1989 NASCAR Winston West Series

The 1989 NASCAR Winston West Series was the 36th season of the series. The title was won by Bill Schmitt, his third in the series and first since 1979.

The 1989 season included 11 individual races, although Mesa Marin Raceway and Sears Point International Raceway hosted two races each. The first race at Sears Point and the season finale at Phoenix International Raceway were in combination with the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

The Budweiser 200 was held on April 30 at Madera Speedway. Bill Sedgwick won the pole.

Top Ten Results

1. 75 - Bill Sedgwick
2. 79 - Roy Smith
3. 04 - Hershel McGriff
4. 73 - Bill Schmitt
5. 24 - Butch Gilliland
6. 98 - Jerry Bowers -1
7. 83 - Sumner McKnight -2
8. 82 - J.C. Danielsen -2
9. 99 - John Krebs -5
10. 44 - Jack Sellers -8

• Bill Sedgwick started the season with a win, leading 118 of the 200 laps. Hershel McGriff was the only other driver to lead during the race, but Sedgwick was able to regain the lead due to McGriff suffering from handling problems.

The Spears Manufacturing 200 was held on May 13 at Mesa Marin Raceway. Bill Sedgwick won the pole.

Top Ten Results

1. 04 - Hershel McGriff
2. 08 - Rick McCray
3. 75 - Bill Sedgwick
4. 79 - Roy Smith
5. 73 - Bill Schmitt -1
6. 09 - Terry Fisher -2
7. 19 - Deake Lyndall -2
8. 83 - Sumner McKnight -3
9. 98 - Jerry Bowers -3
10. 14 - Mike French -5

• In winning the race, Hershel McGriff became the oldest driver to win a major NASCAR series race, aged 61 years and 4 months. It was the 34th and final win of his West Series career.
• Bill Sedgwick would maintain the points lead, staying a mere 5 points ahead of Bill Schmitt.

The Bank of Loleta/U.S. Food Bank 200 was held on May 27 at Redwood Acres Speedway. Hershel McGriff won the pole.

Top Ten Results

1. 75 - Bill Sedgwick
2. 88 - Bob Walker
3. 79 - Roy Smith
4. 73 - Bill Schmitt
5. 98 - Jerry Bowers
6. 08 - Rick McCray -1
7. 04 - Hershel McGriff -2
8. 19 - John Krebs -4
9. 14 - Mike French -8
10. 44 - Jack Sellers -17

• The race was Sedgwick's second win of the year, and extended his points lead to 39, with Hershel McGriff moving into 2nd.

The Banquet Frozen Foods 300 was held on June 11 at Sears Point International Raceway and was the first of two combination races with the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Rusty Wallace won the pole.

Top Ten Results

1. 26 - Ricky Rudd
2. 27 - Rusty Wallace
3. 9 - Bill Elliott
4. 3 - Dale Earnhardt
5. 83 - Lake Speed
6. 88 - Joe Ruttman
7. 75 - Morgan Shepherd
8. 4 - Rick Wilson
9. 28 - Davey Allison
10. 30 - Michael Waltrip

Failed to qualify: 76 - Bill Sedgwick, 52 - Jimmy Means, 44 - Jack Sellers, 80 - Bob Walker, 90 - Stan Barrett, 46 - Marta Leonard, 22 - St. James Davis, 41 - Jim Courage

• Mark Martin actually rolled his car during the race due to an error by a new tire changer (only two of the five lug nuts were properly fastened on the car). Right after the car left the pits, the right rear came off, the car spun, hit the tire barrier and rolled onto its roof. However, he came back to finish the race in 31st, 5 laps down.
• This would be Buick's penultimate victory in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Hershel McGriff took the West Series points lead by 36 points over Bill Schmitt, with title contender Bill Sedgwick failing to make the race. McGriff was the highest finishing West Series driver and therefore was awarded points equivalent to a win.

The Winston 200 was held on July 4 at Portland Speedway. Hershel McGriff won the pole.

Top Ten Results

1. 73 - Bill Schmitt
2. 98 - Jerry Bowers
3. 99 - John Krebs -1
4. 75 - Bill Sedgwick -1
5. 1 - Jim Bown -1
6. 19 - Robert Sprague -1
7. 79 - Roy Smith -1
8. 09 - Terry Fisher -1
9. 24 - Butch Gilliland -2
10. 9 - J.C. Danielsen -3

• The race was Bill Schmitt's first win of the season, and he would take over the points lead from Hershel McGriff, who was now 27 points behind.
• Schmitt led only 3 of the 200 laps; Mark Walbridge led the most laps in the event at 74, but was 6 laps down by the finish. McGriff led 50 laps during the event, but was the last car running, finishing 17th and 25 laps off the pace.

The Pontiac Excitement 200 was held on July 8 at Tri-City Raceway. Bill Sedgwick won the pole.

Top Ten Results

1. 79 - Roy Smith
2. 73 - Bill Schmitt
3. 98 - Jerry Bowers
4. 08 - Rick McCray
5. 75 - Bill Sedgwick
6. 07 - Mark Walbridge -1
7. 19 - Robert Sprague -2
8. 9 - J.C. Danielsen -4
9. 72 - Brad Tidrick -6
10. 99 - John Krebs -8

• The race was Roy Smith's first win of the season, and he would move to 2nd in the point standings, 31 points behind Bill Schmitt.
• Smith led only 4 of the 200 laps; for the second race in a row, Mark Walbridge would lead the most laps, but again fell off the lead lap.

