The 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 40th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 17th modern-era Cup series. The season began on February 7 at Daytona International Speedway and ended on November 20 at the Atlanta International Speedway. Bill Elliott of Melling Racing won the championship. The 1988 season was notable for hosting the first of two NASCAR tire wars between Goodyear and Hoosier notably unless a team was under an exclusive tire contract teams were allowed to switch tire manufacturers from race to race so no team ran a full season on the same tire like in other motorsports where teams tend exclusively run one tire manufacturer during a tire war. 1988 was the first season without NASCAR legend Tim Richmond since 1980.

Teams and drivers

Complete schedule

Limited schedule

Schedule

Races

Busch Clash

The Busch Clash, an invitational event for all Busch Pole winners the previous season, was held February 7 at Daytona International Speedway. Geoff Bodine drew for the pole. Top ten results

Gatorade 125s

The Gatorade 125s, a pair of qualifying races for the Daytona 500, were held February 11 at Daytona International Speedway. Ken Schrader and Davey Allison won the poles for the races. Race one: top ten results Race two: top ten results

Daytona 500

The Daytona 500, was held February 14, 1988, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Ken Schrader won the pole. Top ten results Failed to qualify: 34 - Donnie Allison, 07 - Larry Moyer, 82 - Mark Stahl, 18 - Sarel van der Merwe, 85 - Bobby Gerhart, 2 - Ernie Irvan (R), 30 - Michael Waltrip*, 67 - Buddy Arrington, 10-Ken Bouchard (R), 24 - Bobby Coyle, 01 - Mickey Gibbs (R), 77 - Ken Ragan, 63 - Jocko Maggiacomo, 03 - David Pletcher, 54 - Ronnie Sanders, 80 - Jimmy Horton, 0 - Delma Cowart, 59 - Mark Gibson, 70 - J.D. McDuffie, 48 - Tony Spanos, 74 - John Linville, 02 - Joe Booher, 64 - Mike Potter, 39 - Blackie Wangerin, 56 - Joey Sonntag, 57 - Bobby Wawak, 49 - Mike Porter

Pontiac Excitement 400

The Pontiac Excitement 400 was held February 21 at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway. The No. 97 of Morgan Shepherd won the pole. Top ten results Failed to qualify: 2 - Ernie Irvan, 4 - Rick Wilson, 25* - Ken Schrader

Goodyear NASCAR 500

The Goodyear NASCAR 500 was a non-points exhibition race held on February 28 at the Calder Park Thunderdome in Melbourne, Australia - the first NASCAR-style high-banked paved oval built outside of North America. It was also the first NASCAR sanctioned race outside of North America. Neil Bonnett won the pole. Top ten results

Goodwrench 500

The Goodwrench 500 was held March 6 at North Carolina Motor Speedway. Bill Elliott won the pole. Top ten results

Motorcraft Quality Parts 500

The Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 was held March 20 at Atlanta International Raceway. The No. 5 of Geoff Bodine won the pole. Top ten results

TranSouth 500

The TranSouth 500 was held March 27 at Darlington Raceway. The No. 25 of Ken Schrader won the pole. Top ten results

Valleydale Meats 500

The Valleydale Meats 500 was held April 10 at Bristol International Raceway. The No. 4 of Rick Wilson won the pole. Top ten results

First Union 400

The First Union 400 was held April 17 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Terry Labonte won the pole. Top ten results Failed to qualify: 00 - Gary Brooks, 04 - Bill Meacham, 09 - Doug French, 20 - Alan Russell, 31 - Brad Teague, 46 - Glenn Moffat, 67 - Rick Jeffrey, 70 - Jeff McDuffie, 78 - Jay Sommers, 98 - Brad Noffsinger

Pannill Sweatshirts 500

The Pannill Sweatshirts 500 was held April 24 at Martinsville Speedway. The No. 26 of Ricky Rudd won the pole. Top ten results Failed to qualify: 2 - Ernie Irvan, 52 - Jimmy Means

Winston 500

The Winston 500 was held May 1 at Alabama International Motor Speedway. The No. 28 of Davey Allison won the pole. Top ten results Failed to qualify: 10 - Ken Bouchard

The Winston

The Winston, an annual invitational race for previous winners in Winston Cup along with the winner of the same day Winston Open, was held May 22 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Darrell Waltrip won the pole. Top ten results

Coca-Cola 600

The Coca-Cola 600 was held May 29 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Davey Allison won the pole. Top ten results

Budweiser 500

The Budweiser 500 was held June 5 at Dover Downs International Speedway. Alan Kulwicki won the pole. Top ten results

Budweiser 400

The final Budweiser 400 was held June 12 at Riverside International Raceway. Ricky Rudd won the pole. It was the last NASCAR race held at Riverside before the track's closure. Top ten results Failed to qualify: 10 - Ken Bouchard

Miller High Life 500

The Miller High Life 500 was held June 19 at Pocono International Raceway. The No. 7 of Alan Kulwicki won the pole. Top ten results

Miller High Life 400 (Michigan)

The Miller High Life 400 was held June 26 at Michigan International Speedway. Bill Elliott won the pole. Top ten results

Pepsi Firecracker 400

The Pepsi Firecracker 400 was held July 2 at Daytona International Speedway. Darrell Waltrip won the pole. Top ten results

AC Spark Plug 500

The AC Spark Plug 500 was held July 24 at Pocono International Raceway. Morgan Shepherd won the pole. Top ten results

Talladega DieHard 500

The Talladega DieHard 500 was held July 31 at Talladega Superspeedway. The No. 17 of Darrell Waltrip won the pole. Top ten results

Budweiser at The Glen

The Budweiser at The Glen was held August 14 at Watkins Glen International. Geoff Bodine won the pole. Top ten results

Champion Spark Plug 400

The Champion Spark Plug 400 was held August 21 at Michigan International Speedway. Bill Elliott won the pole. Top ten results

Busch 500

The Busch 500 was held August 27 at Bristol International Raceway. Alan Kulwicki won the pole. Top ten results Failed to qualify: 10 - Ken Bouchard, 90 - Benny Parsons

Southern 500

The Southern 500 was held September 4 at Darlington Raceway. Bill Elliott won the pole. Top ten results

Miller High Life 400 (Richmond)

The Miller High Life 400 was held September 11 at Richmond International Raceway (formerly known as Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway). Davey Allison won the pole. This race was the first one for the Cup Series on the new 3/4-mile Richmond International Raceway. Top ten results Failed to qualify: 68 - Derrike Cope, 20 - Rayvon Clark, 37 - Randy Morrison, 40 - Ben Hess, 54 - Lennie Pond, 67 - Ron Esau, 70 - J. D. McDuffie, 78 - Jay Sommers, 98 - Brad Noffsinger

Delaware 500

The Delaware 500 was held September 18 at Dover International Speedway. The No. 6 of Mark Martin won the pole. It was Roush Racing's 1st pole. Top ten results

Goody's 500

The Goody's 500 was held September 25 at Martinsville Speedway. Rusty Wallace won the pole. Top ten results Failed to qualify: 20 - Dave Mader III, 31 - Lee Faulk, 70 - J. D. McDuffie, 97 - Rodney Combs, 98 - Brad Noffsinger

Oakwood Homes 500

The Oakwood Homes 500 was held October 9 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 7 of Alan Kulwicki won the pole. Top ten results Failed to qualify: ??

• Gary Brooks, ??
• Slick Johnson, ??
• Johnny Rutherford, ??
• Ronnie Silver, 2 - Ernie Irvan, 19 - Chad Little, 22 - Rodney Combs, 24 - John McFadden, 32 - Philip Duffie, 34 - Connie Saylor, 36 - H. B. Bailey, 40 - Ben Hess, 50 - Charlie Glotzbach, 59 - Mark Gibson, 63 - Jocko Maggiacomo, 64 - Mike Potter, 70 - J. D. McDuffie, 74 - Randy LaJoie, 87 - Randy Baker, 93 - Troy Beebe, 98 - Brad Noffsinger

Holly Farms 400

The Holly Farms 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway was originally scheduled for October 2, but two consecutive days of rain caused it to be postponed to October 16. Bill Elliott won the pole. Top ten results Failed to qualify: 68 - Derrike Cope

AC Delco 500

The AC Delco 500 was held October 23 at North Carolina Motor Speedway. Bill Elliott won the pole. Top ten results

Checker 500

The inaugural Checker 500 was held November 6 at Phoenix International Raceway. Geoff Bodine won the pole. Top ten results

Atlanta Journal 500

The Atlanta Journal 500 was held November 20 at Atlanta International Raceway. Rusty Wallace won the pole. Top ten results Failed to qualify: ??

• Don Hume, ??
• Bill Meacham, ??
• Alan Russell, ??
• Joe Ruttman, ??
• David Sosebee, 10 - Ken Bouchard, 20 - Dave Mader III, 38 - Mike Laws, 50 - Bobby Coyle, 78 - Jay Sommers, 93 - Charlie Baker

Full Drivers' Championship

(key) Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position set by owner's points.

• – Most laps led.

Rookie of the Year

Ken Bouchard defeated Ernie Irvan by 59 points to win the Rookie of the Year title in 1988, driving for Bob Whitcomb. Bouchard raced only eight more times in the Cup series over his career, while Irvan won fifteen races over the next twelve years (his first victory was in 1990). The only other contenders were USAC driver Brad Noffsinger and Jimmy Horton, both of whom ran part-time schedules that season.