1990 NASCAR Busch Series

The 1990 NASCAR Busch Series Season began February 17 and ended October 28. Chuck Bown of Hensley Motorsports won the championship.

See also: 1990 in NASCAR

Goody's 300
The Goody's 300 was held February 17 at Daytona International Speedway. Darrell Waltrip won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1)  3-Dale Earnhardt
 * 2)  7-Harry Gant
 * 3) 46-Greg Sacks*
 * 4) 25-Jimmy Hensley
 * 5) 41-Elton Sawyer
 * 6) 44-Bobby Labonte
 * 7) 58-Ernie Irvan
 * 8) 87-Joe Nemechek
 * 9) 32-Dale Jarrett
 * 10)  2-L.D. Ottinger


 * The #46 of Greg Sacks was actually a movie car for the 1990 movie Days of Thunder. In addition, shots of the big crash on lap 13 were used in the movie.

Pontiac 200
The Pontiac 200 was held February 24 at Richmond International Raceway. Michael Waltrip won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 30-Michael Waltrip
 * 2)  3-Dale Earnhardt
 * 3) 44-Bobby Labonte
 * 4) 32-Dale Jarrett
 * 5) 36-Kenny Wallace
 * 6) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 7) 96-Tom Peck
 * 8)  4-Elton Sawyer
 * 9)  8-Bobby Hamilton
 * 10) 99-Tommy Ellis

Goodwrench 200
The Goodwrench 200 was held March 3 at North Carolina Speedway. Harry Gant won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1)  3-Dale Earnhardt
 * 2) 42-Kyle Petty
 * 3) 36-Kenny Wallace
 * 4)  7-Harry Gant
 * 5) 58-Ernie Irvan
 * 6) 99-Tommy Ellis
 * 7) 32-Dale Jarrett
 * 8)  1-Mark Martin 1 lap down
 * 9) 44-Bobby Labonte 1 lap down
 * 10) 25-Jimmy Hensley 1 lap down

Miller Classic
The Miller Classic was a 200 lap race held March 11 at Martinsville Speedway. Tommy Ellis won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 2) 27-Elton Sawyer
 * 3) 32-Dale Jarrett
 * 4) 25-Jimmy Hensley
 * 5)  8-Bobby Hamilton
 * 6) 08-Bobby Dotter
 * 7) 96-Tom Peck
 * 8) 42-Todd Bodine
 * 9) 99-Tommy Ellis
 * 10) 63-Chuck Bown

Mountain Dew 400
The Mountain Dew 400 was held March 25 at Hickory Motor Speedway. Chuck Bown won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 2) 99-Tommy Ellis
 * 3) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 4) 59-Robert Pressley
 * 5) 44-Bobby Labonte
 * 6) 36-Kenny Wallace 1 lap down
 * 7) 11-Jack Ingram 1 lap down
 * 8) 31-Steve Grissom 1 lap down
 * 9)  7-Harry Gant 1 lap down
 * 10) 27-Elton Sawyer 2 laps down

Pontiac 200
The Pontiac 200 was held March 31 at Darlington Raceway. Kenny Wallace won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1)  7-Harry Gant
 * 2) 44-Bobby Labonte
 * 3) 52-Ken Schrader
 * 4)  2-L.D. Ottinger
 * 5) 25-Jimmy Hensley
 * 6) 17-Darrell Waltrip
 * 7)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 8) 36-Kenny Wallace 1 lap down
 * 9) 12-Jeff Burton 1 lap down
 * 10)  4-Ed Berrier 1 lap down

Budweiser 250
The Budweiser 250 was held April 7 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Bobby Labonte won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1)  2-L.D. Ottinger
 * 2) 32-Dale Jarrett
 * 3) 42-Kyle Petty
 * 4)  1-Mark Martin
 * 5)  3-Dale Earnhardt
 * 6) 25-Jimmy Hensley 1 lap down
 * 7) 96-Tom Peck 2 laps down
 * 8) 44-Bobby Labonte 2 laps down
 * 9) 87-Joe Nemechek 2 laps down
 * 10) 63-Chuck Bown 2 laps down


 * This race is best remembered for an infamous wreck involving Michael Waltrip. Waltrip's Kool-Aid sponsored #30 Pontiac Grand Prix hit the wall at the crossover gate in turn 2.  The gate was not locked properly, so it opened, sending the #30 into the blunt end of the wall.  The car was literally ripped apart.  Miraculously, Waltrip emerged unscathed and competed in the Winston Cup Series' Valleydale Meats 500 the next day.

