Interesting Stats from Kevin Harvick’s Memorable Second Victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the 2018 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

On Sunday, Kevin Harvick achieved a feat he had been trying to accomplish for nearly 17 years. For the second time in his career, the California driver captured the checkered flag and won at the 1.5-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway. Harvick had dominated the 500-mile race, much like he had in the previous four events at the speedway. However, Trevor Bayne’s blown engine on lap 297 in turn 1 brought out the final caution and changed the course of the event in the final stage.

Teams used the yellow flag period to make their final pit stops of the race. The #4 of Harvick led the field down pit road and quick work from his five person crew returned him to the lead for the restart with Brad Keselowski in second. On the final restart, Harvick powered away from the field and built up a substantial lead. He completed the last 21 laps under green and grabbed the win by a margin of 2.690 seconds.

The win featured some interesting statistical achievements for Harvick and his Ford teammates. His win in the second race of the season marks only the second time in his career that he has won the race following the Daytona 500. In 2014, the California driver started 14th in The Profit on CNBC 500k at Phoenix International Raceway. He grabbed the lead for the first time on lap 74 and ended up leading 224 laps in a dominating victory at his best track of the time. Later that year, he captured his first career Cup championship, which could be a good sign for 2018 since Atlanta was the second race of the campaign this year.

Finally, Ford as a manufacturer captured the Top 3 positions in Atlanta. Harvick led the Ford trio followed by Keselowski and Clint Bowyer. Joey Logano and Kurt Busch finished sixth and eighth, respectively, giving Ford five of the Top 10 finishers. Interestingly, Ford has the oldest body style of the three manufacturers in the series. Toyota introduced a new Camry last season and Chevrolet is now competing with the brand-new Camaro body. Despite the age on the Fusion, Ford drivers excelled in Georgia on Sunday.

Those two statistics are fascinating, but two others haven’t been given as much attention since Harvick’s victory. Let’s take a look at those stats now, starting with the unbelievable changes in NASCAR that have occurred since the California driver earned his first victory at AMS in 2001, nearly 17 years ago.

On March 11, 2001, Kevin Harvick’s life changed forever thanks to the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 at AMS in only his third start behind the wheel of Richard Childress Racing’s #29 Chevrolet. His rise to the Cup Series was not a normal path, though. Just a month prior to the AMS race, Dale Earnhardt, a seven-time champion and legendary figure in the sport, was killed in a last lap crash during the Daytona 500.

In the wake of an unimaginable tragedy, Richard Childress decided against completely shutting down the #3 team. He changed the team’s number to 29 and put Harvick, a full-time driver for his organization in the NASCAR Busch Series, in the newly numbered racecar. In his first two career races, Harvick managed an average finish of eleventh and came to Atlanta with some confidence. After 500 miles of hard-fought racing, he proved his abilities to the entire world.

With six laps to go, Harvick took the lead from Dale Jarrett and set his sights on an emotional victory. Behind him, though, a three-time champion mounted a charge for the lead: Jeff Gordon. Over the final few laps, the #29 held off the #24 of Gordon until turn 3 of the last lap. The Cup champion powered underneath Harvick exiting turn 4 using a shot of momentum from the corner. The two raced through the quadoval side by side and came across the finish line in a thrilling photo finish. The California kid beat the Cup champion by 0.006 seconds to capture his first career win.

Tears were shed on pit road as Harvick captured an unprecedented win. The same team who had lost a driver less than a month earlier was now heading to victory lane with their new driver in a bittersweet moment. And on the frontstretch, the California kid celebrated his victory while remembering the driver he tragically had to replace. As he rode around backwards in front of the fans, he held three fingers out the window as a tribute to the late Earnhardt. Truly, it was one of NASCAR’s greatest finishes and one of the most emotional ones as well.

Flashforward to February 25, 2018, just 14 days shy of the 17th anniversary of Harvick’s first victory. Harvick returned to AMS and captured only his second win at the track in 17 years of competition, despite his recent dominance. He celebrated with another emotional tribute to Dale Earnhardt on the frontstretch. Between those two wins, though, there are only a few similarities. Harvick himself, the track, and his victory celebration holding three fingers out the window are the only shared things from his first win at AMS in 2001 and his second win in 2018. Just listen to the differences for Harvick.

He drove a Chevrolet in 2001, but he piloted a Ford on Sunday. He won in the #29 in 2001 while he took the #4 to victory lane just a few days ago. He drove for Richard Childress Racing 17 years ago and now competes for Stewart-Haas Racing. Harvick had no career victories until he won in 2001 and Sunday’s victory was the 38th of his Cup career.

In 2001, he was a rookie and an unknown driver. Now, he is a Cup champion and one of the most recognized faces in NASCAR. 17 years ago, he led 18 laps on the way to victory and began his career as “The Closer,” a nickname he has earned through many late race wins. On Sunday, he led 181 laps in another dominating performance he has become known for delivering.

The differences for Harvick from 2001 to 2018 are more numerous than those I just listed, including in his personal life. But the amount of changes for him made me think about something else. How much has changed about NASCAR between the 2001 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 and the 2018 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500? I knew there was a lot, but I was amazed during my research about how much the sport has evolved from the drivers to the title sponsor to the racecars. Let’s analyze some of those incredible differences.

In 2001, Jimmie Johnson was a regular driver in the NBS who was winless in 43 career starts. The day before Harvick’s victory, he had finished ninth driving the #92 Chevrolet for Stanley Herzog. Now, the California driver is a NASCAR Hall of Fame lock with his 83 Cup wins and his record tying seven Cup championships, as of this writing. In the next couple of years, Johnson could be the record holder for championships with eight and be regarded as the greatest of all time in stock car racing.

In 2001, Jeff Gordon was the most recent winner at Las Vegas before heading to Atlanta where he lost in a photo finish to Harvick. The Vegas victory was the 53rd of his career and his first of the season as he chased his fourth championship. Now, Gordon is retired from racing and is a broadcaster for FOX Sports. He finished his career with 93 wins and four championships, which currently puts him at third all-time on the Cup Series win list and makes him a lock for the Hall of Fame as well.

Bobby Labonte was the reigning Cup Series champion after delivering Joe Gibbs Racing the title in 2000. The Texas driver entered Atlanta in 2001 with 16 career wins and a desire to win after narrowly losing the previous race at the Georgia track in a photo finish with Dale Earnhardt. Labonte struggled throughout the 2001 race and finished 33rd after engine woes ended his day . Now, he is a retired driver who works with FOX Sports as an analyst for their prerace coverage. He ended his career with 21 wins and the 2000 championship.

17 years ago, Tony Stewart was a nine-time race winner in NASCAR’s highest division and a championship favorite in just his third season. However, he didn’t have a championship on his record. He ended up finishing 27th in the Cracker Barrel 500 on that Sunday afternoon in 2001. Now, he is a retired team owner who, ironically, entered Harvick’s car in the race on Sunday. The Indiana driver also has three Cup championships and 49 wins on his Hall of Fame résumé. Pretty soon, the polarizing figure will find his name called in Charlotte.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was only in his second season behind the wheel of a Cup car. Rookie of the Year honors had eluded him in 2000 and he had no Most Popular Driver awards. Still, the North Carolina driver had two wins to his credit entering Atlanta in 2001 with a heavy heart in the wake of his father’s death. He ended up finishing 15th at the 1.5-mile Georgia speedway. Now, Junior is a recently retired NASCAR superstar who ran his last race in Cup in the 2017 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He ended his career with 26 victories and 15 Most Popular Driver awards as he transitions into the role of broadcaster for NBC Sports.

Six Hall of Fame drivers competed in the 2001 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 at AMS where Harvick captured the win. Rusty Wallace (Class of 2013), Dale Jarrett (Class of 2014), Bill Elliott (Class of 2015), Terry Labonte (Class of 2016), Mark Martin (Class of 2017), and Ron Hornaday Jr. (Class of 2018) all competed for the victory 17 years ago. Jarrett finished the highest of the group with a fourth-place effort followed by Labonte in fifth, Wallace in 12th, Elliott in 15th, Hornaday Jr. in 39th, and Martin in 41st. All six drivers are now retired with a few working in radio and TV while the others spend their time in other aspects of the sport.

