The 1992 NASCAR Winston West Series was the 39th season of the series. The title was won by Bill Sedgwick, his second in the series and second in succession.
Teams and drivers
Complete schedule ManufacturerTeamDriverChevroletChesrown Racing37Rick CarelliRon Hornaday Jr.92Ron Hornaday Jr.Scribner RacingRick ScribnerSpears Motorsports75Bill SedgwickFordSchmitt RacingBill SchmittPontiacDiamond Ridge RacingJohn KrebsGilliland Racing24Butch Gilliland
Limited schedule ManufacturerTeamDriverRacesBuickAdele Emerson97Roy TestaSara Vincent41Wayne JacksChuck WelchJim CourageSt. James Racing22St. James DavisChevroletBill Stroppe38Tobey ButlerJohn Kieper98Jim BownJohn Strauser50Hershel McGriffMcCauley Racing90Tim McCauleyMcCray Racing08Rick McCrayRick Scribner16Pete GrahamFordDavey Allison28Davey AllisonDon Wade95Lance WadeJeff Davis Racing44Jeff DavisJoe Heath90Joe HeathJunior Johnson & Associates11Bill Elliott22Sterling MarlinLittle Racing19Chad LittleRed Eagle Racing8L. J. PryorRouse Racing91Robert SpragueSchmitt Racing78Dan FisherDick RauserUnknown5Mike ChaseOldsmobileAdele Emerson34Ted KennedyCollins Motorsports28Dirk StephensGary CollinsPuskarich Racing00Bryan BrownLarry BashorPontiacAdele Emerson9Steve BareBill McAnally Racing12Bill McAnallyBob Lipseia04Bobby WoodsBob Walker Racing88Bob WalkerDiamond Ridge Racing2Jim CourageDirk Stephens99Steve BareGary ScottJeff DavisFMR MotorsportsSteve KunzGunselman Racing60Larry GunselmanJacks Racing8Ron Jacks53Jimmy Means Racing52Scott GaylordKaylan Young Racing60Mike ChaseLarry Gaylord68Larry GaylordMidgley Racing09R. K. SmithRoy SmithRick Mackey36Rick MackeyUnknown18Bobby Goodwin Jr.57Terry FisherBuick Chevrolet Adele Emerson44Jack SellersPontiac Buick 99Steve BareChuck WelchChevrolet Oldsmobile Woodland Racing86Rich Woodland Jr.Pontiac Oldsmobile Jacks Racing58Wayne Jacks Notes
Schedule and results The 1992 season included 11 individual races, although Mesa Marin Raceway hosted two races. The races at Sears Point International Raceway and Phoenix International Raceway were in combination with the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, and the race at Texas World Speedway was in combination with the ARCA SuperCar Series. DateNameRacetrackLocationWinnerMay 17Vons 300Mesa Marin RacewayBakersfield, CaliforniaRick CarelliMay 30Alpha Beta 200Saugus SpeedwaySaugus, CaliforniaRick CarelliJune 7Save Mart 300KSears Point International RacewaySonoma, CaliforniaErnie Irvan June 13Holiday Quality Foods 200Shasta SpeedwayAnderson, CaliforniaBill SedgwickJune 28Astro 200 by Safeway/Diane's FoodsPortland SpeedwayPortland, OregonBill SedgwickJuly 12Motorcraft Fast Lube 500Evergreen SpeedwayMonroe, WashingtonBill SedgwickAugust 1Uhlmann Motors 200 by PepsiSouth Sound SpeedwayOlympia, WashingtonRick CarelliAugust 15Thrifty Food & Gas/Winston 200Cajon SpeedwaySantee, CaliforniaBill SchmittSeptember 20NASCAR/ARCA Texas World Speedway ShootoutTexas World SpeedwayCollege Station, TexasMickey GibbsOctober 18Winston October ClassicMesa Marin RacewayBakersfield, CaliforniaBill SedgwickNovember 1Pyroil 500KPhoenix International RacewayAvondale, ArizonaDavey Allison
Vons 300
The Vons 300 was held on May 17 at Mesa Marin Raceway. Gary Collins won the pole with a track record, although due to injury he was replaced by Dirk Stephens.
Top Ten Results
37 - Rick Carelli 75 - Bill Sedgwick 73 - Bill Schmitt -5 29 - John Krebs -6 24 - Butch Gilliland -9 00 - Bryan Brown -10 15 - Rick Scribner -18 86 - Rich Woodland Jr. -29 44 - Jack Sellers -38 28 - Dirk Stephens -43
Rick Carelli would get the lead from Bill Sedgwick late in the race, leading the final of his 187 total laps led en route to his first win of the season and the first of his career.
