1991 Miller Genuine Draft 400 (Richmond)
# 1991 Miller Genuine Draft 400 (Richmond)

The 1991 Miller Genuine Draft 400 was the 22nd stock car race of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 34th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, September 7, 1991, before an audience of 69,000 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. In the final laps of the race, Leo Jackson Motorsports driver Harry Gant would manage to make a late-race charge for the lead, passing for the lead with 19 to go in the race to take his 14th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory, his third victory of the season, and his second straight victory. To fill out the top three, Robert Yates Racing driver Davey Allison and Penske Racing South driver Rusty Wallace would finish second and third, respectively.

## Background

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 | 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 |
| 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | Motorcraft |
| 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | Western Auto |
| 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | Tyson Foods |
| 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 |
| 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 | Ukrop's Food Group |
| 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | Alka-Seltzer |
| 55 | Ted Musgrave (R) | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | Jasper Engines & Transmissions |
| 66 | Lake Speed | 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 |
| 73 | Dale Fischlein | Barkdoll Racing | Oldsmobile | Barkdoll Racing |
| 75 | Joe Ruttman | RahMoc Enterprises | Oldsmobile | Dinner Bell Foods |
| 90 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | Donlavey Racing |
| 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Sunoco |
| 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | Banquet Foods |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, September 11, at 5:30 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, September 12, at 3:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-34 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 on time 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.

Rusty Wallace, driving for Penske Racing South, would win the pole, setting a time of 22.390 and an average speed of 120.590 miles per hour (194.071 km/h) in the first round.

