1996 Pontiac Excitement 400
Race details
Race 3 of 31 in the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1996 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover.
The 1996 Pontiac Excitement 400 program cover.
Date March 3, 1996
Official name 42nd Annual Pontiac Excitement 400
Location Richmond, Virginia, Richmond International Raceway
Course Permanent racing facility
0.75 mi (1.21 km)
Distance 400 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km)
Scheduled Distance 400 laps, 300 mi (482.803 km)
Average speed 102.75 miles per hour (165.36 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Hendrick Motorsports
Time 21.822
Most laps led
Driver Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises
Laps 129
Winner
No. 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network ESPN
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, Ned Jarrett
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

The 1996 Pontiac Excitement 400 was the third stock car race of the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 42nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 3, 1996, in Richmond, Virginia, at Richmond International Raceway, a 0.75 miles (1.21 km) D-shaped oval. The race took the scheduled 400 laps to complete. On the final restart with five to go, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would manage to pull away from the field to secure his 10th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett and Roush Racing driver Ted Musgrave would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

The layout of Richmond International Raceway, the venue where the race was at.

Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series. Known as "America's premier short track", it formerly hosted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, an IndyCar Series race, and two USAC sprint car races.

Entry list

  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac Hooters
2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford Miller
02 Robbie Faggart Miles Motorsports Chevrolet Miles Motorsports
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Valvoline
7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford QVC
8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford Circuit City
9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford Spam
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Lowe's
12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford Mane 'n Tail
15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford Hayes Modems
16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford PrimeStar, The Family Channel
17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet Parts America
18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Interstate Batteries
19 Dick Trickle TriStar Motorsports Ford HealthSource RI
21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac MBNA
23 Jimmy Spencer Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford Camel Cigarettes
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
27 Elton Sawyer David Blair Motorsports Ford David Blair Motorsports
28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Cartoon Network, The Flintstones
30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac Pennzoil
33 Robert Pressley Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet Skoal
37 Jeremy Mayfield Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford Kmart, Little Caesars
41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac Coors Light Silver Bullet
43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Prodigy
75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms
77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions
78 Randy MacDonald Triad Motorsports Ford Diamond Rio
81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford Square D, TIC Financial Systems
87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet Burger King
88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford Quality Care Service, Ford Credit
90 Mike Wallace Donlavey Racing Ford Heilig-Meyers
94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford McDonald's
98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford RCA
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Exide

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, March 1, at 10:30 AM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 25 drivers in the round would be guaranteed a starting spot in the race. If a driver was not able to guarantee a spot in the first round, they had the option to scrub their time from the first round and try and run a faster lap time in a second round qualifying run, held on Saturday, March 2, at 11:30 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 26-36 would be decided on time,[3] and depending on who needed it, a select amount of positions were given to cars who had not otherwise qualified but were high enough in owner's points.

Terry Labonte, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 21.822 and an average speed of 123.728 miles per hour (199.121 km/h).[4]

Three drivers would fail to qualify: Randy MacDonald, Robbie Faggart, and Dick Trickle.

Full qualifying results

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21.822 123.728
2 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21.863 123.496
3 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 21.923 123.158
4 41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21.931 123.113
5 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 21.940 123.063
6 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 21.941 123.057
7 29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 21.954 122.984
8 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 21.957 122.968
9 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 21.966 122.917
10 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 21.970 122.895
11 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 21.971 122.889
12 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 21.972 122.884
13 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 21.977 122.856
14 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 21.981 122.833
15 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 22.013 122.655
16 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 22.023 122.599
17 15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford 22.030 122.560
18 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac 22.063 122.377
19 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 22.112 122.106
20 27 Elton Sawyer David Blair Motorsports Ford 22.123 122.045
21 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 22.127 122.023
22 75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 22.129 122.012
23 33 Robert Pressley Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 22.137 121.968
24 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 22.161 121.836
25 90 Mike Wallace Donlavey Racing Ford 22.174 121.764
Failed to lock in Round 1
26 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 22.142 121.940
27 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 22.181 121.726
28 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 22.186 121.698
29 98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 22.186 121.698
30 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 22.187 121.693
31 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 22.209 121.572
32 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 22.225 121.485
33 30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac 22.227 121.474
34 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 22.229 121.463
35 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22.233 121.441
36 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac 22.257 121.310
Provisionals
37 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet -* -*
38 37 John Andretti Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford -* -*
39 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford -* -*
40 77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford -* -*
Failed to qualify
41 78 Randy MacDonald Triad Motorsports Ford -* -*
42 02 Robbie Faggart Miles Motorsports Chevrolet -* -*
43 19 Dick Trickle TriStar Motorsports Ford -* -*
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

*Time not available.

