1999 Cracker Barrel 500

The 1999 Cracker Barrel 500 was the fourth stock car race of the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season and the 40th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 14, 1999, in Hampton, Georgia at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.54 miles (2.48 km) permanent asphalt quad-oval intermediate speedway. The race took the scheduled 325 laps to complete. In the closing laps of the race, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon would manage to pull a sizable lead over the rest of the field to win his 44th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second of the season.[1][2] To fill out the podium, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte and Roush Racing driver Mark Martin would finish second and third, respectively.

1999 Cracker Barrel 500
Race details
Race 4 of 34 in the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1999 Cracker Barrel 500 program cover.
The 1999 Cracker Barrel 500 program cover.
Date March 14, 1999
Official name 40th Annual Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500
Location Hampton, Georgia, Atlanta Motor Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
1.54 mi (2.48 km)
Distance 325 laps, 500.5 mi (805.476 km)
Scheduled Distance 325 laps, 500.5 mi (805.476 km)
Average speed 143.284 miles per hour (230.593 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Joe Gibbs Racing
Time 28.437
Most laps led
Driver Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Laps 109
Winner
No. 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network ABC
Announcers Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons
Radio in the United States
Radio Performance Racing Network

Background

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The layout of Atlanta Motor Speedway, the circuit where the race was held.

Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a 1.54-mile race track in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has annually hosted NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car races since its inauguration in 1960.

The venue was bought by Speedway Motorsports in 1990. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two intermediate ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval, with a new official length of 1.54-mile (2.48 km) where before it was 1.522-mile (2.449 km). The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit.

Entry list

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  • (R) - denotes rookie driver
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
00 Buckshot Jones (R) Buckshot Racing Pontiac Crown Fiber
1 Steve Park Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Pennzoil
2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford Miller Lite
3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service Plus
4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Kodak
5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Valvoline
7 Michael Waltrip Mattei Motorsports Chevrolet Philips, Klaussner Furniture
9 Jerry Nadeau Melling Racing Ford Atlanta Braves, TBS
10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford Tide
11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford Paychex
12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford Mobil 1, 1999 Kentucky Derby
16 Kevin Lepage Roush Racing Ford PrimeStar
18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac Interstate Batteries
20 Tony Stewart (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac The Home Depot
21 Elliott Sadler (R) Wood Brothers Racing Ford Citgo
22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac Caterpillar
23 Jimmy Spencer Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford Winston No Bull
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet DuPont
25 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Budweiser
26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford Cheerios, Betty Crocker
28 Kenny Irwin Jr. Robert Yates Racing Ford Texaco, Havoline
30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac Bryan Foods
31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Lowe's
33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet Skoal
36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac M&M's
40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet Coors Light
41 David Green Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kodiak
42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet BellSouth
43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac STP
44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac Hot Wheels
45 Rich Bickle Tyler Jet Motorsports Pontiac 10-10-345
55 Kenny Wallace Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet Square D
58 Ricky Craven SBIII Motorsports Ford Hollywood Video
60 Geoff Bodine Joe Bessey Racing Chevrolet Power Team
66 Darrell Waltrip Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford Big Kmart
71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet Team Realtree
75 Ted Musgrave Butch Mock Motorsports Ford Remington Arms
77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions
88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford Quality Care Service, Ford Credit
90 Morgan Shepherd Donlavey Racing Ford Accu-Turn
91 Steve Grissom LJ Racing Chevrolet Textilease
94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford McDonald's
97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford John Deere
98 Rick Mast Burdette Motorsports Ford Burdette Motorsports
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Exide Batteries
Official entry list

Practice

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First practice

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The first practice session was held on Friday, March 12, at 10:00 AM EST. The session would last for two hours and 25 minutes.[3] Jeremy Mayfield, driving for Penske-Kranefuss Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 28.603 and an average speed of 193.825 mph (311.931 km/h).[4]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 28.603 193.825
2 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 28.663 193.420
3 60 Geoff Bodine Joe Bessey Racing Chevrolet 28.691 193.231
Full first practice results

Second practice

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The second practice session was held on Friday, March 12, at 12:00 PM EST. The session would last for 55 minutes.[3] Joe Nemechek, driving for Team SABCO, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 28.474 and an average speed of 194.703 mph (313.344 km/h).[5]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 28.474 194.703
2 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 28.504 194.499
3 60 Geoff Bodine Joe Bessey Racing Chevrolet 28.534 194.294
Full second practice results

Third practice

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The third practice session was held on Saturday, March 13, at 9:30 AM EST. The session would last for 45 minutes. Derrike Cope, driving for Bahari Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.118 and an average speed of 190.397 mph (306.414 km/h).[3]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 29.118 190.397
2 45 Rich Bickle Tyler Jet Motorsports Pontiac 29.222 189.720
3 55 Kenny Wallace Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 29.289 189.286
Full third practice results

Final practice

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The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, March 13, after the preliminary 1999 Yellow Freight 300. The session would last for one hour.[3] Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.359 and an average speed of 188.834 mph (303.899 km/h).[6]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 29.359 188.834
2 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.432 188.366
3 20 Tony Stewart (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 29.462 188.174
Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying

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Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, March 12, at 2:30 PM EST. Each driver would have one lap to set a time. During the first round, the top 25 drivers in the round would be guaranteed a starting spot in the race. If a driver was not able to guarantee a spot in the first round, they had the option to scrub their time from the first round and try and run a faster lap time in a second round qualifying run, held on Saturday, March 13, at 11:00 AM EST. As with the first round, each driver would have one lap to set a time.[3] Positions 26-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champion needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.[7]

Bobby Labonte, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 28.437 and an average speed of 194.957 miles per hour (313.753 km/h).[8]

Three drivers would fail to qualify: Robert Pressley, Steve Grissom, and Morgan Shepherd.

Full qualifying results

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Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 28.437 194.957
2 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 28.544 194.226
3 20 Tony Stewart (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 28.549 194.192
4 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 28.630 193.643
5 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 28.690 193.238
6 60 Geoff Bodine Joe Bessey Racing Chevrolet 28.699 193.177
7 00 Buckshot Jones (R) Buckshot Racing Pontiac 28.777 192.654
8 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.786 192.594
9 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 28.817 192.386
10 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 28.829 192.306
11 75 Ted Musgrave Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 28.847 192.186
12 9 Jerry Nadeau Melling Racing Ford 28.854 192.140
13 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 28.856 192.126
14 25 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.864 192.073
15 21 Elliott Sadler (R) Wood Brothers Racing Ford 28.865 192.067
16 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford 28.868 192.047
17 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. Robert Yates Racing Ford 28.870 192.033
18 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 28.877 191.987
19 98 Rick Mast Burdette Motorsports Ford 28.885 191.934
20 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 28.906 191.794
21 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 28.913 191.748
22 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 28.923 191.681
23 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 28.928 191.648
24 7 Michael Waltrip Mattei Motorsports Chevrolet 28.957 191.456
25 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.983 191.285
26 41 David Green Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 28.903 191.814
27 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 28.934 191.608
28 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 28.996 191.199
29 58 Ricky Craven SBIII Motorsports Ford 29.014 191.080
30 45 Rich Bickle Tyler Jet Motorsports Pontiac 29.018 191.054
31 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 29.019 191.047
32 1 Steve Park Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 29.030 190.975
33 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29.055 190.811
34 55 Kenny Wallace Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 29.078 190.660
35 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 29.089 190.588
36 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 29.092 190.568
Provisionals
37 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford -* -*
38 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet -* -*
39 23 Jimmy Spencer Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford -* -*
40 16 Kevin Lepage Roush Racing Ford -* -*
41 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford -* -*
42 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford -* -*
Champion's Provisional
43 66 Darrell Waltrip Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford -* -*
Failed to qualify
44 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford 29.136 190.280
45 91 Steve Grissom LJ Racing Chevrolet 29.242 189.590
46 90 Morgan Shepherd Donlavey Racing Ford - -
Official qualifying results

*Time not available.

