• Race: Saturday, August 26, 2000 in Bristol, TN
  
  
• TV: ESPN 7:30pm/et
  
  
• Posted Awards/Purse: $2,372,017
  
  
• Entry List: Entry List for the: goracing.com 500 from NOL
  
  
• 1999 Race Winner: Dale Earnhardt
  
  
• Race Record: Charlie Glotzbach, July 1971, 101.074
  
  
• Track/Race Length: 0.533 mile concrete oval, 500 laps, 266.5 miles
  
  
• Pit Road Speed: 35mph
  
  

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  Practice
  
  
• Practice: Friday, Aug 25th 12:45 -3:15pm; Saturday, Aug 26th 11:30am - 1:00pm/et
  
  
• Happy Hour Practice: Saturday, Aug 26th, 2:15 - 3:15pm/et, TV-none
  
  

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  Qualifying
  
  
• Qualifying Draw: Friday, August 25th at 11:30am/et
  
  
• Qualfying Order - goRacing.com 500: NASCAR Online or That's Racin'
  
  
• First Round Qualifying: 2 laps for positions 1-25, Friday, Aug 25th at 5:00pm/et, TV-ESPN2; and live via PRN radio/internet
  
  
• NASCAR Online will have live lap-by-lap coverage of Winston Cup qualifying via the web
  
  
• Second-Round Qualifying: 2 laps for positions 26th-36th, Saturday, Aug 25th at 1:45pm/et
  
  
• Track Qualifying Record: Steve Park, April 2000, 126.370mph
  
  
• Event/Race Qualifying Record: Mark Martin, Aug 1995, 125.093mph is considered the event record for some reason even though Rusty Wallace ran 125.554mph in Aug 1998
  
  
• Last Year's Pole Sitter: Tony Stewart, 124.589mph
  
  

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  Track Specs:
  0.533-mile concrete oval
  Degree of banking in corners: 36 degrees
  Degree of banking in straights: 16 degrees
  Straightaways are 650 feet long.
  Concrete racing surface is 40 feet wide.
  Seating capacity: ~155,000
  Bristol has two pits roads: 21 pit stalls on the front stretch and 21 on the back stretch(1 must be shared)
  
  
• Track Homepage: Bristol Motor Speedway
  
  
• Scanner Frequencies: are linked on my Racing Links Page/ Scanners Section
  
  
• Goodyear Tire Fast Facts - goracing.com 500(8-25-2000)
  
  

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  RACE BONUS INFO

• The NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus is $30,000 at Bristol for leading the points and winning the race.(Bobby Labonte last won the award, $190,000 at Indy on Aug 5, 2000). The $340,000 annual award is paid at $10,000 per race to the point leader at the end of each event if he is also the winner. The award increases by $10,000 each week the it goes unclaimed. If the point leader is not the race winner at the end of the year, the balance of the award is distributed among the top-10 finisher in the point standings(8-20-2000)
  
  

IN-CAR AUDIO SITES

PREVIEW, FACT SHEETS and MISC News

• some Bristol Stats: 18 of all the 79 Bristol races have been won by the pole starter - 23%. Lowest start of a Goracing.com winner: 26th by Dale Earnhardt, 1999. 69 of the 79 Bristol races have been won from the Top 10 - 87%. Driver with most DNFs: Jimmy Means, Kyle Petty, Terry Labonte - 7. Average finish of pole winner: 9.9. Most consecutive wins at Bristol: Seven by Darrell Waltrip, from 4/81 to 4/84, a NASCAR Winston Cup Series record for consecutive wins at one track (tied with Richard Petty, Richmond). Caution-free races at Bristol: One, 1971(many more at: TNN Motorsports)(8-25-2000)
  
  
• From the TNN Site: Bristol Race Stats by their stat guru Bill Sloboda(8-25-2000)
  
  
• Race ODDS - Imperial Palace: NASCAR Odds - Watkins Glen(SportsFax News)(8-25-2000)
  
  
• Bristol Quick Facts(TNN)(8-23-2000)
  
