Date October 31, 1999 | ||
 | ||
Official name 1999 Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota Location Auto Club Speedway
Fontana, California Course Oval
2.029 mi / 3.23 km Distance 250 laps
500 mi / 804.672 km Weather Temperatures reaching up to 93.9 °F (34.4 °C); wind speeds approaching 11.1 miles per hour (17.9 km/h) | ||
The 1999 Marlboro 500 Presented by Toyota was held on October 31, 1999, at Auto Club Speedway (then known as California Speedway) in Fontana, California and it was the final race of the 1999 CART World Series season. The race was marred by an accident involving Forsythe Racing driver Greg Moore in the early stages of the race, which resulted in the Canadian racer losing his life.
Contents
Scott Pruett won the pole of the event with the time of 31.030 seconds. Patrick Racing driver Adrian Fernandez won the race, his second win in which a driver was killed. Rookie driver Juan Pablo Montoya from Chip Ganassi Racing and Dario Franchitti from Team Green ended up tied in the final points standings. Franchitti scored more podiums, but Montoya had more wins and won the tiebreaker for the title. There were 7 cautions for 58 laps overall in the race. Christian Fittipaldi set the fastest lap of the race, the first and only time he did so in the 1999 season. The race was broadcast on ESPN with Paul Page and Parker Johnstone as the commentators.
Background
Entering the Marlboro 500, the second of two 500-mile races held during the 1999 season, Franchitti who won the previous race, held a nine-point lead in the season points standings over Montoya, who wrecked on that race and scored no points.
Qualifying
Scott Pruett won the pole for the race, his only of the season and also for the team. His fastest lap had an average speed of 235.398 miles per hour. The championship contenders Montoya qualified 3rd and Franchitti in 8th. Greg Moore was the only driver that did not make a qualifying run, thus starting at the rear of the field. Moore was not even certain to be in the race due to an accident in the paddock area the weekend before the race, where he was hit by a vehicle while riding his motor scooter. Moore suffered a broken hand in the incident and his team, Forsythe Racing, hired Roberto Moreno as an emergency backup driver if Moore could not run the entire race. After a medical consultation, and an in-car test, he was allowed to race using a hand brace and had the pain dulled with an injection of medicine.