Winston Million

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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, RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company , the series' main sponsor, offered $ 1 million in prize money to each driver who won three of the four crown jewels races in one season. Between 1998 and 2002 the program was reorganized as Winston No Bull 5 and offered up to five bonuses of one million US dollars each on selected races. After the departure of RJ Reynolds as the main sponsor of the series after 2003 and due to the decision of the as Ferko process Antitrust court proceedings that became known, the entire Grand Slam was discontinued.

The Grand Slam

In the NASCAR Winston Cup there were the four so-called crown jewels long before the Grand Slam was introduced. These were the following races:

No driver managed to win all four races in the same season. Prior to the introduction of the program in 1985, two drivers were able to achieve a small slam, three of the four most important races: LeeRoy Yarbrough in 1969 and David Pearson in 1976. RJ Reynolds and his cigarette brand Winston offered one at the start of the 1985 season Bonus of one million US dollars for every driver who could achieve the mentioned small slam in one season. If no one managed to win the one million US dollars, there was a bonus of 100,000 US dollars for the driver who was the first to win two of the four races. If a driver had the chance to win the million at the Coca-Cola 600 or Southern 500, the respective race was advertised as "The Winston Million Running of the Coca-Cola 600 / Southern 500". Between 1994 and 1996, the program was advertised as the "Winston Select Million" after RJ Reynolds wanted to advertise its Select brand in NASCAR.

Direct success

In the first year of the bonus program, Bill Elliott secured the one million US dollars. The victory catapulted his level of awareness high. Elliott became known as the "Million Dollar Bill" and he appeared on the front cover of Sports Illustrated . The relative ease with which Elliott won the bonus led many fans and experts to believe that the prize money would be won relatively often. However, it turned out that this was not the case and in many cases it was even particularly difficult to even qualify for the chance of the million.

frustration

After Elliott's success, no driver could win the bonus for over a decade. In 1989 Darrell Waltrip became the first driver since 1985 to have the million chance. In the Southern 500 in Darlington he never had a serious chance of winning and so he took the chance for the 100,000 US dollars. In 1990, Dale Earnhardt was leading the Daytona 500 when he was unable to win the race due to a puncture on the final lap. Since he won two more races for the Winston Million during the season, he would have won the $ 1 million as the second driver without the puncture.

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

Four years later, in 1996, Dale Jarrett had a million chance. He won at Daytona and Charlotte, but at Talladega was beaten by 0.22 seconds to Sterling Marlin , who won the race. A 14th place in Darlington ruined his chances of getting the bonus.

It wasn't until 1997 that the million was won again and for the second time. Jeff Gordon was holding a hard attacking Jeff Burton behind him on the final laps of Darlington as they touched the finish line.

Career Grand Slam Statistics

Between 1998 and 2004, even after the bonus program ended, no driver was able to win three of the four most important races in a season. After the Southern 500 was discontinued due to the Ferko Lawsuit, the Grand Slam is no longer intact.

So far, only seven drivers have won all the Grand Slam races in their careers:

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

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

Winston Million Race Winner / Results (1985-1997)

season Daytona Talladega Charlotte Darlington Remarks
1985 Bill Elliott Bill Elliott Darrell whale trip Bill Elliott Elliott won the Winston Million
1986 Geoff Bodine Bobby Allison Dale Earnhardt Tim Richmond  
1987 Bill Elliott Davey Allison Kyle Petty Dale Earnhardt  
1988 Bobby Allison Phil Parsons Darrell whale trip Bill Elliott  
1989 Darrell whale trip Davey Allison Darrell whale trip Dale Earnhardt Waltrip won a $ 100,000 bonus
1990 Derrike Cope Dale Earnhardt Rusty Wallace Dale Earnhardt Earnhardt won a $ 100,000 bonus
1991 Ernie Irvan Harry Gant Davey Allison Harry Gant Gant won a $ 100,000 bonus
1992 Davey Allison Davey Allison Dale Earnhardt Darrell whale trip Allison won a $ 100,000 bonus; Waltrip achieved career grand slam
1993 Dale Jarrett Ernie Irvan Dale Earnhardt Mark Martin  
1994 Sterling marlin Dale Earnhardt Jeff Gordon Bill Elliott  
1995 Sterling marlin Mark Martin Bobby Labonte Jeff Gordon  
1996 Dale Jarrett Sterling marlin Dale Jarrett Jeff Gordon Jarrett won a $ 100,000 bonus
1997 Jeff Gordon Mark Martin Jeff Gordon Jeff Gordon Gordon won the Winston Million

Winston No Bull 5

In 1998, while preparing for NASCAR's 50th anniversary, RJ Reynolds decided to revise the bonus program. Various factors went into the changes. After 13 seasons, the Winston Million was only won twice and in many cases a driver could not even win two of the four races. RJ Reynolds, NASCAR, the drivers and the fans wanted a new format for this award so that it could be won often and by multiple drivers.

In the meantime, there was competition in terms of the value of the established crown jewels. In the 1994 season, the first Brickyard 400 took place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and even dethroned the Daytona 500 as the richest race of the season for several years. The races at Richmond International Raceway also grew in popularity with fans and drivers. There were also some new events, all of which offered a lot of prize money.

The new program for the 1998 season, the so-called No Bull 5 - named after a Winston marketing campaign - consisted of the three races Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500 of the Grand Slam together with the Brickyard 400. The race in Talladega , which was used for the program, was postponed to October. For the bonus, every driver qualified in the top 5 of every No-Bull-5 race. If any of these five drivers won the next No Bull 5 race, they would claim the $ 1 million bonus. In addition, five spectators were selected for each No-Bull-5 race and each one of the qualified drivers was assigned. If the corresponding driver won the bonus, the viewer also won $ 1 million.

During the No Bull 5 races, the vehicles of the qualified drivers were specially painted. The number on the roof was bright orange and a glowing $ symbol was posted on the passenger side window.

During the seasons the races of the program were changed many times. The Brickyard 400 was replaced by the Las Vegas 400 after just one year . The Daytona 500 was replaced by the Pepsi 400 and after the Southern 500 was discontinued, the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 took its place .

In the five years that the program existed, there were 25 races, 125 qualified driver positions and 124 qualified fans. One fan qualified twice but did not win the bonus both times. In total, the bonus was distributed 13 times. Jeff Gorden won it four times. Together with the Winston Million of 1997, he won prize money of five million US dollars through this bonus program alone.

Winston No Bull 5 Winner / Results

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

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002