1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

The 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday February 10 and ended on Sunday November 17. Darrell Waltrip, driving for Junior Johnson, was crowned champion (for the third time in his career) at the end of the season. Bill Elliott, driving for Harry Melling, had won 11 races in 1985 (as well as the Winston Million), but lost the title by 101 points to three-time race winner Waltrip.

Busch Clash
The Busch Clash was run on February 10 at Daytona International Speedway. Ricky Rudd drew for the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Terry Labonte
 * 2) Darrell Waltrip
 * 3) Bill Elliott
 * 4) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 5) Harry Gant
 * 6) Ricky Rudd
 * 7) Buddy Baker
 * 8) Rusty Wallace
 * 9) Joe Ruttman
 * 10) Cale Yarborough

Gatorade Twin 125's
The Gatorade Twin 125's were run on February 14 at Daytona. Bill Elliott and Cale Yarborough won the pole for Races 1 and 2, respectively.

Race One Top Ten Results


 * 1) Bill Elliott
 * 2) Darrell Waltrip
 * 3) Benny Parsons
 * 4) Buddy Baker
 * 5) Ricky Rudd
 * 6) Dick Brooks
 * 7) Greg Sacks
 * 8) Ron Bouchard
 * 9) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 10) Neil Bonnett

Race Two Top Ten Results


 * 1) Cale Yarborough
 * 2) David Pearson
 * 3) Kyle Petty
 * 4) Richard Petty
 * 5) Harry Gant
 * 6) Phil Parsons
 * 7) Lake Speed
 * 8) A.J. Foyt
 * 9) Dale Earnhardt
 * 10) Sterling Marlin

Miller High Life 400
The Miller High Life 400 was run on February 24 at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Darrell Waltrip won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Dale Earnhardt
 * 2) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 3) Darrell Waltrip
 * 4) Ron Bouchard
 * 5) Harry Gant
 * 6) Terry Labonte
 * 7) Kyle Petty
 * 8) Dave Marcis
 * 9) Tim Richmond
 * 10) Lake Speed

Carolina 500
The Carolina 500 was run on March 3 at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina. Terry Labonte won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Neil Bonnett
 * 2) Harry Gant
 * 3) Terry Labonte
 * 4) Lake Speed
 * 5) Kyle Petty
 * 6) Joe Ruttman
 * 7) Cale Yarborough
 * 8) Richard Petty
 * 9) Rusty Wallace
 * 10) Dale Earnhardt

Coca-Cola 500
The Coca-Cola 500 was run on March 5 at Atlanta International Raceway in Atlanta, Georgia. Neil Bonnett won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Bill Elliott
 * 2) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 3) Neil Bonnett
 * 4) Ricky Rudd
 * 5) Bobby Allison
 * 6) Terry Labonte
 * 7) Ron Bouchard
 * 8) Benny Parsons
 * 9) Dale Earnhardt
 * 10) Greg Sacks

Valleydale 500
The Valleydale 500 was run on April 6 at Bristol International Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. Harry Gant won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Dale Earnhardt
 * 2) Ricky Rudd
 * 3) Terry Labonte
 * 4) Buddy Baker
 * 5) Rusty Wallace
 * 6) Kyle Petty
 * 7) Lake Speed
 * 8) Richard Petty
 * 9) Bobby Hillin, Jr.
 * 10) Ken Schrader

This race was scheduled to run on March 31, 1985 but was moved to April 6th due to rain.

