The 1987 Coca-Cola 600 was the tenth stock car race of the 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 28th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, May 24, 1987, before an audience of 165,000 in Concord, North Carolina, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) permanent quad-oval. The race took the scheduled 400 laps to complete.

In a race of attrition that saw numerous crashes and engine failures due to high heat, Wood Brothers Racing's Kyle Petty managed to take advantage of several incidences of drivers dropping out of the race, taking the lead by lap 383 when Rusty Wallace's engine malfunctioned. On the final restart with 12 laps left, Petty was able to pull away to take his second career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season. To fill out the top three, King Racing's Morgan Shepherd and owner-driver Lake Speed finished second and third, respectively.

Background

Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, as well as the UAW-GM Quality 500. The speedway was built in 1959 by Bruton Smith and is considered the home track for NASCAR with many race teams located in the Charlotte area. The track is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) with Marcus G. Smith (son of Bruton Smith) as track president.

Entry list

(R) denotes rookie driver.

#DriverTeamMakeSponsor1Brett BodineEllington RacingBuickBull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce3Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevroletWrangler03Allan GriceJane RacingOldsmobileFoster's Lager4Rick WilsonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobileKodak04Graeme CrosbyJane RacingOldsmobileFoster's Lager5Geoff BodineHendrick MotorsportsChevroletLevi Garrett6Connie SaylorU.S. RacingChevroletU.S. Racing7Alan KulwickiAK RacingFordZerex8Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuickMiller American9Bill ElliottMelling RacingFordCoors11Terry LabonteJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevroletBudweiser12Slick JohnsonHamby RacingChevroletHamby Racing15Ricky RuddBud Moore EngineeringFordMotorcraft Quality Parts16Larry PearsonPearson RacingChevroletChattanooga Chew17Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevroletTide18Dale Jarrett (R)Freedlander MotorsportsChevroletFreedlander Financial19Derrike Cope (R)Stoke RacingFordAlugard21Kyle PettyWood Brothers RacingFordCitgo22Bobby AllisonStavola Brothers RacingBuickMiller American26Morgan ShepherdKing RacingBuickQuaker State27Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiacKodiak28Davey Allison (R)Ranier-Lundy RacingFordTexaco, Havoline29Cale YarboroughCale Yarborough MotorsportsOldsmobileHardee's30Michael WaltripBahari RacingChevroletAll Pro Auto Parts32Jonathan Lee EdwardsEdwards RacingChevroletEdwards Racing33Harry GantMach 1 RacingChevroletSkoal Bandit34Jesse Samples Jr.AAG RacingChevroletAllen's Glass35Benny ParsonsHendrick MotorsportsChevroletFolgers36H. B. BaileyBailey RacingPontiacAlmeda Auto Parts40Robbie FaggartFaggart RacingOldsmobileAll Pro Auto Parts43Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiacSTP44Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobilePiedmont Airlines48Tony SpanosHylton MotorsportsChevroletHylton Motorsports50Greg SacksDingman Brothers RacingPontiacValvoline52Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiacIn-Fisherman55Phil ParsonsJackson Bros. MotorsportsOldsmobileCopenhagen62Steve Christman (R)Winkle MotorsportsPontiacAC Spark Plug64Rodney CombsLangley RacingFordSunny King Ford66Donnie AllisonJackson Bros. MotorsportsOldsmobileSkoal67Buddy ArringtonArrington RacingFordPannill Sweatshirts70J. D. McDuffieMcDuffie RacingPontiacRumple Furniture71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletLifebuoy73Phil BarkdollBarkdoll RacingChevroletHelen Rae Special74Bobby WawakWawak RacingChevroletWawak Racing75Neil BonnettRahMoc EnterprisesPontiacValvoline77Eddie BierschwaleRagan RacingFordAll Pro Auto Parts80Jimmy HortonS&H RacingFordS&H Racing81Chet FillipFillip RacingFordWarr Valves82Mark StahlStahl RacingFordAuto Bell Car Wash83Lake SpeedSpeed RacingOldsmobileWynn's, Kmart87Randy BakerBuck Baker RacingChevroletSony88Buddy BakerBaker–Schiff RacingOldsmobileCrisco89Jim SauterMueller Brothers RacingPontiacEvinrude Outboard Motors90Ken SchraderDonlavey RacingFordRed Baron Frozen Pizza93Charlie BakerSalmon RacingChevroletSalmon Racing99Brad TeagueBall MotorsportsChevroletBall Motorsports

