1985 Daytona 500

1985 Daytona 500
Race details[1]
Race 1 of 28 in the 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
Track map of Daytona International Speedway.
Date February 17, 1985 (1985-02-17)
Location Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.
Course Permanent racing facility
2.5 mi (4.023 km)
Distance 200 laps, 500 mi (800 km)
Weather Temperatures reaching up to 73 °F (23 °C); wind speeds approaching 14 miles per hour (23 km/h)[2]
Average speed 172.265 miles per hour (277.234 km/h)
Pole position
Driver
Melling Racing
Qualifying race winners
Duel 1 Winner Bill Elliott Melling Racing
Duel 2 Winner Cale Yarborough Ranier-Lundy
Most laps led
Driver Bill Elliott Melling Racing
Laps 136
Winner
No. 9 Bill Elliott Melling Racing
Television in the United States
Network CBS
Announcers Ken Squier, David Hobbs, and Ned Jarrett
Nielsen Ratings 8.3/23
(9.8 million viewers)

The 1985 Daytona 500, the 27th running of the event, was held on February 17, 1985, at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Summary

Bill Elliott won the pole at a then-record speed of 205.114 mph. After a mediocre run in the Busch Clash, Elliott nearly lapped the field in his 125-mile qualifying race, then thoroughly dominated the Daytona 500, leading 136 of the 200 laps in his #9 Coors/Melling Ford Thunderbird. The race restarted on the last lap after a Neil Bonnett spin out with less than four laps to go; Bonnett got out of his car and was credited for a 10th-place finish. The race saw a number of engine problems, which knocked many of the contenders, including former Daytona 500 winners David Pearson, AJ Foyt, Benny Parsons, Bobby Allison, and two-time defending race winner Cale Yarborough, who was trying to win his third straight Daytona 500 victory.[3]

The only car that could consistently run with Elliott was Cale Yarborough, and when his engine went up in smoke on lap 62 the race was for all intents and purposes over.[1] Hendrick Motorsports landed its first big-time full-season sponsorship for 1985 with Levi Garrett chewing tobacco coming aboard to sponsor the #5 Chevrolet of Geoff Bodine. The car's first points race in its new yellow-and-white paint scheme saw Bodine post a solid top-10 run, kicking off a several-year partnership.[1]

This was Chrysler's last entry in the Daytona 500 until 2001. Morgan Shepherd drove Buddy Arrington's Chrysler's Imperial to a solid 15th place finish. Nice to see them go out with a decent finish before Mopar disappeared from the sport completely.[1] Until 2016, this was the last Daytona 500 with a field of 40 cars.[1]

Qualifying

Qualifying results

Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Speed
1 9Bill ElliottHarry MellingFord205.114
2 28Cale YarboroughHarry RanierFord
3 11Darrell WaltripJunior JohnsonChevrolet
4 21David PearsonHoss EllingtonChevrolet
5 55Benny ParsonsLeo/Richard JacksonChevrolet
6 7Kyle PettyWood BrothersFord
7 88Buddy BakerBuddy Baker/Danny SchiffOldsmobile
8 43Richard PettyMike CurbPontiac
9 15Ricky RuddBud MooreFord
10 33Harry GantHal NeedhamChevrolet
11 1Dick BrooksPetty EnterprisesFord
12 66Phil ParsonsLeo/Richard JacksonChevrolet
13 51Greg SacksArnie SacksChevrolet
14 75Lake SpeedRahMoc EnterprisesPontiac
15 47Ron BouchardJack BeebeBuick
16 14A.J. FoytA.J. FoytOldsmobile
17 5Geoff BodineRick HendrickChevrolet
18 3Dale EarnhardtRichard ChildressChevrolet
19 12Neil BonnettJunior JohnsonChevrolet
20 95Sterling MarlinSadler BrothersChevrolet
21 71Dave MarcisDave MarcisChevrolet
22 2Rusty WallaceCliff StewartPontiac
23 10Doug HeveronTom HeveronChevrolet
24 90Ken SchraderJunie DonlaveyFord
25 52Jimmy MeansJimmy MeansChevrolet
26 74Bobby WawakBobby WawakChevrolet
27 48Lennie PondJames HyltonChevrolet
28 89Jim SauterMueller BrothersPontiac
29 84Mike AlexanderSims BrothersChevrolet
30 0Delma CowartH.L. WatersChevrolet
31 44Terry LabonteBilly HaganChevrolet
32 4Joe RuttmanLarry McClureChevrolet
33 27Tim RichmondRaymond BeadlePontiac
34 22Bobby AllisonDiGardBuick
35 98Trevor BoysRon BenfieldChevrolet
36 67Morgan ShepherdBuddy ArringtonChrysler
36 17Ken RaganRoger HambyChevrolet
37 8Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola BrothersChevrolet
38 64Clark DwyerElmo LangleyFord
39 31Slick JohnsonHenley GrayChevrolet

[4]

Finishing Order

Pos No. Driver Manufacturer Laps Status
1 9Bill ElliottFord200Running
2 75Lake SpeedPontiac200Running
3 11Darrell WaltripChevrolet199Running
4 88Buddy BakerOldsmobile199Running
5 15Ricky RuddFord199Running
6 51Greg SacksChevrolet199Running
7 5Geoffrey BodineChevrolet198Running
8 2Rusty WallacePontiac197Running
9 8Bobby Hillin Jr.Chevrolet197Running
10 12Neil BonnettChevrolet195Engine failure
11 90Ken SchraderFord195Running
12 84Mike AlexanderChevrolet194Running
13 74Bobby WawakChevrolet192Running
14 52Jimmy MeansChevrolet192Running
15 67Morgan ShepherdChrysler190Running
16 95Sterling MarlinChevrolet188Oil pump problems
17 4Joe RuttmanChevrolet185Transmission problems
18 64Clark DwyerFord182Running
19 48Lennie PondChevrolet178Terminal vehicle damage
20 31Slick JohnsonChevrolet175Running
21 17Ken RaganChevrolet172Running
22 1Dick BrooksFord171Wheel problems
23 89Jim SauterPontiac161Running
24 71Dave MarcisChevrolet156Clutch problems
25 44Terry LabonteChevrolet154Engine failure
26 33Harry GantChevrolet124Engine failure
27 98Trevor BoysChevrolet103Missing rear end
28 21David PearsonChevrolet98Engine failure
29 66Phil ParsonsChevrolet91Engine failure
30 14A.J. FoytOldsmobile90Engine failure
31 55Benny ParsonsChevrolet84Engine failure
32 3Dale EarnhardtChevrolet84Engine failure
33 22Bobby AllisonBuick82Engine failure
34 43Richard PettyPontiac80Clutch problems
35 27Tim RichmondPontiac66Terminal vehicle damage
36 28Cale YarboroughFord62Engine failure
37 7Kyle PettyFord58Engine failure
38 47Ron BouchardBuick45Camshaft problems
39 10Doug HeveronChevrolet44Engine failure
40 0Delma CowartChevrolet38Oil leak

[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "1985 Daytona 500". Racing-Reference.info. 1985-02-17. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  2. ↑ "Weather of the 1985 Daytona 500". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Archived from the original on 2013-07-02. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
  3. ↑ Mark Aumann, Turner Sports Interactive (2003-01-29). "1985: Absolutely awesome – January 29, 2003". NASCAR.com. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  4. ↑ "1985 Daytona 500". Racing Reference Info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  5. ↑ "1985 Daytona 500". Racing-Reference.info. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 3 July 2017.


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