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2004 Aaron's 499

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2004 Aaron's 499
Race details
Race 9 of 36 in the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
The 2004 Aaron's 499 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr., winner of the 2003 race.
The 2004 Aaron's 499 program cover, featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr., winner of the 2003 race.
Date April 25, 2004
Official name 35th Annual Aaron's 499
Location Lincoln, Alabama, Talladega Superspeedway
Course Permanent racing facility
2.66 mi (4.28 km)
Distance 188 laps, 500.08 mi (804.8 km)
Scheduled Distance 188 laps, 500.08 mi (804.8 km)
Average speed 129.396 miles per hour (208.243 km/h)
Attendance 155,000
Pole position
Driver Wood Brothers Racing
Time 50.089
Most laps led
Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Laps 57
Winner
No. 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network FOX
Announcers Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip
Radio in the United States
Radio Motor Racing Network

The 2004 Aaron's 499 was the ninth stock car race of the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season and the 35th iteration of the event. The race was held on Sunday, April 25, 2004, before a crowd of 155,000 in Lincoln, Alabama at Talladega Superspeedway, a 2.66 miles (4.28 km) permanent triangle-shaped superspeedway. The race took the scheduled 188 laps to complete. In a controversial end to the race, Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports would win the race under caution over fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc., after Brian Vickers caused a caution with 5 to go.[1] The win was Gordon’s 65th career NASCAR Nextel Cup Series win and his first of the season. To fill out the podium, Kevin Harvick of Richard Childress Racing would finish third, after a review of the results of the last scoring loop.[2]

The race is primarily remembered for its controversial finish. With 5 to go, Brian Vickers would spin in Turn 3, making NASCAR throw a caution. At the moment of caution, Jeff Gordon led fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the middle of the turn. However, Dale Earnhardt Jr. would pass Gordon coming to the line. This led many to believe that Earnhardt Jr. had taken the lead, and since no green–white–checker rule had been instituted, Earnhardt Jr. had won, to the pleasure of fans. However, the season before, NASCAR had instituted a new rule that eliminated racing back to the line. In its place, now, the field would be frozen at the last scoring loop when the caution came out.[3] As a result, Gordon, who led at the last scoring loop, took the win. This angered many in the audience, as they thought that Earnhardt Jr. had been robbed of a win. During Gordon's burnout, many pelted Gordon's car with beer cans and seat cushions, littering both Gordon's car and the racetrack. In a statement released by NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter, he said that NASCAR did not throw a one lap shootout for safety reasons, stating "Here and at Daytona we're not going to have a one-lap shootout just because of safety. We're just not going to do that."[4] Earnhardt Jr. had stated that NASCAR had made the right call, saying that "As much as it sucks not to win the race and get the trophy, I'm glad one of those calls finally went against me. It's going to shut a lot of people up."[5] Gordon would take the beer can throwing in a light-hearted manner, saying in interviews years after that "[That was] the greatest day of my life… They were going crazy on my ass. Honestly, we had to have a lot of security.”[6]

Background

[edit]
The layout of Talladega Superspeedway, the venue where the race was held.

Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. The track is a tri-oval and was constructed in the 1960s by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line that's located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and the Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of 2.66-mile-long (4.28 km) tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which also is a 2.5-mile-long (4 km) tri-oval.[citation needed]

