April 16, 2000
- Wow, what a race: #24-Jeff Gordon wins at Talladega and his 50th career Winston Cup win, the 11th driver in history to do so. It was #24 crew chief, Robbie Loomis’s first win with the #24 team. Gordon who started 36th(almost had to take his first career provisional), breaks the record for the worse starting spot to win a CUP race at Talladega. Gordon snaps a 13 race streak of not winning a race, the first since Charlotte last October. #31-Mike Skinner was close to his first win but ended up 2nd, his career best finish. #6-Mark Martin is now the point leader over #18-Bobby Labonte. See results at NASCAR Online(NOL)(was incorrect but seems ok now), Racin’ Network and Total Sports(4-16-2000)
- Nine Different Winners: Jeff Gordon is the ninth different Winston Cup winner in the first nine races in 2000. This extends the NASCAR all time record of nine, beating last weeks eighth. The old record was seven that happened in 1991 when the first seven winners were Ernie Irvan, Dale Earnhardt, Kyle Petty, Ken Schrader, Ricky Rudd, Rusty Wallace and Darrell Waltrip. Also happened in 1964 when Ned Jarrett, Fireball Roberts, Wendell Scott, Richard Petty, Dan Gurney, Junior Johnson, Bobby Isaac won the first seven races that season. The 2000 winners: Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt, Ward Burton, Rusty Wallace, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin and now Jeff Gordon. The record only for the start of a season. A different driver won 13 races in a row back in 1961. The “modern-era” record, covering the years since 1972, is 11 different winners in a row in 1985(4-16-2000)
- Noticed during the race at Talladega: while using #10 Johnny Benson’s in car camera, noticed the web address www.learnframe.com, so I chekced it out and they are a new associate sponsor for the team, supposedly started three races ago(4-16-2000)
- #13 Engines? hearing #13 Team Gordon will use Yates Engines at Talladega and California(4-12-2000)
UPDATE: have confirmed this, so far it is just for these two races(4-16-2000) - Greg Ray almost…. Greg Ray, the 1999 IRL champ, was offered a one-race deal with A.J. Foyt’s #14 Winston Cup Pontiac at Texas last month but declined the invitation. Instead, Rick Mast replaced rookie Mike Bliss on a permanent basis and drove the car to a 20th-place finish. Ray almost took the ride then decided against it(Speed Magazine)(4-16-2000)
- Nemechek Illegal? UPDATE: hearing rumors that the #87 Joe Nemechek Cellular One Chevy that won the Talladega race may have been found to have some illegalities. No idea on any penalties, but NASCAR rarely takes a win away but fines the team and takes away points from the owner and driver. Case in point: Mike Skinner at Atlanta in March 1999 and Greg Biffle last year in the CTS where the team was fined and points deducted, costing Biffle the championship, but he kept the win
UPDATE: NASCAR inspectors discovered some “irregularities” late Saturday during a post-race inspection of Nemechek’s #87 Chevy that won Saturday’s Touchstone Energy 300 at Talladega Superspeedway. Kevin Triplett, NASCAR’s director of operations, said Sunday that Nemechek’s team is likely to face some sort of financial penalty, but the driver would not have his win stripped away. Triplett said NASCAR would issue a decision either clearing Nemechek or assessing a penalty by late Monday or early Tuesday.(That’s Racin’)(4-16-2000)
Main Page | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997