03/12/2021 – Despite last racing at Phoenix Raceway (Phoenix International Raceway/Jeff Gordon Raceway/ISM Raceway) in 2003, Pontiac will always be listed in the archives as two-time winners (Bobby Hamilton/1996, Tony Stewart/1999) and will continue – for now – to get regular race-day mentions as the track race record holder courtesy of Tony Stewart’s win for the 1999 Checker Auto Parts/Dura Lube 500 driving Joe Gibbs’ Home Depot Grand Prix. Stewart set the pace that day with a race average 118.132 miles-per-hour, courtesy of a dominating racecar and only 2 cautions/10 laps. Stewart’s race-winning clip that day exceeds the next closest pace setters by more than 4 miles-per-hour (Matt Kenseth, 2002, 113.857; Kevin Harvick, 2016, 113.212).
Pontiac had a great day in general not only with Stewart’s win, but John Andretti took the pole position in Petty Enterprises’ STP Pontiac (this would be Andretti’s final career pole) and four Pontiacs finished in the top 10 – Tony Stewart/1, Bobby Labonte/3, Kyle Petty/7, and John Andretti/8 (all lead lap finishes); Pontiacs also led 249 of 312 laps on the day – Tony Stewart/150, John Andretti/97, and Bobby Labonte/2.
Pontiac Racing 