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NASCAR WCUP: New format and new money highlight the 2000 'Winston'

15 March 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
CONCORD, N.C. - R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and its Winston brand announced today that the winner's share of the 2000 running of The Winston, NASCAR's "all-star" event, will increase to $500,000, with the total purse reaching $2 million.

The 16th annual, winners-only event again will take place at Lowe's Motor Speedway, host of The Winston since 1987. The date of the 2000 running of The Winston is set for May 20.

The increase to the winner's share makes The Winston one of the three richest paydays on the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series schedule, with only the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 offering their winners more. In terms of dollars earned per lap or mile, no race is more valuable.

"The Winston has always been an exciting race and a fan favorite," said Rick Sanders, president of RJR's Sports Marketing Enterprises. "Now, with a $500,000 check for the winner, the last 10-lap segment stands to be the kind of side-by-side, bumper-to-bumper excitement that NASCAR Winston Cup Series fans love. I would imagine the fans will see some of the hardest racing of the 2000 season over those final 15 miles."

Last year, the winner's share of a $1.2 million purse was $200,000.

"The Winston historically is the most competitive and rambunctious event in motor racing," said H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president of Lowe's Motor Speedway. "When you wind up with 21 guys running in their own backyard for 10 laps with a half-million bucks on the line, it's not only survival of the fleetest, but a 10-rounder with 3,400-pound gloves."

In addition to the purse increase, several other changes will be evident in the 2000 The Winston format. Two drivers will transfer from the Winston Open - one from the Winston Open and one from the new Winston Open "No Bull Sprint".

The Winston Open will be a 30-lap race, in honor of series sponsor Winston's 30 years of partnership with NASCAR. The "No Bull Sprint" will be a 16-lap dash in recognition of the 16th running of the Winston. The field will consist of all cars competing in the Winston Open that did not qualify for The Winston by winning the first 30-lap segment. These two drivers - the winner of The Winston Open and Winston Open "No Bull Sprint" - will advance to join the field of previously qualified drivers for The Winston, which consists of a minimum of 19 drivers who have either won races or championships in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

"The level of competition in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series is higher than any other major motorsports series in the world," said Rich Habegger, SME's director of Winston Cup operations. "We felt it was in the best interest of all our drivers, given the depth of field in today's NASCAR Winston Cup Series, that we give them a final opportunity to make The Winston through the Winston Open "No Bull Sprint."

The Winston, as in past years, will be run in three segments. The first two will consist of a minimum of 30 laps each, while the final segment consists of at least 10 laps around the 1.5-mile tri-oval of Lowe's Motor Speedway.

As was the case last year, only green-flag laps will count in all three segments. If there are, for instance, seven laps run under caution in the first segment, then that segment will consist of a total of 37 laps.

Also, drivers and teams have the option of pitting their cars before The Winston's final, 10-lap segment. They may also remain on the track and keep, or improve, their positions prior to the race for the winner's prize of $500,000. Last year, Terry Labonte took on four tires in the final stop, a strategy that paid off with his second The Winston victory.

In recent years, the field for The Winston has been inverted following the first segment. A new inversion procedure will be implemented for this year's The Winston. Unlike the past two years, where a minimum of three and a maximum of 12 cars were inverted, this year's The Winston will either invert 12 cars or no cars at all. The random determination will be made during the 10-minute break between the first and second segments.

Winners of the first and second segments of The Winston will each receive $50,000 for their victory.

Qualifying for the 2000 running of The Winston will be Friday, May 19, and will once again feature a mandatory pit stop reflecting the importance of teamwork and pit crews in the sport. The pit stop will begin a team's qualifying effort.

In past years, drivers have been required to stop after either the first or second lap or their qualifying effort. This year, drivers and cars will start from the pit area. They will roll forward and trip a timing beam in the pit box that will begin the official run. Following the pit stop, drivers will exit pit road - without a speed limit - and complete three laps. The total time of the pit stop and three laps will determine the pole.

The pole-sitter for The Winston will receive $50,000, with half of that amount designated for the driver and half for the team.

Qualifying for the Winston Open will also be held on Friday evening. Two No Bull 25 qualifying races, each consisting of 25 laps, will determine the starting field for the Winston Open. The starting order in each race will be determined by practice speeds. Drivers and cars with odd numbered speeds (i.e., first, third, fifth, etc.) will compete in the first No Bull 25. Those drivers and cars with even numbered speeds will race in the second No Bull 25.

The finishing order from the first No Bull 25 will set the inside row for the Winston Open. The finish of the second qualifying race will set the outside row.

Following are the rules for the 2000 running of The Winston and the Winston Open:

THE WINSTON

* The race will consist of three segments. The first and second segments will be 30 laps each. The final segment will be 10 laps.
* Only green-flag laps count.
* The race will begin with cars lined up according to their qualifying positions.
* At the end of the first segment, there will be a 10-minute break. During the break, a random process will determine if part of the field will be inverted. If the process determines the field will be inverted, 12 cars, based on the finishing positions in the first segment, will be inverted prior to the start of the second segment.
* At the end of the second segment, pit road will be opened, but the pace car will remain on the track. Teams will have the option to pit for fuel, tires, chassis adjustments, etc.
* All restarts will be double-file, with the first row consisting of the first- and second-place cars, the second row the third- and fourth-place cars, etc. Cars a lap or more down will start behind all lead-lap cars.

WINSTON OPEN

* The race will consist of 30 laps. All caution laps count toward that total.
* The race will begin with cars lined up according to the finish order of Friday's two No Bull 25 qualifying races.
* The winner of the Winston Open will transfer to The Winston.

WINSTON OPEN "NO BULL SPRINT"

* The race will consist of 16 laps following the first 30 laps of the Winston Open. All caution laps count toward that total.
* The field will consist of all cars competing in the Winston Open that did not qualify for The Winston by winning the first 30-lap segment.
* The winner of the Winston Open "No Bull Sprint" will gain the second and final transfer slot into The Winston.

Text provided by Denny Darnell

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