2001 Daytona 500

2001 Daytona 500

Race details[1][2]
Race 1 of 36 in the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
Date	February 18, 2001 (2001-02-18)
Official name	Daytona 500 by Dodge
Location	Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida, US
Course	Permanent racing facility 2.5 mi (4.02336 km)
Distance	200 laps, 500 mi (804.672 km)
Weather	Warm with temperatures reading up to 79 °F (26 °C); wind speeds up to 29.92 miles per hour (48.15 km/h)
Average speed	161.783 miles per hour (260.365 km/h)
Pole position
Driver	Bill Elliott	Evernham Motorsports
Time	49.029
Qualifying race winners
Duel 1 Winner	Sterling Marlin	Chip Ganassi Racing
Duel 2 Winner	Mike Skinner	Richard Childress Racing
Most laps led
Driver	Ward Burton	Bill Davis Racing
Laps	53
Winner
No. 15	Michael Waltrip	Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Television in the United States
Network	Fox
Announcers	Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, and Larry McReynolds
Nielsen Ratings	10.0
Radio in the United States
Radio	MRN
Booth Announcers	Joe Moore and Barney Hall
Turn Announcers	Kurt Becker (1 & 2), Mike Bagley (Backstretch) and Eli Gold (3 & 4)

The 2001 Daytona 500, the 43rd running of the event, was the first race of the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series schedule. It was held on February 18, 2001, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, consisting of 200 laps and 500 miles on the 2.5-mile (4 km) asphalt tri-oval.

Bill Elliott won the pole and Michael Waltrip, in his first race in the No. 15 car for Dale Earnhardt, Inc., won the race. This was the first Winston Cup victory of his career, coming in his 463rd start, the longest wait for a first win. His teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second and Rusty Wallace finished third.

On the final lap, a fatal accident occurred involving Dale Earnhardt Sr., Ken Schrader, and Sterling Marlin. Earnhardt's car crashed head-on into the retaining wall, killing him. The race was also marred by an 18-car pile-up on lap 173 that began when Ward Burton made contact with Robby Gordon, sending Tony Stewart flipping twice down the backstretch. After Earnhardt's death - as well as other notable deaths of other drivers in other NASCAR national touring series in previous seasons - NASCAR, implemented rigorous safety improvements in later seasons. The 2001 Daytona 500 is the last NASCAR Cup Series race to involve a fatal accident.