Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400

(Redirected from Pop Secret 400)

The Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series event that took place in November at the North Carolina Motor Speedway from 1965 to 2003. It was the first NASCAR Cup Series victory for three drivers including Mark Martin in 1989, Ward Burton in 1995, and Johnny Benson in 2002. It was the final race win for Bill Elliott in 2003.

Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
VenueNorth Carolina Speedway
LocationRockingham, North Carolina, United States
Corporate sponsorPop Secret
First race1965
Last race2003
Distance399.681 miles (643.224 km)
Laps393
Previous namesAmerican 500 (1965–1981)
Walter W. Hodgdon American 500 (1982–1984)
Nationwise 500 (1985–1986)
AC Delco 500 (1987–1994)
AC Delco 400 (1995–1998)
Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 (1999–2003)
Most wins (driver)Richard Petty
Cale Yarborough (4)
Most wins (team)Junior Johnson & Associates (8)
Most wins (manufacturer)Ford (12)
Circuit information
SurfaceAsphalt
Length1.017 mi (1.637 km)
Turns4

This race, typically run as the penultimate race of the NASCAR season, was dropped from the schedule after the 2003 season. The Pop Secret sponsorship was moved over to the newly acquired Labor Day date at Auto Club Speedway, while the late season date was originally taken over by the Southern 500 at Darlington and is now occupied by the AAA Texas 500 at Texas.

Past winners edit

YearDateNo.DriverTeamManufacturerRace DistanceRace TimeAverage Speed
(mph)
ReportRef
LapsMiles (km)
1965October 3141Curtis TurnerWood Brothers RacingFord500500 (804.672)4:54:17101.942Report[1]
1966October 3028Fred LorenzenHolman-MoodyFord500500 (804.672)4:47:30104.348Report[2]
1967October 2911Bobby AllisonHolman-MoodyFord500500 (804.672)5:04:4998.42Report[3]
1968October 2743Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPlymouth500500 (804.672)4:45:33105.06Report[4]
1969October 2698LeeRoy YarbroughJunior Johnson & AssociatesFord492500.364 (805.257)4:28:12111.938Report[5]
1970November 1521Cale YarboroughWood Brothers RacingMercury492500.364 (805.257)4:14:24117.811Report[6]
1971October 2443Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPlymouth492500.364 (805.257)4:24:43113.405Report[7]
1972October 2212Bobby AllisonRichard HowardChevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:13:49118.275Report[8]
1973October 2121David PearsonWood Brothers RacingMercury492500.364 (805.257)4:14:57117.749Report[9]
1974October 2021David PearsonWood Brothers RacingMercury492500.364 (805.257)4:13:21118.493Report[10]
1975October 1911Cale YarboroughJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:09:54120.129Report[11]
1976October 2443Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge492500.364 (805.257)4:15:01117.718Report[12]
1977October 231Donnie AllisonEllington RacingChevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:24:18113.584Report[13]
1978October 2211Cale YarboroughJunior Johnson & AssociatesOldsmobile492500.364 (805.257)4:15:58117.288Report[14]
1979October 2143Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesChevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:37:04108.356Report[15]
1980October 1911Cale YarboroughJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:22:59114.159Report[16]
1981November 111Darrell WaltripJunior Johnson & AssociatesBuick492500.364 (805.257)4:39:32107.399Report[17]
1982October 3111Darrell WaltripJunior Johnson & AssociatesBuick492500.364 (805.257)4:20:47115.122Report[18]
1983October 3044Terry LabonteBilly HaganChevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:11:36119.324Report[19]
1984October 219Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord492500.364 (805.257)4:26:35112.617Report[20]
1985October 2011Darrell WaltripJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevrolet492500.364 (805.257)4:13:40118.344Report[21]
1986October 1912Neil BonnettJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevrolet492500.364 (805.257)3:57:33126.381Report[22]
1987October 259Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord492500.364 (805.257)4:13:52118.258Report[23]
1988October 2327Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiac492500.364 (805.257)4:29:07111.557Report[24]
1989October 226Mark MartinRoush RacingFord492500.364 (805.257)4:23:10114.079Report[25]
1990October 217Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord492500.364 (805.257)3:57:25126.452Report[26]
1991October 2028Davey AllisonRobert Yates RacingFord492500.364 (805.257)3:55:51127.292Report[27]
1992October 2542Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiac492500.364 (805.257)3:49:37130.748Report[28]
1993October 242Rusty WallacePenske RacingPontiac492500.364 (805.257)4:23:16114.036Report[29]
1994October 233Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet492500.364 (805.257)3:57:30126.408Report[30]
1995October 2222Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingPontiac393399.681 (643.224)3:28:56114.778Report[31]
1996October 2010Ricky RuddRudd Performance
Motorsports
Ford393399.681 (643.224)3:16:03122.32Report[32]
1997October 2743Bobby HamiltonPetty EnterprisesPontiac393399.681 (643.224)3:17:00121.73Report[33]
1998November 124Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet393399.681 (643.224)3:06:44128.423Report[34]
1999October 2499Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord393399.681 (643.224)3:02:55131.103Report[35]
2000October 2288Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord393399.681 (643.224)3:37:11110.418Report[36]
2001November 433Joe NemechekAndy Petree RacingChevrolet393399.681 (643.224)3:05:59128.941Report[37]
2002November 310Johnny Benson Jr.MB2 MotorsportsPontiac393399.681 (643.224)3:06:35128.526Report[38]
2003November 99Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge393399.681 (643.224)3:34:44111.677Report[39]

