Race: Mountain Dew Southern 500
NASCAR Winston Cup Series: Race 23 of 32
Date: August 31, 1997
Track: Darlington Raceway
← Goody's Headache Powder 500 | 1997 Season Results | Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400 →
August 1997 Jayski News Archive
Mountain Dew Southern 500 Race Information
| Winner | Jeff Gordon | Car | No. 24 Chevrolet |
| Team / Owner | Rick Hendrick | Sponsor | DuPont Refinishes / Million Dollar Date |
| Winner Start | 7th | Winner Laps Led | 116 |
| Started First | Bobby Labonte | Most Laps Led | Bill Elliott (181) |
| Race Distance | 501.322 miles (367 laps) | Track Length | 1.366 miles |
| Track Type | Paved oval | Starters | 43 |
| Total Purse | $1,202,356 | Winner Earnings | $131,330 |
| Different Leaders | 7 | Lead-Lap Finishers | 9 |
| Points Leader After Race | Jeff Gordon | Season Race | 23 of 32 |
Mountain Dew Southern 500 Race Results
| Fin | Start | No. | Driver | Sponsor | Team / Owner | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Points | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | DuPont Refinishes / Million Dollar Date | Rick Hendrick | Chevrolet | 367 | 116 | running | 180 | $131,330 |
| 2 | 16 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Exide Batteries | Jack Roush | Ford | 367 | 24 | running | 175 | $57,280 |
| 3 | 3 | 88 | Dale Jarrett | Quality Care / Ford Credit | Yates Racing | Ford | 367 | 38 | running | 170 | $47,505 |
| 4 | 2 | 94 | Bill Elliott | McDonald's | Bill Elliott | Ford | 367 | 181 | running | 170 | $49,965 |
| 5 | 21 | 10 | Ricky Rudd | Tide | Ricky Rudd | Ford | 367 | 0 | running | 155 | $39,345 |
| 6 | 17 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Kellogg's Corn Flakes | Rick Hendrick | Chevrolet | 367 | 0 | running | 150 | $41,315 |
| 7 | 1 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Interstate Batteries | Joe Gibbs | Pontiac | 367 | 2 | running | 151 | $42,240 |
| 8 | 4 | 6 | Mark Martin | Valvoline | Jack Roush | Ford | 367 | 0 | running | 142 | $33,550 |
| 9 | 14 | 21 | Michael Waltrip | Citgo | Wood Brothers | Ford | 367 | 2 | running | 143 | $29,020 |
| 10 | 5 | 33 | Ken Schrader | Skoal Bandit | Andy Petree | Chevrolet | 366 | 0 | running | 134 | $32,280 |
| 11 | 37 | 97 | Chad Little | John Deere | Jack Roush | Pontiac | 366 | 0 | running | 130 | $22,515 |
| 12 | 12 | 7 | Geoffrey Bodine | QVC | Geoffrey Bodine | Ford | 366 | 0 | running | 127 | $27,220 |
| 13 | 8 | 90 | Dick Trickle | Heilig-Meyers / Simmons | Junie Donlavey | Ford | 366 | 0 | running | 124 | $19,930 |
| 14 | 24 | 36 | Derrike Cope | Skittles | Nelson Bowers | Pontiac | 365 | 0 | running | 121 | $19,640 |
| 15 | 11 | 11 | Brett Bodine | Close Call Phone Card | Brett Bodine | Ford | 365 | 0 | running | 118 | $27,800 |
| 16 | 19 | 37 | Jeremy Mayfield | Kmart / RC Cola | Michael Kranefuss | Ford | 365 | 0 | running | 115 | $18,980 |
| 17 | 6 | 8 | Hut Stricklin | Circuit City | Stavola Brothers | Ford | 365 | 0 | running | 112 | $25,710 |
