JAYSKI'S SILLY
SEASON SITE

• Race: Sunday, October 28, 2001 in Phoenix, AZ
  
  
• Time Difference: Phoenix is three hours behind Eastern time(ET) on Friday and Saturday, Oct 26/27th, and on Sunday two hours behind as the clock will be turned back Sunday, Oct 21st at 2:00, going from Eastern Daylight (EDT) to Standard (EST), the Phoenix, Arizona area does NOT turn back the clock and is always on Standard time, all times here are ET. Here is a site that explains it: webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/f.html
  
  
• TV: NBC - 2:30pm/et, re-aired on TNT Tuesday, Oct 30, 1:00am/et
  
• Pre-Race Show: 2:00pm/et - Hosted by Bill Weber
  
  
• NASCAR on TV and TNT TV Schedule and CNN/SI Schedule
  
  
• Announcers: Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons and Wally Dallenbach
  
  
• Pit Reporters: Bill Weber, Matt Yocum, Marty Snider, Dave Burns
  
  
• Purse/Race Awards: $3,248,538 (last year $3,084,404)
  
  
• Entry List: Entry List for the: Checker Auto Parts 500 from NASCAR.com
  
  
• 2000 Race Winner: Jeff Burton, 105.041mph, started 2nd
  
  
• Track Race Record: Tony Stewart, Nov 1999, 118.132mph
  
  
• Track/Race Length: 1.0 mile oval, 312 laps, 312miles (500k)
  
  
• Pit Road Speed: 45mph
  
  

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  Practice
  
  
• Practice: Friday, Oct 26th 12:25 -2:20pm/et; Saturday, Oct 27th 12:30 - 1:15pm/et
  
• Happy Hour Practice: Saturday, Oct 27th after the BGN race - 5:30pm/et on TV-TNT
  
  

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  Qualifying
  
  
• Qualifying Draw: Friday, Oct 26th, 11:25am/et
  
  
• Qualfying Order: That's Racin'
  
  
• First Round Qualifying: 2 laps for positions 1-36, Friday, Oct 26th at 4:40pm/et, TV-CNN/SI live and live via MRN Radio(link below)
  
  
• NASCAR.com will have live lap-by-lap coverage of Winston Cup qualifying via the web
  
  
• Second-Round Qualifying: there is no longer a 2nd round of qualifying
  
  
• Track/Event Qualifying Record: Rusty Wallace, Nov 3 2000, 134.178mph
  
  
• Last Year's Pole Sitter: Rusty Wallace, 134.178mph, finished 4th
  
  

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• Track Specs:
  Degree of Banking: Turns 1-2: 11 degrees; Turns 3-4: 9 degrees
  Frontstretch: Length: 1,179 feet, Banking: None
  Backstretch: Length: 1,551 feet, Banking: None
  Pit Road: Length: 1,140
  
  
• Track Homepage: Phoenix International Raceway
  
  
• Scanner Frequencies: are linked on my Racing Links Page/ Scanners Section
  
  

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  PAST RACE and POLE WINNERS at Phoenix

  Phoenix Race and Pole Winners
  
  

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  RACE BONUS INFO

• The NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus is $40,000 at Phoenix for leading the points and winning the race (Jeff Gordon last won the award, $60,000 at Kansas on Sept 30, 2001). The $360,000 annual award is paid at $10,000 per race to the point leader at the end of each event if he is also the winner. The award increases by $10,000 each week the it goes unclaimed. If the point leader is not the race winner at the end of the year, the balance of the award is distributed among the top-10 finisher in the point standings(10-21-2001)
  
  

• Phoenix Facts: There have been 12 different race winners in the 13 NASCAR Winston Cup Series races at Phoenix. Eleven drivers have each posted one victory at Phoenix: Jeff Burton, Bill Elliott, Bobby Hamilton, Dale Jarrett, Terry Labonte, Mark Martin, Ricky Rudd, Tony Stewart, Rusty Wallace, Alan Kulwicki and Dale Earnhardt. [Davey Allison won two races at Phoenix, the only one to do so.] The race has never been won from the Bud Pole position at Phoenix. The winner has come from the third-place starting position twice and from 13th place twice, the only starting positions that have produced more than one race winner. Only one NASCAR Winston Cup Series race at Phoenix has been won from a front-row starting position [2000 - Jeff Burton started 2nd]. The race at Phoenix has only been won from a top-10 starting position five times. Ricky Rudd won the 1995 Phoenix 500K from the 29th-place starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started at Phoenix.(NASCAR PR)(10-24-2001)
  
