1994 Slick 50 500

30th race of the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

1994 Slick 50 500 Race details

Race 30 of 31 in the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

The 1994 Slick 50 500 program cover, featuring Jeff Gordon.

Date|  October 30, 1994
Official name|  7th Annual Slick 50 500
Location|  Avondale, Arizona, Phoenix International Raceway
Course|  Permanent racing facility
Course length|  1 miles (1.6 km)
Distance|  312 laps, 312 mi (502.115 km)
Scheduled distance|  312 laps, 312 mi (502.115 km)
Average speed|  107.463 miles per hour (172.945 km/h)
Attendance|  96,000
Pole position
Driver|

* Sterling Marlin

|  Morgan-McClure Motorsports
Time|  27.728
Most laps led
Driver|  Terry Labonte|  Hendrick Motorsports
Laps|  112
Winner
No. 5|  Terry Labonte|  Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network|  TNN
Announcers|  Mike Joy, Buddy Baker, Neil Bonnett
Radio in the United States
Radio|  Motor Racing Network

Motor car race

The 1994 Slick 50 500 was the 30th and penultimate stock car race of the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season, the 30th and penultimate race of the 1994 NASCAR Winston Transcontinental Series, and the seventh iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, October 30, 1994, before an audience of 96,000 in Avondale, Arizona at Phoenix International Raceway, a 1-mile (1.6 km) permanent low-banked tri-oval race track. The race took the scheduled 312 laps to complete. At race's end, Hendrick Motorsports driver Terry Labonte would manage to dominate the late stages of the race to take his 14th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his third and final victory of the season.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin and Morgan–McClure Motorsports driver Sterling Marlin would finish second and third, respectively.

## Background

[edit]

The layout of Phoenix International Raceway, the venue where the race was held.

Phoenix International Raceway – also known as PIR – is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It is named after the nearby metropolitan area of Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the IndyCar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The raceway is currently owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.

The raceway was originally constructed with a 2.5 mi (4.0 km) road course that ran both inside and outside of the main tri-oval. In 1991 the track was reconfigured with the current 1.51 mi (2.43 km) interior layout. PIR has an estimated grandstand seating capacity of around 67,000. Lights were installed around the track in 2004 following the addition of a second annual NASCAR race weekend.

### Entry list

[edit]

* (R) denotes rookie driver.

#  | Driver  | Team  | Make  | Sponsor

|
|
|
|

00  | Scott Gaylord | Oliver Racing | Ford | Oliver Gravity Separators
1  | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Ford | Skoal
2  | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford | Miller Genuine Draft
02  | Brad Noffsinger | Taylor Racing | Ford | Taylor Racing
3  | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4  | Sterling Marlin | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kodak
5  | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
6  | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | Valvoline
06  | P. J. Jones | Ultra Motorsports | Ford | Ultra Wheels
7  | Geoff Bodine | Geoff Bodine Racing | Ford | Exide
8  | Jeff Burton (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | Raybestos
10  | Ricky Rudd | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Ford | Tide
11  | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | Budweiser
12  | Derrike Cope | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Ford | Mane 'n Tail
15  | Lake Speed | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | Ford Quality Care
16  | Ted Musgrave | Roush Racing | Ford | The Family Channel
17  | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | Western Auto
18  | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | Interstate Batteries
19  | Loy Allen Jr. (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Ford | Hooters
21  | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Citgo
22  | Bobby Labonte | Bill Davis Racing | Pontiac | Maxwell House
22W  | St. James Davis | St. James Racing | Pontiac | St. James Racing
23  | Hut Stricklin | Travis Carter Enterprises | Ford | Smokin' Joe's
24  | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | DuPont
25  | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Kodiak
26  | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | Quaker State
27  | Jimmy Spencer | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | McDonald's
28  | Ernie Irvan | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | Texaco, Havoline
29  | Steve Grissom (R) | Diamond Ridge Motorsports | Chevrolet | Diamond Ridge Motorsports
30  | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | Pennzoil
31  | Ward Burton (R) | A.G. Dillard Motorsports | Chevrolet | Hardee's
32  | Dick Trickle | Active Motorsports | Chevrolet | Manheim Auctions
33  | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Chevrolet | Skoal Bandit
37  | Doug George | Olson Technology Racing | Ford | Olson Technology
39  | Rich Bickle | Roulo Brothers Racing | Chevrolet | Pedigree
40  | Bobby Hamilton | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Kendall
41  | Joe Nemechek (R) | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Meineke
42  | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | Mello Yello
43  | John Andretti (R) | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | STP
50  | Mike Chase | JTC Racing | Chevrolet | Star Race Computers
51  | Jeff Purvis | Phoenix Racing | Chevrolet | Country Time
58  | Wayne Jacks | Jacks Motorsports | Pontiac | Imperial Palace
61  | Rick Carelli | Chesrown Racing | Chevrolet | Total Petroleum
71  | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | Prodigy
75  | Todd Bodine | Butch Mock Motorsports | Ford | Factory Stores of America
76  | Ron Hornaday Jr. | Spears Motorsports | Chevrolet | Spears Manufacturing
77  | Greg Sacks | U.S. Motorsports Inc. | Ford | US Airways
81  | Jeff Davis | Jeff Davis Racing | Ford | Petron Plus
86  | Rich Woodland Jr. | Woodland Racing | Chevrolet | Woodland Duck Farms
90  | Mike Wallace (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | Heilig-Meyers
90W  | Joe Heath | Heath Racing | Ford | Coors
92  | John Krebs | Krebs Racing | Chevrolet | Channellock
95  | Lance Wade | Wade Racing | Ford | J. R. Edgett Excavating
98  | Jeremy Mayfield (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | Fingerhut

