The 1999 edition of The Winston was the second exhibition stock car race of the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 15th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, May 22, 1999, before an audience of 120,000 in Concord, North Carolina at Lowe's Motor Speedway, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) permanent quad-oval. The race took the scheduled 90 laps to complete. At race's end, Hendrick Motorsports driver Terry Labonte would make a late-race gamble on a pitstop, taking four tires. With five laps to go, he would charge to the front and defend the field, securing his second All-Star Race victory.[1][2] To fill out the top three, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Tony Stewart and Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would finish second and third, respectively.
| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 22, 1999 |
| Location | Concord, North Carolina, Lowe's Motor Speedway |
| Course | Permanent racing facility 1.5 mi (2.4 km) |
| Distance | Open: 50 laps, 75 mi (121 km) The Winston: 70 Laps, 105 mi (169 km) Segment 1: 30 laps Segment 2: 30 laps Segment 3: 10 laps |
| Avg Speed | Open: 135.064 mph (217.364 km/h) The Winston: 183.495 mph (295.307 km/h) |
| Winston Open | |
| Pole | Mike Skinner (Richard Childress Racing) |
| Time | Set by No Bull 5 Race #1 |
| Winner | Tony Stewart (Joe Gibbs Racing) |
| The Winston | |
| Pole | Bobby Labonte (Joe Gibbs Racing) |
| Pole | 1:50.332 |
| Most laps led | Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports) |
| Laps led | 34 |
| Winner | Terry Labonte (Hendrick Motorsports) |
| Television | |
| Network | TNN |
| Announcers | Eli Gold, Buddy Baker, Dick Berggren |
| Network | Motor Racing Network |
In the preliminary Winston Open race, Tony Stewart was able to dominate the majority of the race to earn a spot in The Winston.[3]
Background
edit
Lowe's 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 Winston, 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.
Format and eligibility
editAny driver who had won from the last season or the current season up to the race was eligible to race in The Winston. In addition, one additional driver, the winner of the Winston Open, would be added to the field.
The race remained at its 70 lap format, but for 1998, only green flag laps would count in any segment, not just the third segment.
The second ten-minute break was eliminated and replaced with caution laps, and cars would have the option of pitting for tires and fuel, at the expense of losing track position.
The inversion is changed to a random draw between 3 and 12 cars for the inversion after the first segment.
In 1998, qualifying for The Winston Open was changed. Previously it was accomplished with one-lap qualifying runs. From 1998 to 2000, the No Bull 25 Shootout twin races determined the lineups. Practice speeds (odd/even) from earlier in the day set the field for two 25-lap sprint races. The finish order for the first 25 set the odd positions for the Winston Open, and the finish order for the second 25 set the even positions for the Winston Open.
At the end of 30 laps, with only green-flag laps counting, a giant pegboard will help determine what happens next. A marker will be dropped onto the board and will settle into one of 10 slots numbered from three through 12. That will be the number of positions inverted for the start of the second segment.[4]
- Segment 1: 30 Green Flag laps (no caution laps count)
- Segment 2: 30 Green Flag laps (no caution laps count) / Pit stops optional (cars lose track position if they pit)
- Segment 3: 10 Green Flag laps (no caution laps count)
Entry list
edit- (R) denotes rookie driver.
Winston Open
editThe Winston
editWinston Open practice
editFirst Winston Open practice and No Bull 25s lineup
editThe first Winston Open was held on Friday, May 21, at 1:00 PM EST. The session would last for 50 minutes. The speeds from the practice session would determine the lineups for the No Bull 25 races, the qualifying races for the Winston Open. Odd position drivers in the session would be placed in Race #1, and even position drivers would be placed in Race #2.[5] Steve Park, driving for Dale Earnhardt, Inc., would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.621 and an average speed of 182.303 miles per hour (293.388 km/h), thus earning the pole for Race #1.[6] Meanwhile, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Tony Stewart would earn the pole in Race #2, earning the second fastest time in the session.[7]
Race #1
edit| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Steve Park | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 29.621 | 182.303 |
| 2 | 31 | Mike Skinner | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 29.728 | 181.647 |
| 3 | 41 | David Green | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.871 | 180.777 |
| 4 | 23 | Jimmy Spencer | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 29.948 | 180.313 |
| 5 | 33 | Ken Schrader | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 30.018 | 179.892 |
| 6 | 11 | Brett Bodine | Brett Bodine Racing | Ford | 30.077 | 179.539 |
| 7 | 21 | Elliott Sadler (R) | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 30.114 | 179.319 |
| 8 | 00 | Buckshot Jones (R) | Buckshot Racing | Pontiac | 30.127 | 179.241 |
| 9 | 75 | Ted Musgrave | Butch Mock Motorsports | Ford | 30.192 | 178.855 |
| 10 | 45 | Rich Bickle | Tyler Jet Motorsports | Pontiac | 30.208 | 178.761 |
| 11 | 26 | Johnny Benson Jr. | Roush Racing | Ford | 30.305 | 178.188 |
| 12 | 90 | Hut Stricklin | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 30.419 | 177.521 |
| 13 | 14 | Boris Said | Irvan-Simo Racing | Ford | 30.495 | 177.078 |
| 14 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 30.815 | 175.239 |
| 15 | 80 | Andy Hillenburg | Hover Motorsports | Ford | 30.850 | 175.041 |
| Official No Bull 25 Race #1 lineup | ||||||
Race #2
edit| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | Tony Stewart (R) | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 29.693 | 181.861 |
| 2 | 9 | Jerry Nadeau | Melling Racing | Ford | 29.798 | 181.220 |
| 3 | 25 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.900 | 180.602 |
| 4 | 28 | Kenny Irwin Jr. | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 29.953 | 180.282 |
| 5 | 98 | Rick Mast | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Ford | 30.045 | 179.730 |
| 6 | 97 | Chad Little | Roush Racing | Ford | 30.087 | 179.480 |
| 7 | 42 | Joe Nemechek | Team SABCO | Chevrolet | 30.116 | 179.307 |
| 8 | 55 | Kenny Wallace | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 30.179 | 178.932 |
| 9 | 77 | Robert Pressley | Jasper Motorsports | Ford | 30.198 | 178.820 |
| 10 | 58 | Ricky Craven | SBIII Motorsports | Ford | 30.292 | 178.265 |
| 11 | 16 | Kevin Lepage | Roush Racing | Ford | 30.306 | 178.183 |
| 12 | 30 | Derrike Cope | Bahari Racing | Pontiac | 30.428 | 177.468 |
| 13 | 46 | Frank Kimmel | Larry Clement Racing | Chevrolet | 30.632 | 176.286 |
| 14 | 05 | Morgan Shepherd | Shepherd Racing Ventures | Pontiac | 30.846 | 175.063 |
| 15 | 50 | Dan Pardus | Midwest Transit Racing | Chevrolet | 30.870 | 174.927 |
| Official No Bull 25 Race #2 lineup | ||||||
Second Winston Open practice
editThe second practice for the Winston Open was held on Saturday, May 22, at 1:00 PM EST. The session would last for 40 minutes.[5] Jimmy Spencer, driving for Haas-Carter Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.524 and an average speed of 176.910 miles per hour (284.709 km/h).[8]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 | Jimmy Spencer | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 30.524 | 176.910 |
| 2 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 30.595 | 176.499 |
| 3 | 28 | Kenny Irwin Jr. | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 30.644 | 176.217 |
| Full second Winston Open practice results | ||||||
Final Winston Open practice
editThe final practice for the Winston Open was held on Saturday, May 22, at 2:30 PM EST. The session would last for 40 minutes.[5] Robert Pressley, driving for Jasper Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.523 and an average speed of 176.916 miles per hour (284.719 km/h).[9]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 77 | Robert Pressley | Jasper Motorsports | Ford | 30.523 | 176.916 |
| 2 | 1 | Steve Park (R) | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 30.548 | 176.771 |
| 3 | 71 | Dave Marcis | Marcis Auto Racing | Chevrolet | 30.580 | 176.586 |
| Full Happy Hour Winston Open practice results | ||||||
The Winston practice
editFirst practice
editThe first practice for The Winston was held on Friday, May 21, at 10:30 AM EST. The session would last for 55 minutes.[5] Mark Martin, driving for Roush Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.613 and an average speed of 182.352 miles per hour (293.467 km/h).[10]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 29.613 | 182.352 |
| 2 | 12 | Jeremy Mayfield | Penske-Kranefuss Racing | Ford | 29.674 | 181.977 |
| 3 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.720 | 181.696 |
| Full first The Winston practice results | ||||||
Second practice
editThe second practice for The Winston was held on Friday, May 21, at 2:10 PM EST. The session would last for one hour and 45 minutes.[5] Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.643 and an average speed of 182.168 miles per hour (293.171 km/h).[11]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.643 | 182.168 |
| 2 | 12 | Jeremy Mayfield | Penske-Kranefuss Racing | Ford | 29.665 | 182.033 |
| 3 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske-Kranefuss Racing | Ford | 29.731 | 181.629 |
| Full second The Winston practice results | ||||||
Third practice
editThe third practice for The Winston was held on Friday, May 21, after the preliminary No Bull 25 races. The session would last for 30 minutes.[5] Bobby Labonte, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.165 and an average speed of 179.015 miles per hour (288.097 km/h).[12]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 30.165 | 179.015 |
| 2 | 94 | Bill Elliott | Bill Elliott Racing | Ford | 30.327 | 178.059 |
| 3 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 30.354 | 177.901 |
| Full third The Winston practice results | ||||||
Fourth practice
editThe fourth practice for The Winston was held on Saturday, May 22, at 1:45 PM EST. The session would last for 55 minutes.[5] Ward Burton, driving for Bill Davis Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.387 and an average speed of 177.708 miles per hour (285.993 km/h).[13]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | Pontiac | 30.387 | 177.708 |
| 2 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 30.429 | 177.462 |
| 3 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske-Kranefuss Racing | Ford | 30.471 | 177.218 |
| Full fourth The Winston practice results | ||||||
Final practice
editThe final practice for The Winston was held on Saturday, May 22, at 3:15 PM EST. The session would last for 45 minutes.[5] Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.377 and an average speed of 177.766 miles per hour (286.087 km/h).[14]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 30.377 | 177.766 |
| 2 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske-Kranefuss Racing | Ford | 30.451 | 177.334 |
| 3 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 30.498 | 177.061 |
| Full Happy Hour The Winston practice results | ||||||
No Bull 25s
editThe two No Bull 25 races was held on Friday, May 21. The first race would set the odd positions for the Winston Open, and the second race would set the even positions. In the first race, Richard Childress Racing driver Mike Skinner would dominate the race to earn the overall pole for the race. In the second race, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Tony Stewart would proceed to do the same in his race.[15]
No Bull 25 Race #1 results
editNo Bull 25 Race #2 results
editWinston Open lineup
editThe Winston qualifying
editQualifying for The Winston was held on Friday, May 21, at 7:00 PM EST. Each driver would run 3 laps each, with each driver having to do a mandatory pit stop following the driver's first or second lap.[5]
Bobby Labonte, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 1:50.332 and an average speed of 146.830 miles per hour (236.300 km/h).[16]
Full Winston Open qualifying results
editWinston Open race results
editThe Winston race results
editReferences
edit- ^ Poole, David (May 23, 1999). "Classic victory for T. Labonte". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ Macur, Juliet (May 23, 1999). "Labonte outruns field in Winston". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 40. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Poole, David (May 22, 1999). "Tony Stewart finishes busy day with flair -- and win in Winston Open". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ Poole, David (May 21, 1999). "How The Winston works". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Jayski's Silly Season Site - 1999 The Winston Race Info Page". Archived from the original on November 6, 1999. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ "Lineup for first No Bull 25 race". That's Racin'. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ "Lineup for 2nd No Bull 25". That's Racin'. May 21, 1999. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ "First Winston Open practice". That's Racin'. May 22, 1999. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ "Final Winston Open practice speeds". That's Racin'. May 22, 1999. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ "First-session practice speeds for The Winston". That's Racin'. May 21, 1999. Archived from the original on October 2, 2000. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ "Second practice session for The Winston". That's Racin'. May 21, 1999. Archived from the original on October 2, 2000. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ "Third practice session for The Winston". That's Racin'. May 21, 1999. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ "First Winston practice speeds". That's Racin'. May 22, 1999. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ "Final Winston practice speeds". That's Racin'. May 22, 1999. Archived from the original on December 22, 2001. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
- ^ Macenka, Joe (May 21, 1999). "Skinner, Stewart come out on top". That's Racin'. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
- ^ Poole, David (May 21, 1999). "Labonte flies down pit road to pole". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved October 9, 2022.