The 1999 NAPA 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event held on November 21, 1999, at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the American community of Hampton, Georgia. It was the 34th and final race of the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season.
| Race details[1] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 34 of 34 in the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season | |||
 The 1999 NAPA 500 program cover, featuring past champions. The program cover includes Darrell Waltrip, Bill Elliott, Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, and Dale Jarrett. "The Last Race of the Century!" | |||
| Date | November 21, 1999 | ||
| Official name | NAPA 500 | ||
| Location | Atlanta International Raceway, Hampton, Georgia | ||
| Course |
Permanent racing facility 1.522 mi (2.449 km) | ||
| Distance | 328 laps, 499.2 mi (803.3 km) | ||
| Weather | Temperatures reaching up to 64 °F (18 °C); wind speeds reaching up to 8.9 miles per hour (14.3 km/h) | ||
| Average speed | 137.932 miles per hour (221.980 km/h) | ||
| Attendance | 165,000[2] | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Jack Roush | ||
| Time | 28.617 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | |
| Laps | 147 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | ESPN | ||
| Announcers |
Bob Jenkins Benny Parsons Ned Jarrett | ||
Background
editAtlanta Motor Speedway is one of ten intermediate to hold NASCAR races; the others are Charlotte Motor Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Homestead Miami Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Texas Motor Speedway.[3] The standard track at Atlanta Motor Speedway is a four-turn quad-oval track that is 1.54 miles (2.48 km) long.[4] The track's turns are banked at twenty-four degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, and the back stretch are banked at five.[4]
Entry list
editQualifying
editSummary
editOut of the 49 drivers who were on the entry list, only 43 drivers managed to make the race. Two of the more notable drivers who did not qualify were Darrell Waltrip and Morgan Shepherd. There were numerous accidents causing a series of yellow flags. Each green flag run was 30 laps while more than 16% of the race was run under a caution flag.[2]
Todd Bodine was the last-place finisher of this 325-lap event that lasted for a duration of three and a half hours. Kevin Lepage was the lucky pole position winner with his solo qualifying speed of 193.731 miles per hour or 311.780 kilometres per hour. A live audience of 165,000 NASCAR enthusiasts came to see 38 different lead changes along with eight cautions lasting 53 laps. The average speed of the race was clocked at 137.932 miles per hour (221.980 km/h); with Bobby Labonte having a 2.5 second edge over Dale Jarrett.[2] In addition, the pole position was Kevin Lepage's for the only time in his NASCAR career.[7]
Chevrolet and Ford vehicles were the dominant vehicles in the lineup.[2] All of the drivers on the grid were born in the United States of America; a far cry from the racing done in the late-2000s and early-2010s where now-retired Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya and now-retired Australian driver Marcos Ambrose routinely raced in the NASCAR schedule. Ten drivers failed to finish the race, including Joe Nemechek.[2] This was the final race for Rudd Performance Motorsports and the #10 Tide ride.[2] It was also the final race for Ken Schrader in the #33 car before moving to MB2 Motorsports in 2000.[2] This was also the final race for Jerry Nadeau competing in the #36 car before making the move to Hendrick Motorsports in 2000. This was the last race without Matt Kenseth until the 2015 AAA Texas 500.[2]
Notable crew chiefs who actively participated in the race included Robin Pemberton, Larry McReynolds, Travis Carter, Todd Parrott, and Junie Donlavey.[8]
The total prize amount offered to the drivers was $2,232,402 ($4,083,074.85 when adjusted for inflation); the winner received $174,300 ($318,795.61 when adjusted for inflation) while the last-place finisher received a meager $33,507 ($61,284.48 when adjusted for inflation).[9]
The 1999 NAPA 500 was the last NASCAR race of the 1990s decade.
