The 1990 Mello Yello 500 was the 26th stock car race of the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 31st iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, October 7, 1990, before an audience of 158,400 in Concord, North Carolina, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) permanent quad-oval. The race took the scheduled 334 laps to complete. Taking advantage of a misfortunate Bill Elliott, Robert Yates Racing driver Davey Allison would manage to dominate the final 76 laps of the race to take his eighth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second and final victory of the season.[1][2][3][4] To fill out the top three, Bud Moore Engineering driver Morgan Shepherd and Bahari Racing driver Michael Waltrip would finish second and third, respectively.

1990 Mello Yello 500
Race details
Race 26 of 29 in the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1990 Mello Yello 500 program cover, featuring Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
The 1990 Mello Yello 500 program cover, featuring Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt. Artwork by NASCAR artist Sam Bass.
Date October 7, 1990
Official name 31st Annual Mello Yello 500
Location Concord, North Carolina, Charlotte Motor Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1.5 mi (2.41 km)
Distance 334 laps, 501 mi (806.281 km)
Scheduled Distance 334 laps, 501 mi (806.281 km)
Average speed 137.428 miles per hour (221.169 km/h)
Attendance 158,400
Pole position
Driver King Racing
Time 30.966
Most laps led
Driver Bill Elliott Melling Racing
Laps 243
Winner
No. 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing
Television in the United States
Network TBS
Announcers Ken Squier, Johnny Hayes, Chris Economaki
Radio in the United States
Radio Performance Racing Network

With a poor finish from championship contender Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin managed to increase his driver championship points lead by 33 points, to a total of 49 points.[5]

Background

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The layout of Charlotte Motor Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, as well as the UAW-GM Quality 500. The speedway was built in 1959 by Bruton Smith and is considered the home track for NASCAR with many race teams located in the Charlotte area. The track is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) with Marcus G. Smith (son of Bruton Smith) as track president.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Ford Masters Inn Economy
1 Terry Labonte Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile Skoal
01 Mickey Gibbs Gibbs Racing Ford Special Days Inn
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Oldsmobile Kodak
04 Bill Meacham Meacham Racing Oldsmobile Meacham Racing
5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Levi Garrett
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Folgers
7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford Zerex
8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick Snickers
9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford Coors Light
10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet Purolator Filters
11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford Budweiser
12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick Raybestos
13 Mike Skinner Mansion Motorsports Chevrolet Glidden
15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford Motorcraft
17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce
20 Jimmy Hensley Moroso Racing Oldsmobile Crown Central Petroleum
21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
23 Eddie Bierschwale B&B Racing Oldsmobile Auto Finders
25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick Quaker State
27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac Miller Genuine Draft
28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac Country Time
33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile Skoal Bandit
36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac Almeda Auto Parts
41 Larry Pearson Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet General Motors Auctions
42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac Peak Antifreeze
43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Jimmy Horton Group 44 Pontiac Group 44
47 Jack Pennington (R) Close Racing Oldsmobile Sandoz Chemicals
52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac Alka-Seltzer
57 Jimmy Spencer Osterlund Racing Pontiac Heinz
64 Gary Wright White Racing Chevrolet Action Rent-to-Own
65 Dave Mader III Bahre Racing Pontiac Jasper Engines & Transmissions
66 Dick Trickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac Phillips 66 TropArtic
68 Bobby Hamilton TriStar Motorsports Pontiac Country Time
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Big Apple Market
74 Mike Potter Wawak Racing Pontiac Wawak Racing
75 Rick Wilson RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Dinner Bell Foods
82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford Hooters
83 Phil Parsons Speed Racing Oldsmobile Baja Boats
89 Rodney Combs Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac Evinrude Outboard Motors
90 Buddy Baker Donlavey Racing Ford Harris Teeter
91 Ed Cooper Ed Cooper Racing Oldsmobile Ed Cooper Racing
94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile Sunoco
97 Chuck Bown Tex Racing Chevrolet Kellogg's Corn Flakes
98 Rick Mast Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet Banquet Foods

