300 out of 300 at NHIS for dominant Burton

There have now been just three events since 1972 where one driver led every lap: Cale Yarborough holds the record for the other two - a 420-lap event at Nashville in June 1978 and a 500-lap event at Bristol in March 1973, both short tracks.

Burton's dominant victory in the Dura Lube 300 moved him from fourth to second in the current championship points standings. It was Burton's 14th Winston Cup career win.

With restrictor plates being used at the track for the first time, due to two fatalities earlier in the year, it was a journey into the unknown for the teams, so Burton's team boss Jack Roush's money spent mid-week to rent The Milwaukee Mile was well worth the effort.

The day of testing obviously paid off for Burton, who started on the outside of pole-winner Bobby Labonte. While Labonte finished second, a spin by Sterling Marlin with just three circuits remaining may have robbed him of a chance to grab the lead on a green flag restart. The race ended under the caution flag and Labonte was able to extend his lead in the points to some 168 over Burton.

Ricky Rudd, Dale Jarrett and Rusty Wallace rounded out the top-five.

There were just a few moments of excitement in the event as Dale Earnhardt raced to get back on the lead lap. Earnhardt and Burton were battling side by side, briefly making contact, when Bobby Labonte made it three wide, trying desperately to get around the domineering Exide Batteries Taurus of Burton. Burton briefly let off the gas, Earnhardt moved up and then Burton again easily moved past Labonte and back into the lead.

Burton won under the seventh caution. The average speed was 102.003 mph.

Jeff Gordon recovered from a late-race spin to finish sixth, followed by John Andretti, Mark Martin, Joe Nemechek and Ken Schrader rounding out the top 10.

The NASCAR Winston Cup Series now heads to Dover Downs' 'Monster Mile' in a triple-header weekend which will include the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series' inaugural visit to the concrete track, along with the NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR's second tier series.



New Hampshire International Speedway, Sunday, September 17, 2000:

Fin pos, Start pos, Race no., Driver, Make, Laps, Status, Money

1 2 99 Jeff Burton Ford 300 Running $195,800
2 1 18 Bobby Labonte Pont 300 Running 133,350
3 19 28 Ricky Rudd Ford 300 Running 94,950
4 4 88 Dale Jarrett Ford 300 Running 93,400
5 5 2 Rusty Wallace Ford 300 Running 72,425
6 18 24 Jeff Gordon Chev 300 Running 74,575
7 31 43 John Andretti Pont 300 Running 73,450
8 15 6 Mark Martin Ford 300 Running 64,050
9 30 33 Joe Nemechek Chev 300 Running 59,850
10 9 36 Ken Schrader Pont 300 Running 60,250
11 27 10 Johnny Benson Pont 300 Running 48,550
12 37 3 Dale Earnhardt Chev 299 Running 62,550
13 7 21 Elliott Sadler Ford 299 Running 55,450
14 11 01 Ted Musgrave Chev 299 Running 54,350
15 29 26 Jimmy Spencer Ford 299 Running 55,850
16 24 9 Stacy Compton Ford R298 Running 46,450
17 38 17 Matt Kenseth Ford R298 Running 51,625
18 39 77 Robert Pressley Ford 298 Running 42,925
19 10 27 Mike Bliss Pont 298 Running 39,025
20 13 7 Michael Waltrip Chev 298 Running 54,825
21 8 25 Jerry Nadeau Chec 298 Running 50,100
22 3 40 Sterling Marlin Chev 298 Running 51,300
23 16 20 Tony Stewart Pont 297 Running 57,600
24 23 31 Mike Skinner Chev 297 Running 49,300
25 34 5 Terry Labonte Chev 297 Running 55,800
26 40 93 Dave Blaney Pont R297 Running 37,600
27 42 60 Joe Bessey Chev 297 Running 48,975
28 43 90 Hut Stricklin Ford 297 Running 37,200
29 36 66 Darrell Waltrip Ford 293 Running 40,100
30 28 22 Ward Burton Pont 291 Accident 54,800
31 20 8 Dale EarnhardtJ Chev R288 Accident 47,100
32 26 14 Rick Mast Pont 287 Accident 36,400
33 35 97 Chad Little Ford 275 Accident 47,200
34 6 1 Steve Park Chev 275 Accident 46,975
35 14 4 Bobby Hamilton Chev 260 Running 46,275
36 12 50 Ricky Craven Chev 249 Engine 35,575
37 21 94 Bill Elliott Ford 244 Accident 43,375
38 32 16 Kevin Lepage Ford 234 Accident 43,175
39 41 75 Wally DallenbachFord 233 Accident 35,150
40 17 12 Jeremy Mayfield Ford 212 Accident 43,100
41 33 32 Scott Pruett Ford R 93 Accident 35,075
42 22 11 Brett Bodine Ford 60 Engine 35,050
43 25 55 Kenny Wallace Chev 39 Engine 43,025

R - denotes Rookie

Time of Race: 3h18m13s
Average Speed: 102.003mph
Margin of Victory: Under Caution
Pole Winner: Bobby Labonte 127.632 mph 29.842s
Cautions: 7 cautions for 42 laps
Attendance: 101,000
Lead Changes: 0 lead changes among 1 driver
Lap Leaders: Bobby Labonte (pole), Jeff Burton 1 - 300