1988 Miller High Life 400 (Michigan)

1988 Miller High Life 400
Race details
Race 14 of 29 in the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1988 Miller High Life 400 program cover, featuring Bobby Hillin Jr. and Bobby Allison. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
The 1988 Miller High Life 400 program cover, featuring Bobby Hillin Jr. and Bobby Allison. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
Date June 26, 1988
Official name 20th Annual Miller High Life 400
Location Brooklyn, Michigan, Michigan International Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
2 mi (3.2 km)
Distance 200 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
Scheduled Distance 200 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
Average speed 153.551 miles per hour (247.116 km/h)
Attendance 70,000
Pole position
Driver
Melling Racing
Time 41.694
Most laps led
Driver Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing
Laps 106
Winner
No. 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing
Television in the United States
Network CBS
Announcers Ken Squier, Ned Jarrett, Chris Economaki
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

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.[1][2][3][4] 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 layout of Michigan International Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

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,[5] 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.[6][7]

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

References

  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (June 27, 1988). "Wallace Rolls To Michigan Win (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 25. Retrieved July 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (June 27, 1988). "Wallace Rolls To Michigan Win (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 28. Retrieved July 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ Foster, Terry (June 27, 1988). "Rusty wins 400 squeaker (Part 1)". Detroit Free Press. p. 52. Retrieved July 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Foster, Terry (June 27, 1988). "Rusty wins 400 squeaker (Part 2)". Detroit Free Press. p. 54. Retrieved July 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ "NASCAR Today". The Charlotte Observer. June 24, 1988. p. 24. Retrieved May 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ Higgins, Tom (June 25, 1988). "Pole-Sitter Elliott Continues Michigan Mastery (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 21. Retrieved July 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ Higgins, Tom (June 25, 1988). "Pole-Sitter Elliott Continues Michigan Mastery (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 27. Retrieved July 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon


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1988 Miller High Life 500 		NASCAR Winston Cup Series
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1988 Pepsi Firecracker 400