NOL has this in the Friday notes section: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and Lowe’s Motor Speedway, along with the defending champion of The Winston, Terry Labonte, will make a major announcement regarding the Winston during the weekly Cup Series teleconference Tuesday(March 14th) at 11am/et on NASCAR Online(NOL)(3-10-2000) UPDATE: here are some details from Jim Utter of That’s Racin’: R.J. Reynolds Co. will increase the purse of The Winston to in excess of $2 million. RJR officials are expected to announce the purse increase as well as some “cosmetic” changes to the format of The Winston. Among the changes to the race format will be an alternation to the “inversion” format used following the first 30-lap segment. Right now a maximum of 12 and a minimum of three cars are inverted prior to the start of the second 30-lap segment. At the end of the second segment, pit road will be opened, but the pace car will remain on the track and teams will have the option to pit, or stay on the track to maintain track position(That’s Racin’)(3-11-2000) UPDATE 2: RJR/Winston upped the minimum purse of the Winston to $2million with $500,000 going to the winner of the final 10-lap segment. The race will also see the format changed slightly for the 16th running of the event. 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, the organizers have decided that 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. Also new this year 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 feature race. The rest of the field from the open will then contest a 16-lap No Bull Sprint, with the winner of that race also moving on to the all-star race. Qualifying will also be altered this year in the name of pit-road safety. 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(SpeedVision) To see who is eligible for The Winson and the Winston Open, see my The Winston page(3-14-2000)
