Michael Waltrip wins the Pepsi 400 at Daytona: #15-Michael Waltrip won the Pepsi 400, leading the most laps (99) and pretty much dominating the race. It is Waltrip’s 2nd career Cup win and 2nd at Daytona, 51 races ago. It was #15 crew chief Slugger Labbe’s first win as a Cup crew chief (Scott Eggleston was crew chief for the Daytona 500 in 2001). #2-Rusty Wallace was 2nd, his best ever Daytona finish (he had six 3rd place finishes) and his first top five of 2002. The unofficial top ten finishers: (the first five are the No Bull drivers for the race at Richmond on Sept 7th) #15-Michael Waltrip (98 laps led) #2-Rusty Wallace – first top five of 2002 #40-Sterling Marlin (18 laps led) #41-Jimmy Spencer #6-Mark Martin #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr(1 lap led ?) #26-Todd Bodine #48-Jimmie Johnson #22-Ward Burton #09-Geoffrey Bodine 2001 Champ: #24-Jeff Gordon finished 22nd, 1 lap down Pepsi 400 pole sitter: #29-Kevin Harvick finished 11th Cars on lead lap: 21 Off the track/Out of race: #10-Benson(accident); #98-Wallace(accident); #11-Bodine(accident); #1-Park(accident); #25-Nemechek(accident); #18-Labonte(accident); #88-Jarrett(accident); #4-Skinner(accident); #20-Stewart(out); #33-Wallace(out); #49-Robinson(off); #77-Blaney(accident); #12-Newman(accident); Injuries: #10-Johnny Benson cracked/fractured two ribs in the accident early in the race and has been tranported to Halifax Hospital in Daytona Beach for further observation. #26 rear tire changer, Billy Curwood, injured a leg when he was hit by the #31 car during an incident on pit road, he was treated at the track’s infield care center and is bruised but ok. Cautions 9 for 39 laps Caution 9, lap 157-160: #12-Newman, #26-Bodine, #09-Bodine got together three-wide and the #09 car hit the #12 and cut a tire down on the #12 who hit the wall and spun around, #77-Blaney got hit from behind and hit the wall. Caution 8, lap 151-153: debris on the track in turn two. Caution 7, lap 137-143 in the Big One when the #88-Jarrett and #99-Burton got together when Burton got a run on Jarrett and tried to pass, others involved: #17-Kenseth, #11-Bodine, #1-Park, #25-Nemechek, #18-Labonte, #5-Labonte, #4-Skinner, #45-Petty, #09-Bodine, #19-Mayfield, #22-Burton, #28-Rudd, #48-Johnson. Dale Jarrett refused ambulance assistance and walked from the accident site in turn two to pit road. Caution 6, lap 126-128: #20-Tony Stewart got loose and spun. Caution 5, lap 59-62: #98-Wallace hit the 4th turn wall when he cut down a right front tire. Caution 4, lap 26-28: mandatory NASCAR caution to allow teams to check out the cars, this was announced during the drivers meeting before the race. Just before the green flag, #24-Gordon came in with a possible flat left rear tire and changed left side tires. Caution 3, lap 18-21: #33-Wallace (with Carrot Top) got tapped by #1-Park and spun into the wall and back into the track. In the pits the #97-Busch got into the #31-Gordon and pushed the #31 into the #26-Bodine, front damage to the #31 and #97, rear damage to the #26. Billy Kirwin, right tire changer was clipped by the #31 and has a leg injury and was taken to local hospital. Caution 2, lap 10-12: #10-Benson scraped the outside wall and ended up in the grass after #15-Waltrip got into the back of the #10. Benson walked to the ambulance, but looked stunned. #36-Ken Schrader was in the pits with the hood up as an oil leak got knocked off by debris on the track. #45-Petty, #99-Burton, #14-Compton came in for tires. Caution 1, lap 2-5: #20-Stewart got tapped in the back by #21-Sadler after #17-Kenseth came down on Sadler when #45-Petty slowed up. NOTES: Green flag pit stops occurred laps 115-120 range. #20-Tony Stewart back on the track, lap 30. Just about all the field came into the pits during the 3rd caution. Many drivers in the rear of the field came in during the first caution.(7-6-2002) Results: see ThatsRacin.com or NASCAR.com.(7-6-2002)