## Qualifying

[edit]

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, October 28, at 6:00 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 20 drivers in the round would be guaranteed a starting spot in the race. If a driver was not able to guarantee a spot in the first round, they had the option to scrub their time from the first round and try and run a faster lap time in a second round qualifying run, held on Saturday, October 29, at 4:00 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,[3] 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 two for cars in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and one extra provisional 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.

Sterling Marlin, driving for Morgan–McClure Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 27.728 and an average speed of 129.833 miles per hour (208.946 km/h) in the first round.[4]

11 drivers would fail to qualify.

### Full qualifying results

[edit]

Pos.  | #  | Driver  | Team  | Make  | Time  | Speed

|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | 4  | Sterling Marlin | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 27.728 | 129.833
2  | 2  | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford | 27.866  | 129.190
3  | 11  | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 27.905  | 129.009
4  | 10  | Ricky Rudd | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Ford | 27.911  | 128.981
5  | 18  | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 27.927  | 128.908
6  | 6  | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 27.980  | 128.663
7  | 25  | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.000  | 128.571
8  | 3  | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 28.002  | 128.562
9  | 26  | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 28.017  | 128.493
10  | 15  | Lake Speed | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 28.043  | 128.374
11  | 28  | Kenny Wallace | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 28.068  | 128.260
12  | 16  | Ted Musgrave | Roush Racing | Ford | 28.078  | 128.214
13  | 21  | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 28.086  | 128.178
14  | 24  | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.110  | 128.068
15  | 42  | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 28.114  | 128.050
16  | 41  | Joe Nemechek (R) | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.118  | 128.032
17  | 43  | John Andretti | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 28.121  | 128.018
18  | 17  | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.152  | 127.877
19  | 5  | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.164  | 127.823
20  | 27  | Jimmy Spencer | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 28.192  | 127.696
Failed to lock in Round 1
21  | 1  | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Ford | 28.158  | 127.850
22  | 12  | Derrike Cope | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Ford | 28.194  | 127.687
23  | 75  | Todd Bodine | Butch Mock Motorsports | Ford | 28.200  | 127.660
24  | 33  | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.212  | 127.605
25  | 30  | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 28.221  | 127.565
26  | 90  | Mike Wallace (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 28.251  | 127.429
27  | 31  | Ward Burton (R) | A.G. Dillard Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.268  | 127.352
28  | 22  | Bobby Labonte | Bill Davis Racing | Pontiac | 28.281  | 127.294
29  | 40  | Bobby Hamilton | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 28.289  | 127.258
30  | 77  | Greg Sacks | U.S. Motorsports Inc. | Ford | 28.299  | 127.213
31  | 23  | Hut Stricklin | Travis Carter Enterprises | Ford | 28.321  | 127.114
32  | 61  | Rick Carelli | Chesrown Racing | Chevrolet | 28.335  | 127.051
33  | 29  | Steve Grissom (R) | Diamond Ridge Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.343  | 127.015
34  | 71  | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 28.343  | 127.015
35  | 32  | Dick Trickle | Active Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.377  | 126.863
36  | 8  | Jeff Burton (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | 28.410  | 126.716
37  | 7  | Geoff Bodine | Geoff Bodine Racing | Ford | 28.419  | 126.676
38  | 76  | Ron Hornaday Jr. | Spears Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.441  | 126.578
39  | 39  | Rich Bickle | Roulo Brothers Racing | Chevrolet | 28.460  | 126.493
40  | 06  | P. J. Jones | Ultra Motorsports | Ford | 28.464  | 126.476
Winston Cup provisionals
41  | 98  | Jeremy Mayfield (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | -*  | -*
42  | 19  | Loy Allen Jr. (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Ford | -*  | -*
Winston West provisional
43  | 50  | Mike Chase | JTC Racing | Chevrolet | -*  | -*
Failed to qualify
44  | 51  | Jeff Purvis | Phoenix Racing | Chevrolet | -*  | -*
45  | 02  | Brad Noffsinger | Taylor Racing | Ford | -*  | -*
46  | 00  | Scott Gaylord | Oliver Racing | Ford | -*  | -*
47  | 37  | Doug George | Olson Technology Racing | Ford | -*  | -*
48  | 81  | Jeff Davis | Jeff Davis Racing | Ford | -*  | -*
49  | 90W  | Joe Heath | Heath Racing | Ford | -*  | -*
50  | 86  | Rich Woodland Jr. | Woodland Racing | Chevrolet | -*  | -*
51  | 92  | John Krebs | Krebs Racing | Chevrolet | -*  | -*
52  | 22W  | St. James Davis | St. James Racing | Pontiac | -*  | -*
53  | 95  | Lance Wade | Wade Racing | Ford | -*  | -*
54  | 58  | Wayne Jacks | Jacks Motorsports | Pontiac | -*  | -*
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