Results
edit| Pos[10][11] | Grid | Car | Driver | Make | Team | Sponsor | Laps | Led | Status | Winnings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 37 | 18 | Bobby Labonte (W) | Pontiac | Joe Gibbs Racing | Interstate Batteries | 325 | 147 | Running | $174,300 | |
| 2 | 10 | 88 | Dale Jarrett | Ford | Robert Yates Racing | Quality Care, Ford Credit | 325 | 17 | Running | $94,400 | |
| 3 | 23 | 12 | Jeremy Mayfield | Ford | Penske-Kranefuss Racing | Mobil 1 | 325 | 27 | Running | $75,875 | |
| 4 | 3 | 6 | Mark Martin (W) | Ford | Roush Racing | Vavloline, Cummins | 325 | 17 | Running | $75,750 | |
| 5 | 14 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Ford | Roush Racing | Exide Batteries | 325 | 3 | Running | $70,000 | |
| 6 | 12 | 97 | Chad Little | Ford | Roush Racing | John Deere | 325 | 0 | Running | $58,800 | |
| 7 | 15 | 10 | Ricky Rudd | Ford | Rudd Performance Motorsports | Tide, Give Kids The World | 325 | 0 | Running | $61,955 | |
| 8 | 38 | 31 | Mike Skinner | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | Lowe's, Kobalt Tools | 325 | 0 | Running | $57,125 | |
| 9 | 36 | 3 | Dale Earnhardt (W) | Chevrolet | Richard Childress Racing | GM Goodwrench Service Plus | 325 | 0 | Running | $54,550 | |
| 10 | 35 | 4 | Bobby Hamilton | Chevrolet | Morgan-McClure Motorsports | Kodak | 325 | 0 | Running | $66,265 | |
| 11 | 6 | 22 | Ward Burton | Pontiac | Bill Davis Racing | Caterpillar | 325 | 0 | Running | $55,550 | |
| 12 | 2 | 1 | Steve Park | Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Pennzoil | 325 | 72 | Running | $56,775 | |
| 13 | 19 | 2 | Rusty Wallace (W) | Ford | Penske-Kranefuss Racing | Miller Lite | 324 | 0 | -1 Laps | $53,950 | |
| 14 | 13 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. (R) | Chevrolet | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Budweiser | 324 | 1 | -1 Laps | $37,700 | |
| 15 | 30 | 20 | Tony Stewart (R) | Pontiac | Joe Gibbs Racing | The Home Depot | 324 | 1 | -1 Laps | $55,815 | |
| 16 | 34 | 21 | Elliott Sadler (R) | Ford | Wood Brothers Racing | Citgo | 324 | 2 | -1 Laps | $49,400 | |
| 17 | 1 | 16 | Kevin Lepage | Ford | Roush Racing | TV Guide | 323 | 17 | -2 Laps | $59,980 | |
| 18 | 4 | 60 | Geoffrey Bodine | Chevrolet | Joe Bessey Motorsports | Power Team | 323 | 0 | -2 Laps | $40,565 | |
| 19 | 20 | 33 | Ken Schrader | Chevrolet | Andy Petree Racing | Skoal | 323 | 0 | -2 Laps | $40,565 | |
| 20 | 21 | 36 | Jerry Nadeau | Pontiac | MB2 Motorsports | M&M's Millennium | 323 | 0 | -2 Laps | $48,025 | |
| 21 | 41 | 45 | David Green | Pontiac | Tyler Jet Motorsports | 10-10-345 | 323 | 0 | -2 Laps | $48,950 | |
| 22 | 27 | 94 | Bill Elliott (W) | Ford | Bill Elliott Racing | McDonald's, Toy Story 2 | 323 | 0 | -2 Laps | $39,720 | |
| 23 | 29 | 25 | Wally Dallenbach Jr. | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | Budweiser | 322 | 0 | -3 Laps | $45,365 | |
| 24 | 40 | 44 | Kyle Petty | Pontiac | Petty Enterprises | Hot Wheels, Toy Story 2 | 321 | 1 | -4 Laps | $38,150 | |
| 25 | 22 | 90 | Ed Berrier (R) | Ford | Donlavey Racing | Hills Brothers Coffee, Nestle NesQuik | 321 | 0 | -4 Laps | $34,535 | |
| 26 | 11 | 00 | Buckshot Jones (R) | Pontiac | Buckshot Racing | Brunswick Indoor Recreation | 321 | 0 | -4 Laps | $34,720 | |
| 27 | 31 | 77 | Robert Pressley | Ford | Jasper Motorsports | Jasper Engines & Transmissions | 319 | 0 | -6 Laps | $37,505 | |
