1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

Overview

• 1995 saw the Lumina, which had been Chevrolet's official car in NASCAR since the 1989 Winston 500, being replaced by the new Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The Monte Carlo would prove to be the dominant car in 1995, winning 21 of the season's 31 races. After winning each of the season's first seven races, NASCAR gave advantages to the two other makes: Ford and Pontiac.
• In contrast to its GM counterpart, Pontiac continued to struggle. The manufacturer won only twice in 1995, and did not have a single driver in the top ten in points.
• Goodyear was the sole tire supplier in 1995, after winning the "tire war" against Hoosier. Despite three wins in 1994 with driver/owner Geoff Bodine, Hoosier decided to leave NASCAR after the 1994 season. Its reasoning, according to Hoosier president Bob Newton, was "to concentrate our efforts in short track racing, which remains our bread and butter."

1995 changes

• Robert Yates Racing: After a practice crash at Michigan International Speedway in August 1994, Ernie Irvan spent the rest of the 1994 season recuperating from his injuries. While Irvan continued to make great progress in his recovery, it was becoming clear that he would have to sit out the 1995 season. Thus, RYR began to search for a new driver to take over the #28 Ford. After securing a buyout from his contract at Joe Gibbs Racing, it was announced that Dale Jarrett would be the driver for 1995.
• Joe Gibbs Racing: After the departure of Dale Jarrett, Joe Gibbs Racing was forced to find a new driver for the #18 Chevy. With encouragement from General Motors, JGR signed Bobby Labonte, who left Bill Davis Racing,
• Elliott-Hardy Racing: After struggling the last two years driving for Junior Johnson, Bill Elliott formed his own team for 1995, sharing ownership with Georgia businessman Charles Hardy. Elliott would reunite with brothers Ernie and Dan, with whom he had great success during his time at Melling Racing. Elliott selected 94 as the number for his Ford and McDonald's as his sponsor. The number had been used by Bill's nephew Casey Elliott, before Casey was diagnosed with cancer.
• Junior Johnson: For 1995, Johnson was forced to look for new drivers and sponsors for both of his cars. Budweiser, the long time sponsor of the #11, left to sponsor the #25 at Hendrick Motorsports and Bill Elliott took the sponsor of the #27, McDonald's, to his new team. For the #11 team, Johnson replaced driver Elliott with Brett Bodine and got sponsorship from Lowe's. For the #27 car, sophomore Loy Allen Jr. took over for Jimmy Spencer with sponsorship from Hooters. Before the April Bristol race, Allen left the team. Various drivers drove the #27 for the rest of 1995; the majority of starts went to veteran Busch Series driver Elton Sawyer.
• King Racing: Bodine would be replaced by sprint car legend Steve Kinser. Kinser, who had won 14 World of Outlaws championships, had limited exposure to stock car racing; his only experience had been in the IROC series. After failing to qualify for the spring races at Bristol and North Wilkesboro, Kinser and the team mutually split. Kinser returned to the WoO series, while Hut Stricklin was hired to replace him in the 26 car.
• Larry Hedrick Motorsports: LHM was left without a driver and sponsor for 1995. Former Busch Grand National Series Champion Joe Nemechek left to start his own team, Rookie Ricky Craven would drive the #41 Chevy. Craven won the Rookie of the Year award in 1995.
• Diamond Ridge Motorsports: Former Busch Grand National champ Steve Grissom would return for a second Cup season.
• NEMCO Motorsports: As he had done en route to the 1992 Busch Grand National Series Championship, Joe Nemechek formed his own team in 1995.
• Leo Jackson Motorsports: Harry Gant called it a career after the 1994 season. BGN series regular Robert Pressley would replace Gant in the Skoal Bandit Chevy, and would also compete for Rookie of the Year for 1995.
• Bill Davis Racing: BDR found itself in a similar position to many teams, needing to replace both a driver and a sponsor. BDR hoped to find success with manufacturer Pontiac with driver Randy LaJoie. However, the combo experienced lackluster results, and LaJoie was fired in July. After going through several drivers, Davis settled on Ward Burton, who had been let go from the Alan Dillard Jr. owned team earlier in the year. Burton shocked the stock car world by winning his first career Cup Series race at the North Carolina Motor Speedway in October. LaJoie would also find success, winning the Busch Grand National Title in 1996 and 1997.
• Melling Racing: After running part-time for the last three seasons, Melling returned to full-time competition in 1995. Mississippian Lake Speed was hired to be driver and general manager of the team.
• Bud Moore: After Lake Speed left the team at the end of 1994, Bud Moore hired short track legend Dick Trickle to drive the #15 Ford.
• Travis Carter Motorsports: After struggling during the 1994 season, the team parted ways with driver Hut Stricklin. He would be replaced by Jimmy Spencer, who had won two races driving for Junior Johnson in 1994.
• Petty Enterprises: John Andretti, who had replaced Wally Dallenbach Jr. midway through 1994, did not return in 1995. Replacing Andretti would be Tennessee driver Bobby Hamilton.
• SABCO Racing: After Hamilton left for Petty Enterprises, owner Felix Sabates hired Greg Sacks to drive the #40 Pontiac. After a dismal 14-race stint, Sacks was let go. Several drivers took the reins of the #40, with most of the duties going to Rich Bickle. Sabates' other car, the #42 driven by Kyle Petty, had new colors for 1995.
• Jasper Motorsports: Owner D. K. Ulrich hired veteran open wheel and sports car driver Davy Jones to pilot the #77 Ford. Bobby Hillin Jr. replaced Jones beginning at the June Dover race.
• Kranefuss-Haas Racing: After racing part-time in 1994, the team co-owned by Michael Kranefuss and Carl Haas went full-time in 1995. Former CART driver John Andretti was selected to drive the #37 Ford.

