1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series drivers

Schedule

Busch Clash

7-Eleven Twin 125's

1. 9-Bill Elliott
2. 22-Bobby Allison
3. 44-Terry Labonte
4. 7-Kyle Petty
5. 1-Sterling Marlin
6. 43-Richard Petty
7. 12-Neil Bonnett
8. 98-Ron Bouchard
9. 4-Rick Wilson
10. 66-Phil Parsons

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 5-Geoffrey Bodine
3. 11-Darrell Waltrip
4. 47-Morgan Shepherd
5. 27-Rusty Wallace
6. 71-Dave Marcis
7. 28-Cale Yarborough
8. 33-Harry Gant
9. 88-Buddy Baker
10. 6-Trevor Boys

    Daytona 500

1. 5 - Geoffrey Bodine
2. 44 - Terry Labonte
3. 11 - Darrell Waltrip
4. 8 - Bobby Hillin Jr.
5. 55 - Benny Parsons -1 Lap
6. 98 - Ron Bouchard -1 Lap
7. 4 - Rick Wilson -1 Lap
8. 27 - Rusty Wallace -1 Lap
9. 1 - Sterling Marlin -2 Laps
10. 75 - Lake Speed -2 Laps

    Miller High Life 400

1. 7-Kyle Petty*
2. 26-Joe Ruttman
3. 3-Dale Earnhardt
4. 22-Bobby Allison -1 lap
5. 11-Darrell Waltrip -2 laps
6. 8-Bobby Hillin Jr. -2 laps
7. 12-Neil Bonnett -2 laps
8. 5-Geoffrey Bodine -3 laps
9. 71-Dave Marcis -3 laps
10. 27-Rusty Wallace -5 laps

• This was Petty's first career Winston Cup win.
• Petty won this race as the direct result of Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip wrecking while racing for the lead with 2 laps to go. Going into Turn 3, Earnhardt hooked the right rear corner of Waltrip's car and turned him head on into the wall. Geoffrey Bodine and Joe Ruttman, running 3rd and 4th at the time then proceeded to pile in behind Earnhardt and Waltrip. Petty, who was running 5th at the time of the caution, was the first lead lap car through the mess, and thus was gifted his first career victory.
• With his victory, Petty became NASCAR's first third generation winner.
• In the 1990 film Days of Thunder, a clip of the incident between Earnhardt and Waltrip appears on the TV set that Cole Trickle and Harry Hogge are watching in the scene where they are riding in a transporter.

  Goodwrench 500

1. 44-Terry Labonte
2. 33-Harry Gant
3. 43-Richard Petty
4. 47-Morgan Shepherd -1 lap
5. 11-Darrell Waltrip -1 lap
6. 28-Cale Yarborough -2 laps
7. 9-Bill Elliott -2 laps
8. 3-Dale Earnhardt -2 laps
9. 12-Neil Bonnett -2 laps
10. 75-Lake Speed -3 laps

• The win proved to be Labonte's last with Billy Hagan.

  Motorcraft 500

1. 47-Morgan Shepherd
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 44-Terry Labonte
4. 11-Darrell Waltrip
5. 9-Bill Elliott
6. 55-Benny Parsons
7. 25-Tim Richmond
8. 27-Rusty Wallace -1 lap
9. 22-Bobby Allison -1 lap
10. 5-Geoffrey Bodine -1 lap

• This was Morgan's 1st victory since 1981.

  Valleydale 500

1. 27-Rusty Wallace*
2. 15-Ricky Rudd
3. 11-Darrell Waltrip
4. 33-Harry Gant -1 lap
5. 9-Bill Elliott -1 lap
6. 22-Bobby Allison -1 lap
7. 44-Terry Labonte -2 laps
8. 25-Tim Richmond -2 laps
9. 7-Kyle Petty -3 laps
10. 3-Dale Earnhardt -3 laps

• This was Rusty Wallace's 1st career Winston Cup victory.