U-Can-Rent 200
The U-Can-Rent 200 was held April 28 at Lanier National Speedway. Chuck Bown won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 63-Chuck Bown*
 * 2) 36-Kenny Wallace
 * 3) 99-Tommy Ellis
 * 4)  8-Bobby Hamilton 1 lap down
 * 5) 31-Steve Grissom 1 lap down
 * 6) 79-Dave Rezendes 1 lap down
 * 7) 44-Bobby Labonte 1 lap down
 * 8) 08-Bobby Dotter 1 lap down
 * 9) 25-Jimmy Hensley 1 lap down
 * 10) 59-Robert Pressley 2 laps down


 * Chuck Bown led all 200 laps in this race.

Roses Stores 200
The Roses Stores 200 was held May 5 at South Boston Speedway. Jimmy Hensley won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 2) 12-Jeff Burton
 * 3) 31-Steve Grissom
 * 4) 25-Jimmy Hensley
 * 5) 22-Rick Mast
 * 6)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 7)  8-Bobby Hamilton
 * 8) 11-Jack Ingram
 * 9) 59-Robert Pressley
 * 10) 27-Elton Sawyer

Pontiac 300
The Pontiac 300 was held May 12 at Nazareth Speedway. Davey Allison won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 25-Jimmy Hensley
 * 2) 79-Dave Rezendes
 * 3) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 4)  9-Morgan Shepherd
 * 5) 31-Steve Grissom
 * 6) 26-Davey Johnson
 * 7) 36-Kenny Wallace
 * 8)  8-Bobby Hamilton
 * 9)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 10) 28-Davey Allison

Granger Select 200
The Granger Select 200 was held May 19 at Hickory Motor Speedway. Chuck Bown won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 2)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 3) 77-Jimmy Spencer
 * 4) 59-Robert Pressley
 * 5) 44-Bobby Labonte
 * 6)  8-Bobby Hamilton
 * 7) 31-Steve Grissom
 * 8) 22-Rick Mast
 * 9)  7-Harry Gant 1 lap down
 * 10) 36-Kenny Wallace 1 lap down

Champion 300
The Champion 300 was held May 26 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Dick Trickle won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 32-Dale Jarrett
 * 2) 92-Dick Trickle
 * 3)  7-Harry Gant
 * 4) 48-Sterling Marlin
 * 5) 99-Tommy Ellis
 * 6) 28-Davey Allison
 * 7) 25-Jimmy Hensley
 * 8)  3-Dale Earnhardt
 * 9) 36-Kenny Wallace
 * 10) 44-Bobby Labonte

Budweiser 200
The Budweiser 200 was held June 2 at Dover International Speedway. Bobby Labonte won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 30-Michael Waltrip
 * 2)  7-Harry Gant
 * 3) 44-Bobby Labonte
 * 4) 96-Tom Peck
 * 5) 56-Ronald Cooper
 * 6)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 7) 33-Dick Trickle
 * 8) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 9) 27-Elton Sawyer
 * 10) 11-Jack Ingram

Roses Stores 200
The Roses Stores 200 was held June 9 at Orange County Speedway. Jeff Burton won the pole. The race was televised by SportsChannel.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 2) 79-Dave Rezendes
 * 3) 11-Jack Ingram
 * 4)  8-Bobby Hamilton
 * 5) 12-Jeff Burton
 * 6) 34-Jack Sprague
 * 7) 42-Todd Bodine
 * 8) 86-Dana Patten
 * 9) 96-Tom Peck
 * 10) 44-Bobby Labonte 1 lap down


 * This race featured a thrilling race for the lead late in the event. Bown, Rezendes and Ingram were 3 wide for the lead with about 20 laps to go.