Dave Blaney and Bill Elliott competed against Harvick at Atlanta back in 2001. Blaney, a notable figure in the sprint car racing world, finished 34th in his Bill Davis Racing Dodge at Atlanta. Elliott, the 1988 Cup champion, finished 15th in his quest for a victory at his home track. On Sunday, a Blaney and an Elliott competed against Harvick as well. But it was not Dave and Bill. It was Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott. The two sons of former racers battled for the victory at AMS. Ryan came home in 12th in his second race driving for Roger Penske and Chase grabbed his first Top 10 driving the famous #9 his father piloted for most of his career, including 2001.

Tragically, two drivers in the 2001 Atlanta race have passed away in the 17 years since the event. Jason Leffler, who was battling for Rookie of the Year honors in the series driving for Chip Ganassi, finished 32nd in his first Atlanta visit. On June 12, 2013, Leffler died in a sprint car crash at the Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey. It was a tragic loss for the sport because of the impact “Lefturn” had made on his fellow competitors and the success he had achieved behind the wheel. Also, Bobby Hamilton captured a 22nd place finish in 2001 for his #55 owned by Andy Petree. On January 7, 2007, the truck champion lost his battle with head and neck cancer. Both drivers have been missed since their deaths because of the on and off-track impact they made.

Finally, Harvick’s 2001 win came in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series while driving a fourth generation Chevrolet Monte Carlo. His victory on Sunday came in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series while piloting a sixth generation Ford Fusion. The primary sponsor name has changed from Winston to Nextel to Sprint to Monster Energy in those 17 years. The sport has also moved through different body styles, including the fifth generation Car of Tomorrow and the current sixth generation race vehicle.

It’s amazing how much can change in 17 years. Drivers, teams, racecars, and sponsors have all changed in the time between Harvick’s first and second victories at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Despite all the shifts, the California newcomer back in 2001 has remained a figure in the sport and climbed to the top of NASCAR as a champion now. 17 years from now, I can only imagine how much will have shifted between Harvick’s second win at Atlanta and another driver’s victory at the historic speedway. Heck, it could be another Harvick in victory lane as his son, Keelan, could be behind the wheel of a Cup car.

The final interesting stat from Harvick’s victory Sunday deals with laps led and domination at the 1.5-mile track in recent years. Over the last five races at Atlanta, the 2014 Cup champion has led 915 laps. All those races have been with him behind the wheel of a Stewart-Haas Racing car. Plus, he has led at least 115 laps in all five events. Harvick led 195 in 2014, 116 in 2015, 131 in 2016, 292 in 2017, and 181 in 2018.

His success in every race intrigued me and made me think of a question. How does the rest of the field stack up when it comes to laps led in the last five Atlanta events? Below this paragraph, I recorded the total amount of laps each driver led in all five of those races. I was shocked to find some very interesting statistics from the data. Check out the data below and follow it to my analysis:

Total Laps Led in Last Five Atlanta Races

Kevin Harvick: 915

Jimmie Johnson: 146

Kurt Busch: 136

Matt Kenseth: 110

Joey Logano: 85

Denny Hamlin: 77

Martin Truex Jr.: 35

Kasey Kahne: 25

Ryan Newman: 20

Kyle Busch: 11

Kyle Larson: 7

Mike Bliss: 2

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 1

Brett Moffitt: 1

David Gilliland: 1

Clint Bowyer: 1

Joe Nemechek: 1

Carl Edwards: 1

Cole Whitt: 1

Only two drivers other than Harvick have led over 115 laps total in the last five AMS races: Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch. Johnson led 146 total in the last five trips to Georgia and Busch led 136 in those same races. Their laps led, however, can’t compare to Harvick’s. He has led 527% more laps than Johnson and 573% more than Busch, his current SHR teammate. Plus, in three of the five races on their own, Harvick led more laps than Johnson and Busch did combined in all five. For years, Phoenix was considered the California driver’s track. Now, Hampton, Georgia, and AMS has turned into Harvickton due to his incredible success at the speedway in recent years.

Despite leading all those laps and being “The Dominator” in those five races at Atlanta, Kevin Harvick struggled to be “The Closer” he had been labeled in the past few years. In the four races prior to Sunday’s event, he dominated and led many laps, but he couldn’t capture the victory due to a multitude of issues. On Sunday, though, he dominated and closed out the race in the lead after 500 miles. 

It was truly a victory 17 years in the making. Through all the changes in our sport between 2001 and 2018, Sunday was an opportunity to remember those differences as Harvick celebrated his victory. A chance to reminisce about NASCAR 17 years ago and a moment to remember where we’ve been. But also a chance to remember what’s still the same. The impact of the legendary Dale Earnhardt, who was honored in both races, and a California driver chasing the dream of being a winner in the Cup Series played a key role at AMS in 2001 and 2018.





Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
racing-reference.info/race/2001_Cracker_Barrel_Old_Country_Store_500/W
racing-reference.info/race/2018_Folds_of_Honor_QuikTrip_500/W
racing-reference.info
-Images:
2001: happy4harvick.com/2013/11/29/kevin-harvick-wins-atlanta-2001/
2018: www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/harvick-reflects-after-atlanta-win-honors-dale-earnhardt-1009312/
-Full Races:
2001: www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7Sd5vFo6iU&t=4s
2018: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZWS8P3oyOM

5 Stages of Analysis: Hendrick Outlasts Attrition and High Temperatures to Win His First NASCAR Race at Kansas

(Author’s Note: On this day 13 years ago, the entire NASCAR community mourned the loss of a bright young man with an exceptional future within the sport: Ricky Hendrick. Hendrick, who was the son of championship owner Rick Hendrick, competed in 68 races between the former NASCAR Busch Series and the former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series from 1999-2002 while driving for his father and Jeff Gordon. His racing career appeared to be blossoming into a possible Cup Series ride in 2002, but a shoulder injury in a Las Vegas Motor Speedway crash forced the young driver into an early retirement since he felt he couldn’t perform at the highest level. Still, Ricky stayed close to the sport, transitioning into a small ownership role with Hendrick Motorsports. He was the listed owner for Brian Vickers’ in 2003 when Vickers became the youngest driver to win the NBS championship at only 19 years old. In 2004, Ricky maintained his ownership role as he assisted with Vickers first full-time season in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and helped with Kyle Busch’s rookie campaign in the NBS. Unfortunately, October 24, 2004, proved to be a tragic day for Hendrick Motorsports and NASCAR. As the NNCS prepared to run its annual fall race at Martinsville Speedway, Hendrick boarded a small plane with nine other people to fly to the Virginia short track from the Hendrick Motorsports office in Concord, North Carolina. The list of people on the flight other than Ricky Hendrick included John Hendrick, Ricky’s uncle and Rick’s brother; Kimberly and Jennifer Hendrick, John’s twin daughters; Jeff Turner, the general manager of Hendrick Motorsports; Randy Dorton, the director of the Hendrick Motorsports engine department; Scott Lathram, Tony Stewart’s personal pilot who was about to be deployed to Iraq following the race weekend; Joe Jackson, the director of DuPont’s motorsports sponsorship program; Dick Tracy and Liz Morrison, the two pilots of the small airplane. Between 12:00 and 12:30 P.M., as the ten people on board traveled through foggy conditions, the aircraft crashed into Bull Mountain, a Martinsville-area mountain about ten miles from the track. The devastating crash killed all the people on board and the entire sport was left shaken and saddened by the tragedy. Since it took several hours to verify that the plane was a Hendrick Motorsports aircraft, the race was run without any knowledge of the fatalities. When the checkered flag waved, Jimmie Johnson, one of Hendrick’s up and coming NNCS stars, fittingly went to victory lane when the news of the tragedy was released. No victory lane celebration was held and in the coming weeks and months, fans and teams honored the lives lost in the crash as the entire sport attempted to recover from the devastation. Over time, the legacy of the ten people killed has remained a prominent fixture for NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports. Nine months after the crash, Ricky Hendrick’s fiancée, Emily Maynard, gave birth to the couple’s child, a sad yet joyous occasion for the Hendrick family. In the years since the crash, every Hendrick Motorsports victory has been honored with a picture where every member of the team wears their hat backwards, which is a tribute to Ricky’s style of wearing a hat. Plus, since 2004, the organization has won 9 of the 12 fall races at Martinsville Speedway with each one being a special opportunity to remember all ten of the impactful individuals lost in the accident. Finally, just one month ago in the Darlington Raceway throwback event for the NASCAR Xfinity Series, William Byron, a Hendrick Motorsports development driver, raced a tribute paint scheme to Ricky as he grabbed a fifth-place finish in the race. Thankfully, the memory of Ricky Hendrick and the rest of the lives lost continue to be present in the minds of the NASCAR community. To honor Ricky Hendrick and his impact on NASCAR today, we will analyze his only win in NASCAR in the 2001 O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway. Despite an air temperature of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, Ricky managed his Chevrolet truck to perfection and grabbed an emotional victory for his entire family. Let’s remember his amazing victory in the heart of the Midwest as if the checkered flag just waved on the inaugural NCTS race at Kansas.) 

