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| Top 10 Cup Points Drivers 1) Jeff Gordon 2) Tony Stewart 3) Sterling Marlin 4) Ricky Rudd 5) Dale Jarrett 6) Bobby Labonte 7) Rusty Wallace 8) Dale Earnhardt Jr. 9) Kevin Harvick 10) Jeff Burton |
| 2001 Cup Season |
| Track 1) Daytona 2) Rockingham 3) Las Vegas 4) Atlanta 5) Darlington 6) Bristol 7) Texas 8) Martinsville 9) Talledega 10) California 11) Richmond Winston-All Star 12) Charlotte 13) Dover 14) Michigan 15) Pocono 16) Sears Point 17) Daytona 18) Chicago 19) New Hampshire 20) Pocono 21) Indianapolis 22) Watkins Glen 23) Michigan 24) Bristol 25) Darlington 26) Richmond 27) Dover 28) Kansas 29) Charlotte 30) Martinsville 31) Talledega 32) Phoenix 33) Rockingham 34) Homestead 35) Atlanta 36) New Hampshire |
| Pole Winner Bill Elliott Jeff Gordon Dale Jarrett Dale Jarrett Jeff Gordon Mark Martin Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jeff Gordon Stacy Compton Bobby Labonte Mark Martin Rusty Wallace Ryan Newman Dale Jarrett Jeff Gordon Ricky Rudd Jeff Gordon Sterling Marlin Todd Bodine Jeff Gordon Todd Bodine Jimmy Spencer Dale Jarrett Ricky Craven Jeff Green Kurt Busch Jeff Gordon Dale Jarrett Jason Leffler Jimmy Spencer Todd Bodine Stacy Compton Casey Atwood Kenny Wallace Bill Elliott Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jeff Gordon |
| Race Winner Michael Waltrip Steve Park Jeff Gordon Kevin Harvick Dale Jarrett Elliott Sadler Dale Jarrett Dale Jarrett Bobby Hamilton Rusty Wallace Tony Stewart Jeff Gordon Jeff Burton Jeff Gordon Jeff Gordon Ricky Rudd Tony Stewart Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kevin Harvick Dale Jarrett Bobby Labonte Jeff Gordon Jeff Gordon Sterling Marlin Tony Stewart Ward Burton Ricky Rudd Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jeff Gordon Sterling Marlin Ricky Craven Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jeff Burton Joe Nemechek Bill Elliott Bobby Labonte Robby Gordon |
| 2001-Year in Review |
| Champion- Jeff Gordon Rookie Champion- Kevin Harvick Best New Paint Scheme- Jeff Gordon's Flame Car Best Special Paint Scheme- Ken Schrader's USA M&M Car Best Line(s)- "I just looked up and saw Tony Stewart fly over the top of me." -John Andretti (Race #1) "Kevin Harvick thinks he's Dale Earnhardt, but he aint even a scab on Dale's behind." -Bobby Hamilton (Race #30) New Driver to Love- Ryan Newman New Driver to Hate- Kevin Harvick Best Finish- Race #4-Atlanta |
| The 2001 season looked like it would start grimly. With the departure of a great driver like Darrell Waltrip and with ESPN ending their award winning coverage things didn't look hopeful. Then things turned even worse at the end of the Daytona 500, when 7-time champion Dale Earnhardt lost his life on the last lap. For the next couple of weeks the franchise drudged on, and slowly tried to return to normal. As the season progressed we saw two former champions, Dale Jarrett and Jeff Gordon, fighting for the points lead. The near undefeatable 2000 team of Joe Gibbs started out the season poorly with both cars crashing in the opener. They slowly fought their way back to the top with both drivers finishing in the top six of the points. The year also was made famous by the return of Dodges to the track. Sadly though they performed the worst out of the other makes. The season ended with Jeff Gordon winning his 4th championship and proving that he was back for business. |
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