2001 Checker Auto Parts 500
{{Short description|32nd race of the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=NASWINSTON|Date=October 28|Caption=The 2001 Checker Auto Parts 500 program cover.|Pole_Team=Evernham Motorsports|First_Team=Roush Racing|First_Driver=Jeff Burton|Most_Team=Roush Racing|Most_Driver=Jeff Burton|Most_laps=102|Pole_Driver=Casey Atwood|Network=NBC|Announcers=Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons, Wally Dallenbach Jr.|Car=99|Radio=Motor Racing Network|Avg={{convert|102.613|mph|km/h}}|Season_No=36|Location=Avondale, Arizona, Phoenix International Raceway|Race_No=32|Scheduled_km=502.115|Distance_km=502.115|Scheduled_laps=312|Distance_laps=312|Course_km=1.6|Scheduled_mi=312|Course_mi=1|Official_name=14th Annual Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil|Race_Name=Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil|Year=2001|Pole_Time=27.419|Distance_mi=312|Attendance=|Image=2001_Checker_Auto_Parts_500.png}}
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.{{Cite web |last=Poole |first=David |date=October 28, 2001 |title=Burton passes Mike Wallace, wins |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/01/1028/1029racelede.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011119053930/http://www.thatsracin.com/01/1028/1029racelede.htm |archive-date=November 19, 2001 |access-date=July 30, 2022 |website=ThatsRacin |publisher=The Charlotte Observer}}{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Mike |date=October 29, 2001 |title=Burton wins Checker Auto Parts 500 for second year in a row |pages=11 |work=Arizona Daily Sun |publisher=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106585809/burton-wins-checker-auto-parts-500-for/ |access-date=July 30, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Marty |date=October 29, 2001 |title=Burton repeats the feat at Phoenix |url=http://www.nascar.com/2001/NEWS/10/28/cup_lead/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020203210729/http://www.nascar.com/2001/NEWS/10/28/cup_lead/index.html |archive-date=February 3, 2002 |access-date=July 30, 2022 |website=NASCAR |publisher=Turner Sports Interactive}} To fill out the podium, Wallace and Robert Yates Racing driver Ricky Rudd would finish second and third, respectively.
Background
File:Phoenix-international-raceway-2011-new.svg, the venue where the race was held.]]
Phoenix 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 =
- (R) denotes rookie driver.
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!# !Driver !Team !Make !Sponsor |
| 1 |
| 01
|Jason Leffler (R) |
| 2
|Ford |
| 02
|Ford |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6
|Ford |
| 7
|Ford |
| 8 |
| 9 |
| 10 |
| 11
|Ford |
| 12
|Ford |
| 14
|Ron Hornaday Jr. (R) |
| 15
|NAPA Auto Parts Patriotic |
| 17
|Ford |
| 18 |
| 19
|Casey Atwood (R) |
| 20 |
| 21
|Ford |
| 22 |
| 24 |
| 25 |
| 26
|Ford |
| 28
|Ford |
| 29
|Kevin Harvick (R) |
| 31 |
| 32
|Ford |Tide |
| 33 |
| 36 |
| 40 |
| 43 |
| 44 |
| 45 |
| 55 |
| 66
|Ford |
| 70 |
| 77
|Ford |
| 88
|Ford |UPS |
| 90
|Ford |
| 92 |
| 93 |
| 97
|Kurt Busch (R) |Ford |
| 99
|Ford |
| colspan="5" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20011208072952/http://www.nascar.com/DATA/2001/race/winston/32/entry_list.html Official entry list] |
|---|
Practice
= First practice =
The first practice session was held on Friday, October 26, at 10:25 AM MST. The session would last for one hour and 55 minutes.{{Cite web |date= |title=Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2001 Phoenix Race Info Page |url=http://jayski.thatsracin.com/next/2001/2001phoenix.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020213130636/http://jayski.thatsracin.com/next/2001/2001phoenix.htm |archive-date=February 13, 2002 |access-date=July 30, 2022 |website=Jayski's Silly Season Site}} 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 {{Convert|131.066|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |date= |title=NASCAR - 2001 Phoenix Practice 1 Results |url=http://www.nascar.com/DATA/2001/race/winston/32/practice_results1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020203081433/http://www.nascar.com/DATA/2001/race/winston/32/practice_results1.html |archive-date=February 3, 2002 |access-date=July 30, 2022 |website=NASCAR}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed |
| 1
|45 |27.467 |131.066 |
|---|
| 2
|10 |27.476 |131.023 |
| 3
|19 |Casey Atwood (R) |27.490 |130.957 |
| colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20020203081433/http://www.nascar.com/DATA/2001/race/winston/32/practice_results1.html Full first practice results] |
= Second practice =
The second session was held on Saturday, October 27, at 10:30 AM MST. The session would last for 45 minutes. 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 {{Convert|127.682|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |date=October 27, 2001 |title=Speeds from Saturday's first practice |url=http://www.thatsracin.com:80/01/1028/1028speeds1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011119055507/http://www.thatsracin.com:80/01/1028/1028speeds1.htm |archive-date=November 19, 2001 |access-date=July 30, 2022 |website=ThatsRacin}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed |
| 1
|99 |Ford |28.195 |127.682 |
|---|
| 2
|45 |28.255 |127.411 |
| 3
|55 |28.262 |127.380 |
| colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20020203081640/http://www.nascar.com/DATA/2001/race/winston/32/practice_results2.html Full second practice results] |
= Third and final practice =
The 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. 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 {{Convert|127.096|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |date=October 27, 2001 |title=Saturday's final practice speeds |url=http://www.thatsracin.com:80/01/1028/1028speeds2.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011214092128/http://www.thatsracin.com:80/01/1028/1028speeds2.htm |archive-date=December 14, 2001 |access-date=July 30, 2022 |website=ThatsRacin}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed |
| 1
|24 |28.325 |127.096 |
|---|
| 2
|29 |Kevin Harvick (R) |28.447 |126.551 |
| 3
|20 |28.457 |126.507 |
| colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20020203084049/http://www.nascar.com/DATA/2001/race/winston/32/practice_results3.html Full Happy Hour practice results] |
Qualifying
Qualifying 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. 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.{{Cite web |date= |title=Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2002 Provisional/Owners Points Page |url=http://www.jayski.com/stats/2002/2002prov.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050205192304/http://www.jayski.com/stats/2002/2002prov.htm |archive-date=February 5, 2005 |access-date=March 3, 2022 |website=Jayski's Silly Season Site}}
Casey Atwood, driving for Evernham Motorsports, would win the pole, setting a time of 27.419 and an average speed of {{Convert|131.296|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |last=Poole |first=David |date=October 26, 2001 |title=Phoenix pole a bonus for Atwood, team |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/01/1028/1027polelede.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011215134113/http://www.thatsracin.com/01/1028/1027polelede.htm |archive-date=December 15, 2001 |access-date=July 30, 2022 |website=ThatsRacin |publisher=The Charlotte Observer}}
Rick Bogart was the only driver to fail to qualify.
= Full qualifying results =
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed |
| 1
|19 |Casey Atwood (R) |27.419 |131.296 |
|---|
| 2
|43 |27.466 |131.071 |
| 3
|99 |Ford |27.486 |130.976 |
| 4
|2 |Ford |27.495 |130.933 |
| 5
|77 |Ford |27.522 |130.804 |
| 6
|9 |27.566 |130.596 |
| 7
|1 |27.590 |130.482 |
| 8
|14 |Ron Hornaday Jr. (R) |27.604 |130.416 |
| 9
|32 |Ford |27.607 |130.402 |
| 10
|36 |27.622 |130.331 |
| 11
|66 |Ford |27.623 |130.326 |
| 12
|11 |Ford |27.629 |130.298 |
| 13
|10 |27.636 |130.265 |
| 14
|24 |27.662 |130.142 |
| 15
|92 |27.662 |130.142 |
| 16
|88 |Ford |27.692 |130.001 |
