'The Winston' Participants
These are the rules for '00, who knows what will happen in '01.
'The Winston' is an all-star Winston Cup non points race. The race is run at Lowe's Motor Speedway, under the lights. It is held one week prior to Memorial Day, on Saturday night, 'under the lights'. Qualifying will have the driver start by rolling into a pit box and the crew will change 4 tires, then run 3 laps. The race is run in three parts, of 30-30-10 laps, with a break of ten minutes between the1st and 2nd segments. During the break, either 12 cars or none will be inverted (to be determined on the night of the race). Yellow Flag laps do not count, and restarts are side-by-side in running order (like the start of a race).
Also, drivers and teams will have the option of making a pit stop before the final sprint begins, but if they elect to stay on the track, they may retain -- or improve -- their position in the starting grid for the final segment. Caution laps will not be counted, but drivers who pit during yellow-flag interruptions may lose one or more laps if they remain on pit road while the field circles behind the pace car.
Who is in the race?
- Winners of NASCAR Winston Cup races in the previous year and up to the race before 'The Winston'. This includes both drivers and team owners.
- All previous NASCAR Winston Cup champions who attempt to qualify for 15 Winston Cup events are eligible.
- Winners of 'The Winston' within the past five years who attempt to qualify for 15 Winston Cup events are eligible.
- If the field is less than 19, winners of Winston Cup events from previous seasons can be made eligible. All drivers eligible from a particular season are made eligible if the total drivers in the event is still 19 or less.
- The winner of the Winston Open is eligible. The Winston Open, a 30 lap qualifying race, is run prior to The Winston, and is open to all Winston Cup regulars who do not qualify based on earlier qualifications. Winston Open qualifiers start from the rear of the field.
- The rest of the field from the Open will then contest in a 16 lap 'No Bull Sprint'. The winner of this event also moves into 'The Winston'.
Click Here for a list of previous winners.
| '00 # | Driver Name | Qualification/Race Event | |
| 1 | #24 | Jeff Gordon |
'99 Wins: Daytona(2/14), Atlanta(3/14), Fontana(5/2),
Sonoma(6/27), Watkins Glen(8/15), Martinsville(10/2),
Lowe's Mtr Spdwy(10/10) '00 Wins: Talladega(4/16) '95,'97,'98 WC Champ '95,'97 Winston Race Winner |
| 2 | #6 | Mark Martin |
'99 Wins: Rockingham(2/21), Dover(9/26) '00 Wins: Martinsville(4/9) '98 Winston Race Winner |
| 3 | #99 | Jeff Burton | '99 Wins: Las Vegas(3/7), Darlington(3/21),
Charlotte(5/30), Loudon(7/11), Darlington(9/5),
Rockinghma(10/24) '00 Wins: Las Vegas(3/5) |
| 4 | #5 | Terry Labonte |
'99 Wins: Texas(3/28) '84,'96 WC Champ '99 Winston Winner |
| 5 | #2 | Rusty Wallace |
'99 Wins: Bristol(4/11) '00 Wins: Bristol(3/26) '89 WC Champ |
| 6 | #43 | John Andretti | '99 Wins: Martinsville(4/18) |
| 7 | # 3 | Dale Earnhardt |
'99 Wins: Talladega(4/25), Bristol(8/28),
Talladega(10/17) '00 Wins: Atlanta(3/12) '80,'86,'87,'90,'91,'93,'94 WC Champ |
| 8 | #88 | Dale Jarrett |
'99 Wins: Richmond(5/15), Michigan(6/13),
Daytona(7/3), Indianapolis(8/7) '00 Wins: Daytona(2/20) '99 WC Champ |
| 9 | #18 | Bobby Labonte | '99 Wins: Dover(6/6), Pocono(6/20), Pocono(7/25),
Michigan(8/22), Atlanta(11/21) '00 Wins: Rockingham(2/27) |
| 10 | #20 | Tony Stewart | '99 Wins: Richmond(9/11), Phoenix(11/7), Homestead(11/14) |
| 11 | #33 | Joe Nemechek | '99 Wins: Loudon(9/19) |
| 12 | #42 | Kenny Irwin | '99 Team Owner Wins: Loudon(9/19 |
| 13 | #22 | Ward Burton | '00 Wins: Darlington(3/19) |
| 14 | #8 | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. | '00 Wins: Texas(4/2), Richmond(5/6) |
| 15 | #12 | Jeremy Mayfield | '00 Wins: California(4/30) |
| 16 | #66 | Darrell Waltrip | '81,'82,'85 WC Champ |
| 17 | #94 | Bill Elliott | '88 WC Champ |
| 18 | #7 | Michael Waltrip | '96 Winston Race Winner |
| 19 | ??? | ??? | Winner of the Winston Open |
| 20 | ??? | ??? | Winner of the No Bull Sprint |