2001 Pocono 500

File:Pocono_Raceway.svg, the venue where the race was held.]]

The race was held at Pocono Raceway, which is a three-turn superspeedway located in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The track hosts two annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, as well as one Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series event. Until 2019, the track also hosted an IndyCar Series race.

Pocono Raceway is one of a very few NASCAR tracks not owned by either Speedway Motorsports, Inc. or International Speedway Corporation. It is operated by the Igdalsky siblings Brandon, Nicholas, and sister Ashley, and cousins Joseph IV and Chase Mattioli, all of whom are third-generation members of the family-owned Mattco Inc, started by Joseph II and Rose Mattioli.

Outside of the NASCAR races, the track is used throughout the year by Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and motorcycle clubs as well as racing schools and an IndyCar race. The triangular oval also has three separate infield sections of racetrack – North Course, East Course and South Course. Each of these infield sections use a separate portion of the tri-oval to complete the track. During regular non-race weekends, multiple clubs can use the track by running on different infield sections. Also some of the infield sections can be run in either direction, or multiple infield sections can be put together – such as running the North Course and the South Course and using the tri-oval to connect the two.

• (R) denotes rookie driver.

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !# !Driver !Team !Make !Sponsor
1 |Steve Park |Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |Chevrolet |Pennzoil
01 |Jason Leffler (R) |Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates |Dodge |Cingular Wireless / Special Olympics
2 |Rusty Wallace |Penske Racing South |Ford |Miller Lite
4 |Kevin Lepage |Morgan–McClure Motorsports |Chevrolet |Kodak
5 |Terry Labonte |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |Kellogg's
6 |Mark Martin |Roush Racing |Ford |Viagra
7 |Ted Musgrave |Ultra Motorsports |Ford |NationsRent
8 |Dale Earnhardt Jr. |Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |Chevrolet |Budweiser
9 |Bill Elliott |Evernham Motorsports |Dodge |Dodge
10 |Johnny Benson Jr. |MBV Motorsports |Pontiac |Valvoline
11 |Brett Bodine |Brett Bodine Racing |Ford |RedCell / Ralphs
12 |Jeremy Mayfield |Penske Racing South |Ford |Mobil 1
14 |Ron Hornaday Jr. (R) |A. J. Foyt Enterprises |Pontiac |Conseco
15 |Michael Waltrip |Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |Chevrolet |NAPA Auto Parts
17 |Matt Kenseth |Roush Racing |Ford |DeWalt
18 |Bobby Labonte |Joe Gibbs Racing |Pontiac |Interstate Batteries
19 |Casey Atwood (R) |Evernham Motorsports |Dodge |Dodge
20 |Tony Stewart |Joe Gibbs Racing |Pontiac |The Home Depot
21 |Elliott Sadler |Wood Brothers Racing |Ford |Motorcraft
22 |Ward Burton |Bill Davis Racing |Dodge |Caterpillar
24 |Jeff Gordon |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |DuPont
25 |Jerry Nadeau |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |UAW-Delphi
26 |Jimmy Spencer |Haas-Carter Motorsports |Ford |Kmart
27 |Kenny Wallace |Eel River Racing |Pontiac |Sauer's / Duke's Mayonnaise
28 |Ricky Rudd |Robert Yates Racing |Ford |Texaco / Havoline
29 |Kevin Harvick (R) |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |GM Goodwrench
31 |Mike Skinner |Richard Childress Racing |Chevrolet |Lowe's
32 |Ricky Craven |PPI Motorsports |Ford |Tide
33 |Wally Dallenbach Jr. |Andy Petree Racing |Chevrolet |Oakwood Homes
36 |Ken Schrader |MBV Motorsports |Pontiac |M&M's
40 |Sterling Marlin |Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates |Dodge |Coors Light
43 |John Andretti |Petty Enterprises |Dodge |Cheerios
44 |Buckshot Jones |Petty Enterprises |Dodge |Georgia-Pacific Sparkle
45 |Kyle Petty |Petty Enterprises |Dodge |Sprint PCS
50 |Rick Mast |Midwest Transit Racing |Chevrolet |Blair
55 |Bobby Hamilton |Andy Petree Racing |Chevrolet |Square D
66 |Todd Bodine |Haas-Carter Motorsports |Ford |Kmart Blue Light Special
77 |Robert Pressley |Jasper Motorsports |Ford |Jasper Engines & Transmissions
88 |Dale Jarrett |Robert Yates Racing |Ford |UPS
90 |Hut Stricklin |Donlavey Racing |Ford |Hills Bros. Coffee
92 |Stacy Compton |Melling Racing |Dodge |Kodiak
93 |Dave Blaney |Bill Davis Racing |Dodge |Amoco Ultimate
96 |Andy Houston (R) |PPI Motorsports |Ford |McDonald's
97 |Kurt Busch (R) |Roush Racing |Ford |Rubbermaid / Sharpie
99 |Jeff Burton |Roush Racing |Ford |Citgo Supergard
colspan="5" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20011217232840/http://www.nascar.com/DATA/2001/race/winston/15/entry_list.html Official entry list]

