2001 Piston Cup Season

The 2001 Piston Cup Season was Strip "The King" Weathers' final and 7th Piston Cup. Rookies Ponchy Wipeout and Ralph Carlow debuted replacing Lucas Radiator and Sam Lugnut. Sadly the death of Dale Earnhardt the 1980, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, and 1998 champion died in a tragic crash in the 2001 Nightdona 500. Eugene Carburski was also involved in the crash but was okay. But in the Apple 400, using lessons his father taught him, Dale Earnhardt Junior went from 6th to first to score the victory and he celebrated with his father's long time friend Andrew Axler. This was Dale Jr.'s second career win. Owen Brakeson for Cyber Car and Timothy Carson for Gears & Glory both retired. Cyber Car went out of business and Gears & Glory which was partnered with Bumper Save from 1999-Now was officially bought by them. Rookie of the year went to rookie sensation Ponchy Wipeout who scored 2 wins at both Heartland Motor Speedway races. Ralph Carlow the other rookie won as well but only once. Mac ICar got his first career win after getting second 14 times since his rookie year campaign back in 1999 two years ago. Ernie Gearson had his final great season with 4 wins tying Chick Hicks for the most but came up short of second and got third in the standings. Ruby Oaks had one of his best seasons getting 2 wins. Cole Wheeler didn't have any championship hang over with 4 wins. Sadly next season he had a career ending crash with a few more years of great racing ahead of him. Greg Candyman almost made an giant upset where he nearly won the Piston Cup with many wins on the season.

## Racers

1. GM Goodwrench 3 - Dale Earnhardt Sr (Florida 500 Race Only)
2. Tow Cap 4 - Rusty Cornfuel
3. Dale Earnhardt 8 - Dale Earnhardt Jr
4. Nitroade 28 - Andrew Axler
5. Mood Springs 33 - Chuck Armstrong
6. Trunk Fresh 34 - Dirkson D'Agostino
7. Shifty Drug 35 - Kevin Racingtire
8. Tank Coat 36 - Eugene Carbureski
9. View Zeen 39 - Ryan Shields
10. Dinoco 43 - Strip ''The King'' Weathers
11. Easy Idle 51 - Ruby Oaks
12. Leak Less 52 - Claude Scruggs
13. Faux Wheel Drive 54 - Johnny Blamer
14. Fiber Fuel 56 - Brush Curber
15. Octane Gain 58 - Billy Oilchanger
16. Vitoline 61 - James Cleanair
17. Transberry Juice 63 - Lee Revkins
18. RPM 64 - Winford Bradford Rutherford
19. Rust-eze 67 - Sammy Smelter
20. N20 Cola 68 - Harry Shifter
21. Gasprin 70 - Mike Yankee
22. Rev N Go 73 - Misti Motorkrass
23. Sidewall Shine 74 - Slider Petrolski
24. SpeedyFast 75 - Cole Wheeler
25. Vinyl Toupee 76 - Crusty Rotor
26. Retread 79 - Haul Inngas
27. Gask Its 80 - David Gearshift
28. Shiny Wax 82 - Darren Leadfoot
29. Revolting 84 - Davey Apex
30. Apple Inc. 84 - Mac iCar
31. HTB 86 - Chick Hicks
32. Bumper Save 90 - **Ponchy Wipeout**
33. Sputter Stop 92 - Murray Clutchburn
34. Spare Mint 93 - Ernie Gearson
35. Tach O Mint 101 - Greg Candyman
36. Lil Torquey Pistons 117 - **Ralph Carlow**
37. Clutch Aid 121 - Kevin Shiftright
38. No Stall 123 - Todd Marcus

## Races And The Winners

1. Florida 500**-Andrew Axler**
2. Dinoco Light 350**-Chick Hicks**
3. Iowa Hybird 450**-Todd Marcus**
4. Georgia Safety Horn 350**-Lee Revkins**
5. Virginia 400**-Greg Candyman**
6. Gasprin Tank Coat 350**-Chick Hicks**
7. Beachside 500**-Claude Scruggs**
8. No Stall 350**-Ernie Gearson**
9. Glen Ellen 350**-Strip "The King" Weathers**
10. Calladega 499**-Sammy Smelter**
11. Charlotte Springs 400**-Ruby Oaks**
12. Palm Mile 300**-Ryan Shields**
13. Hostile Takeover Bank 400**-Cole Wheeler**
14. RPM 350**-Chick Hicks**
15. Octane Gain 400 With Vitoline**-Ralph Carlow**
16. Bowling Lake 350**-Greg Candyman**
17. Pizza Planet 300**-Mac ICar**
18. N20 Cola 400**-Ernie Gearson**
19. The Rock 400**-Strip "The King" Weathers**
20. TripleDent Spare Mint 400**-Greg Candyman**
21. Cartinsville 500**-Ernie Gearson**
22. Shiny Wax 400**-Eugene Carburski**
23. Heartland 500**-Ponchy Wipeout**
24. Treadwell 400**-Ernie Gearson**
25. Lil'Torquey Pistons 400**-Cole Wheeler**
26. Apple 400**-Dale Earnhardt Junior**
27. Los Angeles 500**-Strip "The King" Weathers**
28. Motor Speedway Of The South 400**-Strip "The King" Weathers**
29. Grandol Oil Co 350**-Greg Candyman**
30. BnL 500**-Cole Wheeler**
31. Frostar Air Filters 400**-Ruby Oaks**
32. Mood Springs Sputter Stop 350**-Cole Wheeler**
33. DataShift 400**-Chick Hicks**
34. Alabama 350**-Strip "The King" Weathers**
35. Bumper Save: Gears & Glory 450**-Ponchy Wipeout**
36. Dinoco 400**-Strip "The King" Weathers**

## Standings

1. Strip "The King" Weathers - 6 Wins
2. Chick Hicks - 4 Wins
3. Ernie Gearson - 4 Wins
4. Greg Candyman - 4 Wins
5. Cole Wheeler - 3 Wins
6. Ponchy Wipeout - 2 Wins
7. Ruby Oaks - 2 Wins
8. Dale Earnhardt Junior - 2 Wins
9. Claude Scruggs - 1 Win
10. Todd Marcus - 1 Win
11. Lee Revkins - 1 Win
12. Ryan Shields - 1 Win
13. Eugene Carburski - 1 Win
14. Mac ICar - 1 Win
15. Ralph Carlow - 1 Win
16. Sammy Smelter - 1 Win
17. Andrew Axler - 1 Win
18. Chuck Armstrong
19. Crusty Rotor
20. Misti Motorkrass
21. Darren Leadfoot
22. Dirkson D'Agostino
23. Murray Clutchburn
24. Slider Petrolski
25. Billy Oilchanger
26. Brush Curber
27. Kevin Shiftright
28. Rusty Cornfuel
29. Winford Bradford Rutherford
30. Kevin Racingtire
31. Harry Shifter
32. Mike Yankee
33. Haul Inngas
34. David Gearshift
35. Davey Apex
36. ?
37. Johnny Blamer
38. Dale Earnhardt Sr