1987 The Winston
The 1987 edition of The Winston was a stock car racing competition that took place on May 17, 1987. Held at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, the 135-lap race was an exhibition race in the 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Bill Elliott of Melling Racing won the pole and led the most laps (121), but it was Dale Earnhardt of Richard Childress Racing who won the race in a move that would be known in NASCAR history as the Pass in the Grass.
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 2 of 2 exhibition races in the 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||
| Date | May 17, 1987 | ||
| Location | Concord, North Carolina | ||
| Course |
Charlotte Motor Speedway 1.5 mi (2.4 km) | ||
| Distance | 135 laps, 202.5 mi (324 km) | ||
| Weather | Temperatures around 82 °F (28 °C), with humidity at 59% and winds gusting to 8 miles per hour (13 km/h) southwest | ||
| Average speed | 153.023 mph (246.267 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Melling Racing | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Bill Elliott | Melling Racing | |
| Laps | 121 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 3 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | ABC | ||
| Announcers | Keith Jackson and Donnie Allison | ||
This was Tim Richmond's second and final appearance in The Winston. Despite being eligible for the 1988 Winston, he opted not to participate due to a then-ongoing lawsuit against NASCAR after he was suspended for testing positive for banned substances early that year. He died of complications from AIDS on August 13, 1989.