|| *Comments on the 1988 Southern 500:* View the most recent comment <#19> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. Barry Avery posted: 02.15.2007 - 1:33 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) I was at this race in the old Turn 2 infield. It was one of the greatest races ever. Bill and Rusty battled side-by-side for the last 40 laps. Elliott was on the outside and Wallace was on the inside. Elliott was better in turn 3 & 4 and Rusty was better in turn 1&2. Elliott held off Wallace as he smoked the tires every lap trying to pass Elliott. It was the race of the year to see as Elliott went on to win the championship. 2. DieselDan posted: 12.10.2007 - 11:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I was in the same spot Barry. Too bad they won't let us regular folk in the infield anymore. 3. Walleyewhacker posted: 05.26.2011 - 10:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I thinking that this was the last race where Benny Parsons lead any laps. Benny was under the weather but still managed to lead 25 laps in Juney Donlavey's #90. Great duel between Rusty and Bill at the end of the race. Rusty had a nasty fuel pick-up problem during the 1988 season and frequently ran out of gas because of it, or was forced to pit early before running out. 4. cbtbartley09@gmail.com posted: 07.30.2011 - 2:50 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) WE NAMED THIS RACE THE "PAY TO GET OUT RACE". Because it is the only race i ever saw in person that i would pay to get back out the gate. it was that good what a classic. 5. 83andJoe posted: 03.15.2013 - 3:19 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hershel McGriff DNQ'd the #04 Pontiac. Mike Potter DNQ'd the #64 Chevrolet. 6. The Great Dave posted: 01.01.2014 - 9:44 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) this is the race flagman Harold Kinder accidentally dropped the Caution flag on the race track. 7. HD11 posted: 05.18.2014 - 11:31 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) One of my favorite all time crew chief quotes, Kirk Shelmerdine when asked if Earnhardt was holding anything back from Bill and Rusty: "If he's got anything, he'd better be getting it out!" This was a classic and it's too bad it isn't mentioned as a classic Southern 500 more than it is. 8. James W. McLaughlin posted: 09.18.2014 - 10:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was the first race in which Heinz sponsored, appropriately enough, car #57. Nice car. A pity Morgan dropped out on lap 53, though. 9. Ryan W posted: 09.16.2015 - 2:36 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) I wish they had this on youtube. 10. Jericohol14 posted: 02.08.2017 - 11:42 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) @8 Luckily it now is! In full! https://youtu.be/-ir8KgAGs28 11. JSPorts posted: 02.08.2017 - 11:45 am Rate this comment: (0) (1) Love having all these old races uploaded to YouTube! 12. saltsburgtrojanfan posted: 02.09.2017 - 1:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Caution 1: competition Caution 2: #57 engine Caution 3: #15 accident Caution 4: #88 accident turn 1 Caution 5: #68 accident turn 4 Caution 6: #43 accident turn 2 Caution 7: #10 spun frontstretch Caution 8: #36 spun turn 4 Caution 9: debris backstretch Caution 10: #77 accident turn 4 13. RaceFanX posted: 11.12.2017 - 5:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Rusty Wallace finishes second in the Southern 500 for the second year in a row...but ultimately would never win a NASCAR race at Darlington. 14. Jimnsimforever posted: 12.12.2018 - 11:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bill flat out had the best car of the 3. Before the last caution where #77 Ragan wrecked, Bill had a slightly better car than Earnhardt but Dale was able to keep holding him off. That caution, all 3 stopped for four tires and Rusty's car got a little bit better, Elliotts car stayed the best, and Earnhardt got a bad set of tires from whatever dropout car they got them from. Bill's pit crew also had a great stop, beating Earnhardt out of the pits by a second. 37 laps left when the green flag dropped, Dale in 2nd couldn't stay with Bill, and 10 laps or so in Rusty got by him. Rusty made about 5 serious tries to pass Bill but only got the nose just inside the back quarter panel each time and no further. I think Bill's car had more and he was doing the safe conservative thing and giving it just enough to keep Rusty behind him to not risk blowing up or something. Each of the times Rusty got his nose under Bill, Bill would just pull away to 5 car lengths. The wildest part of the race was after they came off turn 4 on the last lap. Bill had the win easily and some lap car was right in the way instead of getting to the inside and Elliott darn near ran into the back of him. Had to ease off the gas and Rusty would've won had Bill not been already ahead 4 car lengths in 3 and 4. 15. Chase9Fan posted: 08.12.2019 - 12:07 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I remember this race and my heart sank for Rusty. I was sure after this though he would win a Southern 500, if not more than one. Never happened. Rusty faired fairly well at Darlington, just could never win for whatever reason. 16. Chase9Fan posted: 08.12.2019 - 12:08 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 13. I know i hate that. Rusty could drive the heck out of Darlington, but I guess that's the way it goes sometimes. 17. zuel660 posted: 08.12.2019 - 7:51 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Just like in 1985, Elliott dominates and wins the Southern 500 & leaves there leading the points. Unlike 1985, the Melling team has a strong, consistent run to the end of the season to claim the Winston Cup title for '88. 18. Johnny posted: 08.14.2020 - 11:38 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Despite being round #21, this was the first Cup race in 1988 to have any driver (Elliott in this case) get the pole, lead the most laps and win. 19. ThomasNester posted: 12.18.2020 - 11:24 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Buddy Baker's streak of consecutive Darlington races comes to an end at 50. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: