2002 Aaron's 499

February 2025 CUST Race 9 of 36 in the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season Aaron's 499 2002 4 21 2002 9 36 2002_Aaron's_499_program_cover.png 2002 Aaron's 499 program cover, featuring Bobby Hamilton and a tribute to Davey Allison. Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Alabama 2.66 4.28 188 500.08 804.8 Temperatures of 87.1 F C; wind speeds up to 14 mph km/hWeather information for the 2002 Aaron's 499 at The Old Farmers' Almanac 159.022 mi/h Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports 51.337 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. 133 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Fox Broadcasting Company Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds The 2002 Aaron's 499 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that was held April 21, 2002, at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. won the race, his first of the season and the second of his four straight wins at Talladega. His teammate Michael Waltrip finished second and Kurt Busch finished third. Entry list #2002 Nascar Cup Series Aarons 499 Motorsport Stats https://results.motorsportstats.com/results/2002-aarons-499 2021-06-25 results.motorsportstats.comDriverTeamMake1Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet2Rusty WallacePenske RacingFord4Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsPontiac5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet6Mark MartinRoush RacingFord7Casey AtwoodUltra-Evernham MotorsportsDodge8Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet9Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge09Geoff BodinePhoenix RacingFord10Johnny Benson Jr.MB2 MotorsportsPontiac11Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord12Ryan NewmanPenske RacingFord14Stacy ComptonA.J. Foyt RacingPontiac15Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet17Matt KensethRoush RacingFord18Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac19Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge20Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac21Elliott SadlerWood Brothers RacingFord22Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge23Hut StricklinBill Davis RacingDodge24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet25Jerry NadeauHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26Frank KimmelHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord28Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFord29Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet32Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsFord33Mike WallaceAndy Petree RacingChevrolet36Ken SchraderMB2 MotorsportsPontiac40Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge41Jimmy SpencerChip Ganassi RacingDodge43John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge44Steve GrissomPetty EnterprisesDodge45Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge48Jimmie JohnsonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet49Shawna RobinsonBAM RacingDodge55Bobby HamiltonAndy Petree RacingChevrolet59Bobby GerhartGerhart RacingPontiac77Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord90Rick MastDonlavey RacingFord91Dick TrickleEvernham MotorsportsDodge97Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord98Kenny WallaceMichael Waltrip RacingChevrolet99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord Qualifying The drivers who failed to qualify were Rick Mast, Shawna Robinson, Bobby Gerhart, and Dick Trickle. Jimmie Johnson won the pole. Pos.2002-04-20 Aaron's 499: Qualifying results. https://www.crash.net/nascar/news/86034/1/aarons-499-qualifying-results 2021-06-25 Crash enrpm.espn.com: Johnson wins second career pole https://www.espn.com/rpm/wc/2002/0419/1371192.html 2021-06-25 www.espn.com#DriverMakeTeamTimeAvg. Speed148Jimmie JohnsonChevroletHendrick Motorsports51.337186.532231Robby GordonChevroletRichard Childress Racing51.370186.409315Michael WaltripChevroletDale Earnhardt, Inc.51.373186.40148Dale Earnhardt Jr.ChevroletDale Earnhardt, Inc.51.507185.913522Ward BurtonDodgeBill Davis Racing51.631185.470614Stacy ComptonPontiacA.J. Foyt Racing51.641185.430710Johnny Benson Jr.PontiacMB2 Motorsports51.673185.316812Ryan NewmanFordPenske Racing51.679185.29891Steve ParkChevroletDale Earnhardt, Inc.51.723185.1401024Jeff GordonChevroletHendrick Motorsports51.724185.133115Terry LabonteChevroletHendrick Motorsports51.764184.9931245Kyle PettyDodgePetty Enterprises51.787184.911132Rusty WallaceFordPenske Racing51.821184.7861429Kevin