| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 4 of 36 in the2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series | |||
 The 2002 MBNA America 500 program cover, featuringKevin Harvick, winner of the2001 race. | |||
| Date | March 10, 2002 | ||
| Official name | 44th Annual MBNA America 500 | ||
| Location | Hampton, Georgia,Atlanta Motor Speedway | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 1.54 miles (2.48 km) | ||
| Distance | 325 laps, 500.5 mi (805.476 km) | ||
| Scheduled distance | 325 laps, 500.5 mi (805.476 km) | ||
| Average speed | 148.443 miles per hour (238.896 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Evernham Motorsports | ||
| Time | 28.944 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | |
| Laps | 143 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | FOX | ||
| Announcers | Mike Joy,Larry McReynolds,Darrell Waltrip | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | Performance Racing Network | ||
| Booth announcers | Chuck Carland, Rob Albright | ||
| Turn announcers | Brett McMillan, Steve Richards, Pat Patterson | ||
The2002 MBNA America 500 was the fourthstock car race of the2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the fifth iteration of theevent. The race was held on Sunday, March 10, 2002, inHampton, Georgia atAtlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.54 miles (2.48 km) permanent asphalt quad-oval intermediate speedway. The race took the scheduled 325 laps to complete.Tony Stewart, driving forJoe Gibbs Racing, would pass the worn-out car ofWard Burton with 23 to go to win his 13th careerNASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his first of the season.[1] To fill out the podium,Dale Earnhardt Jr. ofDale Earnhardt, Inc. andJimmie Johnson ofHendrick Motorsports would finish second and third, respectively.
Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerlyAtlanta International Raceway) is a track inHampton, Georgia, 20 miles (32 km) south ofAtlanta. It is a 1.54-mile (2.48 km) quad-oval track with aseating capacity of 111,000. It opened in 1960 as a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) standard oval. In 1994, 46condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two 1.5-mile (2.4 km) ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval. The project made the track one of the fastest on theNASCAR circuit.
The first practice session was held on Friday, March 8, at 11:20 AMEST, and would last for two hours.[2]Tony Stewart ofJoe Gibbs Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.118 and an average speed of 190.391 miles per hour (306.405 km/h).[3]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 29.118 | 190.391 |
| 2 | 18 | Bobby Labonte | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 29.148 | 190.201 |
| 3 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.174 | 190.026 |
| Full first practice results | ||||||
The second practice session was held on Saturday, March 9, at 9:30 AMEST, and would last for 45 minutes.[2]Ryan Newman ofPenske Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.896 and an average speed of 185.436 miles per hour (298.430 km/h).[4]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Ryan Newman(R) | Penske Racing | Ford | 29.896 | 185.436 |
| 2 | 20 | Tony Stewart | Joe Gibbs Racing | Pontiac | 29.971 | 184.979 |
| 3 | 24 | Jeff Gordon | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 29.981 | 184.917 |
| Full second practice results | ||||||
The third and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, March 9, at 11:15 AMEST, and would last for 45 minutes.[2]Jerry Nadeau ofHendrick Motorsports would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 30.110 and an average speed of 184.125 miles per hour (296.320 km/h).[5]
| Pos. | # | Driver | Team | Make | Time | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 | Jerry Nadeau | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 30.110 | 184.125 |
| 2 | 8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Dale Earnhardt, Inc. | Chevrolet | 30.115 | 184.087 |
| 3 | 40 | Sterling Marlin | Chip Ganassi Racing | Dodge | 30.125 | 184.026 |
| Full Happy Hour practice results | ||||||
Qualifying was held on Friday, March 8, at 3:05 PMEST. Each driver would have two laps to set a fastest time; the fastest of the two would count as their official qualifying lap.[2] Positions 1–36 would be decided on time, while positions 37–43 would be based on provisionals. Six spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The seventh is awarded to a past champion who has not otherwise qualified for the race. If no past champ needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.[6]
Bill Elliott ofEvernham Motorsports would win the pole, setting a time of 28.944 and an average speed of 191.542 miles per hour (308.257 km/h).[7]
Two drivers would fail to qualify:Ron Hornaday Jr. andCarl Long.
| Previous race: 2002 UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 | NASCAR Winston Cup Series 2002 season | Next race: 2002 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 |