1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series - Hooters 500

Hooters 500

The Hooters 500 was held November 15 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In what is largely considered one of the greatest NASCAR races of all-time, six drivers entered the race with a mathematical chance to win the Winston Cup (Bill Elliott, Alan Kulwicki, Davey Allison, Kyle Petty, Harry Gant, and Mark Martin). The race was the highly publicized final start for 7-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty, and quietly, the first start for future champion Jeff Gordon. Davey Allison had to finish 6th or better to automatically clinch the championship.

Rick Mast won his first career Winston Cup pole, but crashed out on lap 2 and did not lead any laps. Championship contenders Mark Martin and Kyle Petty dropped out with engine trouble, while Harry Gant faded and was not a factor in the second half.

On lap 254, Davey Allison's fate was sealed. While running 6th — good enough to clinch the title — and charging to the front, suddenly disaster struck. Ernie Irvan had a tire going down, lost control and spun directly in front of Rusty Wallace and Allison. Wallace dodged the spinning Irvan, but Allison was not so lucky. Irvan pancaked the wall and bounced off into Allison. Allison spun into the inside pit wall, and damaged the tirerod. His car still had power, and tried desprately to get his car rolling, but to no avail. The crash effectively ended his day and his run at the championship. Elliott and Kulwicki were left to battle for the title.

Elliot and Kulwicki ran 1st-2nd for most of the second half, swapping the lead on several occasions. It became evident that the driver who led the most laps (receiving the 5 bonus points for leading the most laps) would clinch the championship. After the final gas-and-go pit stops, Kulwicki had led 103 laps. Elliott took over the lead, with Kulwicki settling into a comfortable second. Elliott led the rest of the way, his fifth victory of the season, bringing his laps led total to 102 laps, one short of Kulwicki's total — giving the 5 bonus points to Kulwicki.

Elliott won the Hooters 500, but Kulwicki's second place finish allowed him to claim the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup championship by a scant 10 points, the third-narrowest margin in the sport's history (after 2011, in which Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards finished tied, the title going to Stewart by virtue of more wins in the season, and Kurt Busch's 8 point margin over Jimmie Johnson in 2004). Meanwhile, the STP crew patched Richard Petty's car back together and "The King" rejoined the field with two laps to go and was running at the finish in his final race to receive the checkered flag.