Entry list

[edit]
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
0 Ward Burton Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet NetZero Hi Speed
00 Kenny Wallace Michael Waltrip Racing Chevrolet Aaron's 499
01 Joe Nemechek MBV Motorsports Chevrolet U. S. Army
2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Jasper Racing Dodge Miller Lite
02 Andy Belmont* SCORE Motorsports Chevrolet Continental Fire & Safety
4 Jimmy Spencer Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet Morgan–McClure Motorsports
04 Eric McClure Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 77sports / I CAN Learn Education Systems
5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Got Milk? / Kellogg's
6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford Viagra
8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet Budweiser
9 Kasey Kahne Evernham Motorsports Dodge Dodge Dealers / UAW
09 Johnny Benson Jr. Phoenix Racing Dodge Miccosukee Resort & Gaming
10 Scott Riggs MBV Motorsports Chevrolet Valvoline
12 Ryan Newman Penske-Jasper Racing Dodge Alltel
14 Larry Foyt A. J. Foyt Enterprises Dodge A. J. Foyt Enterprises
15 Michael Waltrip Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet NAPA Auto Parts
16 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford National Guard / Subway
17 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford DeWalt Power Tools
18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet Wellbutrin XL
19 Jeremy Mayfield Evernham Motorsports Dodge Dodge Dealers / UAW
20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet The Home Depot
21 Ricky Rudd Wood Brothers Racing Ford Motorcraft / U. S. Air Force
22 Scott Wimmer Bill Davis Racing Dodge Caterpillar
23 Dave Blaney Bill Davis Racing Dodge Whelen
24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Pepsi / DuPont
25 Brian Vickers Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet GMAC Financial Services
29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet GM Goodwrench
30 Johnny Sauter Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet America Online
31 Robby Gordon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Cingular Wireless
32 Ricky Craven PPI Motorsports Chevrolet Tide
33 Kerry Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats
38 Elliott Sadler Robert Yates Racing Ford M&M's
40 Sterling Marlin Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge Coors Light / 130th Kentucky Derby
41 Casey Mears Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge Target
42 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge Texaco / Havoline
43 Jeff Green Petty Enterprises Dodge Cheerios / Betty Crocker
45 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge Georgia-Pacific Brawny
48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Lowe's
49 Ken Schrader BAM Racing Dodge Schwan's Home Service
50 Derrike Cope Arnold Motorsports Dodge Arnold Development Companies
72 Kirk Shelmerdine Kirk Shelmerdine Racing Ford 2nd Chance Race Parts
77 Brendan Gaughan Penske-Jasper Racing Dodge Kodak
80 Andy Hillenburg* Hover Motorsports Ford Commercial Truck & Trailer
88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford UPS
89 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Dodge Racing With Jesus / Voyles Equipment Co.
97 Kurt Busch Roush Racing Ford Sharpie / Irwin Industrial Tools
98 Todd Bodine Mach 1 Motorsports Ford Lucas Oil
99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford Roundup
Official entry list

*Withdrew.[2]

Practice

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First practice

[edit]

The first practice session would take place on Friday, April 23, at 12:00 PM EST, and would last for one hour and 30 minutes.[2] Ricky Rudd of Wood Brothers Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a 50.126 and an average speed of 191.039 miles per hour (307.447 km/h).[7]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 21 Ricky Rudd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 50.126 191.039
2 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 50.256 190.544
3 38 Elliott Sadler Robert Yates Racing Ford 50.366 190.128
Full first practice results

Second practice

[edit]

The second practice session would occur on Saturday, April 24, at 10:30 AM EST, and would last for 45 minutes.[2] Johnny Sauter of Richard Childress Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a 48.744 and an average speed of 196.455 miles per hour (316.164 km/h).[8]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 30 Johnny Sauter Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 48.744 196.455
2 32 Ricky Craven PPI Motorsports Chevrolet 48.765 196.370
3 22 Scott Wimmer Bill Davis Racing Dodge 48.804 196.213
Full second practice results

Third and final practice

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The third and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, would occur on Saturday, April 24, at 12:10 AM EST, and would last for 45 minutes.[2] Kevin Harvick of Richard Childress Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a 49.064 and an average speed of 195.174 miles per hour (314.102 km/h).[9]

Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 49.064 195.174
2 23 Dave Blaney Bill Davis Racing Dodge 49.165 194.773
3 25 Brian Vickers Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 49.182 194.705
Full Happy Hour practice results

Qualifying

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Qualifying would take place on Friday, April 23, at 4:10 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.[2] Positions 1-38 would be decided on time, while positions 39-43 would be based on provisionals. Four spots are awarded by the use of provisionals based on owner's points. The fifth 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.[10]

Ricky Rudd of Wood Brothers Racing would win the pole, setting a time of 50.089 and an average speed of 191.180 miles per hour (307.674 km/h).[11]

Three drivers would fail to qualify: Larry Foyt, Todd Bodine, and Kirk Shelmerdine.

