The Winston Western 500 was an annual NASCAR

NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

 Winston Cup race held at Riverside International Raceway

Riverside International Raceway

Riverside International Raceway was a race track or road course in Riverside, California. The track was in operation from September 22, 1957, to July 2, 1989...

 in Riverside, California

Riverside, California

Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...

, USA, in January, and then in later years, November. From 1963 to 1981, the race was held in January and was the season opening race. NASCAR elected to start its season with the Daytona 500

Daytona 500

The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....

 beginning in 1982, so a second Winston Western 500 was run in November to accommodate the change; the change resulted in Riverside hosting three Winston Cup races in 1981. The race ran in November from 1981 to 1987, serving as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series' final race of the year from 1981 to 1986. The race distance was 500 miles until 1977 when it was shortened to 311 miles (500 kilometers). The other race held at Riverside, the Budweiser 400

Budweiser 400

The Budweiser 400 was an annual summer NASCAR Winston Cup race held from 1970 to 1988 at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California, USA. A 400-mile race was also run at the track in November 1963. The race distance was 400 miles until 1976 when it was shortened to 249 miles...

, was held in June.

Race winners

Winston Western 500

• 1987 – Rusty Wallace
  Rusty Wallace
  Russell William Wallace, Jr. is a past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, currently a broadcaster on ESPN, car owner in the Nationwide Series, and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.-Early racing career:...
  
  
• 1986 – Tim Richmond
  Tim Richmond
  Tim Richmond was an American race car driver from Ashland, Ohio. He competed in IndyCar racing before transferring to NASCAR's Winston Cup Series . Richmond was one of the first drivers to change from open wheel racing to NASCAR stock cars full-time, which has since become an industry trend...
  
  
• 1985 – Ricky Rudd
  Ricky Rudd
  Ricky Rudd is a former American NASCAR driver. He is the uncle of actor Skeet Ulrich and Nationwide Series driver Jason Rudd. Rudd is known as the "Iron Man" of NASCAR; holding the record for most consecutive starts in NASCAR racing. At the conclusion of the 2005 season, Rudd had made 788...
  
  
• 1984 – Geoff Bodine
  Geoff Bodine
  Geoffrey Eli Bodine is an American motorsport driver and bobsled builder. He is the oldest of the three Bodine brothers . Bodine currently lives in Cornelius, North Carolina....
  
  
• 1983
  1983 Winston Western 500
  The 1983 Winston Western 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on November 20, 1983 at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California, U.S.A.-Summary:...
  
   – Bill Elliott
  Bill Elliott
  William Clyde "Bill" Elliott , also known as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville or Million Dollar Bill, is a part-time driver and former champion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Elliott was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on August 15, 2007. He won the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup...
  
  
• 1982 – Tim Richmond
  Tim Richmond
  Tim Richmond was an American race car driver from Ashland, Ohio. He competed in IndyCar racing before transferring to NASCAR's Winston Cup Series . Richmond was one of the first drivers to change from open wheel racing to NASCAR stock cars full-time, which has since become an industry trend...
  
  
• 1981 (November) – Bobby Allison
  Bobby Allison
  Robert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
  
  
• 1981
  1981 Winston Western 500 (January)
  The 1981 Winston Western 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that took place on January 11, 1981 at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California, U.S.A..-Summary:...
  
   (January) – Bobby Allison
  Bobby Allison
  Robert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
  
  
• 1980 – Darrell Waltrip
  Darrell Waltrip
  Darrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
  
  
• 1979
  1979 Winston Western 500
  The 1979 Winston Western 500 is a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on January 14, 1979 at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California, U.S.A....
  
   – Darrell Waltrip
  Darrell Waltrip
  Darrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
  
  
• 1978 – Cale Yarborough
  Cale Yarborough
  William Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
  
  
• 1977 – David Pearson
• 1976 – David Pearson
• 1975 – Bobby Allison
  Bobby Allison
  Robert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....
  
