# 2001 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500

The 2001 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500 was the fourth stock car race of the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. It was held on March 11, 2001 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, in Hampton, Georgia. The 325-lap race was won by Kevin Harvick of the Richard Childress Racing team after starting from fifth position. Jeff Gordon finished second and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jerry Nadeau came in third.
Pole position driver Dale Jarrett maintained his lead for the first six laps of the race, but Harvick, who started fifth, passed him on the seventh lap. Gordon soon became the leader and would lead the race high of 118 laps. Five laps from the finish, Harvick took the lead after a five-car battle. On the final lap, Harvick won his first Winston Cup Series race from Gordon by .006 seconds in his third start.
There were 8 cautions and 25 lead changes among 11 different drivers. The result left Gordon in first position of the Drivers' Championship, thirty-seven ahead of second place driver Sterling Marlin and seventy-three ahead of Johnny Benson. Chevrolet maintained its lead in the Manufacturers' Championship, fourteen points ahead of Ford and twenty ahead of Pontiac, with thirty-two races remaining in the season.

## Report
### Background

The track, Atlanta Motor Speedway is one of three quad-oval tracks to hold NASCAR races, the others being Charlotte Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. The standard track at Atlanta Motor Speedway is a four-turn quad-oval that is 1.54 miles (2.48 km) long. The track's turns are banked at twenty-four degrees, while the straightaways are banked at five degrees. Atlanta Motor Speedway can seat up to 99,000 people.
Before the race, Sterling Marlin was leading the Drivers' Championship with 468 points, and Jeff Gordon stood in second with 433 points. Michael Waltrip was third in the Drivers' Championship with 415 points, Dale Jarrett was fourth with 411 points, and Steve Park was fifth with 401 points. In the Manufacturers' Championship, Chevrolet were leading with 27 points, nine points ahead of their rival Ford. Pontiac, with 12 points, were two points ahead of Dodge in the battle for third. Dale Earnhardt was the race's defending champion.

### Practice and qualifying

Two practice sessions were held before the Sunday race—one on Friday, and one on Saturday. The first session lasted 120 minutes, and the second 60 minutes. During the first practice session, Jarrett was fastest, placing ahead of Jimmy Spencer in second and Gordon in third. Kevin Harvick was scored fourth, and Brett Bodine placed fifth.
During Friday afternoon qualifying, forty-six cars were entered, but only forty-three were able to race because of NASCAR's qualifying procedure. Dale Jarrett clinched his second consecutive pole position of 2001 with a time of 28.763 seconds. He was joined on the front row by Jeff Gordon, Todd Bodine and Mark Martin shared the second row in the third and fourth position, while Kevin Harvick, with a time of 28.908, qualified fifth. Jeremy Mayfield, Dave Blaney, Jimmy Spencer, Rusty Wallace and Michael Waltrip rounded out the top ten qualifiers. The three drivers that failed to qualify were Rick Mast, Carl Long and Casey Atwood.

### Race

The race, the fourth out of a total of thirty-six in the season, began at 1 p.m. EST and was televised live in the United States on FOX. To begin pre-race ceremonies, at 1 p.m EST, Phil Brannon, the Atlanta Motor Speedway Chaplain, gave the invocation. Then, Moby in the Morning, from local radio station WKHX-FM performed the national anthem, and television personality Willard Scott gave the command for drivers to start their engines.
Dale Jarrett made a good start, retaining the first position; Jeff Gordon behind him maintained second position. At the end of the first lap, Kevin Harvick passed Gordon. By lap 3, Jerry Nadeau was clipped by Michael Waltrip with Robert Pressley spinning out and nearly being clipped by Nadeau. During the same lap, the grandstands fell silent and spectators held up a three-finger salute in the memory of Dale Earnhardt—who was killed in an accident during the Daytona 500 three weeks previously; and 7,000 balloons were released into the air.
The heartbreak of the day was for Dave Blaney. Blaney, driving Bill Davis Racing's #93 Dodge, dominated the middle of the race, leading 70 laps. Blaney was about to make a pit stop with less than 90 laps to go, when a caution came out. Blaney chose to not pit and lead to the caution flag to protect his lead. Two laps later, the wheel came flying off, costing him his first Winston Cup win. Once Blaney was out of the race, this would set up the final shootout between 5 cars with those being Jerry Nadeau, Dale Jarrett, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Jeff Gordon. With 5 to go, Harvick passed Nadeau and Jarrett to take the lead. With 3 to go, Dale Earnhardt Jr. came down pit road with a flat tire ending his chances of winning. At the same time, Jeff Gordon passed his teammate Jerry Nadeau for second setting up a dramatic final lap between Harvick and Gordon.
On the final lap (325), Gordon attempted a pass on Harvick the straightway but Harvick won his first Winston Cup Series race by .006 seconds, the second closest finish in a NASCAR-sanctioned race. Nadeau followed in third, ahead of Jarrett in fourth and Terry Labonte in fifth.

