1988 Miller High Life 400 (Michigan)
# 1988 Miller High Life 400 (Michigan)

The 1988 Miller High Life 400 was the 14th stock car race of the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 20th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, June 26, 1988, before an audience of 70,000 in Brooklyn, Michigan, at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. In the final 29 laps of the race, Blue Max Racing driver Rusty Wallace would manage to fend off against second-place driver, Melling Racing driver Bill Elliott, to take his sixth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second victory of the season. To fill out the top three, the aforementioned Bill Elliott and Junior Johnson & Associates driver Terry Labonte would finish second and third, respectively.

## Background

The race was held at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway as MIS's oval design was a direct basis of TWS, with moderate modifications to the banking in the corners, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).

### Entry list

* (R) denotes rookie driver.

| # | Driver | Team | Make | Sponsor |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Dale Jarrett | Ellington Racing | Buick | Port-A-Lube, Bud Light |
| 2 | Ernie Irvan (R) | U.S. Racing | Chevrolet | Kroger |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | GM Goodwrench Service |
| 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Kodak |
| 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Levi Garrett |
| 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | Stroh Light |
| 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | Zerex |
| 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | Miller High Life |
| 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | Coors Light |
| 10 | Ken Bouchard (R) | Whitcomb Racing | Ford | Whitcomb Racing |
| 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Chevrolet | Budweiser |
| 12 | Bobby Allison | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | Miller High Life |
| 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | Crisco |
| 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Tide |
| 21 | Kyle Petty | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo |
| 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | Wayne Paging |
| 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Folgers |
| 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | Quaker State |
| 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | Kodiak |
| 28 | Davey Allison | Ranier-Lundy Racing | Ford | Havoline |
| 29 | Cale Yarborough | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Hardee's |
| 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | Country Time |
| 31 | Joe Ruttman | Bob Clark Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Slender You Figure Salons |
| 33 | Morgan Shepherd | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | Skoal Bandit |
| 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac | Almeda Auto Parts |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 44 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Piedmont Airlines |
| 51 | David Simko | Simko Racing | Pontiac | Tom Company |
| 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | Eureka |
| 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Crown, Skoal Classic |
| 67 | Buddy Arrington | Arrington Racing | Ford | Pannill Sweatshirts |
| 68 | Derrike Cope | Testa Racing | Ford | Purolator Filters |
| 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | Rumple Furniture |
| 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | Lifebuoy |
| 75 | Neil Bonnett | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | Valvoline |
| 78 | Jay Sommers | Sommers Racing | Chevrolet | Doe & Associates |
| 80 | Jimmy Horton (R) | S&H Racing | Ford | S&H Racing |
| 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | Wynn's, Kmart |
| 88 | Buddy Baker | Baker-Schiff Racing | Oldsmobile | Red Baron Frozen Pizza |
| 90 | Benny Parsons | Donlavey Racing | Ford | Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce |
| 92 | David Sosebee | LC Racing | Ford | LC Racing |
| 96 | Dana Patten | Patten Racing | Buick | U.S. Chrome |
| 97 | Rodney Combs | Winkle Motorsports | Buick | AC Spark Plug |
| 98 | Brad Noffsinger (R) | Curb Racing | Buick | Sunoco |
| 99 | Connie Saylor | Ball Motorsports | Chevrolet | Ball Motorsports |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Saturday, June 24, at 11:30 AM 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, June 24, at 2:00 PM 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.

Bill Elliott, driving for Melling Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 41.694 and an average speed of 172.687 miles per hour (277.913 km/h) in the first round.

