Kurt Busch wins The Food City 500 at Bristol: #97-Kurt Busch won his first ever Cup race in his 48th career start. It puts Busch into the 2002 The Winston. It is the 4th ever win for a car #97 and the first time the car #97 has won since Parnelli Jones won using the number at Los Angeles on May 30, 1959. Busch also won from a back stretch pit stall. #41-Jimmy Spencer ended up 2nd and #28-Ricky Rudd was 3rd. #31-Gordon gave #8-Earnhardt Jr a nudge on Pit Road (expect a fine for that – remember Stewart last year). Gordon, Earnhardt Jr and their crew chief’s and owners have been called to the NASCAR trailer to discuss the situation. The top ten finishers were: 1) #97-Busch (89 laps led) 2) #41-Spencer (54 laps led) 3) #28-Rudd 4) #8-Earnhardt Jr (laps led 181) 5) #18-Labonte 6) #17-Kenseth 7) #48-Johnson 8) #25-Nadeau 9) #2-Wallace 10) #29-Harvick #20-Tony Stewart with Todd Bodine subbing ended up 15th. 2001 Cup Champ – #24-Gordon ended 31st, 20 laps down. 2002 Points Leaders – #40-Marlin ended up 19th, 1 lap down. Cars on the lead lap: 18 of 43 Cautions: 14 for 101 laps DNF’s (out of the race): #26-Nemechek (accident); #71-Trickle(?); #21-Sadler(accident); #10-Benson(?). Lap Leaders: #24-Gordon; #41-Spencer; #8-Earnhardt Jr; #99-Burton; #20-Stewart; #97-Busch. Caution 1 – didn’t take long, lap 4, #-1Park, tapped #44-Jones who spun out. Caution 2 – lap 42, #14-Compton got spun out by #12-Ryan Newman and hit the inside retaining wall. Caution 3 – lap 52, #43-Andretti spun out by #29-Harvick and went into the wall, but was able to drive it around and stay on the lead lap. Caution 4 – lap 82, #1-Park, passed #55-Hamilton too low and lost the car and spun it around, no damage to the car. Caution 5 – lap 112, #02-Sadler, got spun by #55-Hamilton, but didn’t hit anything until #88-Jarrett tried to go high to pass by Sadler and had no room, tapping Sadler in the left rear quater panel. Caution 6 – lap 132, #10-Benson was tapped by #40-Marlin, Benson spun out and backed into the outside wall. Caution 7 – lap 158, #24-Gordon went too low on the track and spun out, backing into the outside wall, quite a bit of damage, but should still be able to stay out on the track after repairs are done. Caution 8 – lap 165, just after the green flag flew, #23-Stricklin and #26-Nemechek got together. The #26 Ford is damgaged quite a bit. Caution 9 – lap 209, #20 Stewart tapped #12-Newman when Newman got loose. #90-Mast and #30-Green also spun out and got together behind the wreck. Newman’s car is extensively damage. The #24-Gordon car is back in the garage getting repaired. Caution 10 – lap 282, the #99-Burton car got into the #12-Newman car (just after he returned back to the track after repairs), #88-Jarrett tried to stop but could not and bumped the #12. Caution 11 – lap 242, #21-Sadler was tapped by #45-Petty and spun into the inside back stretch wall, and while #31-Gordon was checking up, #1-Park hit and spun Gordon. Caution 12 – lap 365, #20-Stewart lost it and spun a bit, after that, Todd Bodine replaced Stewart in the car and stayed on the lead lap. Caution 13 – lap 406, #1-Park spun by himself, #14-Compton spun slowing down, neither made contact. Leader #8-Earnhardt Jr came in to pit, the 2nd place car #97-Busch and #41-Spencer (3rd) stayed out. Caution 14 – lap 476, #02-Sadler cut a tire and hit the wall, he drove away. #97-Busch let #20-Bodine get his lap back. NOTES: On the start of the race, #31-Robby Gordon jumped the green flag start and was penalized a drive thru pit road. #15-Waltrip hit the wall with the side of his car, still out there running. #4-Skinner penalized for speeding on pit road. #24-Gordon was told after his accident to pick up the pace as he was running too slow. Todd Bodine is standing by to sub for Tony Stewart in the #20 Home Depot Pontiac. See ThatsRacin.com for Sunday’s Food City 500 results and for Updated Winston Cup points standings and for two columns: Sunday’s Race Rewind – Plenty of trouble to go around and Busch’s win unforgettable, Spencer says.(3-24-2002)
