The 2001 Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil was the 32nd stock car race of the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 14th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, October 28, 2001, in Avondale, Arizona at Phoenix International Raceway, a 1-mile (1.6 km) permanent low-banked tri-oval race track. The race took the scheduled 312 laps to complete. At race's end, Jeff Burton, driving for Roush Racing, would prevail in a battle against reliever for Jeremy Mayfield, Penske Racing South driver Mike Wallace, to win his 17th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory and his second and final victory of the season.[1][2][3] To fill out the podium, Wallace and Robert Yates Racing driver Ricky Rudd would finish second and third, respectively.
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 32 of 36 in the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||
 The 2001 Checker Auto Parts 500 program cover. | |||
| Date | October 28, 2001 | ||
| Official name | 14th Annual Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil | ||
| Location | Avondale, Arizona, Phoenix International Raceway | ||
| Course |
Permanent racing facility 1 mi (1.6 km) | ||
| Distance | 312 laps, 312 mi (502.115 km) | ||
| Scheduled Distance | 312 laps, 312 mi (502.115 km) | ||
| Average speed | 102.613 miles per hour (165.140 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Evernham Motorsports | ||
| Time | 27.419 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | |
| Laps | 102 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | NBC | ||
| Announcers | Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons, Wally Dallenbach Jr. | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | Motor Racing Network | ||
Background
editPhoenix International Raceway – also known as PIR – is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It is named after the nearby metropolitan area of Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the IndyCar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The raceway is currently owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.
The raceway was originally constructed with a 2.5 mi (4.0 km) road course that ran both inside and outside of the main tri-oval. In 1991 the track was reconfigured with the current 1.51 mi (2.43 km) interior layout. PIR has an estimated grandstand seating capacity of around 67,000. Lights were installed around the track in 2004 following the addition of a second annual NASCAR race weekend.
Entry list
edit- (R) denotes rookie driver.
Practice
editFirst practice
editThe first practice session was held on Friday, October 26, at 10:25 AM MST. The session would last for one hour and 55 minutes.[4] Kyle Petty, driving for Petty Enterprises, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 27.467 and an average speed of 131.066 miles per hour (210.930 km/h).[5]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45 | Kyle Petty | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 27.467 | 131.066 |
| 2 | 10 | Johnny Benson Jr. | MBV Motorsports | Pontiac | 27.476 | 131.023 |
| 3 | 19 | Casey Atwood (R) | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 27.490 | 130.957 |
| Full first practice results | ||||||
Second practice
editThe second session was held on Saturday, October 27, at 10:30 AM MST. The session would last for 45 minutes.[4] Jeff Burton, driving for Roush Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 28.195 and an average speed of 127.682 miles per hour (205.484 km/h).[6]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Ford | 28.195 | 127.682 |
| 2 | 45 | Kyle Petty | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 28.255 | 127.411 |
| 3 | 55 | Bobby Hamilton | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 28.262 | 127.380 |
| Full second practice results | ||||||
Third and final practice
editThe final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, October 27, at 3:30 PM EST. The session would last for one hour.[4] Jeff Gordon, driving for Hendrick Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 28.325 and an average speed of 127.096 miles per hour (204.541 km/h).[7]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.325 | 127.096 |
| 2 | 29 | Kevin Harvick (R) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 28.447 | 126.551 |
| 3 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 28.457 | 126.507 |
| Full Happy Hour practice results | ||||||
Qualifying
editQualifying was held on Friday, October 26, at 2:40 PM MST. Each driver would have two laps to set a fastest time; the fastest of the two would count as their official qualifying lap.[4] 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]
Casey Atwood, driving for Evernham Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 27.419 and an average speed of 131.296 miles per hour (211.300 km/h).[9]
Rick Bogart was the only driver to fail to qualify.
Full qualifying results
edit*Time not available.