Races

Busch Clash

1. 3 - Dale Earnhardt
2. 4 - Sterling Marlin
3. 94 - Bill Elliott
4. 24 - Jeff Gordon
5. 75 - Todd Bodine
6. 10 - Ricky Rudd
7. 16 - Ted Musgrave
8. 2 - Rusty Wallace
9. 23 - Jimmy Spencer
10. 1 - Rick Mast

Gatorade 125s

1. 4 - Sterling Marlin
2. 17 - Darrell Waltrip
3. 28 - Dale Jarrett
4. 2 - Rusty Wallace
5. 25 - Ken Schrader
6. 5 - Terry Labonte
7. 42 - Kyle Petty
8. 30 - Michael Waltrip
9. 15 - Dick Trickle
10. 71 - Dave Marcis

1. 3 - Dale Earnhardt
2. 24 - Jeff Gordon
3. 6 - Mark Martin
4. 75 - Todd Bodine
5. 94 - Bill Elliott
6. 16 - Ted Musgrave
7. 41 - Ricky Craven
8. 9 - Lake Speed
9. 10 - Ricky Rudd
10. 18 - Bobby Labonte

Daytona 500

1. 4-Sterling Marlin
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 6-Mark Martin
4. 16-Ted Musgrave
5. 28-Dale Jarrett
6. 30-Michael Waltrip
7. 29-Steve Grissom
8. 5-Terry Labonte
9. 25-Ken Schrader
10. 21-Morgan Shepherd

• As of 2022, Sterling Marlin is the only driver in NASCAR history to score his first 2 career wins in the Daytona 500.
• Sterling Marlin becomes the last driver until 2020 to win back-to-back Daytona 500 races, joining Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough. Denny Hamlin and William Byron would also accomplish the feat, winning the Daytona 500 in 2019-2020 and 2024-2025 respectively.

Goodwrench 500

1. 24-Jeff Gordon
2. 18-Bobby Labonte
3. 3-Dale Earnhardt
4. 10-Ricky Rudd
5. 28-Dale Jarrett, 1 lap down
6. 29-Steve Grissom, 1 lap down
7. 6-Mark Martin, 2 laps down
8. 12-Derrike Cope, 3 laps down
9. 31-Ward Burton, 3 laps down
10. 42-Kyle Petty, 3 laps down

• This was the last 500-mile race at Rockingham.
• Ernie Irvan made his NASCAR return at this race but not in a driving role; he was in the TV booth as a color analyst for TNN's live flag to flag coverage.

