The 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season began on February 9 and ended on November 15. Alan Kulwicki of AK Racing won the championship.It will go down in history as the most dramatic and emotional year the NASCAR Winston Cup Series has ever seen. The sport said goodbye to its king, Richard Petty, and ushered in a new era with the crowning Alan Kulwicki as the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup champion. Kulwicki stunned the racing world with his charge to the top, overcoming remarkable odds and beating the best in the business. Entering the final event of the 29-race season, six drivers were mathematically within reach of the coveted Winston Cup. Davey Allison led the freight train of contenders into the Hooter's 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway with a 30-point lead over Kulwicki and 40-point cushion of Bill Elliott. Harry Gant and Kyle Petty trailed by 97 and 98 points, respectively, while Mark Martin was the true long shot, 103 points in arrears. The event leading up to the crowning of a champion on the final lap of the race, re-defined drama. Those events will be covered in the following look back at 1992, the closest NASCAR Winston Cup points finish of all-time.
1992 Team Chart
Busch Clash
The Busch Clash, an invitational event for all Busch Pole winners of the previous season, was held February 9 at Daytona International Speedway. Brett Bodine drew the pole.
Top Ten Results
- 15-Geoffrey Bodine
- 4-Ernie Irvan
- 6-Mark Martin
- 28-Davey Allison
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 22-Sterling Marlin
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 30-Michael Waltrip
- 5-Ricky Rudd
- 66-Chad Little
Gatorade 125s
The Gatorade 125-mile qualifying races for the Daytona 500 were held February 13 at Daytona International Speedway. Sterling Marlin and Bill Elliott won the poles for both races, respectively.
Race One: Top Ten Results
- 3-Dale Earnhardt
- 6-Mark Martin
- 4-Ernie Irvan
- 41-Greg Sacks
- 33-Harry Gant
- 1-Rick Mast
- 25-Ken Schrader
- 2-Rusty Wallace
- 9-Phil Parsons
- 03-Kerry Teague
Race Two: Top Ten Results
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 21-Morgan Shepherd
- 28-Davey Allison
- 5-Ricky Rudd
- 30-Michael Waltrip
- 17-Darrell Waltrip
- 66-Chad Little
- 15-Geoff Bodine
- 26-Brett Bodine
- 10-Derrike Cope
Daytona 500 by STP
Junior Johnson's stablemates, Elliott and Sterling Marlin, controlled the front row, qualifying 1-2 for the sport's biggest event. And for the first 91 laps, they controlled the race, leading 58 of the opening laps. But on lap 92, Elliott, Marlin, and Ernie Irvan went three wide coming out of turn two. Marlin, sandwiched in the middle, bounced off both his teammate and Irvan, until finally all three lost control in front of the entire field. In all, 14 cars were eliminated from the event. With cat-like reaction, Allison, running fourth, miraculously avoided the melee and drove on to dominate the second half of the race. Allison led 95 of the final 100 laps to claim his Daytona 500 victory. Morgan Shepherd was a surprise second, while Geoff Bodine was third. Kulwicki started 41st after a crash in the Twin 125 qualifying event, but fought his way up to fourth. Dick Trickle rounded out the top five.
GM Goodwrench 500
The GM Goodwrench 500 was held March 1 at North Carolina Speedway. The #42 of Kyle Petty won the pole.Few could have imagined the Johnson-Elliott-Brewer combination would be so fruitful so early in the season. But after winning the outside pole for the Daytona 500, Elliott guided the Budweiser Ford to victory in just the team's second race together. The momentum that Allison and the Texaco-Havoline team began gathering during the second half of 1991 continued as he finished a close second. Harry Gant, Michael Waltrip and Ken Schrader rounded out the top five. Allison's early point lead was 56 over Morgan Shepherd.
Top Ten Results
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 28-Davey Allison
- 33-Harry Gant
- 30-Michael Waltrip, 1 lap down
- 25-Ken Schrader, 1 lap down
- 6-Mark Martin, 2 laps down
- 94-Terry Labonte, 2 laps down
- 26-Brett Bodine, 2 laps down
- 12-Hut Stricklin, 2 laps down
- 17-Darrell Waltrip, 2 laps down
- Bill Elliott and Davey Allison led a combined 450 of 492 laps. Allison left the weekend 56 points ahead of Morgan Shepherd, who led 1 lap and finished 3 laps down in 13th.
Pontiac Excitement 400
The Pontiac Excitement 400 was held March 8 at Richmond International Raceway. Bill Elliott won the pole.Elliott strikes again. This time, though, he was pushed to the limit by Kulwicki. Kulwicki made a late charge at the race's dominator and nearly pulled off a last-lap pass. But they raced clean through three and four and Elliott, the pole winner, nipped the smooth-driving Kulwicki by 18 inches for his second consecutive win. It was just Elliott's second career win on a short track. Gant and Allison again finished in the top four while Darrell Waltrip placed fifth. Allison's point lead grew to 63 points, now over Gant. Elliott moved to third in points, 68 behind Allison.
Top Ten Results
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 33-Harry Gant
- 28-Davey Allison
- 17-Darrell Waltrip
- 5-Ricky Rudd
- 22-Sterling Marlin, 1 lap down
- 94-Terry Labonte, 1 lap down
- 12-Hut Stricklin, 1 lap down
- 21-Morgan Shepherd, 1 lap down
- This was Bill Elliott's second and final win at a short track. He dominated by leading 348 of the 400 laps (87%), but beat Alan Kulwicki by only 18 inches. Davey Allison now led Harry Gant by 63 points, and Bill Elliott by 68.
Motorcraft Quality Parts 500
The Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 was held March 15 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The #6 of Mark Martin won the pole. It became evident late in the race that hometown favorite Elliott would not be victorious on this day. They had missed on the set-up and he was muddled near 15th all day. Late in the race, leaders Allison, Kulwicki and Gant pitted under green for what would be their final pit stop of the day. Every car on the lead lap had pitted for tires and fuel for the final run, except Elliott, whose Budweiser Ford has always enjoyed remarkable fuel mileage. Suddenly, Mike Wallace spins his Dick Moroso Oldsmobile in turn two, bringing out a caution with 40 laps to go. Astonishingly, the result left Elliott on a lap by himself. Elliott cruised the next 40 circuits for his third straight victory. Perhaps crew chief Tim Brewer said it best when he quipped, "Maybe we should have backed into Victory Lane, that's sure how we got here!" Gant, Eamhardt, Allison and Trickle rounded out the top five.
Top Ten Results
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 33-Harry Gant
- 3-Dale Earnhardt
- 28-Davey Allison
- 8-Dick Trickle
- 15-Geoff Bodine
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 42-Kyle Petty
- 94-Terry Labonte
- 21-Morgan Shepherd
- Bill Elliott won this race as a result of superior fuel mileage (due to an ill-handling car, which did not allow a desirable race pace) and a lucky caution flag that fell at Lap 285 (for Hut Stricklin's blown engine) after everyone else had already made a green-flag pit stop. This put Elliott on a lap of his own and he easily kept the lead while he pitted under the yellow. 13 cars restarted on the tail end of the lead lap as they passed Bill when he pitted. Bill's handling evidently improved, as he easily defeated Harry Gant by 18 seconds. Elliott and Gant became tied for second in points, 58 behind Davey Allison.
