Bobby Labonte on pole for Dover Downs 400

with a lap of 22.596 seconds, 159.320 mph. Thirty-two drivers eclipsed MarkMartin's track -qualifying record of 23.082 seconds, 155.966 mph set last fall
on September 18,1998.

This is Labonte's 17th career NASCAR Winston Cup Bud pole and came in his
203rd start. His most recent pole came at Charlotte, one race ago. It is
his third Bud pole in 14 career races at Dover. He now leads all drivers
scoring four Bud Poles in 1999. Labonte has scored 11 top-10 starts in 12
qualifying sessions in 1999, the most of all drivers. He has started from the
top 10 in eight of the last nine races at Dover with no victories. His record
at Dover includes six top-five and eight top-10 finishes in 13 races at the
Delaware track.

Dale Jarrett had the second-fastest time with a qualifying lap of 22.702s,
158.576 mph and will join Labonte on the front row for the MBNA
Platinum 400. He has started in the top 10 in the last seven races at Dover.
This is only his fourth top-10 qualifying effort in 12 qualifying sessions
this season.

The Bud Pole winner has won from the pole here in two of the last three
races. Both of those victories from the Bud Pole were scored by Mark Martin
who qualified third today.

There have been seven different Bud Pole winners in the 12 qualifying
sessions held in 1999. Qualifying was rained out at California and the field
was set in accordance with the NASCAR Winston Cup rule book. Bobby Labonte (4)
and Jeff Gordon (3)lead all drivers as the only multiple Bud Pole winners this
season.

This is the fifth Bud Pole for Pontiac in 1999. Chevrolet has four and Ford
has three Bud Poles this season.

The race has been won from the pole nine times in the 58 NASCAR Winston Cup
races at Dover and has been won from the first three starting positions 29
times. The deepest in the field that a Dover race winner has started was
37th, by Kyle Petty, in the 1995 Miller 500.

Only three times in the track's 58-race NASCAR Winston Cup history has the
winner started from outside the top 15.

Terry Labonte (37th) will make his 615th consecutive NASCAR Winston Cup start
in Sunday's MBNA Platinum 400 extending the longest consecutive streak in
NASCAR Winston Cup history.

This week's NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus is worth $20,000 to the winner of
the race on Sunday should he also be the NASCAR Winston Cup points leader
after the race.

Jeff Gordon (14th) posted his worst qualifying effort of the 1999 season.
He had started sixth or better, including two Bud Poles, in the last eight
consecutive races at Dover.

Kenny Wallace (fourth) has scored three consecutive top-five starts,
extending a streak that began at Richmond. It is his first top-five start in
12 races at Dover.

First round Bud Pole qualifying results for the NASCAR Winston
Cup Series, MBNA Platinum 400, Dover Downs International Speedway: