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1998 Pepsi 400 presented by DeVilbiss


Race details
Race 21 of 33 in the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1998 Pepsi 400 presented by DeVilbiss program cover, featuring Mark Martin.
August 16, 1998
29th Annual Pepsi 400 presented by DeVilbiss
Brooklyn, Michigan, Michigan International Speedway
Permanent racing facility
2 miles (3.2 km)
200 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
200 laps, 400 mi (643.737 km)
151.995 miles per hour (244.612 km/h)
.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}Ernie IrvanMB2 Motorsports
39.255
Ernie IrvanMB2 Motorsports
115
Jeff GordonHendrick Motorsports
NASCAR on ESPN
Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett, Benny Parsons
Motor Racing Network

The 1998 Pepsi 400 presented by DeVilbiss was the 21st stock car race of the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 29th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, August 16, 1998, in Brooklyn, Michigan, at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway. The race took the scheduled 200 laps to complete. Within the closing laps of the race, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon was able to take the lead with ten to go to take his 37th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory, his eighth of the season, and his fourth consecutive victory up to that point. To fill out the podium, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte and Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett would finish second and third, respectively.

The layout of Michigan International Speedway, the venue where the race was held.

The race was held at Michigan International Speedway, a two-mile (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is known as a "sister track" to Texas World Speedway as MIS's oval design was a direct basis of TWS, with moderate modifications to the banking in the corners, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).

  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
#DriverTeamMakeSponsor
00Buckshot JonesStavola Brothers RacingChevroletTeam Realtree Camouflage
1Steve Park (R)Dale Earnhardt, Inc.ChevroletPennzoil
2Rusty WallacePenske-Kranefuss RacingFordMiller Lite
3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevroletGM Goodwrench Service Plus
4Bobby HamiltonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevroletKodak
5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevroletKellogg's Blasted Froot Loops
6Mark MartinRoush RacingFordValvoline
7Geoff BodineMattei MotorsportsFordPhilips
9Jerry Nadeau (R)Melling RacingFordCartoon Network "Happy Birthday NASCAR!"
10Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFordTide
11Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFordPaychex
12Jeremy MayfieldPenske-Kranefuss RacingFordMobil 1
13Dennis SetzerElliott-Marino RacingFordFirstPlus Financial Group
15Ted MusgraveMoore-Robinson MotorsportsFordRescue Engine Formula
16Kevin Lepage (R)Roush RacingFordPrimeStar
18Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiacInterstate Batteries
21Michael WaltripWood Brothers RacingFordCitgo, Woody Woodpecker
22Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiacMBNA, Detroit Red Wings
23Jimmy Spencer*Haas-Carter MotorsportsFordWinston No Bull
24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevroletDuPont
26Johnny Benson Jr.Roush RacingFordCheerios, Pop Secret
28Kenny Irwin Jr. (R)Robert Yates RacingFordTexaco, Havoline
30Derrike CopeBahari RacingPontiacGumout
31Mike SkinnerRichard Childress RacingChevroletLowe's
33Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevroletSkoal
35Darrell WaltripTyler Jet MotorsportsPontiacTabasco
36Ernie IrvanMB2 MotorsportsPontiacSkittles
40Sterling MarlinTeam SABCOChevroletCoors Light
41Steve GrissomLarry Hedrick MotorsportsChevroletKodiak
42Joe NemechekTeam SABCOChevroletBellSouth
43John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesPontiacSTP
44Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiacHot Wheels
46Jeff GreenTeam SABCOChevroletThe Money Store
50Wally Dallenbach Jr.Hendrick MotorsportsChevroletBudweiser
71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletTeam Realtree Camouflage
75Rick MastButch Mock MotorsportsFordRemington Arms
77Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFordJasper Engines & Transmissions
78Gary BradberryTriad MotorsportsFordPilot Travel Centers
81Kenny WallaceFILMAR RacingFordSquare D
88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFordQuality Care Service, Ford Credit
90Dick TrickleDonlavey RacingFordHeilig-Meyers
91Morgan ShepherdLJ RacingChevroletLJ Racing
94Bill ElliottElliott-Marino RacingFordMcDonald's Happy Meal
96Hut StricklinAmerican Equipment RacingChevroletCaterpillar
97Chad LittleRoush RacingFordJohn Deere
98Rich BickleCale Yarborough MotorsportsFordThorn Apple Valley "Go Grill Crazy!"
99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFordExide Batteries

*Driver changed to Frank Kimmel after suffering a concussion at the 1998 Brickyard 400.

The first practice session was held on Friday, August 14. Ernie Irvan, driving for MB2 Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 39.132 and an average speed of 183.993 mph (296.108 km/h).

Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
36Ernie IrvanMB2 MotorsportsPontiac39.132183.993
18Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac39.190183.720
33Ken SchraderAndy Petree RacingChevrolet39.223183.566

The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, August 15. Mark Martin, driving for Roush Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 40.159 and an average speed of 179.287 mph (288.534 km/h).

Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
6Mark MartinRoush RacingFord40.159179.287
99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord40.472177.901
88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord40.507177.747

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, August 14, at 3:00 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 25 drivers in the round would be guaranteed a starting spot in the race. If a driver was not able to guarantee a spot in the first round, they had the option to scrub their time from the first round and try and run a faster lap time in a second round qualifying run, held on Saturday, August 15, at 10:45 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. On January 24, 1998, NASCAR would announce that the amount of provisionals given would be increased from last season. Positions 26-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champion needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.

Ernie Irvan, driving for MB2 Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 39.255 and an average speed of 183.416 miles per hour (295.179 km/h).

Four drivers would fail to qualify: Dave Marcis, Kenny Wallace, Gary Bradberry, and Hut Stricklin.

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