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NASCAR WCUP: UAW-GM Quality 500 Qualifying Report

8 October 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Bud Pole Winner: Bobby Labonte
UAW-GM Quality 500
Lowes Motor Speedway

* Bobby Labonte won the NASCAR Winston Cup Bud Pole for the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowes Motor Speedway with a lap of 29.082 seconds, 185.682 mph. Ward Burton holds the track-qualifying record of 29.070 seconds, 185.759 mph, set October 5, 1994.

* This is Labontes 18th career NASCAR Winston Cup Bud Pole and came in his 219th start. It is his third Bud Pole in 14 career races at Charlotte. It is his 20th top-10 qualifying effort of the 1999 season.

* Labonte has scored seven starts of sixth or better in his last eight races at Charlotte.

* This is the 13th time in the 40 years of twice-a-year racing, and first since Mark Martin in 1991, that a driver has swept both Bud Poles in a season at the Lowes Motor Speedway. This is also the first time in 1999 that a driver has swept both Bud Poles at a track this season. Labonte also was the pole winner for the 1999 running of The Winston.

* This is Bobby Labontes fifth Bud Pole in 1999, second only to Jeff Gordon who has scored seven.

* Rusty Wallace had the second fastest time with a qualifying lap of 29.184 seconds, 185.033 mph and will join Bobby Labonte on the front row for the UAW-GM Quality 500. Wallace has started sixth or better in three of the last four races at Lowes Motor Speedway. This is his 17th top-10 qualifying effort this season.

* This is the eighth Bud Pole for Pontiac in 1999. Chevrolet has 13 and For d has seven. Qualifying at California was rained out and set according to the NASCAR Winston Cup rule book.

* The Bud Pole starting position at Charlotte has produced more winners than any other starting position. In the 79 previous NASCAR Winston Cup races held at Lowes Motor Speedway, the race winner has started from the Bud Pole 12 times. Only five of those victories from the Bud Pole occurred in the fall race.

* The deepest in the field that a Charlotte race winner has started and won was 22nd, by Dale Jarrett in the 1994 Mello Yello 500. Only eight times in the tracks 79-race NASCAR Winston Cup history has the winner started from out side the top 15.

* John Andretti (third) has scored three top-10 starts in his last four races at Charlotte.

* Mark Martin (fourth) has scored five straight top-10 starts at Lowes Motor Speedway. This is his 21st top-10 start in 1999.

* Jimmy Spencer (seventh) posted his career-best qualifying effort in 21 races at Charlotte.

* Dale Earnhardt (17th) has started 15th or worse in his last 12 races at Lowes Motor Speedway.

* Jeff Gordon (22nd) posted only his third start outside the top 10 in 14 races at Lowes Motor Speedway. Gordon is the only driver to qualify in first round in every race in 1999. He leads all active drivers with six Bud Poles at Lowes Motor Speedway.

* NASCAR Winston Cup points leader Dale Jarrett (ninth) has posted five top-10 starts in his last seven races at Charlotte.

* Ward Burton (sixth)) is expected to make his 175th career NASCAR Winston Cup start in Sundays UAW-GM Quality 500. Burton scored his best finish in 11 races at Charlotte, finishing second in this race one year ago.

* The NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus is worth $90,000 to the winner of the UAW-GM Quality 500 should he also be the NASCAR Winston Cup points leader after the race.

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