Pontiac Excitement 400

1. 5-Terry Labonte
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 2-Rusty Wallace
4. 25-Ken Schrader
5. 4-Sterling Marlin
6. 12-Derrike Cope
7. 17-Darrell Waltrip
8. 6-Mark Martin, 1 lap down
9. 43-Bobby Hamilton, 1 lap down
10. 37-John Andretti, 1 lap down

• Steve Grissom entered this race 5th in points after back-to-back top 10s, but failed to qualify based on points from 1994.

Purolator 500

1. 24-Jeff Gordon
2. 18-Bobby Labonte
3. 5-Terry Labonte
4. 3-Dale Earnhardt
5. 28-Dale Jarrett, 1 lap down
6. 21-Morgan Shepherd, 1 lap down
7. 4-Sterling Marlin, 1 lap down
8. 10-Ricky Rudd, 1 lap down
9. 6-Mark Martin, 2 laps down
10. 2-Rusty Wallace, 2 laps down

• Before the field even took the green, Mike Wallace got turned into the inside wall on the frontstretch, damaging his car before he even got a chance to race on green. It led to him completing only 33 laps, finishing 40th due to engine failure from the crash.
• Jeremy Mayfield, Michael Waltrip and Jeff Purvis were involved in a vicious crash on the backstretch on lap 144. Mayfield got turned head-on into the wall off of turn 2 so hard, the rear tires came off the ground. When he came off the wall, the car was running straight down the backstretch but he had no brakes or steering, and he veered up towards the wall again right in front of Waltrip and Purvis and got t-boned extremely hard.

TranSouth Financial 400

1. 4-Sterling Marlin
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 16-Ted Musgrave
4. 75-Todd Bodine
5. 12-Derrike Cope
6. 29-Steve Grissom
7. 30-Michael Waltrip
8. 21-Morgan Shepherd
9. 43-Bobby Hamilton
10. 37-John Andretti, 1 lap down

• This was the first race at Darlington after the track was paved for the first time in decades. Speeds were high and the cars gripped extremely well in the corners, leading to many drivers driving over their heads. There were many accidents as a result.
• Jeff Gordon, who led most laps by far, was involved in a crash on lap 201.
• This was Sterling Marlin's first win on a non-restrictor plate track

Food City 500

1. 24-Jeff Gordon
2. 2-Rusty Wallace
3. 17-Darrell Waltrip
4. 43-Bobby Hamilton
5. 10-Ricky Rudd
6. 28-Dale Jarrett
7. 5-Terry Labonte, 1 lap down
8. 6-Mark Martin, 1 lap down
9. 4-Sterling Marlin, 1 lap down
10. 33-Robert Pressley, 2 laps down

• This was the last ever Top 3 finish for Darrell Waltrip.
• Rusty Wallace ties Cale Yarborough with the Modern Era Record for 22 consecutive Top 10 finishes on short tracks

First Union 400

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 24-Jeff Gordon
3. 6-Mark Martin
4. 2-Rusty Wallace
5. 29-Steve Grissom
6. 16-Ted Musgrave, 1 lap down
7. 4-Sterling Marlin, 1 lap down
8. 1-Rick Mast, 1 lap down
9. 11-Brett Bodine, 1 lap down
10. 17-Darrell Waltrip, 2 laps down

• Steve Grissom re-entered the top 10 in points after his DNQ at Richmond.
• Final NASCAR race for sprint car legend Steve Kinser.
• Rusty Wallace passes Cale Yarborough for the Modern Era Record with his 23rd consecutive Top 10 finish on short tracks.

Hanes 500

1. 2-Rusty Wallace
2. 16-Ted Musgrave
3. 24-Jeff Gordon
4. 17-Darrell Waltrip
5. 6-Mark Martin
6. 25-Ken Schrader
7. 28-Dale Jarrett
8. 43-Bobby Hamilton
9. 42-Kyle Petty, 1 lap down
10. 18-Bobby Labonte, 1 lap down

• This race was shortened to 356 laps due to a combination of a long red flag for rain, and darkness. Starting in 2017 the track had a full lighting system installed to allow night racing insuring a race would never be called for darkness again.
• Along with his win, this would be the 24th and final consecutive Top 10 short track finish for Rusty Wallace. As of today, this Modern Era Record still stands.
• 10th consecutive top 5 short track finish for Rusty Wallace. This would be the 2nd time in his career that Rusty Wallace scored 10 or more consecutive top 5 finishes on short tracks. His 1st run ended at 12 consecutive races, after finishing 7th at Bristol in April 1994. After the 1994 Bristol spring race, his 2nd streak of 10+ races began the following race at North Wilkesboro, and it ended with a win in this race. As of today, Rusty is the only driver in NASCAR history to accomplish 10 consecutive top 5 short track finishes on 2 different occasions.

