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Winston and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. have added $500,000 to the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series point fund, expanding the 1996 point fund to a record $4 million The new $4 million point fund reflects a $200,000 increase for the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup champion who will earn a minimum of $1.5 million. Each of the top 25 NASCAR Winston Cup points finishers will have an increased payoff. Also included in the point fund is $310,000 for a new Winston Cup Leader Bonus. This new incentive focuses on two areas, winning races and leading the NASCAR Winston Cup points race. A $10,000 award will be paid to a driver who wins a race AND leads the Winston Cup points standings at the conclusion of the race. The money will role over to the next race in the event that there is no such winner. it is conceivable that there could be some large payouts during the year. At the final race, should the season champion not be victorious, the' money will be incrementally dispersed among the top 10 finishers in the NASCAR Winston Cup points. There have been nine different winners in the last 10 Daytona 500s, a streak that began in 1986, Sterling Marlin posted back-to-back Daytona 500 victories in 1994 and 1995. He is just one of three drivers to do so. He joined Richard Petty (1973-1974) and Cale Yarborough (1983- 1984). Just two drivers among the final top 10 in 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup points have won the Daytona 500. Bill Elliott (1985, 1987) and Sterling Marlin (1994, 1995) have each won the Daytona 500 twice. Sterling Marlin was the fifth driver to post his first career victory in a Daytona 500 (Feb. 1994). Other drivers to post their first wins in a 500 include Tiny Lund (1963), Mario Andretti (1967), Pete Hamilton (1970) and Derrike Cope (1990). The Daytona 500 has been won seven times in 37 previous 500s from the pole. Cale Yarborough and Bill Elliott are the only two drivers to do it twice (Yarborough in 1968 and 1984, Elliott in 1985 and 1987). The remaining three wins from the pole were by Roberts (1962), Petty (1966) and Buddy Baker (1980). Bill Elliott is the last driver to win the Daytona 500 from the pole (February 1987, nine years ago). Bill Elliott dominated Daytona 500 pole qualifying posting three consecutive Daytona 500 poles in 1985, 1986 and 1987. Ken Schrader equalled Elliott's record by posting three consecutive 500 poles in 1988,1989 and 1990. Cale Yarborough leads all drivers as the all-time pole winner at Daytona with 12 poles, four in the Daytona 500 (`68, `70, `78 and `84). Buddy Baker is the only other driver with four Daytona 500 poles (`69, `73, `79 and'80).

Only once in the last 16 Daytona 500s (since 1980) has the winner come from outside atop 10 starting position. (Derrike Cope from 12th to first in the 1990 Daytona 500). Bobby Allison came from 33rd to first to win the Daytona 500 in 1978 (the lowest starting position of a 500 winner). The Unocal Challenge is worth $83,600 at Daytona. It was won 11 races ago by Bobby Labonte, at Michigan, where he earned $7,600. The Unocal Challenge was won on four occasions. Dave Marcis seeks to extend his record as the driver with the most consecutive Daytona 500 starts. If he qualifies, this would be Marcis' 29th consecutive Daytona 500. A start in the 1996 Daytona 500 will mark Ernie Irvan's 200th career NASCAR Winston Cup start. A start in the 1996 Daytona 500 will mark Michael Waltrip's 300th career NASCAR Winston Cup start. 1996 will mark Sterling Marlin's and Bill Elliott's 20th year since they both made their first NASCAR Winston Cup starts. Neither driver ran the full schedule in 1976, but 1996 marks a milestone in each driver's career. At Daytona a year ago, Ernie Irvin remained on the sidelines recovering from injuries sustained at Michigan in 1994. Irvan missed Speedweeks `95, but one cannot overlook his 1994 Speedweeks performance winning a Twin125, finishing fourth in the Busch Clash, finishing fifth in the Goody's 300 and second in the 1994 Daytona 500. Irvan left Daytona tied for first in points with Sterling Marlin who had just won his first NASCAR Winston Cup race. This year marks the 25th anniversary for STP's sponsorship of Richard Petty cars. Chevrolet has won 10 of the last 12 manutacturers championships (1984- 1995). The 37 lead changes among 13 drivers at Pocono in the 1995 July 17th Miler Genuine Draft 500 were the most lead changes of any race since the 1995 Daytona 500 which featured 38 lead changes among 13 drivers. Last year was the first season that averaged "double digits" for the number of teams that finished the 31 races on the lead lap. In 1995, in 31 races, 355 cars finished on the lead lap for a 11.45 per race average. In 31 races, 41 different drivers exchanged the lead 531 times-averaging 17.129 lead changes per race...a reflection of the competitive nature the sport has taken.