Multiple winners (drivers) edit

Alan Kulwicki's 1990 winner trophy
# WinsDriverYears Won
4Richard Petty1968, 1971, 1976, 1979
Cale Yarborough1970, 1975, 1978, 1980
3Darrell Waltrip1981–1982, 1985
Bill Elliott1984, 1987, 2003
2Bobby Allison1967, 1972
David Pearson1973–1974
Rusty Wallace1988, 1993

Multiple winners (manufacturers) edit

# WinsManufacturerYears Won
12Ford1965–1967, 1969, 1984, 1987, 1989–1991, 1996, 1999–2000
11Chevrolet1972, 1975, 1977, 1979–1980, 1983, 1985–1986, 1994, 1998, 2001
6Pontiac1988, 1992–1993, 1995, 1997, 2002
3Mercury1970, 1973–1974
2Plymouth1968, 1971
Buick1981–1982
Dodge1976, 2003

Notable races edit

  • 1965: Curtis Turner posted his final Grand National win, driving the Wood Brothers Racing #41 following his reinstatement to NASCAR.
  • 1967: Bobby Allison posted his first Rockingham win. Formula One legend Jim Clark made his only NASCAR start in this race.
  • 1968: Richard Petty outlasted Cale Yarborough and Bobby Isaac for his only win of the season on a track bigger than a short track.
  • 1972: Bobby Allison battled Richard Petty, David Pearson, and Buddy Baker, ultimately leading 217 laps for his tenth win of 1972 and final win with the Richard Howard team led by Junior Johnson.
  • 1973: Pearson posted his eleventh win of the 1973 season while Benny Parsons won the season championship despite severe damage in an early crash.
  • 1976: Richard Petty defeated Lennie Pond for the win, despite several green-flag pitstops — Petty won despite 125 total seconds in the pits to Pond's 54 seconds.
  • 1977: Donnie Allison outclassed the field for his second win of the season.
  • 1979: Darrell Waltrip, entering the race with the Winston Cup point lead, finished a distant sixth as Petty grabbed the win and the point lead.
  • 1980: Multiple crashes thinned the field as Cale Yarborough took the win in a close points race with sophomore Dale Earnhardt. The race lead changed 35 times.
  • 1981: Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison, locked in a bitter point battle, finished 1–2; the lead changed 33 times in total and five times over the final 32 laps between Waltrip and Allison.
  • 1982: Allison spun out of the pits on his final pitstop and Waltrip seized the win.
  • 1983: Terry Labonte broke out of a duel with Tim Richmond for the win, his first in three years.
  • 1984: Bill Elliott edged Harry Gant in a photo finish after Gant seized the lead with two to go.
  • 1992: In the final race Richard Petty would compete in at the Petty's native North Carolina; son Kyle, in the hunt for the 1992 championship, dominated the race, leading all but 8 laps en route to the younger Petty collecting his 2nd victory of the season; which was the only time Kyle Petty won more than one race in a season.
  • 1994: In addition to winning the race, Dale Earnhardt clinched his 7th title at the Rock.
  • 1995: Ward Burton won his first race at the Rock after a late season change to Bill Davis Racing.
  • 2001: Joe Nemechek gave Andy Petree Racing their last win in NASCAR by leading the most laps.
  • 2002: Johnny Benson finally clinched the win at the Rock for his first win over a hard-charging Mark Martin.
  • 2003: Bill Elliott's victory in this race was the last win of his career.

References edit

  1. ^ "1965 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  2. ^ "1966 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  3. ^ "1967 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  4. ^ "1968 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  5. ^ "1969 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  6. ^ "1970 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  7. ^ "1971 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  8. ^ "1972 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  9. ^ "1973 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  10. ^ "1974 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  11. ^ "1975 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  12. ^ "1976 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  13. ^ "1977 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  14. ^ "1978 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  15. ^ "1979 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  16. ^ "1980 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  17. ^ "1981 American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  18. ^ "1982 Walter W. Hodgdon American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  19. ^ "1983 Walter W. Hodgdon American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  20. ^ "1984 Walter W. Hodgdon American 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  21. ^ "1985 Nationwise 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  22. ^ "1986 Nationwise 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  23. ^ "1987 AC Delco 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  24. ^ "1988 AC Delco 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  25. ^ "1989 AC Delco 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  26. ^ "1990 AC Delco 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  27. ^ "1991 AC Delco 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  28. ^ "1992 AC Delco 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  29. ^ "1993 AC Delco 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  30. ^ "1994 AC Delco 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  31. ^ "1995 AC Delco 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  32. ^ "1996 AC Delco 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  33. ^ "1997 ACDelco 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  34. ^ "1998 AC Delco 500". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  35. ^ "1999 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  36. ^ "2000 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  37. ^ "2001 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  38. ^ "2002 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  39. ^ "2003 Pop-Secret Microwave Popcorn 400". NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 24, 2023.

External links edit