| 1997 Thunder Special Suzuka NASCAR Cup Series | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race Information | Track Information | ||||
| Total Purse: | $0 | Race Date: | Nov 23, 1997 | Suzuka Circut | |
| Margin of Victory: | 3.742 Seconds | Race Duration: | 2Hr 20Min 22Sec. | Suzuka, Japan | |
| Lead Changes: | 7 Among / 6 Drivers | Average Speed: | 74.537 MPH | 3.6 Mile 18-Turn Paved Road Course | |
| No. of Cars: | 30 | No. of Cautions: | 5 For 18 Laps | ||
| Winner and Pole Information | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner Information | Pole Information | Manufacturer Points | ||||||
| Driver: | Mike Skinner M. Skinner | Driver: | Mark Martin M. Martin | Non-Points Race | ||||
| Car No.: | #31 Chevrolet | Car No.: | #6 Ford | |||||
| Team: | Richard Childress Racing | Team: | Roush Racing | |||||
| Crew Chief: | Larry McReynolds | Crew Chief: | Jimmy Fennig | |||||
| Laps Led: | 26 of 125 | Pole Speed: | 80.608 MPH | |||||
| Official 1997 Thunder Special Suzuka Results |
|---|
| Finish | Start | Num | Driver | Sponsor | Status | Mfg | Points | Laps | Led |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 31 | Mike Skinner | Lowe's / Snap-On | Running |  | 0 | 125 | 26 |
| 2 | 1 | 6 | Mark Martin | Valvoline | Running |  | 0 | 125 | 51 |
| 3 | 11 | 74 | Randy LaJoie | FINA | Running | | 0 | 125 | 0 |
| 4 | 12 | 96 | David Green | Caterpillar | Running | | 0 | 125 | 9 |
| 5 | 15 | 21 | Michael Waltrip | Citgo | Running | | 0 | 125 | 0 |
| 6 | 2 | 09 | Jim Richards | Pyroil | Running |  | 0 | 125 | 0 |
| 7 | 23 | 72 | Kenny Wallace | EA Sports | Running | | 0 | 125 | 0 |
| 8 | 5 | 5 | Jack Sprague | Rain-X | Running | | 0 | 125 | 0 |
| 9 | 19 | 38 | Butch Gilliland | Stroppe Motorsports | Running | | 0 | 125 | 0 |
| 10 | 6 | 7 | Geoffrey Bodine | QVC Network | Running | | 0 | 124 | 0 |
| 12 | 14 | 67 | Scott Gaylord | SMS Motorsports | Running | | 0 | 123 | 0 |
| 13 | 9 | 45 | Ron Hornaday, Jr. | Xtreme-J | Running | | 0 | 123 | 0 |
| 14 | 16 | 4 | Bobby Hamilton | Kodak Gold Film | Running | | 0 | 123 | 0 |
| 15 | 28 | 37 | Larry Gunselman | Lucas Oil | Running | | 0 | 122 | 0 |
| 16 | 25 | 07 | Sean Woodside | Cinema Vehicles | Running | | 0 | 121 | 0 |
| 17 | 30 | 08 | John Kinder | PowerBase Motorsports | Running | | 0 | 120 | 0 |
| 18 | 17 | 28 | Kenny Irwin, Jr. | Caltex / Texaco / Havoline | Running | | 0 | 116 | 0 |
| 19 | 26 | 25 | Ricky Craven | Budweiser / DuPont | Running | | 0 | 114 | 35 |
| 20 | 21 | 1 | Lance Hooper | R+L Carriers | Running | | 0 | 108 | 1 |
| 21 | 24 | 23 | Hideo Fukuyama | Million Card | Ignition | | 0 | 103 | 0 |
| 22 | 22 | 61 | Rick Carelli | RE/MAX International | Engine | | 0 | 79 | 0 |
| 23 | 10 | 02 | Akihiko Nakaya | Mooneyes | Running | | 0 | 76 | 0 |
| 24 | 8 | 46 | Wally Dallenbach, Jr. | Universal Studios | Accident | | 0 | 65 | 3 |
| 25 | 29 | 29 | Kazuteru Wakida | Gunblaster | Engine | | 0 | 65 | 0 |
| 26 | 27 | 14 | Jeff Davis | Ultra Shield Products | Running | | 0 | 62 | 0 |
| 27 | 13 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt | AC Delco | Overheating | | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| 28 | 20 | 98 | Kevin Culver | Wholesale Truck Parts | Engine | | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 29 | 3 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Miller Lite | Engine | | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 30 | 18 | 9 | Bill Sedgwick | ADL | Too Slow | | 0 | 5 | 0 |
