# 2001 NAPA Auto Parts 500

The 2001 NAPA Auto Parts 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car race held on April 29, 2001, at California Speedway in Fontana, California. Contested over 250 laps on the 2-mile (3.23 km) asphalt D-shaped oval, it was the tenth race of the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. Rusty Wallace of Penske Racing won the race.

## Background

The track, California Speedway, was a four-turn superspeedway that was 2 miles (3.2 km) long. The track's turns were banked from fourteen degrees, while the front stretch, the location of the finish line, was banked at eleven degrees. Unlike the front stretch, the back straightaway was banked at three degrees.

## Entry list

* (R) denotes rookie driver.
| No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer |
| 01 | Jason Leffler (R) | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dodge |
| 1 | Steve Park | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet |
| 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford |
| 4 | Kevin Lepage | Morgan-McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford |
| 7 | Mike Wallace | Ultra Motorsports | Ford |
| 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet |
| 9 | Bill Elliott | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge |
| 10 | Johnny Benson Jr. | MBV Motorsports | Pontiac |
| 11 | Brett Bodine | Brett Bodine Racing | Ford |
| 12 | Jeremy Mayfield | Penske Racing South | Ford |
| 14 | Ron Hornaday Jr. (R) | A.J. Foyt Racing | Pontiac |
| 15 | Michael Waltrip | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet |
| 17 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Racing | Ford |
| 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac |
| 19 | Casey Atwood (R) | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge |
| 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac |
| 21 | Elliott Sadler | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford |
| 22 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge |
| 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 25 | Jerry Nadeau | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet |
| 26 | Jimmy Spencer | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford |
| 27 | Kenny Wallace | Eel River Racing | Pontiac |
| 28 | Ricky Rudd | Robert Yates Racing | Ford |
| 29 | Kevin Harvick (R) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 30 | Jeff Green | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 31 | Mike Skinner | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet |
| 32 | Ricky Craven | PPI Motorsports | Ford |
| 33 | Joe Nemechek | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet |
| 36 | Ken Schrader | MBV Motorsports | Pontiac |
| 40 | Sterling Marlin | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dodge |
| 43 | John Andretti | Petty Enterprises | Dodge |
| 44 | Buckshot Jones | Petty Enterprises | Dodge |
| 45 | Kyle Petty | Petty Enterprises | Dodge |
| 55 | Bobby Hamilton | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet |
| 66 | Todd Bodine | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford |
| 77 | Robert Pressley | Jasper Motorsports | Ford |
| 84 | Shawna Robinson | Michael Kranefuss Racing | Ford |
| 88 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | Ford |
| 90 | Hut Stricklin | Donlavey Racing | Ford |
| 92 | Stacy Compton | Melling Racing | Dodge |
| 93 | Dave Blaney | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge |
| 96 | Andy Houston (R) | PPI Motorsports | Ford |
| 97 | Kurt Busch (R) | Roush Racing | Ford |
| 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Ford |

## Practice
### First practice

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 28 | Ricky Rudd | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 39.551 | 182.043 |
| 2 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 39.623 | 181.713 |
| 3 | 1 | Steve Park | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 39.638 | 181.644 |
| Official practice results |||||||

### Second practice

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 22 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 39.996 | 180.018 |
| 2 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 40.030 | 179.865 |
| 3 | 93 | Dave Blaney | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 40.035 | 179.843 |
| Official practice results |||||||

### Happy hour

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time | Speed |
| 1 | 22 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 40.937 | 175.880 |
| 2 | 66 | Todd Bodine | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 41.053 | 175.383 |
| 3 | 40 | Sterling Marlin | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dodge | 41.072 | 175.302 |
| Official practice results |||||||