HarvickChevroletRichard Childress Racing51.845184.7041525Jerry NadeauChevroletHendrick Motorsports51.845184.704167Casey AtwoodDodgeUltra-Evernham Motorsports51.860184.6511718Bobby LabontePontiacJoe Gibbs Racing51.865184.6331833Mike WallaceChevroletAndy Petree Racing51.887184.555196Mark MartinFordRoush Racing51.894184.5302097Kurt BuschFordRoush Racing51.894184.5302177Dave BlaneyFordJasper Motorsports51.894184.5302223Hut StricklinDodgeBill Davis Racing51.896184.5232309Geoffrey BodineFordPhoenix Racing51.902184.5022411Brett BodineFordBrett Bodine Racing51.905184.4912599Jeff BurtonFordRoush Racing51.970184.2602620Tony StewartPontiacJoe Gibbs Racing51.981184.2212798Kenny WallaceChevroletMichael Waltrip Racing52.006184.1332843John AndrettiDodgePetty Enterprises52.013184.1082926Frank KimmelFordHaas-Carter Motorsports52.056183.9563030Jeff GreenChevroletRichard Childress Racing52.074183.8923119Jeremy MayfieldDodgeEvernham Motorsports52.095183.8183241Jimmy SpencerDodgeChip Ganassi Racing52.108183.7723340Sterling MarlinDodgeChip Ganassi Racing52.113183.7513444Steve GrissomDodgePetty Enterprises52.118183.7373532Ricky CravenFordPPI Motorsports52.139183.6633636Ken SchraderPontiacMB2 Motorsports52.165183.571Provisionals3717Matt KensethFordRoush Racing52.339182.9613828Ricky RuddFordRobert Yates Racing52.240183.308399Bill ElliottDodgeEvernham Motorsports52.215183.3964021Elliott SadlerFordWood Brothers Racing52.530182.2964188Dale JarrettFordRobert Yates Racing52.209183.417424Mike SkinnerChevroletMorgan–McClure Motorsports0.0000.0004355Bobby HamiltonChevroletAndy Petree Racing52.266183.217Failed to qualify4490Rick MastFordDonlavey Racing52.513182.3554549Shawna RobinsonDodgeBAM Racing52.469182.5084659Bobby GerhartPontiacGerhart Racing52.979180.7514791Dick TrickleDodgeEvernham Motorsports52.706181.687 Race recap From the green flag, Jimmie Johnson got off to a good start, leading the first eight laps. On lap 8, Dale Earnhardt Jr. passed Johnson and assumed the lead for all but two of the next 42 laps; Jeremy Mayfield led lap 33, and Michael Waltrip led lap 40. On lap 50, Sterling Marlin claimed the lead, and led two laps before Matt Kenseth passed him for the lead. Kenseth led until lap 56, when Earnhardt Jr. regained the lead. Earnhardt Jr. led until lap 65, when Mayfield assumed the lead, again for only a lap before losing the lead to Earnhardt. He continued to lead until lap 82 when Waltrip claimed it again. Waltrip led until lap 95, when Ryan Newman passed him and led lap 96. Earnhardt Jr. claimed the lead on the next lap and led until lap 105, for a cycle of green flag pit stops. During these pit stops, the lead cycled through Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Kenseth before returning to Earnhardt Jr. on lap 114. On lap 116, the first caution came out for debris. Kenseth assumed the lead under caution, but Earnhardt Jr. got the lead back at the restart on lap 120. Over the next few laps, the lead would change between Martin, Kenseth, and Newman, before Earnhardt Jr. got a big lead on lap 131. He would lead the next 31 laps. On lap 141, Newman got out of the race when his car had an engine failure, and was credited with a last place finish. On lap 163, Dale Jarrett managed to take the lead away from Earnhardt Jr. For the next two laps, Earnhardt Jr. and Jarrett were racing almost side-by-side. A lap later, a very large crash on the back straightaway brought out the second caution. It started when Jimmie Johnson shuffled Kyle Petty out of line in turn 1. Coming on to the backstretch, Petty found a spot in line, but the whole field bunched up behind him, causing Mike Wallace to force Tony Stewart against the outside wall. A 24-car crash unfolded, one day after the largest recorded crash in NASCAR history (30 cars) occurred in exactly the same location in the Busch race. Collected alongside Wallace and Stewart were Steve Park, Rusty Wallace, Mike Skinner, Terry Labonte, Mark Martin, Casey Atwood, Bill Elliott, Johnny Benson, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Jeremy Mayfield, Elliott Sadler, Kevin Harvick, Robby Gordon, Ricky Craven, Jimmy Spencer, John Andretti, Steve Grissom, Bobby Hamilton, Geoff Bodine, and Ricky Rudd. Sadler took the biggest hit in the wreck by slamming the corner of the inside wall on the right side, while Benson had to be pulled out of his car after it caught fire on pit road. However, all of the drivers involved escaped injury. It was the largest recorded Big One in Cup history until the following year's spring