Race: California 500 Presented by NAPA
NASCAR Winston Cup Series: Race 15 of 32
Date: June 22, 1997
Track: California Speedway
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California 500 Presented by NAPA Race Information
| Winner | Jeff Gordon | Car | No. 24 Chevrolet |
| Team / Owner | Rick Hendrick | Sponsor | DuPont Refinishes |
| Winner Start | 3rd | Winner Laps Led | 113 |
| Started First | Joe Nemechek | Most Laps Led | Jeff Gordon (113) |
| Race Distance | 500 miles (250 laps) | Track Length | 2 miles |
| Track Type | Paved oval | Starters | 42 |
| Total Purse | $1,697,250 | Winner Earnings | $144,600 |
| Different Leaders | 12 | Lead-Lap Finishers | 9 |
| Points Leader After Race | Jeff Gordon | Season Race | 15 of 32 |
California 500 Presented by NAPA Race Results
| Fin | Start | No. | Driver | Sponsor | Team / Owner | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Points | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | DuPont Refinishes | Rick Hendrick | Chevrolet | 250 | 113 | running | 185 | $144,600 |
| 2 | 10 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Kellogg's Frosted Flakes | Rick Hendrick | Chevrolet | 250 | 41 | running | 175 | $100,825 |
| 3 | 39 | 10 | Ricky Rudd | Tide | Ricky Rudd | Ford | 250 | 0 | running | 165 | $78,525 |
| 4 | 20 | 16 | Ted Musgrave | Family Channel / Primestar | Jack Roush | Ford | 250 | 0 | running | 160 | $64,975 |
| 5 | 19 | 23 | Jimmy Spencer | Camel Cigarettes | Travis Carter | Ford | 250 | 4 | running | 160 | $54,775 |
| 6 | 15 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Interstate Batteries | Joe Gibbs | Pontiac | 250 | 0 | running | 150 | $48,950 |
| 7 | 7 | 29 | Jeff Green | Cartoon Network | Gary Bechtel | Chevrolet | 250 | 0 | running | 146 | $38,450 |
| 8 | 9 | 88 | Dale Jarrett | Quality Care / Ford Credit | Yates Racing | Ford | 250 | 49 | running | 147 | $58,750 |
| 9 | 11 | 25 | Ricky Craven | Budweiser | Rick Hendrick | Chevrolet | 250 | 8 | running | 143 | $42,350 |
| 10 | 12 | 6 | Mark Martin | Valvoline | Jack Roush | Ford | 249 | 11 | out of gas | 139 | $48,450 |
| 11 | 18 | 21 | Michael Waltrip | Citgo | Wood Brothers | Ford | 249 | 0 | running | 130 | $40,275 |
| 12 | 21 | 37 | Jeremy Mayfield | Kmart / RC Cola | Michael Kranefuss | Ford | 249 | 0 | running | 127 | $32,175 |
| 13 | 13 | 30 | Johnny Benson, Jr. | Pennzoil | Chuck Rider | Pontiac | 249 | 0 | running | 124 | $38,075 |
| 14 | 16 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Miller Lite | Roger Penske | Ford | 249 | 0 | running | 121 | $42,975 |
| 15 | 8 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Parts America | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | 249 | 2 | running | 123 | $37,725 |
| 16 | 14 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | GM Goodwrench Service Plus | Richard Childress | Chevrolet | 249 | 0 | running | 115 | $41,975 |
| 17 | 41 | 41 | Steve Grissom | Kodiak | Larry Hedrick | Chevrolet | 249 | 0 | running | 112 | $36,175 |
| 18 | 1 | 42 | Joe Nemechek | BellSouth | Felix Sabates | Chevrolet | 248 | 1 | running | 114 | $40,375 |
| 19 | 24 | 97 | Chad Little | John Deere | Greg Pollex | Pontiac | 248 | 0 | running | 106 | $28,575 |
| 20 | 22 | 9 | Lake Speed | Melling Engine Parts | Harry Melling | Ford | 248 | 0 | running | 103 | $29,325 |
| 21 | 35 | 98 | John Andretti | RCA | Cale Yarborough | Ford | 248 | 0 | running | 100 | $34,975 |
| 22 | 42 | 90 | Dick Trickle | Heilig-Meyers / Simmons | Junie Donlavey | Ford | 248 | 0 | running | 97 | $27,675 |
| 23 | 30 | 43 | Bobby Hamilton | STP | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 247 | 0 | running | 94 | $39,175 |
| 24 | 31 | 77 | Morgan Shepherd | Jasper Engines / Federal Mogul | Doug Bawel | Ford | 247 | 0 | running | 91 | $23,975 |
| 25 | 34 | 96 | David Green | Caterpillar | Buz McCall | Chevrolet | 247 | 0 | running | 88 | $23,775 |
| 26 | 36 | 11 | Brett Bodine | Close Call Phone Card | Brett Bodine | Ford | 247 | 1 | running | 90 | $33,775 |
| 27 | 26 | 40 | Greg Sacks | Coors | Felix Sabates | Chevrolet | 246 | 0 | running | 82 | $33,975 |
| 28 | 40 | 22 | Ward Burton | MBNA America | Bill Davis | Pontiac | 246 | 0 | running | 79 | $33,175 |
| 29 | 23 | 36 | Derrike Cope | Skittles | Nelson Bowers | Pontiac | 245 | 0 | running | 76 | $25,975 |
| 30 | 25 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Exide Batteries | Jack Roush | Ford | 244 | 0 | running | 73 | $37,775 |
| 31 | 38 | 44 | Kyle Petty | Hot Wheels | Kyle Petty | Pontiac | 243 | 0 | running | 70 | $25,100 |
| 32 | 17 | 94 | Bill Elliott | McDonald's | Bill Elliott | Ford | 241 | 0 | out of gas | 67 | $29,400 |
| 33 | 28 | 31 | Mike Skinner | Lowe's | Richard Childress | Chevrolet | 225 | 0 | running | 64 | $22,200 |
| 34 | 5 | 33 | Ken Schrader | Skoal Bandit | Andy Petree | Chevrolet | 219 | 8 | engine | 66 | $29,000 |
| 35 | 6 | 7 | Geoffrey Bodine | QVC | Geoffrey Bodine | Ford | 215 | 0 | engine | 58 | $28,800 |
| 36 | 29 | 4 | Sterling Marlin | Kodak Film | Larry McClure | Chevrolet | 206 | 0 | engine | 55 | $37,700 |
| 37 | 2 | 28 | Ernie Irvan | Texaco / Havoline | Yates Racing | Ford | 202 | 6 | engine | 57 | $36,500 |
| 38 | 33 | 1 | Jerry Nadeau | R&L Carriers / Cruisin' America | Richard Jackson | Pontiac | 174 | 0 | running | 49 | $28,000 |
| 39 | 4 | 46 | Wally Dallenbach, Jr. | First Union | Felix Sabates | Chevrolet | 173 | 6 | electrical | 51 | $21,000 |
| 40 | 32 | 71 | Dave Marcis | RealTree Camouflage | Dave Marcis | Chevrolet | 146 | 0 | engine | 43 | $21,000 |
| 41 | 37 | 75 | Rick Mast | Remington Arms | Butch Mock | Ford | 94 | 0 | engine | 40 | $28,000 |
| 42 | 27 | 8 | Hut Stricklin | Circuit City | Stavola Brothers | Ford | 28 | 0 | crash | 37 | $28,000 |
Jayski Archives
June 1997 Jayski News Archive
1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Paint Schemes
1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results