NASCAR WCUP: Rusty Wallace grabs the pole at Dover MBNA Gold 400
24 September 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Bud Pole Winner: Rusty WallaceMBNA Gold 400
Dover Downs International Speedway
* Rusty Wallace won the NASCAR Winston Cup Bud Pole for the MBNA Gold 400, lapping the one-mile Dover Downs International Speedway in 22.505 seconds at 159.964 mph breaking Bobby Labontes track-qualifying record of 22.596 seconds at 159.320 mph, set June 4, 1999. He was one of four drivers to eclipse Labontes record
* This is Wallaces 26th career NASCAR Winston Cup Bud Pole and came in his 485th start. His most recent Bud Pole occurred at New Hampshire, one race ago.
* This is his fourth Bud Pole and 16th top-10 qualifying effort of 1999. It is his third Bud Pole and his 21st top-10 start in 32 NASCAR Winston Cup races at Dover. He has qualified in the top-10 in four straight races at Dover.
* Jeff Gordon (seven), Bobby Labonte (four), Rusty Wallace (four), Tony Stewart (two), Kenny Irwin (two) and Mike Skinner (two) are the multiple Bud Pole winners this season.
* Jerry Nadeau had the second-quickest time with a qualifying lap of 22.517 seconds at 159.879 mph and will join Wallace on the front row for the MBNA Gold 400. This is his seventh top-10 qualifying effort this season, including three of the last five races. It is his second top-10 start in three NASCAR Winston Cup races at Dover.
* This is the seventh 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 $70,000 to the winner of the race Sunday should he also be the NASCAR Winston Cup points leader after the race.
* Tony Stewart (third) posted his 14th top-10 qualifying effort in 1999, including five of the last seven races. It is his first top-10 qualifying effort in two races at Dover.
* Jeremy Mayfield (fourth) scored his eighth top-10 qualifying effort in 1999. It is his second top-10 qualifying effort in 11 races at Dover. His previous best qualifying effort in 11 races at Dover was ninth in the MBNA Platinum 400 earlier this season.
* Geoffrey Bodine (fifth) posted his fourth top-10 qualifying effort in 1999 and his 27th top-10 start in his 35 races at Dover, but his first in his last six.
* Bill Elliott (sixth) posted his 10th top-10 qualifying effort in 1999.
* Jeff Gordon (seventh) is the only driver to qualify in the top 25 for every race in 1999.
* Ed Berrier (23rd) qualified the Donlavey Racing Ford in the first round for the first time this season.
* Three of the last four races here have been won from the Bud Pole.
* After posting only three top-10 finishes in his first 19 races at Dover, Dale Jarrett has finished seventh or better, including one victory, in five of the last six races here.
* Jeff Burton has posted three consecutive top-10 finishes in the spring race at Dover, but has yet to post a top-10 in five fall races here.
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