1985 Daytona 500 – Wikipedia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Auto race held at Daytona International Speedway in 1985

The 1985 Daytona 500, the 27th running of the event, was held on February 17, 1985, at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Race report[edit]

Bill Elliott won the pole at a then-record speed of 205.114 mph. After a mediocre run in the Busch Clash, Elliott nearly lapped the field in his 125-mile qualifying race, then thoroughly dominated the Daytona 500, leading 136 of the 200 laps in his #9 Coors/Melling Ford Thunderbird. The race restarted on the last lap after a Neil Bonnett spin out with less than four laps to go; Bonnett got out of his car and was credited for a 10th-place finish. The race saw a number of engine problems, which knocked many of the contenders, including former Daytona 500 winners David Pearson, A. J. Foyt, Benny Parsons, Bobby Allison, and two-time defending race winner Cale Yarborough, who was trying to win his third straight Daytona 500 victory.[3]

The only car that could consistently run with Elliott was Cale Yarborough, and when his engine went up in smoke on lap 62 the race was for all intents and purposes over.[1]Hendrick Motorsports landed its first big-time full-season sponsorship for 1985 with Levi Garrett chewing tobacco coming aboard to sponsor the #5 Chevrolet of Geoff Bodine. The car’s first points race in its new yellow-and-white paint scheme saw Bodine post a solid top-10 run, kicking off a several-year partnership.[1]

There were 12 cars that were knocked out just from engine problems; with a lot of big names affected (Neil Bonnett, who somehow finished 10th even with a blown engine; defending champion Terry Labonte; both Parsons brothers; Kyle Petty; Harry Gant; David Pearson; Bobby Allison and 2-time defending Daytona 500 champion Cale Yarborough among them).[1]

Qualifying[edit]

Qualifying results[edit]

Pos Driver Team Manufacturer
1 9 Bill Elliott Harry Melling Ford Thunderbird 205.114
2 28 Cale Yarborough Harry Ranier Ford Thunderbird 203.814
3 11 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson Chevrolet Monte Carlo
4 21 David Pearson Hoss Ellington Chevrolet Monte Carlo
5 55 Benny Parsons Leo/Richard Jackson Chevrolet Monte Carlo
6 7 Kyle Petty Wood Brothers Ford Thunderbird
7 88 Buddy Baker Buddy Baker/Danny Schiff Oldsmobile Cutlass
8 43 Richard Petty Mike Curb Pontiac Grand Prix
9 15 Ricky Rudd Bud Moore Ford Thunderbird
10 33 Harry Gant Hal Needham Chevrolet Monte Carlo
11 1 Dick Brooks Petty Enterprises Ford Thunderbird
12 66 Phil Parsons Leo/Richard Jackson Chevrolet Monte Carlo
13 51 Greg Sacks Arnie Sacks Chevrolet Monte Carlo
14 75 Lake Speed RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac Grand Prix
15 47 Ron Bouchard Jack Beebe Buick Regal
16 14 A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Oldsmobile Cutlass
17 5 Geoff Bodine Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Monte Carlo
18 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Chevrolet Monte Carlo
19 12 Neil Bonnett Junior Johnson Chevrolet Monte Carlo
20 95 Sterling Marlin Sadler Brothers Chevrolet Monte Carlo
21 71 Dave Marcis Dave Marcis Chevrolet Monte Carlo
22 2 Rusty Wallace Cliff Stewart Pontiac Grand Prix
23 10 Doug Heveron Tom Heveron Chevrolet Monte Carlo
24 90 Ken Schrader Junie Donlavey Ford Thunderbird
25 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Chevrolet Monte Carlo
26 74 Bobby Wawak Bobby Wawak Chevrolet Monte Carlo
27 48 Lennie Pond James Hylton Chevrolet Monte Carlo
28 89 Jim Sauter Mueller Brothers Pontiac Grand Prix
29 84 Mike Alexander Sims Brothers Chevrolet Monte Carlo
30 0 Delma Cowart H.L. Waters Chevrolet Monte Carlo
31 44 Terry Labonte Billy Hagan Chevrolet Monte Carlo
32 4 Joe Ruttman Larry McClure Chevrolet Monte Carlo
33 27 Tim Richmond Raymond Beadle Pontiac Grand Prix
34 22 Bobby Allison DiGard Buick Regal
35 98 Trevor Boys Ron Benfield Chevrolet Monte Carlo
36 67 Morgan Shepherd Buddy Arrington Chrysler Imperial
36 17 Ken Ragan Roger Hamby Chevrolet Monte Carlo
37 8 Bobby Hillin Jr. Stavola Brothers Chevrolet Monte Carlo
38 64 Clark Dwyer Elmo Langley Ford Thunderbird
39 31 Slick Johnson Henley Gray Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Source[4]

Failed to qualify[edit]

Finishing Order[edit]

(5) Indicates 5 bonus points added to normal race points scored for leading 1 lap
(10) Indicates 10 bonus points added to normal race points scored for leading 1 lap & leading the most laps[4]

Cautions[edit]

5 for 18 laps[1]

From
Lap
To
Lap
Number
of laps
Reason
72 77 6 Car #27 accident, backstretch
162 164 3 Car #71 stalled, turn 4
174 176 3 Car #1 accident, turn 2
192 194 3 Car #48 spin, frontstretch
197 199 3 Car #12 engine

Lap Leader Breakdown[edit]

Lead changes: 22[1]

Driver From
Lap
To
Lap
Number
of Laps
Bill Elliott 1 2 2
Cale Yarborough 3 4 2
Bill Elliott 5 14 10
Cale Yarborough 15 24 10
Bill Elliott 25 35 11
Richard Petty 36 37 2
Greg Sacks 38 38 1
Terry Labonte 39 40 1
Cale Yarborough 41 60 20
Bill Elliott 61 72 12
Bobby Allison 73 73 1
Bill Elliott 74 107 34
Neil Bonnett 108 110 3
Harry Gant 111 111 1
Greg Sacks 112 112 1
Bill Elliott 113 144 32
Lake Speed 145 146 2
Neil Bonnett 147 154 8
Bill Elliott 155 165 11
Neil Bonnett 166 173 8
Bill Elliott 174 191 18
Neil Bonnett 192 194 3
Bill Elliott 195 200 6
  • This was Chrysler’s last entry in the Daytona 500 as Mopar disappeared from the sport (Cup racing) completely until 2001. Morgan Shepherd drove Buddy Arrington’s Chrysler’s Imperial to a solid 15th place finish.[1] Until 2016, this was the last Daytona 500 with a field of 40 cars.[1]

Standings after the race[edit]

References[edit]