  
• The 'Gate' being used in Victory Lane UPDATE 2: many readers noticed the while 'gate or fence' Winston Cup Officials held above Jeff Gordon so he couldn't get on the roof of the car in the winners circle/victory lane. On CNN/SI's NASCAR Plus, Benny Parsons was asked about the 'gate' and said he wasn't sure why, but that it was probably to keep the driver off the top of the car so a proper insepction could be done. Last year at California, the #12 Team was penalized for having a car that was too low and it was caused by Mayfield jumping on the roof of the car, denting the spot that the inspectors measure. Otherwise have seen nothing official on the reason for the gate(10-2-2001)
  UPDATE: sources have confirmed that NASCAR doesnt want the drivers on the roof tops after the race for saftey and technical reasons(10-3/8-2001)
  UPDATE 2: Benny Parsons confirmed on CNN/SI's NASCAR Plus that NASCAR took so much heat from everyone about the PVC Pipe fence they decided not to use it anymore. Ironic they stop using it and the #8 is too low, the thing they were trying to avoid, but Earnhardt Jr did not get on top of the car, so it is a moot point, but the 'gate' is gone(10-23-2001)
  
  
• That's Racin': Checker Auto Parts 500 Race Info
  
  
• CBS Sportsline: Checker Auto Parts 500 Preview
  
  
• CNN/SI: Checker Auto Parts 500 - Flat-out effective
  
  
• Frontstretch: Raceday Today - Checker Auto Parts 500
  
  
• NASCAR.com: Checker Auto Parts 500 Race Page
  
  
• Yahoo: Checker Auto Parts 500 - Preview
  
  
• Crew Chief Club
  
  

• note: this is not to promote gambling but to offer readers odds and ideas on what the 'experts' think about the upcoming race and the Cup series season
  
  
• NASCAR Odds - Early Odds for the Checker Auto Parts 500
  
  
• Vegas Insider - Checker Auto Parts 500 odds
  
  
• World Sports Exchange - Checker Auto Parts 500 odds
  
  

• Jeff Burton wins at Phoenix: #99-Jeff Burton wins the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix. It is Burton's 2nd win of the 2001 season and 17th career Cup win and the 50th Cup win for Roush Racing. Burton is only the 2nd driver to have two wins at Phoenix (Davey Allison in 1991-92). #12-Mike Wallace continues his nice run in the #12 Mobil One Ford with a 2nd place finish, his best ever career finish and his first top five since Atlanta in Nov of 1994 when he finished 5th. Points leader #24-Gordon finished 6th and now leads #28-Rudd by 380 points (4662 to 4282) with four races to go. See That's Racin' for Sunday's Checker 500 race results and Jeff Burton picks up 2nd win of '01 amd my 2001 Drivers Cup Points Page(10-28-2001)
  
  
• Happy Hour Practice at Phoenix. #24-Jeff Gordon was the fastest at 127.096mph with #29-Kevin Harvick as the 2nd fastest with a speed of 126.551. Slowest were #7-Kevin Lepage at 124.477 and #4-Bobby Hamilton Jr. at 124.378. #17-Kenseth lost an engine and the team will put in another one for the race. See That's Racin' for Saturday's final practice speeds(10-27-2001)
  
  
• Atwood on the pole at Phoenix UPDATE on youngest: #19-Casey Atwood won his first career Bud Pole at Phoenix with a speed of 131.296mph, #43-John Andretti will be on the outside pole with a speed of 131.071. There have been 17 different Bud Pole winners in 2001 and there are now 22 drivers eligible for the 2002 Budweiser Shootout. Looks like Atwood was the 2nd ever youngest Cup driver to win a pole (21 years, 2 months, 1 day - the youngest supposedly is Donald Thompson at Atlanta - not AMS - 20years, 4 months, 6 days, on Nov 16, 1952: thanks Matt). #70-Rick Bogart was the only driver to miss the race, ran a lap of 126.671mph. See That's Racin' for the Checker Auto Parts 500 Starting Lineup(10-26-2001)
  UPDATE: Casey Atwood won his first career Winston Cup pole Friday at the age of 21 years, 2 months and 17 days, making him the youngest driver to ever win one for a race held on an asphalt track in NASCAR's top division and Atwood is the youngest to win a pole in the sport's "modern era,"(1972-present) but Donald Thompson was slightly younger at 20 years, 4 months and 6 days when he won the pole for a race at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta on Nov. 16, 1952. Lakewood Speedway was a dirt track(That's Racin')(10-27-2001)
  