Dale Fischlein was the only driver to fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 22.390 | 120.590 |
| 2 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 22.434 | 120.353 |
| 3 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 22.451 | 120.262 |
| 4 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 22.453 | 120.251 |
| 5 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 22.501 | 119.995 |
| 6 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 22.512 | 119.936 |
| 7 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 22.561 | 119.676 |
| 8 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 22.567 | 119.644 |
| 9 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 22.587 | 119.538 |
| 10 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 22.669 | 119.105 |
| 11 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick | 22.717 | 118.854 |
| 12 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 22.755 | 118.655 |
| 13 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 22.759 | 118.634 |
| 14 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 22.779 | 118.530 |
| 15 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 22.825 | 118.291 |
| 16 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 22.827 | 118.281 |
| 17 | 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | 22.844 | 118.193 |
| 18 | 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 22.862 | 118.100 |
| 19 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 22.874 | 118.038 |
| 20 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 22.880 | 118.007 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 21 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick | 22.881 | 118.002 |
| 22 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 22.907 | 117.868 |
| 23 | 47 | Greg Sacks | Close Racing | Oldsmobile | 22.921 | 117.796 |
| 24 | 41 | Larry Pearson | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 22.940 | 117.698 |
| 25 | 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 22.964 | 117.575 |
| 26 | 90 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 22.972 | 117.534 |
| 27 | 8 | Rick Wilson | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 22.980 | 117.493 |
| 28 | 66 | Lake Speed | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 23.004 | 117.371 |
| 29 | 24 | Kenny Wallace | Team III Racing | Pontiac | 23.005 | 117.366 |
| 30 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | 23.016 | 117.310 |
| 31 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 23.027 | 117.254 |
| 32 | 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 23.038 | 117.198 |
| 33 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 23.040 | 117.188 |
| 34 | 75 | Joe Ruttman | RahMoc Enterprises | Oldsmobile | 23.118 | 116.792 |
| Provisionals |||||||
| 35 | 55 | Ted Musgrave (R) | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 23.411 | 115.330 |
| 36 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 23.916 | 112.895 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||
| 37 | 73 | Dale Fischlein | Barkdoll Racing | Oldsmobile | -* | -* |
| Official first round qualifying results |||||||
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 13 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 400 | 27 | running | 180 | $63,650 |
| 2 | 3 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 400 | 150 | running | 180 | $39,425 |
| 3 | 1 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 400 | 124 | running | 170 | $21,700 |
| 4 | 6 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 80 | running | 165 | $20,800 |
| 5 | 7 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 1 | running | 160 | $18,125 |
| 6 | 2 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 400 | 10 | running | 155 | $13,550 |
| 7 | 9 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 0 | running | 146 | $9,750 |
| 8 | 10 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 400 | 2 | running | 147 | $8,750 |
| 9 | 14 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 400 | 0 | running | 138 | $11,950 |
| 10 | 15 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 399 | 0 | running | 134 | $9,700 |
| 11 | 16 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 398 | 5 | running | 135 | $13,750 |
| 12 | 5 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 398 | 0 | running | 127 | $6,400 |
| 13 | 27 | 8 | Rick Wilson | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 397 | 0 | running | 124 | $7,000 |
| 14 | 18 | 11 | Geoff Bodine | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 397 | 0 | running | 121 | $11,500 |
| 15 | 17 | 98 | Jimmy Spencer | Travis Carter Enterprises | Chevrolet | 397 | 0 | running | 118 | $7,350 |
| 16 | 22 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 397 | 0 | running | 115 | $10,925 |
| 17 | 28 | 66 | Lake Speed | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 397 | 0 | running | 112 | $6,425 |
| 18 | 21 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Buick | 396 | 0 | running | 109 | $5,175 |
| 19 | 20 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 396 | 0 | running | 106 | $6,000 |
| 20 | 25 | 21 | Dale Jarrett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 396 | 0 | running | 103 | $6,925 |
| 21 | 11 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Buick | 396 | 0 | running | 100 | $5,800 |
| 22 | 35 | 55 | Ted Musgrave (R) | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 395 | 0 | running | 97 | $4,475 |
| 23 | 32 | 15 | Morgan Shepherd | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 394 | 0 | running | 94 | $9,175 |
| 24 | 19 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 393 | 1 | running | 96 | $5,550 |
| 25 | 26 | 90 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 391 | 0 | running | 88 | $3,500 |
| 26 | 8 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 388 | 0 | running | 85 | $9,075 |
| 27 | 12 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 377 | 0 | running | 82 | $5,480 |
| 28 | 34 | 75 | Joe Ruttman | RahMoc Enterprises | Oldsmobile | 374 | 0 | running | 79 | $5,325 |
| 29 | 33 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 370 | 0 | running | 76 | $4,800 |
| 30 | 31 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 361 | 0 | engine | 73 | $4,750 |
| 31 | 29 | 24 | Kenny Wallace | Team III Racing | Pontiac | 348 | 0 | rear end | 70 | $3,200 |
| 32 | 23 | 47 | Greg Sacks | Close Racing | Oldsmobile | 256 | 0 | overheating | 67 | $3,175 |
| 33 | 4 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 253 | 0 | running | 64 | $11,870 |
| 34 | 30 | 19 | Chad Little | Little Racing | Ford | 55 | 0 | crash | 61 | $3,150 |
| 35 | 36 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 36 | 0 | engine | 58 | $3,150 |
| 36 | 24 | 41 | Larry Pearson | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 9 | 0 | crash | 55 | $3,150 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 37 | | 73 | Dale Fischlein | Barkdoll Racing | Oldsmobile | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - | - |
| | 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 3,277 |
| | 2 | Ricky Rudd | 3,213 (-64) |
| | 3 | Ernie Irvan | 3,144 (-133) |
| | 4 | Davey Allison | 3,120 (–157) |
| 1 | 5 | Ken Schrader | 2,973 (–304) |
| 1 | 6 | Mark Martin | 2,965 (–312) |
| | 7 | Sterling Marlin | 2,869 (–408) |
| | 8 | Darrell Waltrip | 2,865 (–412) |
| | 9 | Harry Gant | 2,836 (–441) |
| | 10 | Rusty Wallace | 2,760 (–517) |
| Official driver's standings ||||
