The 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 37th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 14th modern-era Cup series season. The season began on Sunday, February 10 and ended on Sunday, November 17. Darrell Waltrip, driving for Junior Johnson, was crowned champion (for the third time in his career) at the end of the season. Bill Elliott, driving for Harry Melling, had won 11 races in 1985 (as well as the Winston Million), but lost the title by 101 points to three-time race winner Waltrip. This was the first season where all races were televised in some form.
The 7-Eleven Twin 125's were run on February 14 at Daytona. Bill Elliott won the pole for race 1 with a lap average speed of 205.114mph (330.099km/h). Cale Yarborough won the pole for race 2 with a lap average speed of 203.814mph (328.007km/h).
For the final time to date, all 9 drivers that failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 were allowed to race in a 30 lap (75mi (121km)) race on February 15. Rick Newsom was on the pole.
The Daytona 500, the 27th running of the event, was held on February 17, 1985, at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Bill Elliott won the pole with a new track record (at the time) speed of 205.114mph (330.099km/h), he also won his qualifying race.
Prior to this event, two-time Winston Cup champion Darrell Waltrip complained to NASCAR about how Bill Elliott was ruining the parity of the sport and he needed to be slowed down.[4] As a result, NASCAR raised the height of the Ford vehicles by half an inch.[4] The roof of the GM race cars was lowered by the same amount in order to improve their speed performance.[4]
In spite of the last minute rule changes, Bill Elliott won the race but he was forced to make up two laps under green during the race from having to pit due to a broken oil fitting. With the victory, Elliott claimed the second leg of the Winston Million.
Fords also claimed 2nd & 3rd with Kyle Petty beating Cale Yarborough in a photo finish for 2nd.
This would mark the first time since 1971 (when he occasionally drove Dodge Chargers) where independent driver J.D. McDuffie; who finished 31st, drove a vehicle other than a General Motors product, as he made the first of three appearances (along with the spring race at Pocono and a one-off with Bahre Racing at the Delaware 500 at Dover) driving a Ford. Unfortunately he finished 31st (of 32 cars) after completing 115 laps due to a broken valve in the engine.
After Darrell Waltrip took the checkered flag his engine expired in spectacular fashion which potentially jeopardized him from being able to compete in the next days Coca-Cola 600.
Bill Elliott had a chance to clinch the first Winston Million, and a then NASCAR record crowd of 155,000 spectators arrived to cheer him on. After considerable pre-race hype, Elliott led 81 laps, but fell short, however, as mechanical problems plagued much of his day. Elliott would finish in 18th, running 21 laps down to the winner. Elliott would have one more chance to claim the Million at Darlington in the Southern 500.
Darrell Waltrip gambled on fuel, stretching his tank over the final 110 laps to secure the victory. Waltrip (who won The Winston a day earlier) nearly missed the race after a car/engine swap controversy with NASCAR Director of Competition Dick Beatty.[5]
This was the first NASCAR Winston Cup start for Michael Waltrip. He would finish 28th due to a transmission failure.
Elliott had another disastrous race finishing in 17th place 33 laps down. Waltrip continued to chip away at Elliotts lead gaining 63 points, Elliott now only led by 23 points.
By virtue of Elliott being the second car out of the race finishing in 30th place (out of 31 starters) and Waltrip managing to finish in 14th even with car issues 7 laps down, Waltrip erased a 206 point deficit from Darlington and overtook Elliott in the standings. Waltrip now led Elliott by 30 points.
Following the race Harry Gant would enter a dry spell and not win a Cup Series race again until the 1989 spring Darlington race.
Cale Yarborough's win would be his 83rd and the final one of his career before retiring after 1988.
Elliott and Waltrip both led laps and by Elliott finishing in 2nd he sliced 10 points off Waltrips lead with just 20 points separating the two with three races remaining.
Elliott finishing three spots down in 4th lost ground to Waltrip by 15 points due to Waltrip winning. Waltrip now led by 35 points, with just Atlanta and Riverside left to settle the Championship.
The race began under the green and yellow flags (starting under caution) due to an earlier rainstorm that drenched the track with the green flag displayed after the completion of lap 6.
11th and final win of the season for Bill Elliott.
With this win, and as of 2022, Bill Elliott is the only driver in NASCAR history to pull off the season sweep at 4 different tracks in one season. Along with the season sweep at Atlanta, he swept Pocono, Michigan, and Darlington. In 2004 however, Jimmie Johnson pulled off the season sweep at 3 different tracks, coming close to tying Bill Elliott's record. The tracks Johnson pulled off the season sweep are Pocono, Charlotte, and Darlington.
With Elliott getting the bonus points for leading the most laps, Waltrip lost 15 points on his lead. Elliott now had a 20-point deficit going into the season finale at Riverside where he picked up his first Cup victory in 1983, while Waltrip had five wins at the road course. If Elliott won at Riverside then all Waltrip would have to do to win the title would be to finish no lower than seventh if he did not lead a lap. If DW led a lap then he could finish no lower than eighth to win the title. If he led the most laps then he could finish no lower than ninth.
Morgan Shepherd scored his only top five finish of 1985 driving for David Pearson's team.[7]
Sprint car ace Sammy Swindell starts his first of two career Cup races. He finished 30th after a crash, he completed 242 of 328 laps.[7]
After winning the previous race, which was at Atlanta, Bill Elliott came into this race 2nd in points, only 20 points behind Darrell Waltrip, giving him a shot to rebound for the championship after a string of poor finishes in 4 of the last 5 races. During this race however, Elliott would suffer early transmission problems, and it would unfortunately cost him the championship. He finished the race in 31st. Waltrip clinched the title once he completed 99 laps of the race, he then finished in 7th, gaining 81 points on Elliott. Darrell Waltrip won his 3rd and final Winston Cup title, having won only three races to Bill Elliott's eleven. Elliott would officially lose the championship by 101 points. This would be the 1st time in Bob Latford's Winston Cup points system that a driver winning 10 or more races in a season failed to win the championship due to poor finishes and lack of consistency in the final stretch of the season.
This was the final race for Richard Petty driving for Mike Curb. Richard would take his number 43 with STP sponsorship home to Petty Enterprises for 1986.
This was the final race for Rusty Wallace driving for Cliff Stewart Racing. Rusty's season of misery concluded with a 36th-place finish due to engine failure completing 70 of 119 laps. This was Rusty's 12th DNF of the season, 10 of them were due to engine failures.
Ken Schrader won the 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Series rookie of the year. He beat out both Eddie Bierschwale (who failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 and skipped the next race) and Don Hume (who only competed in 7 races) for the honors.
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