TranSouth 500
The TranSouth 500 was held March 29 at Darlington Raceway. The #22 of Sterling Marlin won the pole. At a place where history was reared, Elliott put his name in the record books. In dramatic fashion, Elliott outran hard-charging Gant to post his fourth consecutive victory, tying the modern-era record for most successive wins. Ironically. it was Gant who completed the feat just six months earlier. Mark Martin was third and Ricky Rudd fifth.Allison remained consistent with a fourth-place showing, giving him a 58 point lead over Elliott.
Top Ten Results
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 33-Harry Gant
- 6-Mark Martin
- 28-Davey Allison, 1 lap down
- 5-Ricky Rudd, 1 lap down
- 26-Brett Bodine, 1 lap down
- 8-Dick Trickle, 2 laps down
- 15-Geoff Bodine, 2 laps down
- 94-Terry Labonte, 2 laps down
- 3-Dale Earnhardt, 2 laps down
- Bill Elliott tied the modern-era record for successive victories at four. This came 6 months after Harry Gant accomplished the same feat in September 1991. Bill Elliott continued to chip away at Davey Allison's lead by reducing it to 48 points. Harry Gant was also consistent in the early part of the season, as he sat just 53 points behind Allison.
Food City 500
The Food City 500 was held April 5 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Alan Kulwicki won the pole. Coach Joe Gibbs started 5-0 as head coach over the Washington Redskins. As car owner of the Interstate Batteries Chevrolet driven by Dale Jarrett, Gibbs was again 0-5. But,as he did in football, Gibbs appeared headed for victory in his sixth try. Jarrett led the late stages of the event, but on lap 474 of the 500-lap event, Kulwicki used lapped traffic to maneuver around Jarrett and post his first victory of 1992.Meanwhile,points leader Allison collected the wall-separating the cartilage around his rib cage and knocking two vertebrae out of place-and finished 28th. Elliott finished 20th and Allison's points lead was 29 over Elliott and 61 over Gant.
Top Ten Results
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 18-Dale Jarrett
- 25-Ken Schrader
- 94-Terry Labonte, 1 lap down
- 8-Dick Trickle, 1 lap down
- 5-Ricky Rudd, 3 laps down
- 21-Morgan Shepherd, 4 laps down
- 12-Hut Stricklin, 5 laps down
- 2-Rusty Wallace, 6 laps down
- 10-Derrike Cope, 6 laps down
Failed to Qualify: 98-Jimmy Spencer
- This was the last asphalt race at Bristol Motor Speedway. After the race ended, the blacktop was torn up and a new concrete surface was laid down.
- Rusty Wallace earned his first Top 10 finish in what would be a very difficult season for the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion.
- Bill Elliott experienced trouble during the race, finishing 30 laps down in 20th. Davey Allison led 50 laps, but broke a few ribs in a hard crash. He finished 165 laps down in 28th after leading 50 laps. His point lead shrunk to 29 points over Bill Elliott and 61 over Harry Gant, who finished 29th due to an engine failure after 277 laps.
First Union 400
The First Union 400 was held April 12 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Alan Kulwicki won the pole. In one of the grittiest runs of the year, Allison overcame excruciating pain to collect his second win of the season. The pain was so overwhelming, Jimmy Hensley was called to qualify the Texaco Ford. He gave Davey a seventh-place starting position. Wearing a flak jacket and using an electrode-shock apparatus to help ease the pain, Allison held off a stiff challenge from Rusty Wallace and expanded his points lead to 86 over Gant, 106 over Elliott, 116 over Terry Labonte and 123 over Kulwicki.
Top Ten Results
- 28-Davey Allison
- 2-Rusty Wallace
- 5-Ricky Rudd
- 15-Geoff Bodine
- 33-Harry Gant
- 3-Dale Earnhardt
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 22-Sterling Marlin
- 94-Terry Labonte
- 26-Brett Bodine
- Davey Allison won with broken ribs suffered in an accident at Bristol. His win propelled him 86 points ahead of Harry Gant.
Hanes 500
The Hanes 500 was held April 26 at Martinsville Speedway. Darrell Waltrip won the pole. This will long be remembered as "Camber Day". With new trick rear ends tilted slightly to help get a better drive through the corners, one leader after another fell to the wayside with broken rear axles. First to be victimized was then-dominating Kulwicki, followed by Dale Earnhardt and Ernie Irvan-all in the final 50 laps.With 10 laps remaining, Brett Bodine assumed the lead, until his rear axle broke, leaving Mark Martin standing. Martin's rear axle withstood the strain a few more laps and came out victorious, his first win in 1992.Sterling Marlin posted a second-place finish, followed by Darrell Waltrip, Labonte and Gant. Allison suffered another spin and crash, re injuring his rib cage, but he held a scant 16 point lead over Gant.
Top Ten Results
- 6-Mark Martin
- 22-Sterling Marlin
- 17-Darrell Waltrip, 1 lap down
- 94-Terry Labonte, 1 lap down
- 33-Harry Gant, 2 laps down
- 21-Morgan Shepherd, 2 laps down
- 25-Ken Schrader, 2 laps down
- 26-Brett Bodine, 2 laps down
- 3-Dale Earnhardt, 3 laps down
- 11-Bill Elliott, 3 laps down
- Davey Allison crashed after completing 383 laps, finishing 26th. His point lead shrank to just 16 over Harry Gant, who finished 5th. Terry Labonte was a surprising 3rd in points, just 41 points out of the lead. Also Dick Trickle was 9th at this time. Reigning Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt was 7th overall, while Mark Martin was down in 10th even after his win. 1991 points runner-up Ricky Rudd was 11th, Ken Schrader 14th, Rusty Wallace 16th, and Darrell Waltrip sat 17th in points.
Winston 500
The Winston 500 was held May 3 at Talladega Superspeedway. Ernie Irvan won the pole. This was Buddy Baker's 700th and final Grand National/Winston Cup start. He would later attempt but fail to qualify for the 1993 DieHard 500, and at Daytona and Atlanta in 1994. Allison's resiliency was evident again. Coming off his second crash of the season, Allison held off Elliott by two car lengths in one of the most exciting finishes of the year. Everyone teamed up against Allison for a final shot coming out of the Talladega tri-oval-Chevrolet teammates Ernie Irvan and Dale Earnhardt on the right and Junior Johnson teammates Elliott and Sterling Marlin on the left. But Allison held them off for his second consecutive Winston 500 victory. The win made Allison the only remaining contender for the Winston Million. He had claimed two of the legs required to claim the $1 million bonus from Winston-the Daytona 500 and Winston 500. He would have two shots at the bonus, Charlotte and Darlington
Top Ten Results
- 28-Davey Allison
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 3-Dale Earnhardt
- 22-Sterling Marlin
- 4-Ernie Irvan
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 18-Dale Jarrett
- 6-Mark Martin
- 21-Morgan Shepherd
- 42-Kyle Petty
Failed to Qualify: 0-Delma Cowart, 23-Eddie Bierschwale, 48-James Hylton, 73-Phil Barkdoll, 77-Mike Potter
- The #98 Moly Black Gold Chevrolet of Jimmy Spencer had a spectacular crash late in race on the backstretch. After contact in the middle of the backstretch from the #16 Keystone Ford of Wally Dallenbach, Jr., the #98 spun and became airborne (almost completely vertical). Luckily, the car came back down on all 4 wheels without flipping over. However, the suspension broke in the car as a result of the landing.