        Despite track temperatures at over 130 degrees Fahrenheit and a brand-new track to contend with, Ricky Hendrick looked like a polished veteran as he managed strategy and grabbed his first career NASCAR victory at Kansas Speedway in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250. Hendrick, the son of championship Cup Series car and Truck Series truck owner Rick Hendrick, entered today’s race with only 17 starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, but he proved himself as a contender for race victories and excellent finishes as the checkered flag waved. His consistency turned out to be the key for his victory as he maintained his spot in the Top 5 throughout the 250-mile event and saved his equipment while drivers dropped out of the race with mechanical problems. Overall, today’s race proved to be a battle of attrition and strategy as the NCTS battled for the inaugural victory at Kansas with the running order changing each lap that clicked by. Dennis Setzer started on the pole and the North Carolina driver held onto the top spot through two cautions within 20 laps of the start. However, after the green flag waved following the second caution, Setzer couldn’t hold off Jack Sprague as the two-time NCTS champion grabbed the lead on lap 21. Just as Sprague moved into the lead, the third caution waved for a Jon Wood spin. The race restarted quickly after the on-track spin and Sprague began to drive away from the field as he set a torrid pace. As he pitted on lap 56 with his teammate, Hendrick, only a handful of race trucks remained on the lead lap. The round of stops began to cycle through, but the unknowns surrounding tires and fuel caused several teams to make strategy calls. Brendan Gaughan stayed out 14 laps longer than the leaders and when he pitted, Wood inherited the lead after he stopped following his lap 22 spin. Wood staying on track kept only four cars on the lead lap just as the fourth caution waved on lap 76 for Gaughan’s spin in turn 2. Thanks to a mixed bag of green flag strategy, the entire running order was shuffled as the yellow flag waved. Plus, even more pit stops occurred during the caution. The four lead lap drivers pitted for fuel only and positions five through eight stayed on track, which prepared them to restart in front of the leaders at the back of the lead lap. Meanwhile, Sprague, Musgrave, and Hendrick pitted a second time for various issues, but they maintained their respective spots for the restart. When the green flag waved on lap 82, the entire field felt chaotic as lead lap drivers battled with lapped cars and four drivers restarted in front of the leaders. Before a massive wreck eliminated some contenders in the field, the fifth and final caution waved on lap 83 to line-up the field with all the lead lap drivers starting in order. Again, more strategy affected the running order. Wood, Setzer, Travis Kvapil, Billy Bigley, and Matt Crafton pitted for tires and fuel while Sprague, Musgrave, and Hendrick stayed on track to take the Top 3 spots, respectively. Sprague held the lead on the final restart of the race as chaos erupted behind him. Kvapil and Crafton ended up making contact, which damaged their cars and brought them down pit road for unscheduled stops. Despite the contact, the green flag remained out and Sprague drove away from the field as the final stops of the race neared with 50 laps to go. Sprague began the charge to pit road early on lap 129 and he returned to the track. Seven laps later, Hendrick brought his Chevrolet down pit road from the lead for his final stop. Just after Hendrick’s team completed his stop, Sprague’s truck began to smoke on track and his engine blew up. This meant his teammate would inherit the lead after the cycle of stops and set his sights on winning his first race, if he stayed consistent in the final laps and stayed in front of his fellow lead lap competitors. The rest of the lead lap drivers completed their green flag pit stops and Hendrick grabbed the lead on lap 144. From there, the North Carolina driver and son of Rick Hendrick maintained his advantage over the pack and he grabbed a thrilling first victory after a hard-fought battle in the 250-mile race. The race truly wasn’t easy for the entire field as strategy, mechanical problems, scorching temperatures, and a new track proved to be challenging for the 36-truck field. As these 5 stages of analysis display, the win came down to Ricky Hendrick’s ability to outlast the intense challenges of the day and the young driver grabbed a memorable win in the inaugural NCTS race at Kansas Speedway.  

Stage 1:
Clutch Closer: Hendrick Cruises to Victory Lane after Leading Last 24 Laps at Kansas

        Ricky Hendrick is in the middle of his first full season in one of NASCAR’s Top 3 series, but the young North Carolina driver has been consistent all year. In the first 11 races of the NCTS season entering today’s event, Hendrick grabbed five Top 5’s, ten Top 10’s, and a season best finish of second at Daytona in the season opener. His only finish outside of the Top 10 coming into Kansas, a 34th at Darlington, came after a mechanical problem that was no fault of his own. Thanks to his promising start to the season, Ricky came into today’s event fifth in the points and he was leading the Rookie of the Year standings in the series. Despite all the early success for the driver and team, the young North Carolina driver came to the brand-new Kansas Speedway with increased motivation to win his first NASCAR race and put his name in the record book as the first NCTS winner at the 1.5-mile track. Hendrick started the race in second, but he dropped to fifth on the first lap. Fortunately for the young driver, the first caution waved on lap 1 and he would have an opportunity to rebound from his poor start. When the green flag waved to restart the event, Hendrick worked his way back towards the front. By lap 11 when the second caution waved, he found himself in third position with Dennis Setzer and Jack Sprague in front of him. Again, the race restarted and Hendrick maintained his spot in third until the third caution waved on lap 22. On the subsequent restart, he lost a position and rode in fourth as the first long run of the race began to take shape following three quick cautions on the start. Hendrick managed to gain two positions from Setzer and Ted Musgrave in the first 15 laps of the run and by lap 50, the North Carolina driver sat in second spot with his teammate, Sprague, leading the field. On lap 56, Hendrick and his teammate pitted for four tires and fuel as the first round of green flag pit stops began for the field. Teams used a variety of strategies during the pit stops and several drivers stayed on track for much longer than the leaders. On lap 76, the pit stops were cut short by Brendan Gaughan’s turn 2 crash, which brought out the fourth caution. Only four drivers found themselves on the lead lap as the caution waved. Jon Wood led the pack after he stayed out during the set of green flag pit stops with his Ford while Hendrick prepared to pit from the fourth position during the fourth caution. However, he experienced his first minor issue of the day. He pitted twice during the caution because he was feeling the effects of the extremely hot temperatures. His team gave him a bottle of water and he returned to the track with a fast Chevrolet capable of competing despite his struggles. Fortunately, due to the low amount of trucks on the lead lap, he remained in fourth for the restart after his second stop. When the race restarted, Hendrick managed to maintain his position as the fifth and final caution waved just a lap after the lap 82 restart. Again, more strategy caused the running order to change during the pit stops. Five of the eight lead lap drivers pitted for two tires and fuel while Hendrick and the two others stayed on track. For the restart, Hendrick lined up third for the final run to the checkered flag. The green flag waved for the final time and fresher tires began to battle older tires. Travis Kvapil, on fresh tires, moved to Hendrick’s outside on the restart heading into turn 3 as Wood moved to the inside. Hendrick ended up staying in front of Kvapil, but he lost a position to Wood. However, his truck remained clean and he was prepared to run fast on the final run. Much like he did earlier in the race after the third caution, Hendrick moved into second about 20 laps into the run and began to work on passing his teammate for his first win. On lap 129, he moved into the lead as Sprague pitted earlier than most people expected. On lap 136, Hendrick came down pit road for his final scheduled stop. He returned to the track after the stop with an increased desire to contend for the win and visit victory lane for the first time. Just two laps after Hendrick’s stop, Sprague’s motor expired and ended his chance at winning after a dominating race. Thanks to his teammate’s misfortunes, Hendrick prepared to inherit the lead after the green flag pit stops and pursue his first career win. The rest of the lead lap drivers moved to pit road between laps 141 and 143, which gave Hendrick the race lead with a huge advantage. The future star maintained his advantage in the final 24 laps to perfection as he executed through every single turn. Finally, the checkered flag waved to complete lap 167 and Hendrick took his first career NASCAR win with a nearly three second advantage. The entire team was clutch in the final run of the race and Ricky Hendrick earned his first NCTS win in thrilling fashion in the inaugural Kansas Speedway race.

