NASCAR WCUP: Stewart gets first NASCAR Winston Cup Victory
12 September 1999
Todays Winner: Tony StewartTeam: Home Depot Pontiac
* Tony Stewart won the Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400, and became the first rookie driver to win a NASCAR Winston Cup race in his rookie season since Davey Allison won in 1987.
* With his victory in the Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400, Tony Stewart became the first first-time winner in 1999. This is the sixth consecutive year that there has been a first-time winner in the NASCAR Winston Cup series. He becomes the 12th and final driver to become part of NASCARs 1999 Winners Circle program.
* Stewarts first career NASCAR Winston Cup victory came in the 25th start of his rookie season. Other modern era drivers who won in their rookie season and the number of races it took to post their first victory: Davey Allison (1987) 14th Ron Bouchard (1981) 11th start Morgan Shepherd (1981) 15th start Dale Earnhardt (1979) 16th start Earl Ross (1974) 21st start
* Stewart became the 11th different race winner in the last 11 NASCAR Winston Cup short-track races, extending a streak that began with Jeff Gordons victory at Bristol in March 1998.
* Stewart led five times for 333 of the 400 laps raced, more than any other driver. This is the fourth time that he has led the most laps in a race this season. He was the highest finishing rookie for the 24th time this season.
* This was the first 1-2 finish for Pontiac since Rusty Wallace finished first and Kyle Petty second at North Wilkesboro in April 1993.
* Ford continues to lead the manufacturers points race with 11 victories and 175 points. Chevrolet has eight victories and 154 points while Pontiac has six victories and 146 points.
NOTEBOOK ITEMS...
* The NASCAR Winston Cup Leader bonus is worth $60,000 for the Dura-Lube/Kmart 300 at New Hampshire.
* Bobby Labonte (second) scored his 17th top-10 finish this season. It is his career-best short-track finish. He has scored a top-10 finish in four of the last six races at Richmond.
* Dale Jarrett (third) scored his 21st top-10 finish in 1999 and gained 102 points on second-place Mark Martin in the NASCAR Winston Cup point standings after having lost points in the last two races. Jarrett now leads Mark Martin by 270 points.
* Sterling Marlin (fourth) scored his second top-five finish in 1999. It is only his ninth top-five finish in 116 NASCAR Winston Cup short-track races. NOTEBOOK ITEMS... (Page 2)
* Kenny Irwin (fifth) posted his best career short-track finish. His previous best was an eighth-place finish which occurred in his first career NASCAR Winston Cup start at Richmond on Sept. 6, 1997.
* Dale Earnhardt, Jr., (10th) scored his career-best NASCAR Winston Cup finish. His best finish prior to this race was 16th in his career-first race which was in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte this past May.
* Rusty Wallace (14th) ended a 14-race streak of top-10 finishes at Richmond.
* Mark Martin (35th) ended a streak of seven consecutive top-10 finishes in 1999.
* Rick Mast is the only driver to compete in all 25 races in 1999 that has not posted a DNF.
* The top-10 finishers included four Chevrolets, three Fords, and three Pontiac.
* Other drivers who posted NASCAR Winston Cup victories early in
their
careers:
Jeff Gordon (1994) 42nd start Darrell Waltrip (1975) 50th start
Terry Labonte (1980) 59th start Rusty Wallace (1986) 72nd start
Mark Martin 1989) 113th start
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