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March 11, 2002
10:59 AM EST (1559 GMT)
HAMPTON, Ga. -- When it comes to multi-car accidents this season, it seems one manufacturer can't Dodge trouble.
For the second time in three weeks, a big crash eliminated several Dodges from competition -- this time in Sunday's MBNA America 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Pole-sitter Bill Elliott found himself with nowhere to go when John Andretti lost control of his Dodge on lap 289. When Andretti bobbled and tapped Johnny Benson, it set off a smoky chain-reaction collision that collected Elliott and Jerry Nadeau.
"I got around the No. 1 car and the No. 10 car jumped on the outside of me and got me real loose," Andretti said. "I lost the back end. As I went to save it, I bumped the 10. I about had it saved and I got hit again in the back."
For Elliott, it was matter of being in the wrong place.
"I just ran into smoke and the next thing I knew I was in the inside wall," Elliott said. "You just put yourself in a bad position being back that far."
At Rockingham two weeks earlier, Dodge drivers Casey Atwood, Kyle Petty, Buckshot Jones and Jeremy Mayfield were all caught up in a lap 156 accident triggered by Jeff Gordon.
Even so, Dodge has won twice this season and Dodge pilot Sterling Marlin remains the points leader, despite a ninth-place finish Sunday.
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