### Post-race

Kevin Harvick appeared in victory lane after his victory lap to start celebrating his first win in the Winston Cup Series. Harvick's victory took place in his third start, breaking the record of the fewest starts to first victory previously held by Dale Earnhardt Jr.

## Results
### Qualifying

| Car | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time (in seconds) | Grid |
| 88 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 28.763 | 1 |
| 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 28.813 | 2 |
| 66 | Todd Bodine | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 28.827 | 3 |
| 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 28.892 | 4 |
| 29 | Kevin Harvick | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 28.908 | 5 |
| 12 | Jeremy Mayfield | Penske Racing | Ford | 28.950 | 6 |
| 93 | Dave Blaney | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 28.976 | 7 |
| 26 | Jimmy Spencer | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 28.993 | 8 |
| 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing | Ford | 28.996 | 9 |
| 15 | Michael Waltrip | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 28.998 | 10 |
| 33 | Joe Nemechek | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 29.034 | 11 |
| 40 | Sterling Marlin | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dodge | 29.036 | 12 |
| 25 | Jerry Nadeau | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.053 | 13 |
| 22 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 29.063 | 14 |
| 14 | Ron Hornaday Jr. | A.J. Foyt Racing | Pontiac | 29.065 | 15 |
| 44 | Buckshot Jones | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 29.067 | 16 |
| 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 29.078 | 17 |
| 45 | Kyle Petty | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 29.094 | 18 |
| 10 | Johnny Benson | Ginn Racing | Pontiac | 29.138 | 19 |
| 43 | John Andretti | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 29.142 | 20 |
| 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.147 | 21 |
| 01 | Jason Leffler | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dodge | 29.156 | 22 |
| 28 | Ricky Rudd | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 29.165 | 23 |
| 9 | Bill Elliott | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 29.176 | 24 |
| 90 | Hut Stricklin | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 29.179 | 25 |
| 11 | Brett Bodine | Brett Bodine Racing | Ford | 29.196 | 26 |
| 36 | Ken Schrader | MB2 Motorsports | Pontiac | 29.203 | 27 |
| 92 | Stacy Compton | Melling Racing | Dodge | 29.213 | 28 |
| 96 | Andy Houston | PPI Motorsports | Ford | 29.222 | 29 |
| 31 | Mike Skinner | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 29.235 | 30 |
| 55 | Bobby Hamilton | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 29.243 | 31 |
| 1 | Steve Park | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 29.244 | 32 |
| 77 | Robert Pressley | Jasper Motorsports | Ford | 29.315 | 33 |
| 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 29.325 | 34 |
| 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 29.330 | 35 |
| 97 | Kurt Busch | Roush Racing | Ford | 29.394 | 36 |
| 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Ford | Provisional | 37 |
| 17 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Racing | Ford | Provisional | 38 |
| 7 | Mike Wallace | Ultra Motorsports | Ford | Provisional | 39 |
| 21 | Elliott Sadler | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | Provisional | 40 |
| 4 | Robby Gordon | Morgan-McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | Provisional | 41 |
| 27 | Kenny Wallace | Eel River Racing | Pontiac | Provisional | 42 |
| 32 | Ricky Craven | PPI Motorsports | Ford | Provisional | 43 |
| Failed to Qualify ||||||
| 50 | Rick Mast | Midwest Transit Racing | Chevrolet | 29.429 | 44 |
| 85 | Carl Long | Mansion Motorsports | Ford | 29.565 | 45 |
| 19 | Casey Atwood | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 29.696 | 46 |
| Source: ||||||

### Race

| Pos | Grid | Car | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points |
| 1 | 5 | 29 | Kevin Harvick (R) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 325 | 180 |
| 2 | 2 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 325 | 180 |
| 3 | 13 | 25 | Jerry Nadeau | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 325 | 170 |
| 4 | 1 | 88 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 325 | 165 |
| 5 | 21 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 325 | 155 |
| 6 | 23 | 28 | Ricky Rudd | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 325 | 150 |
| 7 | 19 | 10 | Johnny Benson Jr. | MBV Motorsports | Pontiac | 325 | 146 |
| 8 | 27 | 36 | Ken Schrader | MB2 Motorsports | Pontiac | 325 | 147 |
| 9 | 30 | 31 | Mike Skinner | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 325 | 138 |
| 10 | 36 | 97 | Kurt Busch (R) | Roush Racing | Ford | 324 | 134 |
| 11 | 14 | 22 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 324 | 130 |
| 12 | 9 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing | Ford | 324 | 127 |
| 13 | 43 | 32 | Ricky Craven | PPI Motorsports | Ford | 324 | 124 |
| 14 | 20 | 43 | John Andretti | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 324 | 121 |
| 15 | 17 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 324 | 118 |
| 16 | 24 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 324 | 115 |
| 17 | 11 | 33 | Joe Nemechek | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 323 | 112 |
| 18 | 3 | 66 | Todd Bodine | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 323 | 109 |
| 19 | 16 | 44 | Buckshot Jones | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 323 | 106 |
| 20 | 41 | 4 | Robby Gordon | Morgan-McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 323 | 103 |
| 21 | 29 | 96 | Andy Houston (R) | PPI Motorsports | Ford | 323 | 100 |
| 22 | 31 | 55 | Bobby Hamilton | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 322 | 97 |
| 23 | 10 | 15 | Michael Waltrip | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 322 | 94 |
| 24 | 28 | 92 | Stacy Compton | Melling Racing | Dodge | 322 | 91 |
| 25 | 8 | 26 | Jimmy Spencer | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 322 | 93 |
| 26 | 26 | 11 | Brett Bodine | Brett Bodine Racing | Ford | 321 | 85 |
| 27 | 35 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 320 | 82 |
| 28 | 25 | 90 | Hut Stricklin | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 320 | 79 |
| 29 | 42 | 27 | Kenny Wallace | Eel River Racing | Pontiac | 318 | 76 |
| 30 | 37 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Ford | 317 | 73 |
| 31 | 40 | 21 | Elliott Sadler | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 316 | 70 |
| 32 | 22 | 01 | Jason Leffler (R) | Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates | Dodge | 314 | 72 |
| 33 | 34 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 312 | 64 |
| 34 | 7 | 93 | Dave Blaney | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 304 | 66 |
| 35 | 12 | 40 | Sterling Marlin | Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates | Dodge | 299 | 63 |
| 36 | 33 | 77 | Robert Pressley | Jasper Motorsports | Ford | 280 | 60 |
| 37 | 38 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Racing | Ford | 273 | 52 |
| 38 | 6 | 12 | Jeremy Mayfield | Penske Racing | Ford | 261 | 49 |
| 39 | 15 | 14 | Ron Hornaday Jr. (R) | A. J. Foyt Racing | Pontiac | 258 | 46 |
| 40 | 39 | 7 | Mike Wallace | Ultra Motorsports | Ford | 251 | 43 |
| 41 | 4 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 231 | 45 |
| 42 | 18 | 45 | Kyle Petty | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 225 | 37 |
| 43 | 32 | 1 | Steve Park | Dale Earnhardt Inc. | Chevrolet | 81 | 34 |
| Source: ||||||||

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| 1 | 1 | Jeff Gordon | 613 |
| 2 | 2 | Dale Jarrett | 576 (–37) |
| 3 | 3 | Johnny Benson Jr. | 540 (–73) |
| 3 | 4 | Sterling Marlin | 531 (–82) |
| 2 | 5 | Michael Waltrip | 509 (–104) |
| 1 | 6 | Bill Elliott | 495 (–118) |
| 10 | 7 | Jerry Nadeau | 478 (–135) |
| 3 | 8 | Rusty Wallace | 472 (–141) |
| 5 | 9 | Ricky Rudd | 467 (–146) |
| 6 | 10 | Ken Schrader | 461 (–152) |