The 1993 Hooters 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock‑car race held on November 14 1993 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (then known as Atlanta International Raceway) in Hampton, Georgia. It was the 30th and final race of the 1993 NASCAR Winston Cup Series schedule.
Event details
- Date: November 14 1993
- Venue: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Georgia
- Track configuration: 1.522 mi (2.449 km) quad‑oval, four turns
- Distance: 328 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
- Attendance: Approximately 110,000 spectators
Qualifying
Ernie Irvan secured the pole position with a qualifying lap speed of 174.225 mph (280.3 km/h).
Race summary
The event featured a 33‑car field. Dale Earnhardt, driving the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, led the most laps and won the race, finishing ahead of Mark Martin (No. 6) and Darrell Waltrip (No. 30). Earnhardt’s victory, combined with the points standings, allowed him to clinch his fifth Winston Cup championship despite a late‑race incident that caused him to fall to 32nd place on the track before the final lap under caution.
Notable participants and milestones
- Richard Petty: Made his final NASCAR Winston Cup start, finishing 33rd.
- Jeff Gordon: Made his series debut, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports; he finished 30th after a late‑race crash.
- Championship contenders: In addition to Earnhardt, the race marked the final championship battle for Rusty Wallace (2nd in points), Dale Jarrett (3rd), Mark Martin (4th), and Bill Elliott (5th).
Historical significance
The 1993 Hooters 500 is widely remembered for several historic moments: the retirement of seven‑time champion Richard Petty, the debut of future four‑time champion Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt securing his fifth Winston Cup title under dramatic circumstances. The race is frequently cited in retrospectives of NASCAR history as a pivotal transition point between the sport’s earlier era and the emergence of a new generation of drivers.