Nascar Winston Cup Action & Headline News

Quick StatSteve Park is only the third driver to claim his first Winston Cup win on a road course. While Park won his first at Watkins Glen, Ricky Rudd and Bill Elliott both won their first races at Riverside in 1983.

Terry Labonte Meets Cal Ripkin Jr.For the first time since the season opener in 1979, iron-man driver Terry Labonte did not start in a Winston Cup race. Labonte, who is to racing what Cal Ripkin Jr. is to baseball, ended his streak of consecutive starts at 655 races. The streak, the longest in NASCAR history, was halted at the Brickyard 400 when Labonte opted not to race due to lingering effects from a concussion he suffered in a crash at New Hampshire. "I'm still trying to get over that wreck," Labonte said. "I'm going to see where the best seat in the house is ... I know it won't be in the race car."

"There's people that have been saying, 'Oh, he needs to quit-he shouldn't race anymore,' and all that kind of stuff. Like I said up there in the press room the other day, now there's just a shadow of a doubt, and maybe they'll reconsider that."

-Darrell Waltrip following his 11th-place finish at the Brickyard 400.

"The racetrack is really strange. There's not a lot of grip like there normally is. I think the worst thing they've ever done to this racetrack is put that concrete down. It's ruined the racing line. You can't get any grip on it."

-Todd Bodine, driver of the #34 I LOVE NY Chevy, after finishing second to last (42nd) at Watkins Glen.

"Mom and Dad, we're coming home to party."

-Steve Park commenting after his first-ever Winston Cup victory.

Ultra Motorsports Dumps ChevyMichael Waltrip is moving to Ford Country. The #7 NationsRent Chevrolet will soon become the #7 NationsRent Ford, beginning with the Winston 500 at Talladega. The new cars will be supplied with Penske engines built by Larry Wallace-the same engines used in Rusty Wallace and Jeremy Mayfield's cars.

Ultra Motorports owner Jim Smith is making the switch after being frustrated with his engine program and Waltrip's current standings in the points (28th). "We're going to give (the team) the tools they need to be equal or better than anyone else on the racetrack," Smith says.

NASCAR Mandates Kill SwitchIn the wake of the tragic deaths of Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin, NASCAR has mandated that kill switches be required on all Winston Cup, Busch, and Craftsman Truck vehicles. The thumb-activated switches will be mounted on the steering wheels. The latest safety mandate also requires primary and secondary throttle shafts to have travel stops. The stops are designed to impede the throttle plate from opening beyond vertical. Some speculate that stuck throttles may have contributed to the deaths of the two drivers earlier this year.

Dodge Chips In With GanassiChip Ganassi bought 80 percent of Sabco Racing and will run two Dodge Winston Cup teams next year. Ganassi, whose CART team has won four straight champion-ships, said, "If you have any competitive spirit, you can't ignore Winston Cup racing." Sterling Marlin will drive one of the Intrepids and the second driver will be named later. The two Winston Cup teams will be based out of the former Sabco shops in North Carolina and be named Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.

$831,225The winning take for Bobby Labonte at the Brickyard 400.

1982The year Dave Marcis last won a race.

655The number of consecutive races

Terry Labonte ran before ending his streak at the Brickyard 400.

110The number of laps Rusty Wallace led out of a total of 160 at the Brickyard 400.

84Darrell Waltrip's number of career wins. His last win came in 1992, when he won three races.

77The number of Winston Cup races it took Steve Park before he won his first.

145The difference in qualifying times for the Brickyard 400 between pole winner Ricky Rudd and outside-pole winner Darrell Waltrip: 181.068/Rudd to 180.923/Waltrip.

Quick StatDale Earnhardt is next in line to hold the record for the longest string of consecutive Winston Cup starts. Terry Labonte's streak ended at 655.

Earnhardt, following the Pepsi 400 at Michigan, has started in 635 consecutive races and could break Labonte's record early in the 2001 season.

Rookie RatingsRaybestos Rookie of the Year Points following Race No. 21