  
• 1974 – Cale Yarborough
  Cale Yarborough
  William Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
  
  
• 1973 – Mark Donohue
  Mark Donohue
  Mark Neary Donohue, Jr. , nicknamed "Captain Nice", was an American racecar driver known for his ability to set up his own race car as well as driving it to victories. Donohue is probably best known as the driver of the 1500+ bhp “Can-Am Killer” Porsche 917-30 and as the winner of the 1972...
  
  
• 1972 – Richard Petty
  Richard Petty
  Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
  
  

Motor Trend 500

• 1971
  1971 Motor Trend 500
  The 1971 Motor Trend 500 was the first official race in NASCAR's Winston Cup era that took place on January 10, 1971.-Summary:...
  
   – Ray Elder
  Ray Elder
  Raymond Marvin Elder was a former NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series driver.He participated primarily in west coast races at Riverside International Raceway and Ontario Motor Speedway from 1967 to 1978. He won races at Riverside in 1971 and 1972 driving for Fred Elder...
  
  
• 1970
  1970 Motor Trend 500
  The 1970 Motor Trend 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series race that took place on January 18, 1970 at the now defunct Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California, USA.-Summary:...
  
   – A.J. Foyt
• 1969
  1969 Motor Trend 500
  The 1969 Motor Trend 500 was a NASCAR Grand National Series race that took place on February 1, 1969 at the now defunct Riverside International Raceway in the American community of Riverside, California.-Summary:...
  
   – Richard Petty
  Richard Petty
  Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
  
  
• 1968 – Dan Gurney
  Dan Gurney
  Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...
  
  
• 1967 – Parnelli Jones
  Parnelli Jones
  Rufus Parnell "Parnelli" Jones , is a retired American racing driver and racecar owner. He is most remembered for his 1963 Indianapolis 500 win, and almost winning the 1967 Indy 500 in a turbine car...
  
  
• 1966 – Dan Gurney
  Dan Gurney
  Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...
  
  
• 1965 – Dan Gurney
  Dan Gurney
  Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...
  
  
• 1964 – Dan Gurney
  Dan Gurney
  Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...
  
  

Riverside 500

• 1963 – Dan Gurney
  Dan Gurney
  Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...
  
  

Unnamed race

• 1961 – Lloyd Dane
  Lloyd Dane
  Lloyd Dane is a former NASCAR Grand National Series driver from Eldon, Missouri. He participated part time in the 1951 and 1954 to 1964 seasons, capturing 4 wins, all in his own car. 2 of his wins came in the 1956 season when he finished a career best 23rd in points.-References:...
  
  

Crown America 500

• 1958 – Eddie Gray
  Eddie Gray (NASCAR)
  Eddie Gray was a race car driver from Gardena, California, USA. He became champion of a predecessor of the NASCAR Winston West Series in 1958, 1961 and 1962...
  
  

