Winston Million

The Winston Million was a bonus prize money program of today's NASCAR Sprint Cup, which was based on the Grand Slam concept. Between 1985 and 1997 offered the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, the main sponsor of the series, a prize of one million U.S. dollars for every driver who won three of the four designated to be the jewel races in one season. Between 1998 and 2002, the program was 5 realigned as Winston No Bull and offered up to five bonuses of one million U.S. dollars on selected races. Following the resignation of R. J. Reynolds as the main sponsor of the series after 2003 and the decision of become known as Ferko Process antitrust trial of the entire Grand Slam has been set.

The Grand Slam

In NASCAR Winston Cup existed long before the introduction of the Grand Slam, the four so-called crown jewels. These were the following races:

  • Daytona 500 ( known as the richest race with the highest prize money in the calendar at the Daytona International Speedway )
  • Winston 500 (known as the fastest race on the calendar at Talladega Superspeedway )
  • Coca- Cola 600 (known as the longest race in the calendar at the Charlotte Motor Speedway )
  • Southern 500 ( known as the oldest superspeedway races in the calendar on the Darlington Raceway )

No driver managed to win all four races in the same season. Before the introduction of the program in 1985, two drivers were a Small Slam, ie, three of the four major races achieve: LeeRoy Yarbrough in 1969 and David Pearson in 1976 with the start of the 1985 season offered RJ. Reynolds and his cigarette brand Winston a bonus of one million U.S. dollars for each rider to achieve the above-mentioned small slam in a season. If it was possible not to win a million dollars, there was a bonus of U.S. $ 100,000 for the driver, who won the first two of the four races. If a driver had the chance to win the million when Coca- Cola 600 or Southern 500, the corresponding race was advertised as " The Winston Million Running of the Coca -Cola 500 600/Southern ". Between 1994 and 1996 the program after RJ was advertised as " Winston Select Million", Reynolds wanted to advertise its Select brand in NASCAR.

Direct success

Right in the first year of the bonus program, Bill Elliott secured the one million U.S. dollars. The victory catapulted his fame far upwards. Elliott became known as the "Million Dollar Bill" and he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The relative ease with which Elliott won the bonus, enticed many fans and experts to believe that the prize money would be relatively often won. However, it turned out that this was not the case and it was often even more difficult to qualify at all for the chance to win the million.

Frustration

After Elliott's success no driver could win the bonus more than a decade. In 1989, Darrell Waltrip became the first driver since 1985, the chance of the million. In the Southern 500 in Darlington, however, he never had a serious chance of winning, so he took the chance at the $ 100,000. In 1990, Dale Earnhardt led the Daytona 500, when he on the last lap, the race could not win because of a puncture. Since he still won two more races to Winston- million in the course of the season, he would have won without the puncture as the second driver to one million U.S. dollars.

In 1992 the Southern 500 was terminated prematurely due to rain and brought Davey Allison for a chance to the million. He was the whole race in a promising position, but finished it in fifth place. While Allison was between mid-1991 and mid-1992 to win three of the four races, but not in a season.

Four years later, in 1996, Dale Jarrett had a shot at the million. He won at Daytona and Charlotte, but in Talladega, he had to take 0.22 seconds Sterling Marlin beaten, who won the race. A 14th place in Darlington made ​​his chances dashed on the bonus.

Only in 1997, the Million was won again and for the second time. Jeff Gordon held a hard attacking Jeff Burton on the last lap in Darlington behind him when touching them crossed the finish line.

Career Grand Slam Statistics

Between 1998 and 2004, no driver has won three of the four most important races in one season after the end of the bonus program more. After setting the Southern 500 because of the Ferko lawsuit, the Grand Slam is no longer intact.