Stage 2:
Comeback of the Race: Wood Overcomes Early Spin to Finish in the Top 5

        Since NASCAR’s founding in the late 1940s, one family-owned organization has been a fixture in the sport: the Wood brothers. Glen and Leonard Wood, two brothers from Stuart, Virginia, began racing on their local dirt tracks around 1950 with Glen driving and Leonard tinkering with the racecars. Just a few years after they began racing on local dirt tracks, the two brothers ran several NASCAR Grand National Series, known as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series today, races with Glen taking four career checkered flags in only 62 total starts. After Glen stopped driving, the Wood brothers began fielding cars for some of the sport’s greatest drivers to win races and championships. As of today, the Wood Brothers Racing team has won 98 races with their most recent victory coming earlier this year at Bristol with Elliott Sadler. In the past 20 years, Glen and Leonard have become less involved in the day to day operations as Glen’s two sons, Eddie and Len, have transitioned into key ownership roles. Now, a third-generation member of the Wood family has started to make his own name in the sport: Jon Wood. Jon, who is the son of Eddie Wood, is only 19 years old, but the young driver had already made three starts in the NCTS prior to today’s race and he entered Kansas with his opportunity to make a third start for Jack Roush, another famous owner in NASCAR. While Jon had yet to finish in the Top 10 prior to today’s event, the Virginia driver came into the 250-mile battle with a desire to finish well and continue his goal of becoming a star in NASCAR. Jon started in the fifth position with veterans and rookies all around him. Throughout the first 20 laps of the race, Wood remained in the Top 10 through restarts and caution flags. When the race restarted on lap 21 after the second caution, he found himself in eighth with hopes of moving back into fifth where he started. Wood began to maneuver his way through the lapped drivers as he battled for spots in the Top 10 just after the restart. However, on lap 22, the Virginia driver’s promising run took an unfortunate step backwards. As he attempted to pass Jason Small entering turn 1, Wood moved up the race track and slid into the top groove. The lack of rubber and grip on the outside caused the young driver to break loose on track. He spun towards the inside of the 1.5-mile speedway as his fellow competitors made evasive moves to avoid damage. Fortunately for Wood and the field, his #50 Ford slid to the apron of the track without contact. He refired his Ford engine and he drove away from the scene towards pit road. Despite avoiding damage, Wood needed to pit for fresh tires and he would lose all his track position. However, if the strategy game worked out in his favor, he could stay out longer than the rest of the field and catch a lucky caution to regain his track position. He restarted in 28th position, but he had a much faster truck than most of the drivers in front of him and fresh tires to advance through the pack. As the laps clicked by through the long run, Wood continued to gain spots and rebound from the mistake as green flag pit stops loomed for the leaders. As stops occurred from lap 56 to 70, he remained on track and inherited the lead on lap 71 as Brendan Gaughan pitted from the lead. With his own green flag stop coming soon, Wood maintained the lead for a couple of laps, hoping for a caution. Fortunately for his team, the fourth caution waved on lap 76 and the strategy had worked out perfectly for Wood to remain at the front. Plus, with only four drivers on the lead lap and only a few more able to restart in front of the leaders, the Virginia driver was poised to battle for his first Top 10. During the caution, he came down pit road for fresh tires and returned to the race as the leader with three lead lap drivers behind him. In front of him, four trucks had stayed on track and were at the tail end of the lead lap, hoping for a caution themselves. The green flag waved and Wood maintained his spot in the lead as he avoided incidents with the drivers all around him. Thankfully, the fifth and final caution waved a lap after the restart and the field was properly lined up with Wood out front. However, instead of staying out during the caution, Wood came down pit road with four of the now eight lead lap drivers for two tires and fuel. The strategy move left him in fourth for the subsequent restart as the first driver who pitted for fresh tires. When the green flag waved for the final time, Wood immediately began to battle with Hendrick for third position. As they entered turn 3 nose to tail, Travis Kvapil shot to the outside and tried to pass both trucks. The move caused Hendrick to slide off the bottom and Wood powered to the inside as he grabbed third position. Contact between Kvapil and Matt Crafton erupted behind him, but he drove away as he tried to continue his charge to the lead. Unfortunately for Wood, Hendrick regained the third spot a few laps later and forced the Virginia driver into fourth position. However, Wood maintained his consistency and as the laps clicked by towards the checkered flag, the young driver slid into third position. By lap 129, more green flag pit stops began and Wood’s team prepared him for his final stop as they desired a Top 5 finish. On lap 137, Wood pitted from the lead and his team executed a decent stop. As the stops cycled through for the six lead lap drivers, Wood had slipped to fourth after quick stops from Ted Musgrave and Dennis Setzer’s teams. For the last 24 laps of the event, the third-generation member of the Wood family remained in the fourth position and when the checkered flag waved, his Roush Racing Ford truck crossed the line with a brilliant fourth place finish. After spinning early and restarting 28th, Jon Wood and his team utilized the strategy game as well as a fast Ford truck to engineer an incredible comeback for the 19-year-old and grab a career-best finish for the Virginia driver.

Stage 3:
Underdog of the Race: Bigley Delivers First Top 5 Finish of the Season at Kansas

        For most casual NASCAR fans, Billy Bigley is a virtual unknown competing full-time in the NCTS. However, to fans of regional NASCAR racing, Bigley is a champion and race winner. Last year, the Florida driver won four races in the former NASCAR Slim Jim All-Pro Series and grabbed the championship after an intense battle with Jeff Fultz and David Reutimann. Prior to winning the title, Bigley was a regular in the series with seven victories prior to the 2000 season. His success in the regional tour captured the attention of Wayne Spears, who is a very recognizable car and truck owner across NASCAR. Spears is notable for discovering Kevin Harvick, who has been overachieving in his attempt to help Richard Childress Racing heal from the tragic loss of Dale Earnhardt, and winning three NASCAR Winston West Series championships with Harvick and Bill Sedgwick. For 2001, Spears tapped Bigley to drive the #75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet full-time in the NCTS. Through the first 11 races of the season, the owner-driver combination resulted in four Top 10’s with their best finish coming last week at the Milwaukee Mile. Because of his seventh-place finish last week, Bigley came into Kansas Speedway with the goal of continuing to learn and grabbing an excellent finish as an unknown driver. He started the race in 17th, but the regional champion found himself in 15th after three cautions waved in the first 22 laps of the event. Following the restart after the third caution, the race entered a long run as Jack Sprague began to set a torrid pace as he lapped drivers. Bigley, though, moved up a few positions during the long run and he wasn’t in danger of going a lap down as he sat in ninth position on lap 51. When pit stops finally began on lap 56, several teams utilized different strategies due to the unknowns surrounding tires and fuel. Bigley came down pit road on lap 58 and his team gave him two fresh left-side tires as well as two cans of fuel. He returned to the race after his pit stop with other drivers pitting in the next few laps. By lap 76, only Jon Wood remained on the track just as the fourth caution of the race waved. Because of the timing of the caution, only four drivers remained on the lead lap including Wood, Sprague, Ted Musgrave, and Hendrick. Bigley sat in eighth position only one lap down to the leaders. To make their way onto the lead lap, Bigley and his team decided to stay on track during the caution. This move put the #75 in front of the leaders for the restart, but he would have to stay in front of the leaders and hope for a caution to stay on the lead lap. Fortunately for Bigley and the three other drivers utilizing the strategy, the caution flag waved a lap after the restart and all four drivers remained on the lead lap with the opportunity to grab excellent finishes. As Sprague, Musgrave, and Hendrick stayed on track, Bigley came down pit road with Dennis Setzer, Travis Kvapil, Matt Crafton, and Wood for two tires and fuel. The race restarted after the fifth and final caution with the Florida driver sitting in eighth as the last driver on the lead lap. When the green flag waved, the Top 8 competitors battled hard for positions. As the leaders drove into turn 4, Kvapil tried to pass Hendrick for third in a three-wide battle, but he made slight contact with Carlos Contreras. Kvapil began to drop back through the trioval and he ended up in a three-wide situation with Crafton in the middle and Bigley on the bottom. The two drivers on the outside of the three-wide battle made contact, which damaged their race trucks. Bigley narrowly avoided contact and he slid into sixth position as the two damaged drivers ended up coming to pit road. As the run progressed, Bigley remained smooth and maintained his spot in sixth as the final truck on the lead lap just as the final pit stops of the race loomed. Sprague made the first move on lap 129, but his race ended just a few laps later due to an engine issue. Sprague’s misfortune helped Bigley as he moved into the Top 5 with a shot at his best career finish. On lap 136, Hendrick made his final pit stop and the rest of the lead lap drivers followed. Bigley stayed out longer than the rest of the leaders and he led two laps before making his stop on lap 143 for fuel only. The regional NASCAR champion returned his #75 to the track in fifth position with only one lead lap driver behind him. For the final 24 laps, he smoothly guided his Chevrolet around the 1.5-mile speedway and when the checkered flag waved, Bigley crossed the line in fifth for his best career NCTS finish in his 12th series start. Thanks to a fortunate strategy call and a fast Spears Manufacturing truck, Billy Bigley grabbed his first career Top 5 as an underdog driver in the NCTS.

