Little E wins the The Aaron’s 499 at Talladega: #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr won the Aaron’s 499, his first win (and Chevy’s first) of 2002. It is Earnhardt’s 6th career win and first win since Talladega last Oct. Nice run by #45-Kyle Petty 10th, his first top 10 since he finished 9th at Talladega in April 2000. The top 10 Unofficial Finishers: #8-Earnhardt Jr (133 laps led) #15-Waltrip (14 laps led) #97-Busch #24-Gordon #40-Marlin (2 laps led) #88-Jarrett (2 laps led) #48-Johnson (8 laps led) #2-Wallace #99-Burton (1 lap led) #45-Petty #98-Kenny Wallace crossed the stripe 5th, but Fox is reporting that Wallace will be dropped to 21st, last car on the lead lap. Wallace went below the yellow line, rule is if a driver does that and increases his position, he will be penalized. Wallace said he was forced down below the line by #40-Marlin, Wallace comment: “Sterling body slammed me and I cant do nothin else, this is drama. NASCAR is the greatest in the world, what ever happens I finished 5th, Sterling turned left and I moved to the left, in my heart I finished 5th:(KennyWallaceRacing.com) Lap Leaders: #48-Johnson; #8-Earnhardt Jr; #15-Waltrip; #19-Mayfield; #40-Marlin; #17-Kenseth; #12-Newman (3); #6-Martin; #99-Burton; #88-Jarrett; Drivers on the lead lap: 21 Cautions: 3 for 19 laps Off the track/DNF: #12-Newman (engine); #43-Andretti(accident); #10-Benson(accident); #21-Sadler(accident); #18-Labonte(accident); #33-Wallace(accident); #6-Martin(accident); #20-Stewart(?); Caution 3 – lap 181 – 183 (and a red flag): #6-Martin brought his damaged car on the track and it died on the track and oil has been found on the track. Caution 2 – lap 164 – 175: huge wreck many cars involved: #’s 09,1,2,4,5,6,7,9,10,17,18,19,20,21,28,29,31,32,33,41,43,44,55,77 and Fox reports 24 cars, a new record for a wreck at Talladega. Looks like #33-Wallace and #20-Stewart got together, Stewart was basically squeezed against the wall, no place to go after Wallce got turned around a bit. #10-Benson was quickly repaired but when he went to go back out, his car caught fire and the track/other crews put the fire out and Benson was a bit overcome by the extinguisher fumes/powder, he is be attended to but is awake and alert. No injuries reported. Caution 1 – lap 116-119: debris on the track NOTEs: #20-Stewart sent to the garage due to leaking oil on lap 182. #12-Newman has dropped a cylinder and has taken the car to the garage on lap 141. #25-Nadeau was in the garage on lap 114 with a broken shock mount, is back on the track. #14-Compton has slowed, possible valve spring problem on lap 65 but is still out there down a lap. 1st green flag pit stops occurred between laps 50-55. #44-Grissom blew a front tire on lap 50, no caution. #55-Hamilton fell off the pace around lap 38 came in and took tires. Also around the same time #26-Kimmel went to the garage with a shock problem, fixed and back on the track. #36-Schrader started falling back around lap 14 when a roll bar cusion fell off inside the car and hit the ignition switch. #25-Nadeau has a potenial engine problem, maybe a spark plug problem, but he got off to an ok start and seems just fine. For results, see ThatsRacin.com or NASCAR.com. See Drivers standings at ThatsRacin.com or NASCAR.com.(4-21-2002)
