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| | Friday, November 3 Checker Auto Parts/Dura Lube 500 Breakdown | ||||||||||||||||||||
ESPN.com
On the Track Time is running out for Dale Earnhardt. The Intimidator heads into Phoenix with just three races remaining to close the 201-point gap between himself and points leader Bobby Labonte. Earnhardt has won here before, but Labonte only needs to finish 14th or better in the final three races to secure the title. Labonte has finished worse than 15th only three times this entire season. At Rockingham two weeks ago, a flat tire pushed Labonte to the back of the pack. He would go on to finish 20th. But Earnhardt, who had been running in the top 10 for much of the race, struggled with his car after the final pit stop and dropped to 17th. "We missed a real good opportunity," Earnhardt said. "I hate that we didn't get more points on him there, but it's not over yet. We're just going to need to keep racing hard and gets some breaks." Tony Stewart, who has taken five checkered flags this year, needs one more win to set a new sophomore success record. But Stewart says he's not concerned about that mark. "Winning is great," he said. "But this is all about consistency and points and championships. I'd rather have five top-fives than a win." Drivers to Watch Jeff Burton: Good runs for most of the season, with better performances in the latter part of the year; finished in the top 10 in 11 of his last 13 races; season is highlighted by the victory at New Hampshire, where he led all 300 laps of competition; has three wins overall for the year and is third in the standings, 251 points behind Bobby Labonte; finished fourth at Phoenix last year. Dale Earnhardt: A winner in Phoenix back in 1990; finished in the top five in five of 12 starts at the track (last year was 11th); has only three races, including this one, to make up 201 points on Bobby Labonte in the chase for the Winston Cup championship; finished in the top 10 in 22 races this year, including two victories. Jeff Gordon: Phoenix is the only track the three-time NASCAR champion has yet to win since racing there in his 1993 rookie season; this track is his next challenge to conquer; has three top fives and five top-10s in seven starts at Phoenix; despite three wins this year, is no factor in the championship run; ninth in the points standings. Dale Jarrett: It does not appear the reigning Winston Cup champion will be able to defend his title; stands fourth in the standings, 330 points behind leader Bobby Labonte; won this race in 1997 and was sixth last year; comes off victory at Rockingham where he led the final 43 laps for his second checkered flag of the season; has earned over $5 million this year. Matt Kenseth: Has established himself as the class of the 2000 rookie entrants in the Winston Cup; leads Dale Earnhardt Jr. by 28 points (276-248), the largest of the season with three races to go (virtually insurmountable); has four top-five finishes and 10 top 10s compared to three and five for Dale Jr., respectively; is 13th in the overall standings, while Dale Jr. is 16th; Kenseth has one victory on the year, with Dale Jr. winning three. Bobby Labonte: Holds a 201-point lead over Dale Earnhardt with three races remaining; needs to finish 14th or better in the remaining events to capture the 2000 Winston Cup title, regardless of what other drivers do; his 20th-place finish at Rockingham two weeks ago snapped a streak of 20 races with top-15 finishes; has been the points leader for all but three races this year; best career season with 17 top-fives, including four wins and three poles; he and Dale Earnhardt are the only drivers in the top-10 that have no DNF's this season; finished third in Phoenix last year but has never won at the track. Mark Martin: Runner-up in Phoenix the last two years; mounted a charge toward the end on eventual winner Tony Stewart, but fell short; did take the checkered flag at the track in 1993; in 12 races at Phoenix, has finished in the top-10 10 times; only victory this year was at Martinsville in April. Ricky Rudd: Has finished 11th or better in 11 consecutive races coming to Phoenix; won at the track in 1995 when he started 29th; was fifth last year; an excellent season despite being the only driver in the top 10 standings without a victory; fifth in the points standings. Tony Stewart: Dominated last year's race, leading 150 of 312 laps en route to his second victory of his rookie year; also won three times at Phoenix International Raceway in the Copper World Classic, an event held each February for USAC midget, sprint and Silver Crown races; leads the Winston Cup series with five wins this year, giving Joe Gibbs Racing team a fantastic season with nine checkered flags so far (B. Labonte has 4). Rusty Wallace: Won in Phoenix in 1998, leading 196 of the 257 laps in the rain-shortened event; also finished second in 1997; winner of at least one race in 15 consecutive Winston Cup seasons; this year he won races at Bristol, Tennessee and at Pocono Raceway; leads series with eight poles. | ALSO SEE Labonte avoids disaster, rolls toward title Stewart close to another record | ||||||||||||||||||||
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