The 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 34th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 11th modern-era Cup series. The season began on February 14 at the Daytona International Speedway and concluded on November 21 at Riverside International Raceway. Darrell Waltrip took his second straight championship driving for Junior Johnson by 72 points over Bobby Allison.
Teams and drivers
TeamMakeNo.DriverCar OwnerCrew Chief Arrington Racing Dodge Mirada 67 Buddy Arrington Buddy Arrington Benfield Racing Buick Regal 98 Morgan Shepherd Ron Benfield Buddy Parrott Bud Moore Engineering Ford Thunderbird 15 Dale Earnhardt Bud Moore Bud Moore Cliff Stewart Racing Pontiac Grand Prix 50 Geoff Bodine (R) Cliff Stewart DiGard Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo Buick Regal 88 Bobby Allison Bill Gardner Gary Nelson Donlavey Racing Ford Thunderbird 90 Jody Ridley Junie Donlavey Hagan Racing Buick Regal 44 Terry Labonte Billy Hagan Jake ElderHamby MotorsportsBuick Regal Pontiac Grand Prix 17 Lowell Cowell Roger Hamby Lake Speed Hylton Racing Pontiac Grand Prix 48 James Hylton James Hylton Jim Stacy Racing Buick Regal 2 Tim Richmond (R) Jim Stacy Dale Inman Johnny Hayes Racing Buick Regal 55 Benny Parsons Johnny Hayes Junior Johnson & Associates Buick Regal 11 Darrell Waltrip Junior Johnson Jeff Hammond Langley Racing Ford Thunderbird 64 Tommy Gale Elmo Langley M. C. Anderson Racing Buick Regal 27 Cale Yarborough M. C. Anderson Tim Brewer Mach 1 Racing Buick Regal 33 Harry Gant Hal Needham Travis Carter Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 71 Dave Marcis Dave Marcis Martin Racing Buick Regal Pontiac Grand Prix 02 Mark Martin (R) Bud Reeder McDuffie Racing Pontiac Grand Prix 70 J. D. McDuffie J. D. McDuffie Means Racing Buick Regal 52 Jimmy Means Jimmy Means Melling Racing Ford Thunderbird 9 Bill Elliott Harry Melling Ernie Elliott Petty Enterprises Pontiac Grand Prix 42 Kyle Petty Richard Petty Mike Beam 43 Richard Petty Maurice Petty Race Hill Farm Team Buick Regal 47 Ron Bouchard Jack Beebe David Ifft RahMoc Enterprises Buick Regal 75 Joe Ruttman Bob Rahilly Bob Rahilly Ranier-Lundy Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo 28 Buddy Baker Harry Ranier Waddell Wilson Richard Childress Racing Pontiac Grand Prix 3 Ricky Rudd Richard Childress Kirk Shelmerdine Thomas Racing Pontiac Grand Prix 25 Ronnie Thomas Ronnie Thomas Ulrich Racing Buick Regal 6 D. K. Ulrich D. K. Ulrich Wawak Racing Buick Regal 94 Bobby Wawak Bobby Wawak Wood Brothers Racing Ford Thunderbird 21 Neil Bonnett Glen Wood Leonard Wood
Schedule No. Race title Track DateBusch ClashDaytona International Speedway, Daytona BeachFebruary 7 UNO Twin 125 QualifiersFebruary 11Daytona 500 Consolation RaceFebruary 121Daytona 500February 142Richmond 400Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, RichmondFebruary 213Valleydale 500Bristol International Raceway, BristolMarch 144Coca-Cola 500Atlanta International Raceway, HamptonMarch 215Carolina 500North Carolina Motor Speedway, RockinghamMarch 286CRC Chemicals Rebel 500Darlington Raceway, DarlingtonApril 47Northwestern Bank 400North Wilkesboro Speedway, North WilkesboroApril 188Virginia National Bank 500Martinsville Speedway, RidgewayApril 259Winston 500Alabama International Motor Speedway, TalladegaMay 210Cracker Barrel Country Store 420Nashville Speedway, NashvilleMay 811Mason-Dixon 500Dover Downs International Speedway, DoverMay 1612World 600Charlotte Motor Speedway, ConcordMay 3013Van Scoy Diamond Mine 500Pocono International Raceway, Long PondJune 614Budweiser 400Riverside International Raceway, RiversideJune 1315Gabriel 400Michigan International Speedway, BrooklynJune 2016Firecracker 400Daytona International Speedway, Daytona BeachJuly 417Busch Nashville 420Nashville Speedway, NashvilleJuly 1018Mountain Dew 500Pocono International Raceway, Long PondJuly 2519Talladega 500Alabama International Motor Speedway, TalladegaAugust 120Champion Spark Plug 400Michigan International Speedway, BrooklynAugust 2221Busch 