Race details [1] | |||
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Race 19 of 30 in the 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season | |||
![]() Layout of Talladega Superspeedway | |||
Date | July 31, 1983 | ||
Official name | Talladega 500 | ||
Location | Alabama International Motor Speedway, Talladega, Alabama | ||
Course | Permanent racing facility 2.660 mi (4.280 km) | ||
Distance | 188 laps, 500.1 mi (804.8 km) | ||
Weather | Cloudy, 81 °F (27 °C), 70% humidity, 20% chance of precipitation, wind from the NW at 12 mph (19 km/h) [2] | ||
Average speed | 170.611 miles per hour (274.572 km/h) | ||
Attendance | 95,000 [3] | ||
Pole position | |||
Driver | Harry Ranier | ||
Most laps led | |||
Driver | Dale Earnhardt Tim Richmond | Bud Moore Raymond Beadle | |
Laps | 41 | ||
Winner | |||
No. 15 | Dale Earnhardt | Bud Moore | |
Television in the United States | |||
Network | CBS | ||
Announcers | Ken Squier Ned Jarrett | ||
Radio in the United States | |||
Radio | MRN | ||
Booth Announcers | Barney Hall Eli Gold | ||
Turn Announcers | Dave DeSpain (1 & 2) Mike Garrell (Backstretch) Dave Sutherland (3 & 4) |
The 1983 Talladega 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series event on July 31, 1983, at Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega, Alabama.
Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. The track is a Tri-oval and was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in the 1960s. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line - located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the Sprint Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and the Camping World Truck Series. Talladega Superspeedway is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66 miles (4.28 km), and the track at its peak had a seating capacity of 175,000 spectators. [4]
Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Speed |
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1 | 28 | Cale Yarborough | 201.744 | ||
2 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Ford | 199.675 | |
3 | 55 | Benny Parsons | Chevrolet | ||
4 | 15 | Dale Earnhardt | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 199.309 |
5 | 90 | Dick Brooks | |||
6 | 21 | Buddy Baker | |||
7 | 44 | Terry Labonte | |||
8 | 4 | Mark Martin | |||
9 | 88 | Geoff Bodine | |||
10 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | Junior Johnson & Associates | Chevrolet | 198.322 |
11 | 1 | Lake Speed | |||
12 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 196.737 |
13 | 7 | Kyle Petty | |||
14 | 75 | Neil Bonnett | |||
15 | 16 | David Pearson | |||
16 | 29 | Grant Adcox | |||
17 | 3 | Ricky Rudd | |||
18 | 27 | Tim Richmond | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 196.145 |
19 | 47 | Ron Bouchard | |||
20 | 84 | Jody Ridley | |||
21 | 98 | Joe Ruttman | |||
22 | 17 | Sterling Marlin | |||
23 | 33 | Harry Gant | Mach 1 Racing | Buick | 195.090 |
24 | 22 | Bobby Allison | Buick | ||
25 | 67 | Buddy Arrington | Chrysler | ||
26 | 48 | Trevor Boys | |||
27 | 74 | Bobby Wawak | |||
28 | 24 | Cecil Gordon | |||
29 | 77 | Ken Ragan | |||
30 | 31 | Billie Harvey | |||
31 | 8 | Bobby Hillin Jr. | |||
32 | 2 | Morgan Sheperd | |||
33 | 6 | Al Elmore | |||
34 | 64 | Tommy Gale | |||
35 | 76 | Mike Potter | |||
36 | 71 | Dave Marcis | |||
37 | 41 | Ronnie Thomas | |||
38 | 70 | J.D. McDuffie | |||
39 | 78 | Dick Skillen | |||
40 | 46 | Travis Tiller |
Forty drivers made the grid; Trevor Boys was the only driver not to be born in the United States. The race lasted almost three hours for the scheduled 188 laps. Dick Skillen was the last-place finisher due to a crash on the first lap with Travis Tiller, Tommy Gale, Billie Harvey, Grant Adcox, and Neil Bonnett. J.D. McDuffie was the lowest-finishing driver to finish the race; he was 44 laps behind the leaders. 95,000 people attended this race. [3] Neil Bonnett driving in relief for Tim Richmond was leading the race with 12 laps to go when he pitted for fuel only. The car stalled and it took long enough to get it re-fired that Earnhardt and Waltrip were able to get by.
Cale Yarborough would qualify for the pole position with a speed of 201.744 miles per hour (324.675 km/h). Dale Earnhardt would defeat Darrell Waltrip by four car lengths in this race; securing his last victory for an owner other than Richard Childress. [3] Harvey and Tiller would retire from NASCAR after this race. [6] Individual earnings for each driver ranged from the winner's share of $46,950 ($143,626.53 when adjusted for inflation) to the last-place finisher's share of $1,450 ($4,435.75 when adjusted for inflation). The total prize purse was $316,700 ($968,829 when adjusted for inflation). [7]
Pos | Grid | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points |
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1 | 4 | 15 | Dale Earnhardt | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 188 | 185 |
2 | 10 | 11 | Darrell Waltrip | Junior Johnson & Associates | Chevrolet | 188 | 175 |
3 | 18 | 27 | Neil Bonnett† | Blue Max Racing | Pontiac | 188 | 175 |
4 | 12 | 43 | Richard Petty | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 188 | 165 |
5 | 23 | 33 | Harry Gant | Mach 1 Racing | Buick | 188 | 155 |
6 | 9 | 88 | Geoff Bodine | Cliff Stewart Racing | Pontiac | 188 | 155 |
7 | 5 | 90 | Dick Brooks | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 187 | 146 |
8 | 2 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | Ford | 187 | 142 |
9 | 24 | 22 | Bobby Allison | DiGard Motorsport | Buick | 186 | 143 |
10 | 8 | 4 | Mark Martin | Morgan-McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 186 | 143 |
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† Bonnett crashed his car on lap 2, but drove Richmond's car after Richmond retired due to debris in his eyes
CBS Television | |
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Booth announcers | Pit reporters |
Lap-by-lap: Ken Squier Color-commentator: Ned Jarrett | Larry Nuber Mike Joy |
MRN Radio | ||
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Booth announcers | Turn announcers | Pit reporters |
Lead announcer: Barney Hall Announcer: Eli Gold | Turns 1 & 2: Dave DeSpain Backstretch: Mark Garrell Turns 3 & 4: Dave Sutherland | Jerry Punch Bill Bowser |
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Lawrence Neil Bonnett was an American NASCAR driver who compiled 18 victories and 20 poles over his 18-year career. Bonnett was a member of the Alabama Gang, and started his career with the help of Bobby and Donnie Allison. He rose to prominence in the late 1970s with his performances in cars owned by Jim Stacy and Wood Brothers Racing, becoming one of the top competitors in the 1980s. The Alabama native currently ranks 47th in all-time NASCAR Cup victories. He appeared in the 1983 film Stroker Ace and the 1990 film Days of Thunder. Bonnett hosted the TV show Winners for TNN from 1991 to 1994. He was a color commentator for CBS, TBS, and TNN in the years until his death. Bonnett's driving career was interrupted by a severe brain injury from a crash in 1990. He was killed while practicing for the 1994 Daytona 500 for a much-anticipated comeback.
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