Stage 4:
Driver of the Day: Sprague Leads 80 Laps, But More Bad Luck Ends His Shot at the Win

        Since the inception of the NCTS in 1995, Jack Sprague has been one of the most successful drivers in series history. In his six full-time seasons prior to 2001, the Michigan driver won 19 races and captured two championships. This season, Sprague added another win at Texas to bring his career win total to 20 events with the goal of adding another championship. However, in the two most recent events for the NCTS, bad luck prevented Sprague from heading to victory lane. At Memphis, Sprague led 90 of the 200 laps after starting on the pole, but issues with his truck saddled him with a 23rd place finish despite an excellent run. Last week at the Milwaukee Mile, he grabbed the pole for the second consecutive race and led 167 of the first 170 laps, but Ted Musgrave passed him on the final restart to take the win. For the second week in a row, Sprague was left winless despite a race dominating truck. Yet, the two-time champion came into Kansas today with motivation to be the first winner of the NCTS race at the new speedway. Sprague started in third, but the veteran driver quickly passed his teammate, Ricky Hendrick, to move into second place as the first caution waved on lap 1. When the race quickly restarted, he attempted to pass Dennis Setzer for the lead, but the second caution waved on lap 11 and ended his advance to the lead. However, after the wreck was cleaned up and the green flag waved for the third time, Sprague moved underneath Setzer exiting turn 4 to lead lap 21 and take the outright lead. Just as he looked to drive away, the third caution waved with the #24 Chevrolet in front of the field. For the third race in a row, Sprague looked to dominate, but he hoped his domination would lead to a second victory on the season. When the green flag waved after the third caution, the race entered a long green flag run with Sprague setting a torrid pace at the front of the field. He lapped most of the field as green flag pit stops neared for the pack of drivers. On lap 56, Sprague began the cycle of stops as he pitted from the lead. His team gave him four fresh tires and fuel as he returned to the track. The rest of the field quickly followed in the next twenty laps and on lap 75, Sprague was sitting in second with only Jon Wood left to pit before he inherited the lead. However, the fourth caution of the event waved on lap 76 with Sprague still in second and Wood leading after a fortunate strategy call. During the caution, the four lead lap drivers came down pit road and Sprague experienced his first potential problem of the day. He came down pit road a second time under the caution and reported to his team that the engine had been shutting off randomly during the previous run. His team investigated a possible ignition issue, but they didn’t see a problem and returned their driver to the track. Fortunately, the other lead lap drivers except for Wood pitted and Sprague remained in second for the restart. The green flag waved again and the leaders had to be cautious because four drivers at the tail end of the lead lap started in front of them since they didn’t pit. Thankfully, the fifth and final caution of the race waved after only one green flag lap and the leaders avoided potential issues with the mass of traffic in front of them. During the caution, Wood and several other drivers came down pit road for their penultimate pit stops of the race while Sprague remained on track to inherit the lead. When the green flag waved for the final time in the event, the Michigan driver powered away from the pack as they raced for positions. About 30 laps into the final run, teams began to discuss and prepare for the final stops of the day as only six trucks remained on the lead lap thanks to Sprague’s torrid pace during the middle portion of the event. On lap 129, the leader started the round of green flag pit stops, but the stop came earlier than most teams expected. Sprague’s crew changed all four tires and added fuel before returning him to the race track. However, just prior to the stop, Sprague reported to his team that the engine appeared to be running on only seven cylinders. Plus, the extremely hot temperatures in Kansas continued to vapor lock the engine and cause it to shut off randomly liked it did during the middle of the race. Nonetheless, the #24 Chevrolet continued to run full-throttle around the speedway a few laps after the pit stop as the Hendrick Motorsports team looked to grab their second victory of 2001. Sprague’s bad luck was just beginning to resurface, though. On lap 137, just eight laps after his pit stop, Sprague shot to the apron of the track in turn 4 with smoke pouring out of his race truck. He coasted all the way around the 1.5-mile track on the apron with smoke continuing to billow out the back as the field passed him at full speed. Sprague finally made it to his pit stall and his crew investigated the issue, but they immediately determined that the engine problem was terminal and their race was over. The #24 team pushed their truck to the garage and Sprague climbed out disappointed after another strong run ended without a visit to victory lane. When the checkered flag waved, the two-time NCTS champion was scored in 23rd position after leading 80 of the 136 laps he completed. Overall, the finish proved to be disappointing for the entire team after bad luck dismantled their nearly perfect run, but Sprague continued to prove his ability to dominate and be a championship contender.

Stage 5:
Memorable Moment: NASCAR’s First National Race at Kansas Proves to be Challenging for the Entire Field

        When a Top 3 NASCAR series visits a track for the first time, the race automatically becomes a memorable moment for the history of the speedway and the entire sport. Today’s inaugural race at Kansas Speedway turned out to be memorable for the entire field due to the challenges of competing on the brand-new 1.5-mile oval. From the start, rookies, veterans, and NCTS regulars faced trials and struggles as they tried to master the high-speed and difficult Midwest track. In fact, most of the 36-driver field experienced some challenge or problem throughout the event thanks to the tricky layout, the extreme heat, and the unknowns heading into the speedway. On lap 1, Jason Small broke loose and caused the first caution of the event after only a single circuit. The California driver ended up being involved in another spin just 20 laps later and he brought his Chevrolet home in 29th after a tough day. During the first caution of the day, Willy T. Ribbs came to pit road in his Dodge with a reported throttle sticking issue. The Trans-Am racing standout ended up behind the wall for a few laps before he returned to the speedway. Later in the event, he spun through the grass and continued without a caution or damage to his race truck. He ended the day with an impressive 15th place finish despite his difficulties. On lap 11, Brian Sockwell and Trent Owens made contact as the two drivers attempted to master turn 2 of the speedway in their first attempts at the new track. The two drivers ended up in the outside wall with race ending damage after they completed only 10 laps. Owens, the nephew of Richard Petty, ended up in 34th position while Sockwell came home in 33rd spot. On lap 22, Jon Wood spun as he tried to pass Small on the outside in turn 1 after a restart. Fortunately, Wood didn’t hit the wall and he rebounded to a fourth-place finish after managing the strategy calls throughout the remainder of the event. On lap 45, Terry Cook came to pit road and he immediately drove his Ford to the garage. He reported to his team that the engine was shutting off on track due to a potential carburetor issue. His team repaired his truck, but he lost several laps and ended up finishing in 20th. Just a few laps later, Joe Ruttman, the points leader heading into the event, reported to his team that his Dodge powerplant was having an electrical issue. He slowed dramatically and ended up losing a lap on track. Eventually, after a battery replacement in the middle of the event, his alternator quit working and he retired from the event, which resulted in a 24th place finish and a loss of the points. On lap 76, Brendan Gaughan, who had just led several laps during the round of green flag pit stops, broke loose exiting turn 2 and slammed the inside wall hard with his Dodge truck. The huge damage to his race truck ended his race early and he finished in a dismal 26th after losing control in the tough corner. During the caution, three more drivers experienced problems. Jack Sprague pitted twice during the yellow flag period and reported to his team that his Chevrolet was experiencing an ignition issue. The team worked on the problem and it seemed to fix itself as Sprague returned to the lead, but his engine expired on lap 138 and he ended up finishing 23rd after a dominating performance. Ted Musgrave pitted twice with a possible electrical issue on his Dodge truck, but the issue seemed to disappear after the pit stop and he finished in second place. Ricky Hendrick reported to his team that he was experiencing some heat exhaustion in his truck due to the high temperatures at Kansas, but some cold water reignited his drive and he ended up heading to victory lane. On the subsequent restart after Gaughan’s crash, Randy Briggs broke loose in turn 4 and slammed into the outside wall with his Ford truck, which ended his race early and he finished in 18th after losing a couple of laps. Finally, Matt Crafton and Travis Kvapil completed the trouble for the entire field on the track. As the two drivers drove through the trioval just after the restart following Briggs’ crash, they made contact in a three-wide situation at the start/finish line. The contact forced them to pit road in a few laps, which cost them track position and time. Later, Crafton had an engine problem and finished 22nd after the contact and mechanical failure. Kvapil rebounded from the damage and finished sixth as the last driver on the lead lap. When the checkered flag waved in Kansas after 167 laps, only 21 of the 36 starters were still running while only six drivers remained on the lead lap thanks to mixed strategy calls and problems for the usual front runners. Overall, today’s race was memorable just because of Ricky Hendrick’s first win and the first visit for one of NASCAR’s Top 3 series to Kansas, but the challenges of the track and the struggles for the entire field will make the inaugural event memorable for years to come.

