The 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 35th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 12th modern-era Cup series season. The season began on Sunday, February 20 and ended on Sunday, November 20. Bobby Allison was crowned Winston Cup champion at the end of the season finishing 47 points ahead of Darrell Waltrip.
Teams and drivers TeamMakeNo.DriverCar OwnerCrew Chief Arrington Racing Chrysler ImperialDodge Mirada 67 Buddy Arrington Buddy Arrington Benfield Racing Buick Regal 98 Joe Ruttman Ron Benfield Buddy Parrott Blue Max Racing Pontiac Grand PrixPontiac LeMans 27 Tim Richmond Raymond Beadle Tim Brewer Bobby Hawkins Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 16 David Pearson Bobby Hawkins Bud Moore Engineering Ford Thunderbird 15 Dale Earnhardt Bud Moore Bud Moore Cliff Stewart Racing Pontiac Grand Prix 88 Geoff Bodine Cliff Stewart DiGard Motorsports Chevrolet Monte CarloBuick Regal 22 Bobby Allison Bill Gardner Gary Nelson Donlavey Racing Ford Thunderbird 90 Dick Brooks Junie Donlavey Ellington Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 1 Lake Speed Hoss Ellington Runt Pittman Hagan Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 44 Terry Labonte Billy Hagan Dale Inman Hamby Motorsports Pontiac Grand Prix 17 Sterling Marlin (R) Roger Hamby Henderson Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo Buick Regal 26 Ronnie Hopkins (R) Charlie Henderson Hillin Racing Buick Regal 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. (R) Bobby Hillin Sr. Harry Hyde Hylton Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 48 Trevor Boys (R)/James Hylton James Hylton Jim Stacy Racing Buick Regal 2 Morgan Shepherd Jim Stacy Johnny Hayes Racing Buick Regal Chevrolet Monte Carlo 55 Benny Parsons Johnny Hayes Cliff Champion Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet Monte Carlo 11 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson Jeff Hammond Langley Racing Ford Thunderbird 64 Tommy Gale Elmo Langley Mach 1 Racing Buick Regal 33 Harry Gant Hal Needham Travis Carter Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 71 Dave Marcis Dave Marcis McDuffie Racing Pontiac Grand Prix 70 J. D. McDuffie J. D. McDuffie Means Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Melling Racing Ford Thunderbird 9 Bill Elliott Harry Melling Ernie Elliott Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo 4 Mark Martin Larry McClure Petty Enterprises Pontiac Grand Prix 7 Kyle Petty Richard Petty Maurice Petty 43 Richard Petty Robin Pemberton Race Hill Farm Team Buick Regal 47 Ron Bouchard Jack Beebe David Ifft RahMoc Enterprises Chevrolet Monte Carlo 75 Neil Bonnett Bob Rahilly Bob Rahilly Ranier-Lundy Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 28 Cale Yarborough Harry Ranier Waddell Wilson Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 3 Ricky Rudd Richard Childress Kirk Shelmerdine Robert McEntyre Racing Buick Regal Chevrolet Monte Carlo 84 Jody Ridley Robert McEntyre Thomas Racing Pontiac Grand Prix 41 Ronnie Thomas Ronnie Thomas Ulrich Racing Buick Regal 6 D. K. Ulrich D. K. Ulrich Wood Brothers Racing Ford Thunderbird 21 Buddy Baker Glen Wood Leonard Wood
Schedule No. Race title Track DateBusch ClashDaytona International Speedway, Daytona BeachFebruary 13–14* UNO Twin 125 QualifiersFebruary 17Daytona 500 Consolation Race February 181Daytona 500February 202Richmond 400Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, RichmondFebruary 273Hodgdon Carolina 500North Carolina Motor Speedway, RockinghamMarch 6 & 134Coca-Cola 500Atlanta International Raceway, HamptonMarch 275TranSouth 500Darlington Raceway, DarlingtonApril 106Northwestern Bank 400North Wilkesboro Speedway, North WilkesboroApril 177Virginia National Bank 500Martinsville Speedway, RidgewayApril 248Winston 500Alabama International Motor Speedway, TalladegaMay 19Marty Robbins 420Nashville Speedway, NashvilleMay 810Mason-Dixon 500Dover Downs International Speedway, DoverMay 1511Valleydale 500Bristol International Raceway, BristolMay 2212World 600Charlotte Motor Speedway, ConcordMay 2913Budweiser 400Riverside International Raceway, RiversideJune 514Van Scoy Diamond Mine 500Pocono International Raceway, Long PondJune 1215Gabriel 400Michigan International Speedway, BrooklynJune 1916Firecracker 400Daytona International Speedway, Daytona BeachJuly 417Busch Nashville 420Nashville Speedway, NashvilleJuly 1618Like Cola 500Pocono International Raceway, Long PondJuly 2419Talladega 500Alabama International Motor Speedway, TalladegaJuly 3120Champion Spark Plug 400Michigan International Speedway, BrooklynAugust 2121Busch 500Bristol International Raceway, BristolAugust 2722Southern 500Darlington Raceway, DarlingtonSeptember 523Wrangler Sanfor-Set 400Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, RichmondSeptember 1124Budweiser 500Dover Downs International Speedway, DoverSeptember 1825Goody's 500Martinsville Speedway, RidgewaySeptember 2526Holly Farms 400North Wilkesboro Speedway, North WilkesboroOctober 227Miller High Life 500Charlotte Motor Speedway, ConcordOctober 928Warner W. Hodgdon American 500North Carolina Motor Speedway, RockinghamOctober 3029Atlanta Journal 500Atlanta International Raceway, HamptonNovember 630Winston Western 500Riverside International Raceway, RiversideNovember 20 The Busch Clash was scheduled for Sunday, February 13 but rain forced the race to be postponed until Monday, February 14.