| 18 | 23 | 9 | Lake Speed | Melling Engine Parts | Harry Melling | Ford | 365 | 0 | running | 109 | $18,435 |
| 19 | 18 | 30 | Johnny Benson, Jr. | Pennzoil | Chuck Rider | Pontiac | 365 | 0 | running | 106 | $25,155 |
| 20 | 40 | 43 | Bobby Hamilton | STP | Petty Enterprises | Pontiac | 365 | 0 | running | 103 | $30,485 |
| 21 | 29 | 41 | Steve Grissom | Kodiak | Larry Hedrick | Chevrolet | 365 | 0 | running | 100 | $24,525 |
| 22 | 34 | 40 | Robby Gordon | Coors Light | Felix Sabates | Chevrolet | 363 | 0 | running | 97 | $25,305 |
| 23 | 20 | 42 | Joe Nemechek | BellSouth | Felix Sabates | Chevrolet | 359 | 0 | running | 94 | $17,060 |
| 24 | 25 | 81 | Kenny Wallace | Square D | Fil Martocci | Ford | 354 | 0 | running | 91 | $23,785 |
| 25 | 27 | 78 | Gary Bradberry | Hanes | Jim Wilson | Ford | 354 | 0 | running | 88 | $13,575 |
| 26 | 38 | 17 | Darrell Waltrip | Parts America | Darrell Waltrip | Chevrolet | 353 | 0 | handling | 85 | $23,415 |
| 27 | 13 | 22 | Ward Burton | MBNA America | Bill Davis | Pontiac | 350 | 0 | handling | 82 | $23,305 |
| 28 | 30 | 23 | Jimmy Spencer | Camel Cigarettes | Travis Carter | Ford | 341 | 0 | running | 79 | $22,695 |
| 29 | 15 | 16 | Ted Musgrave | Family Channel / Primestar | Jack Roush | Ford | 296 | 4 | handling | 81 | $20,085 |
| 30 | 36 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | GM Goodwrench Service Plus | Richard Childress | Chevrolet | 282 | 0 | running | 73 | $30,925 |
| 31 | 31 | 25 | Ricky Craven | Budweiser | Rick Hendrick | Chevrolet | 236 | 0 | engine | 70 | $19,840 |
| 32 | 39 | 44 | Kyle Petty | Hot Wheels | Kyle Petty | Pontiac | 202 | 0 | engine | 67 | $12,750 |
| 33 | 10 | 28 | Ernie Irvan | Texaco / Havoline | Yates Racing | Ford | 183 | 0 | engine | 64 | $27,685 |
| 34 | 28 | 75 | Rick Mast | Remington Arms | Butch Mock | Ford | 177 | 0 | crash | 61 | $19,650 |
| 35 | 41 | 1 | Lance Hooper | R&L Carriers | Richard Jackson | Pontiac | 175 | 0 | crash | 58 | $19,540 |
| 36 | 33 | 31 | Mike Skinner | Lowe's | Richard Childress | Chevrolet | 130 | 0 | crash | 55 | $12,480 |
| 37 | 32 | 98 | John Andretti | RCA | Cale Yarborough | Ford | 117 | 0 | crash | 52 | $19,416 |
| 38 | 22 | 12 | Jeff Purvis | Opryland USA | Larry Lockamy | Chevrolet | 114 | 0 | crash | 49 | $12,270 |
| 39 | 42 | 29 | Jeff Green | Cartoon Network | Gary Bechtel | Chevrolet | 104 | 0 | electrical | 46 | $12,270 |
| 40 | 9 | 4 | Sterling Marlin | Kodak Film | Larry McClure | Chevrolet | 102 | 0 | engine | 43 | $28,270 |
| 41 | 26 | 46 | Wally Dallenbach, Jr. | First Union | Felix Sabates | Chevrolet | 85 | 0 | radiator | 40 | $12,270 |
| 42 | 35 | 96 | Todd Bodine | Caterpillar | Buz McCall | Chevrolet | 5 | 0 | crash | 37 | $12,270 |
| 43 | 43 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Miller Lite | Roger Penske | Ford | 5 | 0 | crash | 34 | $29,270 |
Jayski Archives
August 1997 Jayski News Archive
1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Paint Schemes
1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results
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