1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

Teams and drivers

Complete schedule

Schedule

Races

Busch Clash

1. 44 – Terry Labonte
2. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
3. 9 – Bill Elliott
4. 5 – Geoff Bodine
5. 33 – Harry Gant
6. 15 – Ricky Rudd
7. 88 – Buddy Baker
8. 2 – Rusty Wallace
9. 4 – Joe Ruttman
10. 28 – Cale Yarborough

7-Eleven Twin 125's

1. 9 – Bill Elliott
2. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
3. 55 – Benny Parsons
4. 88 – Buddy Baker
5. 15 – Ricky Rudd
6. 1 – Dick Brooks
7. 51 – Greg Sacks
8. 47 – Ron Bouchard
9. 5 – Geoff Bodine
10. 12 – Neil Bonnett

1. 28 – Cale Yarborough
2. 21 – David Pearson
3. 7 – Kyle Petty
4. 43 – Richard Petty
5. 33 – Harry Gant
6. 66 – Phil Parsons
7. 75 – Lake Speed
8. 14 – A. J. Foyt
9. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
10. 95 – Sterling Marlin

Daytona 500 Consolation Race

Daytona 500

1. 9 - Bill Elliott
2. 75 - Lake Speed
3. 11 - Darrell Waltrip -1 Lap
4. 88 - Buddy Baker -1 Lap
5. 15 - Ricky Rudd -1 Lap
6. 51 - Greg Sacks -1 Lap
7. 5 - Geoff Bodine -2 Laps
8. 2 - Rusty Wallace -3 Laps
9. 8 - Bobby Hillin Jr. -3 Laps
10. 12 - Neil Bonnett -5 Laps

Miller High Life 400

1. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
2. 5 – Geoff Bodine
3. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
4. 47 – Ron Bouchard
5. 33 – Harry Gant
6. 44 – Terry Labonte
7. 7 – Kyle Petty
8. 71 – Dave Marcis
9. 27 – Tim Richmond
10. 75 – Lake Speed

Carolina 500

1. 12 – Neil Bonnett
2. 33 – Harry Gant
3. 44 – Terry Labonte
4. 75 – Lake Speed
5. 7 – Kyle Petty
6. 4 – Joe Ruttman
7. 28 – Cale Yarborough
8. 43 – Richard Petty
9. 2 – Rusty Wallace
10. 3 – Dale Earnhardt

Coca-Cola 500

1. 9 – Bill Elliott
2. 5 – Geoff Bodine
3. 12 – Neil Bonnett
4. 15 – Ricky Rudd
5. 22 – Bobby Allison
6. 44 – Terry Labonte
7. 47 – Ron Bouchard
8. 55 – Benny Parsons
9. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
10. 51 – Greg Sacks

Valleydale 500

1. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
2. 15 – Ricky Rudd
3. 44 – Terry Labonte -2 laps
4. 88 – Buddy Baker -2 laps
5. 2 – Rusty Wallace -3 laps
6. 7 – Kyle Petty -5 laps
7. 75 – Lake Speed -5 laps
8. 43 – Richard Petty -5 laps
9. 8 – Bobby Hillin Jr. -5 laps
10. 90 – Ken Schrader -11 laps

• Earnhardt's victory came despite losing the power steering in his car during the race.

TranSouth 500

1. 9 – Bill Elliott
2. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
3. 27 – Tim Richmond
4. 44 – Terry Labonte
5. 2 – Rusty Wallace
6. 12 – Neil Bonnett
7. 5 – Geoff Bodine
8. 66 – Phil Parsons
9. 75 – Lake Speed
10. 22 – Bobby Allison

Northwestern Bank 400

1. 12 – Neil Bonnett
2. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
3. 22 – Bobby Allison
4. 15 – Ricky Rudd
5. 5 – Geoff Bodine
6. 9 – Bill Elliott
7. 44 – Terry Labonte
8. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
9. 75 – Lake Speed
10. 33 – Harry Gant

Sovran Bank 500

1. 33 – Harry Gant
2. 15 – Ricky Rudd
3. 5 – Geoff Bodine
4. 22 – Bobby Allison
5. 12 – Neil Bonnett
6. 44 – Terry Labonte
7. 43 – Richard Petty
8. 75 – Lake Speed
9. 66 – Phil Parsons
10. 2 – Rusty Wallace

