2001 Old Dominion 500 Explained

Type:NASWINSTON
Avg:75.75mph
Announcers:Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons, Wally Dallenbach Jr.
Most Laps:94
Pole Driver:Todd Bodine
Most Driver:Ricky Craven
Pole Team:Haas-Carter Motorsports
Most Team:PPI Motorsports
First Team:PPI Motorsports
First Driver:Ricky Craven
Car:32
Network:NBC
Radio:Motor Racing Network
Scheduled Laps:500
Location:Martinsville, Virginia, Martinsville Speedway
Distance Laps:500
Scheduled Km:423.257
Distance Km:423.257
Scheduled Mi:263
Season No:36
Race No:30
Official Name:53rd Annual Old Dominion 500
Course Km:0.847
Course Mi:0.526
Date:October 15
Race Name:Old Dominion 500
Year:2001
Distance Mi:263
Pole Time:20.204

The 2001 Old Dominion 500 was the 30th stock car race of the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 53rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Monday, October 15, 2001, Martinsville, Virginia at Martinsville Speedway, a 0.526miles permanent oval-shaped short track. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete. In the closing laps of the race, Ricky Craven, driving for PPI Motorsports, would manage to defend Robert Yates Racing driver Dale Jarrett in a close finish to win his first career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his only victory of the season.[1] [2] [3] To fill out the podium, Jarrett and Bill Davis Racing driver Ward Burton would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

Martinsville Speedway is an NASCAR-owned stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At 0.526 miles (0.847 km) in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only remaining race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948.

Entry list

DriverTeamMakeSponsor
1Kenny WallaceDale Earnhardt, Inc.ChevroletPennzoil
01Jason Leffler (R)Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix SabatesDodgeCingular Wireless
2Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFordMiller Lite
4Rich BickleMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevroletKodak
5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevroletKellogg's
6Mark MartinRoush RacingFordViagra
7Kevin LepageUltra MotorsportsFordNationsRent, OmniGrip
8Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.ChevroletBudweiser
9Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodgeDodge
10Johnny Benson Jr.MBV MotorsportsPontiacValvoline MaxLife
11Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFordRalphs
12Mike WallacePenske Racing SouthFordMobil 1
13Hermie SadlerSCORE MotorsportsChevroletVirginia Lottery
14Ron Hornaday Jr. (R)A. J. Foyt EnterprisesPontiacConseco
15Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.ChevroletNAPA Auto Parts Patriotic
17Matt KensethRoush RacingFordDeWalt
18Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiacInterstate Batteries
19Casey Atwood (R)Evernham MotorsportsDodgeDodge
20Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingPontiacThe Home Depot
21Elliott SadlerWood Brothers RacingFordMotorcraft
22Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodgeCaterpillar
24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevroletDuPont
25Jerry NadeauHendrick MotorsportsChevroletUAW, Delphi
26Jimmy SpencerHaas-Carter MotorsportsFordKmart
28Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFordTexaco, Havoline
29Kevin Harvick (R)Richard Childress RacingChevroletGM Goodwrench
31Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevroletLowe's
32Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsFordTide
33Joe NemechekAndy Petree RacingChevroletOakwood Homes
36Ken SchraderMBV MotorsportsPontiacM&M's
40Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi Racing with Felix SabatesDodgeCoors Light
43John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodgeCheerios
44Buckshot JonesPetty EnterprisesDodgeGeorgia-Pacific Sparkle
45Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodgeSprint PCS
46Frank KimmelLarry Clement RacingFordAdvance Auto Parts
55Bobby HamiltonAndy Petree RacingChevroletSquare D
66Todd BodineHaas-Carter MotorsportsFordKmart Blue Light Special
71Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevroletTeam Realtree
77Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFordJasper Engines & Transmissions
85Carl LongMansion MotorsportsFordMansion Motorsports
88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFordUPS
90Hut StricklinDonlavey RacingFordHills Bros. Coffee
92Stacy ComptonMelling RacingDodgeKodiak
93Dave BlaneyBill Davis RacingDodgeAmoco Ultimate
97Kurt Busch (R)Roush RacingFordRubbermaid, Sharpie
99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFordCitgo Supergard
Official entry list

Practice

First practice

The first practice session was held on Friday, October 12, at 11:20 AM EST. The session would last for two hours. Tony Stewart, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 20.188 and an average speed of 93.798mph.[4]

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
120Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac20.18893.798
255Bobby HamiltonAndy Petree RacingChevrolet20.20693.715
310Johnny Benson Jr.MBV MotorsportsPontiac20.24093.557
Full first practice results

