NASCAR: $20,000 NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus Doubles for Pennsylvania 500
21 July 1998
Winston-Salem, N.C. - WINSTON-SALEM, NC - RaceWire - Jeff Burton can flat-out drive a flat track.The South Boston, Va., native scored his first victory of the season in dominating last weeks Jiffy Lube 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway, leading 191 of the final 221 laps on his way to the checkered flag.
The victory made it two triumphs in a row in the Jiffy Lube 300 and was the fourth win of Burtons career. Three of those victories, including a 1997 triumph at Martinsville, have come on flat tracks.
Burton, ranked eighth in the NASCAR Winston Cup points standings, failed to capture the NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus as points leader Jeff Gordon crossed the Loudon finish line third.
The NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus is awarded to any driver who wins a race and leads the NASCAR Winston Cup points standings at the conclusion of the event. The bonus starts at $10,000 and increases by that same amount for every race until it is won.
The Jiffy Lube 300 marked the first time in the last three races that the NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus has not been awarded. Jeremy Mayfield won $40,000 in the Pocono 500 and Gordon picked up $10,000 for his win at Sears Point. Gordon now holds a 52-point advantage over Mark Martin. Dale Jarrett is third, 98 points behind. Teammates Mayfield and Rusty Wallace round out the top five in NASCAR Winston Cup points, 137 and 220 points, respectively, behind.
1998 Winston Leader Bonus Results Race Winner/Pts. Pos. Bonus Points Leader Daytona 500 Dale Earnhardt (1) --- Dale Earnhardt GM Goodwrench 400 Jeff Gordon (3) --- Rusty Wallace Las Vegas 400 Mark Martin (7) --- Rusty Wallace Primestar 500 Bobby Labonte (6) --- Rusty Wallace TranSouth 400 Dale Jarrett (10) --- Rusty Wallace Food City 500 Jeff Gordon (3) --- Rusty Wallace Texas 500 Mark Martin (4) --- Rusty Wallace Goodys 500 Bobby Hamilton (13) --- Rusty Wallace DieHard 500 Bobby Labonte (7) --- Rusty Wallace California 500 Mark Martin (5) --- Jeremy Mayfield Coca-Cola 600 Jeff Gordon (1) $110,000 Jeff Gordon MBNA Platinum 400 Dale Jarrett (5) --- Jeff Gordon Pontiac Excite- ment 400 Terry Labonte (6) --- Jeremy Mayfield Miller Lite 400 Mark Martin (3) --- Jeremy Mayfield Pocono 500 Jeremy Mayfield (1) $40,000 Jeremy Mayfield Save Mart/ Kragen 350 Jeff Gordon (1) $10,000 Jeff Gordon Jiffy Lube 300 Jeff Burton (8) --- Jeff Gordon Top Five NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus Individual Payouts Winner Amount Event Jeff Gordon $160,000 1996 Sears DieHard 500 (Talladega) Jeff Gordon $110,000 1998 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte) Jeff Gordon $ 80,000 1997 Pocono 500 (Pocono) Jeff Gordon $ 70,000 1996 MBNA 500 (Dover) Jeff Gordon $ 50,000 1997 Bud at the Glen (Watkins Glen)