1997 Interstate Batteries 500

1997 Interstate Batteries 500
Race details
Race 6 of 32 in the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
	Simple line diagram of Texas Motor Speedway track layout
Date	April 6, 1997
Official name	Inaugural Interstate Batteries 500
Location	Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas
Course	Permanent racing facility; 1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Distance	334 laps, 501 mi (806.281 km)
Weather	Mild with temperatures of 71.6 °F (22.0 °C); wind speeds of 14 miles per hour (23 km/h)
Pole position
Driver	Dale Jarrett ;
Time	Set by 1997 owner's points
Most laps led
Driver	Terry Labonte
Laps	104
Winner
No. 99	Jeff Burton
Television in the United States
Network	CBS
Announcers	Ken Squier, Ned Jarrett, Buddy Baker
Radio in the United States
Radio	Performance Racing Network

Last updated October 29, 2024

The 1997 Interstate Batteries 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car race held on April 6, 1997, at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. The race was the inaugural Cup Series race at the track, and it was the first time Interstate Batteries served as a sponsor for NASCAR.^[2] The race was the sixth of the 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. The pace car was the Chevrolet Monte Carlo Z34 with a 3.8L engine, the first of its kind to serve as a pace car.^[3] As qualifying was canceled due to rain,^[4] the pole position was awarded to points leader Dale Jarrett of Yates Racing. Terry Labonte of Hendrick Motorsports led the most laps with 104, while Roush Racing's Jeff Burton scored his first Cup Series victory after leading 60 laps, including the final 58.

Traffic delays

As a result of the rain, besides qualifying being canceled, many of the track's parking lots were flooded. Track owner Bruton Smith received help from the Texas Department of Transportation, which closed down a portion of Texas State Highway 170 to use it as a parking lot. Although the parking lot issue was solved, traffic concerns arose, and on race day, by 8 AM, traffic on Interstate 35W stopped 16 miles south of the track. Due to the traffic, pianist Van Cliburn, who was scheduled to perform the national anthem at the race, had his helicopter delayed and could not perform.^[5]

Race

The race started with a 13-car crash on the first lap.^[4] The crash was the first in a wreck-laden race, with ten cautions and 73 laps under the yellow flag,^[6] the most in track history.^[7] Late in the race, Jeff Burton took the lead, and led the final 58 laps of the race to win his first career Cup race. Dale Jarrett finished second, followed by Bobby Labonte, Terry Labonte, and Ricky Rudd.^[8]

Results

Top 10 finishers

Pos^[8]	Grid	No.	Driver	Manufacturer	Laps	Laps led	Points	Time/Status
1	5	99	Jeff Burton	Ford	334	60	180	4:00:16
2	1	88	Dale Jarrett	Ford	334	42	175	+4.067 seconds
3	4	18	Bobby Labonte	Pontiac	334	2	170	Lead lap under green flag
4	3	5	Terry Labonte	Chevrolet	334	104	170	Lead lap under green flag
5	8	10	Ricky Rudd	Ford	334	26	160	Lead lap under green flag
6	15	3	Dale Earnhardt	Chevrolet	334	0	150	Lead lap under green flag
7	12	22	Ward Burton	Pontiac	334	0	146	Lead lap under green flag
8	22	4	Sterling Marlin	Chevrolet	334	2	147	Lead lap under green flag
9	21	21	Michael Waltrip	Ford	333	0	138	+1 lap
10	35	41	Steve Grissom	Chevrolet	332	0	134	+2 laps

Media

Television

The Interstate Batteries 500 was covered by CBS for the first time in the United States. Ken Squier, two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Ned Jarrett and nineteen-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner Buddy Baker called the race from the broadcast booth. Mike Joy, Dick Berggren and Ralph Sheheen handled pit road for the television side.

CBS
Booth announcers		Pit reporters
Lap-by-lap	Color-commentators	Pit reporters
Ken Squier	Ned Jarrett Buddy Baker	Mike Joy Dick Berggren Ralph Sheheen

Standings after the race

Pos	Driver	Points	Differential
1	Dale Jarrett	994	0
2	Terry Labonte	899	-95
3	Bobby Labonte	858	-136
4	Jeff Burton	837	-157
5	Jeff Gordon	810	-184
6	Ricky Rudd	775	-219
7	Geoff Bodine	740	-254
8	Ward Burton	709	-285
8	Mark Martin	709	-285
10	Dale Earnhardt	703	-291

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References

↑ "1997 Interstate Batteries 500 weather information". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
↑ "Interstate History & Milestones". Interstate Batteries . Archived from the original on 2013-11-16. Retrieved 2013-07-03.
↑ "Chevrolet Monte Carlo Paces Texas Motor Speedway's First Race". The Auto Channel. 1997-03-27. Retrieved 2013-07-03.
1 2 "Interstate Batteries 500". Derrike Cope . Archived from the original on 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2013-07-03.
↑ Aumann, Mark (2011-07-15). "Retro: Traffic issues date back to early days of NASCAR". NASCAR. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-07-03.
↑ "1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Recap". HowStuffWorks . Archived from the original on 2013-05-28. Retrieved 2013-07-03.
↑ Beaver, Dan (2012-11-01). "NASCAR Picks Pack: Texas". CBS Sports . Retrieved 2013-07-03.
1 2 "1997 Interstate Batteries 500". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2013-07-03.

Previous race: 1997 TranSouth Financial 400	NASCAR Winston Cup Series 1997 season	Next race: 1997 Food City 500

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[1] "1997 Interstate Batteries 500 weather information". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2013-07-10.

[2] "Interstate History & Milestones". Interstate Batteries . Archived from the original on 2013-11-16. Retrieved 2013-07-03.

[3] "Chevrolet Monte Carlo Paces Texas Motor Speedway's First Race". The Auto Channel. 1997-03-27. Retrieved 2013-07-03.

[Derrike_Cope-4] 1 2 "Interstate Batteries 500". Derrike Cope . Archived from the original on 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2013-07-03.

[5] Aumann, Mark (2011-07-15). "Retro: Traffic issues date back to early days of NASCAR". NASCAR. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-07-03.

[6] "1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Recap". HowStuffWorks . Archived from the original on 2013-05-28. Retrieved 2013-07-03.

[7] Beaver, Dan (2012-11-01). "NASCAR Picks Pack: Texas". CBS Sports . Retrieved 2013-07-03.

[1997ib500-8] 1 2 "1997 Interstate Batteries 500". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2013-07-03.

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