        After 167 laps of high-speed racing around the brand-new Kansas Speedway, the NCTS heads to another similar track in terms of age and layout: Kentucky Speedway. Last year, Kentucky Speedway opened and fans in the Bluegrass State were thrilled by the NCTS for 150 laps on a Saturday night. Despite intermittent rain showers throughout the evening leading up to the race and several cautions during the event, the fans were shown some awesome racing as Greg Biffle grabbed one of his five checkered flags in his championship winning season in the NCTS. Next week, though, the entire field will be focused on the present and the future as the season enters the second half. With only 12 events remaining on the 2001 schedule, drivers and teams have only a few opportunities to win races, earn points toward the championship, and learn the challenges of competing at one of NASCAR’s highest levels. Plus, most of the drivers who competed in last year’s Kroger 225 will not be in the field next week, which means many inexperienced competitors will be forced to manage the difficulties associated with the high speeds around Kentucky Speedway. Finally, even though strategy didn’t play a key role in last year’s race due to the high frequency of cautions, this year’s event could prove to be a strategy battle as teams try to stretch their tires and fuel if possible in the later stages of the 225-mile race. In addition to the potential strategy decisions and inexperience for the field at Kentucky Speedway, several drivers have storylines surrounding them as they prepare to compete at the 1.5-mile track. Jack Sprague finished second in the inaugural event last year at Kentucky and the perennial championship contender will be motivated to avenge his disappointing finish today in Kansas after a dominating performance. In addition to the NCTS race last season at Kentucky, the NASCAR Slim Jim All-Pro Series, which is now sponsored by Gatorade, competed at the track with Billy Bigley grabbing the checkered flag during his championship winning campaign. Thanks to his experience in the Bluegrass State, the Florida driver will be poised to continue his momentum from his fifth-place finish today with another excellent run at a familiar race track. Ricky Hendrick might be fresh off his first win after a fantastic conclusion to today’s race in Kansas, but the young star will be a contender for back to back wins next week as he looks to continue his climb up the racing ladder. Finally, Scott Riggs grabbed the points lead from Joe Ruttman after Ruttman struggled with engine issues throughout today’s race and did not finish. With his new points advantage, Riggs will look to increase the points gap over his fellow competitors, but he has many potential challengers looming with 12 races still to go. Today’s race featured a first-time winner in Ricky Hendrick, struggles and difficulties for the entire NCTS field, record breaking ambient and track temperatures, an inaugural race at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway, a change at the top of the points standings, and 250 miles of high-speed action in the Midwest.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 1- Jason Small broke loose in turn 4 and spun up the race track, but drove away without damage after missing the outside wall. 

2nd Caution: Lap 11- Brian Sockwell broke loose in turn 2 and made slight contact with Trent Owens. The two drivers slid up the track and slammed into the outside wall, which ended their races.

3rd Caution: Lap 22- Jon Wood broke loose entering turn 1 as he tried to pass Jason Small on the outside. Wood spun down the race track towards the apron, but the rest of the field avoided him and he continued without damage. 

4th Caution: Lap 76- Brendan Gaughan broke loose exiting turn 2 on fresh tires. He spun down the race track and through the backstretch grass before he slammed into the inside wall with the left front of his racecar, which ended his promising day.

5th Caution: Lap 83- Randy Briggs broke loose in turn 4 and spun up the race track, which caused him to slam into the outside wall with his left front.

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Ricky Hendrick
2nd: Ted Musgrave
3rd: Dennis Setzer
4th: Jon Wood
5th: Billy Bigley

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Travis Kvapil
7th: Scott Riggs
8th: Rick Crawford
15th: Willy T. Ribbs
20th: Terry Cook
22nd: Matt Crafton
23rd: Jack Sprague
24th: Joe Ruttman
26th: Brendan Gaughan
32nd: Morgan Shepherd




Credits:
-My Own Notes:
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/2001_O'Reilly_Auto_Parts_250/C
-Information:
http://www.jayski.com/trib/hendrick-tragedy.htm
-Image:
http://heritage.hendrickmotorsports.com/moments/363
-Full Race:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCK3jNAmK64

Flashback Friday 5 Stages of Analysis: Labonte Takes the Lead from Earnhardt Jr. Late to Grab His First Win of the Season

        After a hard-fought battle with Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the lead in the final five laps of today’s race, Bobby Labonte managed to take the top spot and grab his first win of the 2001 season in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series at Pocono. In the end, Labonte only led four laps in the event thanks to the typical strategy shake-up and late race craziness that happens at the track known as the Tricky Triangle. The race began with Todd Bodine on the pole for the second time in three races, but the race quickly became dominated by a three-time NWCS champion: Jeff Gordon. Gordon took the lead on lap 11 from Ricky Rudd and from there, he controlled the entire event. He led through the first round of green flag pit stops on lap 34 and when Rudd beat him off pit road following the second caution on lap 69, Gordon grabbed the lead back on the restart. He led through another set of green flag pit stops just past halfway and when his crew chief, Robbie Loomis, decided to short pit around lap 133, Gordon managed to catch a lucky break with a caution on lap 143 as he stayed out to inherit the lead. Yet, the complexion of the race quickly began to change with 50 laps to go. Two quick cautions waved on lap 150 and lap 158, both of which involved Dale Jarrett, and pit strategy began to take a greater hold on the race. Following the caution on lap 158, most of the field could make it to the end of the race on fuel if they saved enough, which prompted the entire pack to come down pit road. While almost every driver decided to take fuel only, Gordon and his team took four tires and he came out of the pits in 23rd. For the first time all race, several drivers found themselves at the front of the pack. Johnny Benson stayed on track to take the lead while Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the race off pit road and restarted second. Earnhardt Jr. and Benson battled hard for the lead on the subsequent run and on lap 169, last year’s NWCS Rookie of the Year took the lead. The sixth caution waved on lap 170 for a problem with Kurt Busch and the caution laps allowed the field to save more fuel. When the race restarted for what would be the final time, Earnhardt Jr. ran away from the field and with five laps to go, it looked like the young driver would be heading to victory lane for the second time in 2001. However, Bobby Labonte was gaining on the son of the late Dale Earnhardt. Labonte managed to get within a few car lengths of Earnhardt Jr. and with two laps to go, he made an aggressive move to the outside heading into turn 2 and last year’s NWCS champion took the lead. From there, Labonte drove to the checkered flag to take his first win in his championship defending season. While there were concerns about fuel for drivers late in the race, the battle for the win came down to a competitive fight between two of NASCAR’s best drivers. As these five stages of analysis prove, Pocono Raceway can mix strategy and competitive racing to make a 500-mile race completely unpredictable.

Stage 1:
Clutch Closer: Labonte Goes from Fourth to First on the Final Run to Win at Pocono