Winston Select 500

1. 6-Mark Martin
2. 24-Jeff Gordon
3. 21-Morgan Shepherd
4. 17-Darrell Waltrip
5. 18-Bobby Labonte
6. 94-Bill Elliott
7. 7-Geoff Bodine
8. 75-Todd Bodine
9. 23-Jimmy Spencer
10. 19-Loy Allen Jr.

• This was Loy Allen Jr.'s only top 10 finish in NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing.
• Dale Earnhardt was leading the race with two laps to go, but was passed by Mark Martin in the tri-oval coming to the white flag and spun around by Morgan Shepherd exiting turn 2 on the last lap. The car lifted over a foot but roof flaps prevented the car getting airborne. Earnhardt managed to save the car and drove it to a 21st-place finish.
• Loy Allen Jr. finished 10th after leading several laps and driving what was arguably the best race of his Cup career.

Save Mart Supermarkets 300

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 6-Mark Martin
3. 24-Jeff Gordon
4. 10-Ricky Rudd
5. 5-Terry Labonte
6. 16-Ted Musgrave
7. 4-Sterling Marlin
8. 75-Todd Bodine
9. 25-Ken Schrader
10. 30-Michael Waltrip

• This was Dale Earnhardt's only career road course victory in Winston Cup competition. Coming to the white flag, Mark Martin hit oil and Earnhardt drove by him, took the lead and held off Martin for the victory.
• Dale Jarrett got up on his side in a crash on lap 62 trying to avoid a wreck between Rusty Wallace and Davy Jones. However, the marshals pushed him back on 4 wheels, and he finished the race in 23rd, on the lead lap.

Coca-Cola 600

1. 18-Bobby Labonte
2. 5-Terry Labonte
3. 30-Michael Waltrip
4. 4-Sterling Marlin, 1 lap down
5. 10-Ricky Rudd, 1 lap down
6. 3-Dale Earnhardt, 1 lap down
7. 26-Hut Stricklin, 1 lap down
8. 9-Lake Speed, 2 laps down
9. 43-Bobby Hamilton, 2 laps down
10. 41-Ricky Craven, 3 laps down

• Jimmy Hensley relieved Darrell Waltrip during this race because of the injuries that Waltrip suffered the previous Saturday night during The Winston.
• This was Bobby Labonte's first NASCAR Winston Cup win.

Miller Genuine Draft 500

1. 42-Kyle Petty
2. 18-Bobby Labonte
3. 16-Ted Musgrave
4. 26-Hut Stricklin
5. 3-Dale Earnhardt
6. 24-Jeff Gordon, 1 lap down
7. 4-Sterling Marlin, 1 lap down
8. 30-Michael Waltrip, 1 lap down
9. 2-Rusty Wallace, 1 lap down
10. 87-Joe Nemechek, 1 lap down

• This was the first race at Dover after the track's surface had been changed from asphalt to concrete.
• This race was marred by "The Big One", a 20 car crash on lap 2 coming out of turn 4. Usually, these occur only during restrictor plate races, but they have been known to occur at Dover.
• This was Kyle Petty's 8th and final NASCAR Winston Cup win. He started 37th and avoided the early carnage to lead 271 of the 500 laps.
• In addition to this race marking Kyle Petty's last victory; this would be the first win for Pontiac since the 1993 Hooters 500; when Rusty Wallace took the checkered flag in the last race before Team Penske switched from Pontiac to Ford starting in 1994.