Race results

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Fin[9] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 8 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 325 109 running 185 $117,650
2 1 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 325 103 running 175 $98,850
3 13 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 325 0 running 165 $62,775
4 37 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 325 1 running 165 $64,900
5 4 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 325 0 running 155 $53,675
6 2 31 Mike Skinner Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 325 79 running 155 $64,145
7 21 36 Ernie Irvan MB2 Motorsports Pontiac 325 0 running 146 $40,220
8 20 22 Ward Burton Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 325 0 running 142 $42,995
9 16 97 Chad Little Roush Racing Ford 325 1 running 143 $38,545
10 24 7 Michael Waltrip Mattei Motorsports Chevrolet 325 0 running 134 $48,685
11 3 20 Tony Stewart (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 325 3 running 135 $35,815
12 28 4 Bobby Hamilton Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 325 0 running 127 $41,295
13 25 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 324 0 running 124 $40,075
14 9 42 Joe Nemechek Team SABCO Chevrolet 324 4 running 126 $37,755
15 31 94 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Racing Ford 324 0 running 118 $38,165
16 19 98 Rick Mast Burdette Motorsports Ford 324 0 running 115 $29,370
17 39 23 Jimmy Spencer Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford 324 12 running 117 $35,560
18 18 40 Sterling Marlin Team SABCO Chevrolet 324 9 running 114 $35,040
19 40 16 Kevin Lepage Roush Racing Ford 324 0 running 106 $35,330
20 43 66 Darrell Waltrip Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford 323 0 running 103 $25,925
21 26 41 David Green Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 323 0 running 100 $30,900
22 36 26 Johnny Benson Jr. Roush Racing Ford 323 0 running 97 $34,735
23 17 28 Kenny Irwin Jr. Robert Yates Racing Ford 322 0 running 94 $34,425
24 11 75 Ted Musgrave Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 322 0 running 91 $26,890
25 41 10 Ricky Rudd Rudd Performance Motorsports Ford 322 0 running 88 $33,985
26 38 33 Ken Schrader Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 322 0 running 85 $33,630
27 12 9 Jerry Nadeau Melling Racing Ford 321 0 running 82 $26,920
28 10 43 John Andretti Petty Enterprises Pontiac 319 0 running 79 $30,445
29 34 55 Kenny Wallace Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet 319 0 running 76 $23,905
30 30 45 Rich Bickle Tyler Jet Motorsports Pontiac 318 0 running 73 $23,370
31 15 21 Elliott Sadler (R) Wood Brothers Racing Ford 318 0 running 70 $30,085
32 32 1 Steve Park Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 317 0 running 67 $30,025
33 42 11 Brett Bodine Brett Bodine Racing Ford 316 0 out of gas 64 $29,965
34 35 71 Dave Marcis Marcis Auto Racing Chevrolet 315 4 running 66 $23,735
35 23 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 311 0 running 58 $38,915
36 5 12 Jeremy Mayfield Penske-Kranefuss Racing Ford 251 0 handling 55 $37,895
37 7 00 Buckshot Jones (R) Buckshot Racing Pontiac 248 0 fatigue 52 $22,880
38 6 60 Geoff Bodine Joe Bessey Racing Chevrolet 233 0 crash 49 $22,860
39 14 25 Wally Dallenbach Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 191 0 engine 46 $29,845
40 33 3 Dale Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 151 0 handling 43 $41,625
41 27 30 Derrike Cope Bahari Racing Pontiac 150 0 crash 40 $22,805
42 29 58 Ricky Craven SBIII Motorsports Ford 65 0 engine 37 $22,785
43 22 44 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Pontiac 45 0 engine 34 $22,765
Failed to qualify
44 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Motorsports Ford
45 91 Steve Grissom LJ Racing Chevrolet
46 90 Morgan Shepherd Donlavey Racing Ford
Official race results

References

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  1. ^ Utter, Jim (March 14, 1999). "Gordon gets help when he needs it". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  2. ^ "Gordon continues hot run". The Capital Times. March 15, 1999. p. 12. Retrieved August 12, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Jayski's Silly Season Site - 1999 Atlanta 1 Race Info Page". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Archived from the original on August 23, 2000. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  4. ^ "Winston Cup practice speeds". That's Racin'. March 12, 1999. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  5. ^ "Winston Cup practice speeds". That's Racin'. March 12, 1999. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  6. ^ "Happy Hour practice speeds". That's Racin'. March 13, 1999. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  7. ^ "Jayski's Silly Season Site - 1999 Provisional Start Status". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Archived from the original on April 18, 1999. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  8. ^ Harris, Mike (March 12, 1999). "Bobby Labonte wins second straight Winston Cup pole". That's Racin'. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  9. ^ "1999 Cracker Barrel 500 - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
Previous race:
1999 Las Vegas 400
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
1999 season
Next race:
1999 TranSouth Financial 400