|| *Comments on the 2001 EA Sports 500:* View the most recent comment <#54> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. Brett posted: 02.25.2005 - 10:45 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Typical Talladega thriller. They wait until turn 2, final lap for the mass wrecking. Bobby Labonte slides on his roof, while nineteen other cars join in. Racing backJeff Burton attempts to pass Dale Jr. on the outside in turn 3, but Stewart drafts with Jr., and there are no other cars near Burton to draft with, so Jr. safely takes the checkers. 2. Brett posted: 02.25.2005 - 10:46 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Racing back to the line, Jeff Burton, etc etc. You'll get it. :) 3. Anonymous posted: 03.09.2005 - 12:12 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Actually, it was Jeff Burton on the inside drafting with Earnhardt and Stewart trying to maintain the lead on the outside ... 4. carl edwards fan posted: 04.25.2005 - 1:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) if i was burton, i'd go with stewart, you'd get a better chance to win that way, plus jr is not so tough without draft... 5. MASH_guy posted: 06.06.2005 - 3:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Big wreck happens in turn two of the final lap, as result of one Bobby (Labonte) trying to block another(Hamilton) not once, but twice. Last race for Cup under the wicker/flange aero package (now in use for the Busch series). 6. HomeDepot20TS posted: 08.07.2005 - 2:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Burton commented in his interview he went with Junior because they'd worked together earlier. The end to that race was real frustrating. 1. They have the big wreck, period. 2. Bobby gets turned over to trigger it. 3. Tony winds up Runner up. Oh well. At least everyone was all right. 7. HomeDepot20TS posted: 09.04.2005 - 7:39 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Elliott Sadler had a nice quote on Kevin Harvick at the time. "It only takes one idiot to start these things, and Kevin Harvick is the idiot of the week. Or should I say idiot of the month." 8. Matthew Sullivan posted: 12.20.2005 - 11:48 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Probably Bobby Labonte's biggest bonehead move of his career. He doesn't make many though. 9. Chicago posted: 01.28.2006 - 10:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The Dale Earnhardt, Incorporated cars were the class of the field. Waltrip was equally dominant before his engine packed up and Bobby Labonte put up a fierce fight before Earnhardt, Jr. swept past at the white flag and then all hell broke loose off of turn two. 10. Darrell posted: 02.26.2006 - 10:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Rick Mast failed to qualify in Junie Donlavey's last attempt at a multi-car team. 11. CanucksAndNASCAR Fan posted: 05.14.2006 - 7:49 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I wish I had a video of this race. I was forced to miss it because I was returning home from Seattle that day. 12. Anonymous posted: 06.16.2006 - 8:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kevin Lepage actually hit Bobby Labonte's car while it was sliding upside-down and still came across the line in 10th position. 13. Tim posted: 06.25.2006 - 9:08 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was also the first race at which head and neck support devices were mandated by NASCAR. Tony Stewart, at that time, was the only Cup driver who did not regularly wear one. In response to the rule, Jeff Green, who was competing for the Busch championship that year, offered to buy one for any driver who couldn't afford it. 14. Steve posted: 07.20.2006 - 1:13 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Dale Jr. also won the Winston Million, just like his father did the year before. I think he and Jeff Burton also worked well together in their Gatorade 125-miler in February. Tony Stewart did the Talladega sweep: finishing second in both races. He would do it again in 2005. 15. Anonymous posted: 11.24.2006 - 3:38 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Another 'Dega sweep: Stacy Compton won both poles, the last for the Melling team. 16. biffle16 posted: 02.25.2007 - 3:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kevin Lepage, Stacy Compton, Brett Bodine, Terry Labonte, Bobby Hamilton Jr., Jason Leffler, Rusty Wallace, Sterling Marlin, Mike Wallace, Robby Gordon, Bill Elliott, Ward Burton, Bobby Labonte, Johnny Benson, Ricky Craven, Dale Jarrett, Ricky Rudd, Robert Pressley, and Buckshot Jones were all involved in the big crash on the final lap. 17. SK posted: 08.30.2007 - 12:00 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The final Cup Series start for Jeff Purvis. 18. RaceFanX posted: 01.21.2008 - 8:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Running a retro Levi Garrett paint job, Compton gives that sponsor their final pole as a NASCAR sponsor, it was their first since Richmond in the spring of 1990 with Ricky Rudd's Hendrick #5 Chevy 19. Anonymous posted: 04.26.2008 - 6:15 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Compton despite stinkin' up elsewhere was actually a decent plate-racer. He qualified in the top-3 for all the races that wre plates in '01. 