Jeff Gordon won his record-tying third all-star race in 2001. Credit: ASP

Gordon ties Earnhardt with 2001 all-star victory

Team forced to backup car after early crash and lengthy rain delay

Jeff Gordon reigned supreme on a rainy night at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May 2001, tying Dale Earnhardt with his third all-star race victory.

Gordon's win spanned nearly four hours, two days and two No. 24 Chevrolets, after NASCAR allowed drivers to use their backup cars following a rain-caused crash soon after the green flag.

"It didn't look like it was raining that hard when we took green," Gordon said. "But when we got down there it was."

2001 FLASHBACK Jeff Gordon reigned supreme on a rainy night at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May 2001, tying Dale Earnhardt with his third all-star race victory.  Gordon's win spanned nearly four hours, two days and two No. 24 Chevrolets, after NASCAR allowed drivers to use their backup cars following a rain-caused crash soon after the green flag.  •   Complete story, click here 1996 FLASHBACK For Michael Waltrip, 1996 was the perfect season. A perfectly historic season.  Ten years ago, Waltrip cracked $1 million in earnings for the first time, posted a then career-high 11 top-10 finishes and finished 14th in the Cup standings, also a career high at that time.  But nothing compares to what happened in that season's all-star race (then called the Winston Select), when Waltrip became the first -- and only -- driver to transfer from the Open race and win the weekend's main event.  •   Complete story, click here 1991 FLASHBACK There was something about NASCAR's annual all-star race that got into Davey Allison's system and jolted it to a new level.  The event's no-points, win-at-all costs format tended to fire up Allison to no end, and that was a big reason behind his back-to-back victories in 1991-92.  The feat hasn't been matched.  •   Complete story, click here 1986 FLASHBACK It was a different time, different attitude and definitely a different place -- and the year Bill Elliott returned to being Awesome again.  The only time NASCAR's mid-season all-star exhibition was held outside of North Carolina, it was home state hero Elliott who steamrolled the field to win The Winston on Mother's Day afternoon at Atlanta in 1986.  The outcome was in doubt only from the time the 10 cars took the green flag until Elliott raced past Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt in Turn 3 of the first lap.  •   Complete story, click here

Among the multi-car melee was Gordon, who slammed into the wall getting into the back of Jeff Burton. Gordon's car then slid down the track, where he was hit by Michael Waltrip.

"That thing went sideways so quick I don't know what happened," Gordon said.

But he soon predicted what might happen.

"If we can use the backup and win this thing ... boy, wouldn't that be a story," Gordon quipped during the rain delay.

Because no full lap had been completed, NASCAR became less stringent with the rule book in the no-points exhibition and permitted teams which had backup cars to use them when the race restarted.

"That's all right by me," said Dale Jarrett, who finished second in his primary car. "I think the right thing was done, and if they can bring out a backup car and not have anymore time than that to work on it and beat us, more power to 'em."

Gordon worked his way back toward the front during the first 30-lap segment. He started the second 30-lap segment in ninth place and continued his pursuit of the lead, making his push on the final restart of the 10-lap shootout.

Ward Burton had the lead, but he took only two tires on the final pit stop and began to fall off the pace. Gordon emerged from the outside, with Jarrett and Tony Stewart close behind.

"The guy that got out in the clean air was going to be in good shape," Jarrett said. "I thought I was going to be able to clear Jeff, but I had to check up hard to avoid Ward. We were pretty equal with him, but when you're behind him you've got to be better."

Gordon zoomed past Burton and pulled away from Jarrett and Stewart to match history.

"Man, I feel good," said Gordon, who was asked about tying Earnhardt for the most wins in The Winston, the title of the all-star race then.

"We're certainly thinking of Dale. I guess, having three and him having three made me think about him even more. This is something really special. He did very special things in our sport and it's awesome to be a part of it.

"I don't think you can tie him in anything. He's just above and beyond anything I can ever accomplish in a racecar."

Earnhardt, a seven-time Cup champion, died in the Daytona 500 earlier in the year. He won the all-star race in 1987, '90 and '93. All three years he went on to win the Cup title.

As he did the previous two times he won the all-star race, in 1995 and '97, Gordon also went on to win the Cup title in 2001, his fourth.

But he was never more proud of his team than he was on that night at Lowe's that made him the brightest of all stars of NASCAR.

"It's an exciting event to win," Gordon said.

"To have a backup car that good ... to be able to pull [the car] off the truck in that kind of situation and have it drive that well is just awesome. I'm just thrilled to be with a race team that gives me such awesome racecars."