UAW-GM Teamwork 500

1. 5-Terry Labonte
2. 16-Ted Musgrave
3. 25-Ken Schrader
4. 4-Sterling Marlin
5. 26-Hut Stricklin
6. 94-Bill Elliott
7. 21-Morgan Shepherd
8. 3-Dale Earnhardt
9. 30-Michael Waltrip
10. 11-Brett Bodine

• Terry Labonte made the pass for the win on the final restart with 7 laps to go, when teammate Jeff Gordon missed the upshift from 2nd to 3rd gear. When that happened, the entire line of lead-lap cars swept to the left and passed Gordon. At that time, restarts in the final 10 laps were single file, with all of the cars one or more laps down lining up directly behind the lead-lap cars. Gordon ended up finishing 16th, last car on the lead lap. Those were the only laps Labonte led in the race.
• Jimmy Horton, driving the #27 Ford in place of Elton Sawyer, climbed out of the car in the first half after being overcome by fumes. Jimmy Spencer, who had parked his #23 Ford earlier because of engine problems, took over in relief. Spencer took the #27 to a 34th-place finish, 8 laps down.

Miller Genuine Draft 400

1. 18-Bobby Labonte
2. 24-Jeff Gordon
3. 2-Rusty Wallace
4. 37-John Andretti
5. 21-Morgan Shepherd
6. 28-Dale Jarrett
7. 4-Sterling Marlin
8. 6-Mark Martin
9. 5-Terry Labonte
10. 16-Ted Musgrave

• Late in the race, the #9 of Lake Speed accidentally pinched the #30 of Michael Waltrip into the wall. Waltrip took exception to this move and confronted Speed on pit road after the race. He ended up throwing a couple of punches through the driver's side window of Speed's Spam Ford. Waltrip would be fined $10,000 by NASCAR for the incident.

Pepsi 400

1. 24-Jeff Gordon
2. 4-Sterling Marlin
3. 3-Dale Earnhardt
4. 6-Mark Martin
5. 16-Ted Musgrave
6. 25-Ken Schrader
7. 42-Kyle Petty
8. 10-Ricky Rudd
9. 23-Jimmy Spencer
10. 94-Bill Elliott

• The race ended on an unusual 1 lap shootout.
• Benny Parsons, ESPN's announcer, joked about Gordon, who was leading on the final restart saying that he "took shifting lessons" because of Gordon's mistake on the last race at Pocono.
• Kyle Petty finished seventh and later on a radio call-in show addressed a rumor that had circulated during Speedweeks as to his health, a rumor revived due to fatigue he'd felt in the win at Dover the previous month.

Slick 50 300

1. 24-Jeff Gordon
2. 21-Morgan Shepherd
3. 6-Mark Martin
4. 5-Terry Labonte
5. 10-Ricky Rudd
6. 2-Rusty Wallace
7. 12-Derrike Cope
8. 16-Ted Musgrave
9. 4-Sterling Marlin
10. 25-Ken Schrader

Miller Genuine Draft 500

1. 28-Dale Jarrett
2. 24-Jeff Gordon
3. 10-Ricky Rudd
4. 16-Ted Musgrave
5. 94-Bill Elliott
6. 7-Geoff Bodine
7. 6-Mark Martin
8. 98-Jeremy Mayfield
9. 87-Joe Nemechek
10. 15-Dick Trickle

• This was Dale Jarrett's 1st win with Robert Yates Racing and his only win with the number 28 car.

DieHard 500

1. 4-Sterling Marlin
2. 28-Dale Jarrett
3. 3-Dale Earnhardt
4. 21-Morgan Shepherd
5. 94-Bill Elliott
6. 42-Kyle Petty
7. 6-Mark Martin
8. 24-Jeff Gordon
9. 30-Michael Waltrip
10. 23-Jimmy Spencer, 1 lap down

• This race was one of the hottest races in Cup history, with air temperatures reaching up to 103 °F.
• There were only two caution flags during the race. The first was for debris on the track on lap 111, the second for "The Big One", a 13-car accident on lap 139 that featured Ken Schrader's car flipping end-over-end in the infield grass on the backstretch after contact from Jeff Gordon. Schrader was not injured.
• Gordon was very distraught, even in tears, over Schrader's crash because of the contact that started it. The team brought Schrader over and had him get on Gordon's radio after leaving the infield care center to tell him that he was okay.

