Bobby Labonte wins the Vigiania 500 at Martinsville: under a white, yellow, checkered flags. It is Labonte’s 19th career Cup win and first ever short track win. Ten different drivers have won the last 10 Cup races at Martinsville. The top ten finishers: #18-Labonte (61 laps led) #17-Kenseth #20-Stewart (152 laps led) #88-Jarrett #8-Earnhardt Jr (41 laps led) #5-Labonte (11 laps led, monkey off the back, first lap led since Talladega Oct 2000) #28-Rudd #6-Martin #99-Burton (5 laps led) #97-Busch Where did #29-Kenny Wallace finish? 32nd, 10 laps down 2002 Points Leader, #40-Marlin finished 12th 2001 Cup Champ, #24-Gordon finished 23rd, 2 laps down, Nadeau stood by to relieve Gordon, but didn’t. Rookies: #12-Newman is 39th and out; #48-Johnson is 35th Out of Race/Off Track: #71- Hillenburg(clutch); #43-Andretti(engine); #12-Newman(engine); #26-Kimmel(accident); #25-Nadeau(engine/radiator); #44-Jones (accident); #90-Mast(out); #48-Johnson(out) Cars on the lead lap: 20 Lap Leaders (13): #24-Gordon(68 laps led); #55-Hamilton(47); #25-Nadeau(42); #20-Stewart(152); #22-Burton(20); #5-Labonte(11); #32-Craven(40); #77-Blaney(1); #8-Earnhardt Jr(41); #14-Compton(1); #18-Labonte(61); #2-Wallace(10); #99-Burton(5); Cautions: 14 for 104 laps Caution 14 – Lap 498: #55-Hamilton and #77-Blaney got together and #45-Petty was also involved. Caution 13 – Lap 485: #44-Jones gets turned around and #10-Benson got into Buckshot, just after the green flag flew. Caution 12 – Lap 475: #32-Craven and #41-Spencer got together when Craven tried to pass Spencer on the bottom, Kenseth scaped Spencer but used the grass to avoid the #41. Caution 11 – Lap 442: #14-Compton, #4-Skinner and #10-Benson got together, with Benson looping around, but restarted and drove on. #55-Hamilton and #20-Stewart came in to pit after being 1-2, but none of the other leaders followed them into the pits. Caution 10 – Lap 405: #41-Spencer spun, as he spun #32-Craven spun into Spencer, both ended up in the turn 4 wall, both drove away. #2-Wallace and #4-Skinner got together on pit road, with Wallace hitting Skinner as they both left at the same time, Skinner is pitting right infront of Wallace. Caution 9 – Lap 366: #02-Sadler got spun out when #19-Mayfield hit him in the rear. Caution 8 – Lap 274: #36-Schrader’s car died on the track and is stopped in turn #4. Caution 7 – Lap 252: #24-Gordon is smoking, may be a steering pump leak, Gordon reports oil pressure is ok. Caution 6 – Lap 207: #43-Andretti lost an engine, #31-Gordon and #26-Kimmel spun in the oil between turn 3 and 4. Also #41-Spencer and #24-Gordon had contact and quite a bit damage on the #24 cutting the tire down, Spencer and Gordon got together while trying to avoid the cars spinning in front of them. Caution 5 – Lap 170: #11-Bodine had a tire go down and stopped on the track. Caution 4 – Lap 101: #41-Spencer spun out and tapped the wall, no contact with any other car. Caution 3 – Lap 73: #29-Kenny Wallace spun out in turn one after #4-Skinner got into Wallace when he came down from the upper groove and, Wallace drifted down the track, but no other cars were involved. #41-Spencer was held in the pits for 15 seconds after a pit road member came onto pitroad too earlier, #26-Kimmel and #1-Park held for speeding. #55-Hamitlon took 2 tires ob his pit stop. Caution 2 – Lap 50: #99-Burton and #21-Salder got together after Burton hit Sadler in the rear. #02-Sadler also spun just behind the accident. Caution 1 – Lap 26: for debris on the track, from #36-Schrader. NOTES: #45-Petty got into #1-Park who got into #4-Skinner who spun around on lap 425, but no yellow and all were able to drive on, but Park had to come in and get new tires as the left front was cut down. Jerry Nadeau is standing by to sub for #24-Jeff Gordon as of lap 390. #12-Newman is in the garage area on lap 265, oil is in the water and is dropping fluid. #12-Newman’s car is smoking and the oil temp is climbing on lap 240. #29-Wallace possibly broke a sway bar which has caused handling problems but him 10 laps behind the leaders. On lap 173 stops, #88-Jarrett was held after pitting outside his pit stall. On lap 145 #21-Salder spun after #97-Busch tapped him, but no yellow thrown. #25-Nadeau drifted up towards the wall after #20-Stewart took the lead but recovered back into 8th on lap 120. The #2-Wallace and #20-Stewart got together but both went on, no yellow. #48-Johnson had some ignition problems around lap 35 and slowed down, but is back up to speed, but had to switch to the 2nd ignition and has to be careful as there is no rev-limiter on the backup/2nd ignition. #36-Ken Schrader had a flat tire after making contact with #45-Petty and lost a few laps trying to get into the pits and damaged the left rear of the car, including a brake fire. #17-Kenseth pushed his grill in when he made contact with #77-Blaney. #71-Hillenburg goes to pits on lap 10 (clutch problem) came out a few times but is now listed as out. For results see ThatsRacin.com or NASCAR.com.(4-14-2002)
