The 2002 New England 300 was the 19th stock car race of the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 10th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, July 21, 2002, in Loudon, New Hampshire, at New Hampshire International Speedway, a permanent, oval-shaped, low-banked racetrack. The race took the scheduled 300 laps to complete. At race's end, Ward Burton, driving for Bill Davis Racing, took advantage of a disaster-stricken Matt Kenseth to win his fifth and final career NASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his second and final win of the season. To fill out the podium, Jeff Green of Richard Childress Racing and Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. would finish second and third, respectively.
The race was marred by poor track conditions, as the sealer of the racetrack came apart due to a repave the speedway had which affected the corners of the track.
Background
New Hampshire International Speedway is a 1.058-mile (1.703 km) oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic. Nicknamed "The Magic Mile", the speedway is often converted into a 1.6-mile (2.6 km) road course, which includes much of the oval. The track was originally the site of Bryar Motorsports Park before being purchased and redeveloped by Bob Bahre. The track is currently one of eight major NASCAR tracks owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver.
#DriverTeamMake1Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet2Rusty WallacePenske RacingFord4Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet6Mark MartinRoush RacingFord7Casey AtwoodUltra-Evernham MotorsportsDodge8Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet9Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge10Jerry NadeauMBV MotorsportsPontiac11Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord12Ryan Newman (R)Penske RacingFord14Stacy ComptonA. J. Foyt EnterprisesPontiac15Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet17Matt KensethRoush RacingFord18Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac19Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge20Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac21Elliott SadlerWood Brothers RacingFord22Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge23Hut StricklinBill Davis RacingDodge24Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet25Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet26Todd BodineHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord27Kirk ShelmerdineKirk Shelmerdine RacingFord28Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFord29Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet32Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsFord36Ken SchraderMB2 MotorsportsPontiac40Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge41Jimmy SpencerChip Ganassi RacingDodge43John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge44Steve GrissomPetty EnterprisesDodge45Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge48Jimmie Johnson (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet55Bobby HamiltonAndy Petree RacingChevrolet66Geoff BodineHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord77Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord89Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesFord97Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFordOfficial entry list
Practice
First practice The first practice session was held on Friday, July 19, at 11:20 AM EST, and would last for 2 hours. John Andretti of Petty Enterprises would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 28.795 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeSpeedTime143John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge28.795132.273255Bobby HamiltonAndy Petree RacingChevrolet28.890131.838348Jimmie Johnson (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet28.897131.806Full first practice results
Second practice The second practice session was held on Saturday, July 20, at 9:30 AM EST, and would last for 45 minutes. Matt Kenseth of Roush Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.560 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeSpeedTime117Matt KensethRoush RacingFord29.560128.850248Jimmie Johnson (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.635128.524312Ryan Newman (R)Penske RacingFord29.660128.415Full second practice results
Final practice The final practice session was held on Saturday, July 20, at 11:15 AM EST, and would last for 45 minutes. Bobby Hamilton of Andy Petree Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.463 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeSpeedTime155Bobby HamiltonAndy Petree RacingChevrolet29.463129.274299Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord29.584128.745397Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord29.626128.563Full Final practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, July 19, at 3:00 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. 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.
Bill Elliott of Evernham Motorsports would win the pole, setting a time of 28.971 and an average speed of .
No drivers would fail to qualify.
Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed19Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge28.971131.46924Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet29.036131.17532Rusty WallacePenske RacingFord29.048131.121418Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac29.075130.999577Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord29.096130.905617Matt KensethRoush RacingFord29.099130.891712Ryan Newman (R)Penske RacingFord29.103130.873828Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFord29.110130.842932Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsFord29.117130.8101055Bobby HamiltonAndy Petree RacingChevrolet29.122130.7881124Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.142130.6981220Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac29.193130.4701348Jimmie Johnson (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.195130.4611419Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge29.196130.4561510Jerry NadeauMBV MotorsportsPontiac29.201130.4341615Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet29.204130.421176Mark MartinRoush RacingFord29.227130.3181840Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge29.238130.269195Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.240130.2602036Ken SchraderMB2 MotorsportsPontiac29.240130.2602199Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord29.245130.238221Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet29.253130.2022397Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord29.283130.0692429Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.306129.9672544Steve GrissomPetty EnterprisesDodge29.321129.9002631Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.372129.6742743John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge29.378129.648288Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet29.383129.6262925Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet29.396129.5693030Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet29.429129.4233122Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge29.438129.3843226Todd BodineHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord29.444129.3573388Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord29.453129.3183441Jimmy SpencerChip Ganassi RacingDodge29.461129.283357Casey AtwoodUltra-Evernham MotorsportsDodge29.504129.0943611Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord29.558128.859Provisionals3745Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge29.565128.8283821Elliott SadlerWood Brothers RacingFord29.798127.8213923Hut StricklinBill Davis RacingDodge30.109126.5004014Stacy ComptonA. J. Foyt EnterprisesPontiac29.728128.1224166Geoff BodineHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord30.787123.7154227Kirk ShelmerdineKirk Shelmerdine RacingFord30.516124.8134389Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesFord30.436125.141Official qualifying results
Race results Fin#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings122Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge30029running180$231,850230Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3000running170$113,750388Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord30040running170$127,50042Rusty WallacePenske RacingFord30059running165$120,525512Ryan Newman (R)Penske RacingFord3001running160$90,900626Todd BodineHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord3000running150$92,737731Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3000running146$84,081897Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord3000running142$64,925929Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3000running138$97,8031021Elliott SadlerWood Brothers RacingFord30010running139$77,2751141Jimmy SpencerChip Ganassi RacingDodge3000running130$70,1251299Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord3001running132$94,8921318Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac3000running124$95,9031440Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge3000running121$91,1421548Jimmie Johnson (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3000running118$54,950166Mark MartinRoush RacingFord3000running115$85,2331728Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFord3000running112$91,3921810Jerry NadeauMBV MotorsportsPontiac30037running114$76,8251919Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge3000running106$57,7752015Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet3000running103$60,4252132Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsFord3000running100$57,650225Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3000running97$77,658238Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet30043running99$64,9252436Ken SchraderMB2 MotorsportsPontiac3000running91$64,7142543John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge3000running88$75,5082655Bobby HamiltonAndy Petree RacingChevrolet3000running85$55,7252711Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord3001running87$47,5002844Steve GrissomPetty EnterprisesDodge3000running79$46,8252924Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3000running76$97,0283014Stacy ComptonA. J. Foyt EnterprisesPontiac3000running73$44,3253123Hut StricklinBill Davis RacingDodge2990running70$43,625321Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet2990running67$73,3003317Matt KensethRoush RacingFord29977running74$71,225349Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge2910running61$75,5563577Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord2850running58$50,800367Casey AtwoodUltra-Evernham MotorsportsDodge2570crash55$42,6003745Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge2410running52$42,450384Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet2301running54$44,8003920Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac1211crash51$89,8034089Morgan ShepherdShepherd Racing VenturesFord430handling43$42,1454125Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet280crash40$50,0504227Kirk ShelmerdineKirk Shelmerdine RacingFord100oil pressure37$42,0004366Geoff BodineHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord00rear end0$42,164Official race results
References