- Davey Allison led Bill Elliott by 67 points.
The Winston
The Winston, an all-star race for previous winners, was held May 16 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Davey Allison won the race after a last-lap crash with Kyle Petty.No one could have imagined the 1992 running of The Winston would actually live up to its enormous advanced billing.But one needed only to look in the stands to see the impact this night would have on race fans. Nearly one hour after the checkered flag had flown for race winner Davey Allison, the stands were still full. No one wanted to leave. No one could believe what they had just witnessed. They ail wanted more.Three different leaders in the final 1/4 mile, a 1/2-car length victory and a victory lane celebration at Carolina's Medical Center... the 1992 running of The Winston had it all.Allison won the pole for the all-star event and the accompanying $50,000 bonus from Winston on Friday evening during the unique three-lap, two-tire pit stop qualifying run.When the green flag flew for the first 30-lap segment, Allison jumped out to the early lead and showed the field his heels for the entire 30 circuits, earning him another $50,000 bonus.During the 10-minute break between segments, the fan balloting on whether or not to invert the field for the second 30-lap segment was unveiled. The fans had spoken and the result flashed on the Winston Cup scoreboard — INVERT! Allison and his lightning-fast Texaco/Havoline Ford was sent to the rear of the field, while Geoff Bodine assumed the point. Two laps into the second segment, Richard Petty moved into second and worked on Bodine in a valiant effort for the lead. But four laps into the second segment, Kyle Petty blew by both his father and Bodine to take over first.After a spirited battle with Ernie Irvan and Dale Earnhardt. Petty cruised on to a two second victory over Irvan to collect the $50,000 bonus for winning the second segment. Allison had charged all the way back to sixth. So, the final stage was set.When Doyle Ford showed the green flag for the final 10-lap shootout, Earnhardt muscled his way past Irvan for second. That close racing allowed Petty to sprint out to a substantial lead. On the third lap, Darrell Waltrip was tapped from the rear, sending him dirt-tracking through the tri-oval grass in front of the main grandstand. Waltrip nearly corrected his Western Auto Chevrolet, but stalled momentarily at the end of pit road, prompting the first and only caution of the final segment. The caution erased a 3.5 second Petty lead. Caution flag laps do not count in the final segment, setting up a seven-lap dash. During all the action, Allison had moved into third, making it Petty, Earnhardt and Allison at the restart.On the restart, Petty held his own for one lap.But with five laps remaining, Earnhardt drove past Petty for the lead. At the white flag, Earnhardt led, Petty was a close second and Allison was third. Down the backstretch, Petty took a run at Earnhardt. Earnhardt reacted by nearly taking Petty into the backstretch grass. Meanwhile, Allison inched closer to the leaders. Going into turn three, both Earnhardt and Petty were too low and going full speed. Earnhardt hit the corner first and lost control of his GM Goodwrench Chevrolet in the middle of the turn.Petty lifted from the throttle for just a split second to gather his Mello Yello Pontiac. While Petty checked up, Allison continued at full throttle and got a strong drive off of turn four. Allison pulled to the inside of Petty in the middle of the tri-oval,and had the momentum.Petty and Allison touched twice before Allison inched ahead to take the checkered flag.The two touched again as they crossed the start-finish line,sending Allison's Texaco Ford spinning wildly into the frontstraight wall. The car hit hard on the driver's side before a trail of sparks led to its final resting place in the infield grass. Allison, who was momentarily knocked unconscious, was removed from the car via the "Jaws of Life". After a brief examination in the infield care center, Allison was airlifted to Carolina's Medical Center, where he remained for two days because of a broken collarbone and bruises over more than half of his body.The helicopter buzzed Victory Lane where Allison's team accepted the trophy and $200,000.00 check on his behalf. Allison quipped while lying in his hotel room,"This is the darndest victory lane I've ever been in.I guess the good news is I won $300,000.00, but the bad news is most of that will go towards the hospital bills". Ken Schrader, three consecutive times a runner-up in The Winston, finished third, while Ricky Rudd and Bill Elliott rounded out the top five. Earnardt's spin relegated him to 14th place.
Coca-Cola 600
The Coca-Cola 600 was held May 24 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The #11 of Bill Elliott won the pole. All eyes focused on Allison. The previous weekend in The Winston, NASCAR'S All-Star event, Allison charged from the back of the field and nipped Kyle Petty for a 1/2-car length victory. The bad news was Allison crashed while crossing the finish line, putting him in Carolina's Medical Center for two days with a broken collarbone, re-injured ribs and bruises covering 60 percent of his body. Allison was gunning for the Winston Million at the Texaco team's best track. But it wasn't to be as Kyle Petty, Ernie Irvan and Earnhardt battled for the win. After the final round of pit stops, Earnhardt moved out in front of both Petty and Irvan to post his first-and only-win of 1992. Allison finished fourth in his bid for the $1 million bonus, but still expanded his point lead over Elliott to 111 points.
Top Ten Results
- 3-Dale Earnhardt
- 4-Ernie Irvan
- 42-Kyle Petty
- 28-Davey Allison
- 33-Harry Gant
- 94-Terry Labonte
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 55-Ted Musgrave, 1 lap down
- 5-Ricky Rudd, 2 laps down
- 8-Dick Trickle, 2 laps down
- The Coca-Cola 600 would be Dale Earnhardt's lone victory of 1992 (with the exception of the Gatorade 125 qualifier at Daytona).
- Davey Allison led 33 laps after starting 17th. Polesitter Bill Elliott failed to lead any laps (Ricky Rudd led the first lap from 3rd) en route to a 14th place finish, 4 laps down. Elliott was now 111 points behind, closely followed by Harry Gant, Alan Kulwicki, and Dale Earnhardt.
Budweiser 500
The Budweiser 500 was held May 31 at Dover International Speedway. The #26 driven by Brett Bodine won the pole.Harry Gant couldn't outduel the field, so he outfueled them en route to his first victory of '92. While other drivers were forced to pit late for fuel, Gant stretched his to the absolute limit and beat Darrell Waltrip in a fuel mileage war. Waltrip ran out with two laps remaining, leaving second for Earnhardt, third for Rusty Wallace and fourth for Ernie Inrvan. Points leader Allison was never a contender, finishing 11th, while Elliott was 13th. Allison's point lead dwindled to 70 points over Gant and just 99 over Earnhardt.
Top Ten Results
- 33-Harry Gant
- 3-Dale Earnhardt
- 2-Rusty Wallace, 1 lap down
- 4-Ernie Irvan, 1 lap down
- 17-Darrell Waltrip, 1 lap down
- 5-Ricky Rudd, 2 laps down
- 12-Hut Stricklin, 2 laps down
- 66-Jimmy Hensley, 2 laps down
- 8-Dick Trickle, 2 laps down
- 21-Morgan Shepherd, 2 laps down
- Harry Gant won on great fuel mileage. His final pit stop was on Lap 403, and Darrell Waltrip's last stop was on Lap 406. But Waltrip was the one who ran out of fuel (with a lap and one half remaining), while Gant ran out on the backstretch on Lap 500 with a one lap lead. Dale Earnhardt passed him in Turns 3 and 4 to unlap himself and finish 26 seconds behind Gant.
