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Date September 9, 1990 (1990-September-09) Official name Miller Genuine Draft 400 Location Richmond Fairgrounds, Richmond, Virginia Course Permanent racing facility
0.542 mi (0.872 km) Distance 400 laps, 300.0 mi (480.9 km) Weather Warm with temperatures reaching up to 79 °F (26 °C); wind speeds up to 8.9 miles per hour (14.3 km/h) | ||
The 1990 Miller Genuine Draft 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on September 9, 1990, at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. This race spanned 300 miles or 480 kilometres on a permanent oval track; which each lap lasting 0.750 miles or 1.207 kilometres.
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Background
In 1953, Richmond International Raceway began hosting the Grand National Series with Lee Petty winning that first race in Richmond. The original track was paved in 1968. In 1988, the track was re-designed into its present D-shaped configuration
The name for the raceway complex was "Strawberry Hill" until the Virginia State Fairgrounds site was bought out in 1999 and renamed the "Richmond International Raceway". The Strawberry Hill Races, which are a series of steeplechase horse races were formerly held the third Saturday of April at the Richmond Raceway Complex. In 2001, the races were moved to Colonial Downs in New Kent County, Virginia's first Thoroughbred racetrack.
Summary
There was a starting grid of 36 American-born drivers; J.D. McDuffie, Jack Pennington, and Kerry Teague failed to qualify for this race.
Harry Gant was credited as the last-place finisher after acquiring an engine failure at lap 12 of this 400-lap racing event. Jimmy Spencer was the last driver to actually finish the race; being 82 laps shy of the lead lap. Dale Earnhardt would defeat Mark Martin by nearly 0.90 seconds in this three-hour legendary race. Several accidents and debris caused nine caution flags while Rusty Wallace and Dale Earnhardt were competing for the lead during the climax of the race. Ernie Irvan, Alan Kulwicki, Mark Martin, and Ken Schrader would duke it out for supremacy during the first 101 laps of this event.
Ron Esau would retire from the NASCAR Cup Series after this race. Earnhardt would walk away from this race taking home a then-impressive amount of $59,225 ($108,569.11 when adjusted for inflation) while Harry Gant had to take home a modest $8,855 ($16,232.66 when adjusted for inflation).