Winston 500

1. 9 – Bill Elliott
2. 7 – Kyle Petty
3. 28 – Cale Yarborough
4. 22 – Bobby Allison
5. 15 – Ricky Rudd
6. 88 – Buddy Baker
7. 44 – Terry Labonte
8. 71 – Dave Marcis
9. 8 – Bobby Hillin Jr.
10. 75 – Lake Speed

• Prior to this event, two-time Winston Cup champion Darrell Waltrip complained to NASCAR about how Bill Elliott was ruining the parity of the sport and he needed to be slowed down. As a result, NASCAR raised the height of the Ford vehicles by half an inch. The roof of the GM race cars was lowered by the same amount in order to improve their speed performance.
• In spite of the last minute rule changes, Bill Elliott won the race but he was forced to make up two laps under green during the race from having to pit due to a broken oil fitting. With the victory, Elliott claimed the second leg of the Winston Million.
• Fords also claimed 2nd & 3rd with Kyle Petty beating Cale Yarborough in a photo finish for 2nd.

Budweiser 500

1. 9 – Bill Elliott
2. 33 – Harry Gant
3. 7 – Kyle Petty
4. 15 – Ricky Rudd
5. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
6. 27 – Tim Richmond
7. 43 – Richard Petty
8. 75 – Neil Bonnett
9. 71 – Dave Marcis
10. 90 – Ken Schrader

• This would mark the first time since 1971 where independent driver J.D. McDuffie; who finished 31st, drove a vehicle other than a General Motors product, as he made the first of three appearances driving a Ford. Unfortunately he finished 31st after completing 115 laps due to a broken valve in the engine.

The Winston

1. 11 - Darrell Waltrip
2. 33 - Harry Gant
3. 44 - Terry Labonte
4. 28 - Cale Yarborough
5. 27 - Tim Richmond
6. 22 - Bobby Allison

• After Darrell Waltrip took the checkered flag his engine expired in spectacular fashion which potentially jeopardized him from being able to compete in the next days Coca-Cola 600.

Coca-Cola World 600

1. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
2. 33 – Harry Gant
3. 22 – Bobby Allison
4. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
5. 44 – Terry Labonte
6. 75 – Lake Speed
7. 4 – Joe Ruttman
8. 2 – Rusty Wallace
9. 27 – Tim Richmond
10. 1 – Dick Brooks

• Bill Elliott had a chance to clinch the first Winston Million, and a then NASCAR record crowd of 155,000 spectators arrived to cheer him on. After considerable pre-race hype, Elliott led 81 laps, but fell short, however, as mechanical problems plagued much of his day. Elliott would finish in 18th, running 21 laps down to the winner. Elliott would have one more chance to claim the Million at Darlington in the Southern 500.
• Darrell Waltrip gambled on fuel, stretching his tank over the final 110 laps to secure the victory. Waltrip nearly missed the race after a car/engine swap controversy with NASCAR Director of Competition Dick Beatty.
• This was the first NASCAR Winston Cup start for Michael Waltrip. He would finish 28th due to a transmission failure.
• Final start for 10th-place finisher Dick Brooks.

Budweiser 400

1. 44 – Terry Labonte
2. 33 – Harry Gant
3. 22 – Bobby Allison
4. 15 – Ricky Rudd
5. 7 – Kyle Petty
6. 9 – Bill Elliott
7. 43 – Richard Petty
8. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
9. 27 – Tim Richmond
10. 90 – Ken Schrader ''''''

Van Scoy Diamond Mine 500

1. 9 – Bill Elliott
2. 33 – Harry Gant
3. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
4. 5 – Geoff Bodine
5. 12 – Neil Bonnett
6. 55 – Benny Parsons
7. 15 – Ricky Rudd
8. 88 – Buddy Baker
9. 22 – Bobby Allison
10. 27 – Tim Richmond

Miller 400

1. 9 – Bill Elliott
2. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
3. 28 – Cale Yarborough
4. 27 – Tim Richmond
5. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
6. 22 – Bobby Allison
7. 15 – Ricky Rudd
8. 12 – Neil Bonnett
9. 71 – Dave Marcis
10. 55 – Benny Parsons

Pepsi Firecracker 400

1. 10 – Greg Sacks
2. 9 – Bill Elliott
3. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
4. 47 – Ron Bouchard
5. 7 – Kyle Petty
6. 88 – Buddy Baker
7. 15 – Ricky Rudd
8. 44 – Terry Labonte
9. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
10. 21 – David Pearson

• 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.
• This would be Sacks’ lone career win in Winston Cup competition.