Television broadcasters

Year	Network	Lap-by-lap	Color commentator(s) Color commentator A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
1987 1987 in NASCAR The 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season began February 8 and ended November 22. Dale Earnhardt of RCR Enterprises won the championship for the third time...	TBS NASCAR on TBS NASCAR on TBS is the name of former television program that broadcast NASCAR races on the TBS cable network. Select NASCAR Winston Cup Series , Busch Series , and Craftsman Truck Series races were aired on TBS up to the 2000 season.Races were switched to TNT in 2001 as part of the then-new NASCAR...	Ken Squier Ken Squier Ken Squier is an American sportscaster and motorsports editor from Waterbury, Vermont. From 1979-1997, he was the lap-by-lap commentator for NASCAR on CBS, and was also a lap-by-lap commentator for TBS from the time they had rights to NASCAR until 2000. Squier was the first announcer to give...	Johnny Hayes Johnny Hayes John "Johnny" Joseph Hayes was an American athlete, a member of the Irish American Athletic Club, and winner of the marathon race at the 1908 Summer Olympics...  and Buddy Baker Buddy Baker Elzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:...
1986 1986 in NASCAR The 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season began February 16 and ended November 16. Dale Earnhardt of RCR Enterprises won his second championship this year.See also: 1986 NASCAR Busch Series- Busch Clash :...	TBS NASCAR on TBS NASCAR on TBS is the name of former television program that broadcast NASCAR races on the TBS cable network. Select NASCAR Winston Cup Series , Busch Series , and Craftsman Truck Series races were aired on TBS up to the 2000 season.Races were switched to TNT in 2001 as part of the then-new NASCAR...	Ken Squier Ken Squier Ken Squier is an American sportscaster and motorsports editor from Waterbury, Vermont. From 1979-1997, he was the lap-by-lap commentator for NASCAR on CBS, and was also a lap-by-lap commentator for TBS from the time they had rights to NASCAR until 2000. Squier was the first announcer to give...	Phil Parsons Phil Parsons Phil Parsons , is a former NASCAR driver and owner of MSRP Motorsports . He is also the younger brother of the late 1973 Winston Cup champion and former NBC/TNT commentator Benny Parsons. Years later, he returned to the Busch Series, where he enjoyed modest success...
1985	TBS NASCAR on TBS NASCAR on TBS is the name of former television program that broadcast NASCAR races on the TBS cable network. Select NASCAR Winston Cup Series , Busch Series , and Craftsman Truck Series races were aired on TBS up to the 2000 season.Races were switched to TNT in 2001 as part of the then-new NASCAR...	Ken Squier Ken Squier Ken Squier is an American sportscaster and motorsports editor from Waterbury, Vermont. From 1979-1997, he was the lap-by-lap commentator for NASCAR on CBS, and was also a lap-by-lap commentator for TBS from the time they had rights to NASCAR until 2000. Squier was the first announcer to give...	Benny Parsons Benny Parsons Benjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
1984	TBS NASCAR on TBS NASCAR on TBS is the name of former television program that broadcast NASCAR races on the TBS cable network. Select NASCAR Winston Cup Series , Busch Series , and Craftsman Truck Series races were aired on TBS up to the 2000 season.Races were switched to TNT in 2001 as part of the then-new NASCAR...	Ken Squier Ken Squier Ken Squier is an American sportscaster and motorsports editor from Waterbury, Vermont. From 1979-1997, he was the lap-by-lap commentator for NASCAR on CBS, and was also a lap-by-lap commentator for TBS from the time they had rights to NASCAR until 2000. Squier was the first announcer to give...	Phil Parsons Phil Parsons Phil Parsons , is a former NASCAR driver and owner of MSRP Motorsports . He is also the younger brother of the late 1973 Winston Cup champion and former NBC/TNT commentator Benny Parsons. Years later, he returned to the Busch Series, where he enjoyed modest success...
1983	TBS NASCAR on TBS NASCAR on TBS is the name of former television program that broadcast NASCAR races on the TBS cable network. Select NASCAR Winston Cup Series , Busch Series , and Craftsman Truck Series races were aired on TBS up to the 2000 season.Races were switched to TNT in 2001 as part of the then-new NASCAR...	Ken Squier Ken Squier Ken Squier is an American sportscaster and motorsports editor from Waterbury, Vermont. From 1979-1997, he was the lap-by-lap commentator for NASCAR on CBS, and was also a lap-by-lap commentator for TBS from the time they had rights to NASCAR until 2000. Squier was the first announcer to give...	Cale Yarborough Cale Yarborough William Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
1982	NASCAR on TBS NASCAR on TBS NASCAR on TBS is the name of former television program that broadcast NASCAR races on the TBS cable network. Select NASCAR Winston Cup Series , Busch Series , and Craftsman Truck Series races were aired on TBS up to the 2000 season.Races were switched to TNT in 2001 as part of the then-new NASCAR...	Ken Squier Ken Squier Ken Squier is an American sportscaster and motorsports editor from Waterbury, Vermont. From 1979-1997, he was the lap-by-lap commentator for NASCAR on CBS, and was also a lap-by-lap commentator for TBS from the time they had rights to NASCAR until 2000. Squier was the first announcer to give...	Buddy Baker Buddy Baker Elzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:...

External links

• NASCAR Commentators Crews and Networks