Brickyard 400

Pole qualifying

Second round qualifying

Race recap

Top ten results

• 44-Jeff Purvis
• 95-Loy Allen Jr.
• 66-Billy Standridge
• 78-Pancho Carter
• 71-Dave Marcis
• 65-Steve Seligman
• 50-A. J. Foyt
• 80-Joe Ruttman

• 99-Danny Sullivan
• *Danny Sullivan's entry was withdrawn after his career-ending crash in the Marlboro 500 at Michigan.

The Bud at The Glen

1. 6-Mark Martin
2. 22-Wally Dallenbach Jr.
3. 24-Jeff Gordon
4. 10-Ricky Rudd
5. 5-Terry Labonte
6. 18-Bobby Labonte
7. 37-John Andretti
8. 17-Darrell Waltrip
9. 7-Geoff Bodine
10. 41-Ricky Craven

• During pre-race ceremonies, all drivers participated in unity for a parade lap to show support for series sponsor R. J. Reynolds. Each driver rode in the back of a pickup truck holding an American flag visible to all spectators. This was done in protest to President Bill Clinton's executive order earlier in the week targeting tobacco advertising at sporting events.
• This was Mark Martin's third consecutive win from the pole at Watkins Glen.
• Wally Dallenbach Jr., in a one-off "road course ringer" drive for Bill Davis Racing, was leading by almost 10 seconds late in the race. Suffering from headaches and fatigue, from inhaling smoke from an oil leak, Dallenbach Jr. twice got out to huge leads and appeared to be on his way to his first Winston Cup victory. Second place Mark Martin was gaining, but only by about one second per lap. A caution came out for fluid on the track from Joe Nemechek's broken transmission. The green came out with 8 laps to go, and Dallenbach Jr. again got out to a comfy lead. Martin closed the gap, however, and passed Dallenbach Jr. two laps after the restart to claim the win.
• Canadian road racing specialist Ron Fellows made his first Cup start in this race in the one-time #68 team owned by Vic Sifton of Canaska Motorsports.
• During a rain delay; Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt were granted the opportunity to run NASCAR's first test of rain tires, running a total of 16 laps during the test period. NASCAR would not use rain tires for a race until the 2020 Bank of America Roval 400.

GM Goodwrench 400

1. 18-Bobby Labonte
2. 5-Terry Labonte
3. 24-Jeff Gordon
4. 4-Sterling Marlin
5. 2-Rusty Wallace
6. 31-Ward Burton
7. 41-Ricky Craven
8. 43-Bobby Hamilton
9. 94-Bill Elliott, 1 lap down
10. 26-Hut Stricklin, 1 lap down

• This was Ward Burton's last race in the #31 Chevrolet for A. G. Dillard Motorsports.

Goody's 500

1. 5-Terry Labonte
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 28-Dale Jarrett
4. 17-Darrell Waltrip
5. 6-Mark Martin
6. 24-Jeff Gordon
7. 4-Sterling Marlin
8. 90-Mike Wallace
9. 8-Jeff Burton
10. 12-Derrike Cope, 1 lap down

• This race started roughly an hour and a half to two hours behind schedule due to persistent rains from Tropical Storm Jerry, which had made landfall to the south earlier in the week.
• This race is likely the most memorable race of the entire 1995 season due to the infamous finish of the event where Dale Earnhardt ran Terry Labonte down from 3 seconds behind in the late stages of the race and tapped him coming off turn 4 on the last lap. This tap got Labonte loose, and then Labonte overcorrected. This put Labonte head on into the outside wall just beyond the start-finish line, still ahead of Earnhardt to claim the victory.
• Back-to-back seasons that Terry Labonte won 3 races in a season, the most wins in a season in his career. Final time in his career as well that Terry Labonte would win 3 races in a season.
• This was Ward Burton's first race in the #22 Pontiac for Bill Davis Racing. However, it was a short debut as Burton crashed out of the race and finished 34th.
• This would be the 1st race since Martinsville in April of 1992 that Rusty Wallace failed to finish in the top 10 on a short track. Rusty's streak of top 10 short track finishes ended at 24 consecutive races, a Modern Era Record that still stands today. His 24 consecutive race streak of top 10 short track finishes began in this event in 1992. Unfortunately, he would end up finishing 21st in this race after Dale Earnhardt spun Rusty coming out of turn 4 on lap 32. Earnhardt was sent to the rear of the field after the incident, but Earnhardt still managed to finish 2nd. This resulted in an argument between Wallace and Earnhardt after the race where Wallace threw a water bottle at Earnhardt.
• Later in the race, Earnhardt ran into the back of Derrike Cope's #12 Ford on a restart. This significantly damaged the front of Earnhardt's car and forced him to pit road for repairs once the caution flag waved again. This was the reason why Earnhardt had to charge through the field in order to catch Terry Labonte at the end of the race.
• At one point, the #94 McDonald's Ford of Bill Elliott climbed the wall coming out of turn 2.
• The #43 of Bobby Hamilton was given a 5 lap penalty for rough driving for wrecking the #11 Ford of Brett Bodine twice within 20 laps.
• Lake Speed suffered from a slight case of smoke inhalation as a result of a crash on lap 390 that broke an oil line on his #9 Ford. The broken oil line caused a fire while Speed was trying to get the car back to his pit stall.