  
• Provisionals: go to #29-Harvick (his first ever in Cup and the first time the #3/29 had to use a provisional to make the field), #17-Kenseth, #21-Sadler (his 14th of 2001), #25-Nadeau, #97-Busch (now out of provisionals for the remainder of the season), #31-Gordon,, and #4-Hamilton Jr(also out). Only two teams have made ALL 32 races and NOT used a provisional in 2001: #24-Gordon, and 28-Rudd. In fact #24-Gordon has NEVER used a provisional to start a race. See my Provisional Page for info(10-26-2001)
  
  
• 1st Saturday Cup Practice: #99-Jeff Burton was the fastest at 127.682mph with #45-Kyle Petty 2nd fastest at 127.411. Slowest were #90-Rick Mast at 124.844 and #31-Robby Gordon at 123.929. See That's Racin' for Speeds from Saturday's first practice(10-27-2001)
  
  
• Petty fastest in Friday Practice: #45-Kyle Petty was the fastest in practice at Phoenix with a speed of 131.066mph with #10-Johnny Benson at 131.023. Slowest were #25-Jerry Nadeau at 128.315 and #70-Rick Bogart at 126.210. See That's Racin' for Winston Cup practice speeds(10-26-2001)
  
  
• Qualifying Order is up for the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix. 44 cars/drivers are on the list, 1st driver scheduled out is #90-Rick Mast (oops almost typed Hut), last scheduled out if #55-Bobby Hamilton. See above for the link(10-26-2001)
  
  
• Qualifying will be at 4:40pm/et at Phoenix, televised on CNN/SI live (sorry folks won't be able to report much on it as I am in a hotel room and do not get CNN/SI and have a spotty connection tho the 'net), also MRN radio will air qualifying live on radio and NASCAR.com will follow it via the web(10-26-2001)
  
  
• Entry List is up for the Checker Auto Parts 500(k) at Phoenix. 44 cars/drivers are listed including #02-Ryan Newman and #70-Rick Bogart who has run in the Winston West series in the past (see his bio there: Rick Bogart Bio . Also Rick Mast is listed in the #90 Ford. See link above(10-23-2001)
  
  
• Qualifying Rules Changed UPDATE one lap, then back to 2 laps: ESPN2's RPM 2Night mentioned tonight that starting at New Hampshire that qualifying would consist of one lap of qualifying instead of the two laps that have been run this year. The exceptions are tracks smaller then one mile (Bristol, Richmond and Martinsville) and the two restrictor plate tracks, Daytona and Talladega(7-5-2001)
  UPDATE: it was mentioned on FSN's Totally NASCAR show on Thurs that the Cup drivers would run 2 laps of Qualifying for the New England 300 at New Hampshire. The plan is to still have one lap of qualifying at all intermediate tracks (1 to 2 miles in length) but the format will be determined in a track-to-track basis for the rest of the season(7-19-2001)
  UPDATE 2 Back to 2 laps: it was announced at the beginning of CNN/SI's qualifying coverage that qualifying would go back to 2 laps of qualifying at all Super Speedways (1 mile or more) starting this week at Michigan. So I guess that means 2 laps is back for all the tracks since 2 laps were going to be the cast at the two short tracks and restrictor plate tracks. All but the road courses which there will be no more in 2001(8-17-2001)
  UPDATE 3: NASCAR officials have changed their minds again and gone back to two laps during its single round of qualifying. NASCAR announced at Daytona in early July that qualifying would be reduced to a single lap at tracks of 1-mile or longer except for Daytona and Talladega, beginning at New Hampshire on July 22. Teams ran two laps at New Hampshire, however, because of a new sealer that had been applied to the track's surface. The cars then ran one lap for three races, but after complaints from the teams that a single lap prevented them from overcoming a mistake, the policy has been changed again and cars can now once more run a second lap if they choose(That's Racin')(8-18-2001)
  