  
• Race ODDS - Stardust: NASCAR Odds - Bristol(WRAL)(8-23-2000)
  
  
• WRAL: NASCAR - Bristol Preview(8-23-2000)
  
  
• ODD's Cup/Race: to win the goRacing.com 500 and the 2000 Winston Cup Championship at Don Best Sports(8-22-2000)
  
  
• Bristol Stuff: Leading all drivers with the most wins at BMS with 12, Darrell Waltrip will make his final laps as a driver with this weekend's race. Dale Earnhardt proved in 1999 that a driver could start as far back as 26th and still visit victory lane. This is the farthest back a winner has started to win a race at BMS. However, those drivers that start on the pole position have a better record of winning the race. This starting position has produced 18 winners - the most recent a pole sitter has won was in 1999 (Rusty Wallace, spring race). In 1971, "Chargin' Charlie" Glotzbach won his only race of the season, the Volunteer 500 at Bristol. Glotzbach started second and won the only caution-free race (to date) at Bristol(NASCAR PR)(8-21-2000)
  
  
• Provisionals: There are now six drivers out of provisionals, #9-Compton, #66-Waltrip, #27-Bliss and #90-Stricklin, #44 Hot Wheels and #60 Power Team teams, all must make the races with speed until another provisional is allotted at Darlington, or one more race to go. But the drivers/teams without provisionals could still get into a race using a provisional - If one or a few of the teams without provisionals fail to get in on speed, then the part time teams(don't attempt all races and are deep in the OWNERS points) get a shot at the provisionals, lining up by Owners Points(only if they have owners points). If spots are still available, then the teams without provisionals or owners points get placed in the field by fastest qualifying speed until all 43 spots are filled. For more info on provisionals see my Provisionals Status and Owners Points page(8-20-2000)
  
  
• The Crew Chief Club
  
  

• Sweep at Bristol: Rusty Wallace is the first driver to win both races at Bristol Motor Speedway in one season since Dale Earnhardt in 1987(Roanoke Times)(8-28-2000)
  
  
• Rusty wins at Bristol: #2-Rusty Wallace won at Bristol, his ninth overall race there and his 53rd of gis career(8th best). Wallace becomes the first four time winner or 2000 as well as the first driver to win both races at a track this year. #21-Elliott Sadler got his career best finish and first top 10 of the year with a 7th place finish. #18-Bobby Labonte holds on to the Winston Cup point lead, but lost 20 points to #88-Dale Jrrett. See race results at NOL, That's Racin' or Racin' Network(8-27-2000)
  
  
• Happy Hour Practice is over at Bristol. #55-Kenny Wallace was the fastest at 120.007mph, the only driver over 120mph. Only 42 cars practiced of the #43 with #25-Jerry Nadeau not being shown on the rundown. Maybe the team was still working on the backup car for Nadeau. See the speeds at That's Racin' or Racin' Network(8-26-2000)
  
  
• Wrecks in early practice: #25-Jerry Nadeau, #7-Michael Waltrip and #11-Brett Bodine wrecked in the first practice on Saturday. All three had to move to backup cars and will have to move to the rear of the 43-car field to start Saturday night's race(That's Racin'). Nadeau was to start 5th, Bodine 14th and Waltrip-7th. But they keep their frontstretch pit stalls(8-26-2000)
  
  
• 2nd Round Qualifying is over at Bristol. Only four drivers made attempts, three went slower(#'s 01,27 and 50) and only #90-Stricklin was faster then his first round speed. But none were good enough to race into the field. Fastest of the four was #27-Bliss at 122.764mph, #85-Long didn't make an attempt. Missing the race are: #27-Bliss(37th in owners points but out of provisionals), #90-Stricklin(44th but out), #50-Craven(46th); and #85-Long(50th). No word yet on who will drive the #94(Elliott or Green), the #60(Todd or Geoffrey Bodine) or the #9(Compton or Hillin). See the starting grids at NOL or Racin' Network(8-26-2000)
  
