NASCAR WCUP: Chassis notes, Winston Cup, Martinsville

30 September 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

CHASSIS NOTES; WINSTON CUP; MARTINSVILLE

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

Aaron's Pontiac driver Johnny Benson equaled his best career finish last week with a second at Dover, and is now within 58 points of 11th position in the Winston Cup points. This week Benson is driving the same chassis he drove to 1n 11th at New Hampshire and a seventh at Richmond earlier this month. In the past six races, Benson has scored two top five and four top 11 finishes.

Rick Mast drove to his second top 10 finish of the season last week at Dover, and will look for another this weekend with a chassis that Dick Trickle last drove for the team at Darlington in March. During the past 10 weeks, Mast has earned three top five starts and four top 12 finishes.

Interstate Batteries Grand Prix driver Bobby Labonte stretched his points lead to 249 last week with a fifth place finish at Dover. This week he shoots for his 16th top five of the season with a chassis that was brand new when he finished second at New Hampshire two weeks ago.

Home Depot Pontiac driver Tony Stewart moved back into the top five in the Winston Cup points after picking up his fourth victory of the 2000 season last week at Dover. Stewart comes to Martinsville looking to better the sixth place finish he posted this spring in a chassis that has earned an eighth and a sixth at Richmond in 2000.

Ward Burton posted an eighth in this version of the Caterpillar Pontiac earlier this month at Richmond and then drove it the next week at New Hampshire. The South Boston, Virginia driver is looking to rebound from his last two weeks, which have returned finishes of 30th and 40th, respectively.

Mike Bliss recorded his best career start (10th) and his best career finish (19th) with this chassis two weeks ago at New Hampshire International Speedway. Three of Bliss' best 2000 qualifying efforts have come inn the past four weeks.

Ken Schrader's 30th place finish last week at Dover snapped a string of six straight runs in the top 20. Than run included a 10th and a 17th at New Hampshire and Richmond in this M&M's Grand Prix chassis. Schrader also posted a 12th with this car at Richmond in May, which is one of seven top 15s this season.

John Andretti drove this chassis to an 11th at Richmond earlier this month and then followed that up with his best finish of the year (7th) at New Hampshire the next week. That success has moved him from 25th to 22nd in the point standings this month, which is his highest ranking since July 1.

Steve Grissom has qualified for three of four races since taking over as driver of the Hot Wheels Grand Prix. This weekend Grissom will look for his fifth Winston Cup start of the year with the chassis he drove to a 36th place start and 26th place finish at Darlington.

Dave Blaney equaled his best career finish (18th) at Richmond earlier this month with this chassis. He also wheeled it to a 26th place finish the next week at New Hampshire, which was its last work.

Text provided by Al Larsen

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