Second practice

The second practice session was held on Saturday, October 13, at 12:00 PM EST. The session would last for 45 minutes. Mike Wallace, driving for Penske Racing South, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 20.443 and an average speed of 92.628mph.[5]

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
112Mike WallacePenske Racing SouthFord20.44392.628
288Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord20.56392.088
310Johnny Benson Jr.MBV MotorsportsPontiac20.58991.971
Full second practice results

Third and final practice

The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, October 13, at 1:15 PM EST. The session would last for 45 minutes. Mike Wallace, driving for Penske Racing South, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 20.451 and an average speed of 92.592mph.[6]

During the session, Roush Racing driver Jeff Burton would wreck after Ricky Rudd sent oil onto the track, sending Burton into the outside turn 1 wall. Burton was forced to start at the rear for the race and transfer to a backup car.

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
112Mike WallacePenske Racing SouthFord20.45192.592
220Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac20.48792.429
331Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet20.51892.290
Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying

Qualifying was held on Friday, October 12, at 3:05 PM EST. Each driver would have two laps to set a fastest time; the fastest of the two would count as their official qualifying lap.[7] Positions 1-36 would be decided on time, while positions 37-43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champ needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.[8]

Todd Bodine, driving for Haas-Carter Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 20.204 and an average speed of 93.724mph.[9]

Three drivers would fail to qualify: Carl Long, Kyle Petty, and Frank Kimmel.

Full qualifying results

Pos.DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed
166Todd BodineHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord20.20493.724
28Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet20.22793.617
324Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet20.25593.488
488Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord20.29193.322
510Johnny Benson Jr.MBV MotorsportsPontiac20.29893.290
632Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsFord20.29993.285
733Joe NemechekAndy Petree RacingChevrolet20.30293.272
820Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac20.30393.267
92Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord20.33493.125
1093Dave BlaneyBill Davis RacingDodge20.35793.020
1122Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge20.37092.960
1212Mike WallacePenske Racing SouthFord20.37092.960
136Mark MartinRoush RacingFord20.37792.928
1425Jerry NadeauHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet20.40492.805
1577Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord20.41792.746
1655Bobby HamiltonAndy Petree RacingChevrolet20.42992.692
1714Ron Hornaday Jr. (R)A. J. Foyt EnterprisesPontiac20.42992.692
184Rich BickleMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet20.43592.665
1928Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFord20.43892.651
2036Ken SchraderMB2 MotorsportsPontiac20.45092.597
219Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge20.45692.569
2217Matt KensethRoush RacingFord20.46492.533
2313Hermie SadlerSCORE MotorsportsChevrolet20.47292.497
2499Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord20.48992.420
2571Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet20.48992.420
2640Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi Racing with Felix SabatesDodge20.49092.416
2743John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge20.50292.362
2831Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet20.51192.321
2990Hut StricklinDonlavey RacingFord20.51792.294
307Kevin LepageUltra MotorsportsFord20.52592.258
315Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet20.53192.231
3218Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac20.54492.173
3344Buckshot JonesPetty EnterprisesDodge20.55192.142
3415Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet20.56992.061
3529Rick MastRichard Childress RacingChevrolet20.57892.021
3611Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord20.59391.954
Provisionals
371Kenny WallaceDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet20.74591.280
3826Jimmy SpencerHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord21.37188.606
3921Elliott SadlerWood Brothers RacingFord20.64491.726
4097Kurt Busch (R)Roush RacingFord20.66691.629
4119Casey Atwood (R)Evernham MotorsportsDodge20.73491.328
4201Jason Leffler (R)Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix SabatesDodge20.74291.293
4392Stacy ComptonMelling RacingDodge20.63891.753
Failed to qualify
4485Carl LongMansion MotorsportsFord20.59391.954
4545Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge20.61191.873
4646Frank KimmelLarry Clement RacingFord20.80990.999
Official qualifying results

