1994 Save Mart Supermarkets 300


The 1994 Save Mart Supermarkets 300 was the 10th stock car race of the 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season, the third race of the 1994 NASCAR Winston Transcontinental Series, and the sixth iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, May 15, 1994, at the Grand Prix layout of Sears Point Raceway, a permanent road course layout. The race took the scheduled 74 laps to complete. At race's end, Robert Yates Racing driver Ernie Irvan would manage to dominate the race to take his 12th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his third and final victory of the season. To fill out the top three, Geoff Bodine, driving for his own Geoff Bodine Racing, and Richard Childress Racing driver Dale Earnhardt would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

Sears Point Raceway is one of two road courses to hold NASCAR races, the other being Watkins Glen International. The standard road course at Sears Point Raceway is a 12-turn course that is long; the track was modified in 1998, adding the Chute, which bypassed turns 5 and 6, shortening the course to. The Chute was only used for NASCAR events such as this race, and was criticized by many drivers, who preferred the full layout. In 2001, it was replaced with a 70-degree turn, 4A, bringing the track to its current dimensions of.

Entry list

' denotes rookie driver.
#DriverTeamMakeSponsor
1Rick MastPrecision Products RacingFordSkoal
2Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFordMiller Genuine Draft
3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevroletGM Goodwrench Service Plus
4Sterling MarlinMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevroletKodak
5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevroletKellogg's Frosted Flakes
6Mark MartinRoush RacingFordValvoline
7Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine RacingFordExide
8Jeff Burton 'Stavola Brothers RacingFordRaybestos
9John KrebsDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevroletChannellock
09Charlie O'BrienO'Brien RacingPontiacQantas
10Ricky RuddRudd Performance MotorsportsFordTide
11Bill ElliottJunior Johnson & AssociatesFordBudweiser
12Chuck BownBobby Allison MotorsportsFord
14John Andretti 'Hagan RacingChevrolet
15Lake SpeedBud Moore EngineeringFordFord Quality Care
16Ted MusgraveRoush RacingFordThe Family Channel
17Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip MotorsportsChevroletWestern Auto
18Dale JarrettJoe Gibbs RacingChevroletInterstate Batteries
19Loy Allen Jr. 'TriStar MotorsportsFordHooters
20Gary CollinsVenable RacingFordVenable Racing
21Morgan ShepherdWood Brothers RacingFordCitgo
22Bobby LabonteBill Davis RacingPontiacMaxwell House
23Hut StricklinTravis Carter EnterprisesFordSmokin' Joe's
24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevroletDuPont
25Ken SchraderHendrick MotorsportsChevroletKodiak
26Brett BodineKing RacingFordQuaker State
27Jimmy SpencerJunior Johnson & AssociatesFordMcDonald's
28Ernie IrvanRobert Yates RacingFordTexaco, Havoline
29Steve GrissomDiamond Ridge MotorsportsChevroletDiamond Ridge Motorsports
30Michael WaltripBahari RacingPontiacPennzoil
31Ward BurtonA.G. Dillard MotorsportsChevroletHardee's
32Dick TrickleActive MotorsportsChevroletActive Motorsports
33Harry GantLeo Jackson MotorsportsChevroletSkoal Bandit
36Butch GillilandGilliland RacingChevroletGilliland Racing
37Doug GeorgeOlson Technology RacingFordOlson Technology
38Tobey ButlerBill Stroppe MotorsportsFordAmerican Racing Wheels
40Bobby HamiltonSABCO RacingPontiacKendall
41Joe Nemechek 'Larry Hedrick MotorsportsChevroletMeineke
42Kyle PettySABCO RacingPontiacMello Yello
43Wally Dallenbach Jr.Petty EnterprisesPontiacSTP
48Jack SellersSellers RacingChevroletBear Automotive
50Mike ChaseJTC RacingChevroletStar Race Computers
52Scott GaylordJimmy Means RacingFordJimmy Means Racing
55Jimmy HensleyRaDiUs MotorsportsFordPetron Plus
58Wayne JacksJacks MotorsportsPontiacImperial Palace Hotel and Casino
61Rick CarelliChesrown RacingChevroletTotal Petroleum
71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletHealth Management
75Todd BodineButch Mock MotorsportsFordFactory Stores of America
76Ron Hornaday Jr.Spears MotorsportsChevroletSpears Manufacturing
77Greg SacksU.S. Motorsports Inc.FordUS Airways
81Jeff DavisJeff Davis RacingFordVan-K Wheels
86Rich Woodland Jr.Gilliland RacingOldsmobileGilliland Racing
90Mike Wallace 'Donlavey RacingFordHeilig-Meyers
90WJoe HeathHeath RacingFordMiller
98Derrike CopeCale Yarborough MotorsportsFordFingerhut

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, April 22, at 6:30 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 25 drivers in the round would be guaranteed a starting spot in the race. If a driver was not able to guarantee a spot in the first round, they had the option to scrub their time from the first round and try and run a faster lap time in a second round qualifying run, held on Saturday, April 23, at 1:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 26-40 would be decided on time, and depending on who needed it, a select amount of positions were given to cars who had not otherwise qualified but were high enough in owner's points; which was two for cars in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and one extra provisional for the NASCAR Winston West Series. If needed, a past champion who did not qualify on either time or provisionals could use a champion's provisional, adding one more spot to the field.
Ernie Irvan, driving for Robert Yates Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 1:39.132 and an average speed of in the first round.
12 drivers would fail to qualify.

Standings after the race

;Drivers' Championship standings
  • Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.