1989 Miller High Life 400 (Michigan)
# 1989 Miller High Life 400 (Michigan)

The 1989 Miller High Life 400 was the 14th stock car race of the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 21st iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, June 25, 1989, before an audience of 85,000 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. On the final restart with 11 laps left in the race, Melling Racing driver Bill Elliott would manage to fend off the field and secure his 30th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his first victory of the season. To fill out the top three, Blue Max Racing driver Rusty Wallace and Hendrick Motorsports driver Darrell Waltrip 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 | Lee Raymond | Coyle Racing | Ford | Coyle Racing |
| 2 | Ernie Irvan | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | Kroger |
| 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | GM Goodwrench Service Plus |
| 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Kodak |
| 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Levi Garrett |
| 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | Stroh's 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 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Pontiac | Purolator Filters |
| 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Budweiser |
| 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | Motorcraft |
| 16 | Larry Pearson (R) | Pearson Racing | Buick | Chattanooga Chew |
| 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Tide |
| 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo |
| 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | Melling Oil Pumps |
| 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 | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | Texaco, Havoline |
| 29 | Dale Jarrett | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | Hardee's |
| 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | Country Time |
| 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Skoal Bandit |
| 35 | Bill Venturini | Venturini Motorsports | Chevrolet | Rain-X |
| 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac | Almeda Auto Parts |
| 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Peak Antifreeze |
| 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP |
| 48 | Greg Sacks | Winkle Motorsports | Pontiac | Dinner Bell Foods |
| 51 | Butch Miller (R) | Miller Racing | Chevrolet | Fruit of the Loom |
| 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | Alka-Seltzer |
| 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | Skoal, Crown Central Petroleum |
| 57 | Hut Stricklin (R) | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | Heinz |
| 60 | Mike Miller | Bilby Racing | Chevrolet | Bilby Racing |
| 69 | Ronnie Thomas | LC Racing | Ford | War Eagle Construction |
| 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | Lifebuoy |
| 75 | Morgan Shepherd | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | Valvoline |
| 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce |
| 84 | Dick Trickle (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | Miller High Life |
| 88 | Jimmy Spencer (R) | Baker–Schiff Racing | Oldsmobile | Crisco |
| 89 | Rodney Combs | Mueller Brothers Racing | Pontiac | Evinrude Outboard Motors |
| 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | Sunoco |

## Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Saturday, June 23, 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 23, 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.

Ken Schrader, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 41.207 and an average speed of 174.728 miles per hour (281.197 km/h) in the first round.

Lee Raymond was the only driver that failed to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 41.207 | 174.728 |
| 2 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 41.257 | 174.516 |
| 3 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 41.262 | 174.495 |
| 4 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 41.404 | 173.896 |
| 5 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 41.495 | 173.515 |
| 6 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 41.501 | 173.490 |
| 7 | 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 41.543 | 173.314 |
| 8 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 41.552 | 173.277 |
| 9 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 41.569 | 173.206 |
| 10 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 41.626 | 172.969 |
| 11 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 41.686 | 172.720 |
| 12 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 41.713 | 172.608 |
| 13 | 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 41.724 | 172.563 |
| 14 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 41.731 | 172.534 |
| 15 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 41.791 | 172.286 |
| 16 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Pontiac | 41.797 | 172.253 |
| 17 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 41.841 | 172.080 |
| 18 | 29 | Dale Jarrett | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 41.850 | 172.043 |
| 19 | 57 | Hut Stricklin (R) | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | 41.897 | 171.850 |
| 20 | 88 | Jimmy Spencer (R) | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | 41.945 | 171.653 |
| Failed to lock in Round 1 |||||||
| 21 | 48 | Greg Sacks | Winkle Motorsports | Pontiac | 41.947 | 171.645 |
| 22 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 41.978 | 171.518 |
| 23 | 75 | Morgan Shepherd | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 42.029 | 171.310 |
| 24 | 69 | Ronnie Thomas | LC Racing | Ford | 42.067 | 171.156 |
| 25 | 84 | Dick Trickle (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 42.080 | 171.103 |
| 26 | 16 | Larry Pearson (R) | Pearson Racing | Buick | 42.089 | 171.066 |
| 27 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 42.126 | 170.916 |
| 28 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 42.221 | 170.531 |
| 29 | 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | 42.308 | 170.181 |
| 30 | 2 | Ernie Irvan | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 42.353 | 170.000 |
| 31 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 42.363 | 169.960 |
| 32 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 42.441 | 169.647 |
| 33 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 42.561 | 169.169 |
| 34 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 42.580 | 169.093 |
| 35 | 89 | Rodney Combs | Mueller Brothers Racing | Pontiac | 42.593 | 169.042 |
| 36 | 51 | Butch Miller (R) | Miller Racing | Chevrolet | 42.682 | 168.689 |
| 37 | 60 | Mike Miller | Bilby Racing | Chevrolet | 42.722 | 168.531 |
| 38 | 35 | Bill Venturini | Venturini Motorsports | Chevrolet | 42.815 | 168.165 |
| 39 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 42.993 | 167.469 |
| 40 | 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac | 43.105 | 167.034 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||
| 41 | 1 | Lee Raymond | Coyle Racing | Ford | 43.458 | 165.677 |
| Official starting lineup |||||||

## Race results

| Fin | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 2 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 200 | 44 | running | 180 | $71,450 |
| 2 | 9 | 27 | Rusty Wallace | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 200 | 131 | running | 180 | $53,025 |
| 3 | 14 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 200 | 7 | running | 170 | $31,800 |
| 4 | 33 | 26 | Ricky Rudd | King Racing | Buick | 200 | 0 | running | 160 | $24,575 |
| 5 | 13 | 15 | Brett Bodine | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 200 | 0 | running | 155 | $22,025 |
| 6 | 12 | 4 | Rick Wilson | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 200 | 0 | running | 150 | $15,475 |
| 7 | 15 | 83 | Lake Speed | Speed Racing | Oldsmobile | 200 | 2 | running | 151 | $13,900 |
| 8 | 8 | 94 | Sterling Marlin | Hagan Racing | Oldsmobile | 200 | 0 | running | 142 | $12,900 |
| 9 | 16 | 10 | Derrike Cope | Whitcomb Racing | Pontiac | 200 | 0 | running | 138 | $10,075 |
| 10 | 22 | 42 | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 199 | 0 | running | 134 | $9,900 |
| 11 | 1 | 25 | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 199 | 15 | running | 135 | $16,900 |
| 12 | 4 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 199 | 0 | running | 127 | $10,775 |
| 13 | 20 | 88 | Jimmy Spencer (R) | Baker–Schiff Racing | Pontiac | 199 | 0 | running | 124 | $10,725 |
| 14 | 11 | 11 | Terry Labonte | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 199 | 0 | running | 121 | $12,825 |
| 15 | 32 | 55 | Phil Parsons | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 199 | 0 | running | 118 | $9,675 |
| 16 | 28 | 30 | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 199 | 0 | running | 115 | $7,500 |
| 17 | 6 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 198 | 0 | running | 112 | $13,775 |
| 18 | 30 | 2 | Ernie Irvan | U.S. Racing | Pontiac | 198 | 0 | running | 109 | $6,350 |
| 19 | 26 | 16 | Larry Pearson (R) | Pearson Racing | Buick | 198 | 0 | running | 106 | $5,785 |
| 20 | 27 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 198 | 0 | running | 103 | $8,195 |
| 21 | 34 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 197 | 0 | running | 100 | $7,000 |
| 22 | 18 | 29 | Dale Jarrett | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Pontiac | 197 | 0 | running | 97 | $6,785 |
| 23 | 24 | 69 | Ronnie Thomas | LC Racing | Ford | 196 | 0 | running | 94 | $3,925 |
| 24 | 17 | 21 | Neil Bonnett | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 194 | 0 | running | 91 | $6,515 |
| 25 | 25 | 84 | Dick Trickle (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Buick | 194 | 0 | running | 88 | $6,605 |
| 26 | 40 | 36 | H. B. Bailey | Bailey Racing | Pontiac | 192 | 0 | running | 85 | $3,595 |
| 27 | 5 | 5 | Geoff Bodine | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 188 | 0 | running | 82 | $10,535 |
| 28 | 39 | 52 | Jimmy Means | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 179 | 0 | crash | 79 | $3,475 |
| 29 | 29 | 23 | Eddie Bierschwale | B&B Racing | Oldsmobile | 175 | 0 | running | 76 | $3,365 |
| 30 | 31 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 170 | 0 | engine | 73 | $4,755 |
| 31 | 10 | 28 | Davey Allison | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 145 | 0 | engine | 70 | $11,650 |
| 32 | 7 | 33 | Harry Gant | Jackson Bros. Motorsports | Oldsmobile | 141 | 1 | engine | 72 | $10,200 |
| 33 | 19 | 57 | Hut Stricklin (R) | Osterlund Racing | Pontiac | 141 | 0 | clutch | 64 | $3,775 |
| 34 | 37 | 60 | Mike Miller | Bilby Racing | Chevrolet | 137 | 0 | fatigue | 61 | $3,075 |
| 35 | 23 | 75 | Morgan Shepherd | RahMoc Enterprises | Pontiac | 132 | 0 | engine | 58 | $11,040 |
| 36 | 3 | 7 | Alan Kulwicki | AK Racing | Ford | 119 | 0 | engine | 55 | $6,110 |
| 37 | 38 | 35 | Bill Venturini | Venturini Motorsports | Chevrolet | 80 | 0 | crash | 52 | $2,975 |
| 38 | 36 | 51 | Butch Miller (R) | Miller Racing | Chevrolet | 74 | 0 | rear end | 49 | $2,960 |
| 39 | 21 | 48 | Greg Sacks | Winkle Motorsports | Pontiac | 34 | 0 | oil pump | 46 | $2,945 |
| 40 | 35 | 89 | Rodney Combs | Mueller Brothers Racing | Pontiac | 2 | 0 | engine | 43 | $2,925 |
| Failed to qualify |||||||||||
| 41 | | 1 | Lee Raymond | Coyle Racing | Ford | | | | | |
| Official race results |||||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - | - |
| | 1 | Dale Earnhardt | 2,057 |
| | 2 | Rusty Wallace | 1,935 (-122) |
| | 3 | Darrell Waltrip | 1,908 (-149) |
| | 4 | Mark Martin | 1,858 (–199) |
| 3 | 5 | Bill Elliott | 1,803 (–254) |
| | 6 | Sterling Marlin | 1,794 (–263) |
| 2 | 7 | Geoff Bodine | 1,777 (–280) |
| 1 | 8 | Ken Schrader | 1,760 (–297) |
| 1 | 9 | Ricky Rudd | 1,749 (–308) |
| | 10 | Terry Labonte | 1,700 (–357) |
| Official driver's standings ||||
