GM RACING NASCAR BULLET POINTS--MICHIGAN
INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Contact: Ron Lemasters Jr.
GM Racing Communications
r.lemasters@att.net
(704) 792-1801 phone
(704) 236-9831 cell
For more information: media.gm.com
GM RACING WINSTON CUP BULLET POINTS-MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY; AUGUST 16, 2003
Race: GFS Marketplace 400
Distance: 200 Laps
Date: Sunday, August 17, 2003
Television: TNT (live coverage starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT)
By the Numbers
Robby Gordon's victory at Watkins Glen was Chevrolet's 11th of the season so far, one more than the Monte Carlo scored in all of 2002. While that is good news in itself, the really good news is that there are still 13 races left this season. Nine drivers have won those 11 races, with only Jimmie Johnson (Charlotte/New Hampshire) and Robby Gordon (Sonoma/Watkins Glen) have won more than once.
NetZero Grand Prix Dialed In
Since Jack Sprague was released just before the first New Hampshire race, the NetZero Hi Speed Pontiac has been handled by John Andretti and Jason Leffler. Both drivers have earned fifth-place starts, Andretti at Pocono and Leffler here. Leffler will be in the car for the next five races.
He's a Pole Man
Bobby Labonte became the first driver to sweep the pole positions at Michigan's two Winston Cup events since Bill Elliott did so in 1988. On Friday, Labonte was the only driver to break into the 190-mph bracket during qualifying, earning his fourth pole of the season and 25th of his career. In the last 10 races here, Labonte has two poles, two victories, five top-fives and eight top-10s. Only one other driver has as many top-10 finishes as Labonte over that span.
Home-Field Advantage
Johnny Benson, driver of the No. 10 Valvoline Pontiac, has three top-10 finishes in the last four races here at Michigan, which is his home track. Benson, from Grand Rapids, grew up in a racing family and is a co-owner of Berlin Raceway, located in Marne, Mich.
Michigan Quick Shots
--In the 62 Winston Cup races at Michigan since 1972, GM Racing cars have won 24 times. Chevrolet leads with 16 victories, while Pontiac and Buick have four each. MIS is the fifth-fastest track in Winston Cup racing, trailing only Talladega, Daytona, Atlanta and Texas.
--There have been eight different winners in the last eight races here. Tony Stewart has run nine races at Pocono in his Winston Cup career. In eight of those races he has finished worse than seventh just once. He won the Pocono 500 here in June, his first victory of the 2003 season.
--GM Racing machines have led 58.6 of all laps run in Winston Cup this season, 53.2 percent of all superspeedway laps, 72.5 percent of all short-track laps and 78 percent of all laps on road courses.
--Jimmie Johnson and Michael Waltrip are still in the top 10 in points through 22 races, the only drivers to have been there from the beginning of the season. Waltrip is also working on a streak of 32 straight races where he has been running at the finish.
NASCAR Winston Cup Manufacturer Points after 22 races:
(Victories in parentheses)
Chevrolet (11) 158
Ford (6) 137
Dodge (4) 110
Pontiac (1) 79
NASCAR Winston Cup Driver's Point Standings after 22 races:
(Chevrolet drivers in bold)
1. Matt Kenseth 3,294
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3.036
3. Jeff Gordon 2,898
4. Jimmie Johnson 2,816
5. Kevin Harvick 2,778
6. Michael Waltrip 2,777
7. Bobby Labonte 2,768
8. Kurt Busch 2,696
9. Ryan Newman 2,636
10. Robby Gordon 2,627
19. Ricky Craven (Pontiac) 2,253
23. Johnny Benson (Pontiac) 2,118
Racing Around
--Chevrolet's Gen IV Indy V-8 will make its debut in all Chevrolet-powered Indy Racing League machines this weekend at Kentucky Motor Speedway. In the past two races, Panther Racing and Red Bull Team Cheever made starts with the new engine, with Panther's Sam Hornish Jr. losing out by a mere .012 seconds to winner Alex Barron at Michigan.
--Chevrolet is the only manufacturer currently competing in the ALMS, Indy Racing League, NASCAR Winston Cup and NHRA.
About GM
General Motors Corp. , the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, employs 342,000 people globally in its core automotive business and subsidiaries. Founded in 1908, GM has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM today has manufacturing operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in more than 190 countries. In 2002, GM sold more than 8.6 million cars and trucks, nearly 15 percent of the global vehicle market. GM's global headquarters is at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit. More information on GM and its products can be found on the company's consumer website at www.gm.com.
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