Firecracker 200
The Firecracker 200 was held June 23 at Volusia County Speedway. Chuck Bown won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 2) 27-Elton Sawyer
 * 3)  8-Bobby Hamilton
 * 4) 31-Steve Grissom
 * 5) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 6) 87-Joe Nemechek
 * 7) 11-Jack Ingram
 * 8) 25-Jimmy Hensley
 * 9) 08-Bobby Dotter
 * 10) 79-Dave Rezendes

Carolina Pride / Budweiser 200
The Carolina Pride / Budweiser 200 was held June 30 at Myrtle Beach Speedway. Tommy Ellis won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1)  1-Mark Martin
 * 2)  2-L.D. Ottinger
 * 3) 36-Kenny Wallace
 * 4) 08-Bobby Dotter
 * 5) 87-Joe Nemechek
 * 6) 56-Dave Mader III
 * 7) 99-Tommy Ellis
 * 8) 96-Tom Peck -1 lap
 * 9) 63-Chuck Bown -1 lap
 * 10) 44-Bobby Labonte -1 lap

True Value Oxford 250
The True Value Oxford 250 was a 250 green flag lap race held July 8 at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine. Joey Kourafas won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 2)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 3) 01-Joey Kourafas
 * 4) 22-Rick Mast
 * 5) 79-Dave Rezendes 1 lap down
 * 6) 41-Jamie Aube 1 lap down
 * 7) 44-Bobby Labonte 1 lap down
 * 8) 31-Steve Grissom 2 laps down
 * 9)  7-Billy Clark 2 laps down
 * 10) 15-Mike Rowe 3 laps down

NOTE: This is a joint Busch/Busch North series race. Under the rules of Oxford Plains Speedway for the Oxford 250, only green flag laps count towards the 250-lap distance.

Budweiser 300
The inaugural Budweiser 300 was held July 15 at New Hampshire International Speedway. The #25 of Jimmy Hensley won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 99-Tommy Ellis
 * 2)  7-Harry Gant
 * 3) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 4)  9-Morgan Shepherd
 * 5) 22-Rick Mast
 * 6) 51-Mike McLaughlin
 * 7)  3-Dale Earnhardt
 * 8) 32-Dale Jarrett
 * 9) 08-Bobby Dotter
 * 10) 96-Tom Peck


 * Bobby Labonte had flipped in this race when he was clipped hard, got it upside down, hit the wall and tumbled 2 times.

Coors 200
The Coors 200 was held July 21 at South Boston Speedway. The #25 of Jimmy Hensley won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 2) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 3)  8-Bobby Hamilton
 * 4) 22-Rick Mast
 * 5) 31-Steve Grissom
 * 6)  9-Ward Burton 1 lap down
 * 7) 99-Tommy Ellis 1 lap down
 * 8) 44-Bobby Labonte 2 laps down
 * 9) 21-Tommy Sigmon 2 laps down
 * 10) 33-Ed Berrier 2 laps down

Granger Select 200
The Granger Select 200 was held July 28 at New River Valley Speedway in Dublin, Virginia. Steve Grissom won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 31-Steve Grissom*
 * 2) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 3) 25-Jimmy Hensley
 * 4)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 5) 87-Joe Nemechek
 * 6) 79-Dave Rezendes
 * 7)  9-Ward Burton
 * 8) 59-Robert Pressley
 * 9) 36-Kenny Wallace
 * 10) 35-Mike Porter


 * This was Steve Grissom's first career Busch Grand National victory.

Kroger 200
The Kroger 200 was held August 4 at Indianapolis Raceway Park. The #25 of Jimmy Hensley won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 31-Steve Grissom
 * 2) 75-Ernie Irvan
 * 3)  3-Dale Earnhardt
 * 4) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 5) 59-Robert Pressley
 * 6) 27-Elton Sawyer
 * 7) 96-Tom Peck
 * 8) 33-Ed Berrier
 * 9) 79-Dave Rezendes
 * 10) 56-Dave Mader III

Texas Pete 200
The Texas Pete 200 was held August 11 at Orange County Speedway. The #33 of Ed Berrier won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 63-Chuck Bown
 * 2)  2-L.D. Ottinger
 * 3) 59-Robert Pressley
 * 4) 25-Jimmy Hensley
 * 5) 27-Elton Sawyer
 * 6)  8-Bobby Hamilton 1 lap down
 * 7) 08-Bobby Dotter 1 lap down
 * 8) 85-Bobby Moon 1 lap down
 * 9) 99-Tommy Ellis 1 lap down
 * 10) 22-Rick Mast 2 laps down

