Dale Earnhardt is 3
for 3 in 1999 IROC races. He has tied Rusty Wallace as the only 3 consecutive race
winner in a season! To clinch the IROC Championship Earnhardt must finish 8th or
better in the final IROC race at Indy. If he wins the final event he will be the only
driver to sweep the season by winning all four events.
Go Earnhardt!!
Earnhardt by nose over Earnhardt Jr
June 11, 1999
The crowd is in their seats the sun is out and round three of IROC XXIII is ready to go at
Michigan Speedway. The anthems have been played, the invocation given and the command to
start engines is given just moments later.
Starting in reverse order of points, Jeff Burton leads the field to three warm-up laps
around the two-mile oval in preparation for the green flag.
At the green Jeff Burton stays low and pulls out to a bit of a lead. The battle is for
second with Eddie Cheever and Earnhardt Jr in third. Earnhardt Jr. gets second on lap 3.
Mark Martin has moves up to fifth on lap 4 with Earnhardt coming with him in fifth. Three
abreast going in to turn one for sixth place.
Lap 5 top five Burton, Earnhardt Jr., Cheever, Martin, and Earnhardt. They have a
break away going on lap 6. Mark Martin heads into the lead from fifth shooting the gap
between Burton and Earnhardt Jr. going three wide at the stripe. Earnhardt goes with him
for second.
Greg Moore has moved up to fifth by lap 8. Dale Earnhardt Jr. challenges Dale Earnhardt
for second but can't get it done. Moore and Labonte team up as drafting buddies to get
them up front. Moore challenges Wallace for fourth but doesn't quite make it so he falls
in line.
Six cars in the lead draft with Martin still on point Earnhardt second, followed by
Earnhardt Jr., Wallace, Moore, and Labonte at lap 15.
Lap 17 and Earnhardt Jr. tries Earnhardt for second going down on to the apron. Earnhardt
keeps his second place but is challenged once again on the next lap. Wallace decides to go
high and grabs second place from Earnhardt Jr. on lap 18.
Lap 20 and the top four of Martin, Earnhardt, Wallace and Earnhardt Jr. have a bit of a
breakaway going.
At the halfway point it's Martin followed by Earnhardt, Wallace, Earnhardt Jr and Bobby
Labonte. But on lap 26 Earnhardt gets a run on Martin and takes the lead. Earnhardt Jr.
takes third on lap 27. Wallace goes back to fifth. Greg Moore was there ready to
challenge.
Lap 32 and Earnhardt Jr. takes second with Bobby Labonte coming with him. A few laps later
Greg Moore goes into third in turn three with no drafting help from Labonte and Gordon.
Now Moore comes up on the Earnhardts and takes second on lap 37 but Earnhardt Jr. comes
right back at him up high on the frontstretch holding on to second.
Bobby Labonte tags the outside wall coming off of turn two and has a big moment correcting
and continuing.
Ten laps to go and the top 5 are Earnhardt, Earnhardt Jr., Gordon, Moore, Wallace. But
Wallace takes third on lap 41 from Moore. Now Gordon tries to hold of the challenge from
Gordon. Lap 43 and Gordon goes low in turn one, Moore goes low coming off of two and
they're four wide coming off of turn four with Labonte tapping Greg Moore. Moore drops to
eighth.
Lap 44 and Martin challenges Wallace for fourth. Jeff Burton comes with Martin for fourth.
Martin goes under Gordon on the next lap to take third. But Gordon stays with it and has
the drafting help but Martin goes by coming out of four.
Three laps to go with Earnhardt, Earnhardt Jr., Martin, Burton and Gordon your top five.
Gordon ties Martin for third but gets left out of the draft and he looses a spot to
Wallace.
White Flag.
Earnhardt leads Earnhardt Jr. with Martin third. Martin goes low out of turn twobut to no
avail. Earnhardt Jr. goes high out of turn four and takes the lead by a half a fender. But
Earnhardt stays with him and they briefly come together as Earnhardt grabs the lead right
back. At the stripe Dale Earnhardt wins his third consecutive IROC race by a nose!
IROC XXIII Race Three - 50 Laps (100 Miles)
Friday June 11, 1999 Michigan Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan 2.0 Mile Oval Speedway
Finish
Start
Driver
Car Color
Number
Laps
Times Led
Laps Led
Bonus
Points
Status
1
12
Dale
Earnhardt
Medium
Blue
1
50
1
24
5
21
Running
2
2
Dale
Earnhardt Jr.
Orange
11
50
1
1
17
Running
3
9
Rusty Wallace
Cream
4
50
14
Running
4
10
Bobby Labonte
Powder Blue
3
50
12
Running
5
11
Mark Martin
Yellow
2
50
1
19
3
10
Running
6
1
Jeff Burton
Violet
12
50
1
6
2
9
Running
7
8
Jeff Gordon
Lime
5
50
8
Running
8
7
Kenny Brack
Rose
6
50
7
Running
9
4
Greg Moore
Red
9
50
6
Running
10
6
Adrian Fernandez
Dark Blue
7
50
Running
11
5
Dale Jarrett
Purple
8
50
4
Running
12
3
Eddie Cheever
Jr.
Silver
10
48
3
Running
Point Standings
IROC XXIII POINTS Following Round Three Michigan Speedway June 11, 1999
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