Flashback Friday: Stories and Statistics from Kevin Harvick’s Victory in the 2002 Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway

        On July 14, 2002, the stars of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series invaded Chicagoland Speedway for the second annual Tropicana 400 at the 1.5-mile track. 75,000 fans packed the Illinois grandstands and 43 drivers delivered a thrilling race. In the end, though, the battle for the win came down to some late strategy thanks to a beautiful accident. Going to complete lap 197, Kevin Harvick made an aggressive three-wide move onto the frontstretch apron underneath Kurt Busch and Dave Blaney as he tried to move into fourth spot. The apron caused Harvick to break loose and he barely saved his #29 Chevrolet before riding below the banking all the way into turn 1.

        After brilliant save attempts, the California driver ended up stopped in the turn 1 grass with all his track position gone and his tires flat spotted. It wasn’t all bad news for the reigning Rookie of the Year. He only dropped to 14th for the next restart and he had the freshest tires in the field and no damage to his RCR Chevrolet. Over the next run, he passed drivers on older tires and looked to be faster than the leaders. Laps were clicking away, though, and Ryan Newman had a sizeable lead with Harvick mired outside of the Top 5. Fortunately, Harvick caught a break with the seventh and final caution on lap 240. 

  Just about 15 seconds apart from each other, Newman and Joe Nemechek had tire issues in turn 1. While Newman kept his #12 Ford off the wall, Nemechek wasn’t so lucky as his #25 Chevrolet Monte Carlo grazed the outside wall in turn 1 and prompted the yellow flag. This allowed the teams that needed to stop do under yellow without the threat of green flag pit stop mistakes. On the other hand, Harvick, Jeff Gordon, and Robby Gordon stayed out with enough fuel to make it to the end. This put the #29 Chevrolet in the lead with just 20 laps to go and that was the break that the struggling Harvick needed. 

        For the last 20 green flag laps, he put distance between himself and Gordon to take the white flag comfortably with nearly a second lead. He crossed the finish line ahead of the #24 by eight tenths of a second to grab his first checkered flag of the season. It turned out he had just enough gas to finish the race as he ran out on the frontstretch in the middle of his burnout. The entire Richard Childress Racing #29 team happily went to victory lane and celebrated a much-needed boost to their season. In addition to Harvick’s win, the rest of the NWCS field featured a variety of stories and statistics. Some of those include Kevin Harvick’s 2002 struggles in the first 17 races, Ryan Newman’s large number of laps led at Chicagoland, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s missed opportunity at a win, Jeff Gordon’s continued long winless streak, the Burton brothers’ Chicagoland struggles, and a short recap of the races for all eight of the drivers carrying Muppets on their cars for 400 miles of racing.

        While the 2001 season could be considered a success for Kevin Harvick and the #29 team considering everything all RCR faced as an organization, the first 17 races of 2002 were far from good. Other than a third-place finish at Darlington and a tenth at Bristol, the California driver finished outside of the Top 20 in eleven races. Eight of those finishes occurred in a row from Race #7 of the season at Texas until Race #15 at Michigan. During that eight-race streak, Harvick even missed an event after he was suspended for the Cup race at Martinsville due to an incident in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at the half-mile track. Because of all the struggles, he was 30th in the points standings. Race #18 of the 36-race schedule at Chicagoland Speedway came as a possible turning point, though, as the young driver could claim to be the only Cup winner at the track when the series arrived at the Illinois track. 

        Despite a 32nd place starting spot, Harvick methodically moved through the field with his eyes on his best finish of the year. He finally made it to the Top 5 on the restart after the fifth caution on lap 192, but he promptly spun out just a couple of laps later. The aforementioned strategy shuffle allowed him to inherit the lead to steal his best finish of the season and capture a momentum shifting win. Interestingly, the win was his third career victory and it came just 364 days after his second one. On July 15, 2001, Harvick won the inaugural event at Chicagoland. His win made him the only winner two races into the track’s history.

        In the end, a flat tire on lap 240 cost Ryan Newman the win as he lost all his track position and didn’t have enough time to make it up on his four fresh tires. The Indiana Rookie of the Year contender fought back to fifth, but it wasn’t the points paying win he hoped for after his triumph in The Winston exhibition race just two months earlier. Yet, the hopeful NWCS star achieved some important feats in the race. Newman captured his third career pole and started his pursuit of the “Rocketman” nickname he has carried throughout his career. 

        Starting first allowed him to the lead the first 56 laps of the race before the first round of green flag pit stops. He returned to the lead on lap 209 and led for 31 more circuits before his unfortunate flat tire. Despite not leading the most important lap, the Purdue University graduate led 87 laps in total of the 267 laps. At the time, it was the most laps he had led in a single race in his 26th series start. Of course, he led more laps in future races and victories, but the 2002 Tropicana 400 paved the way for the “Rocketman” to show his speed for a majority of an event for the first time in his career.

        For several runs of the race, it looked like Dale Earnhardt Jr. would capture his sixth career NWCS win. He was third when the final caution of the race waved on lap 240 and it appeared some good strategy would hand him the win. However, his team decided to change all four tires while everyone either to took two tires or just added fuel. Being back in traffic made the #8 Chevrolet struggle to handle. Junior could only muster a tenth-place finish when the checkered flag waved. The finish didn’t give the team complete disappointment, though. 

        After leading 133 of 188 laps in his dominating victory at Talladega Superspeedway in mid-April of 2002, Junior struggled to run up front and finish well. He led only 15 laps between California and the previous race at Daytona. His fortune changed at Chicagoland, though. He led 81 of the 267 laps and returned to the lap leading form he had early in the season where he sat 5th in the points at one point. While the win slipped away, Earnhardt Jr. gained some momentum by leading 30% of the race’s laps.

        As soon as Jeff Gordon started running full-time in the NWCS, he became a weekly contender for wins and championships. Yet, in July of 2002, the California born driver found himself in a slump he had only experienced once in his career. Gordon went 41 races before he won his first race in the 1994 Coca-Cola 600. That streak was the longest of his career as he started winning races consistently after the Charlotte Motor Speedway win. When he entered Chicagoland Speedway twelve years after his first win, though, his winless streak stood at 25 races. It appeared he would come close to matching his longest winless streak, but his crew chief, Robbie Loomis, had a plan to try and end the streak.

        After running in or around the Top 10 all day from his 15th place starting spot, Gordon brought his #24 car down pit road under the sixth caution on lap 197 while most of the field stayed out. Despite the loss in track position and being off strategy, he could finish the race without stopping again. The seventh and final caution waved on lap 240 and it appeared the strategy move would put Gordon in contention for the win. Ultimately, though, the #24 restarted second and could not pass Harvick to take the win. The streak extended to 26 winless races and the #24 team left Illinois a bit disappointed as victory lane continued to elude them.

        Starting in 1994, the Burton brothers, Ward and Jeff, began a career battle in the NWCS. The Virginia natives, of course, wanted to beat each other as much as possible, but they wanted each other to have success. In 2002, Ward experienced the ultimate moment of success in stock car racing as he captured the win in the Daytona 500. Yet, the rest of the season until Chicagoland proved to be forgettable for both Burtons. At Texas and Charlotte, the two brothers both finished outside of the Top 35. Also, they had several bad runs and terrible finishes in addition to those shared bad days. Unfortunately, while they hoped Chicagoland would be a turning point, it proved not to be.

        On lap 4, Ward went for a spin on the frontstretch in a pack of traffic to bring out the first caution. Just 13 laps later, the driveshaft on his #22 Pontiac exploded and littered some debris on the 1.5-mile race track. The mechanical issue put Ward behind the wall early and he spent a portion of the race in the garage. He ended up in 41st place and 130 laps down to the leader. Jeff had a solid start to his afternoon in the race, but on lap 165 his good run disappeared. He reported to his crew chief, Frank Stoddard, that his engine was running on just seven cylinders. Seven laps later, he was on pit road with the #99 team pushing their car to the garage. The team’s day was done and the younger Burton brother finished in 39th, 100 laps down. It proved to be yet another difficult day for Ward and Jeff Burton as they combined to finish outside of the Top 35 together for the third time on the 2002 season. 



        Finally, some beloved characters in American culture made an appearance on eight NASCAR racecars at Chicagoland. The Muppets Show, created by Jim Henson, celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2002. To bring awareness to the event, several NASCAR teams were contacted to run cars with various Muppets characters on them. The schemes were released in March and fans anticipated each team’s arrival at the track in Chicagoland for the Tropicana 400. Unfortunately, some controversy surrounded the crossover as the actual Muppets weren’t allowed into the track due to legal issues. Despite the controversy, all eight teams competed with their respective paint schemes and had very different days.

        Of all eight teams, Bill Elliott had the best afternoon at the Illinois track. Elliott put his #9 Dodge featuring the Swedish Chef on the second row for the initial start. He quickly moved into the second spot and set his sights on the lead. The 1988 NWCS champion spent the first half of the race solidly in the Top 5 before he dropped into the Top 10 around the halfway mark due to various strategies from his other competitors. When the seventh and final caution waved on lap 240, Elliott and his crew chief, Mike Ford, decided to use some strategy of their own. The Georgia driver took fuel only, which allowed him to restart sixth with just 20 laps left. Unfortunately, the move didn’t work out and Elliott ended up in seventh place at the finish, in a close battle for the sixth spot with Kurt Busch. It was his eighth Top 10 of the season and made him the highest finisher of the drivers with Muppet racecars.

  After the first set of green flag pit stops, it looked like Dale Jarrett would give Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy the best finish for the Muppets at Chicagoland. The 1999 NWCS champion moved from his 11th place starting spot to second following the first round of green flag pit stops on lap 84. On the run following the third caution on lap 138, though, Jarrett’s #88 Ford struggled with a tight condition and he slipped outside of the Top 10. From there, he struggled to find his way inside the Top 10 and when the checkered flag waved on lap 267, Jarrett finished exactly where he started in 11th. The race ended in a disappointing fashion for the Robert Yates Racing team, but the #88 finished second highest of the Muppets drivers.

        Of the 43 drivers in the field, Bobby Labonte had the quietest day with Pepe the King Prawn on his #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac. The 2000 NWCS champion started in 12th spot, but struggled to stay inside the Top 15 in the first half of the race. Following the two rounds of green flag pit stops in the first 140 laps, Labonte found himself a lap down just inside the Top 20. Throughout the remainder of the race, he stayed consistently at the front of the drivers a lap down. Yet, he couldn’t move in front of the leader on restarts to earn his lap back and fight to move up the running order. The #18 Pontiac finished the day in 18th after a simply quiet and average day at the 1.5-mile track.

        Ricky Rudd had a very eventful day with Gonzo the Great on the hood of his #28 Robert Yates Racing Ford. After starting 38th, he powered through the field hoping to gain as many positions as possible in the early laps. He did advance through the running order, but he lost a lap to the leaders following the two rounds of green flag pit stops during the first half of the event. With still a lot of time left in the 267-lap race, Rudd hoped to earn his lap back. His pursuit of trying to move back onto the lead lap created some controversy with the leader following the fifth caution on lap 192. As Dale Earnhardt Jr. followed the pace car on the backstretch just after the yellow flag waved, Rudd drove up to the leader’s left side door and bumped him a little bit. The 23-time race winner was upset Earnhardt Jr. hadn’t allowed him to gain his lap back racing to the caution. The intense moment ended quickly, and the Virginia driver returned to working hard on restarts to earn his lap back. Rudd never did return to the lead lap and he finished the day in 19th. While it wasn’t a Top 10, the #28 did improve his starting spot by 19 positions.

        The worst starter of the eight Muppet drivers was Tennessee’s Casey Atwood. He qualified his #7 Sirius Satellite Radio Dodge featuring Rowlf the Dog in 41st for the 400-mile race. Fortunately, he moved up a few positions for the start as drivers dropped to the rear of the field. Atwood hoped to take his Ultra-Evernham Motorsports car into the Top 20 for a much-needed good run, but he struggled in the early portion of the event. He quickly went a lap down and appeared to be in position for his eighth finish outside of the Top 30 on the season. Yet, the two-time NASCAR Busch Series winner didn’t give up. He fought all race long and thanks to some attrition and adjustments, he crossed the finish line in 28th with a clean racecar. Interestingly, it was exactly where he finished a year before in his first trip to Chicagoland Speedway.

        With Animal on his #41 Target Dodge, Jimmy Spencer looked to capture a good finish for his race team. Unfortunately, track position and a late-race incident prevented him from earning a good finish. Spencer rolled off in 39th spot and made some moves early in the first half of the race to gain spots. He rode around inside the Top 25 until an incident ended his shot at finishing there. As Kevin Harvick spun in turn 1 on lap 197, Spencer crashed with several other drivers like Hut Stricklin, Kurt Busch, and Jerry Nadeau. When the smoke settled, the #41 had a huge hole in the nose and smoked heavily while driving away. Despite the damage, Spencer continued off the pace after some repairs. He ended up in 32nd spot when the checkered flag waved, 28 laps down. A clean day for Spencer and his team turned into a damaged racecar with a less than stellar finish.

        Unlike his Evernham Motorsports teammate, Bill Elliott, Jeremy Mayfield’s #19 Dodge featuring Dr. Honeydew and Beaker didn’t end the 400-mile race with an excellent finish. Mayfield started the 400-mile event in 20th and held station in the Top 20 for the first half of the event before mechanical troubles faced the team. A rear gear burnt up in his racecar and it forced him behind the wall as his fellow competitors continued to race. The #19 team did an admirable job repairing the car and returned their driver to the race, about 30 laps down to the leaders. For the remainder of the event, Mayfield rode around gaining points as drivers fell out of the event. When the checkered flag waved, he finished 34th, 33 laps down. A mechanical problem created an issue for the three-time NWCS race winner, but he showed speed in the early portion of the event.

        When Action Racing Collectibles originally announced the line-up of drivers with Muppets racecars, Johnny Benson Jr. was scheduled to drive the #10 Pontiac with Fozzie Bear for Nelson Bowers. Of course, things change often in NASCAR and Mike Wallace actually drove the racecar in the Tropicana 400. Benson had been involved in a vicious crash at Daytona the week before, which left him with bruises and injured ribs that kept him out of the racecar. Wallace, who had made sporadic appearances in NASCAR’s Top 3 series throughout the 2002 season, hopped into the car for the Chicagoland event. The Missouri driver gave the car a good run from his 36th place starting spot before engine woes started around lap 170. He reported to his team that his car was running on seven cylinders. His teammate, Ken Schrader, had dropped out of the race earlier with the same issue. Wallace only ran a few laps after reporting the issue before he pulled into the garage. He finished in 38th spot, 95 laps down to the leader. For the entire team and driver, it was a disappointing day as Wallace tried to highlight his skills and the #10 team tried to run without their usual driver.


