Monte Carlo 400 Notebook

By Tim Packman, Turner Sports Interactive
September 10, 2001
10:45 AM EDT (1445 GMT)

RICHMOND, Va. -- Race winner Ricky Rudd gave himself an early birthday present with his victory on Saturday. Rudd will turn 45 on Wednesday.

Ricky Rudd

It was also a golden day for car owner Robert Yates -- he earned his 50th Winston Cup victory. Since becoming a team owner in 1989 with Davey Allison, four different contributed to the total.

Allison won 15, Ernie Irvan eight, Dale Jarrett has 25 and Rudd has two.

Video: Gordon hits wall  Video: Victory Lane  Video: Final laps  Looney Tunes!  Richmond Int. Raceway  Rudd die-cast: $44.99

TOP TUNE

Of the seven drivers with Looney Tunes characters on their race cars, Kevin Harvick and the Tasmanian Devil lead the pack with his second-place finish. Bobby Hamilton and Marvin the Martian followed them in 13th.

For the rest of the cast, it was Kenny Wallace and Tweety Bird in 21st with Mike Skinner and Yosemite Sam in 33rd. Bugs Bunny on Jeff Gordon's car finished 36th after an early accident.

Terry Labonte seemed to be more like the Wiley E. Coyote then Road Runner in the accident department as he hit the wall on lap 259 and finished 38th. Rounding out the field was Jeff Green with Daffy Duck on board in 40th.

BRETT ENDS STREAK

Bodine

Brett Bodine had been running at the end of 31 consecutive races prior to Saturday night. However, like all good things it came to end early in the race after a broken water pump forced him out on lap 100.

"All streaks have to come to an end sometime," Bodine said. "That was a real struggle, but it looks like we broke the water pump or something like that. Parts break and there's nothing we can do about it. We'll just get 'em next week at New Hampshire and start a new streak there."

DALE JR. FINISHES THIRD

With his third-place finish, it the 11th consecutive race the driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet finished on the lead lap. It didn't hurt him any in the points battle as maintained his seventh-place position.

DEW CREW SAYS 'WHEW'

After pitting just before the midway point of the 400-lap race, Casey Atwood brought his No. 19 Dodge in for a caution pit stop. When the Dew Crew, as his pit crew is referred to, finished servicing the car Atwood attempted to take off but the car stalled.

So, the Dew Crew got behind him and pushed him to help refire the engine. They did it once and it didn't start. So, they backed the car up and tried it again- still didn't go. On the third try the car fired up and took off- as the crowd sitting across from pit road applauded their efforts.

JUST THE FACTS

There were eight lead changes among six drivers and 12 cautions for 80 laps. The time of the race was three hours, nine minutes and 11 seconds for an average race speed of 95.146 mph.

The margin of victory by Rudd over Harvick was a mere 0.833 seconds.