1998 Winston 500

The 1998 Winston 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series (now the NASCAR Cup Series) event held at Talladega Superspeedway on October 11, 1998. Dale Jarrett won his third and final race of the year, holding off a thrilling last lap charge by Jeff Gordon and the rest of the field. Gordon's finish, coupled with a 34th place effort of Mark Martin gave Gordon a 288-point lead with a few races to go, virtually insurmountable.

Background
Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former in the small city of Lincoln. The track is a Tri-oval and was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in the 1960s. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line - located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the Sprint Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and the Camping World Truck Series. Talladega Superspeedway is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66 mi, and the track at its peak had a of 175,000 spectators.

Summary

 * Winston No Bull 5 race: Dale Jarrett won an extra million dollars because he won this race and finished in the top 5 in the Southern 500.
 * Ernie Irvan was injured in a crash on lap 135 when he spun and hit the wall. The No. 90 of Dick Trickle hit Irvan's No. 36 when it came back across the track.  Irvan started the race at Daytona for points, but then sat out the remaining 3 races.