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PrivacyIROC XX - 1996
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The International Race of Champions was an auto racing competition, featuring identically-prepared stock cars set up by a single team of mechanics, in an effort to make the race purely a test of driver ability. It was run with a small field of invited drivers (6-12) from all the major racing series including NASCAR, SCCA, FIA and USAC. Over the years CART and the IRL drivers, among others also participated.
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IROC XX - 1996
IROC marked its 20th anniversary with a new car, the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. Dale Earnhardt debuted the Firebird with a victory at Daytona. At Talladega, Indy Car drivers scored their first-ever 1-2-3 sweep, with Al Unser Jr. leading Robby Gordon and Scott Pruett to the checkered flag. Charlotte was the series' first night event, with Mark Martin earning the win. In the finale, at Michigan, Martin again finished first, to move past Gordon and Unser Jr. to take his second championship in three years. (from IROC Website)
The 1996 IROC Drivers
(Top) Scott Pruett, Sterling Marlin, Johnny Benson, Rusty Wallace, Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon
(Bottom) Robby Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Tommy Kendall, Al Unser Jr, Steve Kinser
(Not pictured) Mark Martin
Final Points |
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IROC 20 Champion Mark Martin  |
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Position |
Driver/Residence/Sanction |
Points |
Money Earned |
| 1 | Mark Martin/Daytona Beach, FL/NASCAR |
61 | 225,000 |
| 2 | Robby Gordon/Cornelius, NC/INDY CAR |
54 | 100,000 |
| 3 | Johnny Benson/Harrisburg, NC/NASCAR |
50 | 60,000 |
| 4 | Terry Labonte/Thomasville, NC/NASCAR |
48 | 50,000 |
| 5 | Al Unser Jr./Albuquerque, NM/INDY CAR |
48 | 45,000 |
| 6 | Sterling Marlin/Columbia, TN/NASCAR |
40 | 40,000 |
| 7 | Scott Pruett/Loomis, CA/INDY CAR |
40 | 40,000 |
| 8 | Dale Earnhardt/Mooresville, NC/NASCAR |
39 | 40,000 |
| 9 | Tom Kendall/Santa Monica, CA/SCCA |
36 | 40,000 |
| 10 | Jeff Gordon/Davidson, NC/NASCAR |
30 | 40,000 |
| 11 | Rusty Wallace/Concord, NC/NASCAR |
26 | 40,000 |
| 12 | Steve Kinser/Bloomington, IN/WoO |
25 | 40,000 |
Race One |
| February 16, 1996 |
| Daytona International Speedway |
| Daytona Beach, Florida |
| 2.5-mile high-banked oval, 40 laps, 100 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Driver |
Laps |
Status |
| 1 | 6 | Dale Earnhardt |
40 | Running |
| 2 | 10 | Robby Gordon |
40 | Running |
| 3 | 2 | Tom Kendall |
40 | Running |
| 4 | 5 | Sterling Marlin |
40 | Running |
| 5 | 7 | Al Unser Jr. |
40 | Running |
| 6 | 12 | Jeff Gordon |
40 | Running |
| 7 | 4 | Terry Labonte |
40 | Running |
| 8 | 3 | Mark Martin |
40 | Running |
| 9 | 11 | Johnny Benson |
40 | Running |
| 10 | 9 | Scott Pruett |
40 | Running |
| 11 | 1 | Steve Kinser |
30 | Accident |
| 12 | 8 | Rusty Wallace |
21 | Mechanical |
| Time of Race: 31 minutes, 57 seconds |
| Average Speed: 187.793 MPH |
| Margin of Victory: 2 car lengths |
