2002 Aaron's 312 at Talladega

Stock car race at Talladega Superspeedway February 2025 CUST Race 8 of 34 of the 2002 NASCAR Busch Series season Aaron's 312 at Talladega 2002 4 20 2002 8 34 Talladega Superspeedway.png Map of the Talladega Superspeedway Aaron's 312 at Talladega Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama 2.660 4.280 117 311.2 500.83 157.691 mph km/h on Johnny Sauter Richard Childress Racing 50.730 Jason Keller ppc Racing 51 57 Jason Keller ppc Racing Fox Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds The 2002 Aaron's 312 at Talladega was a NASCAR Busch Series stock car race held on April 20, 2002, at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Johnny Sauter of Richard Childress Racing won the pole position, while Jason Keller of ppc Racing won the race. The race, however, was infamous for involving the largest accident in modern NASCAR history, which eliminated nearly three-quarters of the field early in the race. Report Background Because of a perceived aerodynamic advantage, several Chevrolet teams opted to run Pontiacs for the race.http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/bg/04/18/pontiacs/index.html Pontiacs proliferate at Talladega Rodman Dave NASCAR.com Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 18, 2002 https://web.archive.org/web/20041206151048/http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/bg/04/18/pontiacs/index.html December 6, 2004 Qualifying Johnny Sauter qualified on pole position.http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/bg/04/19/dega_preview/index.html Talladega all about making smart decisions Rodman Dave NASCAR.com Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 19, 2002 https://web.archive.org/web/20041206155941/http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/bg/04/19/dega_preview/index.html December 6, 2004http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/bg/04/18/dega_pole/index.html Sauter wins Bud Pole for Aaron's 312 Rodman Dave NASCAR.com Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 18, 2002 https://web.archive.org/web/20041206150451/http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/bg/04/18/dega_pole/index.html December 6, 2004 Rick Markle was the only driver to not qualify.http://racing-reference.info/race/2002_Aarons_312_at_Talladega/B 2002 Aaron's 312 at Talladega Racing-Reference June 18, 2015http://www.nascar.com/races/bg/2002/8/data/lineup.html Race Lineup: Aaron's 312 NASCAR.com Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. https://web.archive.org/web/20021207024715/http://www.nascar.com/races/bg/2002/8/data/lineup.html December 7, 2002 Race Sauter led the first eleven laps of the race, losing the lead on lap 12 to Stacy Compton. On lap 14, the largest crash in modern NASCAR history (1972–present) took place at the exit of turn two, with 31 cars being involved. Three cars (Stacy Compton, Jason Keller and Kenny Wallace) had cleared pole-sitter Johnny Sauter as the field started down the back-straightaway. Scott Riggs (fourth on the outside) tried to pass Wallace on the outside, but checked up, causing Shane Hmiel to get in the back of him. Subsequently, Kevin Grubb bumped Hmiel, causing both Riggs and Hmiel to turn sideways down the track and hit the right-rear of Sauter and the right-front of Joe Nemechek, respectively. The impact from Riggs' car caused Sauter's car to turn sideways and flip twice in the middle of the track, thus blocking the track and causing a massive pile-up behind. The drivers involved were Riggs, Hmiel, Sauter, Nemechek, Jack Sprague, Jeff Purvis, Jimmy Kitchens, Randy Lajoie, Kerry Earnhardt, Tony Raines, Bobby Hamilton Jr., Ashton Lewis, Mike McLaughlin, Lyndon Amick, Greg Biffle, Jamie McMurray, Scott Wimmer, Ron Hornaday Jr., Shane Hall, Tim Sauter, Jay Sauter, Michael Waltrip, Joe Ruttman, Jimmy Spencer, Mike Wallace, Mike Harmon, Jeff Fuller, and Coy Gibbs. During the wreck, the two Joe Gibbs Racing cars in Mike McLaughlin and Coy Gibbs ended with McLaughlin's car on top of Gibbs' car due to Gibbs not being able to see through the smoke and all the cars that were crashing and ended up driving into and under the rear of McLaughlin. At the time of the crash, 41 of the 43 cars were on the track. Of those, only Compton, Keller, Wallace (who were in front of the crash), C. W. Smith, Hank Parker Jr., Casey Mears, Andy Kirby, Tim Fedewa, Larry Gunselman, and Chad Chaffin (all of whom either got slowed down in time to miss the crash or had lost the lead draft altogether and were elsewhere on the track) made it through without damage. This crash brought out a 40-minute red flag and caused one minor injury to Mike Harmon (required stitches for biting through his tongue).http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/bg/04/20/busch_wreck/index.html 'Big one' collects nearly 30 Rodman Dave NASCAR.com Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 20, 2002 https://web.archive.org/web/20050404035546/http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/bg/04/20/busch_wreck/index.html April 4, 2005http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2002/04/21/oth_339814.shtml The Augusta Chronicle 2018-08-16 2014-01-13 https://web.archive.org/web/20140113054756/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2002/04/21/oth_339814.shtml dead January 31, 2012 2002 Aaron's 312 30 Car Wreck at Talladega https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8qJMPVBgh4 July 26, 2013 YouTube NASCAR After the 40-minute delay to clean up, the race resumed on lap 20 with only seven cars on the lead lap.http://savannahnow.com/stories/042102/SPTNASCARbusch.shtml#.VYOXMPkzYdU Keller holds off Compton to win Talladega Busch race Savannah Now April 22, 2002 June 18, 2015 The remainder of the race featured two additional caution periods for debris: one from laps 76–80, and another from laps 93–95. Kenny Wallace led from laps 16 to 23, with Compton taking the lead on lap 24; Compton would lead until lap 40, when Keller held the lead for a lap. On lap 42, Compton regained first, leading for 25 laps, surrendering the lead to Jeff Purvis on lap 67. The next lap, Keller retook first, leading for the remainder of the race. Only three cars – Keller, Compton, and Tim Fedewa – finished on the lead lap. Kenny Wallace (engine), C.W. Smith (overheating), Purvis (engine), Lewis (crash), Biffle (engine), McMurray, Wimmer, Hornaday, Johnny Sauter, Hall, Tim Sauter, Nemechek, Waltrip, Ruttman, Spencer, Mike Wallace, Harmon, Fuller, Gibbs (crash), Brad Teague (overheating) and Christian Elder (engine) failed to finish. The race featured a total of six leaders and seven lead changes. Fedewa was a last-minute entry who planned to start and park after ten laps. As a late entry, Fedewa earned no driver points. The win was Keller's first career victory at a superspeedway, his seventh-career Busch win, and his second of the season.http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/bg/04/20/dega_lead/index.html Keller edges Compton in crash-filled Aaron's 312 Smith Marty Marty Smith (reporter) NASCAR.com Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 22, 2002 https://web.archive.org/web/20041206152936/http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/bg/04/20/dega_lead/index.html December 6, 2004 ppc Racing owners Greg Pollex and Keith Barnwell recorded their 26th and third wins, respectively.http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/busch-talladega-jason-keller-race-report/ BUSCH: Talladega: Jason Keller race report Motorsport.com Motorsport Network April 22, 2002 October 1, 2017 October 1, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20171001212924/https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/busch-talladega-jason-keller-race-report/ dead Race results Pos. Finishing position Grid Starting position No. Car number Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Laps completed Points 1 12 57 Jason Keller ppc Racing Ford 117 185 2 2 59 Stacy Compton ST Motorsports Chevrolet 117 175 3 32 07 Tim Fedewa Biagi Brothers Racing Pontiac 117 0 4 17 92 Todd Bodine Herzog-Jackson Motorsports Chevrolet 116 160 5 24 66 Casey Mears Team Jesel Dodge 116 155 6 39 49 Andy Kirby Jay Robinson Racing Ford 115 150 7 36 77 Jimmy Kitchens Moy Racing Ford 111 146 8 31 14 Larry Foyt A. J. Foyt Racing Chevrolet 110 142 9 20 48 Kenny Wallace Innovative Motorsports Pontiac 107 143 10 9 36 Hank Parker Jr. Team Jesel Dodge 106 134 11 38 54 Kevin Grubb Team Bristol Motorsports Chevrolet 106 130 12 40 16 Chad Chaffin Day Enterprise Racing Pontiac 106 127 13 6 24 Jack Sprague Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 80 124 14 35 67 C. W. Smith Smith Brothers Motorsports Chevrolet 75 121 15 11 37 Jeff Purvis Brewco Motorsports Pontiac 73 123 16 42 84 Larry Gunselman Weber Racing Chevrolet 66 115 17 15 7 Randy LaJoie Evans Motorsports Chevrolet 63 112 18 23 12 Kerry Earnhardt FitzBradshaw Racing Chevrolet 63 109 19 5 10 Scott Riggs ppc Racing Ford 59 106 20 14 33 Tony Raines BACE Motorsports Pontiac 55 103 21 16 47 Shane Hmiel Innovative Motorsports Pontiac 54 100 22 37 25 Bobby Hamilton Jr. Team Rensi Motorsports Ford 53 97 23 30 46 Ashton Lewis Lewis Motorsports Chevrolet 52 94 24 19 18 Mike McLaughlin Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 51 91 25 25 26 Lyndon Amick Carroll Racing Pontiac 50 88 26 7 60 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford 27 85 27 18 27 Jamie McMurray Brewco Motorsports Pontiac 25 82 28 34 23 Scott Wimmer Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 23 79 29 8 5 Ron Hornaday Jr. Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 23 76 30 4 21 Jay Sauter Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 20 73 31 33 63 Shane Hall Ken Alexander Racing Chevrolet 18 70 32 10 19 Tim Sauter AP Performance Racing Chevrolet 18 67 33 1 2 Johnny Sauter Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 14 69 34 3 87 Joe Nemechek NEMCO Motorsports Pontiac 14 61 35 13 99 Michael Waltrip Michael Waltrip Racing Chevrolet 14 58 36 21 51 Joe Ruttman Phoenix Racing Pontiac 14 55 37 28 1 Jimmy Spencer Phoenix Racing Pontiac 14 52 38 27 4 Mike Wallace Biagi Brothers Racing Pontiac 14 49 39 41 44 Mike Harmon Mixon Motorsports Chevrolet 14 46 40 22 88 Jeff Fuller NEMCO Motorsports Pontiac 14 43 41 26 20 Coy Gibbs Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac 14 40 42 43 52 Brad Teague Jimmy Means Racing Ford 6 37 43 29 38 Christian Elder Akins Motorsports Ford 2 34Failed to qualify, withdrew, or driver changes 44 — 96 Rick Markle Del Markle Pontiac — — WD — 71 Kevin Lepage — Ford — —Source: Standings after the race thumb|220px|Jack Sprague (pictured in 1996) remained the points leader after the race. Pos Driver Points 1 Jack Sprague 1169 2 Jason Keller 1147 3 Randy LaJoie 1079 4 Kenny Wallace 1069 5 Scott Riggs 1068 6 Greg Biffle 1001 7 Bobby Hamilton Jr. 983 8 Stacy Compton 971 9 Mike McLaughlin 964 10 Scott Wimmer 919 References Aaron's 312 at Talladega Aaron's 312 at Talladega Category:NASCAR races at Talladega Superspeedway