1993 Winston 500

The 1993 Winston 500 was held on May 2, 1993, at Talladega Superspeedway and was the 10th race of the 1993 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Then-current Alabama governor Harold Guy Hunt was the official grand marshal for the event.

Rusty Wallace flipped for the second time that season across the finish line. Dale Earnhardt tapped him into a spin, which caused Rusty's car to get airborne and cross the finish line on its nose. It then landed and flipped 6 times on the grass. He would receive numerous injuries as the result of cracking up his vehicle in this event; allowing Dale Earnhardt to take a 129-point lead over him in the 1993 Winston Cup Championship.

Ultimately, Rusty never had a chance to regain the championship lead because the cast on his hand caused his shift problems that destroyed his transmission along with his grip in the next few after that.

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 Anniston Air Force Base 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 seating capacity of 175,000 spectators.

Race report
The pole position was won by Dale Earnhardt in his # 3 Chevrolet. Ernie Irvan defeated Jimmy Spencer by two car lengths. 13% of the race was run under a caution flag while the average green flag run was 33 laps. Accidents and a brief burst of rain contributed to the yellow flags in the race. All drivers were born in the United States of America.

Ricky Rudd was the last-place finisher due to camshaft problems on lap 12. Mark Martin was penalized for making a pit stop prior to the green flag. Veteran driver Dick Trickle managed to avoid the mechanical problems for 31st-place finish. Ritchie Petty would make his NASCAR debut in this race; he would make a few more Cup starts in what turned out to be a short NASCAR career.

This was Ernie Irvan's seventh career Winston Cup win and final one in the #4 Kodak Film Chevy.

This race resulted in Joe Ruttman's last top-5 and top-10 of his NASCAR Winston Cup Series career.

Greg Sacks took over the #68 Country Time ride in this race after 1991 Rookie of the Year Bobby Hamilton was let go.

1988 Rookie of the Year Ken Bouchard's first start in four years since being replaced in the Bob Whitcomb owned car very early in the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season by Derrike Cope.

Lapped cars of Rick Wilson, Bobby Hillin, and Phil Parsons were mixing it up with the leaders on the final laps. Earnhardt and Wallace got too far ahead on the final restart and were overtaken by the field. Mark Martin fell from second to 12th on the final lap.

Ford vehicles would make up the majority of the racing grid while Chevrolets and Pontiacs also competed. Dick Moroso would have his only "top five" finisher as an owner at this event.

Timeline
Section reference:
 * Start of race: Jimmy Spencer had the pole position at the start of the first lap.
 * Lap 12: The camshaft on Ricky Rudd's vehicle developed problems, putting Rudd out of the race.
 * Lap 23: Ken Bouchard's engine blew up while he was racing.
 * Lap 32: Jeff Purvis' engine blew up while he was racing.
 * Lap 64: Dale Earnhardt took over the lead from Dale Jarrett before losing it to Ernie Irvan on lap 91.
 * Lap 74: The shocks on Rich Bickle's engine could not take it anymore, forcing Bickle to leave the race.
 * Lap 100: Dale Earnhardt took over the lead from Dale Jarrett before losing it back to him on lap 117.
 * Lap 117: Sterling Marlin and Geoffrey Bodine's accident on turn four caused a caution, racing resumed on lap 121.
 * Lap 123: Dale Earnhardt took over the lead from Dale Jarrett before losing it to Ernie Irvan on lap 134.
 * Lap 126: Terry Labonte had a terminal crash, forcing him to exit the race.
 * Lap 130: A multiple car accident forced NASCAR to wave the yellow flag until lap 137.
 * Lap 138: Greg Sacks had a terminal crash, forcing him out of the race.
 * Lap 139: Jimmy Means had engine issues, ending his race weekend a bit too soon.
 * Lap 156: Brett Bodine had a terminal crash, forcing him to exit the race.
 * Lap 158: Brett Bodine and Hut Stricklin's accident on the backstretch forced the cars to slow down until lap 162.
 * Lap 174: Geoffrey Bodine had handling issues with his vehicle, forcing him out of the race.
 * Lap 180: Rain forced the cars not to race at full speed until conditions improved on lap 186.
 * Finish: Ernie Irvan was officially declared the winner of the race, while Rusty Wallace was tapped from behind by Dale Earnhardt which sent Wallace's car sailing over the finish line on its nose before barrel-rolling multiple times.

Standings after the race
Failed to qualify: 9-P. J. Jones, 48-James Hylton, 0-Delma Cowart, 31-Steve Kinser, 62-Ben Hess, 71-Dave Marcis, 73-Phil Barkdoll, 65-Jerry O'Neil, 49-Stanley Smith.