  The 2002 Tropicana 400 provided everything a NASCAR fan could want in a race. Consistent battles for position at the front of the field, green flag pit stops, drivers moving from the back to the front, spins and crashes, interesting strategy calls, and a late-race battle between two of the most talented competitors in the sport. All 75,000 fans got exactly what they paid for thanks to Kevin Harvick’s late duel with Jeff Gordon and Harvick’s late race strategy gamble. Plus, some very interesting stories and statistics emerged from the race thanks to many of the drivers in the field. Finally, fans young and old were able to see the Muppets sail around Chicagoland Speedway at over 180 miles per hour.

  On Sunday, 16 years after the second Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series returns to Illinois for the 18th race at the 1.5-mile track. Just like 2002, the series heads to the speedway with a lot of potential storylines brewing. In the last two races at Chicagoland, only one driver has visited victory lane: Martin Truex Jr. He captured the victory in 2016 and won last season en route to his first Cup championship. Truex will be a legitimate threat for the win again. Chase Elliott hasn’t won a Cup race in 93 career starts, but he has an average finish of 2.5 at Chicagoland and a goal of winning this weekend. Kevin Harvick won the first two Cup races at the Illinois track, but he hasn’t been to victory lane there since. With five wins on the 2018 season thus far, he will be another contender for the win. The stars of the MENCS hope to thrill the fans on Sunday just like the NWCS drivers did in 2002. 
(More Stats Down Below!)





Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 4- Ward Burton went for a spin exiting turn 4 as he raced in a pack of traffic. He spun to a stop on the frontstretch apron without damage and continued in the race.

2nd Caution: Lap 17- Debris from Ward Burton’s exploded driveshaft littered turns 3 and 4.

3rd Caution: Lap 138- Michael Waltrip blew an engine entering turn 1, which littered debris and oil on the track. Waltrip came to a stop alongside the wall with his day finished.

4th Caution: Lap 182- Debris was spotted on the 1.5-mile track in turn 4.

5th Caution: Lap 192- Elliott Sadler broke loose exiting turn 4 and spun down the frontstretch. He ended up stopped on the apron without damage before he continued on.

6th Caution: Lap 197- Kevin Harvick shot to the apron past the start/finish line to pass Kurt Busch and Dave Blaney. The apron made Harvick’s #29 loose and he ended up spinning in turn 1 after riding the apron to save his car. He spun harmlessly into the grass and continued after he refired his racecar. Hut Stricklin, Jerry Nadeau, Jimmy Spencer, and Elliott Sadler also spun during the incident.

7th Caution: Lap 240- As Ryan Newman coasted on the backstretch with a flat right front tire, Joe Nemechek had a left front go flat, which sent his #25 Chevrolet up the track and into the outside wall. Nemechek only made slight contact with the wall and he continued after repairs from his Hendrick Motorsports team.

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Kevin Harvick
2nd: Jeff Gordon
3rd: Tony Stewart
4th: Jimmie Johnson
5th: Ryan Newman

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Kurt Busch
7th: Bill Elliott
9th: Mark Martin
10th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
11th: Dale Jarrett
13th: Terry Labonte
14th: Matt Kenseth
18th: Bobby Labonte
21st: Elliott Sadler
25th: Rusty Wallace
33rd: Joe Nemechek
39th: Jeff Burton
42nd: Michael Waltrip




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
~~racing-reference.info/race/2002_Tropicana_400/W
-Full Race:
~~www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp68t_QrbO4&t=1398s
-Images:
~~www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/jimmy-spencer-dirves-his-ganassi-racing-dodge-intrepid-on-news-photo/1157200#/jimmy-spencer-dirves-his-ganassi-racing-dodge-intrepid-on-july-13-picture-id1157200
~~www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/ricky-rudd-drives-his-havoline-racing-ford-on-july-14-2002-news-photo/1157369#ricky-rudd-drives-his-havoline-racing-ford-on-july-14-2002-during-the-picture-id1157369
~~www.gettyimages.ca/detail/news-photo/casey-atwood-drives-his-ultra-motorsports-dodge-intrepid-on-news-photo/1157197
~~www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/jeremy-mayfield-drives-his-evernham-motorsports-dodge-news-photo/1157167#/jeremy-mayfield-drives-his-evernham-motorsports-dodge-intrepid-on-13-picture-id1157167
~~www.sorte.org/tropicana400-2002/index2.html
~~www.motorsportimages.com/photos/?race_type_id=117&year=2002&driver_id%5B0%5D=590
~~www.motorsportimages.com/photos/?race_type_id=117&year=2002&driver_id=30&location_id=69
~~www.qvc.com/Bill-Elliott-Swedish-Chef-1%3A24-Scale-Die-Cast-Car.product.C19823.html
~~www.motorsportimages.com/photo/1012764072-2002-nascar-chicagoland-usa-july-13-14-2002/1012764072/?p=2&search=2002%20Tropicana%20400&is_popup=1
~~www.motorsportimages.com/photo/2002-nascar-chicagoland-usa-july-13-14-2002-1012764124/1012764124/?p=3&search=2002%20Tropicana%20400&is_popup=1
~~www.motorsportimages.com/photo/1012763808-2002-nascar-chicagoland-usa-july-13-14-2002/1012763808/?p=5&search=2002%20Tropicana%20400&is_popup=1
~~www.motorsportimages.com/photo/1012763729-2002-nascar-chicagoland-usa-july-13-14-2002/1012763729/?p=4&search=2002%20Tropicana%20400&is_popup=1
~~www.motorsportimages.com/photo/1012763748-2002-nascar-chicagoland-usa-july-13-14-2002/1012763748/?p=4&search=2002%20Tropicana%20400&is_popup=1
~~www.motorsportimages.com/photo/1012763709-2002-nascar-chicagoland-usa-july-13-14-2002/1012763709/?p=3&search=2002%20Tropicana%20400&is_popup=1
~~www.motorsportimages.com/photo/1012763707-2002-nascar-chicagoland-usa-july-13-14-2002/1012763707/?p=7&search=2002%20Tropicana%20400&is_popup=1

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: Hamilton Scores First Career NWCS Victory in the Famous #43 at Phoenix

