IROC XXVI - 2002
The International Race of Champions was an auto racing competition, featuring identically-prepared stock cars set up by a single team of mechanics, in an effort to make the race purely a test of driver ability. It was run with a small field of invited drivers (6-12) from all the major racing series including NASCAR, SCCA, FIA and USAC. Over the years CART and the IRL drivers, among others also participated.
|
IROC XXVI - 2002
Tony Stewart, representing the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, captured his second career IROC victory in the traditional opener at Daytona International Speedway in February. Stewart's margin of victory over reigning IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr. was a mere .111 seconds. Finishing third was IRL driver Scott Sharp, fourth was NASCAR truck champion Jack Sprague and rounding out the top five was Al Unser Jr. of the IRL, giving the IRL three of the top five positions. After a four-year absence the series returned to California Speedway in Fontana where Kevin Harvick turned out a dominant performance leading 46 of the 50-lap event to claim the victory in only his second IROC race. Race three brought the series to its first appearance at Chicagoland Speedway. Buddy Lazier led a 1-2-3 sweep for the IRL with drivers Unser and Helio Castroneves finishing second and third respectively. It was Lazier's first victory in the series and the first time a driver led every lap of a IROC race since Mark Martin accomplished the feat at Charlotte in 1996. When the series left Chicago, Harvick had the points lead, but 10 of the 12 drivers were still in contention for the championship when the series arrived at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the final event of the season. NASCAR Winston Cup driver, Ken Schrader, substituting for the injured Danny Lasoski, started on the pole. Dale Jarrett, starting second, jumped into the lead on the first lap and never looked back, wining his second career IROC race. Castroneves finished second, followed by Schrader, Lazier, and Harvick. Harvick's fifth place finish awarded him the 2002 IROC championship. He became the sixth rookie driver to win the championship and the first to claim the title representing the Busch Series. The other rookie champions were: Mark Donohue (1974), Harry Gant (1985), Al Unser Jr. (1986), Geoff Bodine (1987) and Ricky Rudd (1992). (from IROC Website)
Final Points |
|||
IROC 26 Champion Kevin Harvick |
|||
Position |
Driver/Residence/Sanction |
Points |
Money Earned |
1 | Kevin Harvick - NASCAR Busch Series |
54 | $250,000 |
2 | Buddy Lazier - IRL |
49 | $125,000 |
3 | Dale Jarrett - NASCAR Winston Cup |
49 | $ 95,000 |
4 | Helio Castroneves - Indy Racing League |
43 | $ 90,000 |
5 | Bobby Labonte - NASCAR Winston Cup |
43 | $ 85,000 |
6 | Tony Stewart - NASCAR Winston Cup |
42 | $ 80,000 |
7 | Al Unser Jr. - IRL |
39 | $ 80,000 |
8 | Jack Sprague - NASCAR Truck Series |
36 | $ 80,000 |
9 | Scott Sharp - IRL |
36 | $ 80,000 |
10 | Sterling Marlin - NASCAR Winston Cup |
35 | $ 80,000 |
11 | Sam Hornish Jr. - IRL |
35 | $ 80,000 |
12 | Danny Lasoski - World of Outlaws |
30 | $ 80,000 |
Race One |
February 15, 2002 |
Daytona International Speedway |
Daytona Beach, Florida |
2.5-mile high-banked oval, 40 laps, 100 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Car |
Name/Color |
Laps |
Status |
1 | 10 | 10 | Tony Stewart/Black |
40 | Running |
2 | 12 | 12 | Sam Hornish Jr./Green |
40 | Running |
3 | 1 | 1 | Scott Sharp/Gold |
40 | Running |
4 | 11 | 11 | Jack Sprague/Med. Blue |