| 17
|55 |27.693 |129.997 |
| 18
|18 |27.700 |129.964 |
| 19
|44 |27.719 |129.875 |
| 20
|93 |27.729 |129.828 |
| 21
|28 |Ford |27.738 |129.786 |
| 22
|20 |27.741 |129.772 |
| 23
|5 |27.757 |129.697 |
| 24
|12 |Ford |27.768 |129.646 |
| 25
|02 |Ford |27.774 |129.618 |
| 26
|15 |27.779 |129.594 |
| 27
|90 |Ford |27.790 |129.543 |
| 28
|45 |27.790 |129.543 |
| 29
|6 |Ford |27.810 |129.450 |
| 30
|8 |27.833 |129.343 |
| 31
|40 |Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates |27.858 |129.227 |
| 32
|26 |Ford |27.875 |129.148 |
| 33
|22 |27.893 |129.065 |
| 34
|33 |27.915 |128.963 |
| 35
|7 |Ford |27.956 |128.774 |
| 36
|01 |Jason Leffler (R) |Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates |27.969 |128.714 |
| colspan="7" |Provisionals |
| 37
|29 |Kevin Harvick (R) | -* | -* |
| 38
|17 |Ford | -* | -* |
| 39
|21 |Ford | -* | -* |
| 40
|25 | -* | -* |
| 41
|97 |Kurt Busch (R) |Ford | -* | -* |
| 42
|31 | -* | -* |
| 43
|4 | -* | -* |
| colspan="7" |Failed to qualify |
| 44
|70 |28.420 |126.671 |
| colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20020203080254/http://www.nascar.com/DATA/2001/race/winston/32/lineup.html Official qualifying results] |
Race results
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
!St !# !Driver !Team !Make !Laps !Led !Status !Pts !Winnings |
| 1
|3 |99 |Ford |312 |102 |running |185 |$213,491 |
|---|
| 2
|24 |12 |Ford |312 |45 |running |175 |$156,459 |
| 3
|21 |28 |Ford |312 |0 |running |165 |$139,797 |
| 4
|38 |17 |Ford |312 |0 |running |160 |$97,960 |
| 5
|22 |20 |312 |0 |running |155 |$96,675 |
| 6
|14 |24 |312 |0 |running |150 |$109,052 |
| 7
|42 |31 |312 |0 |running |146 |$94,399 |
| 8
|9 |32 |Ford |312 |0 |running |142 |$56,875 |
| 9
|16 |88 |Ford |312 |0 |running |138 |$96,452 |
| 10
|13 |10 |312 |0 |running |134 |$67,675 |
| 11
|7 |1 |312 |0 |running |130 |$78,118 |
| 12
|18 |18 |312 |0 |running |127 |$97,802 |
| 13
|33 |22 |312 |0 |running |124 |$81,610 |
| 14
|1 |19 |Casey Atwood (R) |312 |71 |running |126 |$53,075 |
| 39
|2 |43 |270 |2 |crash |51 |$97,590 |
| 15
|4 |2 |Ford |312 |91 |running |123 |$63,610 |
| 16
|19 |44 |312 |0 |running |115 |$88,277 |
| 17
|37 |29 |Kevin Harvick (R) |312 |0 |running |112 |$60,645 |
| 18
|10 |36 |312 |0 |running |109 |$85,176 |
| 19
|29 |6 |Ford |312 |0 |running |106 |$80,330 |
| 20
|23 |5 |312 |0 |running |103 |$50,936 |
| 21
|15 |92 |312 |0 |running |100 |$52,850 |
| 22
|41 |97 |Kurt Busch (R) |Ford |312 |0 |running |97 |$50,325 |
| 23
|26 |15 |312 |0 |running |94 |$51,375 |
| 24
|40 |25 |312 |0 |running |91 |$40,950 |
| 25
|27 |90 |Ford |312 |0 |running |88 |$47,615 |
| 26
|12 |11 |Ford |312 |0 |running |85 |$67,523 |
| 27
|6 |9 |312 |0 |running |82 |$42,675 |
| 28
|20 |93 |312 |0 |running |79 |$42,050 |
| 29
|11 |66 |Ford |311 |0 |running |76 |$39,925 |
| 30
|8 |14 |Ron Hornaday Jr. (R) |311 |0 |running |73 |$50,375 |
| 31
|32 |26 |Ford |311 |1 |running |75 |$47,150 |
| 32
|35 |7 |Ford |310 |0 |running |67 |$57,025 |
| 33
|39 |21 |Ford |310 |0 |running |64 |$46,900 |
| 34
|31 |40 |Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates |309 |0 |running |61 |$67,045 |
| 35
|34 |33 |301 |0 |running |58 |$46,650 |
| 36
|17 |55 |300 |0 |running |55 |$73,248 |
| 37
|30 |8 |287 |0 |engine |52 |$38,400 |
| 38
|43 |4 |286 |0 |overheating |49 |$73,802 |
| 40
|25 |02 |Ford |253 |0 |crash |43 |$38,125 |
| 41
|36 |01 |Jason Leffler (R) |Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates |252 |0 |overheating |40 |$45,975 |
| 42
|5 |77 |Ford |239 |0 |crash |37 |$45,850 |
| 43
|28 |45 |65 |0 |engine |34 |$37,978 |
| colspan="11" |Failed to qualify |
| 44
! |70 ! colspan="5" | |
| colspan="11" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20020203082950/http://www.nascar.com/DATA/2001/race/winston/32/race_results.html Official race results] |
References
{{Reflist}}{{NASCAR next race|Previous_race=2001 EA Sports 500|Next_race=2001 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400|Monsteryear=2001|Series=NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}
{{NASCAR on NBC}}{{2001 Winston Cup}}