Full qualifying results

[edit]
Pos. # Driver Team Make Time Speed
1 21 Ricky Rudd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 50.089 191.180
2 15 Michael Waltrip Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 50.143 190.974
3 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 50.311 190.336
4 01 Joe Nemechek MBV Motorsports Chevrolet 50.371 190.109
5 10 Scott Riggs MBV Motorsports Chevrolet 50.395 190.019
6 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 50.425 189.906
7 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 50.434 189.872
8 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 50.490 189.661
9 40 Sterling Marlin Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 50.527 189.522
10 0 Ward Burton Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 50.558 189.406
11 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 50.561 189.395
12 38 Elliott Sadler Robert Yates Racing Ford 50.599 189.253
13 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 50.605 189.230
14 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 50.618 189.182
15 43 Jeff Green Petty Enterprises Dodge 50.639 189.103
16 41 Casey Mears Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 50.644 189.085
17 12 Ryan Newman Penske-Jasper Racing Dodge 50.675 188.969
18 16 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford 50.690 188.913
19 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 50.705 188.857
20 77 Brendan Gaughan Penske-Jasper Racing Dodge 50.727 188.775
21 31 Robby Gordon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 50.745 188.708
22 97 Kurt Busch Roush Racing Ford 50.754 188.675
23 4 Jimmy Spencer Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 50.763 188.641
24 32 Ricky Craven PPI Motorsports Chevrolet 50.778 188.586
25 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 50.781 188.574
26 9 Kasey Kahne Evernham Motorsports Dodge 50.789 188.545
27 00 Kenny Wallace Michael Waltrip Racing Chevrolet 50.797 188.515
28 45 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge 50.820 188.430
29 30 Johnny Sauter Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 50.855 188.300
30 22 Scott Wimmer Bill Davis Racing Dodge 50.859 188.285
31 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford 50.863 188.270
32 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Jasper Racing Dodge 50.863 188.270
33 42 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 50.878 188.215
34 09 Johnny Benson Jr. Phoenix Racing Dodge 50.896 188.148
35 04 Eric McClure Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 50.931 188.019
36 33 Kerry Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 50.956 187.927
37 20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 50.960 187.912
38 19 Jeremy Mayfield Evernham Motorsports Dodge 50.980 187.838
Provisionals
39 25 Brian Vickers Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51.010 187.728
40 49 Ken Schrader BAM Racing Dodge 51.103 187.386
41 50 Derrike Cope Arnold Motorsports Dodge 51.197 187.042
42 23 Dave Blaney Bill Davis Racing Dodge 51.129 187.291
43 89 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Dodge 52.312 183.055
Failed to qualify or withdrew
44 14 Larry Foyt A. J. Foyt Enterprises Dodge 51.470 186.050
45 98 Todd Bodine Mach 1 Motorsports Ford 52.787 181.408
46 72 Kirk Shelmerdine Kirk Shelmerdine Racing Ford
WD 02 Andy Belmont SCORE Motorsports Chevrolet
WD 80 Andy Hillenburg Hover Motorsports Ford
Official qualifying results