  
• Saturday Practice is over at Bristol. #60-Geoffrey/Todd Bodine(Todd was fist listed at NOL, then Geoffrey) was the fastest at only 121.666mph. Bobby Hillin ran the #9 Melling Ford and David Green was in the #94. No word yet if Bill Elliott will start the race or if Green will. The 36th fastest speed in 1st round was by Todd Bodine at 123.277mph. So it will take a small miracle for anyone not in the top 36 to race into the field. Would imagine that all but the four drivers who would miss the race unless they raced in will make an attempt: #27-Bliss(37th in owners points but out of provisionals), #90-Stricklin(44th but out), #50-Craven(46th); and #85-Long(50th). #28-Ricky Rudd uses his first provisional of the season, leaving six drivers who have not used one, see my Provisionals page for those drivers and info/rules, also #97-Little uses his 11th provisional of the season. See the practice speeds at NOL or Racin' Network(8-26-2000)
  
  
• First Round Qualifying is over at Bristol. #2-Rusty Wallace wins the pole with a speed of 125.477mph. For some reason it is considered the new event record, breaking Mark Martin's, August 1995, record of 125.093mph, but Rusty Wallace ran 125.554mph in Aug 1998, both races were sponsored by Goody's and were ran at night. Wallace ran the lap even after his throttle stop broke on his gas pedal. 33 drivers ran their fastest speed on their first lap, 12 ran faster on the second lap, one driver (Earnhardt Jr) ran the same speed on both laps and #75-Wally Dallenbach spun out on his first lap and had no recorded speed.
  Five drivers only ran one lap: #'s 88,24,55,3 and 11.
  If things stayed the same, the following four drivers would miss the race: #27-Bliss(37th in owners points but out of provisionals), #90-Stricklin(44th but out), #50-Craven(46th); and #85-Long(50th), see my Provisional Status page for info and Owners Points standing.
  #26-Jimmy Spencer crashed in practice and had to go to a backup car. Todd Bodine subbed for his brother Geoffrey in the #60 Chevy as Geoffrey was ill. David Green ran the #94-McFlurry Ford for Bill Elliott. Stacy Compton qualified the #9-Cougar Ford 21st, even with his broken collarbone.
  2nd round qualifying is on Saturday at 1:45pm/et and is supposed to be hotter. See 1st round results at NOL, SpeedVision, That's Racin' or Racin' Network(8-25-2000)
  
  
• Practice for Friday is over at Bristol. #40-Sterling Marlin was the fastest at 125.150mph, followed by #2-Wallace and #24-Gordon. #85-Carl Long was the slowest of the 47 cars with a speed of 119.633mph. See the speeds at NOL or Racin' Network(8-25-2000)
  
  
• Qualifying Order is up for the goRacing.com 500 at Bristol. See the links above. First scheduled out at 5:00pm/et (on ESPN2 and PRN radio) is #21-Elliott Sadler, last due out is #60-Geoffrey Bodine. 47 drivers are listed.(8-25-2000)
  
  
• Bristol Entry List is up at NOL UPDATE: Link above. 47 drivers/teams listed inclufing #13-Gordon, #50-Craven and #85-Long.(8-22-2000)
  UPDATE: looks like it's down to 46 drivers as #85-Carl Long is no longer on the list(8-23-2000)
  UPDATE 2: back up to 47 as Long as been put back on the Entry List(8-25-2000)
  
  
• How to break a tie during qualifying? When drivers are tied for a starting spot during qualifying, it is broken by owners points standings(not drivers). For provisionals standings see the Jayski Provisional Status page(2-20-2000)
  
  
• Links: Practice speeds, qualifying and results can be found at these sites: NASCAR Online, Racin Network, and That's Racin'
  
  

TRACK/RACE NEWS

• Pit Road: Bristol has two pits roads: 21 pit stalls on the front stretch and 21 on the back stretch(1 must be shared). That means #9-Stacy Compton, who qualified 21st gets the last pit stall on the front stretch. Four drivers who have qualified for the race will have to pit on the backstretch: #17-Kenseth, #5-Labonte, #55-Wallace, and #44-Petty. Bristol is the only race track left on the Winston Cup schedule that has two pit roads. There has been talk about trying to make one pit road but have heard nothing lately when or if it will happen(8-25-2000)
  