Alpha Beta 200 The Alpha Beta 200 was held on May 30 at Saugus Speedway. Ron Hornaday Jr. won the pole.
Top Ten Results
37 - Rick Carelli 24 - Butch Gilliland 29 - John Krebs 73 - Bill Schmitt -1 92 - Ron Hornaday Jr. -4 15 - Rick Scribner -4 75 - Bill Sedgwick -4 44 - Jack Sellers -13 22 - St. James Davis -20 41 - Chuck Welch -78
For the second race in a row, Rick Carelli would lead the most laps and win the event, beating Butch Gilliland by over 8 second. He headed into Sears Point with a 35 point advantage over Bill Schmitt and Gilliland.
Save Mart 300K
The Save Mart 300K was held on June 7 at Sears Point International Raceway and was the first of two combination races with the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Ricky Rudd won the pole.
Top Ten Results 4 - Ernie Irvan 94 - Terry Labonte 6 - Mark Martin 5 - Ricky Rudd 11 - Bill Elliott 3 - Dale Earnhardt 2 - Rusty Wallace 17 - Darrell Waltrip 25 - Ken Schrader 15 - Geoff Bodine Failed to qualify: 58 - Wayne Jacks, 04 - Bobby Woods
On the day of this race, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. died. Ernie Irvan started 2nd in this race, but jumped the start and was given a stop-and-go penalty in the pits. Irvan came through the entire field to win in the fastest Winston Cup race held on the version of Sears Point. Irvan forged one of the most astonishing comebacks in NASCAR history. Irvan, qualifying second, was black-flagged for jumping the start of the race, relegating him to dead last on a road course with road course demons Rusty Wallace, Ricky Rudd and Terry Labonte leading the field. Irvan blazed through the backmarkers, picked off the middle of the pack, then steadily reeled in leader Labonte with 10 laps remaining. Finally, on lap 67 of the 74-lap event, Irvan retook the top spot and drove on to a 3.6-second win. Irvan dedicated the race to Bill France Sr., the founder of NASCAR who died the morning of the race. Richard Petty's 21st-place finish made him the last car on the lead lap, the final race where he would finish on the lead lap. Bill Sedgwick was the highest finishing West Series driver, coming home 19th overall and scoring points equivalent to a win. Rick Carelli finished 7th among West drivers, falling out of the race after 57 laps and finishing 37th overall. However, he would maintain the points lead by 7 points over Bill Schmitt and 11 points over Sedgwick.
Holiday Quality Foods 200 The Holiday Quality Foods 200 was held on June 13 at Shasta Speedway. Jim Bown won the pole.
Top Ten Results
75 - Bill Sedgwick 92 - Ron Hornaday Jr. 73 - Bill Schmitt 37 - Rick Carelli 24 - Butch Gilliland -1 91 - Robert Sprague -2 29 - John Krebs -6 86 - Rich Woodland Jr. -8 15 - Rick Scribner -9 22 - St. James Davis -21
Bill Sedgwick, who only led 16 of the race's 200 laps, would score his first win of the season, beating Ron Hornaday Jr. by 1.6 seconds. Rick Carelli, who finished 4th, maintained the points lead by just 1 point over Sedgwick.
Astro 200 by Safeway/Diane's Foods The Astro 200 by Safeway/Diane's Foods was held on June 28 at Portland Speedway. Hershel McGriff won the pole.
Top Ten Results
75 - Bill Sedgwick 73 - Bill Schmitt 57 - Terry Fisher -1 95 - Lance Wade -1 15 - Rick Scribner -1 92 - Ron Hornaday Jr. -2 50 - Hershel McGriff -3 29 - John Krebs -4 60 - Larry Gunselman -4 37 - Rick Carelli -6
In a close finish, Bill Sedgwick scored his second straight win, beating Bill Schmitt by just 0.25 seconds. Sedgwick would move into the points, 11 points ahead of Schmitt, while Rick Carelli dropped to third, 40 points back.
Motorcraft Fast Lube 500 The Motorcraft Fast Lube 500 was held on July 12 at Evergreen Speedway. Chad Little won the pole.
Top Ten Results
75 - Bill Sedgwick 22 - Sterling Marlin 19 - Chad Little 37 - Rick Carelli -1 29 - John Krebs -2 24 - Butch Gilliland -4 73 - Bill Schmitt -5 11 - Bill Elliott -6 09 - Roy Smith -8 91 - Robert Sprague -10
For the third race in a row, Bill Sedgwick would score the win, beating Winston Cup driver Sterling Marlin by 2 seconds. Sedgwick expanded his points lead over Schmitt to 40.