## Race results

[edit]

Fin  | St  | #  | Driver  | Team  | Make  | Laps  | Led  | Status  | Pts  | Winnings

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | 19  | 5  | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 312  | 112  | running  | 185  | $67,885
2  | 6  | 6  | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 312  | 84  | running  | 175  | $46,155
3  | 1  | 4  | Sterling Marlin | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 312  | 7  | running  | 170  | $40,330
4  | 14  | 24  | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 311  | 1  | running  | 165  | $26,780
5  | 12  | 16  | Ted Musgrave | Roush Racing | Ford | 311  | 0  | running  | 155  | $25,405
6  | 15  | 42  | Kyle Petty | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 311  | 0  | running  | 150  | $24,370
7  | 4  | 10  | Ricky Rudd | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Ford | 311  | 99  | running  | 151  | $20,220
8  | 37  | 7  | Geoff Bodine | Geoff Bodine Racing | Ford | 311  | 0  | running  | 142  | $20,520
9  | 5  | 18  | Dale Jarrett | Joe Gibbs Racing | Chevrolet | 310  | 4  | running  | 143  | $21,920
10  | 18  | 17  | Darrell Waltrip | Darrell Waltrip Motorsports | Chevrolet | 310  | 0  | running  | 134  | $19,770
11  | 29  | 40  | Bobby Hamilton | SABCO Racing | Pontiac | 310  | 0  | running  | 130  | $16,820
12  | 13  | 21  | Morgan Shepherd | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 310  | 0  | running  | 127  | $19,020
13  | 9  | 26  | Brett Bodine | King Racing | Ford | 310  | 0  | running  | 124  | $15,920
14  | 10  | 15  | Lake Speed | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 310  | 0  | running  | 121  | $18,520
15  | 7  | 25  | Ken Schrader | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 310  | 0  | running  | 118  | $15,470
16  | 28  | 22  | Bobby Labonte | Bill Davis Racing | Pontiac | 310  | 2  | running  | 120  | $14,820
17  | 2  | 2  | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford | 310  | 0  | running  | 112  | $20,420
18  | 11  | 28  | Kenny Wallace | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 310  | 0  | running  | 109  | $19,195
19  | 34  | 71  | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 310  | 0  | running  | 106  | $10,295
20  | 41  | 98  | Jeremy Mayfield (R) | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 309  | 0  | running  | 103  | $11,560
21  | 27  | 31  | Ward Burton (R) | A.G. Dillard Motorsports | Chevrolet | 309  | 0  | running  | 100  | $7,685
22  | 33  | 29  | Steve Grissom (R) | Diamond Ridge Motorsports | Chevrolet | 309  | 0  | running  | 97  | $9,760
23  | 24  | 33  | Harry Gant | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Chevrolet | 308  | 0  | running  | 94  | $13,635
24  | 31  | 23  | Hut Stricklin | Travis Carter Enterprises | Ford | 308  | 0  | running  | 91  | $9,485
25  | 16  | 41  | Joe Nemechek (R) | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 306  | 0  | running  | 88  | $9,335
26  | 30  | 77  | Greg Sacks | U.S. Motorsports Inc. | Ford | 306  | 0  | running  | 85  | $9,235
27  | 36  | 8  | Jeff Burton (R) | Stavola Brothers Racing | Ford | 306  | 0  | running  | 82  | $13,110
28  | 26  | 90  | Mike Wallace (R) | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 304  | 0  | running  | 79  | $8,985
29  | 40  | 06  | P. J. Jones | Ultra Motorsports | Ford | 303  | 0  | running  | 76  | $6,960
30  | 22  | 12  | Derrike Cope | Bobby Allison Motorsports | Ford | 303  | 0  | running  | 73  | $12,935