Qualifying Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Wednesday, May 20, at 3:00 PM EST. Each driver had one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 20 drivers in the round were guaranteed a starting spot in the race. If a driver was not able to guarantee a spot in the first round, they had the option to scrub their time from the first round and try and run a faster lap time in a second round qualifying run, held on Thursday, May 21, at 2:00 PM EST. As with the first round, each driver had one lap to set a time. For this specific race, positions 21-40 were decided on time, and depending on who needed it, a select amount of positions were given to cars who had not otherwise qualified but were high enough in owner's points; up to two were given.

Bill Elliott, driving for Melling Racing, managed to win the pole, setting a time of 31.597 and an average speed of in the first round.

14 drivers failed to qualify.

Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed19Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord31.597170.901222Bobby AllisonStavola Brothers RacingBuick31.735170.16033Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31.815169.732490Ken SchraderDonlavey RacingFord31.833169.634533Harry GantMach 1 RacingChevrolet32.036168.561616Larry PearsonPearson RacingChevrolet32.044168.521721Kyle PettyWood Brothers RacingFord32.054168.466855Phil ParsonsJackson Bros. MotorsportsOldsmobile32.112168.16191Brett BodineEllington RacingChevrolet32.126168.088107Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord32.130168.0671188Buddy BakerBaker–Schiff RacingOldsmobile32.150167.9631229Cale YarboroughCale Yarborough MotorsportsOldsmobile32.168167.8711335Benny ParsonsHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet32.191167.7491483Lake SpeedSpeed RacingOldsmobile32.197167.717158Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuick32.240167.4931628Davey Allison (R)Ranier-Lundy RacingFord32.247167.4561750Greg SacksDingman Brothers RacingPontiac32.248167.4521877Eddie BierschwaleRagan RacingFord32.259167.3941911Terry LabonteJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevrolet32.316167.0992026Morgan ShepherdKing RacingBuick32.324167.061Failed to lock in Round 1215Geoff BodineHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet31.887169.3482275Neil BonnettRahMoc EnterprisesPontiac32.051168.4812327Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiac32.062168.4242444Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobile32.065168.4082515Ricky RuddBud Moore EngineeringFord32.258167.4002619Derrike Cope (R)Stoke RacingFord32.273167.3232771Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet32.276167.3072843Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac32.329167.033296Connie SaylorU.S. RacingChevrolet32.372166.8113067Buddy ArringtonArrington RacingFord32.412166.6053117Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet32.421166.559324Rick WilsonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobile32.426166.5333387Randy BakerBuck Baker RacingChevrolet32.436166.4823462Steve Christman (R)Winkle MotorsportsPontiac32.440166.4613518Dale Jarrett (R)Freedlander MotorsportsChevrolet32.445166.4363603Allan GriceJane RacingOldsmobile32.475166.2823789Jim SauterMueller Brothers RacingPontiac32.483166.2413830Michael WaltripBahari RacingChevrolet32.490166.2053999Brad TeagueBall MotorsportsChevrolet32.494166.1854074Bobby WawakWawak RacingChevrolet32.509166.108Provisionals4112Slick JohnsonHamby RacingOldsmobile32.681165.2344252Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac32.705165.112Failed to qualify (results unknown)4304Graeme CrosbyJane RacingOldsmobile -* -*4432Jonathan Lee EdwardsEdwards RacingChevrolet -* -*4534Jesse Samples Jr.AAG RacingChevrolet -* -*4636H. B. BaileyBailey RacingPontiac -* -*4740Robbie FaggartFaggart RacingOldsmobile -* -*4848Tony SpanosHylton MotorsportsChevrolet -* -*4964Rodney CombsLangley RacingFord -* -*5066Donnie AllisonJackson Bros. MotorsportsOldsmobile -* -*5170J. D. McDuffieMcDuffie RacingPontiac -* -*5273Phil BarkdollBarkdoll RacingChevrolet -* -*5380Jimmy HortonS&H RacingFord -* -*5481Chet FillipFillip RacingFord -* -*5582Mark StahlStahl RacingFord -* -*5693Charlie BakerSalmon RacingChevrolet -* -*Official first round qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup

Race results FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings1721Kyle PettyWood Brothers RacingFord40035running180$89,40522026Morgan ShepherdKing RacingBuick3990running170$49,07031483Lake SpeedSpeed RacingOldsmobile3990running165$27,62542843Richard PettyPetty EnterprisesPontiac3980running160$24,92553117Darrell WaltripHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3980running155$16,90061911Terry LabonteJunior Johnson & AssociatesChevrolet3980running150$22,18071188Buddy BakerBaker–Schiff RacingOldsmobile3980running146$12,0008855Phil ParsonsJackson Bros. MotorsportsOldsmobile3980running142$13,40093789Jim SauterMueller Brothers RacingPontiac3960running138$9,400102327Rusty WallaceBlue Max RacingPontiac39662running139$28,375113830Michael WaltripBahari RacingChevrolet3930running130$13,390123067Buddy ArringtonArrington RacingFord3840running127$11,770132275Neil BonnettRahMoc EnterprisesPontiac3791accident129$11,140142771Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet3632running126$10,470154252Jimmy MeansJimmy Means RacingPontiac3580running118$11,150161628Davey Allison (R)Ranier-Lundy RacingFord35188engine120$6,550173387Randy BakerBuck Baker RacingChevrolet3380running112$5,50018215Geoff BodineHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3227running114$12,700194074Bobby WawakWawak RacingChevrolet3080engine106$4,9502033Dale EarnhardtRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3050running103$19,6002191Brett BodineEllington RacingChevrolet30017engine105$4,85022222Bobby AllisonStavola Brothers RacingBuick2981engine102$16,2002319Bill ElliottMelling RacingFord267186engine104$82,05024533Harry GantMach 1 RacingChevrolet2580engine91$8,405252515Ricky RuddBud Moore EngineeringFord2540accident88$11,950261335Benny ParsonsHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet2470engine85$12,10027107Alan KulwickiAK RacingFord2291accident87$6,945281877Eddie BierschwaleRagan RacingFord2210accident79$2,30029490Ken SchraderDonlavey RacingFord2150engine76$7,37530324Rick WilsonMorgan–McClure MotorsportsOldsmobile2070accident73$2,00031616Larry PearsonPearson RacingChevrolet2020accident70$2,600322444Sterling MarlinHagan RacingOldsmobile1790camshaft67$4,61533296Connie SaylorU.S. RacingChevrolet1770engine64$4,55534158Bobby Hillin Jr.Stavola Brothers RacingBuick1620overheating61$8,750353603Allan GriceJane RacingOldsmobile1610rear end0$1,700361750Greg SacksDingman Brothers RacingPontiac1140a frame55$1,650372619Derrike Cope (R)Stoke RacingFord930water pump52$1,600383518Dale Jarrett (R)Freedlander MotorsportsChevrolet840engine49$4,310394112Mark MartinHamby RacingOldsmobile680engine46$3,550403999Brad TeagueBall MotorsportsChevrolet460electrical43$1,525413462Steve Christman (R)Winkle MotorsportsPontiac280engine40$1,525421229Cale YarboroughCale Yarborough MotorsportsOldsmobile190oil line37$1,525Failed to qualify (results unknown)4304Graeme CrosbyJane RacingOldsmobile4432Jonathan Lee EdwardsEdwards RacingChevrolet4534Jesse Samples Jr.AAG RacingChevrolet4636H. B. BaileyBailey RacingPontiac4740Robbie FaggartFaggart RacingOldsmobile4848Tony SpanosHylton MotorsportsChevrolet4964Rodney CombsLangley RacingFord5066Donnie AllisonJackson Bros. MotorsportsOldsmobile5170J. D. McDuffieMcDuffie RacingPontiac5273Phil BarkdollBarkdoll RacingChevrolet5380Jimmy HortonS&H RacingFord5481Chet FillipFillip RacingFord5582Mark StahlStahl RacingFord5693Charlie BakerSalmon RacingChevroletOfficial race results

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings