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The Winston Notebook

Stewart follows Indy qualifying with good Winston finish

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Posted: Sunday May 23, 1999 12:30 AM

Tony Stewart finished 4.88 seconds, about 600 yards, in front of Jimmy Spencer. AP

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) -- Tony Stewart made up for his Indy-car struggles with an impressive showing in his stock car Saturday night.

Stewart dominated his way to victory in the Winston Open, earning him the 21st and final starting spot in Saturday night's 15th annual running of The Winston, the all-star event for stock car racing's top circuit.

Stewart led all but the first lap on his way to winning the 50-lap qualifying race, just seven hours after he had only the 24th-fastest speed in first-round time trials for the Indianapolis 500. Stewart boarded team owner Joe Gibbs' private jet right after his qualifying run at Indy and flew to Lowe's Motor Speedway at Charlotte in time to run five practice laps before the stock car race.

"It's been an eventful day for us, that's for sure," Stewart said. "We're in The Winston, and that's all I care about. To get in there as a rookie, I'm really happy."

Stewart went on to finish second in the main event, then hopped in a plane for the return trip to Indiana.

Stewart started on the outside of the front row in the Winston Open, alongside Mike Skinner. But Stewart got a low line going through the third and fourth turns and powered past Skinner as they came across the start-finish line.

Stewart spent the rest of the race maintaining a safe distance between himself and the rest of the field. He wound up 4.88 seconds -- about 600 yards -- in front of Jimmy Spencer.

Ken Schrader, Johnny Benson and Steve Park rounded out the top five.

Sabates hires Jeff Green

For the second season in a row, Winston Cup car owner Felix Sabates is adding Jeff Green as a part-time driver.

Green is to drive seven races for Sabates over the remainder of the 1999 schedule, starting with next week's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, Sabates said Saturday.

Green drove 18 races for Sabates last year but the team lost its primary sponsor in the offseason. Sabates has secured backing for Green's 1999 effort through TracFone, a prepaid cellular telephone service provider.

Green, who plans to continue his full-time job as a driver on the Busch Grand National circuit, joins Sterling Marlin and Joe Nemechek as Sabates' Winston Cup drivers.

Delivering the mail

Part of the prerace festivities Saturday night included an unveiling by the U.S. Postal Service of a commemorative stamp honoring stock car racing.

The stamp, which shows two 1950s stock cars taking the checkered flag, is one of 15 commemorative stamps saluting the 1950s as part of the Postal Service's "Celebrate The Century" stamp and education program.

Sheets of 15 stamps will be issued over a two-year period.

All-Star facts

The late Tim Richmond has the best average career finish in The Winston. Richmond competed in two of the all-star events and has an average finish of fourth. ... Dale Earnhardt is the only three-time winner of the event. Jeff Gordon and the late Davey Allison both have two victories. ... Earnhardt, Ricky Rudd and Darrell Waltrip are the only drivers to compete in all 15 all-star races. ... No driver has participated in every Winston Open.

 

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