TranSouth 500
The TranSouth 500 was run on April 14 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. Bill Elliott won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Bill Elliott
 * 2) Darrell Waltrip
 * 3) Tim Richmond
 * 4) Terry Labonte
 * 5) Rusty Wallace
 * 6) Neil Bonnett
 * 7) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 8) Phil Parsons
 * 9) Lake Speed
 * 10) Bobby Allison

Northwestern Bank 400
The Northwestern Bank 400 was run on April 21 at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Darrell Waltrip won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Neil Bonnett
 * 2) Darrell Waltrip
 * 3) Bobby Allison
 * 4) Ricky Rudd
 * 5) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 6) Bill Elliott
 * 7) Terry Labonte
 * 8) Dale Earnhardt
 * 9) Lake Speed
 * 10) Harry Gant

Sovran Bank 500
The Sovran Bank 500 was run on April 28 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia. Darrell Waltrip won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Harry Gant
 * 2) Ricky Rudd
 * 3) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 4) Bobby Allison
 * 5) Neil Bonnett
 * 6) Terry Labonte
 * 7) Richard Petty
 * 8) Lake Speed
 * 9) Phil Parsons
 * 10) Rusty Wallace

Winston 500
The Winston 500 was run on May 5 at Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega, Alabama. Bill Elliott won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Bill Elliott
 * 2) Kyle Petty
 * 3) Cale Yarborough
 * 4) Bobby Allison
 * 5) Ricky Rudd
 * 6) Buddy Baker
 * 7) Terry Labonte
 * 8) Dave Marcis
 * 9) Bobby Hillin, Jr.
 * 10) Lake Speed

Bill Elliott made up two laps under green during this race. Elliott lost the laps from pit road difficulties.

Budweiser 500
The Budweiser 500 was run on May 19 at Dover Downs International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. Terry Labonte won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Bill Elliott
 * 2) Harry Gant
 * 3) Kyle Petty
 * 4) Ricky Rudd
 * 5) Darrell Waltrip
 * 6) Tim Richmond
 * 7) Richard Petty
 * 8) Neil Bonnett
 * 9) Dave Marcis
 * 10) Ken Schrader

The Winston
The inaugural Winston (now referred as the Sprint All-Star Race I, as Roman numeral designations were added to the race in 2008) was run on May 25 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Darrell Waltrip won.

Coca-Cola World 600
The Coca-Cola World 600 was run on May 26 at Charlotte. Bill Elliott won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Darrell Waltrip
 * 2) Harry Gant
 * 3) Bobby Allison
 * 4) Dale Earnhardt
 * 5) Terry Labonte
 * 6) Lake Speed
 * 7) Joe Ruttman
 * 8) Rusty Wallace
 * 9) Tim Richmond
 * 10) Dick Brooks

Budweiser 400
The Budweiser 400 was run on June 2 at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California. Darrell Waltrip won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Terry Labonte
 * 2) Harry Gant
 * 3) Bobby Allison
 * 4) Ricky Rudd
 * 5) Kyle Petty
 * 6) Bill Elliott
 * 7) Richard Petty
 * 8) Darrell Waltrip
 * 9) Tim Richmond
 * 10) Ken Schrader

Van Scoy Diamond Mine 500
The Van Scoy Diamond Mine 500 was run on June 9 at Pocono International Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Bill Elliott won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Bill Elliott
 * 2) Harry Gant
 * 3) Darrell Waltrip
 * 4) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 5) Neil Bonnett
 * 6) Benny Parsons
 * 7) Ricky Rudd
 * 8) Buddy Baker
 * 9) Bobby Allison
 * 10) Tim Richmond

Miller 400
The Miller 400 was run on June 16 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. Bill Elliott won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Bill Elliott
 * 2) Darrell Waltrip
 * 3) Cale Yarborough
 * 4) Tim Richmond
 * 5) Dale Earnhardt
 * 6) Bobby Allison
 * 7) Ricky Rudd
 * 8) Neil Bonnett
 * 9) Dave Marcis
 * 10) Benny Parsons

Pepsi Firecracker 400
The Pepsi Firecracker 400 was run on July 4 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Bill Elliott won the pole. The race was won by Greg Sacks, who was driving as a Research & Development driver for DiGard Motorsports. His win caused Bobby Allison to leave the team.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Greg Sacks
 * 2) Bill Elliott
 * 3) Darrell Waltrip
 * 4) Ron Bouchard
 * 5) Kyle Petty
 * 6) Buddy Baker
 * 7) Ricky Rudd
 * 8) Terry Labonte
 * 9) Dale Earnhardt
 * 10) David Pearson