  TranSouth 500

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 11-Darrell Waltrip
3. 22-Bobby Allison -1 lap
4. 12-Neil Bonnett -1 lap
5. 25-Tim Richmond -3 laps
6. 27-Rusty Wallace -3 laps
7. 43-Richard Petty -3 laps
8. 9-Bill Elliott -5 laps
9. 7-Kyle Petty -6 laps
10. 90-Ken Schrader -11 laps

    First Union 400

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 15-Ricky Rudd
3. 5-Geoffrey Bodine
4. 11-Darrell Waltrip
5. 26-Joe Ruttman
6. 22-Bobby Allison
7. 33-Harry Gant
8. 7-Kyle Petty
9. 9-Bill Elliott
10. 27-Rusty Wallace -1 lap

• This race marked the 1st career Winston Cup start for Willy T. Ribbs, best known for being the 1st African-American to start the Indianapolis 500 in 1991. Ribbs struggled during the race, spinning out twice on his way to a 22nd-place finish, 13 laps down.
• The No. 6 of Trevor Boys smacked the wall in Turn 3 on Lap 89 and came to a stop at the entrance of pit road, blocking it. Instead of throwing a caution, the tow truck was sent out to tow the D. K. Ulrich-owned car to his pit stall/hauler while the rest of the cars continued around the track at full speed.
• This race included two caution periods around halfway due to rain. However, the race was not red flagged either time the caution was thrown for the rain showers.

  Sovran Bank 500

1. 15-Ricky Rudd*
2. 26-Joe Ruttman -1 lap
3. 44-Terry Labonte -4 laps
4. 35-Alan Kulwicki ' -4 laps
5. 7-Kyle Petty -4 laps
6. 8-Bobby Hillin Jr. -5 laps
7. 90-Ken Schrader -7 laps
8. 22-Bobby Allison -8 laps
9. 79-Derrike Cope ' -11 laps
10. 75-Jody Ridley -13 laps

• Ricky Rudd's official margin of victory in the race was 1 lap, and an additional 6 seconds.
• According to Bill Elliott's book, Awesome Bill From Dawsonville, Elliott suffered his first engine failure in 3 years in this race.
• This race marked the first career Winston Cup start for Mike Skinner. Skinner finished 22nd, 156 laps behind.
• First career top 5 for Alan Kulwicki.

  Winston 500

1. 22-Bobby Allison
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 88-Buddy Baker
4. 8-Bobby Hillin Jr.
5. 55-Phil Parsons
6. 47-Morgan Shepherd
7. 43-Richard Petty
8. 4-Rick Wilson
9. 98-Ron Bouchard
10. 10-Greg Sacks

• This race is most notable for the fact that a drunken fan stole the pace car before the race started and drove a lap around the track. Local Sheriff's Deputies and track workers quickly set up a road block at the exit of Turn 4. When the fan stopped the Pontiac Firebird, the sheriffs opened the door, pulled the driver out and detained him.
• The whole field qualified over 200 miles per hour.

  The Winston

1. 9-Bill Elliott
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 33-Harry Gant
4. 11-Darrell Waltrip
5. 28-Cale Yarborough
6. 12-Neil Bonnett
7. 5-Geoffrey Bodine
8. 15-Ricky Rudd
9. 44-Terry Labonte
10. 10-Greg Sacks

• A non-winner's race, the Atlanta Invitational, was added, and was Benny Parsons' last NASCAR-sanctioned win in his career when he won the 100-lap, 152.2 mile race.
• While only 18,500 attended the event, and only 23 cars featured, the all-star weekend format of having a non-winners race and a winners race would be a permanent part of the weekend afterwards, although NASCAR made the non-winner's race the next year and afterwards a "last chance" race to make the winner's race.

  Budweiser 500

1. 5-Geoffrey Bodine
2. 22-Bobby Allison
3. 3-Dale Earnhardt -1 lap
4. 15-Ricky Rudd -2 laps
5. 11-Darrell Waltrip -2 laps
6. 43-Richard Petty -6 laps
7. 9-Bill Elliott -7 laps
8. 8-Bobby Hillin Jr. -7 laps
9. 18-Tommy Ellis -7 laps
10. 90-Ken Schrader -7 laps

    Coca-Cola 600

1. 3 - Dale Earnhardt
2. 25 - Tim Richmond
3. 28 - Cale Yarborough
4. 33 - Harry Gant
5. 11 - Darrell Waltrip
6. 9 - Bill Elliott
7. 1 - Sterling Marlin -1 Lap
8. 15 - Ricky Rudd -1 Lap
9. 47 - Morgan Shepherd -1 Lap
10. 27 - Rusty Wallace -2 Laps

