 2 of 2 exhibition races in the 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
Date May 11, 1986 (1986-05-11)
Location Hampton, Georgia
Course Atlanta International Raceway
1.522 mi (2.45 km)
Distance 83 laps, 126.3 mi (203.26 km)
Weather Temperatures around 67.2 °F (19.6 °C), with winds gusting to 8.52 miles per hour (13.71 km/h)[2]
Average speed 159.123 mph (256.084 km/h)
Attendance 18,500
Pole position
Driver
Junior Johnson & Associates
Most laps led
Driver Bill Elliott Melling Racing
Laps 82
Winner
No. 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Larry Nuber, and Benny Parsons

The 1986 The Winston, the second running of the NASCAR All-Star Race, was a stock car racing competition that took place on May 11, 1986. The only time The Winston was held at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia, the 83-lap race was the second exhibition race in the 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series.[3] Bill Elliott of Melling Racing led the most laps (82) and won the caution-free race and US$200,000, along with US$40,000 for leading laps 20, 30, 50, and 60.

The event featured the Atlanta Invitational, a 100-lap race for drivers who did not meet the eligibility of The Winston. Benny Parsons of Jackson Brothers Motorsports won the race and US$75,000 and became eligible to run the 1987 The Winston. The Atlanta Invitational was held before The Winston, but due to a tape delay, ESPN aired the race after The Winston.

NASCAR's original plan for The Winston was to hold the race at a different track every year, but due to the dismal attendance of this race, The Winston was moved back to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the next 32 years before Bristol Motor Speedway hosted the 2020 NASCAR All-Star Race.

Background

The Winston was open to race winners from the 1985 season. Because the field was one short of the minimum requirement of 10 cars, the final spot was awarded to the highest finishing driver in the 1985 points standings without a win. The pole position was awarded to the defending Winston Cup champion while the rest of the field was determined by the total number of wins from last season, with driver's points used as the tiebreaker.

1986 The Winston drivers and eligibility

Race winners in 1985

Awarded by points

Race summary

Atlanta Invitational

The Atlanta Invitational was a 100-lap exhibition race featuring 14 participants that did not meet the eligibility of The Winston. Benny Parsons won the caution-free race and US$75,000. The win also gave him the eligibility to run the 1987 Winston.

Race results
Pos Grid Car Driver Owner Manufacturer Laps run Laps led
1 555Benny ParsonsJackson Brothers Motorsports Oldsmobile10037
2 225Tim RichmondHendrick Motorsports Chevrolet10056
3 38Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers Racing Buick1000
4 64Lake SpeedMorgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile1003
5 726Joe RuttmanKing Racing Buick1002
6 422Bobby AllisonStavola Brothers Racing Buick1000
7 843Richard PettyPetty Enterprises Pontiac1000
8 1088Buddy BakerBaker-Schiff Racing Oldsmobile1000
9 973Dave MarcisMarcis Auto Racing Ford990
10 1167Buddy ArringtonArrington Racing Ford970
11 1252Jimmy MeansMeans Racing Pontiac940
12 17Kyle PettyWood Brothers Racing Ford692
13 1470J. D. McDuffieMcDuffie Racing Pontiac370
14 136Trevor BoysU.S. Racing Chevrolet240
Source:[4]

The Winston

The Winston was an 83-lap exhibition race with a combined purse of US$500,000. The earnings were as follows:

The Winston earnings
First place US$200,000
Second place US$75,000
Third place US$60,000
Fourth place US$50,000
Fifth place US$30,000
Sixth place US$25,000
Seventh place US$20,000
Eighth place US$15,000
Ninth place US$14,500
Tenth place US$10,000

In addition, a purse bonus of US$10,000 was given to the drivers who led laps 20, 30, 50, and 60.

Chevrolet Monte Carlo driver Darrell Waltrip and Ford Thunderbird driver Bill Elliott led the field on the green flag. Despite being the pole sitter, Waltrip lost momentum as Elliott and Dale Earnhardt passed him before the first lap. Prior to the first pit stop, Waltrip struggled with an ill-handling car as he dropped below the top five while Cale Yarborough and Harry Gant battled for third and Neil Bonnett and Geoff Bodine fought for fifth place. With no one close enough to challenge him, Elliott earned US$20,000 by leading laps 20 and 30. The two-tire pit stop began on lap 40. After changing left-side tires, Elliott passed Earnhardt at full speed to regain the lead. He once again collected US$20,000 for leading laps 50 and 60. Elliott dominated the race and took the checkered flag to win US$200,000 with Earnhardt, Gant, Waltrip, and Yarborough wrapping up the top five.

Race results
Pos Grid Car Driver Owner Manufacturer Laps run Laps led
1 29Bill ElliottMelling Racing Ford8382
2 33Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress Racing Chevrolet831
3 444Harry GantMach 1 Racing Chevrolet830
4 111Darrell WaltripJunior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet830
5 628Cale YarboroughRainier-Lundy Racing Ford830
6 512Neil BonnettJunior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet830
7 105Geoff BodineHendrick Motorsports Chevrolet830
8 715Ricky RuddBud Moore Engineering Ford820
9 844Terry LabonteHagan Racing Chevrolet820
10 910Greg SacksDiGard Motorsports Chevrolet820
Source:[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "1986 The Winston". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Weather information for the 1986 The Winston". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Photos: 30 years of NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners". Fox Sports. October 20, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  4. ↑ "1986 Atlanta Invitational". Racing-References. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
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