• Track Qualifying Records fall in 2000: In 22 events there have been thirteen(13) track records set, including Bristol, California, Lowes, Michigan, Pocono, Rockingham, Texas, Las Vegas, New Hampshire, Sears Point, Pocono(2nd time), Indy and Michigan(2nd time). These are TRACK records, not EVENT records(of course we all know there are four races that there is no chance to break the track record, the two each at Daytona and Talladega)(8-19-2000)
  
  
• Safety Rules: NASCAR officials announced through a technical bulletin to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series teams that their primary and secondary throttle shafts must each have an independent travel stop to impede the throttle plates from opening beyond vertical. NASCAR officials also announced the addition of an auxiliary ignition on/off button. This button, that will disconnect power to the ignition system, must be mounted on the steering wheel within reach of the driver's thumb. This auxiliary switch must shut off the engine immediately when depressed. These modifications will go into effect beginning with this weekend's Brickyard 400(NASCAR Online and NASCAR PR)(8-1-2000)
  
  
• Rain: The thatlook.com 300 was the fourth race this season to be impeded by rain. Las Vegas was shortened by 119 laps. Michigan fell six laps short. Pocono was postponed to the next day, Monday. Sunday's race at New Hampshire only went 273 of 300 laps(SpeedVision)(7-10-2000)
  
  
• How to Calculate Track Speeds: use the formula Speed = Distance divided by Time. Distance is Track Length, and Lap Time into Hours. Once hour is 3600 seconds, so the calculation for a 48 second lap at Daytona(2.5 miles) would be: Speed = 2.5 x (3600/48), = 2.5 x 75 = 187.500mph. For a 19 second lap at Bristol(.533 miles): Speed = .533 x (3600/19), = .533 x 189.474 = a speed of 100.990mph
  
  
• Past track news: posted in the past at Past Track News - Bristol
  
  

DRIVER/TEAM NEWS

Winston Cup Disabled List for the race and won't race there
Driver	Car#	Injury	Return Date	Sub/Relief Driver
Stacy Compton	9	Broken Collarbone	Darlington	Bobby Hillin
Geoffrey Bodine	60	Dizziness	Bristol?	Todd Bodine
Bill Elliott	94	Broken Knee	Darlington?	David Green




• Geoffry in the #60: sources tell me that Geoffrey Bodine will drive the #60 Power Team Chevy at Bristol tonight and that brother Todd has already left Bristol. Bodine, Geoffrey that is, will have to fall to the back of the field with #7-Waltrip(backup car), #9-Hillin(sub for Compton), #11-Brett Bodine(backup car), and #25-Nadeau(backup car).(8-26-2000)
  
  
• Why was Todd in for Geoffrey? UPDATE 2: Geoffrey Bodine suffered signs of dizziness during the day’s first practice session. His brother, Todd Bodine, got into the #60 Power Team Chevy for qualifying and posted a speed of 123.277mph on his first of two laps – which was 36th fastest. Bodine’s dizziness is thought to be a recurring injury from his February Truck Series wreck at Daytona. It is not yet known what his status may be for Saturday’s race(Power Team Site) and Geoffrey Bodine ran a couple laps in Friday's practice and then stepped out of his #60 Chevy and allowed his brother, Todd Bodine, to finish the practice session. Todd Bodine also attempted to qualify the car Friday. Geoffrey Bodine, who was seriously injured in the CTS race at Daytona in February, said he didn't "comfortable" in his car and may need to see his doctor. Todd Bodine said his brother was "a little dizzy" when he got out of the car(That's Racin')(8-25-2000)
  UPDATE: Geoffrey Bodine said he will get back in the #60 Chevy this morning in hopes of being able to drive the car in tonight’s race(Gaston Gazette)
  UPDATE 2: from the Geoffrey Bodine Fanclub Site: Geoffrey will practice in the race car and will see how he feels this morning. After practice(11:30am-1:00pm), he will decide if he will attempt to qualify 2nd round(8-26-2000)
  
