1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series V3

It all came down to this. One last race to decide the championship. Katie Sammonds came in with the points lead, Rusty Wallace missing the end of the season for the second year in a row due to persistant diarrhea caused by that Indian food mentioned last week.

Her determination to win the championship burned brighter than the Eternal Flame at JFK's grave, more powerful than any nuclear weapon the Soviets could hope to field against the US. How determined was she? She qualified on the pole.

She and her twin, Andy Sammonds, duked it out over the 328 lap event. After Dale Earnhardt, Katie's main threat for the championship, had all four tires suddenly pop off, leaving him stranded in the middle of pit road and ending his day, it was open season between the PCR cars.

Ultimately, Katie was relegated back to 24th, one lap down. Andy, on the other hand, was in the right place at the right time, as the caution waved with him in the lead. The race ended under caution, and Andy Sammonds won his fifth race of the season.

But it didn't matter. Andy was second in points, 98 points behind the champion...

After a topsy-turvy season full of checkers, wreckers, sabotage, heartbreak, glory, vomit, and flips, the 1989 season is over.

Katie Sammonds, running for 1989 Rookie of the Year, ended up winning the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Championship, edging out her teammate and twin brother, 1988 champion Andy Sammonds, by 98 points. With the championship, Katie has destroyed the gender barrier and opened the way for woman to prosper in not just NASCAR, but motorsports in general.

Here are the top 10 in points:

1. Katie Sammonds
2. Andy Sammonds -98
3. Dale Earnhardt -175
4. Rusty Wallace -212
5. Terry Labonte -214
6. Rick Wilson -282
7. Morgan Shephard -301
8. Harry Gant -304
9. Darrell Waltrip -323
10. Geoff Bodine -348



1. Daytona 500: #13 Andy Sammonds
2. Goodwrench 500: #72 Katie Sammonds
3. Motorcraft Quality Parts 500: #6 Mark Martin
4. Pontiac Excitement 400: #84 Dick Trickle
5. TranSouth 500: #52 Jimmy Means (disqualified by officials, overruled by sanctioning body due to race being sabotaged)
6. Valleydale Meats 500: #13 Andy Sammonds
7. First Union 400: #17 Darrell Waltrip
8. Pannill Sweatshirts 500: #4 Rick Wilson
9. Pabst Blue Ribbon 400: #13 Andy Sammonds
10. Winston 500: #4 Rick Wilson
11. Kraft Cheese 200: #3 Dale Earnhardt
E. Winston Open: #15 Brett Bodine
E. The Winston V: #72 Katie Sammonds
12. Coca-Cola 600: #17 Darrell Waltrip
13. Budweiser 500: #3 Dale Earnhardt
14. Banquet Frozen Foods 300: #3 Dale Earnhardt
15. Miller High Life 500: #72 Katie Sammonds
16: Miller High Life 400 (Michigan): #13 Andy Sammonds
17: Pepsi 400: #94 Sterling Marlin
18: Coor's 400: #25 Ken Schrader
19. Mountain Dew 400: #3 Dale Earnhardt
20. AC Spark Plug 500: #72 Katie Sammonds
21. Talladega DieHard 500: #42 Kyle Petty
22. Sprite 500: #28 Davey Allison
23. Budweiser @ The Glen: #33 Harry Gant
24. Champion Spark Plug 400: #3 Dale Earnhardt
25. Busch 500: #6 Mark Martin
26. Heinz Southern 500: No one (sabotaged race; #9 Bill Elliott unofficial winner; race struck from the records)
27. Miller High Life 400 (Richmond): #11 Terry Labonte
28. Peak Performance 500: #28 Dale Jarrett
29. Goody's 500: #3 Dale Earnhardt
30. Levi Strauss 400: #3 Dale Earnhardt
31. All Pro Auto Parts 500: #30 Michael Waltrip
32. Holly Farm 400: #27 Rusty Wallace
E. Disaster Relief Race: #71 Dave Marcis
33. AC Delco 500: #11 Terry Labonte
34. Budweiser 400: #27 Rusty Wallace
35. Autoworks 500: #27 Ken Schrader
36. Diet Coke 400: #42 Kyle Petty
37. Atlanta Journal 500: #13 Andy Sammonds

However, what was supposed to be a day of celebration was overshadowed by sad news...

The 1990 Winston Cup Series will start next week. I won't have access to my home computer, only my laptop. Besides, big races coming up.

Here are a few things you can expect in 1990:



E. Busch Clash
E. Twin 125s
1. Daytona 500 @ Daytona International Speedway
2. Pontiac Excitement 400 @ Richmond International Raceway
3. GM Goodwrench 500 @ North Carolina Speedway
4. Pizza Time Theatre 500 @ Progressive Speedway
5. Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 @ Atlanta International Speedway
6. Diet Coke 500 @ Coca-Cola Superspeedway
7. TranSouth 500 @ Darlington Raceway (guaranteed sabotage-free for 1990)
8. Valleydale Meats 500 @ Bristol International Raceway
9. Pabst Blue Ribbon 400 @ The Milwaukee Mile
10. First Union 400 @ North Wilkesboro Speedway
11. Hanes Activewear 500 @ Martinsville Speedway
12. Winston 500 @ Talladega Superspeedway (new name)
13. Coor's 400 @ Pikes Peak International Raceway
E. Winston Open
E. The Winston VI
14. Coca-Cola 600 @ Charlotte Motor Speedway
15. Budweiser 500 @ Dover Downs International Speedway
16. Banquet Frozen Foods 300 @ Sears Point International Raceway
17. British NASCAR Grand Prix @ Silverstone Circuit (international points race!)
18. Bering Trucks 350 @ Virginia International Raceway
19. San Jose 500 @ San Jose Superspeedway (Riki Raceway)
20. Pepsi 400 @ Daytona International Speedway
21. Denver Post 400 @ Pikes Peak International Raceway
22. AC Spark Plug 500 @ Pocono Raceway
23. DieHard 500 @ Talladega Superspeedway
24. Showbiz Pizza 500 @ Progressive Speedway
25. Budweiser @ The Glen @ Watkins Glen International
26. Champion Spark Plug 400 @ Michigan International Speedway
27. Busch 500 @ Bristol International Raceway
28. Heinz Southern 500 @ Darlington Raceway (also guaranteed sabotage-free for 1990)
29. Miller Genuine Draft 400 @ Richmond International Raceway
30. Peak AntiFreeze 500 @ Dover Downs International Speedway
31. Goody's 500 @ Martinsville Speedway
32. Tyson Holly Farms @ North Wilkesboro Speedway
33. Mello Yello 500 @ Charlotte Motor Speedway
34. Silicon Valley 500 @ San Jose Superspeedway
35. AC Delco 500 @ North Carolina Speedway
36. Sprite 500 @ Coca-Cola Superspeedway
37. Checker 500 @ Phoneix International Raceway
38. Budweiser 400 @ Riverside International Raceway
39. Atlanta Journal 500 @ Atlanta International Speedway

The big trend for 1990 is more restrictor-plate tracks. Call it personal preference, but I LOVE restrictor-plate racing.

Also, Pocono and Michigan have lost their June dates. I did this because I felt it was asinine for them to have dates within two months of their other dates.



From 1990 onward, I will now be using Cup physics for Cup90, as opposed to CTS. Again, call it personal preference.

Just so you know, I intend to use Cup90 through the 1999 season, then switch to Papyrus Cup for the rest of the timeline. That means NO CoT or Gen-6 car. Also, Dale Earnhardt and Adam Petty will not die.

It was the nearby short track they exacted vigilante justice upon, not Darlington.