| 28 | 43 | 71 | Dave Marcis (W) | Chevrolet | Marcis Auto Racing | Realtree | 319 | 3 | -6 Laps | $34,490 | |
| 29 | 25 | 28 | Kenny Irwin Jr. | Ford | Robert Yates Racing | Texaco, Havoline | 319 | 0 | -6 Laps | $44,530 | |
| 30 | 42 | 11 | Brett Bodine | Ford | Brett Bodine Racing | Paychex | 317 | 0 | -8 Laps | $44,280 | |
| 31 | 18 | 40 | Sterling Marlin | Chevrolet | SABCO Racing | Coors Light | 314 | 0 | -11 Laps | $43,990 | |
| 32 | 28 | 42 | Joe Nemechek | Chevrolet | SABCO Racing | BellSouth | 303 | 0 | Engine | $43,400 | |
| 33 | 33 | 43 | John Andretti | Pontiac | Petty Enterprises | STP | 242 | 0 | Contact | $48,835 | |
| 34 | 32 | 55 | Kenny Wallace | Chevrolet | Andy Petree Racing | Square D | 235 | 0 | -90 Laps | $34,270 | |
| 35 | 9 | 41 | Gary Bradberry | Chevrolet | Larry Hedrick Motorsports | Kodiak | 233 | 0 | Engine | $33,705 | |
| 36 | 8 | 7 | Michael Waltrip | Chevrolet | Mattei Motorsports | Philips Electronics | 196 | 12 | Contact T4 | $41,870 | |
| 37 | 7 | 93 | Dave Blaney (R) | Pontiac | Bill Davis Racing | Amoco | 182 | 0 | Contact T4 | $33,600 | |
| 38 | 16 | 24 | Jeff Gordon (W) | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | DuPont Automotive Finishes | 181 | 0 | Engine | $59,350 | |
| 39 | 17 | 26 | Johnny Benson Jr. | Ford | Roush Racing | Cheerios, Toy Story 2 | 172 | 4 | Contact BS | $40,900 | |
| 40 | 39 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports | Kellogg's | 148 | 0 | Contact T4 | $48,450 | |
| 41 | 26 | 98 | Rick Mast | Ford | Cale Yarborough Motorsports | Crash Bandicoot | 131 | 0 | -194 Laps | $35,400 | |
| 42 | 24 | 23 | Jimmy Spencer | Ford | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Team Winston, No Bull | 80 | 0 | Contact T2 | $40,350 | |
| 43 | 5 | 30 | Todd Bodine | Pontiac | Eel River Racing | Rudy's Farm | 42 | 0 | Contact T2 | $33,507 | |
Failed to Qualify
| |||||||||||
| 66 | Darrell Waltrip (W) | Ford | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Big Kmart, Route 66 | |||||||
| 15 | Derrike Cope | Ford | Fenley-Moore Motorsports | Harrah's Las Vegas | |||||||
| 75 | Hut Stricklin | Ford | Galaxy Motorsports | Remington Arms | |||||||
| 50 | Ricky Craven | Chevrolet | Midwest Transit Racing | Midwest Transit | |||||||
| 9 | Stacy Compton (R) | Ford | Melling Racing | Cartoon Network | |||||||
| 05 | Morgan Shepherd (W) | Pontiac | Shepherd Racing | Delco Remy | |||||||
References
edit- ^ Weather information for the 1999 NAPA 500 at The Old Farmers' Almanac
- ^ a b c d e f g h Results for the 1999 NAPA 500 at Racing Reference
- ^ "NASCAR Race Tracks". NASCAR. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ a b "NASCAR Tracks—The Atlanta Motor Speedway". Atlanta Motor Speedway. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ "1999 Nascar Cup Series NAPA 500 | Motorsport Stats". results.motorsportstats.com. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
- ^ "1999 NAPA 500 qualifying results". Racing-Reference. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29.
- ^ Results for the 1999 NAPA 500 at Race Database
- ^ 1999 NAPA 500 crew chiefs information at Racing Reference
- ^ Prize purse information for the 1999 NAPA 500 at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
- ^ "1999 NAPA 500 - The Third Turn". www.thethirdturn.com. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
- ^ "1999 NAPA 500 race results". Racing-Reference. Archived from the original on 2021-04-28.