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U.S. flags were in short supply following the September 11 terrorist attacks, so just how the heck did Dover Downs International Speedway track down nearly 140,000 of them in time for its September 23 MBNA.com 400?
The race was NASCAR's first Winston Cup event following the attacks. Before the waving of the green flag, fans at Dover waved 8-x12-inch flags furnished by race sponsor MBNA and Dover Downs.
When Dover Downs had difficulty locating enough stars and stripes, MBNA stepped up and, in just 10 days, found one flag for all but 4,000 of the 140,000 fans in attendance.
MBNA spokesman Bob Boyles said the company had already planned a green flag giveaway for 36,000 front-stretch fans, commemorating baseball great Cal Ripken Jr. serving as starter for the race. So MBNA worked with two of its existing suppliers to procure 70,000 American flags, and purchased 66,000 from the American Legion.
The result was a patriotic display that would make anyone proud.
Now That's Close
If calculators could kick up rooster tails, they would have at the end of this year's United Dirt Track Racing Association season. Series officials had to check and recheck their math to determine that Rick Eckert had won the 2001 Pro DirtCars championship by a mere one point over Steve Francis.
At the season-ending race at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Georgia, Eckert dropped from third to 10th in the last six laps of the race. Each spot back brought Francis closer to spoiling Eckert's championship hopes. In fact, Francis rallied from his 20th starting sport to finish fourth. Had Francis finished just one spot closer to the front, he would have walked away the champion.
UDTRA officials worked into the wee hours, checking their figures. When the calculator keypunching was finished, they declared Eckert the champion.
See kids, that stuff you learn in school may just pay off one day.
Tap To The Top
We'll never forget the "three tap rule" that Ted Christopher gave us back in September ("Bump and Run"). "One, I'm here. Two, figure out a lane where you want to be and stay there. Three, I'll figure it out for you."
Don't look now, but the bump master himself ended up the 2001 national champion in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, a competition that involves drivers from nearly 100 tracks across the country.
The Plainville, Connecticut, driver took the honor by racing his Modified to 15 victories in 18 starts at Thompson (Connecticut) International Raceway.
"You set your goals in racing, but it's hard to achieve a regional championship, let alone the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series national championship," Christopher said.
Regional champions were: Blue Ridge, Phillip Morris of Ruckersville, Virginia; Heartland, John O'Neal of Kansas City, Missouri; Sunbelt, Brandon Bendele of Adkins, Texas; Midwest, Jeff Aikey of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Atlantic Seaboard, Brandon Butler of Richmond, Virginia; Northeast, Vern Bliss of Arcade, New York; Pacific Coast, Aaron Days of Turlock, California; Mid-America, Ricky Bilderback of Rockton, Illinois; and Great West, Tom Moriarity of Monroe, Washington.
"3" At Last
While the debate continues over what to do with the No. 3 in Winston Cup competition, the number will be back in action at the season opening Busch Series race in Daytona-and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be behind the wheel.
The GNC/Live Well 300 Busch Series race in February will be the first time the No. 3 has been on the track since Dale Earnhardt died in the 2001 Daytona 500. Junior will run a blue Oreo-sponsored Chevrolet at Daytona, and a yellow, No. 3 Nilla Wafers ride at a Busch Series race in Charlotte later in the season.
Richard Childress Racing will build and maintain the cars, while Dale Earnhardt Inc. will handle race-day pit duties.