1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

The 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 39th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 16th modern-era cup series.

The season began on February 8 and ended on November 22. Dale Earnhardt of Richard Childress Racing won the championship for the third time.

Team changes After three championships together in 1981, 1982, and 1985, Darrell Waltrip decided to move from the No. 11 Junior Johnson Chevrolet to the new No. 17 Chevrolet, a third full-time Hendrick Motorsports team.

A famous quote stemmed from this move, which crew chief Jeff Hammond describes in his book Real Men Work In the Pits went like this:

"I finally got me a thoroughbred." – Darrell Waltrip, referring to his new ride.

"I don't know about any thoroughbred. I do know we had a jackass around here who recently left." – Junior Johnson

The rest of "silly season" looked like this among full-time teams: Terry Labonte left the No. 44 Piedmont Oldsmobile owned by Billy Hagan to replace Waltrip in the No. 11. Johnson decided to disband the No. 12 Budweiser team and let go driver Neil Bonnett, who moved to the No. 75 Pontiac. Morgan Shepherd vacated the No. 75 in favor of the No. 26 Buick owned by Kenny Bernstein, driven by Joe Ruttman in 1986. Phil Parsons would replace older brother Benny in the No. 55 Oldsmobile owned by Leo and Richard Jackson. Lake Speed started out 1986 in the No. 75 RahMoc ride but was let go early in the season. Speed would form his own team for 1987 in the No. 83 Oldsmobile.

A few car number changes took place as well. Kyle Petty would continue to drive the Wood Brothers Ford, switching from No. 7 to No. 21. Alan Kulwicki took the No. 7 for his independent team. Cale Yarborough exited the No. 28 Ford team and drove his self-owned No. 29 Oldsmobile. Davey Allison would compete for Rookie Of The Year in the Harry Ranier No. 28 Ford.. Michael Waltrip would continue driving for Chuck Rider but switched from the No. 23 Chevrolet to the No. 30 Chevrolet.

Drivers remaining with the same teams from 1986 would be: No. 3 Dale Earnhardt (owner: Richard Childress), No. 4 Rick Wilson (Larry McClure) No. 5 Geoff Bodine (Rick Hendrick), No. 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. (Stavola Brothers), No. 9 Bill Elliott ( Harry Melling), No. 15 Ricky Rudd (Bud Moore), No. 18 Tommy Ellis (Eric Freelander), No. 22 Bobby Allison (Stavola Brothers), No. 27 Rusty Wallace (Raymond Beadle), No. 33 Harry Gant (Hal Needham), No. 43 Richard Petty ( Petty Enterprises), No. 52 Jimmy Means, No. 70 J. D. McDuffie (Tom Winkle), No. 71 Dave Marcis, No. 88 Buddy Baker (Baker/Danny Schiff), No. 90 Ken Schrader (Junie Donlavey) and the part-time/independent efforts of No. 14 A. J. Foyt, No. 67 Buddy Arrington, No. 77 Ken Ragan (Marvin Ragan), No. 81 Chet Fillip (Corey Fillip) and No. 89 Jim Sauter (Mueller Brothers).

Top drivers out of a ride included Benny Parsons and Joe Ruttman.

Those who officially threw their hat in the ring for NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 1987 would be: Davey Allison, Steve Christman (No. 62 AC Delco, Tom Winkle), Rodney Combs (No. 10 DiGard) and Derrike Cope (No. 19 Stoke Racing).

Ron Bouchard, Trevor Boys, Eddie Bierschwale and a host of others would battle for the remaining open spots.

Teams and drivers

Complete schedule ManufacturerTeamDriverCrew ChiefBuick King Racing 26 Morgan Shepherd Larry McReynolds Stavola Brothers Racing 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Bobby Hudson 22 Bobby Allison Jimmy FennigChevrolet Bahari Racing 30 Michael WaltripDick BahreFreedlander Motorsports18Tommy Ellis Buddy Parrott Bobby King Dale Jarrett (R) Hendrick Motorsports 5 Geoff Bodine Gary Nelson 17 Darrell Waltrip Waddell Wilson Jeff Hammond 35 Benny Parsons Harry Hyde Junior Johnson & Associates 11 Terry Labonte Jeff Hammond Tim Brewer Mach 1 Racing 33 Harry Gant Travis Carter Marcis Auto Racing 71 Dave Marcis Richard Childress Racing 3 Dale Earnhardt Kirk ShelmerdineFord AK Racing 7 Alan Kulwicki Cliff Champion Bill Ingle Arrington Racing 67 Eddie Bierschwale Joey ArringtonBuddy Arrington Chet Fillip Bud Moore Engineering 15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Donlavey Racing 90 Ken Schrader Bob Johnson Melling Racing 9 Bill Elliott Ernie Elliott Wood Brothers Racing 21 Kyle Petty Leonard WoodOldsmobile Hagan Racing 44 Sterling Marlin Steve Hmiel Jackson Brothers Motorsports 55 Phil Parsons Andy PetreePontiac Blue Max Racing 27 Rusty Wallace Barry Dodson Petty Enterprises 43 Richard Petty Dale Inman RahMoc Enterprises 75 Neil Bonnett Robin PembertonJoe Ruttman Pontiac Chevrolet Means Racing Hendrick Motorsports 52Jimmy MeansKeith Wilson Dennis Conner

Limited schedule ManufacturerTeamRace DriverCrew ChiefRound(s)BuickSpears Motorsports76 Roman CalczynskiLeon RutherTommy KendallSt. James Racing2St. James DavisChevroletAdams Racing38Ronnie AdamsAdcox Racing24Grant AdcoxAAG Racing34Jesse Samples Jr.Ken AllenRon ShephardEddie BierschwaleBurke Racing80Ken FedewaGray Racing54Donnie AllisonKevin EvansH. L. Waters Racing49Delma CowartHarry Goularte14Harry GoularteMike Biechman Hendrick Motorsports 25 Tim Richmond Dennis Conner Rick Hendrick 51Jim FitzgeraldHolden Racing68Jerry HoldenHylton Motorsports48Steve MooreJames HyltonTony SpanosJerry HoldenEdwards Racing32Jonathan Lee EdwardsEllington Racing1Ron BouchardRunt PittmanBrett Bodine (R)Elmer Simko51David SimkoLinro Motorsports63Jocko MaggiacomoMidgley Racing29George FollmerPearson Racing16Larry PearsonRicky PearsonPaul Racing69Donny PaulReno Enterprises56Ernie IrvanMarc RenoRon Shephard Racing31Ron ShephardRonnie Thomas Racing41Ronnie ThomasSchmitt Racing73Bill SchmittSteurer Racing81Glen SteurerMike SteurerVincent Racing41Jack SellersWawak RacingBobby WawakFordArrington Racing61Mike PotterBeahr Racing37Curtis MarkhamBranch-Ragan Racing77Ken RaganEddie BierschwaleFillip Racing81Chet FillipCorey FillipBuddy ArringtonMike PotterEddie BierschwaleSlick JohnsonGood Racing76Phil GoodJerry Bowman Racing58Jerry BowmanLangley Racing64Connie SaylorElmo LangleyJerry Cranmer (R)Rodney CombsRick McCrayTrevor BoysCurtis MarkhamStahl Racing82Mark StahlRon GautscheRanier-Lundy Racing28Davey Allison (R)Joey KnucklesRazore Racing79Roy SmithWangerin Racing39Blackie WangerinOldsmobileA. J. Foyt Enterprises14A. J. FoytDick HutchersonBaker-Schiff Racing88Buddy BakerDoug RichertIrv HoerrBob Clark Motorsports31Brad TeagueCale Yarborough Motorsports29Cale YarboroughJake Elder Cliff Champion George Wiltshire39George WiltshireHamby Racing12David SosebeeSlick JohnsonMark MartinLarry PollardJim BownTrevor BoysJeff SwindellBrad TeagueLarry CaudillRodney CombsJackson Brothers Motorsports66Tom SnevaJaehne Motorsports76Hut StricklinKC Racing66John KrebsFred CorreaLois Williams Racing78Jim RobinsonMorgan-McClure Motorsports4Rick WilsonTony Glover14A. J. FoytDick HutchersonSpeed Racing83Lake SpeedDarrell BryantPontiacBailey Racing36H. B. BaileyJoe Dan BaileyBryant Racing2Kirk BryantDarrell BryantDingman Brothers Racing50Greg SacksDavid IfftHenley Gray1Chuck Schroedel (R)McDuffie Racing70J. D. McDuffieJeff McDuffieRay Kelly Racing77Ray KellyWinkle Motorsports62Steve Christman (R)70J. D. McDuffieJeff McDuffieChevrolet Oldsmobile U.S. Racing6Trevor BoysD. K. UlrichBobby BakerRick KnoopConnie SaylorRon EsauTroy BeebeErnie IrvanChevrolet Ford S & H Racing80Jimmy HortonEddie BierschwaleFord Chevrolet Stoke RacingDerrike Cope (R)32Ruben GarciaOldsmobile Chevrolet DiGard Motorsports10Rodney Combs (R)Roland WlodykaOldsmobile Chevrolet Barkdoll Racing73Phil Barkdoll

Preseason

January 8, 1987 – Tim Richmond announced that he would miss the first part of 1987 due to "double pneumonia." Benny Parsons was hired to replace Richmond in the Folgers Chevrolet for car owner Rick Hendrick. The car number was changed to 35, saving the 25 for Richmond's return. He returned for eight races mid-season, winning his first 2 races back at Pocono and Riverside. These eight races were the last races that Richmond would ever run in NASCAR. February 4, 1987 – Bruce Jacobi died at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, IN. Jacobi was injured in the first Twin 125-mile qualifying race on February 17, 1983, and had been in a coma since then.

