1992 Save Mart 300K
# 1992 Save Mart 300K

The 1992 Save Mart 300K was the 12th stock car race of the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season, the third race of the 1992 NASCAR Winston West Series, and the fourth iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, June 7, 1992, before an audience of 83,000 at the Grand Prix layout of Sears Point Raceway, a 2.52 miles (4.06 km) permanent road course layout. The race took the scheduled 74 laps to complete. In the final laps of the race, Morgan–McClure Motorsports driver Ernie Irvan would manage to make a late-race pass for the lead with eight to go, coming back from an early penalty to take his fourth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first victory of the season. To fill out the top three, Hagan Racing driver Terry Labonte and Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would finish second and third, respectively.

## Background

Sears Point Raceway at the time was one of two road courses to hold NASCAR races, the other being Watkins Glen International. The standard road course at Sears Point Raceway is a 12-turn course that is 2.52 miles (4.06 km) long; the track was modified in 1998, adding the Chute, which bypassed turns 5 and 6, shortening the course to 1.95 miles (3.14 km). The Chute was only used for NASCAR events such as this race, and was criticized by many drivers, who preferred the full layout. In 2001, it was replaced with a 70-degree turn, 4A, bringing the track to its current dimensions of 1.99 miles (3.20 km).

### Entry list

* (R) denotes rookie driver.

| # | Driver | Team | Make | Sponsor |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 0 | Irv Hoerr | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | Skoal |
| 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Ford | 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 |
| 04 | Bobby Woods | Lipseia Racing | Pontiac | Graph-Ricks Racing Decals |
| 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Tide |
| 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | Valvoline |
| 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | Hooters |
| 8 | Dick Trickle | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | Snickers |
| 9 | Bill Schmitt | Melling Racing | Ford | Raley's Supermarkets, 7 Up |
| 09 | R. K. Smith | Midgley Racing | Pontiac | Midgley Racing |
| 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | Purolator Filters |
| 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Budweiser |
| 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Chevrolet | Raybestos |
| 15 | Geoff Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | Motorcraft |
| 16 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Roush Racing | Ford | Keystone |
| 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | Western Auto |
| 18 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | Interstate Batteries |
| 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo |
| 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Maxwell House |
| 24 | Butch Gilliland | Gilliland Racing | Pontiac | Anaheim Electric |
| 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kodiak |
| 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 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 |
| 37 | Rick Carelli | Chesrown Racing | Chevrolet | Hoosier Racing Tire |
| 41 | Greg Sacks | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kellogg's Frosted Flakes |
| 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Mello Yello |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 44 | Jack Sellers | Emerson Racing | Buick | Dad's Root Beer |
| 50 | Hershel McGriff | JTC Racing | Chevrolet | Star Race Computers |
| 51 | Rick Scribner | Scribner Racing | Chevrolet | All Pro Auto Parts |
| 52 | Tommy Kendall | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | Save Mart Supermarkets |
| 55 | Ted Musgrave | RaDiUs Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Jasper Engines & Transmissions |
| 58 | Wayne Jacks | Jacks Motorsports | Pontiac | Imperial Palace |
| 60 | Mike Chase | Kaylan Young Racing | Pontiac | Bowman |
| 66 | Jimmy Hensley (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | Phillips 66 TropArtic |
| 68 | Bobby Hamilton | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Country Time |
| 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | Big Apple Markets |
| 75 | Bill Sedgwick | Spears Motorsports | Chevrolet | Spears Manufacturing |
| 92 | Ron Hornaday Jr. | Fisher Racing | Chevrolet | Palmdale Chiropractic |
| 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Ford | Sunoco |
| 99 | John Krebs | Diamond Ridge Motorsports | Pontiac | Diamond Ridge Motorsports |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, June 5, at 6:30 PM 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, June 6, at 1:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 26-40 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; which was one for cars in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and two extra provisionals for the NASCAR Winston West Series. 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.

Ricky Rudd, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 1:39.709 and an average speed of 90.985 miles per hour (146.426 km/h) in the first round.

