NASCAR WCUP: Richmond Qualifying Report, Skinner on the Pole
11 September 1999
Bud Pole Winner: Mike SkinnerExide NASCAR Select Batteries 400
Richmond International Raceway
* Mike Skinner won the NASCAR Winston Cup Bud Pole Award for the Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400, lapping the .75-mile Richmond International Raceway in 21.520 seconds, at 125.465 mph. Jeff Gordon holds the track-qualifying record of 21.344 seconds, 126.499 mph, set May 15 , 1999. Skinner broke the event qualifying record of 21.535 seconds, at 125.377 set by Rusty Wallace on Sept. 10, 1998.
* This is Skinners fourth career Bud Pole in 101 NASCAR Winston Cup races. His most recent Bud Pole occurred at Pocono, six races ago. It is his first Bud Pole on a short track and his first on a track less than two miles in length.
* This is Skinners second Bud Pole and 13th top-10 qualifying effort of 1999. It is his first top-five start in six NASCAR Winston Cup races at Richmond. His previous best start here was seventh in the Pontiac Excitement 400 this past May.
* Skinner became the sixth repeat Bud Pole winner in 1999. Jeff Gordon (seven), Bobby Labonte (four), Rusty Wallace (two), Tony Stewart (two) and Kenny Irwin (two) are the other multiple Bud Pole winners this season.
* Skinner became the 13th different Bud Pole winner in the last 20 races at Richmond. Ernie Irvan (September 1990 and 92), Rusty Wallace (September 1991 and 98), Bill Elliott (March 1992 and September 1997), Ted Musgrave (1994 - both races), Jeff Gordon (March 1995, June 1998 and May 1999) have repeated as pole winners at the Virginia track this decade. Qualifying was rained out in March 1997.
* Tony Stewart had the second-quickest time with a qualifying lap of 21.544 seconds, at 125.325 mph and will join Skinner on the front row for the Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400. This is his 13th top-10 qualifying effort in 1999 and his first top-10 qualifying effort in two starts at Richmond.
* This is the 12th Bud Pole for Chevrolet in 1999. Pontiac has seven Bud Poles this season while Ford has five. Note: Qualifying was rained out at California.
* The NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus is worth $50,000 to the winner of the Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400 should he also be the points leader after the race.
* Rusty Wallace (third) posted his 14th top-10 qualifying effort in 1999. It is his 20th top-10 qualifying effort in 32 races at Richmond.
* Geoffrey Bodine (fifth) posted his third top-10 qualifying effort this season, including two in the last four races.
* Jeff Gordon (sixth) scored his 19th top-10 qualifying effort of 1999 and remains the only driver to qualify in the first round for every race in 1999.
* Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (21st) has qualified better than his father in all four of the NASCAR Winston Cup races that he has qualified for this season. Dale, Sr., did not qualify in the first round.
* The Bud Pole has been the most productive starting position at Richmond yielding 16 race winners in 77 NASCAR Winston Cup races. The Richmond race winner has started third or better in 38 of the 77 races (49 percent).
* The furthest back a winner has started at Richmond on the current configuration is 24th by Terry Labonte in the 1995 spring race. Dale Jarrett won from the 21st starting position this past May.
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