  
• Green to drive the #94 at Bristol: BGN regular David Green will drive the #94 McDonalds McFlurry Taurus in tonight's goracing.com 500 at Bristol. Green will substitute for owner/driver Bill Elliott, who is recovering from a broken kneecap he suffered in an accident at his home in Blairsville, GA on Tuesday (Aug. 22) afternoon. The last time Elliott missed Winston Cup race was the MBNA Gold 400 in Dover, DE. on Sept. 20, 1998. He missed that race to attend his father's funeral. The last time injury sidelined Elliott was in the Goody's 500 at Bristol in Aug. 1996. He missed seven races due to a broken left thighbone (femur) he suffered in a racing accident at Talladega on April 29th of that year. Green will start 26th(McDonalds Racing PR)(8-26-2000)
  
  
• Hillin to drive the #9 for Compton: Melling Racing announced Saturday afternoon that BGN driver Bobby Hillin will drive the #9 Ford in Saturday night's race at Bristol in place of regular driver Stacy Compton. Compton had broken his right collarbone while playing raquetball last Monday, but had practiced and qualified the car on Friday. Since Hillin did not qualify the car, he will have to move to the rear of the field to start the race(That's Racin'). Compton will be in the car next week at Darlington Raceway(NOL)(8-26-2000)
  
  
• Elliott Injured? UPDATE 3: hearing that Bill Elliott, driver of the #94 McDonalds Ford, injured his left knee/leg in an accident at home, no word on how or if it will affect his status for the race at Bristol and still waiting to confirm the situation. Also hearing that Ray Evernham said on the radio this morning that Elliott broke his kneecap in a farming accident and had to have surgery last night and that he may miss the Bristol race. From what I hear now, is that Elliott 'shattered' his knee cap and is having surgery today, Bristol is pretty much out of the picture for him, NO idea of a sub yet
  UPDATE: Elliott underwent successful surgery Tuesday night to repair a fractured left kneecap and will likely miss Saturday's race at Bristol. Elliott reportedly tripped and fell at his Blairsville, GA, home. Elliott is expected to be released from the hospital sometime Thursday. A final decision on whether Elliott will drive this weekend, use a relief or replacement driver will be made once Elliott has met again with his doctor(That's Racin')
  UPDATE 2: A decision on whether Elliott will drive in this weekend's Winston Cup race at Bristol will be determined over the next few days. Bill Elliott Racing has secured the services of BGN regular David Green as the substitute driver during Friday's practice and qualifying sessions. If Elliott is not ready to return to action, Green will also drive the #94 McDonald's Ford car in the race(McDonald's Racing PR)(8-23-2000)
  UPDATE 3 and McFlurry: Bill Elliott, who fractured his left kneecap in a home accident in Blairsville, Ga. Tuesday afternoon, was discharged today (8-24) from HEALTHSOUTH Medical Center in Birmingham where he had surgery Tuesday evening. No decision has been made on whether Elliott will drive the #94 McDonald's Ford in this weekend's (Aug. 26) Winston Cup race at Bristol. ALSO: The McDonald's #94 Ford Taurus will have a different look at this weekend's race. The blue, red, yellow and white paint scheme on the McDonald's car will showcase McDonald's popular dessert item - the McFlurry. The creamy treat features McDonald's soft serve ice cream mixed with a customer's choice of four core toppings -- crushed M&Ms, Nestle Crunch, Oreo and Butterfinger. The McFlurry Ford Taurus will also run at Dover in Sept(McDonald's Racing PR) see an image of the car on my Paint Schemes Gallery(8-24-2000)
  
