|| *Comments on the 2001 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 500:* View the most recent comment <#71> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. joe g posted: 06.08.2004 - 3:16 am Rate this comment: (8) (2) perhaps the best race of all time. 2. Jake posted: 12.30.2004 - 4:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Awesome race. I'll never forget w/ a few laps to go when Kevin, Dale Jr., Dale Jarrett, Jerry Nadeau, and Jeff were all battling for the lead. It sucked that Dale Jr. cut a tire w/ 3 to go while running 3rd. I really think if he didn't cut the tire down, it could've been a 3-wide photo finish. Awesome to see Kevin edge Jeff out for his 1st career win. Felt happy for Kevin and Richard Childress. 3. Chicago posted: 03.19.2005 - 8:40 pm Rate this comment: (2) (1) I really don't think it would've been a three-wide photo finish, but some Earnhardt fans are delusional. 4. James Reisdorf posted: 03.20.2005 - 11:45 pm Rate this comment: (3) (0) Dave Blaney might've actually had the best car in this race, until he lost a rear tire after a restart. "You picked a fine to leave me loose wheel..." - DW 5. James Reisdorf posted: 03.20.2005 - 11:45 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) (I can't even get my quotes right...yeesh...) 6. Mikeyfan posted: 06.15.2005 - 4:47 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I was at this race with a church group, most of them Earnhardt fans. It was unreal to see the finish. 7. Anonymous posted: 09.11.2005 - 10:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) It seemed that after Dale Jr. blew his tire Dale Jarrett and Nadeau dropped off of the pace of the two leaders all of the sudden as well. Wonder what the outcome would have been had they been able to stay a 5 car group? 8. dalejrrules14 posted: 03.24.2006 - 11:43 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) YAY NADEAU!you rule 9. RJ posted: 04.12.2006 - 4:05 am Rate this comment: (1) (1) The race that rose NASCAR out of the depression it was in after Earnhardt's death. The race that established(for a time) that Harvick was the "chosen one." The race that was unforgettable for many reasons, but most of all: The loose wheel and the start of DW's singing career. I was so mad when it happened, but now I look back and laugh. 10. HappyRulez29 posted: 04.20.2006 - 12:09 am Rate this comment: (1) (2) Harvick was and is the chosen one!!!! 11. NJStewart fan posted: 05.02.2006 - 11:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Just watched the race again today. What an awesome race. 12. Steve posted: 05.25.2006 - 7:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This race also turned out to be Kurt Busch's first Top 10 finish. 13. Rusty posted: 07.28.2006 - 9:46 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I hate Harvick but it was cool to see him win this race to avenge the loss of Dale Earnhardt. 14. biffle16 posted: 12.30.2006 - 9:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Harvick wins the CRACKER Barrel 500! A perfect story... except for the Harvick winning part! 15. Brock posted: 01.18.2007 - 6:57 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Incredible. Simply incredible. Nadeau lost, but I was stoked to see him be a part of that finish. 16. biffle16 posted: 02.20.2007 - 3:14 am Rate this comment: (0) (1) Sorry for that. We Biffle fans didn't get to where we are today by saying hurtful things. 17. nascarman posted: 04.18.2007 - 7:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Here are the final couple laps. :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-XoWfDUzYQ&mode=related&search= 18. most posted: 08.04.2007 - 6:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Probably the best last 10 laps of racing ever, I just watched the whole race today, with 8 to go they were 3 wide and 2 wide between Nadeau, Harvick, Gordon, Jr and Jarrett. Awesome racing! 19. Mr. Big posted: 08.10.2007 - 3:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) What a race. #3 on my Top 10 races. But at the end what was up with DW harping on the slow car for so long? 20. The Real Thomas posted: 08.10.2007 - 7:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Can't believe I actually liked Blowhardick at the time. Maybe it was because he wasn't a jerk until after he won this race and everyone told him he was "the chosen one" like was previously posted. 21. DieselDan posted: 11.24.2007 - 4:30 am Rate this comment: (0) (1) Fixed. I remember Fox refused to call it the Cracker Barrel 500 because C.B. wouldn't pay Fox an obscene amount of money. 