  
• an interesting point: When NASCAR officials decided to disallow Jerry Nadeau's qualifying time at Daytona in Feb 2001, it raised an interesting question. With the Winston Cup series having only one round of qualifying the rest of the season, what happens if an unapproved part is found? According to NASCAR, drivers no longer have to post an official qualifying time to use a provisional, they only have to practice. So a driver could have a penalty on a qualifying issue but still have access to one of the seven provisionals for the race(Richmond Times Dispatch)(2-11-2001)
  
  
• How to break a tie during qualifying?(same speed/time) When drivers are tied for a starting spot during qualifying, it is broken by owners points standings(not drivers). For provisionals standings see the Jayski's Provisional Status page
  
  
• Links: Practice speeds, qualifying and results can be found at these sites: NASCAR Online, Racin Network, and That's Racin'
  
  

TRACK/RACE NEWS

• Track Notes: Phoenix information for NASCAR fans: No backpacks, coolers or large bags, including large camera bags, will be allowed into PIR. . All patrons and their bags are subject to search. Motorists using I-10 should not exit at 115th Avenue, but use Litchfield Road or Estrella Parkway. Traffic updates will be broadcast on 530 AM radio. Traffic reports also available by calling (602) 506-7223. . A park-and-ride lot will be available at Cricket Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave. Cost is $7 per carload, and 30 buses will be shuttling patrons to the track and back.The (Arizona Republic)(10-26-2001)
  
  
• NASCAR, NHRA and the Army: The United States Army Top Fuel drag racing program is going NASCAR, it was announced today. With its 6,000-horsepower Top Fuel (show car) dragster, an interactive display and a group of recruiters in tow, the United States Army will be a visible element at NASCAR Winston Cup Series tracks the rest of the season. Beginning with last weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway through the race at Atlanta in November, the Army will set up a 50x75 interactive area and four additional 10x10 areas at all of the race venues, primarily, for recruiting purposes. Additionally, the U.S. Army Top Fuel (show car) dragster will be on display each weekend and is scheduled to be started at most of the tracks prior to the Winston Cup race. The U.S. Army has been the primary advertiser on Schumacher’s Top Fuel dragster since the 2000 U.S. Nationals last September(Kermish-Geylin PR)(10-3-2001)
  
  
• Aircraft Ban at Stadiums UPDATE: Effective as of noon yesterday (9-20-01) the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has banned all aircraft from flying within 3 miles of major professional and college sporting events and any other large open air gathering. This protected "no-fly zone'' extends up to an altitude of 3,000 feet above such facilities, which by definition, include race tracks. FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown, said the regulation applies to all types of aircraft including small planes, blimps, balloons and gliders. "We issued this to cover everything,'' Brown said. ``It's a blanket order so that it would include a state fair, a high school football game.'' This ban could change how we view races on TV if the helicopter that relays in-car camera signals would be out of effective signal range above the 3000-foot ceiling or prevented from remaining in the air space at that height by conflicts with scheduled air traffic. It appears blimps will also be prevented from providing their normal overhead views as well. Radio traffic between NASCAR, teams, track officials, spotters and drivers is direct and will not be impacted.(Speedway Illustrated)(9-21-2001)
  
  
• Phoenix Gets a Sponsor: Phoenix-based Checker Schuck's Kragen, which for the past two years shared title sponsorship with Dura Lube, has agreed to become the sole sponsor of the NASCAR Winston Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway through 2004. This year's race, set for Oct. 28, will be called the Checker Auto Parts 500. Pennzoil will be a presenting sponsor. PIR's title sponsorship became available 2 1/2 months ago when Dura Lube, which was in the final year of a three-year agreement, unexpectedly pulled its sponsorship. Financial terms weren't released, but PIR's former agreement with Dura Lube, which sold part of the title sponsorship to Checker, was believed to be worth about $3.5 million over three years.(Arizona Republic)(9-8-2001)
  
  
• Phoenix Leader Board Damaged: Monsoon storms snapped power poles in the southwest Valley, knocked over the laps leader board at Phoenix International Raceway and pounded Scottsdale on Tuesday. Only days after a Scottsdale neighborhood was pounded by a microburst, the same area was hit by a brief downpour. A tree was blown over, snapping a power pole can causing a power outage. Streets were flooded, and many drivers heading to the East Valley suburbs had a wet commute home. The storms also made their presence known in the West Valley. A huge wall of clouds rolled over Avondale, Goodyear, Tolleson and Glendale. At Phoenix International Raceway, high winds also knocked over the laps leader board in the track infield(Arizona Republic)(7-20-2001)
  
