NASCAR WCUP: Kmart 400 Wrap Up from Michigan
13 June 1999
Todays Winner: Dale JarrettTeam: Quality Care/Ford Credit Ford
* Dale Jarrett won the Kmart 400 at Michigan Speedway, his second victory in 1999. In doing so he set a race record of 173.997 mph, eclipsing Rusty Wallaces record of 166.033 mph set here on June 6, 1996. It is his 20th career victory in 369 NASCAR Winston Cup races. His most recent victory came in the Pontiac Excitement 400 at Richmond three races ago. It is his 12th top-10 finish, including 11 top-fives, in 14 races this season.
* The last caution-free race occurred at Talladega on May 10, 1997, 70 races ago. That race, at 188.354 mph, remains the fastest average speed in NASCAR Winston Cup history. This is the third caution-free race at Michigan. The other two occurred in 1973 (the only race that season) and August 1984.
* Jarrett became the third repeat race winner in 14 races in 1999.
* Jarrett scored his 11th straight top-10 finish this season, extending a streak that began Atlanta.
* This is Jarretts third victory in 25 races at Michigan, including his career first which came in August 1991. Jarrett has finished sixth or better, including two victories, in the last six races at Michigan.
* Jarrett led 150 of the 200 laps today. It is the first time in 1999 that Jarrett led the most laps.
* This is the fourth straight race at Michigan that the winner has started from a top-10 starting position.
* This is the seventh victory for Ford this season. Chevrolet has five victories and Pontiac has two. Five Pontiacs (Ward Burton, Bobby Labonte, Ernie Irvan, John Andretti, and Tony Stewart) finished in the top 10 today.
* Jarrett won the NASCAR Winston Cup Leader bonus worth $30,000 for winning the race and leading the point standings at the completion of the race. This is the fourth time in 1999, and second time for Jarrett that the Leader Bonus has been won. Jarrett has won $90,000 of the $140,000 awarded by Winston thus far. The NASCAR Winston Cup Leader bonus will be worth $10,000 for next weeks Pocono 500.
NOTEBOOK ITEMS...
* Bobby Labonte is the only driver to lead at least one lap in 13 of the 14 races this season.
* Dale Jarrett leads the NASCAR Winston Cup point standings by 66 points over second-place Jeff Burton. The top five in the point standings are separated by 331 points with the top-three drivers (Jarrett, Jeff Burton and Bobby Labonte) separated by just 94 points..
* Jeff Gordon (second) has finished sixth or better in his last nine races Michigan.
* Jeff Burton (third) posted his ninth top-five finish in 1999. It is his fourth consecutive top-10 finish at Michigan and marked his best finish in 11 races at this track.
* Ward Burton (fourth) scored his fourth top-10 finish in the last five races. He climbed from ninth to seventh in the NASCAR Winston Cup point standings.
* Tony Stewart (ninth) has been the highest finishing rookie in 13 of the 14 races this season. This is his fifth top-10 finish in the last six races. He remained fifth in the NASCAR Winston Cup point standings, his career-high points position.
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