Mountain Dew Southern 500

1. 24-Jeff Gordon
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 2-Rusty Wallace
4. 22-Ward Burton
5. 30-Michael Waltrip
6. 10-Ricky Rudd
7. 26-Hut Stricklin
8. 18-Bobby Labonte
9. 9-Lake Speed
10. 4-Sterling Marlin

Miller Genuine Draft 400

1. 2-Rusty Wallace
2. 5-Terry Labonte
3. 3-Dale Earnhardt
4. 28-Dale Jarrett
5. 43-Bobby Hamilton
6. 24-Jeff Gordon
7. 37-John Andretti, 1 lap down
8. 10-Ricky Rudd, 1 lap down
9. 25-Ken Schrader, 1 lap down
10. 16-Ted Musgrave, 1 lap down

• Steve Grissom failed to qualify for both Richmond Winston Cup races in 1995.

MBNA 500

1. 24-Jeff Gordon
2. 43-Bobby Hamilton
3. 2-Rusty Wallace
4. 87-Joe Nemechek
5. 3-Dale Earnhardt
6. 4-Sterling Marlin
7. 12-Derrike Cope, 1 lap down
8. 6-Mark Martin, 1 lap down
9. 18-Bobby Labonte, 2 laps down
10. 10-Ricky Rudd, 2 laps down

• Rusty Wallace ended up finishing 3rd after being moved to the rear of the field at the beginning of the race due to needing a backup car so that he could run this race.
• 7th and final win of 1995 for Jeff Gordon.

Goody's 500

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 5-Terry Labonte
3. 2-Rusty Wallace
4. 43-Bobby Hamilton
5. 7-Geoff Bodine
6. 94-Bill Elliott
7. 24-Jeff Gordon
8. 17-Darrell Waltrip
9. 12-Derrike Cope
10. 28-Dale Jarrett

• In the middle part of the race, rookie Robert Pressley's brakes were wearing thin. On the backstretch he touched Ted Musgrave, who was running on seven cylinders, and sent him spinning into the pit wall. The back wheels of the Family Channel Ford climbed on top of the pit wall. This essentially ended Musgrave's title hopes, as he never really regained his earlier season form.

Tyson Holly Farms 400

1. 6-Mark Martin
2. 2-Rusty Wallace
3. 24-Jeff Gordon
4. 5-Terry Labonte
5. 10-Ricky Rudd
6. 88-Ernie Irvan
7. 28-Dale Jarrett
8. 25-Ken Schrader, 1 lap down
9. 3-Dale Earnhardt, 1 lap down
10. 94-Bill Elliott, 1 lap down

• This was Ernie Irvan's first race back in the Winston Cup Series since his near-fatal crash in practice at Michigan in August 1994. This resulted in Robert Yates Racing unveiling the #88 in order to give Irvan a car to re-acclimate himself to racing before going full-time in 1996. The 88 car itself would starting in 1996 be run full time by Robert Yates Racing with driver Dale Jarrett.
• All 36 cars starting the race finished the event within ten laps of the winner. It was the first race since 1959 that an entire starting field finished the race, with no drivers scoring a DNF.
• Junior Johnson's final race at his home track as a car owner would see Brett Bodine finish 22nd, 5 laps down; while Elton Sawyer finished 8 laps down in 34th.