- Davey Allison and Bill Elliott had nothing to write home about, finishing 11th and 13th respectively. Harry Gant whittled Allison's lead to down to 70 points.
Save Mart 300K
The Save Mart 300K was held June 7 at Sears Point International Raceway. Ricky Rudd won the pole. On the day of this race NASCAR founder William France Sr. died. Ernie Irvan started 2nd in this race, but jumped the start and was given a stop-and-go penalty in the pits. Irvan came through the entire field to win in the fastest Winston Cup race held on the 2.52-mile (4.06 km) version of Sears Point. — Irvan forged one of the most astonishing comebacks in NASCAR history. Irvan, qualifying second, was black-flagged for jumping the start of the race, relegating him to dead last on a road course with road cause demons Rush/ Wallace, Ricky Rudd and Terry Labonte leading the field.Irvan blazed through the backmarkers, picked off the middle of the pack, then steadily reeled in leader Labonte with 10 laps remaining. Finally, on lap 67 of the 74-lap event, Irvan retook the top spot and drove on to a 3.6-second win. Irvan dedicated the race to Bill France Sr., the founder of NASCAR who passed away the morning of the race. Allison ran off course into a tire wall and finished 28th, tightening the points considerably. Earnhardt trailed by just 28 points, Elliott by 31 and Gant by 32.
Top Ten Results
- 4-Ernie Irvan
- 94-Terry Labonte
- 6-Mark Martin
- 5-Ricky Rudd
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 3-Dale Earnhardt
- 2-Rusty Wallace
- 17-Darrell Waltrip
- 25-Ken Schrader
- 15-Geoff Bodine
- Points leader Davey Allison had a terrible day. He spun into a tire barrier early in the race, and later spun in front of the leaders while trying to get out of the way. His 28th place finish (last car 1 lap down) tightened up the points race in favor of Dale Earnhardt, Bill Elliott, and Harry Gant, who now trailed by 28, 31 and 32 points respectively.
Champion Spark Plug 500
The Champion Spark Plug 500 was held June 14 at Pocono Raceway. Ken Schrader won the pole. Kulwicki overcame a charging Mark Martin and a brush with danger while passing a lapped car in the final 15 laps to notch his second '92 win. Kulwicki nearly drove into the wall on the backstretch with 12 laps remaining while passing lapped traffic, yielding the lead to Elliott. But with 10 laps to go, Kulwicki blew by Elliott for a lead he would never again relinquish. Martin also moved by Elliott in the final five laps for second. Earnhardt had motor problems, dropping him back to 28th finishing position and fifth in the points. Allison's point lead over Elliott was 21 and now just 58 over Kulwicki.
Top Ten Results
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 6-Mark Martin
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 25-Ken Schrader
- 28-Davey Allison
- 42-Kyle Petty
- 22-Sterling Marlin
- 26-Brett Bodine
- 66-Jimmy Hensley
- 94-Terry Labonte
- This would be Alan Kulwicki's last win. 1992 was also the only year in which Kulwicki won twice.
- Davey Allison's points lead continued to dwindle, as Bill Elliott chopped off another 10 points with 21 remaining. Alan Kulwicki's win reduced his deficit to Allison to just 58 points, as he also led the most laps (58 of 200).
Miller Genuine Draft 400
The Miller Genuine Draft 400 was held June 21 at Michigan International Speedway. After four wrecks and a plethora of misfortune, Allison was up to his old tricks — flat out dominating. Allison guided his Texaco Ford to an easy victory at Michigan, his fourth of the '92 season. Darrell Waltrip and Kulwicki ran in the top five all day and finished second and third, respectively. Allison padded his points lead to 67 over Elliott and 73 over Kulwicki.
Top Ten Results
- 28-Davey Allison
- 17-Darrell Waltrip
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 42-Kyle Petty
- 5-Ricky Rudd
- 6-Mark Martin
- 33-Harry Gant
- 55-Ted Musgrave, 1 lap down
- 3-Dale Earnhardt, 1 lap down
- 11-Bill Elliott, 1 lap down
- Davey Allison won from the pole position, thus receiving the Unocal bonus money that boosted his winnings to $150,665. He also fattened his point lead to 67 over Bill Elliott, and 73 over Alan Kulwicki.
- On the way home from Michigan, 9 teams were invited to participate in what was billed as a "tire test" at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It served as a compatibility test for stock cars at the track, and was a precursor to the 1994 introduction of the Brickyard 400.
Pepsi 400
The Pepsi 400 was held July 4 at Daytona International Speedway. Sterling Marlin won the pole. On a day the President bid farewell to the King, it was Ernie Irvan's time to bask in the Florida sunshine. President Bush honored Richard Petty during a one-hour pre-race tribute. Then, Petty — who had qualified on the front row — whipped the capacity crowd into a frenzy when he led the first five laps. Before long, the fastest cars shuffled themselves to the front of the field, leaving Irvan,Sterling Marlin, Dale Jarrett and Geoff Bodine and Elliott to battle for the win. Irvan held off a furious charge by Marlin and Jarrett by two car lengths, while Bodine and Elliott finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Earnhardt was the first car out with engine failure, dropping him 252 points behind points leader Allison, who still held a 46-point lead over Elliott.
Top Ten Results
- 4-Ernie Irvan
- 22-Sterling Marlin
- 18-Dale Jarrett
- 15-Geoff Bodine
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 25-Ken Schrader
- 5-Ricky Rudd
- 6-Mark Martin
- 2-Rusty Wallace
- 28-Davey Allison
- This race was attended by President George H. W. Bush.
- A special ceremony was held during the pre-race festivities, honoring Richard Petty's final race at Daytona. Petty qualified second for the race and led the first 5 laps (the last of his long career). He dropped out in 36th due to fatigue.
- The race went 109 laps before the first caution, and was on-pace for a record average speed until a crash on lap 129 (of 160) slowed the pace. The average speed of 170.457 mph stood as the fastest restrictor plate at Daytona race until 1998.
Point Standings after 15 of 29 races (halfway)
- 28-Davey Allison, 2257 points
- 11-Bill Elliott, 2211 (-46 to Allison)
- 7-Alan Kulwicki, 2123 (-134)
- 33-Harry Gant, 2085 (-172)
- 3-Dale Earnhardt, 2005 (-252)
- 6-Mark Martin, 1955 (-302)
- 94-Terry Labonte, 1941 (-316)
- 15-Geoff Bodine, 1905 (-352)
- 5-Ricky Rudd, 1872 (-385)
- 21-Morgan Shepherd, 1869 (-388)
- 4-Ernie Irvan, 1857 (-400)
- 22-Sterling Marlin, 1801 (-456)
- 42-Kyle Petty, 1795 (-462)
- 25-Ken Schrader, 1768 (-489)
- 17-Darrell Waltrip, 1762 (-495)
- 2-Rusty Wallace, 1749 (-508)
- 26-Brett Bodine, 1719 (-538)
- 8-Dick Trickle, 1705 (-552)
- 55-Ted Musgrave, 1671 (-586)
- 18-Dale Jarrett, 1591 (-666).
