NASCAR WCUP: Pepsi 400 Race Preview
3 July 1999
Bud Pole Winner: Joe NemechekPepsi 400
Daytona International Speedway
July 1, 1999
* Joe Nemechek won the NASCAR Winston Cup Bud Pole for the Pepsi 400, lapping the 2.5 -mile Daytona International Speedway in 46.187 seconds, 194.860 mph. Bill Elliott holds the track-qualifying record of 42.783 seconds, 210.364 mph, set on Feb. 9, 1987 - prior to the advent of restrictor-plate racing.
* This is Nemecheks third career NASCAR Winston Cup Bud Pole and came in his 171st start. His most recent Bud Pole occurred at Pocono in July 1997, 63 races earlier.
* This is his first Bud Pole and second top-10 qualifying effort of 1999. It is his first Bud Pole and his first top-10 start in 11 NASCAR Winston Cup races at Daytona. His best Daytona finish was 17th in this race in 1998.
* Nemechek became the ninth different Bud Pole winner in 1999. Jeff Gordon (five) and Bobby Labonte (four) are the only multiple Bud Pole winners in 1999.
* Nemechek joined Jeff Gordon as the Bud Pole winners at Daytona in 1999, the first time in three years that there were two different Bud Pole winners here in the same season. Mike Skinner swept both Bud Poles in 1997 and Bobby Labonte repeated as the Bud Pole winner in both races here last season.
* Ricky Rudd had the second-quickest time with a qualifying lap of 46.255 seconds, 194.574 mph and will join Nemechek on the front row for the Pepsi 400. It is his best qualifying effort at Daytona since he won the pole for the 1983 Daytona 500.
* This is the eighth 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 $30,000 to the winner of the Pepsi 400 should he also be the NASCAR Winston Cup points leader after the race.
* Mark Martin (third) and Jeff Gordon (11th) are the only drivers that have qualified in the first round in every qualifying session held to this point in 1999.
* Chad Little (fourth) scored his third top-10 qualifying effort in 1999. It is his season-best, eclipsing two ninth-place starts, one of which also came at Daytona. It is his first top-five qualifying effort since he started fourth at New Hampshire last August.
* Rusty Wallace (fifth) posted his 10th top-10 qualifying effort in 1999. He tied his best Daytona qualifying effort for the third time in his 33 races here. It is his fourth top-10 qualifying effort in his last five Daytona races.
* Tony Stewart (sixth) has posted eighth top-10 qualifying effort in 1999. His two career Daytona qualifying efforts have been second and sixth.
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