## Qualifying

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Time |
| 1 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 39.423 |
| 2 | 66 | Todd Bodine | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 39.438 |
| 3 | 12 | Jeremy Mayfield | Penske Racing South | Ford | 39.580 |
| 4 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 39.585 |
| 5 | 88 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 39.611 |
| 6 | 28 | Ricky Rudd | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 39.613 |
| 7 | 1 | Steve Park | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 39.633 |
| 8 | 10 | Johnny Benson Jr. | MBV Motorsports | Pontiac | 39.660 |
| 9 | 26 | Jimmy Spencer | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 39.727 |
| 10 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 39.739 |
| 11 | 43 | John Andretti | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 39.761 |
| 12 | 11 | Brett Bodine | Brett Bodine Racing | Ford | 39.774 |
| 13 | 29 | Kevin Harvick (R) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 39.779 |
| 14 | 45 | Kyle Petty | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 39.806 |
| 15 | 93 | Dave Blaney | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 39.818 |
| 16 | 19 | Casey Atwood (R) | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 39.831 |
| 17 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 39.836 |
| 18 | 22 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 39.846 |
| 19 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing South | Ford | 39.860 |
| 20 | 25 | Jerry Nadeau | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 39.889 |
| 21 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Ford | 39.944 |
| 22 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 39.948 |
| 23 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Racing | Ford | 39.990 |
| 24 | 32 | Ricky Craven | PPI Motorsports | Ford | 40.032 |
| 25 | 01 | Jason Leffler (R) | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dodge | 40.053 |
| 26 | 27 | Kenny Wallace | Eel River Racing | Pontiac | 40.063 |
| 27 | 31 | Mike Skinner | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 40.067 |
| 28 | 30 | Jeff Green | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 40.072 |
| 29 | 15 | Michael Waltrip | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 40.079 |
| 30 | 90 | Hut Stricklin | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 40.090 |
| 31 | 40 | Sterling Marlin | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dodge | 40.140 |
| 32 | 97 | Kurt Busch (R) | Roush Racing | Ford | 40.143 |
| 33 | 96 | Andy Houston (R) | PPI Motorsports | Ford | 40.147 |
| 34 | 33 | Joe Nemechek | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 40.199 |
| 35 | 14 | Ron Hornaday Jr. (R) | A.J. Foyt Racing | Pontiac | 40.258 |
| 36 | 7 | Mike Wallace | Ultra Motorsports | Ford | 40.314 |
| Provisionals ||||||
| 37 | 55 | Bobby Hamilton | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | — |
| 38 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | — |
| 39 | 21 | Elliott Sadler | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | — |
| 40 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | — |
| 41 | 36 | Ken Schrader | MBV Motorsports | Pontiac | — |
| 42 | 77 | Robert Pressley | Jasper Motorsports | Ford | — |
| 43 | 92 | Stacy Compton | Melling Racing | Dodge | — |
| Did not qualify ||||||
| | 4 | Kevin Lepage | Morgan-McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 40.342 |
| | 44 | Buckshot Jones | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 40.714 |
| | 84 | Shawna Robinson | Michael Kranefuss Racing | Ford | — |

## Race results

| Pos | Grid | No. | Driver | Team | Manufacturer | Laps | Points |
| 1 | 19 | 2 | Rusty Wallace | Penske Racing | Ford | 250 | 185 |
| 2 | 17 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 250 | 175 |
| 3 | 38 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 250 | 170 |
| 4 | 4 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 250 | 165 |
| 5 | 3 | 12 | Jeremy Mayfield | Penske Racing | Ford | 250 | 160 |
| 6 | 6 | 28 | Ricky Rudd | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 250 | 155 |
| 7 | 9 | 26 | Jimmy Spencer | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 250 | 151 |
| 8 | 20 | 25 | Jerry Nadeau | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 250 | 142 |
| 9 | 31 | 40 | Sterling Marlin | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dodge | 250 | 138 |
| 10 | 42 | 77 | Robert Pressley | Jasper Motorsports | Ford | 250 | 134 |
| 11 | 8 | 10 | Johnny Benson Jr. | MBV Motorsports | Pontiac | 250 | 135 |
| 12 | 30 | 90 | Hut Stricklin | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 250 | 127 |
| 13 | 32 | 97 | Kurt Busch (R) | Roush Racing | Ford | 250 | 124 |
| 14 | 22 | 9 | Bill Elliott | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 250 | 121 |
| 15 | 7 | 1 | Steve Park | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 250 | 118 |
| 16 | 36 | 7 | Mike Wallace | Ultra Motorsports | Ford | 250 | 115 |
| 17 | 23 | 17 | Matt Kenseth | Roush Racing | Ford | 250 | 117 |
| 18 | 25 | 01 | Jason Leffler (R) | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dodge | 250 | 109 |
| 19 | 33 | 96 | Andy Houston (R) | PPI Motorsports | Ford | 250 | 106 |
| 20 | 34 | 33 | Joe Nemechek | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 250 | 108 |
| 21 | 28 | 30 | Jeff Green | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 250 | 100 |
| 22 | 1 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 250 | 102 |
| 23 | 39 | 21 | Elliott Sadler | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 250 | 94 |
| 24 | 5 | 88 | Dale Jarrett | Robert Yates Racing | Ford | 250 | 96 |
| 25 | 13 | 29 | Kevin Harvick (R) | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 250 | 93 |
| 26 | 11 | 43 | John Andretti | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 250 | 85 |
| 27 | 12 | 11 | Brett Bodine | Brett Bodine Racing | Ford | 249 | 82 |
| 28 | 2 | 66 | Todd Bodine | Haas-Carter Motorsports | Ford | 249 | 84 |
| 29 | 15 | 93 | Dave Blaney | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 249 | 76 |
| 30 | 40 | 5 | Terry Labonte | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 249 | 73 |
| 31 | 21 | 99 | Jeff Burton | Roush Racing | Ford | 249 | 70 |
| 32 | 27 | 31 | Mike Skinner | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 249 | 67 |
| 33 | 41 | 36 | Ken Schrader | MBV Motorsports | Pontiac | 249 | 64 |
| 34 | 35 | 14 | Ron Hornaday Jr. (R) | A.J. Foyt Racing | Pontiac | 249 | 61 |
| 35 | 14 | 45 | Kyle Petty | Petty Enterprises | Dodge | 249 | 58 |
| 36 | 37 | 55 | Bobby Hamilton | Andy Petree Racing | Chevrolet | 247 | 55 |
| 37 | 26 | 27 | Kenny Wallace | Eel River Racing | Pontiac | 247 | 52 |
| 38 | 43 | 92 | Stacy Compton | Melling Racing | Dodge | 246 | 49 |
| 39 | 16 | 19 | Casey Atwood (R) | Evernham Motorsports | Dodge | 235 | 46 |
| 40 | 10 | 6 | Mark Martin | Roush Racing | Ford | 233 | 48 |
| 41 | 24 | 32 | Ricky Craven | PPI Motorsports | Ford | 232 | 40 |
| 42 | 18 | 22 | Ward Burton | Bill Davis Racing | Dodge | 223 | 37 |
| 43 | 29 | 15 | Michael Waltrip | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 152 | 34 |

## Standings after the race

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Dale Jarrett | 1,441 |
| | 2 | Jeff Gordon | 1,375 (–66) |
| | 3 | Johnny Benson Jr. | 1,330 (–111) |
| 2 | 4 | Rusty Wallace | 1,322 (–119) |
| | 5 | Sterling Marlin | 1,291 (–150) |
| 2 | 6 | Ricky Rudd | 1,251 (–190) |
| 3 | 7 | Bobby Hamilton | 1,230 (–211) |
| 1 | 8 | Steve Park | 1,227 (–214) |
| | 9 | Tony Stewart | 1,212 (–229) |
| 2 | 10 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 1,151 (–290) |