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| | Sunday, November 7 | |||||
| AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Chevrolet teams were angry and frustrated
Sunday after the top-finishing Monte Carlo came in ninth in the
Checker Auto Parts-Dura Lube 500K at Phoenix International Raceway.
The top eight spots were taken by Pontiacs and Fords, both of
which appear to have an aerodynamic advantage on tracks like the
nearly flat, one-mile Phoenix oval.
"They can holler and say what they want to," said Chevy driver
Dale Earnhardt, who finished 11th. "But you can see it at every
racetrack we go to like this. They (Pontiacs and Fords) kick our
butt. It's downforce.
"We pushed and shoved and were loose all day. I wish I had a
Pontiac for the downforce."
Jeff Gordon, whose Monte Carlo finished just ahead of Earnhardt
and just behind Wally Dallenbach's Chevy, said, "I passed
Earnhardt for 10th on the last lap and that made my day because I
hadn't done much before that.
"I hope we're getting a lot with that new (2000) Chevy Monte
Carlo. That's all I've got to say. We're testing it Monday and
Tuesday at Homestead (Fla.), so we'll know more about it then."
Tony Glover, crew chief for Joe Nemechek whose Chevy finished
19th, said, "If you can win a race or run in the top five with a
Chevrolet with the way the rules are right now, you've had a heck
of a day. On these slick racetracks, they just stomp your brains
out."
Martin clinches title for Ford Mark Martin's second-place finish Sunday clinched the fourth NASCAR manufacturers' title of the 1990s for the Ford Motor company. In adding this championship to its titles in 1992, 1994 and 1997 -- the only championships for Ford since NASCAR's modern era began in 1972 -- six drivers scored points with the company's Taurus. Dale Jarrett, the series points leader, led the way. He has been Ford's top finisher in 11 of 32 races, including four victories. Other drivers scoring points for Ford this season were Jeff Burton, Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace, Jimmy Spencer and Kenny Irwin. Overall, this is the 13th manufacturers' title for Ford in NASCAR's 52 years. Phoenix kind to Stewart again Rookie Tony Stewart, Sunday's winner, is no stranger to the Phoenix track, although this was his first stock car race on the one-mile oval. The former U.S. Auto Club short track ace won two midget races and a USAC Silver Crown event here. The former Indy Racing League champion also finished second here twice in Indy-car races. "Sure, there are some things I've learned racing here before," Stewart said. "It took me a little longer than I thought it would to make the adjustment. There are some sweet spots on this track and you just have to know where they're at." The second Winston Cup victory by Stewart boosted him past Gordon and into fourth place in the season points with two races remaining. He trails third-place Martin by 142 points. The highest finishing rookie in the modern era was Jody Ridley, who was 16th in 1981. When Davey Allison won two races in 1987, he ran only 22 of 31 races and finished out of the top 20 in points. Spark plugs ... Stewart's winning speed of 118.132 mph in the race, which was slowed by just two caution flags for a total of 10 laps, broke the race record of 110.825, set by Jarrett in 1997. ... Runner-up Martin has finished first or second in six of his last eight Phoenix races. ... Bobby Labonte, who was third, has eight consecutive top-10 finishes. ... David Green finished a career-best 12th Sunday. ... Rick Mast, who wound up 36th, four laps behind the winner, remains the only driver running at the end of each of the 32 races this season. | ALSO SEE Stewart equals Allison's rookie record with second Cup win
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