Race results
edit| Fin[10] | St | # | Driver | Team | Make | Laps | Led | Status | Pts | Winnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Ford | 312 | 102 | running | 185 | $213,491 |
| 2 | 24 | 12 | Mike Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford | 312 | 45 | running | 175 | $156,459 |
| 3 | 21 | 28 | Ricky Rudd | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 312 | 0 | running | 165 | $139,797 |
| 4 | 38 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Racing | Ford | 312 | 0 | running | 160 | $97,960 |
| 5 | 22 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 312 | 0 | running | 155 | $96,675 |
| 6 | 14 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 312 | 0 | running | 150 | $109,052 |
| 7 | 42 | 31 | Robby Gordon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 312 | 0 | running | 146 | $94,399 |
| 8 | 9 | 32 | Ricky Craven | PPI Motorsports | Ford | 312 | 0 | running | 142 | $56,875 |
| 9 | 16 | 88 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 312 | 0 | running | 138 | $96,452 |
| 10 | 13 | 10 | Johnny Benson Jr. | MBV Motorsports | Pontiac | 312 | 0 | running | 134 | $67,675 |
| 11 | 7 | 1 | Kenny Wallace | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 312 | 0 | running | 130 | $78,118 |
| 12 | 18 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 312 | 0 | running | 127 | $97,802 |
| 13 | 33 | 22 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 312 | 0 | running | 124 | $81,610 |
| 14 | 1 | 19 | Casey Atwood (R) | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 312 | 71 | running | 126 | $53,075 |
| 39 | 2 | 43 | John Andretti | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 270 | 2 | crash | 51 | $97,590 |
| 15 | 4 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford | 312 | 91 | running | 123 | $63,610 |
| 16 | 19 | 44 | Buckshot Jones | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 312 | 0 | running | 115 | $88,277 |
| 17 | 37 | 29 | Kevin Harvick (R) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 312 | 0 | running | 112 | $60,645 |
| 18 | 10 | 36 | Ken Schrader | MB2 Motorsports | Pontiac | 312 | 0 | running | 109 | $85,176 |
| 19 | 29 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 312 | 0 | running | 106 | $80,330 |
| 20 | 23 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 312 | 0 | running | 103 | $50,936 |
| 21 | 15 | 92 | Stacy Compton | Melling Racing | Dodge | 312 | 0 | running | 100 | $52,850 |
| 22 | 41 | 97 | Kurt Busch (R) | Roush Racing | Ford | 312 | 0 | running | 97 | $50,325 |
| 23 | 26 | 15 | Michael Waltrip | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 312 | 0 | running | 94 | $51,375 |
| 24 | 40 | 25 | Jerry Nadeau | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 312 | 0 | running | 91 | $40,950 |
| 25 | 27 | 90 | Rick Mast | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 312 | 0 | running | 88 | $47,615 |
| 26 | 12 | 11 | Brett Bodine | Brett Bodine Racing | Ford | 312 | 0 | running | 85 | $67,523 |
| 27 | 6 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 312 | 0 | running | 82 | $42,675 |
| 28 | 20 | 93 | Dave Blaney | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 312 | 0 | running | 79 | $42,050 |
| 29 | 11 | 66 | Todd Bodine | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 311 | 0 | running | 76 | $39,925 |
| 30 | 8 | 14 | Ron Hornaday Jr. (R) | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Pontiac | 311 | 0 | running | 73 | $50,375 |
| 31 | 32 | 26 | Jimmy Spencer | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 311 | 1 | running | 75 | $47,150 |
| 32 | 35 | 7 | Kevin Lepage | Ultra Motorsports | Ford | 310 | 0 | running | 67 | $57,025 |
| 33 | 39 | 21 | Elliott Sadler | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 310 | 0 | running | 64 | $46,900 |
| 34 | 31 | 40 | Sterling Marlin | Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates | Dodge | 309 | 0 | running | 61 | $67,045 |
| 35 | 34 | 33 | Joe Nemechek | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 301 | 0 | running | 58 | $46,650 |
| 36 | 17 | 55 | Bobby Hamilton | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 300 | 0 | running | 55 | $73,248 |
| 37 | 30 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 287 | 0 | engine | 52 | $38,400 |
| 38 | 43 | 4 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. | Morgan–McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 286 | 0 | overheating | 49 | $73,802 |
| 40 | 25 | 02 | Ryan Newman | Penske Racing South | Ford | 253 | 0 | crash | 43 | $38,125 |
| 41 | 36 | 01 | Jason Leffler (R) | Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates | Dodge | 252 | 0 | overheating | 40 | $45,975 |
| 42 | 5 | 77 | Robert Pressley | Jasper Motorsports | Ford | 239 | 0 | crash | 37 | $45,850 |
| 43 | 28 | 45 | Kyle Petty | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 65 | 0 | engine | 34 | $37,978 |
| Failed to qualify | ||||||||||
| 44 | 70 | Rick Bogart | Bogart Racing | Dodge | ||||||
| Official race results | ||||||||||
References
edit- ^ Poole, David (October 28, 2001). "Burton passes Mike Wallace, wins". ThatsRacin. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on November 19, 2001. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ Harris, Mike (October 29, 2001). "Burton wins Checker Auto Parts 500 for second year in a row". Arizona Daily Sun. Associated Press. p. 11. Retrieved July 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Smith, Marty (October 29, 2001). "Burton repeats the feat at Phoenix". NASCAR. Turner Sports Interactive. Archived from the original on February 3, 2002. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2001 Phoenix Race Info Page". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Archived from the original on February 13, 2002. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ "NASCAR - 2001 Phoenix Practice 1 Results". NASCAR. Archived from the original on February 3, 2002. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ "Speeds from Saturday's first practice". ThatsRacin. October 27, 2001. Archived from the original on November 19, 2001. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ "Saturday's final practice speeds". ThatsRacin. October 27, 2001. Archived from the original on December 14, 2001. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ "Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2002 Provisional/Owners Points Page". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Archived from the original on February 5, 2005. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
- ^ Poole, David (October 26, 2001). "Phoenix pole a bonus for Atwood, team". ThatsRacin. The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on December 15, 2001. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ "2001 Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved July 28, 2022.