Miller Genuine Draft 500
The Miller Genuine Draft 500 was held July 19 at Pocono Raceway. The #28 of Davey Allison won the pole. This was an event that changed the face of the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup season. Allison had set a new track record with a dazzling pole run, then totally dominated the field the first 140 laps of the 200-lap event. An air wrench broke during yellow flag pit stops, putting Allison in seventh for the lap 146 restart. He moved quickly up to fifth, then on lap 148, took over fourth. But on lap 149, disaster struck. Davey and Darrell Waltrip touched while jockeying for the same track position, sending Allison through the grass and over the guard rail in the most vicious crash of the season. Allison suffered a broken right forearm, a dislocated wrist and a severe concussion. Ironically, Waltrip drove on to notch his first win of the season. But in victory lane, Waltrip's main concern turned to the welfare of Allison, who would be hospitalized in Pennsylvania for four days. Elliott finished 13th, but took over the points lead for the first time of the year. Allison, his immediate future unknown, trailed by 13 points, while Kulwicki remained 47 points behind.
Top Ten Results
- 17-Darrell Waltrip
- 33-Harry Gant
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 5-Ricky Rudd
- 55-Ted Musgrave
- 6-Mark Martin
- 42-Kyle Petty
- 26-Brett Bodine
- 8-Dick Trickle
- 18-Dale Jarrett
- Davey Allison dominated the race, leading 115 of the first 139 laps, but on Lap 150 he was tagged by Darrell Waltrip in the left-rear quarter panel, spinning him into the grass exiting Turn 2 (the high-speed "Tunnel Turn"). The air got under Allison's car and sent it into a frightening barrel roll, eventually landing upside down. Allison suffered a skull fracture and a broken wrist in the crash. The severity of the crash was enhanced when Mark Martin drove by, he commented to his crew, "They may as well get a body bag for Davey."
- The first thing Darrell Waltrip wanted to know after he won was whether or not Davey was okay.
- Bill Elliott finished 1 lap down in 13th, leading 2 laps. He took over the point lead by 9 over Allison, while Alan Kulwicki (47 points behind) and Harry Gant (80 points back) continued to pile up points.
DieHard 500
The DieHard 500 was held July 26 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. Sterling Marlin won the pole.In awe-inspiring fashion. Allison walked into the garage area at Talladega, determined to put on his uniform and drive in the DieHard 500. With a tailor-made cast, a wrist brace and velcro on the shifter, Allison started the race and gained the all-important Winston Cup points. After four laps, backup driver Bobby Hillin Jr. took over the wheel and nearly drove the Texaco Ford to victory. Irvan and Marlin again battled for superspeedway supremacy with Irvan nipping the winless Marlin by a scant .19 seconds. Earnhardt had engine failure again and finished dead last for the second time in three races, taking him out of contention for a third consecutive Winston Cup title. Remarkably, Hillin's third-place run in Allison's sted gave the Texaco/Havoline team a one-point lead over Elliott in the points chase. Kulwicki trailed by 120 points and Gant by 129.
Top Ten Results
- 4-Ernie Irvan
- 22-Sterling Marlin
- 28-Davey Allison
- 5-Ricky Rudd, 1 lap down
- 11-Bill Elliott, 1 lap down
- 42-Kyle Petty, 1 lap down
- 30-Michael Waltrip, 1 lap down
- 9-Chad Little, 1 lap down
- 25-Ken Schrader, 1 lap down
- 26-Brett Bodine, 1 lap down
- Davey Allison found the strength to start this race (thus receiving all points scored by the #28 car) after suffering the skull fracture the previous week at Pocono. At the first caution, he handed the driving duties over to 1986 winner Bobby Hillin, Jr., who gave the car a great run.
- The race only saw two yellows, at Lap 6 and Lap 70. The long green runs caused the field to spread out, and the strongest cars in the field (the 4, 22, and 28) lapped everyone else.
- Ernie Irvan suffered a flat tire on Lap 5. When the yellow came out, he sped out of the pits to stay on the lead lap, but failed to beat leader Ricky Rudd to the line and was penalised to the rear of the field for speeding. He went on to pass everyone and get his lap back, and when the second (and only other) caution came out, he made up his lost lap.
- Davey Allison leapfrogged Bill Elliott by 1 point to re-take the lead. Alan Kulwicki (who finished 3 laps down in 25th) and Harry Gant (2 laps down in 17th) fell to a deficit of 120 and 129 points respectively.
Budweiser At The Glen
The Budweiser At The Glen was held August 9 at Watkins Glen International Raceway. Dale Earnhardt won the pole. It was the first race for Winston Cup cars since the new bus stop chicane was added in light of J. D. McDuffie's fatal accident in 1991. Nifty pit strategy and Mother Nature helped Kyle Petty notch the first road course victory of his career. Rain pushed back the start of the race more than three hours, and once the green flag finally fell, it was fairly evident it would be a sprint to the halfway point. Petty won a heated battle for the lead with Ernie Irvan between laps 32-36, a pivotal point in the race. After a caution, the race was restarted on lap 44, one lap before the halfway point, which would make the race official regardless of the weather. Petty brushed off then-leader Dick Trickle on lap 45 and on lap 46, the skies opened. After five laps under caution, the race was red-flagged, then called with Petty as the winner. Still suffering from his Pocono injuries, Allison needed help from road-race extraordinaire Dorsey Schroeder to post a 20th-place finish. Elliott was 14th, extending his points lead over Allison to 17.
Top Ten Results
- 42-Kyle Petty
- 21-Morgan Shepherd
- 4-Ernie Irvan
- 6-Mark Martin
- 16-Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
- 2-Rusty Wallace
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 94-Terry Labonte
- 3-Dale Earnhardt
- 26-Brett Bodine
- The race was shortened to 51 laps due to rain. NASCAR did not have rain tires to use.
- Davey Allison fell 17 points behind 14th place finisher Bill Elliott, after Dorsey Schroeder replaced Davey mid-race and finished 20th. Alan Kulwicki's solid finish reduced his interval to 94 points, while Harry Gant made no progress, finishing 18th and increasing his deficit to 140 points. Kyle Petty climbed up to 9th in points, tied with Morgan Shepherd at 340 points behind Elliott.
Champion Spark Plug 400
The Champion Spark Plug 400 was held August 16 at Michigan International Speedway. The #7 of Alan Kulwicki won the pole. The physical pain Allison endured could not have prepared him for the emotional anguish the Alabama native would suffer through this weekend. On Thursday during Busch Grand National practice, Davey's younger brother, Clifford, died tragically as the result of a single-car crash in turn three. The entire racing family mourned for the Allisons. Davey decided to race. He qualified third and finished fifth in a courageous effort. Harry Gant won another fuel mileage war, beating Darrell Waltrip and Elliott to the finish line by nearly five seconds. Elliott's lead moved to 37 points over Allison, 135 over Gant and 143 over Kulwicki.
Top Ten Results
- 33-Harry Gant
- 17-Darrell Waltrip
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 4-Ernie Irvan
- 28-Davey Allison
- 42-Kyle Petty
- 22-Sterling Marlin
- 18-Dale Jarrett
- 6-Mark Martin
- 21-Morgan Shepherd
- This was Harry Gant's last Winston Cup victory. He set a new record for oldest winner of a Winston Cup race at 52 years and 219 days.This was also Oldsmobile last victory in NASCAR
- The final caution came out on Lap 97 for a Turn 2 accident involving Jimmy Hensley, Rick Mast, Jeff McClure, and eliminating Derrike Cope. Midpack runner Harry Gant pitted while the leaders (Bill Elliott, Ernie Irvan, and Davey Allison) stayed out, not believing they could finish the race on one more pit stop. They had pitted under the previous caution when Lake Speed spun and severed a fuel line. Gant pitted under green at Lap 149 and stayed out until the ckeckered flag waved.