31  | 43  | 50  | Mike Chase | JTC Racing | Chevrolet | 302  | 0  | running  | 70  | $6,910
32  | 23  | 75  | Todd Bodine | Butch Mock Motorsports | Ford | 298  | 0  | running  | 67  | $8,135
33  | 32  | 61  | Rick Carelli | Chesrown Racing | Chevrolet | 297  | 0  | engine  | 64  | $7,710
34  | 38  | 76  | Ron Hornaday Jr. | Spears Motorsports | Chevrolet | 297  | 1  | running  | 66  | $6,585
35  | 3  | 11  | Bill Elliott | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 275  | 2  | clutch  | 63  | $11,860
36  | 25  | 30  | Michael Waltrip | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 263  | 0  | running  | 55  | $10,535
37  | 39  | 39  | Rich Bickle | Roulo Brothers Racing | Chevrolet | 144  | 0  | engine  | 52  | $6,515
38  | 20  | 27  | Jimmy Spencer | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 116  | 0  | crash  | 49  | $6,505
39  | 35  | 32  | Dick Trickle | Active Motorsports | Chevrolet | 97  | 0  | engine  | 46  | $6,490
40  | 8  | 3  | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 91  | 0  | engine  | 43  | $19,575
41  | 42  | 19  | Loy Allen Jr. (R) | TriStar Motorsports | Ford | 67  | 0  | transmission  | 40  | $5,825
42  | 21  | 1  | Rick Mast | Precision Products Racing | Ford | 31  | 0  | engine  | 37  | $10,325
43  | 17  | 43  | John Andretti | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 31  | 0  | crash  | 34  | $6,825
Failed to qualify
44  |  | 51  | Jeff Purvis | Phoenix Racing | Chevrolet |
45  | 02  | Brad Noffsinger | Taylor Racing | Ford
46  | 00  | Scott Gaylord | Oliver Racing | Ford
47  | 37  | Doug George | Olson Technology Racing | Ford
48  | 81  | Jeff Davis | Jeff Davis Racing | Ford
49  | 90W  | Joe Heath | Heath Racing | Ford
50  | 86  | Rich Woodland Jr. | Woodland Racing | Chevrolet
51  | 92  | John Krebs | Krebs Racing | Chevrolet
52  | 22W  | St. James Davis | St. James Racing | Pontiac
53  | 95  | Lance Wade | Wade Racing | Ford
54  | 58  | Wayne Jacks | Jacks Motorsports | Pontiac
Official race results

## Standings after the race

[edit]

Drivers' Championship standings
|  | Pos  | Driver  | Points

|
|
|

| 1  | Dale Earnhardt | 4,519
| 2  | Rusty Wallace | 4,140 (-379)
| 3  | Mark Martin | 4,065 (-454)
| 4  | Ken Schrader | 3,930 (–589)
| 5  | Ricky Rudd | 3,929 (–590)
| 6  | Morgan Shepherd | 3,879 (–640)
| 7  | Terry Labonte | 3,734 (–785)
1 | 8  | Jeff Gordon | 3,658 (–861)
1 | 9  | Darrell Waltrip | 3,588 (–931)
2 | 10  | Bill Elliott | 3,568 (–951)
Official driver's standings

* Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 31, 1994). "Labonte captures Slick 50 crown". The Daily Herald. p. 12. Retrieved January 22, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ Harris, Mike (October 31, 1994). "'Forgotten' Labonte is back in the picture". The Messenger. p. 9. Retrieved January 22, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "NASCAR today". The Charlotte Observer. October 28, 1994. p. 24. Retrieved January 22, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ Harris, Mike (October 29, 1994). "Marlin wins 'Slick' pole". The Messenger. p. 7. Retrieved January 22, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.

Previous race:
1994 AC Delco 500 | NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1994 season | Next race:
1994 Hooters 500

|
|

Previous race:
1994 Spears Manufacturing 300 | NASCAR Winston Transcontinental Series
1994 season | Next race:
1994 Winter Heat #2

|
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