after further review, I found some errors in my calcualtions. Prior to the 1998 season, four plus a champs provisional was used, plus some of the smaller tracks like Bristol, Martinsville and North Wilksboro only started 36-40 cars. So lets redo the math here: in 1999 only three drivers did not use a provisional start. #24-Jeff Gordon, #43-John Andretti and #88-Dale Jarrett. Andretti will use his first at Las Vegas since Rockingham in Oct 1997, a streak of 71 races (2 in 1997, 33 in 1998, 34 in 1999 and 2 in 2000). Jeff Gordon has not used a provisional since Talladega in May 1994, so he has a streak of 186 straight races without using a provisional(Not 71 as mentioned before, he started 37th at Atlanta in Nov 1997 but that was when there where only 5 provisionals in a 43 car field). Dale Jarrett has a similar streak going. Jarrett’s last provisional was taken in the 1994 season at the spring Bristol race, but he failed to make the 1994 Fall North Wilkesboro race with the #18 Joe Gibbs Chevy, so he has a streak of 187 races, but not straight, Jarrett’s streak since making all the races stands at 168. I think, I have it right this time. The #88 Robert Yates Racing team has never taken a provisional in the 136 races it has competed(3 including Ernie Irvan in 1995), my apologies for the errors(3-4-2000)