  
• Compton Hurt may need relief UPDATE: Veteran NASCAR driver, Bobby Hillin, has agreed to stand-by for Stacy Compton in preparation for this weekend's Cup race at Bristol. Compton, driver of the #9 Kodiak/Melling Racing Ford Taurus, sustained a broken right collar bone this week while playing racquetball as part of his regular aerobic workout routine(Melling PR)(8-23-2000)
  UPDATE: Compton said Thursday he is going to attempt to race this weekend at Bristol despite fracturing his collarbone while playing racquetball Monday night. Compton said his doctor believes he already had suffered a stress fracture in the area from an accident while testing at Indy last month. When Compton hit the same area while playing racquetball, his collarbone fractured in two separate places. Compton said he and his team have worked with the seat placement in his #9 Ford to help him remain comfortable in the car. He will try to practice and qualify the car Friday and drive in Saturday night's race at Bristol(That's Racin')(8-24-2000)
  
  
• See the 2000 Team Chart which has links to past news for each team and see the 2001 Team Chart for next season's teams
  
  

PAINT SCHEME NEWS

• Bristol Schemes: got a bunch of special paint schemes at Bristol this week: #2-Wallace will run the all blue Harley Davidson/Miller Lite scheme; #6-Martin will have MaxLife/Valvoline oil; #8-Earnhardt has the Olympics/Bud Scheme; #17-Kenseth has a reverse scheme; #40-Marlin in the Silver Bullet Chevy; #75-Dallenbach will have the WCW scheme this week; #94-Elliott/Green will have a McFlurry scheme(all these schemes can be seen in the Paint Schemes Gallery(8-25-2000)
  
  
• #17 Paint Scheme: hearing a black/reverse DeWalt paint scheme will be used at Bristol in August(7-14-2000)
  
  
• Bud Announcement UPDATE: Budweiser will make an announcement regarding the 2000 season with Budweiser Racing drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kenny Bernstein on Thursday, June 29th at Daytona International Speedway. This will probably be the Olympic Paint Schemes to be run later in the summer (Bristol?). See the #8 Bud/Olympic Chevy on the Paint Schemes page(6-27-2000)
  UPDATE: Budweiser drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kenny Bernstein are giving race fans five million new reasons to pull for them this summer during the "Budweiser Race for the Gold" promotion. Officials from Budweiser unveiled the program at a press conference Thursday featuring both drivers. If Earnhardt Jr. wins the NASCAR Winston Cup goracing.com 500 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on August 26, and Bernstein wins the NHRA U.S. Nationals Top Fuel event in Indianapolis on September 4, Budweiser will award $5 million to be shared among a consumer ($2.25 million), the United States Olympic Committee ($2.25 million) and the drivers ($250,000 each). In the two "Budweiser Race for the Gold" events, Earnhardt Jr. and Bernstein will race cars with special U.S. Olympic Team paint schemes. For more info on the contest, see my Racing Contest page, to see images of the #8 Budweiser/Olympics Chevy see my Paint Schemes Gallery(fingerprint.inc/Budweiser PR)(6-29-2000)
  
  
• Rusty Scheme REPOST UPDATE a Harley again: from the goRacing Rusty Wallace chat transcript: Q) Is there a small chance in heck that you will be back in a black car in the future? A) I loved the black car...but there's not a chance. I've been trying to get a black car out of the Miller Brewing company...but I'm sticking with The Blue and White Miller Lite Car. We're announcing a new paint scheme on March 6th(goRacing)(2-24/3-6-2000) -- UPDATE: Announced in Daytona during Bikeweek(which is a wild time by the way), Wallace will run a Miller Lite/Harley Davidson paint scheme in three Saturday night CUP races. The #2 Ford will debut in the Pepsi 400, then will appear in the Aug. 26 goracing.com 500 at Bristol and the Sept. 9 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 at Richmond. See the full story and an image(do not send it to me) at NASCAR Online(3-7-2000)
  
  
• WCW Scheme: Wally Dallenbach will run the WCW(World Championship Wrestling) paint scheme on the #75 Cartoon Network/Red Cell Batteries/Turner Broadcasting Ford for the following races: Las Vegas on March 5th, Atlanta March 12th, The Pepsi 400 at Daytona on July 1st, Bristol on August 26th and Talladega on October 15th(1-25-2000)
  
  
• More Paint Scheme news can be found on Jayski's Paint Scheme Gallery, choose current news
  
  

STATS and STUFF