Four drivers would fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 41.694 | 172.687 |
| 2 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 41.744 | 172.480 |
| 3 | 28 | Davey Allison | Ranier-Lundy Racing | Ford | 41.825 | 172.146 |
| 4 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 41.917 | 171.768 |
| 5 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 41.953 | 171.621 |
| 6 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 42.040 | 171.265 |
| 7 | 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | 42.190 | 170.657 |
| 8 | 90 | Benny Parsons | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 42.203 | 170.604 |
| 9 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 42.211 | 170.572 |
| 10 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 42.283 | 170.281 |
| 11 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 42.284 | 170.277 |
| 12 | 12 | Mike Alexander | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 42.344 | 170.036 |
| 13 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 42.348 | 170.020 |
| 14 | 97 | Rodney Combs | Winkle Motorsports | Buick | 42.375 | 169.912 |
| 15 | 44 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 42.387 | 169.863 |
| 16 | 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 42.397 | 169.823 |
| 17 | 21 | Kyle Petty | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 42.398 | 169.819 |
| 18 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Chevrolet | 42.409 | 169.775 |
| 19 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 42.465 | 169.551 |
| 20 | 75 | Neil Bonnett | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 42.478 | 169.500 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 21 | 88 | Buddy Baker | Baker–Schiff Racing | Oldsmobile | 42.500 | 169.412 |
| 22 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 42.543 | 169.241 |
| 23 | 33 | Morgan Shepherd | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | 42.569 | 169.137 |
| 24 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 42.597 | 169.026 |
| 25 | 68 | Derrike Cope | Testa Racing | Ford | 42.598 | 169.022 |
| 26 | 31 | Joe Ruttman | Bob Clark Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 42.615 | 168.955 |
| 27 | 92 | David Sosebee | LC Racing | Ford | 42.625 | 168.915 |
| 28 | 29 | Cale Yarborough | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 42.711 | 168.575 |
| 29 | 2 | Ernie Irvan (R) | U.S. Racing | Chevrolet | 42.733 | 168.488 |
| 30 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | Arrington Racing | Ford | 42.733 | 168.488 |
| 31 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 42.797 | 168.236 |
| 32 | 10 | Ken Bouchard (R) | Whitcomb Racing | Ford | 42.851 | 168.024 |
| 33 | 1 | Dale Jarrett | Ellington Racing | Buick | 42.869 | 167.954 |
| 34 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 42.885 | 167.891 |
| 35 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 42.946 | 167.652 |
| 36 | 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac | 42.978 | 167.528 |
| 37 | 96 | Dana Patten | Patten Racing | Buick | 42.999 | 167.446 |
| 38 | 51 | David Simko | Simko Racing | Pontiac | 43.018 | 167.372 |
| 39 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 43.030 | 167.325 |
| 40 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 43.125 | 166.957 |
| Provisional |||||||
| 41 | 98 | Brad Noffsinger (R) | Curb Racing | Buick | 43.158 | 166.829 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||
| 42 | 80 | Jimmy Horton (R) | S&H Racing | Ford | 43.280 | 166.359 |
| 43 | 78 | Jay Sommers | Sommers Racing | Chevrolet | 43.647 | 164.960 |
| 44 | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | 44.222 | 162.815 |
| 45 | 99 | Connie Saylor | Ball Motorsports | Chevrolet | - | - |
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 5 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 200 | 106 | running | 185 | $64,100 |
| 2 | 1 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 200 | 24 | running | 175 | $42,875 |
| 3 | 18 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Chevrolet | 200 | 29 | running | 170 | $28,075 |
| 4 | 9 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 200 | 12 | running | 165 | $26,175 |
| 5 | 2 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 0 | running | 155 | $20,325 |
| 6 | 11 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 3 | running | 155 | $16,000 |