The first practice session was held on Friday, June 15, at 11:30 AM EST. The session would last for two hours and 30 minutes.{{Cite web |date= |title=Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2001 Pocono 1 Race Info Page |url=http://jayski.thatsracin.com/next/2001/2001poc1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020213131204/http://jayski.thatsracin.com/next/2001/2001poc1.htm |archive-date=February 13, 2002 |access-date=July 1, 2022 |website=Jayski's Silly Season Site}} Ricky Rudd, driving for Robert Yates Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 53.027 and an average speed of {{Convert|169.725|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |date=June 15, 2001 |title=Friday's Winston Cup practice speeds |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/01/0617/0616speeds.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010807234545/http://www.thatsracin.com/01/0617/0616speeds.htm |archive-date=August 7, 2001 |access-date=July 1, 2022 |website=ThatsRacin}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed
1 |28 |Ricky Rudd |Robert Yates Racing |Ford |53.027 |169.725
2 |10 |Johnny Benson Jr. |MBV Motorsports |Pontiac |53.431 |168.442
3 |36 |Ken Schrader |MB2 Motorsports |Pontiac |53.495 |168.240
colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20011217232225/http://www.nascar.com/DATA/2001/race/winston/15/practice_results1.html Full first practice results]

The second practice session was held on Saturday, June 16, at 9:00 AM EST. The session would last for 45 minutes. Ricky Rudd, driving for Robert Yates Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 54.434 and an average speed of {{Convert|165.338|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |date=June 16, 2001 |title=Saturday's Winston Cup practice speeds |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/01/0617/0617speeds.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010807235704/http://www.thatsracin.com/01/0617/0617speeds.htm |archive-date=August 7, 2001 |access-date=July 1, 2022 |website=ThatsRacin}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed
1 |28 |Ricky Rudd |Robert Yates Racing |Ford |54.434 |165.338
2 |40 |Sterling Marlin |Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates |Dodge |54.499 |165.141
3 |6 |Mark Martin |Roush Racing |Ford |54.533 |165.038
colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20011217233200/http://www.nascar.com/DATA/2001/race/winston/15/practice_results2.html Full second practice results]

The final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, June 16, at 11:15 AM 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 54.627 and an average speed of {{Convert|164.754|mph|km/h}}.{{Cite web |date=June 16, 2001 |title=Saturday's 'Happy Hour' speeds |url=http://www.thatsracin.com/01/0617/0617speeds2.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010808002440/http://www.thatsracin.com/01/0617/0617speeds2.htm |archive-date=August 8, 2001 |access-date=July 1, 2022 |website=ThatsRacin}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%" !Pos. !# !Driver !Team !Make !Time !Speed
1 |24 |Jeff Gordon |Hendrick Motorsports |Chevrolet |54.627 |164.754
2 |8 |Dale Earnhardt Jr. |Dale Earnhardt, Inc. |Chevrolet |54.730 |164.444
3 |7 |Ted Musgrave |Ultra Motorsports |Ford |54.972 |163.720
colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20011217232213/http://www.nascar.com/DATA/2001/race/winston/15/practice_results3.html Full Happy Hour practice results]

Qualifying was held on Friday, June 15, at 3:00 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. 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}}

Ricky Rudd, driving for Robert Yates Racing, would win the pole, setting a time of 52.785 and an average speed of {{Convert|170.503|mph|km/h}}.

{{Reflist}}{{NASCAR next race|Previous_race=2001 Kmart 400|Next_race=2001 Dodge/Save Mart 350|Monsteryear=2001|Series=NASCAR Winston Cup Series}}

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Category:2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

Category:NASCAR races at Pocono Raceway

Category:June 2001 sports events in the United States

Category:2001 in sports in Pennsylvania