(Author’s Note: On this date eleven years ago, NASCAR lost a beloved championship winning driver and owner: Bobby Hamilton Sr. Hamilton, a native of Tennessee, burst onto the NASCAR scene in 1989 with a championship run in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series, which is now the Xfinity Series. The Tennessee driver grabbed a win at Richmond and finished 11th in the points in his first full season in the series. He returned to the NBGNS in 1990 and ran consistently in the Top 15 all season to grab another 11th place points finish. His consistency and strong runs in NASCAR’s secondary series caught the attention of Mark Smith, the owner of Tri-Star Motorsports in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, and he decided to put Hamilton in his #68 full-time starting in 1991. For the next 11 years, Hamilton competed full-time in the NWCS, except for 1993 where he only made 15 starts for several teams and 2002 where he made 31 starts. During those 11 total years, he made 368 starts, captured four wins, finished in the Top 5 20 times, grabbed 67 Top 10’s, started on the pole five times, earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1991, and finished in the Top 10 in the points standings on two occasions. He also competed for several teams including SABCO, Petty Enterprises, Morgan-McClure Motorsports, and Andy Petree Racing. However, after the 2002 season with APR, Hamilton decided to leave the team due to its financial difficulties. Instead of searching for another Cup ride, Hamilton decided to own his race team in what was then the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. For three seasons, the veteran driver was one of the best drivers in the series as he won eight races, picked up 46 Top 10’s, and grabbed the championship in 2004 after a spectacular season. In 2006, he ran the first two events of the season and finished average in both before the series headed to Atlanta Motor Speedway. Hamilton hoped the race would launch his season into another championship, but the week leading up to the race proved to be life changing. Just a few days before the race, the 2004 NCTS champion was diagnosed with head and neck cancer, a cancer that affects the throat and sinuses. He decided to run the Atlanta truck race even after the diagnosis and begin chemotherapy and radiation the Monday after the race weekend. Hamilton finished 14th in what would be his last career NASCAR race. Throughout the rest of 2006, the NASCAR champion fought valiantly against the dreaded disease and even visited Kentucky Speedway for a race weekend during the summer. However, on January 7, 2007, he succumbed to head and neck cancer after nearly a year of fighting. The NASCAR community was left saddened by the loss of such a respected competitor and drivers and teams honored Hamilton throughout the season. His Bobby Hamilton Racing team raced through 2008, but the team closed at the conclusion of the year. Since his tragic passing, Hamilton has been remembered for his generosity and his intense love for racing. In fact, just earlier today, Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared a story where Hamilton lent him a racecar at the Nashville Fairgrounds so Junior could race that night after his car burnt up in a practice crash. Today, we are going to honor the late Hamilton by analyzing his first career NWCS win in the 1996 Dura Lube 500k at Phoenix International Raceway. After leading 40 laps throughout the afternoon, Hamilton grabbed the checkered flag for the first time and returned the #43 to victory lane after a 12 year winless drought. In addition to Hamilton’s win, the penultimate race of the 1996 season featured an injured Terry Labonte finishing third as he tried to win his second championship and an action-packed 312-lap race. Let’s honor Bobby Hamilton today as we analyze his first career win as if the checkered flag just waved on a Sunday afternoon in the Arizona desert.)

        After taking the lead from Geoff Bodine entering turn 3 on lap 283, Bobby Hamilton negotiated the one-mile Phoenix International Raceway to capture his first NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory in today’s Dura Lube 500k. Hamilton started the day in 17th and progressively made his way through the field thanks to a fast Pontiac. On the final restart of the day, he moved from fourth to first in a terrific run and cruised to the checkered flag. In addition to the victory being historic for Hamilton, the win also marked a historic day for Petty Enterprises and the #43. For the first time since October of 1983 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Petty Enterprises, the family owned team started by Lee Petty, pushed a racecar to victory lane and celebrated a win. Also, for the first time since July of 1984 at Daytona, a car with the #43, a number made famous by Richard Petty, sat in victory lane after a NWCS race. Now, just a few hours after the checkered flag waved, the victory has already established itself as a popular one in the NWCS due to the history and legacy associated with Petty and the #43 in addition to the amount of respect Hamilton himself has in the garage. However, the variety of twists and turns throughout today’s 312-lap race made it anything but an easy win for Hamilton and his team. Strategy calls, a leader bumping into a lapped car, and two rounds of green flag pit stops made today’s race unpredictable and interesting. Bobby Labonte started on the pole for the third time this season. On the initial start, he held onto the lead until the first caution waved on lap 5. The field quickly lined back up after a short clean-up and the green flag waved for a second time. The #18 of Labonte remained the leader as the race entered what would be the longest green flag run of the event. As the Texas driver looked to lead the early portion of the race, Mark Martin quickly began to pressure him for the lead around lap 30. On lap 33, Martin moved to Labonte’s inside in turn 4 and powered to the lead. From there, the Arkansas driver pulled away from his fellow competitors and began to lap drivers. About 40 laps after the #6 Ford moved into the lead, the first round of green flag pit stops commenced. Drivers started to hit pit road while Martin experienced some pressure from the #18 Pontiac for the lead. On lap 77, Labonte moved back into the lead in turn 4 as his stop neared. Martin quickly pitted on the next lap, hoping to gain an advantage and move back into the lead. Labonte pitted on lap 80 as several drivers remained on the one-mile track. Bobby Hamilton completed the cycle of stops on lap 82 and Martin returned to the lead thanks to pitting a lap earlier than most of the leaders. Martin held the top spot until lap 116 when his race nearly ended after a dominating first stint. As he drove into turn 1, Derrike Cope, who was about to get lapped, moved down on his #6 Ford. The contact caused Cope to spin up the track and Martin to slide towards the outside wall. Cope ended up slamming into the outside wall hard while Martin managed to save his car as the second caution waved. In the chaos of the accident, Hamilton moved into the lead for the first time while Martin slipped to second. During the caution flag pit stops, though, the #6 moved back into the top spot while the #43 of Hamilton fell to sixth as the Top 5 took only two tires. On the subsequent restart, Martin maintained his lead, but he quickly faced a challenge from Dale Jarrett. A lap after the restart, Jarrett moved to the outside of his fellow Ford driver in turn 3 and blasted to the top spot for the first time in the race. As Jarrett looked to establish himself up front, the third caution waved on lap 135 and allowed the field to move back to his rear bumper. When the green flag waved, though, the #88 Ford of Jarrett powered away from the rest of the lead lap drivers. Jarrett seemed to be in control of the top spot, but a challenger emerged around lap 150 for the lead. Hamilton had chased the leader down and they began to battle for the lead as the race neared halfway. On lap 152, the #43 moved to the inside of the #88 entering turn 4 and Hamilton emerged as the leader for the second time in the event. Just four laps later, the fourth caution waved on lap 156 as several drivers spun and crashed in oil in turn 3. The yellow flag brought pit stops for the entire field and several teams opted for strategy moves during their stops. Jimmy Spencer and five other teams only added two fresh tires to their racecars while Jarrett and Hamilton put on four fresh tires, which dropped them to seventh and ninth, respectively. For the first time all race, a shake-up in the running order put several fast cars outside of the Top 5, which meant the subsequent run would be an action-packed portion of the event. When the green flag waved, Spencer jumped out to the lead, but he wouldn’t be there long. Bobby Labonte, who restarted in second on two fresh tires, moved past the #23 of Spencer in turn 3 and returned to the lead. 18 laps later, Geoff Bodine, who had restarted in third, slipped past the #18 and moved into the lead for the first time in the race. On lap 195, Terry Labonte, who had restarted fifth with an injured wrist, powered past Bodine to take the top spot and add points to his championship points lead. The lead changes stopped for the moment and the #5 of Labonte stayed consistent as he managed the race lead. The 1984 NWCS champion led all the way until the second and final green flag stops of the race began on lap 233. Labonte hit the pit lane on lap 236 as a variety of drivers entered and exited pit road at the same time. The cycle of stops ended on lap 238 and Labonte returned to the lead with Hamilton and Bodine in the podium positions behind him. The laps clicked by with the #5 out front until the fifth and final caution waved on lap 259 for a turn 3 incident. For the final time, teams made the move to pit road for fresh tires to conclude the 312-lap race. Only Geoff Bodine pulled a strategy move as he stayed on track with the rest of the field pitting for four tires. For the final 47 laps, Bodine would need his older Goodyear rubber to outlast the Labonte brothers, Hamilton, and Martin. The green flag waved for the final time and the #7 Ford quickly put some distance between himself and the drivers on fresher tires. As the laps began to click away, the three drivers behind him started to battle hard for positions. Hamilton managed to pass Terry Labonte and Martin by lap 274, which allowed him to set his sights on Bodine for his first career win. The #43 needed only a few laps before he was right on the leader’s back bumper with 32 laps to go. After stalking Bodine for a couple of circuits, Hamilton moved to the #7’s inside entering turn 3 and powered to the lead. Quickly, Hamilton gained a nice advantage on the drivers behind him and coasted around the one-mile race track. With ten laps to go, only a caution could steal the win away from the Tennessee driver. He negotiated the four treacherous turns of Phoenix and took the white flag with no drivers close to his rear bumper. After a tense final lap, the #43 Pontiac crossed the finish line to the cheers of fans in the grandstands, the Petty Enterprises crew, and Richard Petty himself. The team celebrated the end of a winless drought as Hamilton enjoyed victory lane for the first time in his NWCS career. The penultimate race of the 1996 NWCS season proved to be a memorable event. Drivers battling for points, competitors fighting for the first victories of their careers and season, and strategy calls made today’s race an action-packed one from the green flag to the checkered flag. As these 5 stages of analysis show, Bobby Hamilton’s first career NWCS win came in an excellent 312-lap race in the Arizona desert.

