The 1998 NASCAR Busch Series began on Saturday, February 14 and ended on Sunday, November 15. Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. was crowned champion at season's end.
List of full-time teams at the start of 1998.
The NAPA Auto Parts 300 was held February 14 at Daytona International Speedway. Mike McLaughlin won the pole. The race was broadcast on CBS.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Hank Parker Jr. (#78), Lyndon Amick (#35), Patty Moise (#14), Larry Pearson (#55), Ron Barfield Jr. (#2), Jimmy Foster (#50), Derrike Cope (#92), Blaise Alexander (#20), Doug Reid III (#97), Dale Shaw (#48), Lance Hooper (#23), Chris Diamond (#68), Mark Day (#16)
The GM Goodwrench Service Plus 200 was held February 21 at North Carolina Speedway. Tony Stewart won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Patty Moise (#14), Jimmy Foster (#50), Dale Shaw (#48), Lance Hooper (#23), Ed Berrier (#77), J. D. Gibbs (#42), Kevin Cywinski (#11), Stanton Barrett (#89), Bobby Hillin Jr. (#8), Rick Fuller (#40), Michael Ritch (#58)
The Sam's Town Las Vegas 300 was held February 28 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mark Martin won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Hank Parker Jr. (#78), Lyndon Amick (#35), Ron Barfield Jr. (#2), Chris Diamond (#68), Bobby Hillin Jr. (#8), Rick Fuller (#04), Dale Fischlein (#70), Brendan Gaughan (#31)
The BellSouth Mobility / Opryland 320 was held March 15 at Nashville Speedway USA. Casey Atwood won the pole, becoming the youngest pole winner in NASCAR Busch Series history. The race was broadcast on TNN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Hank Parker Jr. (#78), Chris Diamond (#68), Mark Day (#16), Brad Loney (#45), Mike Stefanik (#96), Jeff Krogh (#56), Mark Krogh (#80), Derrick Gilcrest (#12)
The Diamond Hill Plywood 200 was held March 21 at Darlington Raceway. Jeff Burton won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Ron Barfield Jr. (#2), Jeff Fuller (#7), Patty Moise (#14), Jimmy Foster (#50), Dave Blaney (#93), Mike Stefanik (#96)
The Moore's Snacks 250 was held March 28 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Robert Pressley (#59), Hank Parker Jr. (#78), Derrike Cope (#92), Lyndon Amick (#35)-Withdrew, Kevin Schwantz (#88)-Withdrew
The Coca-Cola 300 was held April 4 at Texas Motor Speedway. Elliott Sadler won the pole. The race was broadcast on CBS.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Robert Pressley (#59), Hank Parker Jr. (#78), Dick Trickle (#64), Kevin Schwantz (#88), Mark Day (#16), Bobby Hillin Jr. (#8), Tom Lorenz (#62), Ted Smokstad (#48)
The final Galaxy Food Centers 300 was held April 11 at Hickory Motor Speedway. Robert Pressley won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Hank Parker Jr. (#78), Kevin Lepage (#40), Blaise Alexander (#20), Patty Moise (#14), Chris Diamond (#68), Johnny Chapman (#21), Johnny Rumley (#96), Shane Jenkins (#49), Randy Porter (#48), Eddie Beahr (#39)
The Touchstone Energy 300 was held April 25 at Talladega Superspeedway. Joe Nemechek won the pole. During the race, Dave Blaneygot spun around and flipped onto its side and slammed the wall with his roof. He walked away. The race was broadcast on ABC.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Patty Moise (#14), Doug Reid III (#7), Robert Pressley (#59), Mark Day (#16), Rick Wilson (#50)
The Gumout Long Life Formula 200 was held May 9 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Joe Bessey won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Mike Olsen (#61), Joey McCarthy (#41), Tom Bolles (#76), Brian Simo (#03)
The First Union 200 was held May 17 at Nazareth Speedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: none
The Carquest Auto Parts 300 was held May 23 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Bobby Labonte won the pole. The race was broadcast on TBS.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Derrike Cope (#92), Loy Allen Jr. (#78), Lyndon Amick (#35), Matt Hutter (#36), Blaise Alexander (#20), Mike Cope (#30), Kenny Irwin Jr. (#48), Kelly Denton (#75), Mark Krogh (#80), Andy Santerre (#47), Gary Laton (#46)
The MBNA Platinum 200 was held May 30 at Dover International Speedway. Kevin Lepage won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Bryan Wall (#73), Hal Browning (#46)
The Hardee's 250 was held June 5 at Richmond International Raceway. Wayne Grubb won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN2.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Dale Jarrett (#32), Jeff Krogh (#56), J. D. Gibbs (#42), Blaise Alexander (#20), Ted Christopher (#13), Derrike Cope (#92), Patty Moise (#14), Joey McCarthy (#41), Mike Laughlin Jr. (#45), Mike Olsen (#61), Derrick Gilcrest (#12)
The inaugural Lycos.com 250 was held June 14 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Matt Kenseth won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: none
The Lysol 200 was held June 28 at Watkins Glen International. Boris Said won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Mark Krogh (#80), John Preston (#55), Rick Bell (#78), Kat Teasdale (#54), Patty Moise (#14), Dale Quarterley (#32N)
The DieHard 250 was held July 5 at The Milwaukee Mile. Jeff Purvis won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: none