Two drivers would fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 1:39.709 | 90.985 |
| 2 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 1:40.392 | 90.366 |
| 3 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 1:40.831 | 89.972 |
| 4 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 1:40.874 | 89.934 |
| 5 | 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 1:40.975 | 89.844 |
| 6 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 1:41.512 | 89.369 |
| 7 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 1:41.646 | 89.251 |
| 8 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 1:41.709 | 89.196 |
| 9 | 16 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Roush Racing | Ford | 1:41.794 | 89.121 |
| 10 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 1:41.904 | 89.025 |
| 11 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 1:41.907 | 89.022 |
| 12 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 1:41.911 | 89.019 |
| 13 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 1:41.913 | 89.017 |
| 14 | 52 | Tommy Kendall | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 1:41.921 | 89.010 |
| 15 | 15 | Geoff Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 1:41.939 | 88.994 |
| 16 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 1:42.037 | 88.909 |
| 17 | 92 | Ron Hornaday Jr. | Fisher Racing | Chevrolet | 1:42.073 | 88.878 |
| 18 | 0 | Irv Hoerr | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 1:42.344 | 88.642 |
| 19 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 1:42.540 | 88.473 |
| 20 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 1:42.543 | 88.470 |
| 21 | 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 1:42.669 | 88.362 |
| 22 | 66 | Jimmy Hensley (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 1:42.952 | 88.119 |
| 23 | 18 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 1:43.045 | 88.039 |
| 24 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 1:43.053 | 88.032 |
| 25 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 1:43.568 | 87.595 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 26 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 1:41.770 | 89.142 |
| 27 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 1:43.185 | 87.920 |
| 28 | 8 | Dick Trickle | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | 1:43.189 | 87.916 |
| 29 | 09 | R. K. Smith | Midgley Racing | Pontiac | 1:43.691 | 87.491 |
| 30 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 1:43.727 | 87.460 |
| 31 | 55 | Ted Musgrave | RaDiUs Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 1:43.730 | 87.458 |
| 32 | 75 | Bill Sedgwick | Spears Motorsports | Chevrolet | 1:43.796 | 87.402 |
| 33 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 1:43.828 | 87.375 |
| 34 | 9 | Bill Schmitt | Melling Racing | Ford | 1:43.910 | 87.306 |
| 35 | 50 | Hershel McGriff | JTC Racing | Chevrolet | 1:44.071 | 87.171 |
| 36 | 24 | Butch Gilliland | Gilliland Racing | Pontiac | 1:44.323 | 86.961 |
| 37 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Chevrolet | 1:44.506 | 86.808 |
| 38 | 37 | Rick Carelli | Chesrown Racing | Chevrolet | 1:44.942 | 86.448 |
| 39 | 60 | Mike Chase | Kaylan Young Racing | Pontiac | 1:45.213 | 86.225 |
| 40 | 99 | John Krebs | Diamond Ridge Motorsports | Pontiac | 1:46.172 | 85.446 |
| Winston Cup provisional |||||||
| 41 | 41 | Greg Sacks | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | -* | -* |
| Winston West provisionals |||||||
| 42 | 51 | Rick Scribner | Scribner Racing | Chevrolet | -* | -* |
| 43 | 44 | Jack Sellers | Emerson Racing | Buick | -* | -* |
| Failed to qualify |||||||
| 44 | 58 | Wayne Jacks | Jacks Motorsports | Pontiac | -* | -* |
| 45 | 04 | Bobby Woods | Lipseia Racing | Pontiac | -* | -* |
| Official first round qualifying results |||||||
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 2 | 4 | Ernie Irvan | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 74 | 8 | running | 180 | $61,810 |
| 2 | 6 | 94 | Terry Labonte | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 74 | 15 | running | 175 | $36,685 |
| 3 | 8 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 74 | 1 | running | 170 | $28,185 |
| 4 | 1 | 5 | Ricky Rudd | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 74 | 9 | running | 165 | $25,710 |
| 5 | 5 | 11 | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 74 | 22 | running | 165 | $32,585 |
| 6 | 12 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 74 | 0 | running | 150 | $21,910 |
| 7 | 3 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Pontiac | 74 | 12 | running | 151 | $18,110 |
| 8 | 4 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 74 | 0 | running | 142 | $18,610 |
| 9 | 13 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 74 | 0 | running | 138 | $17,360 |
| 10 | 15 | 15 | Geoff Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 74 | 0 | running | 134 | $16,360 |
| 11 | 33 | 1 | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 74 | 0 | running | 130 | $13,460 |
| 12 | 19 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 74 | 0 | running | 127 | $12,960 |
| 13 | 14 | 52 | Tommy Kendall | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 74 | 0 | running | 124 | $6,755 |
| 14 | 7 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 74 | 5 | running | 126 | $14,255 |
| 15 | 16 | 26 | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 74 | 0 | running | 118 | $11,905 |
| 16 | 11 | 22 | Sterling Marlin | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 74 | 0 | running | 115 | $11,405 |
| 17 | 24 | 33 | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 74 | 2 | running | 117 | $15,530 |
| 18 | 20 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Chevrolet | 74 | 0 | running | 109 | $6,345 |
| 19 | 32 | 75 | Bill Sedgwick | Spears Motorsports | Chevrolet | 74 | 0 | running | 106 | $9,080 |
| 20 | 26 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 74 | 0 | running | 103 | $11,155 |
| 21 | 30 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 74 | 0 | running | 100 | $11,055 |
| 22 | 31 | 55 | Ted Musgrave | RaDiUs Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 73 | 0 | running | 97 | $10,230 |
| 23 | 27 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 73 | 0 | running | 94 | $7,155 |
| 24 | 34 | 9 | Bill Schmitt | Melling Racing | Ford | 73 | 0 | running | 91 | $8,235 |
| 25 | 9 | 16 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Roush Racing | Ford | 73 | 0 | running | 88 | $6,975 |
| 26 | 28 | 8 | Dick Trickle | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | 73 | 0 | running | 85 | $9,855 |
| 27 | 37 | 12 | Hut Stricklin | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Chevrolet | 73 | 0 | running | 82 | $9,780 |
| 28 | 10 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 73 | 0 | running | 79 | $16,305 |
| 29 | 21 | 21 | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 72 | 0 | running | 76 | $9,670 |
| 30 | 22 | 66 | Jimmy Hensley (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 72 | 0 | running | 73 | $5,815 |
| 31 | 40 | 99 | John Krebs | Diamond Ridge Motorsports | Pontiac | 72 | 0 | running | 70 | $6,530 |
| 32 | 17 | 92 | Ron Hornaday Jr. | Fisher Racing | Chevrolet | 72 | 0 | running | 67 | $4,930 |
| 33 | 29 | 09 | R. K. Smith | Midgley Racing | Pontiac | 70 | 0 | engine | 64 | $4,880 |
| 34 | 25 | 68 | Bobby Hamilton | TriStar Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 70 | 0 | running | 61 | $10,380 |
| 35 | 39 | 60 | Mike Chase | Kaylan Young Racing | Pontiac | 69 | 0 | running | 58 | $6,330 |
| 36 | 42 | 51 | Rick Scribner | Scribner Racing | Chevrolet | 68 | 0 | running | 55 | $4,820 |
| 37 | 38 | 37 | Rick Carelli | Chesrown Racing | Chevrolet | 57 | 0 | rear end | 52 | $4,800 |
| 38 | 36 | 24 | Butch Gilliland | Gilliland Racing | Pontiac | 55 | 0 | handling | 49 | $4,780 |
| 39 | 23 | 18 | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 52 | 0 | transmission | 46 | $4,750 |
| 40 | 43 | 44 | Jack Sellers | Emerson Racing | Buick | 48 | 0 | transmission | 43 | $4,725 |
| 41 | 18 | 0 | Irv Hoerr | Precision Products Racing | Oldsmobile | 42 | 0 | engine | 40 | $4,725 |
| 42 | 35 | 50 | Hershel McGriff | JTC Racing | Chevrolet | 19 | 0 | transmission | 37 | $4,725 |
| 43 | 41 | 41 | Greg Sacks | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 2 | 0 | engine | 34 | $4,725 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 44 | | 58 | Wayne Jacks | Jacks Motorsports | Pontiac | | | | | |
| 45 | | 04 | Bobby Woods | Lipseia Racing | Pontiac | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - | - |
| | 1 | Davey Allison | 1,773 |
| 1 | 2 | Dale Earnhardt | 1,745 (-28) |
| 1 | 3 | Bill Elliott | 1,742 (-31) |
| 2 | 4 | Harry Gant | 1,741 (–32) |
| | 5 | Alan Kulwicki | 1,690 (–83) |
| | 6 | Terry Labonte | 1,658 (–115) |
| | 7 | Morgan Shepherd | 1,548 (–225) |
| 2 | 8 | Ricky Rudd | 1,511 (–262) |
| | 9 | Geoff Bodine | 1,494 (–279) |
| 3 | 10 | Ernie Irvan | 1,488 (–285) |
| Official driver's standings ||||