22. RaceFanX posted: 01.04.2008 - 10:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Yeah, they called some like "NASCAR racing from Atlanta presented by UPS" or something like that. Cracker Barrel quit sponsorship of the race over that dispute. FOX stirred up some controversy early on, like showing the lineup for the Bud Shootout with the pictures of the cars digitally altered so as not to show logos for any companies that didn't buy ads during the race 23. Schafe posted: 06.02.2008 - 3:56 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) You've picked a fine time to leave me, loose wheel...;D 24. Brock posted: 07.01.2008 - 7:54 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Too bad Nadeau didn't win... 25. Rad83 posted: 07.25.2008 - 1:53 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Terry Labonte's only top-5 in '01. Mikke Skinner's only top-10 in this year and also his last in the Lowe's 31. 26. justme posted: 02.09.2009 - 10:08 am Rate this comment: (3) (1) i know this is just a coincidence but look...in the 4th race of the season,car #29,starts 5th,and finishes 1st..Dale Earnhardts birthday=4/29/51 27. New14&88Fan posted: 03.05.2009 - 11:51 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) i know this is just a coincidence but look...in the 4th race of the season,car #29,starts 5th,and finishes 1st..Dale Earnhardts birthday=4/29/51 justme | 02.09.09 - 10:08 am I'm sure nobody else thought of that till now...just adds more to the epicness of this race. 28. Ryan posted: 03.06.2009 - 12:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) That's Awesome! 29. samfan09 posted: 07.07.2009 - 4:28 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Great finish and one of the few times I was glad to see Harvick win a race. I still feel bad for Dave Blaney though. It looked like he was going to win and I wonder if his career could have been different if he would have. 30. myself posted: 08.19.2009 - 12:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) What'd FOX call the race, then? 31. Mark O. posted: 10.23.2009 - 6:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Read post #21. 32. Madison posted: 07.03.2010 - 2:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First race with the silent lap 3. The two before were under caution at the time. 33. Anonymous posted: 12.31.2010 - 4:50 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) All three Hendrick cars get top five finishes. 34. Darrell posted: 12.31.2010 - 7:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) So many strange coincidences in this race: 3 - Dale Earnhardt's number The first race with the silent 3rd lap. This was the third race since Earnhardt had passed. This was Kevin Harvick, Earnhardt's replacement, third start. Harvick wins in an almost identical finish to how Earnhardt won the year before. Earnhardt defeated Bobby Labonte in that race. Labonte would go on to win the championship that year. Harvick defeated Jeff Gordon, who would win the 2001 championship. 35. Schroeder51 posted: 03.25.2011 - 10:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) A scary moment in this race occured when Matt Kenseth's engine failed and he slid into the turn 3 wall in flames. He came to a stop in the grass and was not injured. 36. Matthew posted: 04.06.2011 - 4:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Quotes DW: Alright,I believe Jeff's gonna try to get 'im on the low side,if the slow car's not gonna be in the way. Mike:Here comes Gordon to the bottom! DW: Oh,slow car...slow car...slow car's gonna be in the way. Larry:He's gonna get him though,he's GONNA GET HIM! Mike:Gordon got loose IT'S HARVICK! DW: Harvick by inches! 37. I Love Japan posted: 04.11.2011 - 12:14 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think this whole race was just destiny. 38. Talon64 posted: 08.18.2011 - 6:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kevin Harvick became just the 3rd driver to win a race for Richard Childress Racing. Kurt Busch got his 1st career top 10. It was also the first top 10 for the #97 Roush car since Chad Little finished 6th in this same race a year prior. 