NASCAR WCUP: Rusty Wallace on the pole in New Hampshire
18 September 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Bud Pole Winner: Rusty WallaceDura Lube/Kmart 300
New Hampshire International Speedway
* Rusty Wallace won the NASCAR Winston Cup Bud Pole for the Dura Lube/Kmart 300, lapping the one-mile New Hampshire International Speedway in 29.339 seconds at 129.820 mph. Jeff Gordon holds the track-qualifying record of 29.037 seconds at 131.171 mph, set July 9, 1999.
* This is Wallaces 25th career NASCAR Winston Cup Bud Pole and came in his 484th start. His most recent Bud Pole occurred at Watkins Glen, five races ago.
* This is his third Bud Pole and 15th top-10 qualifying effort of 1999. It is his first Bud Pole and his third top-10 start in 10 NASCAR Winston Cup races at New Hampshire. His previous best start at New Hampshire was second in the 1999 Jiffy Lube 300.
* Wallace became the sixth different driver to win a Bud Pole at New Hampshire.
* Wallace became the third driver to score more than two Bud Poles in 1999. Jeff Gordon (seven), Bobby Labonte (four), Rusty Wallace (three), Tony Stewart (two), Kenny Irwin (two) and Mike Skinner (two) are the multiple Bud Pole winners this season.
* Dale Jarrett had the second-quickest time with a qualifying lap of 29.477 seconds at 129.213 mph and will join Wallace on the front row for the Dura Lube/Kmart 300. This is his 11th top-10 qualifying effort this season and his seventh top-10 start in 10 NASCAR Winston Cup races at New Hampshire.
* This is the sixth Bud Pole for Ford in 1999. Chevrolet has 12 and Pontiac has seven Bud Poles this season. Note: Qualifying was rained out at California.
* The NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus is worth $60,000 to the winner of the race Sunday should he also be the NASCAR Winston Cup points leader after the race.
* Ken Schrader (third) posted his 12th top-10 qualifying effort in 1999. It is his ninth top-10 qualifying effort, including two Bud Poles, in 10 races at New Hampshire.
* Kevin Lepage (fourth) scored his fourth top-10 qualifying effort in 1999, including two of the last three races. He tied his career-best qualifying effort, set at Dover in September 1998. His previous best qualifying effort in three races at New Hampshire was 33rd in this race in 1998.
* Tony Stewart (fifth) posted his 13th top-10 qualifying effort in 1999 and his second top-10 start in his two races at New Hampshire.
* Jeff Gordon (19th), who is the only driver to qualify in the top 25 for every race this season, posted his worst qualifying effort in 1999.
* Jeff Burton, Jimmy Spencer, Kenny Wallace, Chad Little, Rich Bickle, Brett Bodine and Dave Marcis used provisionals to make the field for the Dura Lube/Kmart 300 with four drivers failing to qualify: Derrike Cope, Darrell Waltrip, Dick Trickle and Andy Belmont.
* Four of the nine NASCAR Winston Cup races at New Hampshire have been won from a top-10 starting position. Jeff Gordon, in the 1998 CMT 300, is the only driver to win from the Bud Pole here .
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