500Bristol International Raceway, BristolAugust 2822Southern 500Darlington Raceway, DarlingtonSeptember 623Wrangler Sanfor-Set 400Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, RichmondSeptember 1224CRC Chemicals 500Dover Downs International Speedway, DoverSeptember 1925Holly Farms 400North Wilkesboro Speedway, North WilkesboroOctober 326National 500Charlotte Motor Speedway, ConcordOctober 1027Old Dominion 500Martinsville Speedway, RidgewayOctober 1728Warner W. Hodgdon American 500North Carolina Motor Speedway, RockinghamOctober 3129Atlanta Journal 500Atlanta International Raceway, HamptonNovember 730Winston Western 500Riverside International Raceway, RiversideNovember 21 Bolded races indicate a NASCAR Crown Jewel race
1982 Non-Points Results (Cup Series Speedweeks) Busch Clash The 1982 season unofficially kicked off on February 7 with the non-points fourth annual Busch Clash, open to all pole winners from the 1981 season in a 20 lap () dash. Terry Labonte drew pole position
Top Five 88-Bobby Allison 44-Terry Labonte 21-Neil Bonnett 11-Darrell Waltrip 27-Cale Yarborough
Time of Race: 15 minutes, 39 seconds Caution Flags: None Margin Of Victory: 1.5 car lengths Of the 13 drivers that started this race, 11 finished the race and all of those finishers were on the lead lap. Bobby Allison became the fourth different winner of this annual race. He took home $50,000.
UNO Twin 125 Qualifiers On February 11 the Uno Twin 125 Mile Qualifiers were held. Benny Parsons was on the pole for race 1 with a speed of 196.317 mph and Harry Gant was on the pole for race 2 with a speed of 195.609 mph.
Race 1 Top Five 27-Cale Yarborough 44-Terry Labonte 88-Bobby Allison 28-Benny Parsons 51-A. J. Foyt
Time of Race: 55 minutes, 26 seconds Caution Flags: 5 for 17 Laps Margin Of Victory: 2 car lengths
Race 2 Top Five 1-Buddy Baker 11-Darrell Waltrip 2-Joe Ruttman 15-Dale Earnhardt 42-Kyle Petty
Time of Race: 51 minutes, 54 seconds Caution Flags: 2 for 12 Laps Margin Of Victory: Under Caution
Daytona 500 Consolation Race On February 12, NASCAR allowed all 14 cars that failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 to race in a consolation race at a 30 lap () distance. Slick Johnson was on the pole.
Top Five 29-Tim Richmond (R) 48-Slick Johnson 25-Ronnie Thomas 05-Bill Meazell 49-James Hylton
Time of Race: 31 minutes, 17 seconds Caution Flags: 1 for 6 Laps Margin Of Victory: 0.21 seconds
1982 Season Results Daytona 500
The 1982 season officially kicked off on February 14 with the Daytona 500 held at the Daytona International Speedway. Benny Parsons won the pole with a speed of 196.317 mph.
Top Ten 88-Bobby Allison 27-Cale Yarborough 2-Joe Ruttman 44-Terry Labonte 9-Bill Elliott 47-Ron Bouchard 33-Harry Gant 1-Buddy Baker 90-Jody Ridley 30-Roy Smith
Time of Race: 3 hours 14 minutes 49 secondsCaution Flags: 5 for 34 LapsMargin Of Victory: 22.87 seconds Bobby Allison, who had won the Busch Clash on February 7, would dominate the race leading 147 of 200 laps and cruise to victory. Buick would take seven of the first eight finishing spots. There was controversy in Allison's victory as his rear bumper fell off a few laps into the race, which ended up giving the car an aerodynamic advantage. This also would be the first time since 1971 that no Chevrolets were in the field.
Richmond 400 The Richmond 400 was run on February 21 at the Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway. Darrell Waltrip won the pole with a speed of 93.256 mph.
Top Ten 71-Dave Marcis 43-Richard Petty 27-Benny Parsons 15-Dale Earnhardt 44-Terry Labonte 50-Joe Millikan 21-Neil Bonnett 88-Bobby Allison 47-Ron Bouchard 98-Morgan Shepherd
Time of Race: 1 hour 51 minutes 30 seconds.Caution Flags: 6 for 33 laps.Margin of Victory: Under CautionRace shortened to 250 of 400 laps due to rain. Dave Marcis captured the final win of his career and the only victory with his own team.
Valleydale 500 The Valleydale 500 was held on March 14 at the Bristol International Raceway. Darrell Waltrip won the pole with a speed of 111.068 mph.