20. Schafe posted: 06.02.2008 - 3:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Not that this factoid is important, but this was the first 2001 plate race that Hut Stricklin managed to qualify for. 21. Rad83 posted: 07.21.2008 - 2:07 am Rate this comment: (2) (4) Anything involving Hut Stricklin isn't important. What a waste of opportunituy. I hated him due to his constant whining and lack of talent. He didn't desrve to be in Winston Cup. 22. RaceFanX posted: 02.21.2009 - 10:33 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Last Cup race for former Busch series star Jeff Purvis 23. RaceFanX posted: 03.06.2009 - 10:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart had special "Coca-Cola Polar Bears" paint jobs in this race to support Toys-for-Tots 24. Steve posted: 01.12.2010 - 4:29 am Rate this comment: (4) (0) I have NEVER heard Hut Stricklin whine. He did not lack talent. He lacked money. He's one of the best Winston Cuppers in the past 25 years who didn't win a race. He "desrved" a decent car. Anything involving Rad83 is not important. ;) 25. Steve posted: 07.17.2010 - 2:04 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) After finding this race on YouTube (courtesy of battalionfan888), my memory was refreshed concerning the finish. As several remnants of racecars came to the checkered flag, one had to wonder which ones would make it. Ricky Rudd's car stopped about 100 feet short of the line, with smoke spouting from the crumpled engine, and a flat-tired, slipping and sliding Ward Burton came by him to be the final car to finish the 188 laps. 26. martin-n-rusty posted: 10.27.2010 - 6:33 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) If I am correct, didn't a few drivers contemplate boycotting the race due to the aero package, and the racing that happened because of it? 27. Evan posted: 01.29.2011 - 11:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This race was the first I had seen in a long while, I had been watching bits and pieces of races in 2001 and this was the first one I saw in full length. Bobby Labonte tried to protect his lead and he turned his green Coca Cola Polar Bear/Interstate car upside down. Probably one of the best races that year. It was good to see Junior win his second career plate race where his father won the previous year. Dale's car was too low at the end as ruled by NASCAR. I think he knocked the roof in the victory celebration. 28. Schroeder51 posted: 07.05.2011 - 1:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I can't say I will ever forget the finish to this race anytime soon. "Look at this move by Junior at the white flag!" "Labonte blocks Bobby Hamilton!" "Contact,Bobby Labonte is over! It's the big wreck on the final lap! They're racing back for the victory!" Can't believe this happened almost 10 years ago. 29. RaceFanX posted: 02.18.2012 - 6:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsors: #18 Bobby Labonte- Interstate Batteries / Coca-Cola #20 Tony Stewart- Home Depot / Coca-Cola Ron Hornaday, Jr. and the A.J. Foyt team fielded a #14 Conseco Chevrolet instead of thier normal Pontiac in this race. Talladega had a habit of teams trying different brands looking for an aero advantage. This was only the second time since 1983 when A.J. himself drove a Chevy at Talladega that his team fielded one of the Bowties in the Cup series, the previous case was an entry for Mike Chase at Phoenix in 1991. It would also be the last time the team entered one, they went back to their normal Pontiacs afterward. 30. I love Japan posted: 10.07.2012 - 6:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Very similar to today's race :). From the first half to the last lap wreck. 31. Anonymous posted: 11.06.2012 - 6:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was the last consecutive win for the RAD Package The Rad Package was R - Richard Childress Racing A - Andy Petree Racing D - Dale Earnhardt Inc. 32. Anonymous posted: 03.25.2013 - 6:09 pm Rate this comment: (4) (0) at least nascar should let racing back to the line on LAST LAPS ONLY 33. Anonymous posted: 04.21.2013 - 3:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) remember parker kligermans win?? at dega? im glad he won but nascar did NOT need to end an exciting race with the caution 34. kidracer posted: 05.25.2013 - 11:16 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Compton hit I believe Labontes car too on its roof and finished 11th. Anyway the race is a classic Dega finish. 2012 was ok but nowhere as close to this finish. 35. kidracer posted: 05.25.2013 - 11:16 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Oh and Tony was PISSED this weekend because of having o use the Hans device. He didnt want to talk into the media that day. 36. EyeofTheCougar posted: 01.14.2014 - 9:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) All 3 Wallace brothers were running top 5 for majority of this race, all three of them!!! As the broadcast went to commerical, you would see all three Wallace's in the top 5! Too bad Kenny or Mike didn't get their first win this day ð???ð??¨ 37. Taylor posted: 04.12.2014 - 11:05 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The final 10 laps of this race always gives me chills. Awesome racing 38. Nascar Lead Lap Points posted: 06.20.2014 - 4:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Owner Updates #91 Junie Donlavey Sponor was Donlavey Racing for #91 39. MAR posted: 10.02.2014 - 9:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Just rewatched this race after 13 years its still one of the most exciting finishes ever in nascar. 40. Schroeder51 posted: 05.01.2015 - 12:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Here's a list of the cars that (as best as I can tell) were involved in the last lap crash... #01 Jason Leffler, #2 Rusty Wallace, #4 Bobby Hamilton, Jr., #5 Terry Labonte, #9 Bill Elliott, #10 Johnny Benson, #11 Brett Bodine, #12 Mike Wallace, #18 Bobby Labonte, #22 Ward Burton, #28 Ricky Rudd, #31 Robby Gordon, #32 Ricky Craven, #40 Sterling Marlin, #44 Buckshot Jones, #77 Robert Pressley, #88 Dale Jarrett. I'm not entirely sure but I THINK Kevin Lepage and Stacy Compton managed to get through the crash without getting damage. 