NASCAR WCUP: Chassis Notes, Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

The following are facts and figures regarding the cars Pontiac teams will be running this week during the NASCAR Winston Cup event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

10

Johnny Benson finished sixth here last season for the first of his seven top 10 finishes on the year. Benson, who is coming off an eighth place finish last Monday at Rockingham, is behind the wheel of a brand new chassis this weekend - a sister car to the new chassis being driven by teammate Ken Schrader.

14

Rookie Ron Hornaday comes to Las Vegas this weekend with a chassis that was constructed last season, but has yet to race. It went to Homestead as the primary car in November with driver Rick Mast, but a Friday morning practice crash ended that bid early.

18

Interstate Batteries Grand Prix driver Bobby Labonte rebounded nicely last week with a second-place finish at "The Rock," and is looking for more this weekend with a brand new chassis.

20

Home Depot Grand Prix driver Tony Stewart made one start with this chassis in 2000 and dominated Homestead with it. Last year here, Stewart was the fastest car in the field prior to the arrival of race-ending rain and settled for a runner-up finish.

27

Kenny Wallace, who is driving a new chassis at Las Vegas, is one of five drivers with a shot at the No Bull 5 $1 million bonus this weekend. He qualified for Winston's program by finishing second to Dale Earnhardt last October at Talladega.

36

Ken Schrader made a strong move toward the front in this race last year after starting 34th, but rain stopped his bid in the 16th position. The chassis under Schrader's M&M's Pontiac is a sister car to the one teammate Johnny Benson is wheeling this weekend.

Text Provided By Al Larsen

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