The Motorcraft 500 was held on July 17 at Evergreen Speedway. Defending Winston Cup Series champion Bill Elliott won the pole.

Top Ten Results

1. 90 - Chad Little
2. 79 - Roy Smith
3. 04 - Hershel McGriff
4. 09 - Derrike Cope -4
5. 72 - Brad Tidrick -14
6. 73 - Bill Schmitt -16
7. 08 - Rick McCray -18
8. 24 - Butch Gilliland -20
9. 14 - Mike French -21
10. 1 - Jim Bown -22

• Making his only West Series standalone appearance of the year, Chad Little scored his 5th and final career win in the series. He led for 375 of the 500 laps, however only winning by just over 1 second.
• The race distance of 500 laps was the longest all season, and only 12 of the 29 competitors were able to finish the race. Among those failing to finish was polesitter Bill Elliott, who was making his only standalone West Series appearance of the year but retired from the event after 48 laps due to head gasket issues.
• Bill Schmitt retained his points lead over Roy Smith, but Smith, on the strength of a second-place finish, cut the gap to just 6 points.

The Coors 200 was held on August 5 at Mesa Marin Raceway, the second time the series visited the track during the season. Troy Beebe won the pole.

Top Ten Results

1. 79 - Roy Smith
2. 75 - Bill Sedgwick
3. 73 - Bill Schmitt
4. 93 - Troy Beebe
5. 19 - Robert Sprague -2
6. 99 - John Krebs -3
7. 56 - Ron Esau -4
8. 08 - Rick McCray -5
9. 04 - Hershel McGriff -5
10. 88 - Bob Walker -5

• The race was Roy Smith's second win of the season, and he would cut the deficit to points leader Bill Schmitt to just 1 point. Smith nearly lost a lap on pit road during a caution, but was able to get by polesitter Troy Beebe and Bill Schmitt in the closing laps to score the win. Schmitt's brakes began failing late, and Bill Sedgwick was able to climb to 2nd.

The Winston 200 was held on August 12 at Saugus Speedway. Hershel McGriff won the pole.

Top Ten Results

1. 75 - Bill Sedgwick
2. 04 - Hershel McGriff
3. 79 - Roy Smith
4. 73 - Bill Schmitt
5. 08 - Rick McCray -1
6. 38 - Duke Hoenshell -2
7. 99 - John Krebs -18
8. 44 - Jack Sellers -28
9. 24 - Butch Gilliland -44
10. 19 - Robert Sprague -69

• The race was the third and final win of the season for Bill Sedgwick. Despite smoke seeping from his car in the closing laps, Sedgwick held on to score the win over Hershel McGriff.
• Roy Smith would take over the points lead, leaving the race with a 4 point advantage over Bill Schmitt.
• This was the second race of the year to be titled "Winston 200."

The Winston 200 was held on October 1 at Sears Point International Raceway, the second time the series visited the track during the season, although this time it was a standalone West race. Bill Sedgwick won the pole.

Top Ten Results

1. 73 - Bill Schmitt
2. 75 - Bill Sedgwick
3. 08 - Rick McCray
4. 38 - Duke Hoenshell
5. 9 - J.C. Danielsen
6. 93 - Troy Beebe -1
7. 24 - Butch Gilliland -3
8. 45 - Bob Kennedy -4
9. 19 - Robert Sprague -6
10. 09 - Terry Fisher -7

• The race was the second and final win of the season for Bill Schmitt, who would take the points lead from Roy Smith, who finished 17th due to clutch problems, and go into the season finale with a 64 point advantage.
• This was the third race of the year to be titled "Winston 200." It was also the final standalone West Series race of the season.

The Autoworks 500 was held on November 5 at Phoenix International Raceway and was the second of two combination races with the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Ken Schrader won the pole.

Top Ten Results

1. 9 - Bill Elliott
2. 11 - Terry Labonte
3. 6 - Mark Martin
4. 17 - Darrell Waltrip
5. 29 - Dale Jarrett
6. 3 - Dale Earnhardt
7. 84 - Dick Trickle
8. 33 - Harry Gant
9. 30 - Michael Waltrip
10. 88 - Jimmy Spencer

Failed to qualify: 18 - Tommy Ellis, 41 - Danny Lawson, 89 - Bob Howard, 35 - Keith Van Houten, 07 - Mark Walbridge, 44 - Jack Sellers, 19 - Robert Sprague, 24 - Butch Gilliland, 22 - St. James Davis, 80 - Bob Walker, 08 - Rick McCray, 99 - John Krebs, 38 - Duke Hoenshell, 04 - Hershel McGriff, 50 - Rick Scribner

• Two cars entered by Hendrick Motorsports (the No. 46 City Chevrolet driven by Greg Sacks and the No. 51 Exxon Chevrolet driven by Bobby Hamilton) were entered to get in-race footage for the 1990 film Days of Thunder. Hamilton actually led the race with 100 laps to go (in his first career start) before the engine blew. A third movie car (the No. 18 Hardee's Chevrolet driven by Tommy Ellis) failed to make the race.
• Bill Schmitt was the highest finishing West Series driver, and the only one to make the race who was running at the finish. He was able to close out his third championship season and first since 1979, ending the season 79 points ahead of Bill Sedgwick.

(key) Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position set by owner's points. * – Most laps led. † – Ineligible for West Series points

• 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
• 1989 NASCAR Busch Series