        Bobby Labonte might be last year’s NWCS champion, but his 2001 season has been a struggle to prove that he is a consistent championship contender. Through the first 19 races of this year, Labonte had yet to visit victory lane and he only had four Top 5’s. Plus, he came into today’s event sitting ninth in the points with little chance to repeat as champion, Yet, the two-time winner at Pocono came into today’s event at the Tricky Triangle with motivation to return to victory lane and gain some momentum heading towards the end of the season. Labonte started the race in eleventh, but he began to drop back because his car wasn’t handling due to his brake bias settings in the opening run. However, Labonte adjusted his brake bias and he was sitting just outside the Top 10 when green flag pit stops began around lap 34. His stop went smoothly and he returned to the track around the same spot. Through the next 60 laps, Labonte gained a few positions and he was sitting just outside the Top 5 when the race passed the halfway mark. Following a second round of green flag pit stops on lap 105, the Texas driver found himself in fifth place with a shot to grab the lead. He maintained his position there until the third caution waved on lap 143. Labonte came down pit road and his stop went smoothly, but he lost a couple of positions because Jeff Gordon and Bill Elliott stayed on track. On the restart, he was unable to gain any positions due to lapped cars surrounding the lead lap drivers. Two quick cautions followed and the caution on lap 158 opened the window for drivers to make it to the end of the race on fuel. Labonte came down pit road with the rest of the field and he took fuel only, which brought him out of the pits in fifth place. On the penultimate restart of the race, Labonte gained a spot from Elliott and when the sixth caution waved on lap 170, he was sitting in fourth place with a shot at the victory. When the race went green for the final time, the reigning NWCS champion began his charge to the front. Labonte shot past his teammate, Tony Stewart, on the restart to take third place and just a couple of laps later, he drove past Johnny Benson to take the second spot. With about twenty laps to go, he began to chase down Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was leading the race. Lap after lap, Labonte began to close on one of NASCAR’s rising stars. With five laps to go, he managed to make it Earnhardt Jr.’s back bumper and the two began to race hard for the lead. However, Labonte seemed unable to make a move for the lead. Finally, he moved to Earnhardt Jr.’s outside heading through turn 3 and he managed to lead lap 198. However, he couldn’t maintain the lead and the two drivers drove into turn 1 with Labonte falling back into second place. Yet, he continued pressuring the leader and he drove into turn 2 on the outside of Earnhardt Jr. with enough power to take the lead with two laps to go. From there, last year’s Cup champion maneuvered through the final lap to take a hard-fought win. In the final run of the race, Labonte ended up moving from fourth to first to take a clutch victory in the closing laps at the Tricky Triangle.

Stage 2:
Move of the Race: Benson Stays Out Late and Saves Enough Fuel to Finish Fifth

        Johnny Benson has become a very successful NASCAR driver since he ran his first season in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series in 1994. Benson grabbed the 1995 championship in the NBGNS and since then, he has been a full-time driver in the NWCS. However, there have been problems and struggles along the way. After a tumultuous year in 1999, Benson lost his ride at Roush Racing and he was signed just before the 2000 Daytona 500 by Tyler Jet Motorsports, which was owned by Tim Beverley. However, the team’s car was unsponsored before the race weekend and the team needed to make the event. Benson made the race and Lycos came on as a sponsor just before the race. With a plain white car and simple Lycos logos for the 500, the Michigan driver almost won the Great American Race and his success in the event led to a sponsorship deal with Lycos. However, Beverley sold the team in the middle of the season to Nelson Bowers and his MB2 Motorsports organization. The team finished out 2000 with consistency and Benson returned as the driver to start this season with Valvoline as a sponsor. Coming into today’s race, the team was sitting tenth in points with several strong runs throughout the year. Benson started today’s race in the ninth position and the team was hopeful to grab its first win with the Michigan driver behind the wheel. However, the team’s Pontiac wasn’t handling well and he began to drop back in the early runs of the race. Plus, Benson was not getting good fuel mileage and on the three rounds of green flag pit stops in the race, he was the first driver to come down pit road. When he pitted for his third green flag pit stop around lap 137, he was sitting in the 21st spot with only sixty laps to advance to the front. To try and gain some track position, his team began to employ some important strategy moves. When the third caution waved on lap 143, Benson came back down pit road to add some more fuel to his Pontiac. Just a few laps later, when the fourth caution waved on lap 150, James Ince, Benson’s crew chief, brought him down pit road for more fuel with hopes of more cautions. The fifth caution waved on lap 158 and the team was presented with the strategy break they needed. Benson stayed out and inherited the lead, but he would need some more caution laps to make it 45 laps without running out of fuel. On the restart, he held onto the lead until Dale Earnhardt Jr. began to battle him for it on lap 167. Earnhardt Jr. took the lead from Benson on lap 169 in turn 2, but a caution waved on the next lap. The caution laps allowed Benson to save some fuel and remain in second place with hopes of stealing an excellent finish. When the race restarted, he managed to maintain his spot in the Top 5, but he was overtaken by Bobby Labonte with twenty laps to go in the race and Tony Stewart with fifteen laps to go. Yet, Benson held onto the fourth position as the laps clicked by. Finally, he took the white flag in fourth, but Bill Elliott was right behind him. The two battled for the position on the last lap and in a photo finish, Elliott beat Benson to the line to take the fourth spot. However, a fifth-place finish was not disappointing for the 1995 NBGNS champion after he lasted 45 laps on fuel to make it to the checkered flag. After fighting for track position all day, a bold strategy move by Benson and his team gave MB2 Motorsports a Top 5 finish at Pocono Raceway. 

Stage 3:
Driver of the Day: Gordon Leads 121 Laps, But Misses Strategy Call and Struggles to Top 10 Finish

        The 2001 NWCS season has been a year of redemption for Jeff Gordon. Gordon, who already has three championships in NASCAR’s highest series, struggled throughout last season. Even though he won three races last year, he only managed to lead 425 laps and he ended the year in ninth in the points standings. Yet, he didn’t let a tough year ruin his desire to be a championship caliber driver. In the nineteen events prior to today’s race at Pocono, Gordon had three victories and he had led over 1,400 laps. Plus, he came into today’s event tied for the points lead with a legitimate shot at winning the NWCS championship. Because of his strong season and his momentum, Gordon came into Pocono with a desire to add to his win total and grab the outright lead in the points. From the start, the Indiana raised driver was on a mission to make it to the front. He started eighth, but by lap 11, he was in the lead after passing Ricky Rudd on the straightaway between turns 1 and 2. From there, Gordon led through a set of green flag pit stops on lap 34 and he was leading when the second caution waved on lap 69. When the field pitted under the caution, Gordon lost the lead to Rudd in the race off pit road, but he wouldn’t stay in second long. On the restart, Gordon shot to the outside of Rudd exiting turn 1 and powered to the lead. He continued to hold the top spot as the race moved past halfway and through another round of green flag pit stops around lap 105. However, Gordon’s dominance began to change on lap 133. Throughout the day, his fuel pressure gauge had been filling with fuel and it was unreliable for knowing when his car was running low on gas. Because of that, Loomis decided to short pit on lap 133 while most of the field could stay out longer. Gordon returned to the race after his four tire stop and the rest of the field continued to stay on track. Fortunately for Gordon, the third caution waved on lap 143 and none of the other lead lap drivers had pitted. That allowed him to stay on track during the caution and he inherited the lead with Bill Elliott in second, who had also pitted before the caution. Yet, Gordon’s issues with strategy weren’t over. He held the lead on the restart, but another caution waved on lap 150. Again, he maintained his advantage on the field on the next restart, but the fifth caution waved on lap 158. The caution prompted pit stops for the field to make it to the end of the race and Loomis made the call to take four tires. However, the move was completely off strategy as the rest of the pack took fuel only. Because of that, Gordon came off pit road in 23rd with only 40 laps left. Still, he had a fast car and a desire to move to the front to grab another win. When the race restarted, Gordon was unable to gain many positions because being in traffic caused his car to be tight. As the laps began to click by, he gained a few spots, but he wasn’t close to returning to his dominance at the beginning of the event. With about five laps to go, Gordon managed to move into the Top 10, but when he took the checkered flag, he had only moved up to eighth after leading 121 of the 200 laps. While not winning today’s race after a dominating performance was disappointing for the entire team, Gordon managed to grab the outright points lead and continue his excellent year in the NWCS.

Stage 4:
Memorable Moment: Jarrett Crashes Twice and Lose Points Lead Thanks to Terrible Finish

        Coming into today’s race at Pocono, the points battle was surprisingly close 19 events into the year. At the top of the standings, Dale Jarrett and Jeff Gordon were both tied for the points lead while Jarrett’s teammate, Ricky Rudd, was sitting just 28 points back. Yet, the championship picture would completely change today for Jarrett thanks to the unpredictability of the Tricky Triangle. The 1999 NWCS champion started from the 37th spot after taking a provisional due to a problem on his qualifying run. Within a couple of laps, it looked like his starting spot deep in the field would hamper his ability to maintain his position at the top of the standings. As Elliott Sadler drove into turn 3 on lap 2, his car immediately slowed and Michael Waltrip bumped him. Sadler went spinning up the track right in front of the field, including Jarrett. Jarrett slammed on the brakes to avoid and Jerry Nadeau slammed into his back bumper. The two drivers were able to avoid Sadler’s spinning car and they continued. Jarrett came down pit road under the caution and his team repaired his slightly damaged rear bumper, but he returned to the back of the field with the threat of another incident to damage his championship hopes. Yet, this attempt at moving from the back to the front started much cleaner. He charged towards the front of the field and when the first round of green flag pit stops of the race began on lap 34, he was sitting in the 23rd spot. After the stops cycled through, Jarrett had worked his way up to 17th. From there, he moved his way towards the Top 10 and at the halfway point of the race, he was in eighth position. Through another round of green flag pit stops on lap 105, Jarrett’s team worked smoothly and he remained in the Top 10. Another set of green flag pit stops neared for the field, but the third caution waved on lap 143 and allowed the pack to pit under caution. Jarrett pitted for four tires and fuel and he came off pit road in the eighth spot, but he restarted tenth after two drivers stayed out in front of him. While he appeared to be in a safe position near the front, several drivers stayed out and restarted in front of the leaders on the tail end of the lead lap. Because of that, many drivers were surrounding Jarrett and he would need a clean restart to preserve his great run. When the race did go back green, he was in the middle of a tight pack with drivers passing and bumping all around him. As the field came off turn 3 on lap 149, Ward Burton got stacked up behind Stacy Compton and when he slowed down, his brother, Jeff, slammed into his rear bumper. The two drivers went spinning into the outside wall right in front of the entire field. Kevin Lepage and Jarrett attempted to slam on their brakes and avoid the two brothers, but they slammed into the frontstretch chaos. All four drivers continued to spin and crash as the rest of the field raced by to gain some positions. When the smoke had settled, each driver involved had a destroyed racecar and they would need to go to the garage. With Gordon leading the race, the trip to the garage meant Jarrett would lose a ton of points and his position at the top of the standings. However, his team quickly repaired his car and he only lost five laps when he returned to the track just in time for the restart, which would prevent him from losing more spots and points. Yet, the repairs were all for naught. When he drove into turn 3 with his modified racecar on the same lap as the restart, his right front tire blew out and he shot up the track. Jarrett slammed into the outside wall hard and added even more damage to his UPS Ford. He immediately went to the garage and his team retired the car after an excellent race moving from the back to the Top 10. Jarrett ended up finishing in 41st and he now sits 116 points out of the championship lead after a disappointing result. When the NWCS crowns a champion at Atlanta later this year, this race will be a memorable turning point in the season if Jarrett barely comes up short in winning his second title in NASCAR’s highest series.

Stage 5:
Terrible Luck: Burton Brothers Crash Hard Together After Excellent Runs

        Since 1994, Ward and Jeff Burton have been full-time competitors in the NWCS. The brothers from South Boston, Virginia, are two of the familiar faces in NASCAR racing today. While they are close off the track and race cleanly on the track, the nature of stock car racing makes avoiding contact impossible even for two drivers who are related like the Burtons. With 50 laps to go in today’s race, Ward and Jeff crossed paths on the race track and through no fault of their own, their fantastic runs turned into terrible finishes with wrecked racecars. To make it to the end of the race together, the two brothers had radically different races. Ward started the event in 34th, but as soon as the green flag waved, he began his charge towards the front of the field. The elder Burton was very methodical and quick as he passed drivers around him with a very fast Dodge. By lap 60, Ward was sitting in tenth with many laps left to chase down the leaders and contend for the win. Through the next 80 laps, he worked his way up to the sixth position and a couple of times, he found himself in the Top 5. When the third caution waved on lap 143, Ward and his crew chief, Tommy Baldwin Jr., decided to take four tires and fuel and he came off pit road in second. For the restart, he would line up fourth with a shot at the lead. Jeff, on the other hand, started the race in 18th and he spent most of the day battling in the Top 20 for positions, but it seemed like his Ford was lacking on speed. When lap 143 came around, his crew chief, Frank Stoddard, brought him down pit road just as the caution waved for Kyle Petty slowing on track. Instead of taking four tires and losing a lap, Jeff’s team only put on two fresh tires and sent him back on track to maintain his spot on the lead lap. When pit road opened during the caution, he came back down and the team replaced his other two tires and he would be prepared to restart in about 13th place. When the race went back green on lap 148, Ward began to drop back from fourth and Jeff began to move up from just outside the Top 10. As they drove through turn 3 just a lap later, they were riding on the outside line together. Suddenly, their fantastic runs in the Top 10 turned into destroyed racecars. Stacy Compton, who was several laps down, broke loose in front of Ward while exiting turn 3. Ward checked up, but Jeff was unable to slow down in time and he slammed into his brother’s rear bumper. The two drivers spun right in front of the field where Kevin Lepage and Dale Jarrett had nowhere to go. Lepage and Jarrett slammed into the pile-up and all four drivers were left with heavily damaged racecars. Both Burton brothers managed to drive back to pit road and their teams executed repairs on their racecars. While they did return to the track, Ward only mustered a 38th place finish while Jeff came home in 36th with a beat-up Ford Taurus. After a promising day where it looked like both Burton brothers would have great runs, the two drivers were struck with bad luck in an unfortunate accident that resulted in two finishes outside the Top 35. 

        After 200 laps of competitive racing in the Pocono mountains, the NWCS heads to one of the most famous speedways in the world: Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Next Sunday’s race will be the eighth running of the Brickyard 400 and race fans will pack the stands to see stock cars battle for the victory and the opportunity to kiss the yard of bricks on the front straightaway. To make it to victory lane, though, NASCAR’s finest will have to take on the challenges of the Brickyard. IMS has four distinct, high-speed corners and to go to victory lane, each team and driver needs a racecar that can handle through each difficult turn. Plus, IMS only has one groove for drivers to run through the turns and to move to the front, 43 NWCS competitors will have to be aggressive and race hard to take the checkered flag. Finally, strategy can become a factor late in the race due to the long green flag runs at the 2.5-mile speedway. In addition to the large amount of track storylines heading into next weekend’s race, several drivers have storylines following them into the hallowed grounds of IMS. Jeff Gordon might have come up short in Pocono today after dominating most of the event, but the three-time NWCS champion heads to his home track where he will look to win his third Brickyard 400 and continue his pursuit of a fourth title. Dale Jarrett was left with a terrible finish today and he is now third in the championship battle, but he won the Brickyard 400 two years ago and took the victory to his first NWCS championship, which could be a good omen if he takes his Robert Yates Racing Ford to victory lane at the Brickyard next Sunday. Bobby Labonte won both the Brickyard 400 and the NWCS title last year and he will head to Speedway, Indiana, next weekend to grab his second consecutive victory of the season along with his second straight Brickyard 400 win. Today’s race at Pocono was filled with incredible racing for position, late fuel concerns for most of the leaders, unlucky wrecks for drivers with excellent days, a runaway tire from Kurt Busch’s car, and a much-needed victory for the reigning NWCS champion.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 3- Michael Waltrip bumped Elliott Sadler in turn 3 as Sadler began to slow down on track. The contact sent Sadler spinning up the turn in front of the field. Buckshot Jones slammed into the left side of Sadler’s car as both drivers piled into the outside wall. 

2nd Caution: Lap 69- Oil was spotted on the track just as Terry Labonte ran out of fuel on track and pulled into the infield.

3nd Caution: Lap 143- Kyle Petty ran out of fuel and stopped on the race track.

4th Caution: Lap 150- Jeff Burton bumped his brother, Ward, after the two drivers stacked up behind Stacy Compton, who broke loose in front of them. Both Burtons spun in front of the field and Kevin Lepage and Dale Jarrett had nowhere to go and they slammed into the two spinning drivers, which destroyed the cars of all four drivers involved. 

5th Caution: Lap 158- Dale Jarrett, who had just returned to the track after his team repaired his damage from the previous caution, had a right front tire blow out in turn 3, which caused him to slam the outside wall hard and end his race. 

6th Caution: Lap 170- Kurt Busch made slight contact with the outside wall in turn 3 and his right front tire popped off his racecar. It rolled down the frontstretch and led to NASCAR throwing a caution to retrieve it.

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Bobby Labonte
2nd: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
3rd: Tony Stewart
4th: Bill Elliott
5th: Johnny Benson 

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Rusty Wallace
7th: Mark Martin
8th: Jeff Gordon
11th: Ricky Rudd
14th: Matt Kenseth
16th: Sterling Marlin
18th: Jeremy Mayfield
19th: Michael Waltrip
20th: Kevin Harvick
21st: Jason Leffler
26th: Elliott Sadler
31st: Kyle Petty
34th: Terry Labonte
36th: Jeff Burton
37th: Kurt Busch
41st: Dale Jarrett



Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/2001_Pennsylvania_500_Presented_by_Pep_Boys/W
-Image:
https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/photo/main-gallery/race-winner-bobby-1/
-Full Race:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouUwy2kelMQ