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NASCAR WCUP: Chassis Notes, Watkins Glen, Pontiac Cars

12 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

[The following are facts and figures regarding the chassis Pontiac teams will be running this weekend during the NASCAR Winston Cup event at Watkins Glen.]

10 This chassis was brand new when Johnny Benson drove to an 18th place finish at Sears Point back in June. Since then, the team revamped the aero package a tiny bit to compensate for Watkins Glen's configuration.

14 The No. 14 Conseco Grand Prix here this weekend is the same car that Rick Mast drove in qualifying at Sears Point. During second round qualifying at Sears Point, the shifter popped out of gear and prevented Mast from making the show.

18 Winston Cup points leader Bobby Labonte turned in the best road course effort of his career at Sears Point back in June when he qualified third and finished fourth. Labonte, who is coming off last week's win at Indianapolis, will look to post Pontiac's first top five finish at The Glen since 1995 in the same car he ran at Sonoma.

20 Tony Stewart was best in class last year at Watkins Glen when he earned a sixth-place finish for Pontiac. Stewart was credited with a 10th place finish with this chassis at Sears Point in June, although the result was a combination of Stewart and John Andretti, who took over in a relief role on lap 70.

22 The chassis has been rebuilt by Ward Burton's Caterpillar Pontiac team after it was rolled during first round qualifying at Sears Point. Burton, who stands seventh in the Winston Cup points, can't help but improve on last year's 43rd place finish here at The Glen following an engine failure on lap 33.

27 Viagra Pontiac driver Mike Bliss posted his best career finish with this chassis at Sears Point back in June (22nd) and is hoping to better that effort here this weekend at Watkins Glen. Bliss has some experience on this racetrack from his years running the Craftsman Truck Series.

36 Ken Schrader's best finish in the past nine races is a 15th, which he earned with this chassis at Sears Point. In his 14 starts at Watkins Glen, Schrader has earned two top five and four top 10 finishes.

43 John Andretti's day ended early at Sears Point - at least in this version of the No. 43 Pontiac. Andretti's ride went up in a ball of flames early on in the event after crashing and left him with a 43rd place finish. But shortly after climbing from his car he climbed into the No. 20 Home Depot Grand Prix in relief of Tony Stewart and carried that car to a 10th place finish.

44 Kyle Petty posted an eighth place finish in his last trip to Watkins Glen and put this chassis on the outside of the front row at Sears Point. Petty is hoping to put it all together this weekend and score his second top 10 finish of the season.

93 This chassis was brand new when Dave Blaney drove it at Sears Point in June. This weekend he will make hope to make his first Winston Cup start at Watkins Glen and will look to improve on the 29th place finish he notched at Sears Point.

Text provided by Al Larsen

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