Within her career so far could only seven riders win all the races of the Grand Slam:

Due to the no longer driven Southern 500, only the following drivers have the opportunity to achieve the Grand Slam still:

  • Ward Burton needs Aaron's 499 ( Winston 500) and the Coca- Cola 600
  • Bobby Labonte needs the Daytona 500
  • Mark Martin needs the Daytona 500
  • Jeff Burton needs Aaron's 499 ( Winston 500) and the Daytona 500

Winston Million Race Winner / Results (1985-1997)

Winston No Bull 5

In 1998, during the preparations for the 50th anniversary of NASCAR, RJ decided to Reynolds to revise the bonus program. Various factors were included in the changes. After 13 seasons the Winston Million was won only twice and often could not even win two of the four races a driver. R. J. Reynolds, NASCAR, the drivers and the fans wanted a new format for this award, so that could be won often and by several drivers.

Meanwhile, there was competition, which concerned the value of the established crown jewels. In the 1994 season the first Brickyard 400 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and even dethroned for some years the Daytona 500 as the richest race of the season. The race at the Richmond International Raceway also rose in popularity from fans and drivers. In addition, there were some new events that offered all much prize money.

The new program for the 1998 season, called the No Bull 5 - named after Winston Marketing Campaign - consisted of the three races, Daytona 500, the Coca- Cola 600 and Southern 500 of the Grand Slam together with the Brickyard 400 race at Talladega The, which was used for the program has been moved to October. For the bonus every driver qualified in the top 5 of each No Bull 5 race. If any of these five drivers the next race of the No Bull 5 won, so he secured a bonus of one million U.S. dollars. In addition, five viewers were added to each No Bull 5 race chosen and each assigned to one of the qualified drivers. If the appropriate driver won the bonus, the audience also won a million dollars.

During the race the No Bull 5 vehicles of qualified drivers have been specially painted. The number on the roof was in bright orange and a shining $ symbol was affixed to the window of the passenger side.

In the seasons the race of the program were often changed. The Brickyard 400 was replaced after only one year by the Las Vegas 400. The Daytona 500 was replaced by the Pepsi 400 and following the abolition of the Southern 500 in its place came the Chevy Rock and Roll 400

In the five years in which the program existed, there were 25 races, 125 qualified drivers seats and 124 qualified fans. A fan qualified twice, but did not win both times the bonus. Overall, the bonus is 13 times distributed. Jeff Gordon won it four times. Together with the Winston Million in 1997 he won solely by this bonus program a cash prize of five million U.S. dollars.

Winston No Bull 5 winner / Results

The five top finishers in a race, which belonged to the No Bull 5, qualified for the bonus in the next race of the No Bull 5 For the first race, the Daytona 500 in 1998, were the top 5 of the DieHard 500 of the 1997 season qualified.

1998

  • Daytona 500 - No winner (Dale Earnhardt scored his career Grand Slam )
  • Coca- Cola 600 - no winner
  • Brickyard 400 - Jeff Gordon
  • Mountain Dew Southern 500 - Jeff Gordon
  • Winston 500 - Dale Jarrett

1999

  • Daytona 500 - Jeff Gordon
  • Las Vegas 400 - no winner
  • Coca- Cola 600 - Jeff Burton
  • 50th Annual Southern 500 - Jeff Burton
  • Winston 500 - no winner

2000

  • Daytona 500 - Dale Jarrett
  • CarsDirect.com 400 - Jeff Burton
  • Coca- Cola 600 - no winner
  • Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 - no winner
  • Winston 500 - Dale Earnhardt

2001

  • UAW - DaimlerChrysler 400 - Jeff Gordon
  • Coca- Cola 600 - no winner
  • Pepsi 400 - no winner
  • Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 - no winner
  • EA Sports 500 - Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2002

  • UAW - DaimlerChrysler 400 - no winner
  • Coca- Cola 600 - Mark Martin
  • Pepsi 400 - no winner
  • Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 - no winner
  • EA Sports 500 - Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  • NASCAR
R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Ferko v. National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. Coca-Cola 600 David Pearson (racing driver) Winston (cigarette) Kyle Petty Coke Zero 400
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