1999 Checker Auto Parts/Dura Lube 500k

Race details
Race 32 of 34 in the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 1999 Checker Auto Parts/Dura Lube 500k program cover.
Date	November 7, 1999
Official name	12th Annual Checker Auto Parts 500/Dura Lube 500k
Location	Avondale, Arizona, Phoenix International Raceway
Course	Permanent racing facility 1 mi (1.6 km)
Distance	312 laps, 312 mi (502.115 km)
Scheduled Distance	312 laps, 312 mi (502.115 km)
Average speed	118.132 miles per hour (190.115 km/h)
Attendance	78,000
Pole position
Driver	John Andretti	Petty Enterprises
Time	27.126
Most laps led
Driver	Tony Stewart	Joe Gibbs Racing
Laps	154
Winner
No. 20	Tony Stewart	Joe Gibbs Racing
Television in the United States
Network	TNN
Announcers	Eli Gold, Buddy Baker, Dick Berggren
Radio in the United States
Radio	Motor Racing Network

The 1999 Checker Auto Parts/Dura Lube 500k was the 32nd stock car race of the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 12th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, November 7, 1999, before an audience of 78,000 in Avondale, Arizona at Phoenix International Raceway, a 1-mile (1.6 km) permanent low-banked tri-oval race track. The race took the scheduled 312 laps to complete. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Tony Stewart would manage to dominate the late stages of the race to take his second career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second victory of the season.^[1][2] To fill out the podium, Roush Racing driver Mark Martin and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

The layout of Phoenix International Raceway, the venue where the race was held.

Phoenix International Raceway – also known as PIR – is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It is named after the nearby metropolitan area of Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the IndyCar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The raceway is currently owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.

The raceway was originally constructed with a 2.5 mi (4.0 km) road course that ran both inside and outside of the main tri-oval. In 1991 the track was reconfigured with the current 1.51 mi (2.43 km) interior layout. PIR has an estimated grandstand seating capacity of around 67,000. Lights were installed around the track in 2004 following the addition of a second annual NASCAR race weekend.

Practice

Qualifying

Qualifying was split into two rounds. The first round was held on Friday, November 5, at 3:15 PM MST. 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, November 6, at 10:45 AM MST. 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]

John Andretti, driving for Petty Enterprises, would win the pole, setting a time of 27.126 and an average speed of 132.714 miles per hour (213.582 km/h).^[8]

Mike Wallace was the only driver to fail to qualify.

Race results

References