Summer 500

1. 9 – Bill Elliott
2. 12 – Neil Bonnett
3. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
4. 5 – Geoff Bodine
5. 33 – Harry Gant
6. 55 – Benny Parsons
7. 7 – Kyle Petty
8. 66 – Phil Parsons
9. 47 – Ron Bouchard
10. 88 – Buddy Baker

• Bill Elliott completes his 1st of 4 track sweeps of 1985.

Talladega 500

1. 28 – Cale Yarborough
2. 12 – Neil Bonnett
3. 47 – Ron Bouchard
4. 9 – Bill Elliott
5. 14 – A. J. Foyt
6. 43 – Richard Petty
7. 33 – Harry Gant
8. 75 – Lake Speed
9. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
10. 1 – Davey Allison*

• This race was Davey Allison's Winston Cup debut.

Champion Spark Plug 400

1. 9 – Bill Elliott
2. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
3. 33 – Harry Gant
4. 7 – Kyle Petty
5. 55 – Benny Parsons
6. 66 – Phil Parsons
7. 2 – Rusty Wallace
8. 10 – Dick Trickle
9. 44 – Terry Labonte
10. 67 – Buddy Arrington

• Bill Elliott completes his 2nd of 4 track sweeps of 1985.

Busch 500

1. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
2. 27 – Tim Richmond
3. 12 – Neil Bonnett
4. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
5. 9 – Bill Elliott
6. 33 – Harry Gant
7. 47 – Ron Bouchard
8. 43 – Richard Petty
9. 15 – Ricky Rudd
10. 75 – Lake Speed

• Dale Earnhardt would be the 2nd and final driver to do a track sweep in 1985 by sweeping both Bristol races.

Southern 500

1. 9 – Bill Elliott
2. 28 – Cale Yarborough
3. 5 – Geoff Bodine
4. 12 – Neil Bonnett -1 Lap
5. 47 – Ron Bouchard -1 Lap
6. 15 – Ricky Rudd -1 Lap
7. 44 – Terry Labonte -2 Laps
8. 55 – Benny Parsons -2 Laps
9. 4 – Joe Ruttman -3 Laps
10. 7 – Kyle Petty -3 Laps

• Bill Elliott won the Winston Million with the race victory.
• With this victory Elliott had a 206-point lead in the standings with 8 races left in the season.
• Elliott also completes the Darlington sweep for his 3rd of 4 track sweeps of 1985.

Wrangler Sanfor-Set 400

1. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
2. 44 – Terry Labonte
3. 43 – Richard Petty
4. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
5. 15 – Ricky Rudd
6. 33 – Harry Gant
7. 5 – Geoff Bodine
8. 7 – Kyle Petty
9. 12 – Neil Bonnett
10. 18 – Tommy Ellis

• This race marked the Winston Cup Series debut of Alan Kulwicki, driving Bill Terry's #32 Ford. Kulwicki would finish 19th, 8 laps down.
• By Elliott finishing 12th in this race, Darrell Waltrip gained 53 points on Elliott.

Delaware 500

1. 33 – Harry Gant
2. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
3. 15 – Ricky Rudd
4. 22 – Bobby Allison
5. 12 – Neil Bonnett
6. 27 – Tim Richmond
7. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
8. 47 – Ron Bouchard
9. 43 – Richard Petty
10. 75 – Lake Speed

• Elliott had a disastrous race finishing in 20th place 70 laps down. Waltrip gained 67 points, Elliott now only led by 86 points.

Goody's 500

1. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
2. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
3. 33 – Harry Gant
4. 15 – Ricky Rudd
5. 7 – Kyle Petty
6. 47 – Ron Bouchard
7. 27 – Tim Richmond
8. 8 – Bobby Hillin Jr.
9. 12 – Neil Bonnett
10. 22 – Bobby Allison

• Elliott had another disastrous race finishing in 17th place 33 laps down. Waltrip continued to chip away at Elliotts lead gaining 63 points, Elliott now only led by 23 points.

Holly Farms 400

1. 33 – Harry Gant
2. 5 – Geoff Bodine
3. 44 – Terry Labonte
4. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
5. 15 – Ricky Rudd
6. 47 – Ron Bouchard
7. 27 – Tim Richmond
8. 43 – Richard Petty
9. 71 – Dave Marcis
10. 12 – Neil Bonnett

• By virtue of Elliott being the second car out of the race finishing in 30th place and Waltrip managing to finish in 14th even with car issues 7 laps down, Waltrip erased a 206 point deficit from Darlington and overtook Elliott in the standings. Waltrip now led Elliott by 30 points.
• Following the race Harry Gant would enter a dry spell and not win a Cup Series race again until the 1989 spring Darlington race.

Miller High Life 500

1. 28 – Cale Yarborough
2. 9 – Bill Elliott
3. 5 – Geoff Bodine
4. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
5. 4 – Joe Ruttman
6. 27 – Tim Richmond
7. 16 – Morgan Shepherd
8. 88 – Buddy Baker
9. 8 – Bobby Hillin Jr.
10. 43 – Richard Petty

• Cale Yarborough's win would be his 83rd and the final one of his career before retiring after 1988.
• Elliott and Waltrip both led laps and by Elliott finishing in 2nd he sliced 10 points off Waltrips lead with just 20 points separating the two with three races remaining.

Nationwise 500

1. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
2. 47 – Ron Bouchard
3. 33 – Harry Gant
4. 9 – Bill Elliott
5. 5 – Geoff Bodine
6. 27 – Tim Richmond
7. 15 – Ricky Rudd
8. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
9. 2 – Rusty Wallace
10. 77 – Greg Sacks

• Elliott finishing three spots down in 4th lost ground to Waltrip by 15 points due to Waltrip winning. Waltrip now led by 35 points, with just Atlanta and Riverside left to settle the Championship.

Atlanta Journal 500

1. 9 – Bill Elliott
2. 28 – Cale Yarborough
3. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
4. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
5. 16 – Morgan Shepherd
6. 44 – Terry Labonte
7. 75 – Lake Speed
8. 33 – Harry Gant
9. 77 – Greg Sacks
10. 43 – Richard Petty

• The race began under the green and yellow flags due to an earlier rainstorm that drenched the track with the green flag displayed after the completion of lap 6.
• 11th and final win of the season for Bill Elliott.
• With this win, and as of 2022, Bill Elliott is the only driver in NASCAR history to pull off the season sweep at 4 different tracks in one season. Along with the season sweep at Atlanta, he swept Pocono, Michigan, and Darlington. In 2004 [NASCAR Nextel Cup Series|2004] however, Jimmie Johnson pulled off the season sweep at 3 different tracks, coming close to tying Bill Elliott's record. The tracks Johnson pulled off the season sweep are Pocono, Charlotte, and Darlington.
• With Elliott getting the bonus points for leading the most laps, Waltrip lost 15 points on his lead. Elliott now had a 20-point deficit going into the season finale at Riverside where he picked up his first Cup victory in 1983, while Waltrip had five wins at the road course. If Elliott won at Riverside then all Waltrip would have to do to win the title would be to finish no lower than seventh if he did not lead a lap. If DW led a lap then he could finish no lower than eighth to win the title. If he led the most laps then he could finish no lower than ninth.
• Morgan Shepherd scored his only top five finish of 1985 driving for David Pearson's team.
• Sprint car ace Sammy Swindell starts his first of two career Cup races. He finished 30th after a crash, he completed 242 of 328 laps.

Winston Western 500

1. 15 – Ricky Rudd
2. 44 – Terry Labonte
3. 75 – Neil Bonnett
4. 33 – Harry Gant
5. 3 – Dale Earnhardt
6. 5 – Geoff Bodine
7. 11 – Darrell Waltrip
8. 43 – Richard Petty
9. 75 – Lake Speed
10. 47 – Ron Bouchard

• After winning the previous race, which was at Atlanta, Bill Elliott came into this race 2nd in points, only 20 points behind Darrell Waltrip, giving him a shot to rebound for the championship after a string of poor finishes in 4 of the last 5 races. During this race however, Elliott would suffer early transmission problems, and it would unfortunately cost him the championship. He finished the race in 31st. Waltrip clinched the title once he completed 99 laps of the race, he then finished in 7th, gaining 81 points on Elliott. Darrell Waltrip won his 3rd and final Winston Cup title, having won only three races to Bill Elliott's eleven. Elliott would officially lose the championship by 101 points. This would be the 1st time in Bob Latford's Winston Cup points system that a driver winning 10 or more races in a season failed to win the championship due to poor finishes and lack of consistency in the final stretch of the season.
• This was the final race for Richard Petty driving for Mike Curb. Richard would take his number 43 with STP sponsorship home to Petty Enterprises for 1986.
• This was the final race for Rusty Wallace driving for Cliff Stewart Racing. Rusty's season of misery concluded with a 36th-place finish due to engine failure completing 70 of 119 laps. This was Rusty's 12th DNF of the season, 10 of them were due to engine failures.

Full Drivers' Championship

Rookie of the year