Stage 1:
Historic Occurrence: Hamilton Grabs First Career Win and Returns the #43 to Victory Lane for the First Time Since 1984

        From 1960 to 1984, Richard Petty, driving his family owned #43 for several manufacturers, dominated NASCAR’s highest series and established himself as a legend. On July 4, 1984, at Daytona International Speedway, he won his 200th career race and earned his 193rd victory behind the wheel of the famous #43. In addition to all the wins, the North Carolina driver earned seven championships over his illustrious career. The success of Petty established the #43 as the most famous number in the history of NASCAR. However, in the years since Petty’s last win in 1984, the #43 has lost its winning form and disappeared from victory lane. Petty went winless in his final eight full-time seasons in the NWCS from 1985 to 1992 before retiring from NASCAR competition. The #43 didn’t run in 1993, but it returned to the NWCS for 1994 with Wally Dallenbach Jr. behind the wheel. Dallenbach Jr. only lasted 14 races before John Andretti replaced him. Andretti ended 1994 winless and Petty Enterprises decided to move in a different direction. For 1995, the team signed Bobby Hamilton, a Tennessee journeyman driver who had never won a NWCS race, to pilot the #43 and return it to greatness. In his 60 starts in the #43 prior to today’s race, Hamilton had earned 6 Top 5’s, 19 Top 10’s, and two pole positions. Yet, the Tennessee driver remained winless for his career and in the #43 entering the Arizona desert this weekend. When the checkered flag waved after 312 miles today, though, the #43 was back in victory lane for the first time since 1984 and Hamilton was enjoying his first win after a historic day for the entire team. The Tennessee driver started the race in 17th after a decent qualifying run for his Pontiac. On the initial start, he made a move to slide into 16th place as the first caution waved on lap 5. On the subsequent restart, Hamilton powered into 15th and it appeared the STP Pontiac would be in the Top 10 before long. However, he dropped a few spots after the restart and by lap 23, the #43 was in 18th spot with some minor handling issues. Yet, the 1991 NWCS Rookie of the Year continued to fight for spots. His hard work paid off as he began to move up the running order again. By lap 41, he was in 12th with several drivers near him to race with. Nine laps later, Hamilton had moved into 9th with an extremely fast #43. On lap 60, he had gained two more positions and sat in 7th as green flag pit stops neared. On lap 70, he had advanced two more spots and sat in the Top 5 after an incredible charge from outside the Top 15 in the first run of the race. As drivers started to pit on lap 75, Hamilton and his team decided to stay out a few extra laps. He pitted on lap 82 after leading two laps and returned to the track after a smooth pit stop. When the field cycled back around, he was in third spot with a legitimate shot at grabbing his first victory. He maintained his podium spot until lap 105 when he powered past Bobby Labonte in turn 3 to grab the runner-up spot. Hamilton continued to run blistering laps and he chased down Mark Martin, the leader, on lap 115. He raced behind him until turn 1 on lap 116 when the #6 of Martin bumped into Derrike Cope. As those two shot up the track trying to save their racecars, Hamilton stepped on the throttle and blasted to the lead as the second caution waved. Taking the lead was a fortunate break for the #43, but strategy moves by several teams during the yellow flag stops dropped Hamilton to sixth for the restart. Despite losing a few positions, the Tennessee driver was unfazed when the green flag waved and he quickly surpassed drivers on his fresh tires. When the third yellow flag waved on lap 135 after a 16-lap run, Hamilton had already moved into second with a desire to retake the lead. The race quickly restarted after the accident and the #43 began to pressure the leader, Dale Jarrett. After several laps following the #88 of Jarrett, Hamilton powered to his inside in turn 4 on lap 152 and captured the top spot for the third time in the race. Just as he grabbed the top spot, the fourth caution waved on lap 156. Again, strategy during pit stops moved the #43 back as the Top 6 took only two tires and Hamilton fell to ninth spot. However, the fresher tires on his car and the speed he had shown all race left the team confident they could rebound from losing so many spots. In just 28 laps after the lap 162 restart, Hamilton had erased most of the loss as he moved into fifth spot with several drivers on older tires in front of him. On lap 215, the #43 moved into third in turn 3 as the final round of green flag pit stops neared. The cycle of stops began on lap 233 and the Petty team decided to stay out a few more circuits. On lap 237, Hamilton hit pit road and his team executed a flawless stop. He returned to the race in second with only one competitor left to pass to move into the lead. However, he was unable to do so and the laps clicked by until the fifth and final caution on lap 259. Teams came down pit road during the yellow flag for the final time and the Tennessee driver dropped from second to fourth after an average stop from his team. For the final time, Hamilton would need to rebound from a rough pit stop and attempt to take the checkered flag. As the green flag waved, he began his charge to the front of the field. On lap 270, he powered into third spot after passing Martin. 4 laps later, he surpassed Terry Labonte to move into the runner-up position with 38 laps to go. Hamilton moved to Geoff Bodine’s back bumper around lap 280 and he started to pressure him for the lead. On lap 283, the #43 gained some momentum and shot to Bodine’s inside entering turn 3. He accelerated out of the turn and grabbed the lead. The Tennessee driver began to build up a large gap back to his fellow competitors as he chased his first NWCS checkered flag. The laps clicked by slowly as Hamilton’s family, his team, and his owner tensely hoped for a victory. Fortunately, the rest of the Top 5 couldn’t muster the speed to even catch the #43. With 5 laps to go, only a caution and a restart could potentially steal the win away from the determined driver. He took the white flag with over a second lead and plenty of fuel to finish the race. He powered through the final four corners and cruised across the finish line to earn his first career NWCS and return the #43 to victory lane. Bobby Hamilton’s win today turned out to be a historic moment of his career as he celebrated in victory lane for the first time in NASCAR’s premier series and returned the #43 to victory lane. 

Stage 2:
Comeback of the Race/Driver of the Day/Memorable Moment: Labonte Overcomes Injured Wrist and 30th Place Starting Spot to Grab Third Place Finish and Maintain Points Lead

        At around 9:00 A.M. local time in the Phoenix International Raceway garage on Friday, Terry Labonte had the most momentum of all the drivers in the NWCS. The Texas driver entered Phoenix fresh off a race in Rockingham, North Carolina, where he finished third and retook the points lead with just two events left in the championship fight. The entire #5 Hendrick Motorsports team seemed ready to deliver their driver his second title in NASCAR’s highest series. However, at about 10:20 A.M. on Friday, Labonte and his team’s chances to win a championship nearly disappeared before the penultimate race of the season began. As the #5 Chevrolet drove through turn 4 during the first practice of the weekend, the throttle stuck with Labonte traveling at over 110 mph. He shot straight up the track and slammed into the outside wall exceptionally hard before sliding to the inside of the track. He slid to a stop along the inside wall as rescue crews and safety workers quickly arrived on the scene. A small fire billowed from underneath Labonte’s Chevrolet, but it was quickly put out as he was helped out of his extremely damaged racecar to safety. While the Texas champion seemed okay walking, he had several bruises and his left wrist was injured as well. Shortly after his crash, he was spotted in the garage carrying a bag of ice in his left hand. Later in the afternoon, as his team thrashed to prepare the back-up car, Labonte went to a local hospital and ended up staying throughout the night as doctors treated his wrist, hoping to fix it enough so he could wheel his racecar on Sunday. In the first Saturday practice, Ken Schrader, Labonte’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, climbed in the #5 to get some practice in the back-up car. Despite all his soreness and pain, Labonte, using a specially crafted steering wheel for wrist injuries borrowed from Joe Gibbs Racing, practiced for a few laps in the first session after Schrader, qualified his racecar, and competed in the final practice session of the weekend. Yet, even though he was strong enough to climb back in the car, the Texas driver only mustered a 30th place starting spot with his championship contenders well in front of him. Today’s race, though, turned out to be one of the most memorable gutsy performances in recent years as the championship contender staged an amazing comeback from his dismal starting spot and his hurt wrist to not only finish in the Top 5, but increase his points lead heading into the season finale. Labonte took the green flag from the 15th row and he immediately attempted to find a comfortable groove in the race with his injured wrist. He remained in 30th as the first caution of the race waved on lap 5. The #5 Chevrolet lined up in the same spot as the initial start and prepared for the first restart of the race. When the green flag waved, Labonte started passing drivers as he battled with his injured wrist. By lap 25, he was in 24th position with an intense desire to move towards the front of the pack. 25 laps later, the Texas driver was in 18th as he valiantly raced through injury. On lap 74, just as his green flag pit stop neared, Labonte found himself in 14th, which meant he had passed 16 cars in the first stint of the race. The team and driver had started the race just hoping to maintain their points lead with Labonte’s injuries, but the #5 was in contention for a solid finish. He pitted on lap 82 and returned to the track after a flawless stop from his pit crew. When the cycle of stops concluded, the 1984 champion sat in 9th with a blistering fast racecar. He maintained his position just inside the Top 10 until the second caution waved on lap 116 for an incident involving Mark Martin and Derrike Cope. The yellow flag brought pit stops for the lead lap drivers and several teams utilized strategy calls. Labonte’s team decided to put on four fresh tires and he prepared to restart 12th as the Top 5 only had two fresh tires. When the green flag waved, Labonte held onto his position as he battled on the restart. He maintained his 12th place spot until the third caution waved on lap 135. The entire field remained on track, leaving the #5 just two spots outside of the Top 10. The race restarted again and Labonte’s success in the first half of the race seemed to disappear. He started losing spots and he sat in 14th at lap 150. He maintained the position until the fourth caution flew on lap 156. Due to the struggles on that run, Labonte’s team decided to employ some strategy and see if they could get some track position for their wounded driver. As most of the field took four tires, the Texas driver received only two tires and prepared to restart fifth. With a large group of drivers on fresh tires behind him, the Texas champion would need a near miracle to outlast his fellow competitors with his injuries. Yet, Labonte turned in an incredible performance in the next run. When the green flag waved after the fourth caution, he immediately started to run much faster than the drivers behind him. As the run progressed, he held off drivers on fresh tires and moved into second around lap 190 with his older tires. On lap 195, he powered past Geoff Bodine, who was also on older tires, in turn 3 and grabbed the lead for the first time in the race. Despite all the problems the #5 driver had faced during the weekend, he was in the lead at lap 200 and earning points towards his championship lead. Labonte held the top spot until green flag pit stops began on lap 233. He came down pit road on lap 236 and his team executed another perfect stop before returning the #5 back to the track. When the cycle of stops ended, Labonte remained the leader with a healthy margin back to second place. The laps continued to click by for the Texas driver until the fifth and final caution waved on lap 259. For the final time, teams pitted for tires and fuel to end the event. Only Bodine used strategy as he stayed out, which handed him the lead. Labonte received four tires and returned to the track in second, the first driver on fresh tires. It appeared the championship leader was in perfect position to take an unbelievable win with his injuries. On the final run, though, his chances for a win slipped away. Hamilton and Martin surpassed him early on in the final run, but he moved past Bodine as the #7 Ford dropped back on his older tires. With 10 laps to go, the #5 was in third position with a comfortable Top 5 finish in hand. He negotiated the final ten circuits and crossed the finish line in third for an impressive finish for his Hendrick Motorsports team. After starting 30th with bruises and an injured wrist, Terry Labonte staged the most impressive comeback of the season as he powered to a Top 5 finish, increased his points lead, and turned in a memorable drive in the penultimate race of the 1996 season.