Qualifying

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Qualifying was originally scheduled to be split into two rounds. The first round was held on Wednesday, October 3, at 2:00 PM EST. Originally, the first 20 positions were going to be determined by first round qualifying, with positions 21-40 meant to be determined the following day on Thursday, October 4.[6] However, due to rain, the second round was cancelled. As a result, the rest of the starting lineup was set using the results from the first round. 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; up to two were given.[7]

Brett Bodine, driving for King Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 30.966 and an average speed of 174.385 miles per hour (280.645 km/h) in the first round.[8][9]

Nine drivers would fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 30.966 174.385
2 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 31.114 173.555
3 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 31.232 172.900
4 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.240 172.855
5 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 31.254 172.778
6 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 31.280 172.634
7 11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 31.282 172.623
8 66 Dick Trickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 31.405 171.947
9 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 31.424 171.843
10 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 31.429 171.816
11 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 31.459 171.652
12 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 31.515 171.347
13 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 31.550 171.157
14 75 Rick Wilson RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 31.557 171.119
15 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 31.587 170.956
16 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.590 170.940
17 47 Jack Pennington (R) Close Racing Oldsmobile 31.597 170.902
18 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 31.615 170.805
19 1 Terry Labonte Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 31.619 170.783
20 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 31.625 170.751
21 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 31.687 170.417
22 41 Larry Pearson Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.704 170.326
23 20 Jimmy Hensley Moroso Racing Oldsmobile 31.787 169.881
24 01 Mickey Gibbs Gibbs Racing Ford 31.787 169.881
25 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31.791 169.859
26 90 Buddy Baker Donlavey Racing Ford 31.823 169.689
27 98 Rick Mast Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 31.826 169.673
28 68 Bobby Hamilton TriStar Motorsports Pontiac 31.841 169.593
29 83 Phil Parsons Speed Racing Oldsmobile 31.931 169.115
30 44 Jimmy Horton Group 44 Pontiac 31.939 169.072
31 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 31.975 168.882
32 97 Chuck Bown Tex Racing Chevrolet 31.995 168.776
33 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 32.004 168.729
34 57 Jimmy Spencer Osterlund Racing Pontiac 32.015 168.671
35 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 32.025 168.618
36 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 32.035 168.566
37 23 Eddie Bierschwale B&B Racing Oldsmobile 32.062 168.424
38 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 32.092 168.266
39 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 32.219 167.603
40 82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford 32.530 166.001
Provisional
41 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford - -
Failed to qualify
42 65 Dave Mader III Bahre Racing Pontiac 32.536 165.970
43 89 Rodney Combs Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac 32.582 165.736
44 13 Mike Skinner Mansion Motorsports Chevrolet 32.587 165.710
45 64 Gary Wright White Racing Chevrolet 32.660 165.340
46 74 Mike Potter Wawak Racing Pontiac - -
47 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac - -
48 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Ford - -
49 04 Bill Meacham Meacham Racing Oldsmobile - -
50 91 Ed Cooper Ed Cooper Racing Oldsmobile - -
Official first round qualifying results
Official starting lineup

Race results

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Fin St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 5 28 Davey Allison Robert Yates Racing Ford 334 57 running 180 $90,650
2 33 15 Morgan Shepherd Bud Moore Engineering Ford 334 2 running 175 $51,800
3 36 30 Michael Waltrip Bahari Racing Pontiac 334 13 running 170 $38,100
4 20 42 Kyle Petty SABCO Racing Pontiac 334 3 running 165 $30,450
5 41 7 Alan Kulwicki AK Racing Ford 334 0 running 155 $24,757
6 16 5 Ricky Rudd Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 334 0 running 150 $18,425
7 13 10 Derrike Cope Whitcomb Racing Chevrolet 334 0 running 146 $17,400
8 1 26 Brett Bodine King Racing Buick 334 4 running 147 $35,600
9 25 17 Darrell Waltrip Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 334 1 running 143 $18,900
10 11 21 Dale Jarrett Wood Brothers Racing Ford 333 0 running 134 $14,625
11 14 75 Rick Wilson RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 333 0 running 130 $11,350
12 17 47 Jack Pennington (R) Close Racing Oldsmobile 333 0 running 127 $7,650
13 39 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 331 0 running 124 $10,800
14 6 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 331 0 running 121 $13,600
15 9 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing Ford 331 243 running 128 $59,150
16 21 94 Sterling Marlin Hagan Racing Oldsmobile 330 0 running 115 $7,925
17 19 1 Terry Labonte Precision Products Racing Oldsmobile 330 0 running 112 $7,475
18 29 83 Phil Parsons Speed Racing Oldsmobile 330 0 running 0 $4,225
19 22 41 Larry Pearson Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 329 0 running 106 $4,075
20 18 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 329 0 running 103 $5,425
21 24 01 Mickey Gibbs Gibbs Racing Ford 324 0 running 100 $3,775
22 37 23 Eddie Bierschwale B&B Racing Oldsmobile 323 0 running 97 $3,650
23 30 44 Jimmy Horton Group 44 Pontiac 323 0 running 94 $3,525
24 32 97 Chuck Bown Tex Racing Chevrolet 322 0 running 91 $3,450
25 15 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 320 0 running 88 $12,275
26 2 33 Harry Gant Leo Jackson Motorsports Oldsmobile 303 1 engine 90 $15,500
27 3 4 Ernie Irvan Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 286 7 running 87 $11,200
28 28 68 Bobby Hamilton TriStar Motorsports Pontiac 277 0 running 79 $3,200
29 10 12 Hut Stricklin Bobby Allison Motorsports Buick 251 0 engine 76 $4,300
30 8 66 Dick Trickle Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 245 0 accident 73 $7,100
31 38 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Racing Buick 244 0 accident 70 $5,750
32 40 82 Mark Stahl Stahl Racing Ford 244 0 running 67 $3,000
33 23 20 Jimmy Hensley Moroso Racing Oldsmobile 240 0 carburetor 0 $3,625
34 27 98 Rick Mast Travis Carter Enterprises Chevrolet 235 0 valve 61 $3,550
35 4 25 Ken Schrader Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 205 0 running 58 $12,365
36 7 11 Geoff Bodine Junior Johnson & Associates Ford 183 3 camshaft 60 $12,285
37 26 90 Buddy Baker Donlavey Racing Ford 169 0 rear end 52 $2,810
38 12 27 Rusty Wallace Blue Max Racing Pontiac 133 0 engine 49 $11,995
39 35 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Racing Pontiac 126 0 overheating 46 $3,410
40 31 19 Chad Little Little Racing Ford 98 0 accident 43 $2,775
41 34 57 Jimmy Spencer Osterlund Racing Pontiac 97 0 accident 40 $3,375
Failed to qualify
42 65 Dave Mader III Bahre Racing Pontiac
43 89 Rodney Combs Mueller Brothers Racing Pontiac
44 13 Mike Skinner Mansion Motorsports Chevrolet
45 64 Gary Wright White Racing Chevrolet
46 74 Mike Potter Wawak Racing Pontiac
47 36 H. B. Bailey Bailey Racing Pontiac
48 0 Delma Cowart H. L. Waters Racing Ford
49 04 Bill Meacham Meacham Racing Oldsmobile
50 91 Ed Cooper Ed Cooper Racing Oldsmobile
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 8, 1990). "Allison Steals The Show (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 23. Retrieved April 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 8, 1990). "Allison Steals The Show (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 26. Retrieved April 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ King, Randy (October 8, 1990). "Allison breaks through (Part 1)". The Roanoke Times. p. 9. Retrieved April 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  4. ^ King, Randy (October 8, 1990). "Allison breaks through (Part 2)". The Roanoke Times. p. 13. Retrieved April 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ King, Randy (October 8, 1990). "Earnhardt's problems at Charlotte continue". The Roanoke Times. p. 13. Retrieved April 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  6. ^ "Charlotte race week schedule". The Charlotte Observer. October 1, 1990. p. 28. Retrieved April 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  7. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 5, 1990). "Rain Sends NASCAR To Plan B". The Charlotte Observer. p. 38. Retrieved April 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  8. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 4, 1990). "There's No Place Like Home (Part 1)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 31. Retrieved April 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ Higgins, Tom (October 4, 1990). "There's No Place Like Home (Part 2)". The Charlotte Observer. p. 37. Retrieved April 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.  
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1990 Tyson Holly Farms 400
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1990 season
Next race:
1990 AC Delco 500