41. 88&4Fan posted: 07.07.2015 - 6:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) First of four consecutive Dega wins for Dale Jr. 42. nascarman posted: 09.23.2015 - 6:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Starting this weekend NASCAR mandated that drivers wear the HANS device or Hutchens device in all three series. Before this, it was only recommended. Following Blaise Alexander's crash, they knew that driver comfort wasn't an excuse anymore. 43. Schroeder51 posted: 12.08.2015 - 1:52 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) There was also a big crash in Happy Hour prior to the race. Ward Burton got into the rear quarter panel of Jeff Purvis entering turn 1 near the front of a pack of cars, and the #51 car spun and got nailed by John Andretti, Rusty Wallace, and Terry Labonte. As Purvis came back down the track, he nailed the #44 of Buckshot Jones in the door and sent him spinning as well. Ken Schrader and Kevin Harvick tangled in the grass trying to avoid the accident, and Kurt Busch spun out to avoid the crash. Of the eight cars caught up in the accident, Purvis, Andretti, Labonte, and Schrader wound up going to back-up cars for the race. 44. Anthony posted: 02.09.2016 - 3:02 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) 750 miles without a crash in the 2001 races at Talladega, impressive stuff. They should bring back this aero package, it was epic. 45. 18fan posted: 02.14.2017 - 3:39 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was Bobby Hamilton's final top 5 finish. 46. JeffGordon24FanForever posted: 10.09.2017 - 6:05 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Four drivers in this race (Jr, Kurt Busch, Kenseth, Harvick) will race Talladega this weekend. Sadler and Nemechek have recently ran in the lower series. Harvick is the only one with a ride next year (junior will retire, Kenseth is a free agent, and Kurt' s status is unconfirmed. 47. CJ posted: 05.07.2018 - 11:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The 7 car finished in the Top 10 in all 4 plate races in 2001. 3 with Mike Wallace and this one with Kevin Lepage 48. JollyMeanGiant posted: 05.25.2019 - 11:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) To the rear: #5 Terry Labonte, #36 Ken Schrader, #43 John Andretti, #51 Jeff Purvis (backup cars) These four drivers were involved in a multi-car pileup in a turn 1 and had to unload backups for the race itself as a result. Rusty Wallace, Kurt Busch, Buckshot Jones, and Kevin Harvick were also involved but their crews were able to repair their cars. 49. JollyMeanGiant posted: 09.24.2019 - 8:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) NBC listed 16 cars as being involved in the crash in the final lap, which would be every driver from 13th-28th in the final finishing order. LePage, Compton, and Brett Bodine all managed to snake their way through the big one due to being towards the very back of the lead draft. (Although Kevin may have just clipped Bobby Labonte while he was on his roof, but not enough to seriously damage his car.) Mark Martin and Joe Nemechek both had close escapes with several cars spinning directly in front of Mark and Joe turning his car down to the apron and through the grass, keeping his car straight as he did so. Gordon and Kenseth were the first two drivers behind the initial crash to escape and they beat and banged against each other for 4th all down the backstretch. This led to Jeff cutting a tire going into turn 3, and him nursing it back to the line in 7th. Nonetheless it was a good day for Gordon as Rudd wound up getting caught up in the big one (he was 2nd on the final restart but drifted back into the pack), adding another 61 points to his lead and moving him one step closer to the title. 50. Evan posted: 09.24.2019 - 8:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Yes an,d the miraculous thing is that the car running behind Jeff Gordon, Mike Wallace crashed. How he got through that final lap wreck is nothing short of miraculous. 51. Jason24 posted: 11.17.2019 - 5:38 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) The ending of this race was epic. The crowd, NBC, the sound of the cars will unfortunately will never be seen again. Nowadays they wreck 6 times in the last 10 laps. 52. joey2448 posted: 03.16.2020 - 7:34 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) After a long stretch of green-flag racing to begin the day, the caution flag finally comes out on lap 95 with a crash on the backstretch. That ended a lengthy stretch of green-flag racing at Talladega dating back to the previous fall. Because the spring 2001 race went caution-free, the Winston Cup boys went a remarkable 298 laps of competition without a problem. 53. RyanM posted: 05.09.2020 - 2:34 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hasn't been mentioned, but Allen Bestwick's commentary the whole last lap of this race was the stuff of absolute legend. He was always great, but this might be his magnum opus. Wish NBC still had him. 54. SweetRich posted: 07.20.2020 - 1:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The commentators were Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons and Wally Dallenbach. The pit road reporters were Matt Yocum, Dave Burns, Bill Weber and Marty Snider. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: