| Race details[1] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 2 of 2 exhibition races in the1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||
| Date | May 17, 1987 (1987-05-17) | ||
| Location | Concord, North Carolina | ||
| Course | Charlotte Motor Speedway | ||
| Course length | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) | ||
| Distance | 135 laps, 202.5 mi (324 km) | ||
| Weather | Temperatures around 82 °F (28 °C), with humidity at 59% and winds gusting to 8 miles per hour (13 km/h) southwest | ||
| Average speed | 153.023 mph (246.267 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Melling Racing | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | |
| Laps | 121 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | ABC | ||
| Announcers | Keith Jackson andDonnie Allison | ||
The 1987 edition ofThe Winston was astock car racing competition that took place on May 17, 1987. Held atCharlotte Motor Speedway inConcord, North Carolina, the 135-lap race was an exhibition race in the1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series.Bill Elliott ofMelling Racing won the pole and led the most laps (121), but it wasDale Earnhardt ofRichard Childress Racing who won the race in a move that would be known in NASCAR history as thePass in the Grass.[2][3]
This wasTim Richmond's second and final appearance in The Winston. Despite being eligible for the1988 Winston, he opted not to participate due to a then-ongoing lawsuit against NASCAR after he was suspended for testing positive for banned substances early that year. He died of complications fromAIDS on August 13, 1989.[4][5]
The 1987 All-Star Race featured a new eligibility rule that changed the race from the winners of the previous year to a new format that guaranteed a 20-car starting field. Exemptions to the race were awarded based on winners of the previous yearand winners of the current season up to the last race before the All-Star Race, which for 1987 wasthe May Talladega round. In addition, the winner of the1986 Atlanta Invitational, which is now regarded as the first All-Star Open, was invited to the race, along with the winner of the 1987 All-Star Open. As the field did not meet the minimum requirement of 19 cars, the remaining spots were awarded to the most recent winning drivers prior to the 1986 season.
Bill Elliott won the pole with a track record of 170.827 mph (274.919 km/h).Buddy Baker made the starting grid by winning the Winston Open.Cale Yarborough served as the onboard camera car throughout the race. On the first lap,Dale Earnhardt andGeoff Bodine got loose and tangled with each other, with Earnhardt slightly hitting the turn three wall and both cars losing several positions in the process. Earnhardt eventually inched his way towards the top-five throughout the race. On lap 62,Neil Bonnett andRichard Petty collided in turn three, bringing out the first caution and ending their chances of finishing the race. Segment 1 ended on lap 76 with Elliott in first place.
Baker retired on lap 95 due to a transmission failure whileHarry Gant suffered engine problems on lap 121. Segment 2 ended on lap 126, with Elliott once again on the top spot.
As Segment 3 began, Bodine attempted to pass in front of Elliott, but both cars tangled with Bodine spinning while Earnhardt took over the lead before the caution came out. With eight laps to go, Elliott closed in on Earnhardt and tapped him from behind. Earnhardt was sent to the infield grass, but he quickly recovered to maintain the lead in what has become known as the "pass in the grass".[2] Both cars once again traded paint side-by-side, but the contact cut Elliott's left rear tire, forcing him to pit and go a lap down whileTerry Labonte charged forward to challenge Earnhardt. Eventually, Earnhardt beat Labonte andTim Richmond to win The Winston and earn $200,000.
Following the race, a frustrated Elliott bumped Earnhardt before all cars returned to pit road and Earnhardt entered victory lane.
NASCAR fined Earnhardt and Elliott $10,000 each for aggressive driving, with $7,500 being returned over the next seven weeks for good behavior. Geoff Bodine was fined $5,000 with $4,000 being returned over the next seven weeks for good behavior. Elliott and Earnhardt later made up, with Elliott issuing a public apology and accepting the penalty. On May 27, 1987, a fan sent NASCAR PresidentBill France Jr. a letter threatening to kill Earnhardt atPocono,Watkins Glen, orDover. NASCAR immediately handed over the letter to theFBI, who provided security for Earnhardt on all three tracks. The investigation was closed after the races on the three tracks finished with no incident.[6]