Stage 3:
Clutch Closer: Musgrave Powers to Fourth Place Finish After a Terrific Final Run at Phoenix

        Through the first 14 races of this season, Ted Musgrave and his #16 team for Roush Racing appeared to be riding the string of momentum they built up in 1995. Last year, the Illinois driver grabbed seven Top 5’s, 13 Top 10’s, and a pole position after his best season ever in the NWCS. In addition to that, he earned a seventh-place points finish, a career best. However, Musgrave was on pace to break those records earlier this year when he had a Top 5 and 7 Top 10’s in just 14 races as well as a ninth-place spot in the standings. Since Daytona in July, though, the entire team has been struggling to finish in the Top 10. In the past 15 races of the year prior to today’s event, Musgrave had only mustered a best finish of 11th and he had fallen to 16th in the championship fight with just two races left in the season. Because of the team’s recent struggles, the #16 crew came to the Arizona desert with the hopes of ending their season on a positive note to launch into 1997. Thanks to a clutch final run at Phoenix, Musgrave earned his first Top 5 since Richmond in March and gave the entire organization some momentum. The Illinois driver started today’s race in 25th, needing some speed and strategy to move towards the front of the field. In the first 65 laps, though, Musgrave was impressive as he worked through the field and passed many of his competitors. On lap 70, he was sitting in 13th with a fast Ford Thunderbird as his green flag pit stop neared. He pitted around lap 80 as the rest of the field made green flag pit stops. He returned to the track in 12th following a good stop from his #16 team. Musgrave remained there until the second caution of the race waved on lap 116 for an incident involving his teammate, Mark Martin. He pitted with the rest of the field during the caution and he dropped to 14th spot as several drivers used strategy calls to move up the running order. Despite losing a couple of spots, Musgrave prepared to continue his drive to the front. Unfortunately, he couldn’t gain any spots during the next run and he stayed in 14th as the third caution waved on lap 135. On the subsequent restart, though, the Illinois driver picked up some speed in his Ford. He slipped past many drivers pretty easily and when the fourth caution waved on lap 156, Musgrave found himself in 9th with an excellent shot at grabbing a good finish. Again, during the caution flag pit stops, several teams opted to take only two tires while the #16 team added four tires to their racecar. The move dropped Musgrave to 11th for the restart, but he would have a few drivers to pass on the subsequent run on older tires. As the green flag waved, the fresh tires for Musgrave proved to be a distinct advantage. Over the next 40 laps, he powered past three of his fellow competitors and sat in 8th at lap 200. He remained there for the next 35 laps until his second and final green flag stop of the race occurred. He hit the pit lane and his crew added four fresh tires before sending him back on track. He returned to the race and remained in 8th after the cycle of stops concluded. He held station there until the fifth and final caution waved on lap 259. For the final time, Musgrave and the field hit pit road for fresh tires and fuel. Unfortunately, Musgrave’s team struggled on their stop and the #16 dropped to 11th for the restart. The Illinois driver would have to channel his success in previous runs to try and move back into the Top 10. Thanks to a clutch final run, he did more than just move back into the Top 10. When the green flag waved for the final time, Musgrave immediately started to make incredible moves. In about 30 laps, he had moved past Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte, Ernie Irvan, and a few other drivers. He started to catch the attention of fans and teams as he slid into fifth with about 10 laps to go. The run had been impressive, but he still needed to survive 10 final laps to bring home an excellent Top 5. With about three laps to go, he moved around Geoff Bodine and moved into fourth spot. He remained there and crossed the finish line with a fourth-place finish, his second Top 5 of the season. After a clutch performance in the final 47 laps of today’s race, Ted Musgrave delivered his Roush Racing team an impressive Top 5 and gave the entire organization some needed momentum heading into the season finale. 

Stage 4: 
Moves of the Race: Bodine and His Team Make Critical Pit Road Strategy Calls to Finish in Sixth

        Strategy moves on pit road have become a common part of NWCS racing. Teams and drivers are willing to stay on track during stops or even take two tires to gain track position throughout the race, especially near the end. This season, Geoff Bodine and his crew chief, Paul Andrews, have been willing to roll the dice more than any other team and they have experienced incredible success when they have attempted to utilize strategy on pit road. Earlier this year at Watkins Glen, Bodine’s home track, a timely caution on lap 63 just after Bodine pitted under green allowed him to stay out during the yellow flag. He restarted in the tenth spot with fresh tires on his racecar and a nice opportunity to take the lead. He took the top spot on lap 83 from Ken Schrader and powered to his first victory since his 1994 triumph at North Wilkesboro. Today at Phoenix, the duo of Bodine and Andrews used three crucial pit road strategy moves to earn a valiant Top 10 after their disappointing qualifying effort. The 1986 Daytona 500 winner started in 28th with a good many positions to gain over the 312-lap race. When the green flag waved, he looked to make some early moves, but the first caution quickly waved on lap 5. The field lined up once more and the race restarted with Bodine still in 28th. The laps clicked by early and his #7 Ford was making minimal progress through the field. At lap 38, he was only one spot ahead of his qualifying position with Mark Martin setting a torrid pace out front. However, after struggling slightly in the first 40 laps, Bodine began to pick up the pace. By lap 76, when he made his first green flag pit stop, he was in 19th spot, but he still needed to avoid losing a lap. He returned to the 19th position following his stop and looked to gain spots. He had only gained one when the second caution waved on lap 116, putting him in 18th for the yellow flag stops. Since the team was deeper in the running order, Bodine and Andrews decided to use their first strategy move of the day. Like several drivers in front of him, Bodine took only two fresh tires and jumped to ninth in the running order for the restart. With many drivers on new rubber behind him, the New York driver would have to fight to remain in the Top 10. Ultimately, he did just that. Through the third caution on lap 135 and subsequent restart, Bodine gained a couple of positions and sat in sixth when the fourth caution waved on lap 156. Despite being solidly in the Top 10, his team decided to execute a second strategy move during the yellow flag stops. Bodine received two fresh tires again and returned to the race in third, his highest running position of the day. Again, the team hoped the move would work and propel them towards the top spot. When the green flag waved, it appeared the strategy call would work for the #7 Ford. Around lap 170, he slid into second as he passed Jimmy Spencer, who had also taken two tires during the previous stop. Bodine began to chase down Bobby Labonte, who was leading, and he gained on him as the laps clicked by. By lap 185, the #7 Ford was right next to the rear bumper of the #18 Pontiac. A lap later, Bodine maneuvered past Labonte entering turn 3 and found himself in the lead for the first time in the race. The two strategy moves had worked to perfection for the team and they were hoping to hold onto the lead. However, on lap 195, Terry Labonte powered to the top spot in turn 3 and dropped Bodine back to second. Despite losing the top spot, Bodine held strong in the runner-up position until green flag stops started on lap 233. The #7 Ford pitted on lap 235 and he returned to the track after a routine stop. When the stops concluded three laps later, Bodine found himself in third with a legitimate shot at returning to the lead and capturing his second win of the season. The #7 Ford held station in third until the fifth and final caution waved on lap 259. For the third time in the race, the #7 team tried a little more strategy to try and win the event. As every lead lap driver pitted, Bodine stayed on track and attempted to run the final 47 laps on older tires. For the final time, the team’s strategy calls would be tested to see if they could capture the win. On the final restart, Bodine jumped out to an early lead and established a gap back to the drivers on fresh tires. However, on lap 283, Bobby Hamilton powered past the #7 Ford entering turn 3, which dropped Bodine to the runner-up position. From there, he continued to lose spots to drivers on fresh tires as they quickly surpassed him. He took the white flag to complete lap 311 in the fifth position, but Jeff Gordon passed him on the final circuit. The #7 Ford crossed the finish line in sixth after his strategy move failed in the final stint of the race. Despite missing out on the win, Geoff Bodine and his team’s three strategy calls throughout the race helped them move from the Top 20 in the early part of the race to a sixth-place finish at Phoenix. 

