1997 NASCAR Busch Series

NASCAR season

The 1997 NASCAR Busch Series began February 15 and ended November 9. Randy LaJoie of BACE Motorsports won the championship.

List of full time teams at the start of 1997. TeamCar(s)No. (Car number)Driver(s)Listed owner(s) Akins Sutton Motorsports Ford Thunderbird38 Elton Sawyer Bob Sutton BACE Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo33 Tim Fedewa Barbara Baumgardner74 Randy LaJoie Bill Baumgardner Bill Elliott Racing Ford Thunderbird94 Ron Barfield Bill Elliott Brewco Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo37 Mark Green Clarence Brewer Buckshot Racing Pontiac Grand Prix00 Buckshot Jones Billy Jones Crestinger Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo20 Jimmy Spencer Allen CrestingerDale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Monte Carlo3 Steve Park (R)Dale Earnhardt31 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Diamond Ridge Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo1 Hermie Sadler Gary Bechtel8 Jeff Green29 Elliott Sadler Donald Laird Racing Ford Thunderbird96 Stevie Reeves Donald Laird Ridling Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo43 Dennis Setzer David Ridling88 Kevin Lepage Hensley Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo63 Tracy Leslie Hubert Hensley DAJ Racing Ford Thunderbird32 Dale Jarrett Horace Isenhower J&J Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo99 Glenn Allen Jr. Bill Papke Joe Bessey Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo6 Joe Bessey Nancy Bessey KEL Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo57 Jason Keller Joe Keller Key Motorsports Ford Thunderbird11 Jimmy Foster (R) Curtis KeyLabonte MotorsportsPontiac Grand Prix
Chevrolet Monte Carlo 44 Bobby Labonte Bobby LabonteTerry Labonte Tony Stewart 5 Andy Hillenburg Terry Labonte Brad Leighton Steve Grissom Jeff Fuller Laughin Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo45 Greg Sacks Mike Laughlin Michael Waltrip Racing Ford Thunderbird21 Michael Waltrip Buffy Waltrip NorthStar Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo89 Johnny Chapman (R) Meredith Ruark Parker Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo72 Mike Dillon Ron Parker Phil Parsons Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo10 Phil Parsons Marcia Parsons Phoenix Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo4 Dale Shaw James Finch Porter Racing Ford Thunderbird48 Randy Porter James Porter PRW Racing Ford Thunderbird77 Jeff McClure (R) John Walsh Reiser Enterprises Chevrolet Monte Carlo17 Tim Bender Robbie Reiser Robbie Reiser Matt Kenseth (R) Roush Racing Ford Thunderbird9 Jeff Burton Jack Roush60 Mark Martin Shoemaker Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo64 Dick Trickle Dennis Shoemaker ST Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo47 Jeff Fuller Tad Geschickter Stegall Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo85 Shane Hall Don Stegall Taylor Motorsports Ford Thunderbird40Jerry Robertson Doug Taylor Team 34 Chevrolet Monte Carlo34 Mike McLaughlin Frank Cicci Pontiac Grand Prix36 Todd Bodine Scott WelliverWellrich MotorsportsChevrolet Monte Carlo7 Mike Wallace Ed Whitaker Dale Earnhardt Jr.

No. (Car number) Driver Make Team 1996 result2 Ricky Craven Chevrolet Ricky Craven Racing 29th22 Scott Lagasse Chevrolet Super Sports Racing new team24 David Hutto Chevrolet Hutto Racing 104th49 Kyle Petty Chevrolet Shaver Racing 72nd51 Jim Bown Chevrolet Bown Racing 33rd68 Jamie Aube Chevrolet Wegner Motorsports none70 Dale Fischlein Chevrolet Mike Stegall Racing 61st81 Stanton Barrett Chevrolet Pro Tech Motorsports 3rd87 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet NEMCO Motorsports 34th91 Doug Reid III (R) Chevrolet Barney Walker Motorsports, Inc. new team

No. Race Title Track Date1Gargoyles 300Daytona International Speedway, Daytona BeachFebruary 152GM Goodwrench Service 200North Carolina Motor Speedway, RockinghamFebruary 223Hardee's Fried Chicken 250Richmond International Raceway, RichmondMarch 14Stihl Outdoor Power Tools 300Atlanta Motor Speedway, HamptonMarch 85Las Vegas 300Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las VegasMarch 166Diamond Hill Plywood 200Darlington Raceway, DarlingtonMarch 227Galaxy Foods 300Hickory Motor Speedway, HickoryMarch 298Coca Cola 300Texas Motor Speedway, Fort WorthApril 59Moore's Snacks 250Bristol Motor Speedway, BristolApril 1210BellSouth Mobility/Opryland 320Nashville Speedway USA, NashvilleApril 1911Birmingham Auto Dealers Easycare 500kTalladega Superspeedway, TalladegaApril 2612United States Cellular 200New Hampshire International Speedway, LoudonMay 1013CoreStates Advantage 200Nazareth Speedway, NazarethMay 1814Carquest Auto Parts 300Charlotte Motor Speedway, ConcordMay 2415GM Goodwrench/Delco Battery 200Dover Downs International Speedway, DoverMay 3116Winston Motorsports 300South Boston Speedway, South BostonJune 1317Lysol 200Watkins Glen International, Watkins GlenJune 2918Sears Auto Center 250The Milwaukee Mile, West AllisJuly 619Advance Auto Parts 250Myrtle Beach Speedway, Myrtle BeachJuly 1220Gateway 300Gateway International Raceway, MadisonJuly 2621Kroger NASCAR 200 Presented by ZiplocIndianapolis Raceway Park, BrownsburgAugust 122Detroit Gasket 200Michigan Speedway, BrooklynAugust 1623Food City 250Bristol Motor Speedway, BristolAugust 2224Dura Lube 200 Presented by Trak AutomotiveDarlington Raceway, DarlingtonAugust 3025Autolite Platinum 250Richmond International Raceway, RichmondSeptember 526MBNA 200Dover Downs International Speedway, DoverSeptember 2027All Pro Bumper to Bumper 300Charlotte Motor Speedway, ConcordOctober 428Kenwood Home & Car Audio 300California Speedway, FontanaOctober 1929AC Delco 200North Carolina Motor Speedway, RockinghamOctober 2530Jiffy Lube Miami 300Homestead Motorsports Complex, HomesteadNovember 9

Steve Park was the only rookie candidate to compete full time in 1997, picking up three wins and finishing 3rd in points. Matt Kenseth was the top runner up, despite replacing fellow candidate Tim Bender several races into the season. Johnny Chapman began the year with NorthStar Motorsports, but was released with several races to go in the season. Brothers Jeff and Mark Krogh came in from the Northwest driving for their family owned team, each posting one top ten apiece. Lyndon Amick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were the only other rookie contenders in 1997.