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NASCAR WCUP: Pepsi 400 at Daytona added to Winston No Bull 5 Lineup for 2001

17 October 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and its Winston brand today announced the lineup of the 2001 Winston No Bull 5, the richest single-season bonus program in NASCAR Winston Cup history. While not moving to a new venue, the Winston No Bull 5 will be contested under the lights at "The World Center of Racing" - Daytona International Speedway - in July's running of the Pepsi 400. In each of the previous three seasons, Daytona has played host to the Winston No Bull 5 during its annual running of the season-opening Daytona 500.

"Winston is very happy with the Winston No Bull 5 program and its current mix of tracks," said Rick Sanders, president of RJR's Sports Marketing Enterprises. "While the move from the Daytona 500 to the Pepsi 400 at Daytona will add a second night race to the schedule, the primary reason for the change is to give fans more time to get their entries in and become eligible for each Winston No Bull 5 event.

"In the past, consumers have only had about four weeks to enter prior to contestant selection for the first event at Daytona. With Las Vegas now being the first event of the season, consumers will have almost eight weeks to enter the contest."

The five races comprising the Winston No Bull 5 in 2001 are, in chronological order: the Las Vegas 400 (March 4); the Coca-Cola 600 (May 27) at Charlotte, N.C.; the Pepsi 400 (July 7) at Daytona Beach, Fla.; the Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 (Sept. 8) at Richmond, Va.; and the 500-mile event at Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 21.

The Winston No Bull 5 will offer $1 million to drivers in each Winston No Bull 5 event next season. In addition, fans once again will have the opportunity to win $1 million at each event. Eligible drivers win $1 million by capturing a Winston No Bull 5 event. If a qualified driver wins a Winston No Bull 5 event, the driver and his fan each win a $1 million bonus. Drivers will once again become eligible to compete for the Winston No Bull 5 bonus by finishing in the top five at the previous Winston No Bull 5 event.

"The Winston No Bull 5 program has proven to create a lot of excitement," said Mike Helton, senior vice president and chief operating officer, NASCAR. "Not only for the competitors but for fans as well. Seems to me to be a great way to win a million bucks without being stranded on an island for three months."

The top-five finishers at tomorrow's Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway will be qualified as million-dollar competitors at next year's first Winston No Bull 5 event, the Las Vegas 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Dale Jarrett and Jeff Burton each collected the Winston No Bull 5 million-dollar bonus in 2000, with Jarrett winning the season-opening Daytona 500 and Burton pocketing the check at Las Vegas.

Those victories guaranteed an additional $2 million would be awarded as a part of the Winston No Bull 5 "They Win, You Win" fan sweepstakes. Melissa Brown of Pittsburgh picked up $1 million at Daytona, and Joyce Williams from Port Isabel, Texas, became a millionaire at Las Vegas.

"Winning a Winston No Bull 5 event is great for our team as the crew gets a share of the money, but it's a life-changing experience for the fan," said Jeff Burton, driver of the No. 99 Citgo Supergard Ford and three-time winner of the million-dollar bonus. "Having the fans involved is the coolest part of the program. When you win, you've changed a fan's life. You can see it in their eyes.

"Anytime a million dollars is on the line, it's a big deal. We've won about 50 percent (three wins in six events prior to the Winston 500) of the No Bull 5 events we've been eligible for. Our team takes great pride in winning the big races. And we take great pride in providing a life-changing experience for the fan."

The Winston No Bull 5 replaced the Winston Million program in 1998. Entering the final Winston No Bull 5 event of 2000, the program has paid out a total of $16 million to eligible drivers and fans in its first three seasons.

In 1998, Gordon captured the Winston No Bull 5 bonus on two occasions, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis and the Pepsi Southern 500 at Darlington, S.C. Dale Jarrett pocketed the million at the Winston 500 at Talladega, Ala.

Jeff Burton won the Winston No Bull 5 million-dollar bonus twice in 1999, with victories at Charlotte and Darlington. Gordon earned $1 million with his victory at the Daytona 500.

Including tomorrow's Winston 500, 25 different NASCAR Winston Cup Series drivers have had the opportunity to race for a $1 million bonus as part of the Winston No Bull 5 program.

Text Provided By Denny Darnell

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