Top Ten 11-Darrell Waltrip 15-Dale Earnhardt 98-Morgan Shepherd 44-Terry Labonte 88-Bobby Allison 33-Harry Gant 43-Richard Petty 47-Ron Bouchard 28-Benny Parsons 71-Dave Marcis
Time of Race: 2 hours 49 minutes 52 secondsCaution Flags: 3 for 25 lapsMargin of Victory: 13.2 seconds Darrell Waltrip would go on to win his first race of the season. He and Dale Earnhardt would combine to lead 477 of 500 laps.
Coca-Cola 500 The Coca-Cola 500 was held on March 21 at the Atlanta International Raceway. Dale Earnhardt won the pole with a speed of 163.774 mph.
Top Ten 11-Darrell Waltrip 43-Richard Petty 27-Cale Yarborough 28-Benny Parsons 33-Harry Gant 98-Morgan Shepherd 75-Gary Balough 44-Terry Labonte 62-Rick Wilson 5-Jim Sauter
Time of Race: 3 hours 29 minutes 58 secondsCaution Flags: 7 for 47 lapsMargin of Victory: Under CautionRace shortened to 287 of 328 laps due to rain. Darrell Waltrip led 33 laps and when rain hit in the final laps he beat Richard Petty by inches to the race-ending yellow. It was Waltrip's second win of the 1982 Winston Cup season. Dale Earnhardt led 155 laps but finished 28th. Gary Balough scored his best ever finish of 7th . This race provided footage for the motion picture Six Pack.
Warner W. Hodgdon Carolina 500 The Carolina 500 was originally scheduled for March 21 at the North Carolina Motor Speedway but due to rain it was postponed and held on March 28. Benny Parsons won the pole with a speed of 141.577 mph.
Top Ten 27-Cale Yarborough 44-Terry Labonte 28-Benny Parsons 88-Bobby Allison 98-Morgan Shepherd 50-Joe Millikan 11-Darrell Waltrip 33-Harry Gant 67-Buddy Arrington 70-J. D. McDuffie
Time of Race: 4 hours 3 minutes 27 secondsCaution Flags: 9 for 86 lapsMargin of Victory: 1 lap Cale Yarborough led 51 laps on way to winning his first Winston Cup race of 1982. Darrell Waltrip led 148 laps and finished 7th. Neil Bonnett led 128 laps and finished 19th. Gary Balough whom brought out the races final caution flag for a crash ended up finishing 12th. It was his last Cup Series race until 1991 as he was shortly after this event sentenced to prison for drug trafficking charges as was Billie Harvey, Tim Richmond's car owner. Last Top 10 finish for J. D. McDuffie.
CRC Chemicals Rebel 500 The CRC Chemicals Rebel 500 was held on April 4 at the Darlington Raceway. Buddy Baker won his 1st pole since 1980 with a speed of 153.979 mph.
Top Ten 15-Dale Earnhardt 27-Cale Yarborough 9-Bill Elliott 28-Benny Parsons 2-Tim Richmond (R) 44-Terry Labonte 02-Mark Martin (R) 67-Buddy Arrington 37-Donnie Allison 24-Lennie Pond
Time of Race: 4 hours 3 minutes 27 secondsCaution Flags: 8 for 53 lapsMargin of Victory: 3 feet Unfortunately pole sitter Buddy Baker would finish last (37th) due to flywheel problems. Dale Earnhardt led 181 laps on way to his only Winston Cup race win of 1982, his first victory since the October 5th 1980 National 500 at Charlotte, and his first victory in a Ford.
Northwestern Bank 400 The Northwestern Bank 400 was held on April 18 at the North Wilkesboro Speedway. Darrell Waltrip won the pole with a speed of 114.801 mph .
Top Ten 11-Darrell Waltrip 44-Terry Labonte 15-Dale Earnhardt 28-Benny Parsons 43-Richard Petty 33-Harry Gant 98-Morgan Shepherd 88-Bobby Allison 3-Ricky Rudd 37-Neil Bonnett
Time of Race: 2 hours 33 minutes 37 secondsCaution Flags: 6 for 34 lapsMargin of Victory: Under Caution Darrell Waltrip led 345 of 400 laps on way to winning his third Winston Cup race of 1982.
Virginia National Bank 500
The Virginia National Bank 500 was held on April 25 at the Martinsville Speedway. Terry Labonte won the pole with a speed of 89.988 mph.
Top Ten 33-Harry Gant 01-Butch Lindley 21-Neil Bonnett 3-Ricky Rudd 11-Darrell Waltrip 71-Dave Marcis 02-Mark Martin (R) 67-Buddy Arrington 40-Jimmy Hensley 48-Slick Johnson
Time of Race: 3 hours 30 minutes 1 secondsCaution Flags: 9 for 46 lapsMargin of Victory: 1 lap