1997 BRICKYARD 400 RESULTS
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4TH BRICKYARD 400 - AUGUST 2, 1997 - PURSE: $4,965,217
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY / NASCAR WINSTON CUP SERIES
FP SP Car Driver Sponsor Make Comp Status Money
1 7 10 Ricky Rudd Tide Frd 160 Running 571,000
2 25 18 Bobby Labonte Interstate Batteries Pon 160 Running 242,275
3 3 88 W Dale Jarrett Quality Care/Frd Crd Frd 160 Running 223,900
4 24 24 W Jeff Gordon DuPont Refinishes Chv 160 Running 223,670
5 16 37 Jeremy Mayfield Kmart/RC Cola Frd 160 Running 142,445
6 31 6 Mark Martin Valvoline Frd 160 Running 125,960
7 20 30 Johnny Benson Jr Pennzoil Pon 160 Running 121,760
8 15 94 Bill Elliott McDonald's Frd 160 Running 110,460
9 6 31 #R Mike Skinner Lowe's Chv 160 Running 132,560
10 1 28 Ernie Irvan Texaco Havoline Frd 160 Running 143,560
11 8 33 Ken Schrader Skoal Chv 160 Running 95,235
12 27 9 Lake Speed Melling Engine Parts Frd 160 Running 83,135
13 39 44 Kyle Petty Hot Wheels Pon 160 Running 78,035
14 4 17 Darrell Waltrip Parts America Chv 160 Running 85,085
15 33 99 Jeff Burton Exide Batteries Frd 160 Running 96,885
16 41 25 Ricky Craven Budweiser Chv 160 Running 82,135
17 35 98 John Andretti RCA Frd 160 Running 80,095
18 42 11 Brett Bodine Close Call Frd 160 Running 79,535
19 36 22 Ward Burton MBNA America Pon 160 Running 78,435
20 12 43 Bobby Hamilton STP Pon 160 Running 82,935
21 34 27 # Rick Wilson Indianapolis Colts Frd 160 Running 65,935
22 23 92 # Ron Barfield Jr New Holland Frd 160 Running 64,935
23 17 75 Rick Mast Remington Arms Frd 160 Running 74,335
24 40 23 Jimmy Spencer Camel Frd 159 Running 74,435
25 26 29 #R Jeff Green Cartoon Network Chv 159 Running 67,735
26 19 41 Steve Grissom Kodiak Chv 159 Running 71,010
27 30 95 # Ed Berrier Realtree Chv 159 Running 59,910
28 11 40 #R Robby Gordon Coors Light Chv 159 Running 68,910
29 5 3 W Dale Earnhardt GM Goodwrench Serv Chv 158 Running 76,310
30 29 81 Kenny Wallace SquareD Frd 158 Running 67,910
31 37 91 Greg Sacks Kruse International Chv 158 Running 57,410
32 2 42 Joe Nemechek BellSouth Chv 156 Running 67,910
33 22 16 Ted Musgrave Family Channel/PRIME Frd 155 Running 63,660
34 10 26 Rich Bickle KFC Team Twister Chv 153 Accident T3 56,410
35 9 96 #R David Green Caterpillar Chv 137 Engine 56,160
36 14 46 Wally Dallenbach Jr First Union Chv 120 Ignition 61,510
37 28 12 Jeff Purvis Gazelle/QVC Chv 112 Running 55,876
38 43 2 Rusty Wallace Miller Lite Frd 91 Engine 72,755
39 18 21 Michael Waltrip CITGO Frd 89 Running 62,755
40 38 5 Terry Labonte Kellogg's Chv 83 Engine 77,755
41 32 36 Derrike Cope Skittles Pon 12 Accident T2 55,755
42 21 97 # Chad Little John Deere Pon 2 Accident T1 55,755
43 13 4 Sterling Marlin Kodak Film Chv 2 Engine 71,755
Time of Race: 3:03:26.841
Average Speed: 130.828
Margin of Victory: 0.183 of a second
Fastest Lap: #24 Jeff Gordon, Lap 10 - 172.639
Fastest Leading Lap: #28 Ernie Irvan, Lap 22 - 172.506
Legend: W- Former Winner;
# - First-Time Brickyard 400 Starter;
R - NASCAR Rookie
Lap Leaders:
1-39 #28 Ernie Irvan
40 #24 Jeff Gordon
41 #30 Johnny Benson, Jr.
42-54 #46 Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
55 #23 Jimmy Spencer
56 #5 Terry Labonte
57 #25 Ricky Craven
58-77 #88 Dale Jarrett
78-80 #24 Jeff Gordon
81 #30 Johnny Benson, Jr.
82-83 #23 Jimmy Spencer
84 #46 Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
85-88 #24 Jeff Gordon
89-109 #99 Jeff Burton
110-113 #24 Jeff Gordon
114 #10 Ricky Rudd
115-122 #31 Mike Skinner
123-135 #24 Jeff Gordon
136-146 #88 Dale Jarrett
147-160 #10 Ricky Rudd
19 Lead Changes among 11 Drivers.
Lap Leader Recap:
Ernie Irvan 1 - 39
Dale Jarrett 2 - 31
Jeff Gordon 4 - 25
Jeff Burton 1 - 21
Ricky Rudd 2 - 15
Wally Dallenbach, Jr. 2 - 14
Mike Skinner 1 - 8
Jimmy Spencer 1 - 3
Johnny Benson, Jr. 1 - 2
Terry Labonte 1 - 1
Ricky Craven 1 - 1
Caution Flags: 6 for 25 laps
4-6 (3) Accident Turn 1: #97
15-20 (6) Accident Turn 2: #36, #21, #94, #16
84-88 (5) Blown Engine #5
114-117 (4) Accident Short Chute:#42
147 - 150 (4) Debris on track: #40
155 - 157 (3) Accident Turn 3: #26
It is widely known in the racing community that the fastest car doesn't
always win, and Ricky Rudd and his No. 10 Tide Ford team put that
wisdom to use at the 1997 Brickyard 400 to give Rudd the biggest
win of his career.
Ernie Irvan won the pole in the No. 28 Robert Yates Racing Ford at
177.736. Irvan, his teammate, Dale Jarrett, and Jeff Gordon
collectively dominated the race, together leading 95 of the 160 laps.
Rudd pitted for fuel and tires on Lap 114, and when the leaders
made their final stop on Lap 147, Rudd stayed out.
While Jarrett, Irvan and Gordon had horsepower, Rudd had fuel
mileage, and thanks to a final caution on Lap 155, he made it to the
end, beating Bobby Labonte to the finish line by .138 of a second,
the closest finish in Brickyard 400 history.
The Tide Ford ran out of the gas as Rudd entered Victory Lane,
appropriately enough.