May 17, 2003

RULES AND FORMAT FOR "2003" WILL BE POSTED WHEN THEY COME OUT!


NEW FORMAT FOR 2002!!!

Courtesy of 

Sue's Racin' News ~N~ Views Newsletter
" http://victory-lap.com/news/ "

THE WINSTON: SURVIVAL OF THE FASTEST

CONCORD, N.C. - The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., and its Winston brand today announced the revised format for the 2002 running of The Winston, the NASCAR Winston Cup Series' all-star event.
It'll be "Survival of the Fastest". For the first time in the 17-year history of The Winston, drivers will be eliminated from the grid following both the first and second segments, leaving just the 10 fastest drivers to compete for the winner's share of a $3 million purse in the final 20-lap dash around Lowe's Motor Speedway.
This year's running of The Winston (Saturday, May 18) will consist of three segments totaling 90 laps, or 135 miles, around the 1.5-mile surface of Lowe's Motor Speedway.

The first segment will be 40 laps, after which the field will be trimmed to the top 20 finishers. Segment No. 2 runs a total of 30 laps, after which 10 more competitors will be eliminated to set up the dramatic final segment.
Inversion, a staple of The Winston since 1992, will remain a part of the format for the 2002 event, but that process has been relocated and will now follow the second segment. A fan vote will determine whether four, six, eight or the entire field of 10 cars will be inverted for the final segment.

The field for The Winston, by rule, consists of a minimum of 18 drivers who have either won races or championships in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series or The Winston within the last five years, plus one driver who transfers by winning the Winston Open, the qualifier run immediately prior to The Winston, and one driver who wins the last-chance "suitcase race" known as the No Bull Sprint. Currently, there are a record 26 drivers eligible for this year's 

The Winston.
The Winston Open is composed of drivers and teams who participated in a NASCAR Winston Cup event in 2001 or this season and are not otherwise eligible for The Winston.

This year's Winston Open will be 30 laps in duration, with all laps counting toward the total. As is the case with the first two segments of The Winston, should the Winston Open encounter a late-race caution, every effort will be made to ensure a green-flag finish.

The No Bull Sprint will be 16-laps and features all teams that finished The Winston Open, but did not win the race. 

Qualifying procedures for The Winston continue to focus on team performance. A four-tire pit stop on the Lowe's Motor Speedway pit road will begin a driver's qualifying effort, followed by three laps. There is no speed limit exiting pit road. The total elapsed time of the pit stop and laps will determine the pole position for The Winston, which awards the winning team $50,000. 

Qualifying will take place on Friday, May 17.

Adaptation and modification have been constants throughout The Winston history. The event has evolved greatly from its original one-segment, 10-car minimum format in 1985. Some of the most notable changes include:
* First running of The Winston (1985) paid $200,000 to the winner and featured a total purse of $500,000.
* The Winston made its only appearance outside the Charlotte, N.C. area when it was held at Atlanta     Motor Speedway in 1986.
* The Winston, 1987, became a three-segment event with a total purse of $600,000. The Winston Open, a qualifying race for all drivers not already guaranteed a slot in The Winston, was first held.
* In 1989, teams became a more integral part of establishing the race lineup as the pit stop became a required element in The Winston qualifying. Total purse topped $1 million for the first time.
* The Winston featured a two-segment format in 1990 and 1991.
* Fans attending The Winston became part of the race strategy in 1992 when they were asked to vote whether or not to invert the entire field following the first of three segments. The answer was a resounding yes.
* The Winston became known as The Winston Select from 1994-96.
* In 1997, The Winston became truly a winners-only event when its eligibility rules changed and reserved guaranteed slots in the starting grid only for those drivers who had won a NASCAR Winston Cup Series event during the current or preceding year, a NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship and any active driver who had won The Winston within the preceding five years.
* Starting in 1998, only green flag laps counted toward the completion of The Winston. Driver inversion could be as many as 12 cars or as few a three, as decided at random.
* As The Winston moved into a new century in 2000, the purse escalated to a total of $2 million, with the winner pocketing $500,000.

Throughout the various renditions of The Winston, one thing has remained constant - The Winston is the richest race per mile on the NASCAR Winston Cup calendar. This year's winner will earn $750,000, or $37,500 per lap over the climactic final 20-lap segment.