Stage 5:
Terrible Luck: Mayfield’s Top 10 Qualifying Effort Turns into a Last Place Finish Thanks to a Mechanical Issue

        1996 has been an interesting year for Jeremy Mayfield in the NWCS. The Kentucky driver began the year driving for three-time championship driver turned owner, Cale Yarborough. Two Top 5 finishes and a pole position highlighted an average first 23 races of the season for the #98 Ford team. After race #23, though, Mayfield’s season and career direction completely changed. Yarborough decided to release him from his ride and put John Andretti in the car, who had previously driven for Michael Kranefuss’ #37 Ford team. Kranefuss decided to put Mayfield in his car after Andretti’s departure and the two teams completed a late season ride swap as the series headed to Richmond, Virginia. For Mayfield, the move has been rather disappointing. In his six races prior to today’s event in the #37, his best finish was a 15th with the rest of his finishes being outside the Top 25. Despite the lack of recent momentum and confidence, the #37 team came to Phoenix today with a desire to build some momentum heading into the offseason. The team’s pursuit of an excellent finish had a promising start as Mayfield qualified in tenth with a fast racecar. However, an unfortunate mechanical problem ended up derailing the team’s chances for a Top 10 finish and brought them home in last for the second time in three races.  Before the bad luck happened, though, everything seemed to be perfect for Mayfield. As soon as the green flag waved, he attempted to make a few passes before the first caution waved on lap 5. However, he remained in tenth as the yellow flag waved and the field was lined up for a second time. When the race restarted, Mayfield slipped past Rusty Wallace and Rick Mast to move into the eighth spot. The young driver wasn’t finished as he moved past Rusty’s brother, Kenny Wallace, around lap 20 and moved into the seventh spot with a long green flag run starting to take shape. After making the pass, Mayfield’s progress seemed to slow. He dropped back to eighth around lap 47 after Ernie Irvan passed him. Around lap 55, Bobby Hamilton moved past him, which dropped the #37 to ninth. Despite losing positions later in the run, Mayfield was still in the Top 10 as green flag pit stops approached. The team hoped to give their driver some fresh tires and advance positions, but that opportunity didn’t come. During his green flag stop, Mayfield reported to his team that he was experiencing power steering problems. He returned to the track for a few laps after his stop, but he returned to the pit lane and went to the garage for his team to investigate the issue. Somehow, parts within the engine had broken the power steering line and several other important lines within the engine compartment. Because of all the damage, the team couldn’t repair the #37 Ford and decided to retire to from the event. After nearly 70 laps of competitive racing in the Top 10, Mayfield’s day was done and a promising run disappeared. When the checkered flag waved, the #37 was scored in 44th, bringing the team another disappointing last place finish. Unfortunately, after qualifying in tenth, Jeremy Mayfield was unable to capitalize on the excellent starting position due to bad luck with the mechanical aspects of his racecar.

After 312 laps around Phoenix International Raceway this afternoon, the NWCS takes a week off before heading to Atlanta, Georgia, for the 1996 season finale at the 1.5-mile track. Since 1987, AMS has hosted the season finale for NASCAR’s highest series. Each of those races have been filled with memorable moments and incredible action as the season ended on a November afternoon. Next Sunday’s race will be no different thanks to a variety of storylines. Three drivers mathematically will enter the 500-mile race and attempt to win the championship: Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Jarrett. Labonte, who hasn’t won a championship in 12 years, enters Atlanta with a 47-point lead, hoping to win a championship with Hendrick Motorsports and add to the legacy of his career. However, the status of his wrist injury could cause him to struggle at AMS allow his other two contenders to grab the title. Gordon, the reigning and defending NWCS champion, enters Atlanta just 47 points away from his second consecutive title in only his fourth full-time Cup season. Jarrett, who has never won a NWCS title, heads to the heart of Georgia with an outside chance of winning the championship and etching his name in NASCAR history. However, they won’t be the only three drivers on track. 40 other competitors will take the green flag hoping to earn the win and launch into the offseason with momentum. Bobby Hamilton just won his first career Cup race today, but the #43 team will head to Georgia in two weeks hoping to add another win to end the year. Both Mark Martin and Bobby Labonte are winless this season, but the two fan favorite drivers will be contenders to win at AMS. Dale Earnhardt hasn’t won since March, but the seven-time champion heads to the same track where he won eight months ago and hopes to end a long winless streak. Ted Musgrave and Geoff Bodine finished strongly today after tough years, which could help them grab good finishes at the 1.5-mile AMS in the season finale. Finally, the 43 drivers in the 500-mile race will have to contend with the difficult Atlanta oval. It will be a battle of strategy and tough track conditions as they try to outlast the treacherous traditional oval. Today’s 312-lap event at Phoenix featured a historic win for Bobby Hamilton and his Petty Enterprises team, an incredible save from Ken Schrader on lap 156, two sets of green flag pit stops, Mark Martin nearly wrecking from the lead with a lapped car, and several interesting strategy calls throughout the event.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 5- Sterling Marlin broke loose underneath John Andretti entering turn 3, which caused Marlin to spin up the track and back into the outside wall with his rear end. As he slid to a stop, Brett Bodine slammed into his front end and added more damage to the #4. Both competitors drove away from the accident, but they would need repairs to continue.

2nd Caution: Lap 116- Mark Martin and Derrike Cope made contact entering turn 1, which caused Cope to spin up the track and back into the outside wall with his #12 Ford. He came to a stop at the top of the turn with race ending damage. 

3rd Caution: Lap 135- Jack Sprague bumped Robby Gordon slightly entering turn 1, which caused the #40 of Gordon to shoot straight up the track towards the outside wall. He slammed hard into the wall with his left side at nearly full speed and slid to a stop in the outside groove as the field powered by. Gordon climbed out safely, but his race was over due to the significant damage.

4th Caution: Lap 156- Oil from Rusty Wallace’s engine littered turn 3, which caused several drivers to break loose and spin. Ken Schrader had a huge slide in the turn, but he saved his car and continued. Bobby Hillin slid up the track and piled into the outside wall hard with his rear end and his left side, which ended his race. John Andretti and Jeff Burton broke loose in the oil, which caused Andretti to ramp Burton’s left front, which caused damage to both of their racecars and brought them to pit road. Lake Speed also spun and received some damage to his #9 Ford, but he would continue.

5th Caution: Lap 259- Todd Bodine broke loose in turn 3 and bumped into Jeff Krogh, which caused Krogh to spin up the track and slam into the outside wall with his Chevrolet. Bodine drove away after saving his Chevrolet and Krogh ended up stopped in the turn with race ending damage.

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Bobby Hamilton
2nd: Mark Martin
3rd: Terry Labonte
4th: Ted Musgrave
5th: Jeff Gordon

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Geoff Bodine
7th: Ernie Irvan
8th: Dale Jarrett
9th: Bobby Labonte
10th: Darrell Waltrip
12th: Dale Earnhardt
14th: Ricky Rudd
16th: Michael Waltrip
20th: Dick Trickle
21st: Bill Elliott
25th: Joe Nemechek
29th: Kyle Petty
31st: Jeff Burton
40th: Rusty Wallace
44th: Jeremy Mayfield




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/1996_Dura_Lube_500/W
-Bobby Hamilton Information:
https://web.archive.org/web/20060319181238/http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/headlines/truck/03/17/bhamilton_cancer/index.html
-Image:
http://rubbingsracing.com/rubbingsracingWP/2015/03/12/nscs-throwback-thursday-1996-dura-lube-500-at-phoenix/
-Full Race:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOgcDnKckP0&t=2006s