1983 Talladega 500

The 1983 Talladega 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series event on July 31, 1983, at Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega, Alabama.

1983 Talladega 500
Race details[1]
Race 19 of 30 in the 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
Layout of Talladega Superspeedway
Date July 31, 1983 (1983-July-31)
Official name Talladega 500
Location Alabama International Motor Speedway, Talladega, Alabama
Course Permanent racing facility
2.660 mi (4.280 km)
Distance 188 laps, 500.1 mi (804.8 km)
Weather Cloudy, 81°F, 70% humidity, 20% chance of precipitation, wind from the NW at 12 mph[2]
Average speed 170.611 miles per hour (274.572 km/h)
Attendance 95,000[3]
Pole position
Driver
Harry Ranier
Most laps led
Driver Dale Earnhardt
Tim Richmond		 Bud Moore
Raymond Beadle
Laps 41
Winner
No. 15 Dale Earnhardt Bud Moore
Television in the United States
Network CBS
Announcers Ken Squier
Ned Jarrett
Radio in the United States
Radio MRN
Booth Announcers Barney Hall
Eli Gold
Turn Announcers Dave DeSpain (1 & 2)
Mike Garrell (Backstretch)
Dave Sutherland (3 & 4)

Background

Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. The track is a Tri-oval and was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in the 1960s. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line - located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the Sprint Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and the Camping World Truck Series. Talladega Superspeedway is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66 miles (4.28 km), and the track at its peak had a seating capacity of 175,000 spectators.[4]

Qualifying

Qualifying results
Pos No. Driver Team Manufacturer Speed
1 28Cale Yarborough201.744
2 9Bill ElliottFord199.675
3 55Benny ParsonsChevrolet
4 15Dale EarnhardtBud Moore EngineeringFord199.309
5 90Dick Brooks
6 21Buddy Baker
7 44Terry Labonte
8 4Mark Martin
9 88Geoff Bodine
10 11Darrell WaltripJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevrolet198.322
11 1Lake Speed
12 43Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac196.737
13 7Kyle Petty
14 75Neil Bonnett
15 16David Pearson
16 29Grant Adcox
17 3Ricky Rudd
18 27Tim RichmondBlue Max RacingPontiac196.145
19 47Ron Bouchard
20 84Jody Ridley
21 98Joe Ruttman
22 17Sterling Marlin
23 33Harry GantMach 1 RacingBuick195.090
24 22Bobby AllisonBuick
25 67Buddy ArringtonChrysler
26 48Trevor Boys
27 74Bobby Wawak
28 24Cecil Gordon
29 77Ken Ragan
30 31Billie Harvey
31 8Bobby Hillin Jr.
32 2Morgan Sheperd
33 6Al Elmore
34 64Tommy Gale
35 76Mike Potter
36 71Dave Marcis
37 41Ronnie Thomas
38 70J.D. McDuffie
39 78Dick Skillen
40 46Travis Tiller

[5]

Race

Forty drivers made the grid; Trevor Boys was the only driver not to be born in the United States. The race lasted almost three hours for the scheduled 188 laps. Dick Skillen was the last-place finisher due to a crash on the first lap with Travis Tiller, Tommy Gale, Billie Harvey, Grant Adcox, and Neil Bonnett. J.D. McDuffie was the lowest-finishing driver to finish the race; he was 44 laps behind the leaders. 95,000 people attended this race.[3] Neil Bonnett was leading the race with 12 laps to go when he pitted for fuel only. The car stalled and it took long enough to get it re-fired that Earnhardt and Waltrip were able to get by.

Cale Yarborough would qualify for the pole position with a speed of 201.744 miles per hour (324.675 km/h). Dale Earnhardt would defeat Darrell Waltrip by four car lengths in this race; securing his last victory for an owner other than Richard Childress.[3] Harvey and Tiller would retire from NASCAR after this race.[6] Individual earnings for each driver ranged from the winner's share of $46,950 ($120,520.16 when adjusted for inflation) to the last-place finisher's share of $1,450 ($3,722.13 when adjusted for inflation). The total prize purse was $316,700 ($812,965.62 when adjusted for inflation).[7]

Race results
Pos Grid No. Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points
1 415Dale EarnhardtBud Moore EngineeringFord188185
2 1011Darrell WaltripJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevrolet188175
3 1827Neil Bonnett†Blue Max RacingPontiac188175
4 1243Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac188165
5 2333Harry GantMach 1 RacingBuick188155
6 988Geoff Bodine
7 590Dick Brooks
8 29Bill ElliottFord
9 2422Bobby AllisonBuick
10 84Mark Martin
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40

† Bonnett crashed his car on lap 2, but drove Richmond's car after Richmond retired due to debris in his eyes

Race summary
  • Lead changes: 46 among different drivers
  • Cautions/Laps: 2 for 16
  • Red flags: 0
  • Time of race: 2 hours, 55 minutes and 52 seconds
  • Average speed: 170.611 miles per hour (274.572 km/h)

Media

Television
CBS Television
Booth announcersPit reporters
Lap-by-lap: Ken Squier
Color-commentator: Ned Jarrett		Larry Nuber
Mike Joy

Radio
MRN Radio
Booth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters
Lead announcer: Barney Hall
Announcer: Eli Gold		Turns 1 & 2: Dave DeSpain
Backstretch: Mark Garrell
Turns 3 & 4: Dave Sutherland		Jerry Punch
Bill Bowser

Standings after the race

References
  1. Weather information for the 1983 Talladega 500 at The Old Farmers' Almanac
  2. "1983 Talladega 500". Youtube.com. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  3. 1983 Talladega 500 racing information at Racing Reference
  4. "Track Facts". talladegasuperspeedway.com. Talladega Superspeedway. November 1, 2012. Archived from the original on November 1, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  5. "1983 Talladega 500". Youtube.com. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  6. 1983 Talladega 500 results at Race-Database
  7. 1983 Talladega 500 racing information at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
Preceded by
1983 Like Cola 500		 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season
1983		 Succeeded by
1983 Champion Spark Plug 400
Preceded by
1982		 Talladega 500 races
1983		 Succeeded by
1984
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