Season Results Races Rd. Race Name Pole position Most laps led Winningdriver Winningmanufacturer ReportNCBusch ClashBill ElliottDarrell WaltripNeil BonnettChevrolet Monte CarloReportFirst UNO Twin 125 QualifierRicky RuddDale EarnhardtFord ThunderbirdReportSecond UNO Twin 125 QualifierGeoff BodineNeil BonnettChevrolet Monte CarloReportDaytona 500 Consolation RaceDarryl SageBlackie WangerinBlackie WangerinFord ThunderbirdReport 1 Daytona 500 Ricky Rudd Joe Ruttman Cale Yarborough Pontiac LeMans Report 2 Richmond 400 Ricky Rudd Joe Ruttman Bobby Allison Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 3 Warner W. Hodgdon Carolina 500 Ricky Rudd Cale Yarborough Richard Petty Pontiac Grand Prix Report 4 Coca-Cola 500 Geoff Bodine Neil Bonnett Cale Yarborough Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 5 TranSouth 500 Tim Richmond Geoff Bodine Harry Gant Buick Regal Report 6 Northwestern Bank 400 Neil Bonnett Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 7 Virginia National Bank 500 Ricky Rudd Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 8 Winston 500 Cale Yarborough Richard Petty Richard Petty Pontiac Grand Prix Report 9 Marty Robbins 420 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 10 Mason-Dixon 500 Joe Ruttman Bobby Allison Bobby Allison Buick Regal Report 11 Valleydale 500 Neil Bonnett Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 12 World 600 Buddy Baker Bobby Allison Neil Bonnett Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 13 Budweiser 400 Darrell Waltrip Ricky Rudd Ricky Rudd Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 14 Van Scoy Diamond Mine 500 Darrell Waltrip Bobby Allison Bobby Allison Buick Regal Report 15 Gabriel 400 Terry Labonte Terry Labonte Cale Yarborough Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 16 Firecracker 400 Cale Yarborough Buddy Baker Buddy Baker Ford Thunderbird Report 17 Busch Nashville 420 Ron Bouchard Dale Earnhardt Dale Earnhardt Ford Thunderbird Report 18 Like Cola 500 Tim Richmond Bobby Allison Tim Richmond Pontiac LeMans Report 19 Talladega 500 Cale Yarborough Dale EarnhardtTim Richmond Dale Earnhardt Ford Thunderbird Report 20 Champion Spark Plug 400 Terry Labonte Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough Ford Thunderbird Report 21 Busch 500 Joe Ruttman Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 22 Southern 500 Neil Bonnett Bobby Allison Bobby Allison Buick Regal Report 23 Wrangler Sanfor-Set 400 Darrell Waltrip Bobby Allison Bobby Allison Buick Regal Report 24 Budweiser 500 Terry Labonte Bobby Allison Bobby Allison Buick Regal Report 25 Goody's 500 Darrell Waltrip Ricky Rudd Ricky Rudd Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 26 Holly Farms 400 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 27 Miller High Life 500 Tim Richmond Tim Richmond Richard Petty Pontiac Grand Prix Report 28 Warner W. Hodgdon American 500 Neil Bonnett Tim Richmond Terry Labonte Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 29 Atlanta Journal 500 Tim Richmond Bobby Allison Neil Bonnett Chevrolet Monte Carlo Report 30 Winston Western 500 Darrell Waltrip Darrell Waltrip Bill Elliott Ford Thunderbird Report Bold indicates a NASCAR Crown Jewel race. The Busch 500 was shortened to 419 of 500 laps due to rain.
Final Points Standings
(key) Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position set by final practice results or 1982 Owner's points. * – Most laps led.