Schedule No. Race title Track DateBusch ClashDaytona International Speedway, Daytona BeachFebruary 87-Eleven Twin 125'sFebruary 121Daytona 500February 152Goodwrench 500North Carolina Motor Speedway, RockinghamMarch 13Miller High Life 400Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, RichmondMarch 84Motorcraft Quality Parts 500Atlanta International Raceway, HamptonMarch 155TranSouth 500Darlington Raceway, DarlingtonMarch 296First Union 400North Wilkesboro Speedway, North WilkesboroApril 57Valleydale Meats 500Bristol International Raceway, BristolApril 128Sovran Bank 500Martinsville Speedway, RidgewayApril 269Winston 500Alabama International Motor Speedway, TalladegaMay 3Winston OpenCharlotte Motor Speedway, ConcordMay 17The Winston10Coca-Cola 600May 2411Budweiser 500Dover Downs International Speedway, DoverMay 3112Miller High Life 500Pocono International Raceway, Long PondJune 1413Budweiser 400Riverside International Raceway, RiversideJune 2114Miller American 400Michigan International Speedway, BrooklynJune 2815Pepsi Firecracker 400Daytona International Speedway, Daytona BeachJuly 416Summer 500Pocono International Raceway, Long PondJuly 1917Talladega 500Alabama International Motor Speedway, TalladegaJuly 2618Budweiser at The GlenWatkins Glen International, Watkins GlenAugust 1019Champion Spark Plug 400Michigan International Speedway, BrooklynAugust 1620Busch 500Bristol International Raceway, BristolAugust 2221Southern 500Darlington Raceway, DarlingtonSeptember 622Wrangler Jeans Indigo 400Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, RichmondSeptember 1323Delaware 500Dover Downs International Speedway, DoverSeptember 2024Goody's 500Martinsville Speedway, RidgewaySeptember 2725Holly Farms 400North Wilkesboro Speedway, North WilkesboroOctober 426Oakwood Homes 500Charlotte Motor Speedway, ConcordOctober 1127AC Delco 500North Carolina Motor Speedway, RockinghamOctober 2528Winston Western 500Riverside International Raceway, RiversideNovember 829Atlanta Journal 500Atlanta International Raceway, HamptonNovember 22

Season summary Busch Clash

The Busch Clash, an annual invitational event for all Busch Pole winners the previous season, was held February 8 at Daytona International Speedway. Bill Elliott drew for the pole. Alan Kulwicki was the wild card.

Results

# 9 – Bill Elliott #5 – Geoff Bodine #17 – Darrell Waltrip #3 – Dale Earnhardt #7 – Alan Kulwicki #29 – Cale Yarborough #35 – Benny Parsons #33 – Harry Gant #11 – Terry Labonte #15 – Ricky Rudd

7-Eleven Twin 125's

The 7-Eleven Twin 125's, a pair of qualifying races for the Daytona 500, were held February 12 at Daytona International Speedway. Bill Elliott and Davey Allison won the poles for both races, respectively, as a result of their speeds in qualifying on February 9.

Race One: Top Ten Results

#90 – Ken Schrader #9 – Bill Elliott #17 – Darrell Waltrip #88 – Buddy Baker #4 – Rick Wilson #43 – Richard Petty #3 – Dale Earnhardt #75 – Neil Bonnett #1 – Ron Bouchard #55 – Phil Parsons

Notes: Jocko Maggiacomo DNS. This race featured two flips: Phil Barkdoll and Tommy Ellis. A. J. Foyt was involved in the Ellis wreck and suffered a shoulder injury.

Race Two: Top Ten Results

#35-Benny Parsons #22-Bobby Allison #5-Geoff Bodine #44-Sterling Marlin #33-Harry Gant #28-Davey Allison #11-Terry Labonte #71-Dave Marcis #30-Michael Waltrip #21-Kyle Petty

Round 1: Daytona 500

The 29th annual Daytona 500 was held February 15. Bill Elliott won the pole

Top Ten Results #9 – Bill Elliott #35 – Benny Parsons #43 – Richard Petty #88 – Buddy Baker #3 – Dale Earnhardt #22 – Bobby Allison #90 – Ken Schrader #17 – Darrell Waltrip #15 – Ricky Rudd #29 – Cale Yarborough