40 | Running |
5 | 6 | 6 | Al Unser Jr./Yellow |
40 | Running |
6 | 2 | 2 | Danny Lasoski/White |
40 | Running |
7 | 8 | 8 | Bobby Labonte/Silver |
40 | Running |
8 | 3 | 3 | Sterling Marlin/Dk Blue |
40 | Running |
9 | 5 | 5 | Kevin Harvick/Lt Orange |
40 | Running |
10 | 7 | 7 | Buddy Lazier/Lt Blue |
40 | Running |
11 | 4 | 4 | Helio Castroneves/Dk Orange |
40 | Running |
12 | 9 | 9 | Dale Jarrett/Aqua |
40 | Running |
Time of Race: 34 min.10 sec. |
Average Speed: 175.610 |
Margin of Victory: .111 sec |
Caution Flags : 2 |
Lead Changes: 9 among 7 |
Lap Leaders: Sharp 1, Marlin 2-3, Unser, Jr. 4-8, Jarrett 9, Stewart 10-14, Harvick 15, Labonte 16-17, Stewart 18-20, Unser, Jr. 21-38, Stewart 39-40 |
Race Two |
April 27, 2002 |
California Speedway |
Fontana, CA |
2.0-mile oval, 50 laps, 100 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Car |
Name/Color |
Laps |
Status |
1 | 4 | 9 | Kevin Harvick/Med Blue |
50 |
Running |
2 | 6 | 7 | Bobby Labonte/Violet |
50 |
Running |
3 | 1 | 12 | Dale Jarrett/Red |
50 |
Running |
4 | 5 | 8 | Sterling Marlin/Evans Orange |
50 |
Running |
5 | 9 | 4 | Jack Sprague/White |
50 |
Running |
6 | 12 | 1 | Tony Stewart/Aqua |
50 |
Running |
7 | 2 | 11 | Helio Castroneves/Powder Blue |
50 |
Running |
8 | 8 | 5 | Al Unser Jr./Gold |
50 |
Running |
9 | 3 | 10 | Buddy Lazier/Yellow |
50 |
Running |
10 | 10 | 3 | Scott Sharp/Dk Blue |
50 |
Running |
11 | 11 | 2 | Sam Hornish Jr./Silver |
50 |
Running |
12 |
7 |
6 |
Danny Lasoski/Lime |
49 |
Running |
Time of Race: 37 min.08 sec. |
Average Speed: 161.580 |
Margin of Victory: ..149 sec |
Caution Flags: 0 |
Lead Changes: 7 among 3 |
Lap Leaders: Harvick 1-8, Labonte 9-10, Harvick 11-27, Stewart 28, Harvick 29, Stewart 30, Harvick 31-50 |
Race Three |
July 13, 2002 |
Chicagoland Speedway |
Joliet, IL |
1.5-mile speedway, 67 laps, 100.5 miles. |
Finish |
Start |
Car |
Name/Color |
Laps |
Status |
1 | 1 | 12 | Buddy Lazier/Rose |
67 |
Running |
2 | 8 | 5 | Al Unser Jr./Violet |
67 |
Running |
3 | 3 | 10 | Helio Castroneves/Gold |
67 |
Running |
4 | 11 | 2 | Kevin Harvick/White |
67 |
Running |
5 | 5 | 8 | Scott Sharp/Cream |
67 |
Running |
6 | 7 | 6 | Sam Hornish Jr./Med Blue |
67 |
Running |
7 | 6 | 7 | Sterling Marlin/Yellow |
67 |
Running |
8 | 10 | 3 | Bobby Labonte/Red |
67 |
Running |
9 | 4 | 9 | Dale Jarrett/Dk Blue |
67 |
Running |
10 | 9 | 4 | Jack Sprague/Silver |
66 |
Running |
11 | 2 | 11 | Danny Lasoski/Aqua |
54 |
Running |
12 |
12 |
1 |
Tony Stewart/Orange |
19 |
Running |
Time of Race: 37 min. 22 sec. |
Average Speed: 161.374 MPH |
Margin of Victory: 5.195 sec |
Caution Flags: 0 |
Lead Changes: None |
Lap Leaders: Lazier 1-67 |
Race Four |
August 3, 2002 |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
Indianapolis, IN |
2.5-mile oval, 40 laps, 100 miles |
Finish |
Start |
Car |
Name/Color |
Laps |
Status |
1 | 2 | 11 | Dale Jarrett/Med Blue |
40 |
Running |
2 | 3 | 10 | Helio Castroneves/Cream |
40 |
Running |
3 | 1 | 12 | Ken Schrader (D. Lasoski)/Aqua |
40 |
Running |
4 | 8 | 5 | Buddy Lazier/Red |
40 |
Running |
5 | 11 | 1 | Kevin Harvick/Violet |
40 |
Running |
6 | 5 | 8 | Jack Sprague/Rose |
40 |
Running |
7 | 4 | 9 | Sterling Marlin/Lt Blue |
40 |
Running |
8 | 6 | 7 | Scott Sharp/Dk Blue |
40 |
Running |
9 | 9 | 4 | Bobby Labonte/White |
40 |
Running |
10 | 7 | 6 | Sam Hornish Jr./Lime |
40 |
Running |
11 | 10 | 3 | Tony Stewart/Orange |
30 |
Engine |
Time of Race: 37min 57sec |
Average Speed: 158.137mph |
Margin of Victory: .380 |
Caution Flags: 0 |
Lead Changes: None |
Lap Leaders: 1-40 Jarrett |