| 7 | 35 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 200 | 0 | running | 146 | $14,150 |
| 8 | 4 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 199 | 1 | running | 147 | $15,450 |
| 9 | 28 | 29 | Cale Yarborough | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 199 | 1 | running | 143 | $9,700 |
| 10 | 12 | 12 | Mike Alexander | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 199 | 0 | running | 134 | $15,950 |
| 11 | 31 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 199 | 0 | running | 130 | $10,425 |
| 12 | 10 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 199 | 0 | running | 127 | $9,950 |
| 13 | 21 | 88 | Buddy Baker | Baker–Schiff Racing | Oldsmobile | 198 | 1 | running | 129 | $9,500 |
| 14 | 13 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 198 | 0 | running | 121 | $7,050 |
| 15 | 29 | 2 | Ernie Irvan (R) | U.S. Racing | Chevrolet | 198 | 0 | running | 118 | $6,250 |
| 16 | 26 | 31 | Joe Ruttman | Bob Clark Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 198 | 0 | running | 115 | $6,250 |
| 17 | 32 | 10 | Ken Bouchard (R) | Whitcomb Racing | Ford | 197 | 0 | running | 112 | $4,675 |
| 18 | 39 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 197 | 0 | running | 109 | $7,500 |
| 19 | 20 | 75 | Neil Bonnett | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 197 | 0 | running | 106 | $10,985 |
| 20 | 41 | 98 | Brad Noffsinger (R) | Curb Racing | Buick | 196 | 0 | running | 103 | $4,420 |
| 21 | 6 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 195 | 0 | running | 100 | $6,725 |
| 22 | 37 | 96 | Dana Patten | Patten Racing | Buick | 194 | 0 | running | 97 | $3,510 |
| 23 | 30 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | Arrington Racing | Ford | 188 | 0 | running | 94 | $5,375 |
| 24 | 24 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 186 | 0 | running | 91 | $6,265 |
| 25 | 33 | 1 | Dale Jarrett | Ellington Racing | Buick | 183 | 0 | running | 88 | $3,255 |
| 26 | 7 | 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | 174 | 0 | cylinder | 85 | $3,070 |
| 27 | 16 | 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 165 | 0 | engine | 82 | $11,610 |
| 28 | 34 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 158 | 0 | engine | 79 | $5,900 |
| 29 | 22 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 128 | 0 | crank | 76 | $3,715 |
| 30 | 14 | 97 | Rodney Combs | Winkle Motorsports | Buick | 126 | 0 | engine | 73 | $2,805 |
| 31 | 27 | 92 | David Sosebee | LC Racing | Ford | 124 | 0 | ignition | 0 | $2,750 |
| 32 | 25 | 68 | Derrike Cope | Testa Racing | Ford | 121 | 0 | clutch | 67 | $5,410 |
| 33 | 17 | 21 | Kyle Petty | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 105 | 0 | engine | 64 | $9,650 |
| 34 | 23 | 33 | Morgan Shepherd | Mach 1 Racing | Chevrolet | 83 | 0 | engine | 61 | $5,275 |
| 35 | 3 | 28 | Davey Allison | Ranier-Lundy Racing | Ford | 70 | 23 | engine | 63 | $12,440 |
| 36 | 40 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 51 | 0 | engine | 55 | $5,185 |
| 37 | 15 | 44 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 41 | 0 | engine | 52 | $5,150 |
| 38 | 8 | 90 | Benny Parsons | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 22 | 0 | oil pump | 49 | $5,110 |
| 39 | 36 | 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac | 21 | 0 | oil leak | 46 | $2,470 |
| 40 | 38 | 51 | David Simko | Simko Racing | Pontiac | 9 | 0 | engine | 0 | $2,450 |
| 41 | 19 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 2 | 0 | engine | 40 | $3,050 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 42 | | 80 | Jimmy Horton (R) | S&H Racing | Ford | | | | | |
| 43 | | 78 | Jay Sommers | Sommers Racing | Chevrolet | | | | | |
| 44 | | 70 | J. D. McDuffie | McDuffie Racing | Pontiac | | | | | |
| 45 | | 99 | Connie Saylor | Ball Motorsports | Chevrolet | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - | - |
| | 1 | Rusty Wallace | 2,145 |
| | 2 | Dale Earnhardt | 2,015 (-130) |
| | 3 | Bill Elliott | 1,995 (-150) |
| | 4 | Terry Labonte | 1,939 (–206) |
| 1 | 5 | Ken Schrader | 1,829 (–316) |
| 1 | 6 | Geoff Bodine | 1,814 (–331) |
| 2 | 7 | Sterling Marlin | 1,808 (–337) |
| 1 | 8 | Phil Parsons | 1,762 (–383) |
| 2 | 9 | Darrell Waltrip | 1,734 (–411) |
| | 10 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | 1,723 (–422) |
| Official driver's standings ||||