  
• Dura-Lube drops Phoenix race: A recent 11th-hour decision by Dura Lube officials to pull the sponsorship plug for the Oct. 28 NASCAR Winston Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway may make it difficult to rein in a replacement at such a late date. Despite a softening economy, PIR officials are "extremely confident" a new title sponsor will be secured. "The timing of this is unusual, but we'll find a sponsor," PIR general manager Robin Braig said. "The market is hot for NASCAR." Dura Lube, whose parent company is The Media Group, paid approximately $3 million to become PIR's Winston Cup sponsor for three years beginning in 1999. Dura Lube also is the title sponsor for a Winston Cup race in Rockingham, NC. Efforts to reach Dura Lube officials for comment were unsuccessful. Braig is in Florida and has discussed such a relationship with officials from Outback Steakhouse, which in 1999 signed a three-year agreement worth about $200,000 annually to be the title sponsor for PIR's Busch Series race. "We've got some real good leads, but we also think Outback would be a great sponsor for (the Winston Cup) race," said Kenny Kane, PIR director of business development. "We think we can have it done within the next month."(Arizona Republic)(6-27-2001)
  
  
• How to Calculate Track Speeds: use the formula Speed = Distance divided by Time. Distance is Track Length, and Lap Time into Hours. Once hour is 3600 seconds, so the calculation for a 48 second lap at Daytona(2.5 miles) would be: Speed = 2.5 x (3600/48), = 2.5 x 75 = 187.500mph. For a 19 second lap at Bristol(.533 miles): Speed = .533 x (3600/19), = .533 x 189.474 = a speed of 100.990mph
  
  
• Past track news: posted in the past at Jayski's Past Track News/Rumors - Phoenix International Raceway
  
  

DRIVER/TEAM NEWS

• #200 for Pressley: #77-Robert Pressley will start in his 200th Winston Cup race at Phoenix, from the 5th starting position(10-27-2001)
  
  
• #20 to honor Navy: #20-Tony Stewart and the Home Depot team will display the logo of the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk on the #20 Pontiac at Phoenix in honor of the men and woman servering aboard the aircraft carrier near Afghanistan(10-26-2001)
  
  
• Schrader will be busy in Phoenix: For the first time in track history, Phoenix Raceway is playing host to four major NASCAR events in one weekend, and Schrader has filed an entry for each one. On schedule is the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Tour (started 2nd and finished 3rd) race on Thursday, the (#52-Federated Auto Parts Chevy, started 5th) NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on Friday, the (#07 Four Winds Motorhomes Chevy) NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division race on Saturday and the (#36 M&M's Pontiac) NASCAR Winston Cup Series race on Sunday. Schrader will definitely have his hands full at one of his favorite tracks. Beginning on Wednesday afternoon, he'll be racing on the track and running from garage to garage between practices. Thursday is an especially full day. Schrader will not only run the Southwest Tour race, but also qualify for the Craftsman Truck race and the Busch Series event. Earlier this season, Schrader became the winningest driver in the history of Phoenix International Raceway when he made his 10th and 11th trips to victory lane at the annual NASCAR Winter Heat races which features the Featherlite Southwest Tour. Schrader hopes to continue with his winning form at Phoenix as he made four runs for the checkered flag at PIR.(IMG Motorsports PR)(10-23-2001)
  
  
• Stewart #100: #20-Tony Stewart will make his 100th career start in Sunday's Checker Auto Parts 500k at Phoenix(Edelman PR)(10-24-2001)
  
  
• See the 2001 Team Chart which has links to past news for each team and the 2002 Team Chart
  
  

PAINT SCHEME NEWS

• Paint at Phoenix: some paint schemes noticed during Happy Hour practice at Phoenix. #36 Pontiac has the Pedigree Dog Food colors; #26 has Shrek for the movie's release on Video/DVD; #66 is running the Blue Light Speical from Kmart scheme(10-28-2001)
  
  
• Monster Car UPDATE: #5-Terry Labonte will run a Kelloggs/Monster special paint scheme at Phoenix and possibly Homestead(8-2-2001)
  
  
• More Paint Scheme news can be found on Paint Schemes Gallery, choose current news
  
  

STATS and STUFF