Uhlmann Motors 200 by Pepsi The Ulhmann Motors 200 by Pepsi was held on August 1 at South Sound Speedway. Ron Hornaday Jr. won the pole.
Top Ten Results
37 - Rick Carelli 92 - Ron Hornaday Jr. 50 - Hershel McGriff 24 - Butch Gilliland 73 - Bill Schmitt -1 2 - Dirk Stephens -2 15 - Rick Scribner -13 44 - Jack Sellers -14 41 - Chuck Welch -18 29 - John Krebs -49
Ron Hornaday Jr. started on pole and led over half of the laps, but in the end would finish 2nd to Rick Carelli, who won by 6.5 seconds to score his third and final win of the season. Bill Sedgwick would maintain the points lead, 7 points over both Bill Schmitt and Carelli.
Thrifty Food & Gas/Winston 200 The Thrifty Food & Gas/Winston 200 was held on August 15 at Cajon Speedway. Ron Hornaday Jr. won the pole.
Top Ten Results
73 - Bill Schmitt 75 - Bill Sedgwick 92 - Ron Hornaday Jr. -1 24 - Butch Gilliland -2 29 - John Krebs -5 58 - Wayne Jacks -8 86 - Rich Woodland Jr. -9 00 - Larry Bashor -13 99 - Jeff Davis -13 41 - Chuck Welch -20
Bill Schmitt dominated the race, leading 181 of 200 laps and scoring his lone win of the season. Schmitt took the points lead from Bill Sedgwick, who stayed within 3 points of Schmitt.
NASCAR/ARCA Texas World Speedway Shootout The NASCAR/ARCA Texas World Speedway Shootout was held on September 20 at Texas World Speedway, and was in combination with the ARCA SuperCar Series, the first time the two series raced together. Loy Allen Jr. won the pole.
Top Ten Results
50 - Mickey Gibbs 16 - Roy Payne 2 - Loy Allen Jr. 9 - John Krebs 65 - Jerry O'Neil 37 - Rick Carelli 92 - Ron Hornaday Jr. -1 73 - Bill Schmitt -2 24 - Butch Gilliland -2 64 - Gary Wright -5
Failed to qualify: Billy Bigley Jr., Kim Campbell, Wayne Dellinger, Ron Esau, Robert Ham, Harry Page, David Starr, Mark Starr, Ian Thomas, Gary Tootle, Clay Young, 09 - R. K. Smith, 41 - Chuck Welch, 86 - Rich Woodland Jr., 99 - Steve Bare
In the first ARCA-NASCAR combination race to be held, Mickey Gibbs would score his third and final ARCA SuperCar Series win, while John Krebs was the highest finishing West Series driver, finishing 4th. Points leader Bill Sedgwick would fall out of the race after just 4 laps with engine issues, finishing 10th among West drivers and 43rd overall. Bill Schmitt, however, was 4th among West drivers, good enough for 8th overall, and took the points lead from Sedgwick by 29 points.
Winston October Classic The Winston October Classic was held on October 18 at Mesa Marin Raceway. Ron Hornaday Jr. won the pole.
Top Ten Results
75 - Bill Sedgwick 37 - Rick Carelli 29 - John Krebs 92 - Ron Hornaday Jr. 73 - Bill Schmitt -1 95 - Lance Wade -1 5 - Mike Chase -2 50 - Hershel McGriff -3 34 - Ted Kennedy -6 58 - Wayne Jacks -8
Bill Sedgwick would lead 159 of the race's 300 laps, and would beat Rick Carelli by 5.6 seconds to score his fourth and final win of the season. Winning the race while Bill Schmitt finished 5th, Sedgwick cut the points deficit to 4 heading into the final race.
Pyroil 500K
The Pyroil 500K was held on November 1 at Phoenix International Raceway and was the second of two combination races with the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Rusty Wallace won the pole.
Top Ten Results
28 - Davey Allison 6 - Mark Martin 17 - Darrell Waltrip 7 - Alan Kulwicki 12 - Jimmy Spencer 25 - Ken Schrader 10 - Derrike Cope 68 - Bobby Hamilton 22 - Sterling Marlin -1 3 - Dale Earnhardt -1 Failed to qualify: 86 - Rich Woodland Jr., 58 - Wayne Jacks