Jay Johnson 250
The Jay Johnson 250 was held August 24 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The #44 of Bobby Labonte won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 22-Rick Mast
 * 2) 32-Dale Jarrett
 * 3) 31-Steve Grissom
 * 4) 79-Dave Rezendes
 * 5)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 6)  1-Mark Martin
 * 7)  8-Bobby Hamilton
 * 8) 28-Davey Allison 1 lap down
 * 9) 99-Tommy Ellis 1 lap down
 * 10) 25-Jimmy Hensley 1 lap down

Gatorade 200
The Gatorade 200 was held September 1 at Darlington Raceway. The #17 of Greg Sacks won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 32-Dale Jarrett
 * 2)  7-Harry Gant
 * 3) 30-Michael Waltrip
 * 4) 42-Bobby Hillin, Jr.
 * 5) 25-Jimmy Hensley
 * 6)  9-Morgan Shepherd
 * 7) 28-Davey Allison
 * 8) 56-Dave Mader III 1 lap down
 * 9) 36-Kenny Wallace 1 lap down
 * 10) 44-Bobby Labonte 1 lap down

Autolite 200
The Autolite 200 was held September 8 at Richmond International Raceway. Michael Waltrip won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 22-Rick Mast
 * 2) 31-Steve Grissom
 * 3) 30-Michael Waltrip
 * 4)  3-Dale Earnhardt
 * 5) 25-Jimmy Hensley
 * 6) 36-Kenny Wallace
 * 7) 59-Robert Pressley
 * 8) 32-Dale Jarrett
 * 9) 96-Tom Peck
 * 10)  7-Harry Gant

Ames/Splitfire 200
The Ames/Splitfire 200 was held September 15 at Dover International Speedway. The #99 of Tommy Ellis won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1)  7-Harry Gant
 * 2) 22-Rick Mast
 * 3) 81-Todd Bodine
 * 4) 32-Dale Jarrett
 * 5)  8-Bobby Hamilton
 * 6) 96-Tom Peck 1 lap down
 * 7) 31-Steve Grissom 2 laps down
 * 8) 36-Kenny Wallace 2 laps down
 * 9) 56-Dave Mader III 2 laps down
 * 10) 25-Jimmy Hensley 2 laps down

Zerex 150
The Zerex 150 was held September 22 at Martinsville Speedway. The #22 of Rick Mast won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 12-Jeff Burton*
 * 2) 59-Robert Pressley
 * 3) 32-Dale Jarrett
 * 4) 85-Bobby Moon
 * 5)  2-L.D. Ottinger
 * 6) 75-Jimmy Spencer
 * 7) 25-Jimmy Hensley
 * 8) 36-Kenny Wallace
 * 9) 08-Bobby Dotter
 * 10) 56-Dave Mader III


 * This was Jeff Burton's first career Busch Grand National victory.

All Pro 300
The All Pro 300 was held October 6 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The #63 of Chuck Bown won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 48-Sterling Marlin*
 * 2) 15-Greg Sacks
 * 3) 32-Dale Jarrett
 * 4)  3-Dale Earnhardt
 * 5)  8-Bobby Hamilton
 * 6)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 7)  9-Ward Burton
 * 8) 56-Dave Mader III
 * 9) 96-Tom Peck
 * 10) 52-Ken Schrader


 * This was Sterling Marlin's first career Busch Grand National victory.

NE Chevy 250
The inaugural NE Chevy 250 was held October 14 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Ricky Craven won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 22-Rick Mast
 * 2) 44-Bobby Labonte
 * 3) 51-Mike McLaughlin
 * 4) 25-Ricky Craven
 * 5) 99-Tommy Ellis 1 lap down
 * 6) 27-Elton Sawyer 1 lap down
 * 7) 08-Bobby Dotter 1 lap down
 * 8) 85-Bobby Moon 1 lap down
 * 9) 12-Jeff Burton 1 lap down
 * 10) 33-Ed Berrier 1 lap down