• Richard Petty was not allowed to bring out a backup car after crashing his #43 Pontiac in practice. As a result, Petty Enterprises bought the lime green-and-white #6 Chevrolet, and raced that car. Petty finished 38th as a result of a blown engine after completing 123 laps.
• This was the 1st career Winston Cup start for Brett Bodine, who drove a Hendrick Motorsports #2 Chevrolet to an 18th-place finish, 6 laps down.
• This race insured there would be no Winston Million winner in 1986. The bonus for winning 2 out of 4 races was still alive for the Southern 500 later in the season.

  Budweiser 400

1. 11-Darrell Waltrip
2. 25-Tim Richmond
3. 15-Ricky Rudd
4. 27-Rusty Wallace
5. 3-Dale Earnhardt
6. 43-Richard Petty
7. 22-Bobby Allison
8. 12-Neil Bonnett
9. 33-Harry Gant
10. 18-Glen Steurer -1 lap

• This was the 1st career Winston Cup start for Chad Little, who was then a regular in the Winston West series. Little finished 13th, 3 laps down in the race after starting 25th.
• This the final time was Darrell Waltrip wins from the pole.

  Miller High Life 500

1. 25-Tim Richmond
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 28-Cale Yarborough
4. 15-Ricky Rudd
5. 9-Bill Elliott
6. 27-Rusty Wallace
7. 26-Joe Ruttman
8. 7-Kyle Petty
9. 5-Geoffrey Bodine
10. 8-Bobby Hillin Jr. -1 lap

• The race ended under caution when Morgan Shepherd, Harry Gant, and Buddy Arrington were involved in a violent crash with four laps to go in turn one.
• The win was Richmond's first since April 1984 and the first for Harry Hyde since November 1984.

  Miller American 400

1. 9-Bill Elliott
2. 33-Harry Gant
3. 5-Geoffrey Bodine
4. 88-Buddy Baker
5. 11-Darrell Waltrip
6. 3-Dale Earnhardt
7. 8-Bobby Hillin Jr.
8. 4-Rick Wilson
9. 26-Joe Ruttman
10. 15-Ricky Rudd

    Firecracker 400

1. 25-Tim Richmond
2. 1-Sterling Marlin
3. 8-Bobby Hillin Jr.
4. 11-Darrell Waltrip
5. 7-Kyle Petty
6. 15-Ricky Rudd
7. 26-Joe Ruttman
8. 2-Rusty Wallace
9. 66-Phil Parsons
10. 35-Alan Kulwicki

• This race marked Richard Petty's 1000th career start in the Winston Cup Series, dating all the way back to 1958. As of 2020, he is the only driver to compete in 1,000+ races.

  Summer 500

1. 25-Tim Richmond
2. 15-Ricky Rudd
3. 5-Geoffrey Bodine
4. 11-Darrell Waltrip
5. 22-Bobby Allison
6. 44-Terry Labonte
7. 3-Dale Earnhardt
8. 7-Kyle Petty -1 lap
9. 18-Tommy Ellis -2 laps
10. 4-Rick Wilson -2 laps

• This race was shortened to 150 laps due to a combination of rain, fog and darkness.
• On Lap 121 Tim Richmond, racing with Geoffrey Bodine and Neil Bonnett, spun out and was hit by Richard Petty coming out of the Tunnel Turn. His car had both front tires flattened and was in a position so that he could not drive it forwards. Richmond backed the car out, then drove it in reverse the nearly 1 mile to his pit. At that point, his crew fixed the car so that he could go forward, but only in high gear. He lost a lap but raced with the leaders until Dale Earnhardt crashed around Lap 140; he beat the leaders to the flag and thus got his lap back. It was at this point that NASCAR announced the impending end of the race due to darkness. Richmond got tires and then charged through the field after the restart; he passed Bodine on the final lap, but Bodine dove back alongside and the two raced through Turn Three; Bodine got loose and Ricky Rudd stormed three abreast; Richmond won in a photo finish. A modified version of this incident was featured in the 1990 movie Days of Thunder.

