The Winston 2000
Eligibility rules for The Winston:
1st criteria: Drivers and Team Owners with wins in 1999 or 2000 (through the last race before The Winston)
2nd criteria: Drivers who are past Winston Cup champions
3rd criteria: Drivers who have won The Winston in the last 5 years(1995-1999)
4th criteria: Drivers who have won in previous years, not eligible by the above (not owners, just drivers)
5th criteria: Winning driver of the Winston Open (W. O.)
6th criteria: Winning driver of the W. O. "No Bull Sprint"; run after the W. O. (rules below table)
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The Current 2000 Field/Driver Eligibility
Race winners (owners) in 1999 and 2000
1 Jeff Gordon 1999 Daytona 500
2 Mark Martin 1999 GM Goodwrench 400, Rockingham
3 Jeff Burton 1999 Las Vegas 400
4 Terry Labonte 1999 Primestar 500,Texas
5 Rusty Wallace 1999 Food City 500, Bristol
6 John Andretti 1999 Goody's Body Pain 500, Martinsville
7 Dale Earnhardt 1999 Diehard 500, Talladega
8 Dale Jarrett 1999 Pontiac Excitement 400, Richmond
9 Bobby Labonte 1999 MBNA Platinum 400, Dover
10 Tony Stewart 1999 Exide Battery Select 400, Richmond
11 Joe Nemechek 1999 Dura Lube/Kmart 400, Loudon
12 Kenny Irwin 1999 #42's car owner win, Dura Lube/Kmart 400, Loudon
13 Ward Burton 2000 Mall.com 400, Darlington
14 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2000 DirecTV 500, Texas
15 Jeremy Mayfield 2000 NAPA Auto Parts 500, California
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Previous NASCAR Winston Cup champions (not a 1999 winner)
16 Bill Elliott 1988
17 Darrell Waltrip 1981, 1982 and 1985
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Previous Winners of The Winston (1995-1999) (not a 1999/2000 winner)
18 Michael Waltrip 1996
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Winning drivers from previous seasons not otherwise eligible
none
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and...2000 Winston Open
19 2000 Winston Open Winner
20 2000 Winston Open "No Bull Sprint" Winner
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If 20 drivers are not eligible, winners from previous seasons still active on
the NASCAR Winston Cup Series become eligible for The Winston. All active drivers
during that season become eligible, even if the field exceeds 20 competitors.
Active former WC winners not eligible for The Winston 2000 because 20 car field criteria has been met:
Ricky Rudd, 9/98; Bobby Hamilton, 4/98;
Sterling Marlin, 7/96; Geoffrey Bodine, 8/96;
Kyle Petty 6/95;
Jimmy Spencer, Talladega 7/94;
Morgan Shepherd, Atlanta 3/93;
Ken Schrader, Dover 6/91;
Brett Bodine, North Wilksboro 4/90; Derrike Cope, Dover 6/90;
Dave Marcis, Richmond Spring/82.
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Eligible drivers for the 2000 Winston Open
What makes a driver eligible for the Winston Open?
Any driver that attempts to make a WC field following the 1999 Winston Open up to
the race before the 2000 Winston Open are eligible for the 2000 Winston Open.
Loy Allen
Jack Baldwin
Tom Baldwin
Stanton Barrett
Andy Belmont
Norm Benning
Johnny Benson
Ed Berrier
Rich Bickle
Dave Blaney
Mike Bliss
Brett Bodine
Geoffrey Bodine
Todd Bodine
Mike Borkowski
Ken Bouchard
Gary Bradberry
Austin Cameron
Stacy Compton
Derrike Cope
Ricky Craven
Wally Dallenbach
Jeff Davis
Tim Fedawa
Ron Fellows
Jeff Fuller
Paul Gentilozzi
Bobby Gerhart
Butch Gilliland
Robby Gordon
David Green
Jeff Green
Steve Grissom
Bobby Hamilton
Andy Hillenburg
Lance Hooper
Ron Hornaday
Tom Hubert
Buckshot Jones
Matt Kenseth
Randy LaJoie
Dwayne Leik
Kevin Lepage
Chad Little
Carl Long
Dave Marcis
Sterling Marlin
Rick Mast
John Metcalf
David Murry
Ted Musgrave
Jerry Nadeau
Dan Pardus
Steve Park
Adam Petty
Kyle Petty
Steve Portenga
Robert Pressley
Scott Pruett
Ricky Rudd
Greg Sacks
Elliott Sadler
Boris Said
Jim Sauter
Ken Schrader
Morgan Shepherd
Mike Skinner
R.K. Smith
Jack Sprague
Jimmy Spencer
Bob Strait
Hut Stricklin
Dick Trickle
Kenny Wallace
Mike Wallace
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Rules for The Winston 2000
The 2000 race format has changed slightly. The Winston itself will
Remain two 30-lap dashes, followed by a 10-lap sprint with the $500K going to
The winner of that segment.
In the past the field has been inverted, using different methods,
Between the 30-lap segments. This year either the first 12 drivers will be
inverted – or none will be. The decision will be made on race night, in
front of the fans, but just what process will be used to determine
whether or not to invert the field has not been decided yet(used a large wheel
with the numbers 3-12 on it to decided how many would be inverted).
Also new in 2000 is the addition of a second qualifying race for those
That do not earn automatic entry to the Winston. The Winston Open qualifying
Race will be shortened from 50 to 30 laps, with only the winner moving on to
The Winston. The rest of the field from the open will then contest a 16-lap
No Bull Sprint, with the winner of that race also going to The Winston.
Qualifying will be different in 2000. Instead of a mid-run pit stop the
Cars will start from pit road, roll into the box where the team will conduct
A four-tire change, and then the driver will run three qualifying laps. A
Pair of Friday night 25-lap races will determine the starting positions for The Winston Open.
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PAST WINNERS OF THE WINSTON
Year Driver (times won in parenthesis)
1999 Terry Labonte(2)
1998 Mark Martin
1997 Jeff Gordon(2)
1996 Michael Waltrip
1995 Jeff Gordon
1994 Geoffrey Bodine
1993 Dale Earnhardt(3)
1992 Davey Allison(2)
1991 Davey Allison
1990 Dale Earnhardt(2)
1989 Rusty Wallace
1988 Terry Labonte
1987 Dale Earnhardt
1986 Bill Elliott
1985 Darrell Waltrip
All
but 1986 have been held at Lowes Motor Speedway; in 1986 it was at Atlanta