Race results

[edit]
Fin[12] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts Winnings
1 11 24 Jeff Gordon Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 15 running 185 $320,258
2 3 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 188 57 running 180 $241,433
3 14 29 Kevin Harvick Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 188 14 running 170 $185,808
4 8 48 Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 25 running 165 $139,655
5 21 31 Robby Gordon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 188 22 running 160 $139,927
6 6 6 Mark Martin Roush Racing Ford 188 6 running 155 $108,380
7 25 99 Jeff Burton Roush Racing Ford 188 0 running 146 $126,572
8 16 41 Casey Mears Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 188 5 running 147 $108,205
9 33 42 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 188 4 running 143 $115,705
10 19 18 Bobby Labonte Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 188 1 running 139 $126,313
11 17 12 Ryan Newman Penske-Jasper Racing Dodge 188 1 running 135 $123,592
12 2 15 Michael Waltrip Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet 188 13 running 132 $112,301
13 20 77 Brendan Gaughan Penske-Jasper Racing Dodge 188 0 running 124 $89,015
14 29 30 Johnny Sauter Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 188 0 running 121 $86,395
15 18 16 Greg Biffle Roush Racing Ford 188 1 running 123 $86,480
16 7 88 Dale Jarrett Robert Yates Racing Ford 188 3 running 120 $106,957
17 1 21 Ricky Rudd Wood Brothers Racing Ford 188 0 running 112 $106,281
18 30 22 Scott Wimmer Bill Davis Racing Dodge 188 2 running 114 $96,885
19 15 43 Jeff Green Petty Enterprises Dodge 188 0 running 106 $95,845
20 23 4 Jimmy Spencer Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 188 2 running 108 $87,335
21 38 19 Jeremy Mayfield Evernham Motorsports Dodge 188 0 running 100 $90,095
22 37 20 Tony Stewart Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet 188 6 running 102 $114,353
23 40 49 Ken Schrader BAM Racing Dodge 188 0 running 94 $70,265
24 28 45 Kyle Petty Petty Enterprises Dodge 188 0 running 91 $77,949
25 13 5 Terry Labonte Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 1 running 93 $96,930
26 35 04 Eric McClure Morgan–McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 188 1 running 90 $65,175
27 39 25 Brian Vickers Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 188 2 running 87 $75,620
28 12 38 Elliott Sadler Robert Yates Racing Ford 185 1 running 84 $102,903
29 34 09 Johnny Benson Jr. Phoenix Racing Dodge 151 0 suspension 76 $63,910
30 26 9 Kasey Kahne Evernham Motorsports Dodge 150 0 running 73 $97,080
31 9 40 Sterling Marlin Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge 146 2 overheating 75 $99,050
32 4 01 Joe Nemechek MBV Motorsports Chevrolet 146 3 engine 72 $71,500
33 32 2 Rusty Wallace Penske-Jasper Racing Dodge 144 0 running 64 $107,108
34 5 10 Scott Riggs MBV Motorsports Chevrolet 144 0 running 61 $89,322
35 36 33 Kerry Earnhardt Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 144 0 running 58 $63,005
36 22 97 Kurt Busch Roush Racing Ford 82 1 crash 60 $82,875
37 27 00 Kenny Wallace Michael Waltrip Racing Chevrolet 82 0 crash 52 $62,700
38 41 50 Derrike Cope Arnold Motorsports Dodge 82 0 crash 49 $62,350
39 42 23 Dave Blaney Bill Davis Racing Dodge 81 0 crash 46 $62,150
40 10 0 Ward Burton Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 66 0 engine 43 $61,900
41 43 89 Morgan Shepherd Shepherd Racing Ventures Dodge 65 0 transmission 40 $61,705
42 31 17 Matt Kenseth Roush Racing Ford 59 0 engine 37 $112,298
43 24 32 Ricky Craven PPI Motorsports Chevrolet 7 0 engine 34 $69,581
Failed to qualify or withdrew
44 14 Larry Foyt A. J. Foyt Enterprises Dodge
45 98 Todd Bodine Mach 1 Motorsports Ford
46 72 Kirk Shelmerdine Kirk Shelmerdine Racing Ford
WD 02 Andy Belmont SCORE Motorsports Chevrolet
WD 80 Andy Hillenburg Hover Motorsports Ford
Official race results

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Jeff Gordon edges out Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Talladega in 2004 | NASCAR". Official Site Of NASCAR. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Jayski's Silly Season Site - 2004 Talladega 1 Race Info / Rundown Page". 2005-03-07. Archived from the original on 7 March 2005. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  3. ^ "BUSCH: Controversial racing back to yellow ends". us.motorsport.com. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  4. ^ Harris, Mike (2004-05-08). "The Daytona Beach News-Journal: SPEED Magazine". Archived from the original on 8 May 2004. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  5. ^ "Jeff Gordon wins, controversy brews in Talladega". us.motorsport.com. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  6. ^ Martinelli, Michelle R. (2018-12-14). "Jeff Gordon said Dale Jr. fans throwing beer at him was the 'greatest day of my life'". For The Win. Archived from the original on 2018-12-15. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  7. ^ "NASCAR.com - Races - 2004 Talladega 1 Practice 1 Results". 2005-03-07. Archived from the original on 7 March 2005. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  8. ^ "NASCAR.com - Races - 2004 Talladega 1 Practice 2 Results". 2005-03-07. Archived from the original on 7 March 2005. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  9. ^ "NASCAR.com - Races - 2004 Talladega 1 Practice 3 Results". 2005-03-07. Archived from the original on 7 March 2005. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  10. ^ "Jayski's Silly Season Site - Provisional Land Page". 2005-02-05. Archived from the original on 5 February 2005. Retrieved 2021-12-03.
  11. ^ "At 'Dega, Rudd gives team first pole in 20 years". ESPN.com. 2004-04-23. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
  12. ^ "2004 Aaron's 499 - The Third Turn". www.thethirdturn.com. Retrieved 2021-12-06.
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2004 Auto Club 500