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Earnhardt Jr. Rolls Home in 12th Position
Mayfield Wins as Bud Car Loses Power Steering Mid-Race
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Jeremy Mayfield became the tenth different winner in ten Winston Cup races this year with a victory in the NAPA Auto Parts 500 at California Speedway in Fontana, California. Bobby Labonte finished second (re-taking the Winston Cup points lead) while rookie Matt Kenseth finished third and led the most laps. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a strong performance, finishing the race in 12th position. Earnhardt Jr. had worked the Budweiser Monte Carlo into the top ten before the 100-lap mark of the 250-lap race, but a balky power steering system hampered the rookie's progress the second half of the race.
The Key Moment:
Starting 20th, Earnhardt Jr. fought with a loose-handling race car in the early segment of the race, dropping as far back as 29th position before the first pit stop on lap 42. With a quick pit stop and adjustments to tire pressure to help the handling of the race car, Earnhardt Jr. immediately vaulted into the top twenty and then into the top ten by lap 84. Soon after, however, the power steering on the car began to fail, making it difficult to maneuver.
Dale Junior's Quotes:
About the failed power steering: "I'm exhausted. There at the end (the final four-lap sprint to the finish), I tried to protect my position, but I just couldn't steer the car low on the track. I couldn't cut underneath cars even though we were faster. That's like me trying to bench press 350 pounds or something. It just aint gonna happen!
"We had a good car today - but not a great car. It was good to finish the race strong - we've been in too many incidents lately and had so much bad luck. We were very fast, but then the steering began to go away."
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NAPA 500 Notes
'The Streak'
Earnhardt Jr qualified 20th, marking his 15th consecutive first-round qualifying position. He has started in the top 25 in every Winston Cup race he has entered, and has the longest current streak in Winston Cup.
The Rookies
Matt Kenseth's dominating performance (leading 112 laps and finishing third) strengthened his lead over Earnhardt Jr. in the Winston Cup rookie of the year point standings. Kenseth has 113 points to Earnhardt Jr's 102.
In overall points, Earnhardt Jr. moved up one position to 22nd, less than 20 points behind his Dale Earnhardt Inc. teammate Steve Park.
What's Next
Pontiac Excitement 400
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond, VA
May 6, 2000
7:30 pm Eastern
(Saturday evening)
ESPN-TV
Budweiser NASCAR Publicity |
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