- 1997 California 500 Presented by NAPA Results Stock Car Online Results Reference
- 1997 California 500 Presented by NAPA Results Stock Car Online Results Reference
| fin | qual | driver | team | laps led | car | sponsor | pts | laps | status | earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | 113 | #24 Chevy Monte Carlo | DuPont Refinishes | 185 | 250 | Finish | $144,600 |
| 2 | 10 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | 41 | #5 Chevy Monte Carlo | Kellogg's Corn Flakes | 175 | 250 | Finish | $100,825 |
| 3 | 39 | Ricky Rudd | 0 | #10 Ford | Tide | 165 | 250 | Finish | $78,525 | |
| 4 | 20 | Ted Musgrave | RFK Racing | 0 | #16 Ford Fusion | Family Channel / Primestar | 160 | 250 | Finish | $64,975 |
| 5 | 19 | Jimmy Spencer | 4 | #23 Ford | Camel Cigarettes | 160 | 250 | Finish | $54,775 | |
| 6 | 15 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | 0 | #18 Pontiac | Interstate Batteries | 150 | 250 | Finish | $48,950 |
| 7 | 7 | Jeff Green | 0 | #29 Chevy | Cartoon Network | 146 | 250 | Finish | $38,450 | |
| 8 | 9 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | 49 | #88 Ford | Quality Care / Ford Credit | 147 | 250 | Finish | $58,750 |
| 9 | 11 | Ricky Craven | Hendrick Motorsports | 8 | #25 Chevy Monte Carlo | Budweiser | 143 | 250 | Finish | $42,350 |
| 10 | 12 | Mark Martin | RFK Racing | 11 | #6 Ford Fusion | Valvoline | 139 | 249 | Out of Fuel | $48,450 |
| 11 | 18 | Michael Waltrip | 0 | #21 Ford | Citgo | 130 | 249 | Finish | $40,275 | |
| 12 | 21 | Jeremy Mayfield | 0 | #37 Ford | Kmart / RC Cola | 127 | 249 | Finish | $32,175 | |
| 13 | 13 | Johnny Benson | 0 | #30 Pontiac | Pennzoil | 124 | 249 | Finish | $38,075 | |
| 14 | 16 | Rusty Wallace | Team Penske | 0 | #2 Ford | Miller Lite | 121 | 249 | Finish | $42,975 |
| 15 | 8 | Darrell Waltrip | 2 | #17 Chevy | Parts America | 123 | 249 | Finish | $37,725 | |
| 16 | 14 | Dale Earnhardt | Richard Childress Racing | 0 | #3 Chevy | GM Goodwrench Service Plus | 115 | 249 | Finish | $41,975 |
| 17 | 41 | Steve Grissom | 0 | #41 Chevy | Kodiak | 112 | 249 | Finish | $36,175 | |
| 18 | 1 | Joe Nemechek | 1 | #42 Chevy | BellSouth | 114 | 248 | Finish | $40,375 | |
| 19 | 24 | Chad Little | 0 | #97 Pontiac | John Deere | 106 | 248 | Finish | $28,575 | |
| 20 | 22 | Lake Speed | 0 | #9 Ford | Melling Engine Parts | 103 | 248 | Finish | $29,325 | |
| 21 | 35 | John Andretti | 0 | #98 Ford | RCA | 100 | 248 | Finish | $34,975 | |
| 22 | 42 | Dick Trickle | 0 | #90 Ford | Heilig-Meyers / Simmons | 97 | 248 | Finish | $27,675 | |
| 23 | 30 | Bobby Hamilton | 0 | #43 Pontiac | STP | 94 | 247 | Finish | $39,175 | |
| 24 | 31 | Morgan Shepherd | 0 | #77 Ford | Jasper Engines / Federal Mogul | 91 | 247 | Finish | $23,975 | |
| 25 | 34 | David Green | 0 | #96 Chevy | Caterpillar | 88 | 247 | Finish | $23,775 | |
| 26 | 36 | Brett Bodine | 1 | #11 Ford | Close Call Phone Card | 90 | 247 | Finish | $33,775 | |
| 27 | 26 | Greg Sacks | 0 | #40 Chevy | Coors | 82 | 246 | Finish | $33,975 | |
| 28 | 40 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | 0 | #22 Pontiac | MBNA America | 79 | 246 | Finish | $33,175 |
| 29 | 23 | Derrike Cope | MB2 Motorsports | 0 | #36 Pontiac | Skittles | 76 | 245 | Finish | $25,975 |
| 30 | 25 | Jeff Burton | RFK Racing | 0 | #99 Ford Fusion | Exide Batteries | 73 | 244 | Finish | $37,775 |
| 31 | 38 | Kyle Petty | 0 | #44 Pontiac | Hot Wheels | 70 | 243 | Finish | $25,100 | |
| 32 | 17 | Bill Elliott | 0 | #94 Ford | McDonald's | 67 | 241 | Out of Fuel | $29,400 | |
| 33 | 28 | Mike Skinner | Richard Childress Racing | 0 | #31 Chevy Monte Carlo | Lowe's | 64 | 225 | Finish | $22,200 |
| 34 | 5 | Ken Schrader | 8 | #33 Chevy | Skoal Bandit | 66 | 219 | Engine | $29,000 | |
| 35 | 6 | Geoff Bodine | 0 | #7 Ford | QVC | 58 | 215 | Engine | $28,800 | |
| 36 | 29 | Sterling Marlin | Morgan-McClure Motorsports | 0 | #4 Chevy Monte Carlo | Kodak Film | 55 | 206 | Engine | $37,700 |
| 37 | 2 | Ernie Irvan | Robert Yates Racing | 6 | #28 Ford | Texaco Havoline | 57 | 202 | Engine | $36,500 |
| 38 | 33 | Jerry Nadeau | 0 | #1 Pontiac | R&L Carriers / Cruisin' America | 49 | 174 | Finish | $28,000 | |
| 39 | 4 | Wally Dallenbach Jr | 6 | #46 Chevy | First Union | 51 | 173 | Electrical | $21,000 | |
| 40 | 32 | Dave Marcis | 0 | #71 Chevy | RealTree Camouflage | 43 | 146 | Engine | $21,000 | |
| 41 | 37 | Rick Mast | 0 | #75 Ford | Remington Arms | 40 | 94 | Engine | $28,000 | |
| 42 | 27 | Hut Stricklin | 0 | #8 Ford | Circuit City | 37 | 28 | Accident | $28,000 |