39. Ed posted: 01.15.2012 - 12:45 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Jeff Gordon takes over the points lead after being 29th in points leaving Daytona 40. CBASS posted: 09.29.2012 - 1:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor corrections #18 MBNA/ Interstate Batteries #20 Home Depot/ Rigid #21 Motorcraft Quality Parts #96 McDonald's Drive Thru #45 Sprint PCS #17 DeWalt/ 2000 Raybestos Rookie of the Year 41. Teren posted: 01.25.2013 - 3:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Gordon Gets Loose It's Harvick! Harvick by Inches! What a race Tell them we won! 42. joey2448 posted: 08.22.2013 - 8:19 am Rate this comment: (0) (1) Just watched the finish again...What. A. Race. Interesting that the first three races after Dale's death were marked by a caution on lap three, then after Harvick won, it never happened again (in 2001). 43. Nascar Lead Lap Points posted: 12.21.2013 - 2:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Who was the slow car on the last lap in turn 4 44. Edwards99 posted: 12.30.2013 - 7:06 am Rate this comment: (2) (0) I miss races like this where you could just have one random mid-packer come out on some weekend and lead a bunch of laps like how Dave Blaney did. Now the only places where this occurs is at restrictor plate races. 45. Kellen posted: 12.30.2013 - 8:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Think that was Brett Bodine was the slow lap car coming out of 4 to the checkers. 46. 1995z71 posted: 01.01.2014 - 1:45 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @ Post 44 This is the most laps Dave Blaney has ever led in a single Cup race so far. 47. Anonymous posted: 01.07.2014 - 12:26 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) The only time in 01 i can recall all 3 hendrick cars in the top 5. It was a strong race for them. 48. Evan W. posted: 05.05.2014 - 9:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bobby Labonte had a horrible race at Atlanta, Darrell Waltrip famously predicted that Labonte would win the race that day and then Bobby's engine started to lose a cylinder and eventually the engine blew. Bobby Labonte and Jeff Burton had issues with the new softer tires, they built their cars in 2001 tailored to the old tire setup. Labonte's team built all of thier motors in 2000 by prepping early and that backfired big time. Labonte never could reach the success he had in 2000 ever again. 49. Nascar Lead Lap Points posted: 06.20.2014 - 4:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Owners Update #50 Hal Hicks / Mike Witters 50. Bob posted: 07.21.2014 - 7:32 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) One of the best races of the new millennium although there is tough competition between Dale Jr.'s first win, the 2007 Daytona 500, and the 2005 and 2007 Coke 600s. NASCAR needed a feel good moment after Earnhardt's death and they got one here. Harvick is still one of my favorite drivers to this day along with Dale Jr. But I will admit it would have been really cool to see Blaney win. 51. Bob posted: 07.21.2014 - 7:32 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Joe G- the greatest race of ALL TIME was the 1992 season finale. Hands down. 52. SpiderTre posted: 10.09.2014 - 5:50 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Harvick's first win in the Goodwrench car is the spring Atlanta race Earnhardt's first win in the Goodwrench car? the spring Atlanta race in 1988 53. mister83 posted: 07.01.2015 - 7:23 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) @46- not the most TIME though that Blaney has led though. That would be the 2012 Daytona 500. (Still wish they would've ended that race while he was in front, tht wooul'dve been so cool...) 54. Big Mac Fan posted: 01.04.2016 - 11:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Even with tragedy throughout the year, 2001 has to be one of the best NASCAR seasons of all time. 55. Ben posted: 01.13.2016 - 3:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Blaney's pit crew lost this race for him. 56. RaceFanX posted: 01.13.2016 - 5:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "It didn't hurt then. It hurts a lot more now." - Dave Blaney talking about this race in 2016 during a NASCAR SiriusXM interview, noting it was his best chance to win in Cup. (ironically Ben's post came before Blaney's interview) 57. Anthony posted: 01.18.2016 - 1:05 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Empty seats, it seems that Atlanta has always been like that. Even back then. 58. Josh posted: 07.28.2016 - 3:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Because the speedway is located on the wrong side of town. Atlanta's bulk population is in the north metro, not on the south side. Deters several fans from making the trek down. 59. Scott25 posted: 08.15.2017 - 11:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @44 most races were like that in the golden age of NASCAR (early 90s-2004), just shows how much more competitive it used to be. 60. Wil posted: 05.15.2018 - 4:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Everyone remembers this fondly for Harvick's feel good win after the Dale tragedy. This was Dave Blaney's race though, and a loose wheel stole it from him. 61. MenardFan posted: 05.27.2018 - 4:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) No one ever talks about the last 15 or so laps except the last 3, because of Jeff and Kevin. But, those last 15 or so laps were tight, and one of the most exciting battles for the win happened. 5 to 6 drivers fighting to win this race, and it ended with one of the most exciting and closest finishes in NASCAR history. Why can't racing be like this today? 62. GoPM21 posted: 10.30.2018 - 7:46 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Cracker Barrel went after NASCAR and FOX in a lawsuit over the naming rights flap. Judgement was rendered against them in late 2002. 63. RaceFanX posted: 04.26.2019 - 9:55 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Mike Skinner's top-10 run vaulted him from 24th in points to 15th after this race...but he crashed out at Darlington in the next race and immediately dropped right back to 24th as a result. 64. Anonymous posted: 01.17.2020 - 5:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) If this race had ten more laps or so I think Terry Labonte would've had something for ?em, he was catching that front group at an alarming rate. 65. Anonymous posted: 03.21.2020 - 7:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think I said certain races at tracks that were postponed because of Conravirus good news FS1 will re-air the 2001 Cracker Barrel 500 next Sunday hey its a race that aired in my time and fun fact it was just the 4th race on Fox and it had 2 first time winners in 4 races one of those he works for fox Michael Waltrip, well I don't want to spoil it for those who might see this re-air. But good news its something Keep giving us some more Fox please thank you for helping while we wait to get Racing back soon I hope as early as Martinsville and the first Mother's day race there and the first Full Primetime race from the Paper Clip. 66. Anonymous posted: 03.28.2020 - 7:52 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Oh and better news we see loose wheel one more time Sorry Ryan Blaney your Dad Dave had this race and best chance for the Ole Amoco Car when Well DW Starting singing that parody of an ole Kenny Rogers favorite. 67. Rich posted: 12.05.2020 - 8:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds and Darrell Waltrip were the commentators. Dr. Dick Berggren, Steve Byrnes, Matt Yocum and Jeanne Zelasko were the pit road reporters. Chris Myers and Jeff Hammond were in the Hollywood hotel. 68. Steve posted: 03.11.2021 - 7:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I remember jumping up and down on my front porch after the finish. I can't believe that was 20 years ago. 69. TeamDCRfan posted: 03.11.2021 - 9:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Never noticed that all three Hendrick cars were in the top 5 before. I guess that shows how this was such a major win for Harvick and RCR that literally every position from 3rd back was irrelevant 70. NevadaGamblerMan posted: 03.12.2021 - 6:53 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Never noticed that all three Hendrick cars were in the top 5 before - I had never noticed this before neither despite I've watched the end of this prolly 20 times. Also, that is considering a wild spin through the tri-oval and in the grass Jerry Nadeau had on the 3rd lap. These days with the spitters, he'd be outta the race with a spin like that 71. Corey posted: 03.21.2021 - 7:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I believe this was the issue with Cracker Barrel. Up until 2000, the tracks made their own deals with the networks and the race title sponsor. There was probably a clause in the contract that required networks to mention the title sponsor. The Cracker Barrel 500 was mentioned something like 60 times during the ABC broadcast. 2001 is when NASCAR took over the TV deals. Because of that, the networks were only required to say the title sponsor once per hour, unless said sponsor paid money to network. Since Cracker Barrel didn't pay FOX, they were only mentioned four times. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: