1991 Hardee's 500
# 1991 Hardee's 500

The 1991 Hardee's 500 was the 29th and final stock car race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 32nd iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, November 17, 1991, before an audience of 125,000 in Hampton, Georgia, at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.522 miles (2.449 km) permanent asphalt quad-oval intermediate speedway. The race took the scheduled 328 laps to complete. At race's end, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would manage to dominate the majority of the race to take his fifth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.

By starting the race, Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would clinch his fifth NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship. With the championship, he was two championships away from tying Richard Petty for the record of the most NASCAR Winston Cup Series championships, with Petty having seven.

## Background

Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a 1.522-mile race track in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has annually hosted NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car races since its inauguration in 1960.

The venue was bought by Speedway Motorsports in 1990. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two intermediate ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval, with a new official length of 1.54-mile (2.48 km) where before it was 1.522-mile (2.449 km). The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit.

### Entry list

* (R) - denotes rookie driver.

| # | Driver | Team | Make | Sponsor |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 0 | Delma Cowart | H. L. Waters Racing | Ford | Masters Inn |
| 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | Skoal |
| 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | Miller Genuine Draft |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | GM Goodwrench Service Plus |
| 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kodak |
| 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Tide |
| 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | Folgers |
| 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | Hooters |
| 8 | Rick Wilson | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | Snickers |
| 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | Coors Light |
| 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | Purolator Filters |
| 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Budweiser |
| 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick | Raybestos |
| 13 | Kerry Teague | Linro Motorsports | Buick | Linro Motorsports |
| 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | Motorcraft |
| 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | Western Auto |
| 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce |
| 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo |
| 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Maxwell House |
| 24 | Kenny Wallace | Team III Racing | Pontiac | Team III Racing |
| 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kodiak |
| 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick | Quaker State |
| 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | Texaco, Havoline |
| 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | Pennzoil |
| 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Skoal Bandit |
| 35 | Bill Venturini | Venturini Motorsports | Chevrolet | Rain-X |
| 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac | Almeda Auto Parts |
| 41 | Larry Pearson | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kellogg's Frosted Flakes |
| 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Mello Yello |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 47 | Greg Sacks | Close Racing | Oldsmobile | Kanawha Insurance |
| 49 | Stanley Smith (R) | BS&S Motorsports | Buick | Interstate Batteries |
| 52 | Mike Wallace | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | Alka-Seltzer |
| 53 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Team Ireland | Chevrolet | Longhorn Steaks |
| 55 | Ted Musgrave (R) | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | Jasper Engines & Transmissions |
| 59 | Mark Gibson | Gibson Racing | Pontiac | Gibson Racing |
| 66 | Randy LaJoie | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | Phillips 66 TropArtic |
| 68 | Bobby Hamilton (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Country Time |
| 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | Big Apple Market |
| 75 | Joe Ruttman | RahMoc Enterprises | Oldsmobile | Dinner Bell Foods |
| 89 | Jim Sauter | Mueller Brothers Racing | Pontiac | Evinrude Outboard Motors |
| 90 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | Donlavey Racing |
| 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Sunoco |
| 95 | Eddie Bierschwale | Sadler Brothers Racing | Chevrolet | Texaco |
| 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | Banquet Foods |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, November 15, at 2:00 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 20 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, November 16, at 10:30 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-40 would be decided on time, 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; up to two were given. If needed, a past champion who did not qualify on either time or provisionals could use a champion's provisional, adding one more spot to the field.

Bill Elliott, driving for Melling Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 30.793 and an average speed of 177.937 miles per hour (286.362 km/h) in the first round.

Five drivers would fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 30.793 | 177.937 |
| 2 | 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 30.984 | 176.840 |
| 3 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 31.055 | 176.435 |
| 4 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 31.057 | 176.424 |
| 5 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 31.123 | 176.050 |
| 6 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 31.260 | 175.278 |
| 7 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 31.270 | 175.222 |
| 8 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 31.297 | 175.071 |
| 9 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 31.352 | 174.764 |
| 10 | 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 31.392 | 174.541 |
| 11 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 31.411 | 174.436 |
| 12 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 31.435 | 174.303 |
| 13 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 31.473 | 174.092 |
| 14 | 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | 31.532 | 173.766 |
| 15 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 31.532 | 173.766 |
| 16 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 31.578 | 173.513 |
| 17 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 31.581 | 173.497 |
| 18 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick | 31.588 | 173.458 |
| 19 | 55 | Ted Musgrave (R) | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 31.600 | 173.392 |
| 20 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | 31.625 | 173.255 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 21 | 53 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Team Ireland | Chevrolet | 31.442 | 174.264 |
| 22 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 31.512 | 173.877 |
| 23 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick | 31.539 | 173.728 |
| 24 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 31.698 | 172.856 |
| 25 | 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 31.709 | 172.796 |
| 26 | 49 | Stanley Smith (R) | BS&S Motorsports | Buick | 31.715 | 172.764 |
| 27 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 31.733 | 172.666 |
| 28 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 31.748 | 172.584 |
| 29 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 31.749 | 172.579 |
| 30 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 31.786 | 172.378 |
| 31 | 24 | Kenny Wallace | Team III Racing | Pontiac | 31.790 | 172.356 |
| 32 | 8 | Rick Wilson | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 31.812 | 172.237 |
| 33 | 41 | Larry Pearson | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 31.838 | 172.096 |
| 34 | 66 | Randy LaJoie | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 31.948 | 171.504 |
| 35 | 47 | Greg Sacks | Close Racing | Oldsmobile | 31.949 | 171.498 |
| 36 | 52 | Mike Wallace | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 32.045 | 170.985 |
| 37 | 95 | Eddie Bierschwale | Sadler Brothers Racing | Chevrolet | 32.125 | 170.559 |
| 38 | 89 | Jim Sauter | Mueller Brothers Racing | Pontiac | 32.142 | 170.469 |
| 39 | 90 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 32.216 | 170.077 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||
| 40 | 75 | Joe Ruttman | RahMoc Enterprises | Chevrolet | 32.224 | 170.035 |
| 41 | 35 | Bill Venturini | Venturini Motorsports | Chevrolet | -* | -* |
| 42 | 0 | Delma Cowart | H. L. Waters Racing | Ford | -* | -* |
| 43 | 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac | -* | -* |
| 44 | 13 | Kerry Teague | Linro Motorsports | Buick | -* | -* |
| 45 | 59 | Mark Gibson | Gibson Racing | Pontiac | -* | -* |
| Official first round qualifying results |||||||
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 4 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 328 | 190 | running | 185 | $88,950 |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 328 | 11 | running | 175 | $39,025 |
| 3 | 1 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 328 | 29 | running | 170 | $36,950 |
| 4 | 9 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 328 | 10 | running | 165 | $21,250 |
| 5 | 5 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 328 | 39 | running | 160 | $27,825 |
| 6 | 25 | 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 328 | 5 | running | 155 | $17,050 |
| 7 | 11 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 327 | 0 | running | 146 | $11,150 |
| 8 | 2 | 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 327 | 3 | running | 147 | $16,850 |
| 9 | 8 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 326 | 0 | running | 138 | $16,000 |
| 10 | 22 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 326 | 4 | running | 139 | $11,600 |
| 11 | 29 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 326 | 0 | running | 130 | $12,800 |
| 12 | 27 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 326 | 0 | running | 127 | $9,675 |
| 13 | 18 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick | 325 | 0 | running | 124 | $9,575 |
| 14 | 33 | 41 | Larry Pearson | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 324 | 0 | running | 121 | $5,300 |
| 15 | 17 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 324 | 0 | running | 118 | $9,750 |
| 16 | 10 | 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 324 | 0 | running | 115 | $8,750 |
| 17 | 6 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 324 | 24 | running | 117 | $16,850 |
| 18 | 16 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 323 | 1 | running | 114 | $7,200 |
| 19 | 12 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 322 | 0 | running | 106 | $11,650 |
| 20 | 40 | 75 | Joe Ruttman | RahMoc Enterprises | Chevrolet | 322 | 0 | running | 103 | $8,800 |
| 21 | 20 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | 320 | 0 | running | 100 | $4,425 |
| 22 | 30 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 319 | 0 | running | 97 | $7,425 |
| 23 | 31 | 24 | Kenny Wallace | Team III Racing | Pontiac | 319 | 0 | running | 94 | $5,225 |
| 24 | 15 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 318 | 0 | engine | 91 | $12,525 |
| 25 | 26 | 49 | Stanley Smith (R) | BS&S Motorsports | Buick | 318 | 0 | running | 88 | $4,375 |
| 26 | 35 | 47 | Greg Sacks | Close Racing | Oldsmobile | 310 | 0 | engine | 85 | $3,975 |
| 27 | 37 | 95 | Eddie Bierschwale | Sadler Brothers Racing | Chevrolet | 310 | 0 | running | 82 | $3,875 |
| 28 | 28 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 271 | 0 | valve | 79 | $6,775 |
| 29 | 23 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick | 269 | 0 | valve | 76 | $6,575 |
| 30 | 19 | 55 | Ted Musgrave (R) | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 257 | 2 | overheating | 78 | $4,675 |
| 31 | 34 | 66 | Randy LaJoie | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 244 | 0 | valve | 70 | $6,225 |
| 32 | 21 | 53 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Team Ireland | Chevrolet | 230 | 10 | block | 72 | $6,375 |
| 33 | 32 | 8 | Rick Wilson | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 207 | 0 | valve | 64 | $6,075 |
| 34 | 24 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 197 | 0 | accident | 61 | $4,025 |
| 35 | 38 | 89 | Jim Sauter | Mueller Brothers Racing | Pontiac | 195 | 0 | accident | 58 | $3,350 |
| 36 | 39 | 90 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 173 | 0 | engine | 55 | $3,325 |
| 37 | 13 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 86 | 0 | accident | 52 | $5,945 |
| 38 | 14 | 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | 71 | 0 | head | 49 | $5,915 |
| 39 | 36 | 52 | Mike Wallace | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 69 | 0 | accident | 46 | $3,300 |
| 40 | 7 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 26 | 0 | accident | 43 | $5,275 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 41 | | 35 | Bill Venturini | Venturini Motorsports | Chevrolet | | | | | |
| 42 | | 0 | Delma Cowart | H. L. Waters Racing | Ford | | | | | |
| 43 | | 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac | | | | | |
| 44 | | 13 | Kerry Teague | Linro Motorsports | Buick | | | | | |
| 45 | | 59 | Mark Gibson | Gibson Racing | Pontiac | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - | - |
| | 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 4,287 |
| 1 | 2 | Ricky Rudd | 4,092 (-195) |
| 1 | 3 | Davey Allison | 4,088 (-199) |
| | 4 | Harry Gant | 3,985 (–302) |
| | 5 | Ernie Irvan | 3,925 (–362) |
| | 6 | Mark Martin | 3,914 (–373) |
| | 7 | Sterling Marlin | 3,839 (–448) |
| 1 | 8 | Darrell Waltrip | 3,711 (–576) |
| 1 | 9 | Ken Schrader | 3,690 (–597) |
| | 10 | Rusty Wallace | 3,582 (–705) |
| Official driver's standings ||||