THE WINSTON  --  MAY 18, 2002  --  FACT SHEET

THE WINSTON
* The Winston will be 90 laps total and consists of three segments of 40, 30 and 20 laps. The field will be inverted (either four, six, eight or 10 positions) for the final segment as determined by fan voting.

* At present, the field for The Winston will be 26 cars - 19 race winners from 2001, two race winners from 2002, one NASCAR Winston Cup champion not otherwise exempt, one previous winner of The Winston not otherwise exempt, one car owner (No. 33 - Andy Petree) not otherwise exempt, the Winston Open winner and the No Bull Sprint winner

* The first segment will be 40 laps. 

* Teams must make a mandatory green-flag, four-tire pit stop at some point during this segment. All restarts will be double-file.

* All laps count including caution laps. If a late-segment caution occurs, every effort will be made to ensure a green-flag finish.

* The top-20 finishers from the first segment will advance to the second segment.

* The winner of the first segment will earn $50,000.

* There will be a 10-minute break following the first segment, at which time teams may change tires and make chassis adjustments without losing track position.

* The second segment will be 30 laps. The finish of the first segment will determine the double-file starting order of the 20-car field for the second segment.

* There are no pit-stop requirements, but teams may pit if they wish. All laps count including caution laps. If a late-segment caution occurs, every effort will be made to ensure a green-flag finish.

* Only the top-10 finishers in the second segment will advance to the final segment.

* The winner of the second segment will earn $50,000. 

* There will be a 10-minute break following the second segment, at which time teams may change tires and make chassis adjustments without losing track position. 

* The field will be inverted (either four, six, eight or 10 positions) as determined by fan voting.

* The third and final segment will be 20 laps.

* The top-10 finishers in the second segment will compete in the third and final segment with the field inverted as determined by voting by the fans. The start of the final segment will be double file. Only green flag laps count.

* The winner of the final segment will earn $750,000.

The Winston Qualifying
* Eligible teams will begin their qualifying attempt with a mandatory four-tire pit stop. Then, each driver will run three laps. The total elapsed time will make up each team's qualifying effort. There is no speed limit exiting pit road following the mandatory four-tire pit stop. The Winston qualifying will be Friday night.

* The winning team will earn $50,000.

WINSTON OPEN
* This 30-lap event is for all NASCAR Winston Cup teams that competed in a NASCAR Winston Cup Series event in 2001 or 2002 that are not already eligible for The Winston.

* All laps count including caution laps. If a late-segment caution occurs, every effort will be made to ensure a green-flag finish.

* The winner of The Winston Open will advance to The Winston. 

NO BULL SPRINT
* This 16-lap race is for all teams that finished The Winston Open, but did not win the race. There will be four caution laps following the Winston Open to transition into the start of the No Bull Sprint. Teams will have the option to pit but will lose track position. 

* All laps count including cautions laps. If a late-race caution prevents a green-flag finish, there will be one opportunity to end the race under green with the number of laps extended for a green/white/checkered finish. If a caution is necessary during this green/white/checkered, the race will not be extended again and will end under caution.

* The winner of the No Bull Sprint receives the final transfer spot into The Winston.

THE WINSTON OPEN QUALIFYING
* Qualifying for The Winston Open will consist of two laps for each team with the quickest lap determining that team's qualifying position. Qualifying for The Winston Open will be Friday night. 

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WINNER OF THE 2003 RUNNING OF "THE WINSTON"
• Jimmie Johnson

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WINNERS OF PREVIOUS RUNNING OF "THE WINSTON"

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ACTIVE WINSTON CUP CHAMPIONS

 

1	1984, 1996	Terry Labonte
2	1988	Bill Elliott
3	1989	Rusty Wallace
4	1995, 1997, 1998, 2001	Jeff Gordon
5	1999	Dale Jarrett
6	2000	Bobby Labonte
7	2002	Tony Stewart

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WINNER OF THE 2003 "WINSTON OPEN"

 

Jeff Burton

 

2003 WINSTON LINEUP

2003 Results of Segment #1

2003 Results of Segment #2

Segment 3  is 20 laps
49% of the fans voted to invert THE FIRST 10 CARS IN THE FIELD FOR THE FINAL 20 LAPS!!!! 

 The top-14 finishers in the second segment will compete in the third and final segment with the field inverted.
The start of the final segment will be double file.  Only green flag laps count in the final segment.
The winner of the final segment will earn $1 million.

2003 Results of Segment #3

1997 - 2003, Angie B. Kaiser