Race results

Fin[10] StDriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings
1632Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsFord50094running185$130,475
2488Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord50031running175$114,252
31122Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge50045running170$94,460
43218Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac5000running160$104,537
52499Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord5000running155$96,846
6510Johnny Benson Jr.MBV MotorsportsPontiac5005running155$51,300
7136Mark MartinRoush RacingFord50033running151$82,251
81212Mike WallacePenske Racing SouthFord50014running147$80,759
9324Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet50058running143$84,102
102640Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi Racing with Felix SabatesDodge5000running134$66,435
112036Ken SchraderMB2 MotorsportsPontiac5000running130$54,930
12166Todd BodineHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord5009running132$44,550
131655Bobby HamiltonAndy Petree RacingChevrolet50092running129$46,175
143826Jimmy SpencerHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord5000running121$52,461
1592Rusty WallacePenske Racing SouthFord5000running118$79,290
164392Stacy ComptonMelling RacingDodge5000running115$44,040
173921Elliott SadlerWood Brothers RacingFord50034running117$58,025
181714Ron Hornaday Jr. (R)A. J. Foyt EnterprisesPontiac5000running109$37,855
193415Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet4990running106$42,200
20371Kenny WallaceDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet4990running103$66,043
21307Kevin LepageUltra MotorsportsFord4990running100$43,100
223529Kevin Harvick (R)Richard Childress RacingChevrolet49920running102$77,677
23733Joe NemechekAndy Petree RacingChevrolet4990running94$62,970
241425Jerry NadeauHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet4990running91$42,450
254119Casey Atwood (R)Evernham MotorsportsDodge4981running93$34,700
262990Hut StricklinDonlavey RacingFord4980running85$31,450
2728Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet4960running82$67,623
282313Hermie SadlerSCORE MotorsportsChevrolet4960running79$30,750
291093Dave BlaneyBill Davis RacingDodge4950running76$33,600
303344Buckshot JonesPetty EnterprisesDodge4940running73$41,450
31184Rich BickleMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet4940running70$30,300
322571Dave MarcisMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet4930running67$30,175
332743John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge4920running64$65,077
34315Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet4830brakes61$62,655
354097Kurt Busch (R)Roush RacingFord47938running63$37,800
362217Matt KensethRoush RacingFord45926rear end60$37,725
374201Jason Leffler (R)Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix SabatesDodge4580running52$37,600
382831Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4420running49$61,799
391928Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFord3970engine46$59,647
403611Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord2890running43$29,200
41820Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac1230engine40$49,275
42219Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge1150overheating37$53,673
431577Robert PressleyJasper MotorsportsFord530crash34$37,081
Failed to qualify
4485Carl LongMansion MotorsportsFord
4545Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge
4646Frank KimmelLarry Clement RacingFord
Official race results

Notes

  1. Web site: Poole . David . October 15, 2001 . Craven saw skirmish as an opportunity . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20011118124059/http://www.thatsracin.com/01/1014/1016racelede.htm . November 18, 2001 . August 9, 2022 . That's Racin' . The Charlotte Observer.
  2. News: Hinton . Ed . October 16, 2001 . Craven's 1st victory a popular one . 48 . . August 9, 2022 . . August 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220809020440/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107235254/cravens-1st-victory-a-popular-one/ . live .
  3. Web site: Smith . Marty . October 15, 2001 . Craven outduels Jarrett to win Old Dominion 500 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20011206065551/http://www.nascar.com/2001/NEWS/10/15/martinsville_smith/index.html . December 6, 2001 . August 9, 2022 . NASCAR . Turner Sports Interactive.
  4. Web site: October 12, 2001 . Friday's practice speeds . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20011114072553/http://www.thatsracin.com/01/1014/1013speeds.htm . November 14, 2001 . August 9, 2022 . That's Racin'.
  5. Web site: October 13, 2001 . Speeds from Saturday's first practice . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20011114092425/http://www.thatsracin.com/01/1014/1014speeds1.htm . November 14, 2001 . August 9, 2022 . That's Racin'.
  6. Web site: October 13, 2001 . Saturday's final practice speeds . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20011114092356/http://www.thatsracin.com/01/1014/1014speeds2.htm . November 14, 2001 . August 9, 2022 . That's Racin'.
  7. Web site: Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2001 Martinsville 2 Race Info Page . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20011207084956/http://jayski.thatsracin.com/next/2001/2001martins2.htm . December 7, 2001 . August 9, 2022 . Jayski's Silly Season Site.
  8. Web site: Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2002 Provisional/Owners Points Page . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20050205192304/http://www.jayski.com/stats/2002/2002prov.htm . 2005-02-05 . 2022-03-02 . Jayski's Silly Season Site.
  9. Web site: Poole . David . October 12, 2001 . Todd Bodine has best visit yet to Martinsville . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20011115015117/http://www.thatsracin.com/01/1014/1013polelede.htm . November 15, 2001 . August 9, 2022 . That's Racin' . The Charlotte Observer.
  10. Web site: 2001 Old Dominion 500 - The Third Turn . August 7, 2022 . The Third Turn . en.