Summer 500
The Summer 500 was run on July 21 at Pocono International Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Darrell Waltrip won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Bill Elliott
 * 2) Neil Bonnett
 * 3) Darrell Waltrip
 * 4) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 5) Harry Gant
 * 6) Benny Parsons
 * 7) Kyle Petty
 * 8) Phil Parsons
 * 9) Ron Bouchard
 * 10) Buddy Baker

Talladega 500
The Talladega 500 was run on July 28 at Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega, Alabama. Bill Elliott won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Cale Yarborough
 * 2) Neil Bonnett
 * 3) Ron Bouchard
 * 4) Bill Elliott
 * 5) A.J. Foyt
 * 6) Richard Petty
 * 7) Harry Gant
 * 8) Lake Speed
 * 9) Darrell Waltrip
 * 10) Davey Allison

Champion Spark Plug 400
The Champion Spark Plug 400 was run on August 11 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. Bill Elliott won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Bill Elliott
 * 2) Darrell Waltrip
 * 3) Harry Gant
 * 4) Kyle Petty
 * 5) Benny Parsons
 * 6) Phil Parsons
 * 7) Rusty Wallace
 * 8) Dick Trickle
 * 9) Terry Labonte
 * 10) Buddy Arrington

Busch 500
The Busch 500 was run on August 24 at Bristol International Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. Dale Earnhardt won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Dale Earnhardt
 * 2) Tim Richmond
 * 3) Neil Bonnett
 * 4) Darrell Waltrip
 * 5) Bill Elliott
 * 6) Harry Gant
 * 7) Ron Bouchard
 * 8) Richard Petty
 * 9) Ricky Rudd
 * 10) Lake Speed

Southern 500
The Southern 500 was run on September 1 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. Bill Elliott won the pole, and won the Winston Million with the race victory.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Bill Elliott
 * 2) Cale Yarborough
 * 3) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 4) Neil Bonnett
 * 5) Ron Bouchard
 * 6) Ricky Rudd
 * 7) Terry Labonte
 * 8) Benny Parsons
 * 9) Joe Ruttman
 * 10) Kyle Petty

Wrangler Sanfor-Set 400
The Wrangler Sanfor-Set 400 was run on September 8 at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Geoffrey Bodine won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Darrell Waltrip
 * 2) Terry Labonte
 * 3) Richard Petty
 * 4) Dale Earnhardt
 * 5) Ricky Rudd
 * 6) Harry Gant
 * 7) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 8) Kyle Petty
 * 9) Neil Bonnett
 * 10) Tommy Ellis

Delaware 500
The Delaware 500 was run on September 15 at Dover Downs International Speedway in Dover, Delaware. Bill Elliott won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Harry Gant
 * 2) Darrell Waltrip
 * 3) Ricky Rudd
 * 4) Bobby Allison
 * 5) Neil Bonnett
 * 6) Tim Richmond
 * 7) Dale Earnhardt
 * 8) Ron Bouchard
 * 9) Richard Petty
 * 10) Lake Speed

Goody's 500
The Goody's 500 was run on September 22 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia. Geoffrey Bodine won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Dale Earnhardt
 * 2) Darrell Waltrip
 * 3) Harry Gant
 * 4) Ricky Rudd
 * 5) Kyle Petty
 * 6) Ron Bouchard
 * 7) Tim Richmond
 * 8) Bobby Hillin, Jr.
 * 9) Neil Bonnett
 * 10) Bobby Allison

Holly Farms 400
The Holly Farms 400 was run on September 29 at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Geoffrey Bodine won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Harry Gant
 * 2) Terry Labonte
 * 3) Terry Labonte
 * 4) Dale Earnhardt
 * 5) Ricky Rudd
 * 6) Ron Bouchard
 * 7) Tim Richmond
 * 8) Richard Petty
 * 9) Dave Marcis
 * 10) Neil Bonnett

