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Dover Downs 400 preview
| NASCAR Winston Cup Series -- Dover Downs 400 |
| When: Sunday, Sept. 24 -- 12:30 p.m. ET on TNN |
| Where: Dover Downs International Speedway |
| Distance: 400 laps/400 miles |
| Posted Awards: $3,062,699 |
| The Field: |
| Field consists of the fastest 36 cars through time trials. Also, seven provisional starting positions based on 2000 owner points, for maximum 43-car field. The 43rd position is reserved for a past NWCS champion, if needed. If unused, it will go to the next eligible owner.
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| The Schedule: |
| Friday, Sept. 22 |
| 10am Practice until 12pm |
| 1:30pm Qualifying (pos. 1-25, one lap) |
| Saturday, Sept. 23 |
| 11:30am Qualifying (pos. 26-36, one laps) |
| Sunday, Sept. 24 |
| 12:30pm Start of the Dover Downs 400 |
| Track facts |
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Dover Downs International Speedway is a 1-mile concrete speedway with 24-degree banking in
all four turns and 9-degree banking in the straightaways. The length of the front and
backstretches is 1,076 feet. Dover Downs International Speedway has hosted the MBNA.com 400
since 1971.
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| Dover Downs 400 Notes |
- The NASCAR Winston Cup Series Leader Bonus is worth $30,000 this weekend at Dover Downs International Speedway.
- The farthest back a race winner has started at Dover Downs International Speedway is 37th -Kyle Petty started in that position and won the 1995 Miller 500.
- The only caution-free race at Dover Downs took place in the 1971 Mason-Dixon 500, which Bobby Allison won.
- Bill Elliott leads all active drivers with the most wins at Dover Downs. He has four, with his most recent taking place in 1990. Richard Petty and Bobby Allison are tied with the most wins - seven apiece.
- Three drivers entered into this weekend's race got their first start at Dover: Matt Kenseth (9/20/98), started 16th-finished sixth; Bobby Labonte (6/2/91), started 33rd-finished 34th; Jimmy Spencer (6/4/89), started 20th-finished 34th.
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| Other Notes |
- Bobby Labonte continues his quest for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series Championship, extending his lead in the point standings to 168 points over second-place Jeff Burton.
- This is the largest the points margin all season.
- With his win at NHIS, Jeff Burton climbed from fourth to second in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series point standings - the highest he has been since the season-opener Daytona 500 (second in the points).
- With eight races remaining, the top-four drivers in the point standings are separated by 201 points. One year ago, the top-four drivers in the standings were separated by 289 points.
- In 1992, Alan Kulwicki overcame a 278-point deficit and came from fourth in the standings to win the closest NASCAR Winston Cup Series Championship in the history of NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Kulwicki's 10-point advantage edged out Bill Elliott's chances of a second championship.
- In the final eight races of the 1999 season - Bobby Labonte had a 3.875 average finish; Dale Jarrett had a 4.875 average finish; Jeff Burton had a 9.125 average finish and Dale Earnhardt had a 11.375 average finish.
- Ricky Rudd and Rusty Wallace are tied for fifth in the point standings. Wallace's four victories have helped in the points, while Rudd remains the only one in the top 10 not to have scored a victory in the 2000 season. Rudd has collected eight top-five finishes and 14 top 10s, while Wallace has 10 top-five finishes and 15 top 10s. The difference - Wallace's three DNF's to Rudd's one DNF.
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