2002 MBNA America 500

2002 MBNA America 500

Race details
Race 4 of 36 in the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
The 2002 MBNA America 500 program cover, featuring Kevin Harvick, winner of the 2001 race.
Date	March 10, 2002
Official name	44th Annual MBNA America 500
Location	Hampton, Georgia, Atlanta Motor Speedway
Course	Permanent racing facility 1.54 mi (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	Bill Elliott	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

The 2002 MBNA America 500 was the fourth stock car race of the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the fifth iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, March 10, 2002, in Hampton, Georgia at Atlanta 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 for Joe Gibbs Racing, would pass the worn-out car of Ward Burton with 23 to go to win his 13th career NASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his first of the season.^[1] To fill out the podium, Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports would finish second and third, respectively.

Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is a track in Hampton, Georgia, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It is a 1.54-mile (2.48 km) quad-oval track with a seating capacity of 111,000. It opened in 1960 as a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums 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 the NASCAR circuit.

The first practice session was held on Friday, March 8, at 11:20 AM EST, and would last for two hours.^[2] Tony Stewart of Joe 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]

The second practice session was held on Saturday, March 9, at 9:30 AM EST, and would last for 45 minutes.^[2] Ryan Newman of Penske 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]

The third and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, was held on Saturday, March 9, at 11:15 AM EST, and would last for 45 minutes.^[2] Jerry Nadeau of Hendrick 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]

Qualifying was held on Friday, March 8, at 3:05 PM EST. 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 of Evernham 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. and Carl Long.