- Bill Elliott's point lead grew from 17 to 37 after he led a race-high 72 of 200 laps. Harry Gant shaved 5 points from his deficit to Elliott (down to 135). Polesitter Alan Kulwicki faded to 14th, 1 lap down, after leading 46 laps. This lackluster result put him 143 points behind.
Bud 500
The Bud 500 was held August 29 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The #4 of Ernie Irvan won the pole. The track surface had changed from asphalt to concrete. But with Darrell Waltrip, it was the same old result at Bristol International Raceway. Darrell, winner of a record 12 Bristol events, outdueled Earnhardt and Schrader in one of the most exciting races of the season. Allison was running fifth when he lost control of his Ford and hit the wall. After extensive repairs, Allison rejoined the action, only to collect the pit road wall on the frontstretch, giving him a 30th-place finish. Elliott was steady with a sixth-place finish, padding his Winston Cup points lead to 99 over Allison and 112 over Kulwicki.
Top Ten Results
- 17-Darrell Waltrip
- 3-Dale Earnhardt
- 25-Ken Schrader
- 42-Kyle Petty
- 7-Alan Kulwicki, 1 lap down
- 11-Bill Elliott, 1 lap down
- 66-Jimmy Hensley, 1 lap down
- 5-Ricky Rudd, 1 lap down
- 26-Brett Bodine, 1 lap down
- 2-Rusty Wallace, 2 laps down
- This was the first race at Bristol after the track was re-surfaced with concrete.
- On Lap 8 polesitter Ernie Irvan spun on the backstretch and backed into the pit wall after leading the first 7 laps. He lost more than 100 laps and eventually parked the car after completing 285 laps, finishing a disappointing 28th. Not a good night for the man who earned his first Winston Cup win in the race two years prior.
- Compared with his points rivals, Bill Elliott did the best job of keeping his car out of trouble. Kyle Petty and Alan Kulwicki received minor damage in separate incidents. Davey Allison was in two wrecks, and he retired after the second crash. On Lap 342 Harry Gant's Oldsmobile was badly damaged after a Turn 4 wreck that brought out the 10th and final caution flag. Mark Martin's car was demolished in a separate yet simultaneous accident in Turns 1 & 2 with his fellow ASA graduate Alan Kulwicki who continued. Bill Elliott was lucky to walk away from Bristol with 109 more points than Davey Allison.
Mountain Dew Southern 500
The Mountain Dew Southern 500 was held September 6 at Darlington Raceway. The #22 of Sterling Marlin won the pole. The focus again turned to Davey Allison and the Texaco team. It was his last shot at the coveted Winston Million. As the gloomy day progressed, it became evident Allison would be in contention for the bonus. Allison remained in the top three more than anyone all day long and led at the halfway point. Allison had only two worries, hard-charging Mark Martin and Mother Nature. Again, Lady Luck turned on Allison. Allison and Martin both pitted under green on lap 292 of the 367-lap event. Just five laps later, the skies opened and the rain that had threatened all day, finally came. Darrell Waltrip, Bill Elliott and Brett Bodine were among half the field that had not yet pitted. When the red flag was displayed on lap 298, Waltrip was the leader. Shortly thereafter, the race was called and Waltrip was declared the winner. It was Darrell's second consecutive win, but his first career Southern 500 victory. Martin was second, Elliott — who had been running out of the top 10 all day — finished third, Bodine fourth and Allison fifth. Elliott stretched his lead over Allison to 119 points.
Top Ten Results
- 17-Darrell Waltrip
- 6-Mark Martin
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 26-Brett Bodine
- 28-Davey Allison
- 18-Dale Jarrett
- 42-Kyle Petty
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 2-Rusty Wallace
- 5-Ricky Rudd, 1 lap down
- This race was shortened to 298 laps due to rain.
- This was Darrell Waltrip's final Winston Cup victory.
- Davey Allison was dominant as he looked to win the Winston Million. The caution came out at Lap 278 for rain. Crew chief Larry McReynolds sent a crew member to the NASCAR hauler to look at the weather radar. The crew member's inability to properly read the radar led to Allison pitting under the caution for 4 tires as raindrops were beginning to fall.
- Bill Elliott' s point lead grew to 119 over the dejected Davey Allison. Alan Kulwicki was still in striking distance at 161 points behind.
Miller Genuine Draft 400
The Miller Genuine Draft 400 was held September 12 at Richmond International Raceway. The #4 of Ernie Irvan won the pole. It would have been difficult to find anyone who needed victory at Richmond any more than Rusty Wallace. And with newly-acquired crew chief Buddy Parrott, victory was his. Rusty drove an inspired race under the Richmond lights, led the final 139 laps and bettered Mark Martin by 3.59 seconds for the win. Waltrip was third, Earnhardt fourth and Geoff Bodine fifth. Points leader Elliott struggled home 14th, a lap down, while Allison spun twice and finished 19th. Elliott led Allison by 124 and Kulwicki by 164.
Top Ten Results
- 2-Rusty Wallace
- 6-Mark Martin
- 17-Darrell Waltrip
- 3-Dale Earnhardt
- 15-Geoff Bodine
- 5-Ricky Rudd
- 21-Morgan Shepherd
- 33-Harry Gant
- 25-Ken Schrader
- 55-Ted Musgrave
- Bill Elliott, Davey Allison, and Alan Kulwicki finished 14th, 19th, and 15th respectively. Elliott's lead continued to grow, as by this time he led by 134 points.
Peak Antifreeze 500
The Peak Antifreeze 500 was held September 20 at Dover International Speedway. The #7 of Alan Kulwicki won the pole. Points leader Bill Elliott returned to his dominating ways, but late pit stop strategy cost him victory. While battling Ricky Rudd for the win, Elliott pitted first, taking on four tires and fuel. Rudd pitted for fuel only, came out nine seconds ahead of Elliott, then held on for dear life and a 1/2-second win over the Bud bunch. It was Rudd's only win of the year. Elliott left Dover with a commanding 154-point lead over Allison, 239 over Gant and 278 over Kulwicki.
Top Ten Results
- 5-Ricky Rudd
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 42-Kyle Petty
- 28-Davey Allison, 1 lap down
- 21-Morgan Shepherd, 2 laps down
- 33-Harry Gant, 3 laps down
- 94-Terry Labonte, 4 laps down
- 55-Ted Musgrave, 4 laps down
- 10-Derrike Cope, 5 laps down
- 68-Bobby Hamilton, 7 laps down
- Bill Elliott led the most laps and extended his point lead over Davey Allison to 154 points, the highest of the season. Harry Gant was third, 239 points behind the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion. Polesitter Alan Kulwicki crashed out of the race on Lap 91, finishing 34th and leaving him 278 points out of the lead with 6 races left.