UAW-GM Quality 500

1. 6-Mark Martin
2. 3-Dale Earnhardt
3. 5-Terry Labonte
4. 10-Ricky Rudd
5. 28-Dale Jarrett
6. 4-Sterling Marlin
7. 22-Ward Burton
8. 18-Bobby Labonte
9. 2-Rusty Wallace
10. 43-Bobby Hamilton

• Dale Earnhardt took the Past Champion's Provisional to get into this race. Within 70 laps, he was 2nd.

AC Delco 400

1. 22-Ward Burton
2. 2-Rusty Wallace
3. 6-Mark Martin
4. 5-Terry Labonte
5. 8-Jeff Burton
6. 4-Sterling Marlin
7. 3-Dale Earnhardt
8. 41-Ricky Craven
9. 87-Joe Nemechek
10. 94-Bill Elliott

• This was Ward Burton's first career Winston Cup win, coming in just his seventh race for Bill Davis Racing.
• This race featured an unusual 10+ lap long caution due to an error by NASCAR officials pertaining to Dale Earnhardt's car. On a green flag pit stop, Earnhardt's crew changed 4 tires like any other stop. However, one of the lugnuts on the left front tire was not painted red like the rest, making it appear that it was missing. As a result, an official called Earnhardt's car back to the pits to fix the problem that didn't actually exist. NASCAR then threw the caution in order to essentially put Earnhardt back where he was before the officials' error occurred, which was more or less unprecedented.

Dura Lube 500

1. 10-Ricky Rudd
2. 12-Derrike Cope
3. 3-Dale Earnhardt
4. 2-Rusty Wallace
5. 24-Jeff Gordon
6. 16-Ted Musgrave
7. 21-Morgan Shepherd
8. 6-Mark Martin
9. 1-Rick Mast
10. 25-Ken Schrader

• This victory gave Ricky Rudd a victory in 13 consecutive seasons, dating back to 1983.

NAPA 500

1. 3-Dale Earnhardt
2. 4-Sterling Marlin
3. 2-Rusty Wallace
4. 94-Bill Elliott
5. 22-Ward Burton
6. 23-Jimmy Spencer
7. 88-Ernie Irvan, 1 lap down
8. 18-Bobby Labonte, 1 lap down
9. 77-Bobby Hillin Jr., 1 lap down
10. 10-Ricky Rudd, 1 lap down

• Jeff Gordon came into the race only having to finish 41st or better to win the championship. As a result, he took it easy during the race. Dale Earnhardt came into this race 147 points behind Gordon. Earnhardt, knowing that he had to be near perfect to win the championship, went all out with nothing to lose. However, he went on to win the race and lead the most laps. He led 268 of the 328 laps. Gordon led only one lap, and that was during a round of green flag pit stops. With Earnhardt's win and leading the most laps, and with Gordon finishing 14 laps down in 32nd place, along with the 5 bonus points for leading a lap, Earnhardt gained a total of 113 points on Gordon. However, it was not enough for him to win a series record 8th championship. Gordon officially won his 1st title by 34 points over Earnhardt.
• For this race, Hendrick Motorsports entered two extra cars in the event, the #58 driven by Jimmy Horton, and the #59 driven by Jack Sprague, for insurance purposes. If problems were to befall Jeff Gordon's car, one car would immediately pull off the track and retire from the race. Horton qualified 34th while Sprague failed to qualify. The day before the Cup race, Horton suffered serious injuries after a terrible crash in the ARCA Bondo Mar-Hyde Series support race. Jeff Purvis was then hired to sub for Horton in the #58 and drove the car to a 26th-place finish, 8 laps down.
• Final race for King Racing, owned by drag racing legend Kenny Bernstein.
• Last career pole for Darrell Waltrip.
• Final race for Junior Johnson & Associates; as Johnson would sell the #11 car to its driver, Brett Bodine, while the #27 would go to attorney David Blair.
• Last Top 10 finish for Bobby Hillin Jr.

Final points standings

Rookie of the Year