Wallace Is on the Pole for Shootout

Fifteen drivers will give their cars a serious horsepower check today when they sprint 25 miles for a $512,000 purse in the Bud Shootout.

Fourteen are pole winners from the 1998 Winston Cup season. The 15th will be determined in an earlier Shootout for second-day qualifiers of a year ago.

Rusty Wallace, who won the Bud Shootout last year after starting 13th, will be on the pole in a Ford Taurus for the rich dash today. Starting positions were determined in a draw.

“We’ve got the same car that I ran last year that was so strong for me,” Wallace said. “We’ve got a new car that has run strong right from the start and that will be our 500 car. It takes some luck to win at Daytona and we got off to a lucky start when I drew the No. 1 starting position.

“They say getting off to a good start at Daytona is the key to the whole week, so we’re going to find out.”

Absent from the Bud Shootout is Dale Earnhardt, who won six times when it was known as the Busch Clash. Also out is John Andretti, who won the pole last year at Atlanta but is ineligible because his car does not carry the required Bud decal.

The field, in starting order: 1. Wallace, Ford; 2. Kenny Irwin, Ford; 3. Rick Mast, Ford; 4. Ken Schrader, Chevrolet; 5. Derrike Cope, Pontiac; 6. Ricky Craven, Ford; 7. Jeremy Mayfield, Ford; 8. Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet; 9. Bobby Labonte, Pontiac; 10. Bobby Hamilton, Chevrolet; 11. Ward Burton, Pontiac; 12. Ernie Irvan, Pontiac; 13. Mark Martin, Ford; 14. Dale Jarrett, Ford; 15. Winner of qualifier.