| Caution Flags : 1 (Kinser hit wall on Lap 30) |
| Lead Changes: 3 among 4 drivers |
| Lap Leaders: Kinser, 1; Kendall, 2-10; Labonte, 11-37; Earnhardt, 38-40. |
Race Two |
| April 27, 1996 |
| Talladega Superspeedway |
| Talladega, Alabama |
| 2.66-mile high-banked tri-oval, 38 laps, 101.08 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Driver |
Laps |
Status |
| 1 | 8 | Al Unser Jr. |
38 | Running |
| 2 | 11 | Robby Gordon |
38 | Running |
| 3 | 3 | Scott Pruett |
38 | Running |
| 4 | 9 | Sterling Marlin |
38 | Running |
| 5 | 6 | Terry Labonte |
38 | Running |
| 6 | 2 | Steve Kinser |
38 | Running |
| 7 | 7 | Jeff Gordon |
6 | Accident |
| 8 | 10 | Tom Kendall |
6 | Accident |
| 9 | 12 | Dale Earnhardt |
5 | Accident |
| 10 | 4 | Johnny Benson |
5 | Accident |
| 11 | 5 | Mark Martin |
5 | Accident |
| 12 | 1 | Rusty Wallace |
5 | Accident |
| Time of Race: 32 minutes, 31 seconds |
| Average Speed: 186.513 MPH |
| Margin of Victory: .093 second |
| Caution Flags: 1 (Multi car crash on Lap 5; Kinser -- flat tire after Lap 5) |
| Lead Changes: 7 among 6 drivers |
| Lap Leaders: Kinser, 1; Benson, 2; J. Gordon, 3-4; Labonte, 5-8; R. Gordon, 9-27; Marlin, 28-35; Unser Jr., 36-38. |
Race Three |
| May 17, 1996 |
| Charlotte Motor Speedway |
| Concord, North Carolina |
| 1.5-mile oval, 67 laps, 100.5 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Driver |
Laps |
Status |
| 1 | 2 | Mark Martin |
67 | Running |
| 2 | 3 | Johnny Benson |
67 | Running |
| 3 | 6 | Scott Pruett |
67 | Running |
| 4 | 1 | Rusty Wallace |
67 | Running |
| 5 | 5 | Jeff Gordon |
67 | Running |
| 6 | 8 | Terry Labonte |
66 | Running |
| 7 | 7 | Tom Kendall |
66 | Running |
| 8 | 11 | Al Unser Jr. |
66 | Running |
| 9 | 4 | Steve Kinser |
8 | Accident |
| 10 | 10 | Dale Earnhardt |
8 | Accident |
| 11 | 9 | Sterling Marlin |
8 | Accident |
| 12 | 12 | Robby Gordon |
8 | Accident |
| Time of Race: 37 minutes, 3 seconds |
| Average Speed: 162.753 MPH |
| Margin of Victory: . 2.722 seconds |
| Caution Flags: 1 (Multi car crash on Lap 8) |
| Lead Changes: 0 |
| Lap Leaders: Martin, 1-67. |
Race Four |
| August 17, 1996 |
| Michigan International Speedway |
| Brooklyn, Michigan |
| Two-mile superspeedway, 50 laps, 100 miles. |
Finish |
Start |
Driver |
Laps |
Status |
| 1 | 10 | Mark Martin |
50 | Running |
| 2 | 4 | Johnny Benson |
50 | Running |
| 3 | 9 | Terry Labonte |
50 | Running |
| 4 | 12 | Robby Gordon |
50 | Running |
| 5 | 11 | Al Unser Jr. |
50 | Running |
| 6 | 5 | Sterling Marlin |
50 | Running |
| 7 | 1 | Rusty Wallace |
50 | Running |
| 8 | 7 | Scott Pruett |
50 | Running |
| 9 | 2* | Dale Jarrett |
50 | Running |
| 10 | 8** | Ricky Rudd |
50 | Running |
| 11 | 6*** | Geoff Bodine |
47 | Running |
| 12 | 3 | Jeff Gordon |
39 | Mechanical |
| * - Jarrett drive for Steve Kinser | ||||
| ** - Rudd drove for Dale Earnhardt | ||||
| *** - Bodine drive for Tom Kendall | ||||
| Time of Race: 35 minutes, 44 seconds |
| Average Speed: 176.910 MPH |
| Margin of Victory: . 757 second |
| Caution Flags: None |
| Lead Changes: 4 among 2 drivers |
| Lap Leaders: Benson, 1-30; Martin, 31; Benson, 32; Martin, 33-50. |