Talladega race.2002 Aaron's 499 racing information at Racing Reference Earnhardt Jr. assumed the lead from Jarrett after pit stops under caution and led the last 23 laps to win. With ten laps to go, oil leaked from Stewart's car and Martin's wounded car stalled. The race was temporarily red-flagged to clean the track. With four laps left, the green flag waved. Earnhardt Jr. led the four lap shootout, managing to hold off Waltrip and beat his teammate to the line by 0.100 seconds.Race facts for the 2002 Aaron's 499 at NASCAR.com Attendance figures were never recorded for this event. All of the drivers were born in the United States of America. This would primarily become the status quo of the Sprint Cup Series until the introduction of Juan Pablo Montoya at the 2006 Ford 400. Ryan Newman's last-place finish was the only DNF due to a problem other than crash damage. Winnings for this race ranged from the winner's purse of $184,830 ($ when adjusted for inflation) to the humble last-place winnings of $58,022 ($ when adjusted for inflation).NASCAR race results for the 2002's Aaron's 499 https://web.archive.org/web/20130107001658/http://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_stats/race.php?sked_id=2002009 2013-01-07 at Driver Averages Compared to the previous day's Busch race crash, in which only three cars had finished on the lead lap, 21 cars finished on the lead lap in the Cup race. Race results FinSt#DriverMakeTeamLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings148Dale Earnhardt Jr.ChevroletDale Earnhardt, Inc.188133running185$1848302315Michael WaltripChevroletDale Earnhardt, Inc.18814running175$13185532097Kurt BuschFordRoush Racing1880running165$12025541024Jeff GordonChevroletHendrick Motorsports1880running160$14300353340Sterling MarlinDodgeChip Ganassi Racing1882running160$12718264188Dale JarrettFordRobert Yates Racing1882running155$1135307148Jimmie JohnsonChevroletHendrick Motorsports1888running151$717808132Rusty WallaceFordPenske Racing1880running142$10748092599Jeff BurtonFordRoush Racing1881running143$106647101245Kyle PettyDodgePetty Enterprises1880running134$65130112223Hut StricklinDodgeBill Davis Racing1880running130$63575122309Geoffrey BodineFordPhoenix Racing1880running127$59145132411Brett BodineFordBrett Bodine Racing1880running124$76865143828Ricky RuddFordRobert Yates Racing1880running121$10140215522Ward BurtonDodgeBill Davis Racing1880running118$102280163030Jeff GreenChevroletRichard Childress Racing1880running115$56115173241Jimmy SpencerDodgeChip Ganassi Racing1880running112$72600183532Ricky CravenFordPPI Motorsports1880running109$6716019399Bill ElliottDodgeEvernham Motorsports1880running106$8482620115Terry LabonteChevroletHendrick Motorsports1880running103$90143212798Kenny WallaceChevroletMichael Waltrip Racing1880running100$54570224355Bobby HamiltonChevroletAndy Petree Racing1870running97$7615023424Mike SkinnerChevroletMorgan–McClure Motorsports1870running94$65729243636Ken SchraderPontiacMB2 Motorsports1860running91$65010253444Steve GrissomDodgePetty Enterprises1860running88$5360526167Casey AtwoodDodgeUltra-Evernham Motorsports1860running85$5652527614Stacy ComptonPontiacA.J. Foyt Racing1840running82$56270281429Kevin HarvickChevroletRichard Childress Racing1810running79$98498292620Tony StewartPontiacJoe Gibbs Racing1800crash76$100138303717Matt KensethFordRoush Racing18018running78$80905312177Dave BlaneyFordJasper Motorsports1800running70$63550321525Jerry NadeauChevroletHendrick Motorsports1790running67$6330033231Robby GordonChevroletRichard Childress Racing1760running64$816313491Steve ParkChevroletDale Earnhardt, Inc.1740running61$84710352926Frank KimmelFordHaas-Carter Motorsports1720running58$79892363119Jeremy MayfieldDodgeEvernham Motorsports1672crash60$6207537196Mark MartinFordRoush Racing1665crash57$85258382843John AndrettiDodgePetty Enterprises1640crash49$7813339710Johnny Benson Jr.PontiacMB2 Motorsports1640crash46$77615404021Elliott SadlerFordWood Brothers Racing1630crash43$58615411718Bobby LabontePontiacJoe Gibbs Racing1630crash40$96188421833Mike WallaceChevroletAndy Petree Racing1620crash37$5021043812Ryan NewmanFordPenske Racing1413engine39$58022 Race Facts Race Time: 3:08:41 Average Speed: 159.022 mph Pole Speed: 186.532 mph Margin of Victory: 0.060 sec Cautions: 3 for 19 laps Lead changes: 26 Percent of race run under caution: 10.1% Average green flag run: 42.2 laps References Winston Cup Series 2002 2002 Virginia 500 2002 NAPA Auto Parts 500 Aaron's 499 Aaron's 499 Category:NASCAR races at Talladega Superspeedway