The Myrtle Beach 250 was held July 11 at Myrtle Beach Speedway. Tim Fedewa won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Bobby Hillin Jr. (#8), Kevin Prince (#90), Johnny Chapman (#73), Blaise Alexander (#20), Patty Moise (#14), Jimmy Foster (#50), Mark Krogh (#80), Eddie Beahr (#39)
The Kenwood Home & Car Audio 300 was held July 19 at California Speedway. Robert Pressley won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: none
The Lycos.com 300 Presented by Valleydale Foods was held July 25 at South Boston Speedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Kevin Prince (#90), Ashton Lewis (#89), Mark Krogh (#80), Jeff Krogh (#56), Jim Bown (#78), Toby Robertson (#12), Patty Moise (#14), Kelly Denton (#75), Johnny Chapman (#73), Casey Atwood (#27)
The Kroger 200 was held July 31 at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Buckshot Jones won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Brad Noffsinger (#43), Mark McFarland (#82), Mark Day (#16), Stevie Reeves (#54), Kenneth Nichols (#94)
The Pepsi 200 presented by Devilbiss was held August 15 at Michigan International Speedway. Jeff Burton won the pole. This would be the last time that all drivers were still running at the end of the race until the Sparks 300 at Talladega Superspeedway in 2022.This was also the last caution-free race in the Busch Series. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Dave Blaney (#93), Dale Fischlein (#70), J. D. Gibbs (#42), Kevin Schwantz (#88), Lyndon Amick (#35), Gary Laton (#46), Casey Atwood (#27)
The Food City 250 was held August 21 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Steve Grissom won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Michael Waltrip (#21), Lyndon Amick (#35), Greg Marlowe (#78), Mark Day (#16)
The Dura-Lube 200 presented by BI-LO was held September 5 at Darlington Raceway. Mike McLaughlin won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Jeff Green (#92), Kelly Denton (#75), Ron Barfield Jr. (#2)
The Autolite Platinum 250 was held September 11 at Richmond International Raceway. Andy Santerre won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Bobby Hamilton Jr. (#95), Dave Rezendes (#78), Casey Atwood (#50), Kevin Schwantz (#88), Ward Burton (#14), Mark Krogh (#80), Mario Gosselin (#71), Ted Christopher (#13), Mark McFarland (#82), J. D. Gibbs (#42)
The MBNA Gold 200 was held September 19 at Dover International Speedway. Kevin Grubb won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: none
The All Pro Bumper to Bumper 300 was held October 3 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Dave Blaney won the pole. The race was broadcast on TBS.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Bobby Hillin Jr. (#8), Patty Moise (#14), Toby Porter (#91), Ashton Lewis (#89), Kelly Denton (#75), Jeff Green (#92), Lance Hooper (#23), Jim Bown (#51), Jason Jarrett (#11), Lyndon Amick (#35), Kevin Grubb (#43), Kerry Earnhardt (#04), Matt Hutter (#24), Wayne Grubb (#83), Andy Santerre (#47), Hank Parker Jr. (#53), Rich Bickle (#??)
The Carquest Auto Parts 250 was held October 17 at Gateway International Raceway. Shane Hall won the pole. The race was broadcast on CBS.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Tracy Leslie (#2), Joey McCarthy (#41), Eric Bodine (#1), Mel Walen (#58), J. D. Gibbs (#42)
The AC Delco 200 was held October 31 at North Carolina Speedway. Tony Stewart won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Tracy Leslie (#97), J. D. Gibbs (#42), Jeff Green (#92), Mike Wallace (#50), Bryan Wall (#73), Scott Hansen (#09), Lyndon Amick (#35), Matt Hutter (#55), Ted Christopher (#13), Chuck Bown (#51), Jeff Finley (#79), Mark Day (#16)
The Stihl 300 was originally scheduled for March 1998 but was held November 7 at Atlanta Motor Speedway after it and the Winston Cup Series Primestar 500 were both rained out. Dick Trickle won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Tracy Leslie (#97), Lyndon Amick (#35), Hut Stricklin (#92), Gary Bradberry (#86), Curtis Markham (#89), Randy MacDonald (#7), Nathan Buttke (#78), Ken Bouchard (#50), Jeff Finley (#79), Morgan Shepherd (#07)
The Jiffy Lube Miami 300 was held November 15 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Casey Atwood won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.
Top ten results
Failed to qualify: Chuck Bown (#92), Ted Christopher (#13), Jeff Krogh (#56), Patty Moise (#14), John Preston (#89), Nathan Buttke (#78), Kevin Schwantz (#88), Morgan Shepherd (#07), Philip Morris (#84), Hank Parker Jr. (#53), Lyndon Amick (#35), Freddie Query (#7), Gus Wasson (#49), Mark Krogh (#80)
(key) Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position set by owner's points. * – Most laps led.
Andy Santerre, being the only full-time candidate for Rookie of the Year, walked away with the title after finishing 20th in points. 2nd-place-finisher Dave Blaney made his Busch Series debut in 1998, posting three sixth-place finishes over a 20-race stretch. He would be followed by Blaise Alexander, then Wayne and Kevin Grubb, both of whom grabbed their first career pole positions during the season. 18-year-old Casey Atwood ran a part-time schedule in an undeclared season but finished 38th in points. The next two competitors were Mike Cope and Matt Hutter, teammates at Cicci-Welliver Racing but released after a lack of performance. Part-time drivers Lance Hooper, Jason Jarrett, and MotoGP legend Kevin Schwantz rounded out the rookie class of 1998.