  Talladega 500

1. 8-Bobby Hillin Jr.*
2. 25-Tim Richmond
3. 15-Ricky Rudd*
4. 1-Sterling Marlin
5. 55-Benny Parsons
6. 47-Morgan Shepherd
7. 12-Davey Allison*
8. 26-Joe Ruttman
9. 7-Kyle Petty
10. 22-Bobby Allison -1 lap

• This was Bobby Hillin Jr.'s only career Winston Cup victory.
• The lead changed a season-high 49 times. The race set a motorsports record with 26 leaders, a record broken in 2008.
• Among the race's 26 leaders were Richard Petty, Bill Elliott, Darrell Waltrip, Rodney Combs, Buddy Baker, and Rick Wilson. Cale Yarborough took the lead on the backstretch on Lap 107 but Dale Earnhardt beat him to the stripe.
• Ricky Rudd was relieved during the race by Rusty Wallace, who had blown an engine earlier.
• Davey Allison drove the race in place of Neil Bonnett, who was injured in a multi-car wreck at Pocono the previous week; Bonnett worked with CBS Sports as a second color analyst on the telecast of the race.
• Hillin was involved in a five-car crash down the backstretch with 25 laps to go when he was drafting race leader Harry Gant; Gant was spun into Phil Parsons and the wreck swept up Darrell Waltrip, Geoffrey Bodine, and Cale Yarborough.
• Bobby Allison was eliminated while racing Richmond for third; he was hooked by Sterling Marlin and spun into traffic in Turn One; Richmond passed Wallace subbing for Rudd for second while Marlin finished fourth.

  [The Budweiser At The Glen]

1. 25-Tim Richmond
2. 11-Darrell Waltrip
3. 3-Dale Earnhardt
4. 9-Bill Elliott
5. 12-Neil Bonnett
6. 27-Rusty Wallace
7. 15-Ricky Rudd
8. 55-Benny Parsons
9. 7-Kyle Petty
10. 43-Richard Petty

• Ribbs withdrew as he blew up 4 engines during practice and qualifying so the team did not have any spares.
• This was Richmond's 4th victory of the season.
• Neil Bonnett returns after sitting out the previous race due to broken ribs. Junior Johnson had Doug Heveron on standby to take over if Bonnett could not run the full race. He would run the full race, running as high as 2nd but eventually settling for 5th.
• Rusty Wallace had to earn his finishing spot the hard way. After taking the lead for 3 laps from laps 17 to 19, Wallace was black-flagged by NASCAR for leaking oil onto the track. Rejoining the field at the tail-end, Wallace would cut a tire after making contact with the wall, then spun out in turn 5 to bring out a full course caution flag. Despite the setbacks, Wallace would rally to finish 6th.

  Champion Spark Plug 400

1. 9-Bill Elliott
2. 25-Tim Richmond
3. 11-Darrell Waltrip
4. 5-Geoffrey Bodine
5. 3-Dale Earnhardt -1 lap
6. 27-Rusty Wallace -1 lap
7. 28-Cale Yarborough -1 lap
8. 33-Harry Gant -1 lap
9. 66-Phil Parsons -1 lap
10. 21-David Pearson* -1 lap

• With this win, Bill Elliott became the 1st driver in NASCAR history to win 4 straight races at one Superspeedway.
• This was David Pearson's last Winston Cup start. He ran as high as 3rd place at one point in the race.
• Buddy Arrington returned to the track where rookie Rick Baldwin, driving Arrington's #67, had suffered fatal injuries in a crash during qualifying for the June event. Arrington would finish 6 laps down in 19th.

  Busch 500

1. 11-Darrell Waltrip
2. 44-Terry Labonte
3. 5-Geoffrey Bodine -1 lap
4. 3-Dale Earnhardt -1 lap
5. 33-Harry Gant -1 lap
6. 25-Tim Richmond -2 laps
7. 43-Richard Petty -3 laps
8. 22-Bobby Allison -4 laps
9. 8-Bobby Hillin Jr. -5 laps
10. 35-Alan Kulwicki -6 laps

• This was the final race for owner of the #35 car Bill Terry. His driver Alan Kulwicki would buy out the team before the next race and be the sports newest owner/driver
• Darrell Waltrip scores his record 10th victory at Bristol.

  Southern 500

1. 25-Tim Richmond
2. 22-Bobby Allison
3. 9-Bill Elliott
4. 47-Morgan Shepherd
5. 11-Darrell Waltrip
6. 15-Ricky Rudd
7. 8-Bobby Hillin Jr.
8. 5-Geoffrey Bodine
9. 3-Dale Earnhardt -1 lap
10. 28-Cale Yarborough -1 lap

• This race was plagued by rain, to the point of the race running on a damp surface and the drivers having to race as if Darlington Raceway was a dirt track.
• Before this race, rookie Alan Kulwicki bought out his owner Bill Terry and became the owner/driver of the #35 car. He would finish in 12th place, 7 laps down in his first owner/driver outing.
• This race insured no one would win the Winston bonus for winning 2 out of 4 crown jewel races.

  Wrangler Jeans Indigo 400

1. 25-Tim Richmond
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 75-Morgan Shepherd*
4. 43-Richard Petty
5. 12-Neil Bonnett
6. 26-Joe Ruttman
7. 33-Harry Gant
8. 22-Bobby Allison
9. 9-Bill Elliott -1 lap
10. 8-Bobby Hillin Jr. -3 laps

• Morgan Shepherd was hired by RahMoc Enterprises as the driver of the No. 75 Pontiac.
• Tim Richmond had to survive a late race restart because on lap 395 the caution flag flew when Michael Waltrip's entire driveshaft fell out of the car. The race went back under the green flag with 2 laps remaining. Richmond held on by 3 car lengths.
• This was the last Cup Series race to feature less than a 30 car field.

  Delaware 500

1. 15-Ricky Rudd
2. 12-Neil Bonnett
3. 7-Kyle Petty
4. 88-Buddy Baker -1 lap
5. 71-Dave Marcis -2 laps
6. 26-Joe Ruttman -2 laps
7. 35-Alan Kulwicki -3 laps
8. 18-Tommy Ellis -4 laps
9. 8-Bobby Hillin Jr. -5 laps
10. 75-Morgan Shepherd -7 laps

• This was Rudd's 1st win on an oval that was 1 mile in length or longer.
• This race saw Dave Marcis' final top 5 finish.

  Goody's 500

1. 27-Rusty Wallace
2. 5-Geoffrey Bodine
3. 33-Harry Gant
4. 11-Darrell Waltrip -1 lap
5. 26-Joe Ruttman -1 lap
6. 7-Kyle Petty -1 lap
7. 90-Ken Schrader -2 laps
8. 12-Neil Bonnett -3 laps
9. 71-Dave Marcis -3 laps
10. 25-Tim Richmond -4 laps

• This was Pontiac's 2nd & final victory for 1986.

  Holly Farms 400

1. 11-Darrell Waltrip
2. 5-Geoffrey Bodine
3. 43-Richard Petty
4. 27-Rusty Wallace
5. 33-Harry Gant
6. 26-Joe Ruttman -1 lap
7. 15-Ricky Rudd -1 lap
8. 71-Dave Marcis -1 lap
9. 3-Dale Earnhardt -2 laps
10. 44-Terry Labonte -2 laps

• Geoffrey Bodine had the dominant car leading the most laps but faded late, losing the lead at lap 390 to Darrell Waltrip, he would pull away to a 1.21 second lead for his final victory of 1986.
• The win was also Waltrip's final race victory with Junior Johnson.

  Oakwood Homes 500

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 33-Harry Gant
3. 12-Neil Bonnett -1 lap
4. 15-Ricky Rudd -1 lap
5. 88-Buddy Baker -1 lap
6. 5-Geoffrey Bodine -1 lap
7. 9-Bill Elliott -1 lap
8. 27-Rusty Wallace -2 laps
9. 11-Darrell Waltrip -2 laps
10. 66-Phil Parsons -3 laps

• Earnhardt had to work hard for this victory as he at one point in the race lost 2 laps due to separate tire issues.

  Nationwise 500

1. 12-Neil Bonnett
2. 15-Ricky Rudd
3. 11-Darrell Waltrip
4. 33-Harry Gant
5. 88-Buddy Baker
6. 3-Dale Earnhardt -1 lap
7. 9-Bill Elliott -1 lap
8. 43-Richard Petty -1 lap
9. 26-Joe Ruttman -2 laps
10. 7-Kyle Petty -3 laps

• The win was Bonnett's last with Junior Johnson, as he was tabbed to drive for RahMoc Enterprises in 1987.

  Atlanta Journal 500

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt*
2. 43-Richard Petty -1 lap
3. 9-Bill Elliott -1 lap
4. 25-Tim Richmond -1 lap
5. 88-Buddy Baker -1 lap
6. 12-Neil Bonnett -1 lap
7. 7-Kyle Petty -2 laps
8. 44-Terry Labonte -2 laps
9. 26-Joe Ruttman -2 laps
10. 66-Phil Parsons -2 laps

• Dale Earnhardt's official margin of victory was 1 lap and an additional 3 seconds.
• By virtue of Darrell Waltrip blowing an engine finishing 39th and Dale Earnhardt winning the race while leading the most laps, Earnhardt clinched his 2nd Winston Cup Championship.

  Winston Western 500

1. 25-Tim Richmond
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 5-Geoffrey Bodine
4. 11-Darrell Waltrip
5. 26-Joe Ruttman
6. 8-Bobby Hillin Jr.
7. 22-Bobby Allison
8. 27-Rusty Wallace
9. 12-Neil Bonnett -1 lap
10. 44-Terry Labonte -1 lap

• Going into the race, Dale Earnhardt had already clinched the Winston Cup championship. The attention shifted to the battle for second in the championship. Polesitter Tim Richmond needed to finish five positions higher than Darrell Waltrip to move into second. Richmond went on to win the race. However, Waltrip managed 4th place, which secured himself second in the championship, by 6 points over Richmond.
• This was the last race that both Darrell Waltrip and Neil Bonnett drove for Junior Johnson. Waltrip would drive the #17 Tide sponsored Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports in 1987, while Bonnett returned to RahMoc Enterprises to pilot the #75 Valvoline Pontiac after having previously driven for them during the 1983 season. Terry Labonte replaced Waltrip in the #11 car while the #12 team was dissolved and would reappear in 1991 as the #22 Maxwell House Ford Thunderbird with then journeyman driver Sterling Marlin behind the wheel.

  Final points standings

1. Dale Earnhardt – 4468
2. Darrell Waltrip – 4180
3. Tim Richmond – 4174
4. Bill Elliott – 3844
5. Ricky Rudd – 3823
6. Rusty Wallace – 3762
7. Bobby Allison – 3698
8. Geoffrey Bodine – 3678
9. Bobby Hillin Jr. – 3546
10. Kyle Petty – 3537
11. Harry Gant – 3498
12. Terry Labonte – 3473
13. Neil Bonnett – 3369
14. Richard Petty – 3314
15. Joe Ruttman – 3295
16. Ken Schrader – 3052
17. Dave Marcis – 2912
18. Morgan Shepherd – 2896
19. Michael Waltrip ' – 2853
20. Buddy Arrington – 2776
21. Alan Kulwicki ' – 2705
22. Jimmy Means – 2495
23. Tommy Ellis – 2393
24. Buddy Baker – 1924
25. Eddie Bierschwale – 1860
26. J. D. McDuffie – 1825
27. Phil Parsons – 1742
28. Rick Wilson – 1698
29. Cale Yarborough – 1642
30. Benny Parsons – 1555
31. Ron Bouchard – 1553
32. Chet Fillip ' – 1433
33. Jody Ridley – 1213
34. Trevor Boys – 1064
35. Doug Heveron – 1052
36. Sterling Marlin – 989
37. D. K. Ulrich – 804
38. Pancho Carter ' – 706
39. Ken Ragan – 627
40. Lake Speed – 608
41. Greg Sacks – 579
42. Ronnie Thomas – 504
43. Bobby Wawak – 480
44. Rodney Combs – 421
45. Derrike Cope ' – 400
46. James Hylton – 386
47. Davey Allison – 364
48. Mark Martin – 364
49. Jim Sauter ' – 361
50. A. J. Foyt – 355

    Winston Cup Final Standings

Rookie of the Year