Race results

Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 2 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 124 running 180 $92,400
2 11 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 400 23 running 175 $44,225
3 15 16 Ted Musgrave Roush Racing Ford 400 0 running 165 $42,200
4 21 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 400 54 running 165 $22,350
5 5 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 400 0 running 155 $37,850
6 3 43 Bobby Hamilton Petty Enterprises Pontiac 400 129 running 160 $37,900
7 14 2 Rusty Wallace Penske Racing South Ford 400 26 running 151 $28,375
8 1 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 400 3 running 147 $34,475
9 34 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 400 0 running 138 $27,875
10 6 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 400 26 running 139 $27,225
11 16 4 Sterling Marlin Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 400 0 running 130 $28,675
12 38 37 John Andretti Kranefuss-Haas Racing Ford 400 0 running 127 $25,675
13 28 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 400 0 running 124 $26,725
14 13 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 399 0 running 121 $22,925
15 10 81 Kenny Wallace FILMAR Racing Ford 399 0 running 118 $12,635
16 23 33 Robert Pressley Leo Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 399 1 running 120 $22,570
17 4 41 Ricky Craven Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 399 0 running 112 $21,870
18 39 9 Lake Speed Melling Racing Ford 399 0 running 109 $21,720
19 18 1 Rick Mast Precision Products Racing Pontiac 399 0 running 106 $21,495
20 36 42 Kyle Petty Team SABCO Pontiac 399 0 running 103 $23,170
21 7 29 Steve Grissom Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet 399 0 running 100 $22,210
22 27 12 Derrike Cope Bobby Allison Motorsports Ford 398 0 running 97 $21,085
23 37 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 398 0 running 94 $26,515
24 25 90 Mike Wallace Donlavey Racing Ford 397 0 running 91 $13,890
25 24 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 397 0 running 88 $20,940
26 40 77 Bobby Hillin Jr. Jasper Motorsports Ford 397 0 running 85 $13,615
27 12 17 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Chevrolet 396 0 running 82 $20,490
28 29 98 Jeremy Mayfield Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 395 0 running 79 $13,365
29 30 23 Jimmy Spencer Travis Carter Enterprises Ford 394 1 running 81 $20,340
30 20 27 Elton Sawyer David Blair Motorsports Ford 394 0 running 73 $10,310
31 9 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 393 0 running 70 $27,265
32 22 75 Morgan Shepherd Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 392 0 running 67 $12,740
33 19 7 Geoff Bodine Geoff Bodine Racing Ford 392 10 running 69 $17,225
34 8 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Chevrolet 391 0 running 61 $17,215
35 32 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 391 3 running 63 $10,215
36 35 21 Michael Waltrip Wood Brothers Racing Ford 386 0 crash 55 $17,215
37 33 30 Johnny Benson Jr. (R) Bahari Racing Pontiac 386 0 running 52 $17,215
38 26 28 Ernie Irvan Robert Yates Racing Ford 379 0 overheating 49 $32,715
39 31 8 Hut Stricklin Stavola Brothers Racing Ford 288 0 running 46 $10,215
40 17 15 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Bud Moore Engineering Ford 19 0 crash 43 $18,215
Failed to qualify
41 78 Randy MacDonald Triad Motorsports Ford
42 02 Robbie Faggart Miles Motorsports Chevrolet
43 19 Dick Trickle TriStar Motorsports Ford
Official race results

References

  1. Higgins, Tom (March 4, 1996). "Gordon out of pits, into Victory Lane". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  2. Luther, Bill (March 4, 1996). "Gordon roars to first win". Citizens' Voice. p. 46. Retrieved October 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. "Pontiac 400". The Charlotte Observer. March 1, 1996. p. 28. Retrieved October 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. Martin, Gerald (March 2, 1996). "Labonte, Gordon 1-2 for pole again". The News and Observer. p. 34. Retrieved October 10, 2022 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
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