AC-Delco 200
The AC-Delco 200 was held October 20 at North Carolina Speedway. Dave Mader III won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 31-Steve Grissom
 * 2)  3-Dale Earnhardt
 * 3) 97-Morgan Shepherd
 * 4)  1-Mark Martin
 * 5) 56-Dave Mader III
 * 6) 28-Davey Allison
 * 7)  7-Harry Gant 1 lap down
 * 8) 99-Tommy Ellis 1 lap down
 * 9) 32-Dale Jarrett 1 lap down
 * 10) 42-Bobby Hillin, Jr. 1 lap down


 * This race marked the Busch Grand National debut of 19 year old Jeff Gordon in the #67 Pontiac Grand Prix sponsored by Outback Steakhouse. Gordon qualified on the outside pole, but crashed out after 33 laps and finished 39th.

Winston Classic
The Winston Classic was a 200 lap race held October 28 at Martinsville Speedway. The #63 of Chuck Bown won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) 31-Steve Grissom
 * 2)  6-Tommy Houston
 * 3) 96-Tom Peck
 * 4) 51-Mike McLaughlin
 * 5) 11-Jack Ingram
 * 6) 40-Mike Wallace
 * 7) 44-Bobby Labonte
 * 8)  8-Bobby Hamilton
 * 9)  2-L.D. Ottinger
 * 10) 62-John Linville

Final Points Standings

 * 1) 63-Chuck Bown - 4372
 * 2) 25-Jimmy Hensley - 4172
 * 3) 31-Steve Grissom - 3982
 * 4) 44-Bobby Labonte - 3977
 * 5) 96-Tom Peck - 3868
 * 6) 99-Tommy Ellis - 3829
 * 7) 36-Kenny Wallace - 3829
 * 8)  2-L.D. Ottinger - 3693
 * 9)  6-Tommy Houston - 3667
 * 10) 22-Rick Mast - 3617
 * 11)  8-Bobby Hamilton - 3616
 * 12) 59-Robert Pressley - 3504
 * 13) 27-Elton Sawyer - 3442
 * 14) 08-Bobby Dotter - 3351
 * 15) 12-Jeff Burton - 3342
 * 16) 79-Dave Rezendes - 3217
 * 17) 87-Joe Nemechek - 3022
 * 18) 11-Jack Ingram - 2902
 * 19) 32-Dale Jarrett - 2473
 * 20) 85-Bobby Moon - 2295
 * 21) 5/9-Ward Burton - 2271
 * 22) 45-Patty Moise - 2190
 * 23)  7-Harry Gant - 2134
 * 24) 34-Jack Sprague - 2106
 * 25) 86-Dana Patten - 2013
 * 26)  3-Dale Earnhardt - 1947
 * 27) 26-Davey Johnson - 1809
 * 28) 33-Ed Berrier -  1748
 * 29) 47-Billy Standridge - 1594
 * 30) 56-Dave Mader III - 1432
 * 31)  1-Mark Martin - 1321
 * 32) 41-Jamie Aube - 1274
 * 33) 30-Michael Waltrip - 1185
 * 34) 9/97-Morgan Shepherd - 1171
 * 35) 42-Kyle Petty - 1079
 * 36) 28-Davey Allison -  1018
 * 37) 52-Ken Schrader - 1010
 * 38) 14-Wayne Patterson - 955
 * 39) 81/42-Todd Bodine - 772
 * 40) 21-Tommy Sigmon - 763
 * 41) Ed Ferree - 762
 * 42) Ernie Irvan - 742
 * 43) Ronald Cooper - 729
 * 44) Ron Lamell - 686
 * 45) Greg Sacks - 654
 * 46) Jimmy Spencer - 642
 * 47) Mike McLaughlin - 633
 * 48) 48-Sterling Marlin - 625
 * 49) Brad Teague - 609
 * 50) 17-Darrell Waltrip - 533

Rookie of the Year
Joe Nemechek was named the 1990 NASCAR Busch Series Rookie of the Year, posting two top-five finishes and garnering a seventeenth-place points finish despite missing three races. The top runner-up was Bobby Moon, followed closely Ward Burton and Dana Patten, the only other candidates to try a full schedule. Among the other rookies in 1990 were Jack Sprague, Dave Mader III, and Clifford Allison.