NASCAR WCUP: Sears Point Qualifying Notes, Friday
26 June 1999
Bud Pole Winner: Jeff GordonSaveMart/Kragen 350
Sears Point Raceway
June 25, 1999
Jeff Gordon won the NASCAR Winston Cup Bud Pole for the SaveMart/Kragen 350, lapping the 1.949 -mile Sears Point Raceway in 71.219 seconds, 98.519 mph. Gordon holds the track-qualifying record of 71.080 seconds, 98.711 mph, set on June 26, 1998 - the only race on the new track configuration.
This is Gordons 28th career NASCAR Winston Cup Bud Pole and came in his 205th start. This is his 11th top-10 qualifying effort and fifth Bud Pole of 1999. It is his second Bud Pole and his sixth top-10 start in seven NASCAR Winston Cup races at Sears Point.
Gordon became the first driver to score five Bud Poles in 1999. Bobby Labonte (four) is the only other driver with multiple Bud Poles in 1999.
Gordon became the first repeat Bud Pole winner in the last seven NASCAR Winston Cup races at Sears Point. He also won the Bud Pole here last year.
Tony Stewart had the second-quickest time with a qualifying lap of 71.394 seconds, 98.277 mph and will join Gordon on the front row for the SaveMart/Kragen 350. It is his first ever start at Sears Point.
This is the seventh Bud Pole for Chevrolet in 1999. Pontiac has five and Ford has three Bud Poles this season. Note: Qualifying was rained out at California.
The NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus is worth $20,000 to the winner of the SaveMart/Kragen 350 should he also be the NASCAR Winston Cup points leader after the race.
Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart qualified 1-2 for the second time this season, matching their Daytona 500 starting position.
Jerry Nadeau (third) posted his season-best qualifying effort in 1999 and his third top 10. He has qualified second and third in his two races at Sears Point.
Rusty Wallace (fourth) scored his eighth top-10 qualifying effort in 1999. It is his eighth top-10 qualifying effort in 11 races at Sears Point.
Jimmy Spencer (fifth) posted his first top-10 qualifying effort in 1999. It is his career-best road-course qualifying effort and the best that he has posted since he started second at Phoenix in 1997, 50 races earlier.
Joe Nemechek (sixth) posted his career-best road-course qualifying effort. His previous best in his three top-10 qualifying efforts on a road course was eighth at Watkins Glen in 1997.
Bill Elliott (seventh) posted his fourth straight top-10 qualifying effort in 1999.
Darrell Waltrip (10th) posted his best qualifying effort since he qualified fourth at Indianapolis last August.
Travis Carter Enterprises is the only multi-car team to place two drivers in the top 10 in for the SaveMart/Kragen 350: Jimmy Spencer (fifth) and Darrell Waltrip (10th).
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