Miller High Life 500
The Miller High Life 500 was run on October 6 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Harry Gant won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Cale Yarborough
 * 2) Bill Elliott
 * 3) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 4) Darrell Waltrip
 * 5) Joe Ruttman
 * 6) Tim Richmond
 * 7) Morgan Shepherd
 * 8) Buddy Baker
 * 9) Bobby Hillin, Jr.
 * 10) Richard Petty

Nationwise 500
The Nationwise 500 was run on October 20 at North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, North Carolina. Terry Labonte won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Darrell Waltrip
 * 2) Ron Bouchard
 * 3) Harry Gant
 * 4) Bill Elliott
 * 5) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 6) Tim Richmond
 * 7) Ricky Rudd
 * 8) Dale Earnhardt
 * 9) Rusty Wallace
 * 10) Greg Sacks

Atlanta Journal 500
The Atlanta Journal 500 was run on November 3 at Atlanta International Raceway in Hampton, Georgia. Harry Gant won the pole.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Bill Elliott
 * 2) Cale Yarborough
 * 3) Darrell Waltrip
 * 4) Dale Earnhardt
 * 5) Morgan Shepherd
 * 6) Terry Labonte
 * 7) Lake Speed
 * 8) Harry Gant
 * 9) Greg Sacks
 * 10) Richard Petty

Winston Western 500
The Winston Western 500 was run on November 17 at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California. Terry Labonte won the pole. In this race, Darrell Waltrip clinched his third Winston Cup title, having won three races to Bill Elliott's eleven. Elliott, on the other hand, suffered early transmission problems in the race, which cost him the championship; he finished 31st.

Top Ten Results


 * 1) Ricky Rudd
 * 2) Terry Labonte
 * 3) Neil Bonnett
 * 4) Harry Gant
 * 5) Dale Earnhardt
 * 6) Geoffrey Bodine
 * 7) Darrell Waltrip
 * 8) Richard Petty
 * 9) Lake Speed
 * 10) Ron Bouchard

Final Points Standings

 * 1) Darrell Waltrip 4292
 * 2) Bill Elliott 4191
 * 3) Harry Gant 4033
 * 4) Neil Bonnett 3902
 * 5) Geoffrey Bodine 3862
 * 6) Ricky Rudd 3857
 * 7) Terry Labonte 3683
 * 8) Dale Earnhardt 3561
 * 9) Kyle Petty 3528
 * 10) Lake Speed 3507
 * 11) Tim Richmond 3413
 * 12) Bobby Allison 3312
 * 13) Ron Bouchard 3267
 * 14) Richard Petty 3140
 * 15) Bobby Hillin, Jr. 3091
 * 16) Ken Schrader 3024
 * 17) Buddy Baker 2986
 * 18) Dave Marcis 2871
 * 19) Rusty Wallace 2861
 * 20) Buddy Arrington 2870
 * 21) Phil Parsons 2840
 * 22) Clark Dwyer 2641
 * 23) Jimmy Means 2548
 * 24) Eddie Bierschwale 2396
 * 25) Greg Sacks 1944
 * 26) Cale Yarborough 1861
 * 27) J. D. McDuffie 1853
 * 28) Trevor Boys 1461
 * 29) Benny Parsons 1427
 * 30) Joe Ruttman 1410
 * 31) Morgan Shepherd 1406
 * 32) Bobby Wawak 1226
 * 33) Lennie Pond 1107
 * 34) Tommy Ellis 1100
 * 35) Mike Alexander 1046
 * 36) David Pearson 879
 * 37) Sterling Marlin 645
 * 38) Don Hume 637
 * 39) Ronnie Thomas 631
 * 40) Alan Kulwicki 509
 * 41) Rick Newsom 450
 * 42) Mike Potter 443
 * 43) Jerry Bowman 434
 * 44) Bobby Gerhart 422
 * 45) A.J. Foyt 410
 * 46) Phil Good 406
 * 47) Ken Ragan 356
 * 48) Slick Johnson 343
 * 49) Connie Saylor 296
 * 50) Jim Sauter 267

The above information is from Racing Reference