Goody's 500
The Goody's 500 was held September 28 at Martinsville Speedway. Kyle Petty won the pole. It could have been Independence Day with all the fireworks at Martinsville Speedway on this Monday afternoon. Spirited battles throughout the field were the order of the day as the cold and humidity led to slick racing conditions. In a car headed for the scrap heap, Geoff Bodine cooly tip-toed through the constant melee to his first win behind the wheel of Bud Moore's Fords. Rusty Wallace finished second, .19 seconds behind, while Brett Bodine, Kyle Petty and Kulwicki rounded out the top five. Points leader Bill Elliott suffered his first engine failure of the season and finished 30th, next to last place. His lead was still a substantial 112 points over Allison. Top Ten Results
- 15-Geoff Bodine
- 2-Rusty Wallace
- 26-Brett Bodine
- 42-Kyle Petty
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 8-Dick Trickle
- 22-Sterling Marlin
- 6-Mark Martin, 1 lap down
- 1-Rick Mast, 1 lap down
- 5-Ricky Rudd, 1 lap down
- This race was run on a Monday as a result of rain on Sunday. The previous day's rain left the infield very soggy. Kyle Petty, who finished 4th, actually got stuck in the mud and lost 2 laps at one point.
- Bill Elliott finished 30th as a result of engine failure after 158 laps. Davey Allison finished 4 laps down in 16th, not gaining much but reducing Elliott's lead to 112 points.
Tyson Holly Farms 400
The Tyson Holly Farms 400 was held October 5 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The #7 of Alan Kulwicki won the pole. In a complete contrast from the previous week, the result was the same. Geoff Bodine recorded his second consecutive win, but in the caution- and incident-free Holly Farms 400. Bodine led the final 144 laps and lapped everyone except runner-up Mark Martin. He lapped Winston Cup points leader Bill Elliott eight times under green. Elliott's lead dwindled to 67 points over 11th-place finishing Allison and 144 over Kulwicki. Bodine's victory, in the Ford/Motorcraft sponsored car, clinched the first manufacturer's championship for Ford Motor Co. since 1969.
Top Ten Results
- 15-Geoff Bodine
- 6-Mark Martin
- 42-Kyle Petty, 1 lap down
- 2-Rusty Wallace, 1 lap down
- 22-Sterling Marlin, 1 lap down
- 4-Ernie Irvan, 1 lap down
- 26-Brett Bodine, 2 laps down
- 94-Terry Labonte, 2 laps down
- 17-Darrell Waltrip, 3 laps down
- 18-Dale Jarrett, 3 laps down
- This race was postponed to Monday as a result of rain (the 2nd week in a row that this occurred).
- This race was run caution-free. As a result, only 2 cars finished on the lead lap. However, Geoff Bodine won by only 5.3 seconds.
- Bill Elliott stubbed his toe again with another poor finish. He was 8 laps down in 26th at Junior Johnson's home track. Davey Allison was 3 laps down in 11th, and he continued to gain on Elliott as he sat 67 points behind with 4 races to go.
Mello Yello 500
The Mello Yello 500 was held October 11 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Alan Kulwicki won the pole. Martin charged past mid-race dominator Kyle Petty in the late stages, then held off Kulwicki in the final 50 laps to post what he called "the most important victory of his career." Martin led 107 laps en route to his second win of the season, which suddenly vaulted him back in contention for the 1992 Winston Cup title. He trailed leader Elliott by just 91 points with three races remaining. Elliott led Allison by just 39 points and Kulwicki by 47.
Top Ten Results
- 6-Mark Martin
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 42-Kyle Petty
- 12-Jimmy Spencer
- 5-Ricky Rudd
- 4-Ernie Irvan
- 25-Ken Schrader
- 33-Harry Gant
- 8-Dick Trickle, 1 lap down
- 15-Geoff Bodine, 1 lap down
- The #31 Team Ireland Chevrolet of Bobby Hillin, Jr. was disqualified due to illegal cylinder heads after finishing 15th. As a result, the team withdrew from the series in an attempt to avoid being drawn into disrepute.
- Bill Elliott's sway bar broke after 310 laps, leaving Bill a 30th place finish. Junior Johnson entered a third car driven by Hut Stricklin, who retired the car when Elliott had his problem. Stricklin's 31st place finish saved Elliott 3 points. Davey Allison didn't have a great day, either; he was 5 laps down in 19th.
NASCAR Winston Cup Standings after 26 of 29 races
- 11-Bill Elliott, 3653 points
- 28-Davey Allison, 3614 (-39)
- 7-Alan Kulwicki, 3606 (-47)
- 6-Mark Martin, 3562 (-91)
- 33-Harry Gant, 3555 (-98)
- 42-Kyle Petty, 3539 (-114)
- 5-Ricky Rudd, 3409 (-244)
- 17-Darrell Waltrip, 3303 (-350)
- 4-Ernie Irvan, 3263 (-390)
- 94-Terry Labonte, 3261 (-392).
AC Delco 500
The AC Delco 500 was held October 25 at North Carolina Speedway. Kyle Petty won the pole. In the most dominating performance of the season, Kyle Petty continued his sensational second half of 1992 with a convincing AC-Delco 500 win. Petty led all but eight of the 492 laps in his father's final race in North Carolina.He only relinquished the lead during green flag pit stops. The outcome was never in doubt, so the attention moved to the points battle, which marched into Rockingham with six drivers in contention. After Petty's Victory Lane celebration, those six still remained in the title picture, with Elliott leading by 70 over Allison, 85 over Kulwicki, 94 over Petty and 113 over Gant.
Top Ten Results
- 42-Kyle Petty
- 4-Ernie Irvan
- 5-Ricky Rudd, 1 lap down
- 11-Bill Elliott, 1 lap down
- 22-Sterling Marlin, 1 lap down
- 33-Harry Gant, 1 lap down
- 26-Brett Bodine, 1 lap down
- 3-Dale Earnhardt, 2 laps down
- 94-Terry Labonte, 2 laps down
- 28-Davey Allison, 2 laps down
- Kyle Petty led 484 of 492 laps. Mark Martin (before he crashed) and Bill Elliott led 3 laps each, and Ernie Irvan led 2 during green flag pit stops. As a result of the domination and only 2 cautions in a 500-mile (805 km) race, only 2 cars finished on the lead lap. Despite the green flag look of the race, Petty beat Irvan by just under a second.
- Bill Elliott finally had a good finish after 3 successive finishes of 26th or worse.
Mathematically alive for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series Championship after 27 of 29 races
- 11-Bill Elliott, 3818 points
- 28-Davey Allison, 3748 (-70)
- 7-Alan Kulwicki, 3733 (-85)
- 42-Kyle Petty, 3724 (-94)
- 33-Harry Gant, 3705 (-113)
- 6-Mark Martin, 3640 (-178)
- 5-Ricky Rudd, 3574 (-244)
- 4-Ernie Irvan, 3438 (-380).
Pyroil 500K
The Pyroil 500K was held November 1 at Phoenix International Raceway. The #2 of Rusty Wallace won the pole. Smoke billowed from Elliott's Budweiser Ford, signaling an opportunity for the rest of the Winston Cup contenders. Allison and Kulwicki took full advantage. While Elliott's car suffered from a cracked cylinder head and overheating problems, which relegated him to a 31st-place finish, Allison patiently made his way to the front and won his second consecutive Pyroil 500. The emotional victory — Allison's first since the Pocono accident and the death of his brother — vaulted him back into the points lead. Kulwicki ran strong all day and finished fourth, also moving him past Elliott in the point standings. Heading into the season's final event at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Allison led Kulwicki by 30 points, Elliott by 40, Gant by 97, Petty by 98 and Martin by 113. It was the first time in the sport's history that six drivers were still in contention heading into the final event.
Top Ten Results
- 28-Davey Allison
- 6-Mark Martin
- 17-Darrell Waltrip
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 12-Jimmy Spencer
- 25-Ken Schrader
- 10-Derrike Cope
- 68-Bobby Hamilton
- 22-Sterling Marlin, 1 lap down
- 3-Dale Earnhardt, 1 lap down
- Point leader Bill Elliott had engine troubles again in Phoenix. As a result of his 31st place finish, the Winston Cup was up for grabs among six drivers for the first time in history.
Mathematically alive for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series Championship after 28 of 29 races
- 28-Davey Allison, 3928 points
- 7-Alan Kulwicki, 3898 (-30)
- 11-Bill Elliott, 3888 (-40)
- 33-Harry Gant, 3831 (-97)
- 42-Kyle Petty, 3830 (-98)
- 6-Mark Martin, 3815 (-113).
Hooters 500
The 1992 Hooters 500 was held November 15 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The #1 of Rick Mast won his first career Winston Cup pole. This race was the last for 7-time champion Richard Petty, and the first for future champion Jeff Gordon. Coming into the race six drivers had a mathematical chance to win the title: Bill Elliott, Alan Kulwicki, Davey Allison, Kyle Petty, Harry Gant, and Mark Martin. Kyle Petty had engine problems that took him out of contention and Allison was involved in a crash with Ernie Irvan on Lap 254, ending his championship hopes. Kulwicki won the championship by leading 1 more lap than Elliott (103 to 102) in the race (receiving the 5 additional bonus points for leading the most laps) and finishing 2nd to Elliott. This gave Kulwicki the championship by only 10 points over Elliott. A Hollywood script writer could not have penned a more exciting season finale. The Richard Petty Fan Appreciation Tour made its final stop and an emotional Saturday night tribute to "The King" signaled the beginning of the end. Not even a third of the way through the event, Petty was collected in a front-stretch accident that ignited flames under the hood of his famed STP Pontiac. Petty said, "I wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, I just forgot the glory part." Meanwhile, the battle for the Winston Cup championship and the accompanying $1 million bonus raged on. Allison needed to finish sixth or better to clinch the title, while Elliott and Kulwicki could only run their cars to the limit, hoping it would be enough. On lap 253, Allison's fate would be sealed. Allison was running sixth — good enough to clinch the title — and moving back to the front when suddenly disaster struck. Ernie Irvan, fighting his Kodak Chevrolet, which had a tire going down, lost control and spun directly in front of Rusty Wallace and Allison. Wallace miraculously dodged the spinning Irvan, but Allison was not so lucky. Allison T-boned Irvan, ending his day, leaving Elliott and Kulwicki to battle for the title. Elliott and Kulwicki ran 1-2 for the entire second half of the race, swapping the lead on several occasions. It became evident that the driver who led the most laps and received the five extra bonus points would win the crown. It would come down to one lap. On lap 310, Kulwicki pitted while leading, knowing he had clinched the bonus by leading 103 of the event's 328 laps. After the fuel-only pit stops, Elliott gained the lead and drove on to his fifth victory of the season. Elliott had led 102 laps. If Elliott had led one lap that Kulwicki did not lead. then Elliott would have received the five bonus points instead of Kulwicki, which would have left the two in a tie. In that instance. Elliott would have won the title by virtue of more wins. As it was, Elliott won the Hooter's 500, but Kulwicki finished second to claim the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup championship by a scant 10 points, the narrowest margin in the sport's history. Meanwhile, the STP crew patched Petty's car back together and "The King" rejoined the field with one lap remaining. After Kulwicki's "Polish Victory Lap," Petty made one final lap all by himself. It was his way of saying goodbye one last time and paying tribute to his millions of fans.
Top Ten Results
- 11-Bill Elliott
- 7-Alan Kulwicki
- 15-Geoff Bodine
- 12-Jimmy Spencer
- 94-Terry Labonte
- 2-Rusty Wallace
- 22-Sterling Marlin, 1 lap down
- 66-Jimmy Hensley, 2 laps down
- 55-Ted Musgrave, 2 laps down
- 18-Dale Jarrett, 2 laps down
Final Points Standings
- 7-Alan Kulwicki - 4078
- 11-Bill Elliott - 4068
- 28-Davey Allison - 4015
- 33-Harry Gant - 3955
- 42-Kyle Petty - 3945
- 6-Mark Martin - 3887
- 5-Ricky Rudd - 3735
- 94-Terry Labonte - 3674
- 17-Darrell Waltrip - 3659
- 22-Sterling Marlin - 3603
- 4-Ernie Irvan - 3580
- 3-Dale Earnhardt - 3574
- 2-Rusty Wallace - 3556
- 21-Morgan Shepherd - 3549
- 26-Brett Bodine - 3491
- 15-Geoff Bodine - 3437
- 25-Ken Schrader - 3404
- 55-Ted Musgrave - 3315
- 18-Dale Jarrett - 3251
- 8-Dick Trickle - 3097
- 10-Derrike Cope - 3033
- 1-Rick Mast - 2830
- 30-Michael Waltrip - 2825
- 16-Wally Dallenbach, Jr. - 2799
- 68-Bobby Hamilton - 2787
- 43-Richard Petty - 2731
- 41-Hut Stricklin - 2689
- 66-Jimmy Hensley - 2410
- 71-Dave Marcis - 2348
- Greg Sacks - 1759
- 9-Chad Little - 1669
- 52-Jimmy Means - 1531
- 12-Jimmy Spencer - 1284
- 90-Bobby Hillin, Jr. - 1135
- 49-Stanley Smith - 959
- Mike Potter - 806
- Jim Sauter - 729
- 83-Lake Speed - 726
- 32-Jimmy Horton - 660
- 57-Bob Schacht - 611
- Charlie Glotzbach - 592
- James Hylton - 476
- Andy Belmont - 467
- Jeff Purvis - 453
- Dave Mader III - 436
- Jerry O'Neil - 429
- 23-Eddie Bierschwale - 277
- Buddy Baker - 255
- 45-Rich Bickle - 252
- 88-Mike Wallace - 248
Other information
- Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace who finished 12th and 13th respectively would finish 1-2 in the championship in 1993.
- Two cars numbered 24 were fielded during the season; Butch Gilliland used the number in a car owned by himself at Phoenix and Jeff Gordon drove the number 24 in his first race car with Hendrick Motorsports.The 1993 Winston Cup Series Media Guide shows that Butch Gilliland also fielded the #24 Aneheim Elect.Gear Pontiac in the Sonoma Calif. road course race in June 1992 finishing 38th after starting 36th.
Rookie of the Year
Jimmy Hensley, driving Cale Yarborough's #66 Ford, was named Rookie of the Year after posting four top-ten finishes in 22 starts. Veteran Chad Little drove the car in the first six races, but was replaced by Bobby Hillin, Jr. at North Wilkesboro and by Hensley in the following race at Martinsville. Hensley had previously never started more than 4 Winston Cup races in a season (doing so in 1984 and in 1991). Bob Schacht, Andy Belmont, and Dave Mader III were also declared for the award, but did not run enough races to compete for the award.
Additional reading
- Race with Destiny, David Poole. Albion Press (FL), April 15, 2002 . ISBN 978-0970917034.
External links
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