The 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 with The Looney Tunes was the 26th stock car race of the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the 45th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, September 7, 2002, in Richmond, Virginia, at Richmond International Raceway, a 0.75 miles (1.21 km) D-shaped oval. The race took the scheduled 400 laps to complete. At race's end, Matt Kenseth, driving for Roush Racing, would come back from a two-lap deficit to win his fifth career NASCAR Winston Cup Series win and his fourth of the season. To fill out the podium, Ryan Newman of Penske Racing and Jeff Green of Richard Childress Racing would finish second and third, respectively.

Background

Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a 3/4-mile (1.2 km), D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia.

Entry list

(R) denotes rookie driver.

#DriverTeamMake1Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet2Rusty WallacePenske RacingFord02Hermie SadlerSCORE MotorsportsChevrolet4Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet5Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet6Mark MartinRoush RacingFord7Casey AtwoodUltra-Evernham MotorsportsDodge8Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet9Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge09Geoff BodinePhoenix RacingFord10Johnny Benson Jr.MBV MotorsportsPontiac11Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord12Ryan Newman (R)Penske RacingFord14Mike WallaceA. 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 MotorsportsFord28Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFord29Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet30Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet31Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet32Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsFord36Ken SchraderMB2 MotorsportsPontiac40Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge41Jimmy SpencerChip Ganassi RacingDodge43John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge44Jerry NadeauPetty EnterprisesDodge45Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge48Jimmie Johnson (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet51Carl Long (R)Ware Racing EnterprisesDodge55Greg BiffleAndy Petree RacingChevrolet71Tim SauterMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet77Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord88Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord97Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord99Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFordOfficial entry list

Practice

First practice The first practice session was held on Friday, September 6, at 11:20 AM EST, and lasted for 2 hours. Ryan Newman of Penske Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 21.279 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed112Ryan Newman (R)Penske RacingFord21.279126.886230Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.287126.838320Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac21.292126.808Full first practice results

Second practice The second practice session was held on Friday, September 6, at 4:45 PM EST, and lasted for 45 minutes. Jeff Green of Richard Childress Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 21.577 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed130Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.577125.13326Mark MartinRoush RacingFord21.634124.803348Jimmie Johnson (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.645124.740Full second practice results

Final practice The final practice session was held on Friday, September 6, at 6:15 PM EST, and lasted for 45 minutes. Rusty Wallace of Penske Racing would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 21.590 and an average speed of .

During the session, Jeff Gordon would careen his car into the outside wall in Turn 2, causing substantial damage to his car and forcing Gordon to use a backup. The special Bugs Bunny scheme that was planned to run was instead replaced by Gordon's regular "Flames" scheme, with Gordon saying "We're going to go with the flames. [My firesuit] is about all that is left of Bugs for the day." Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed12Rusty WallacePenske RacingFord21.590125.058230Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.618124.896355Greg BiffleAndy Petree RacingChevrolet21.619124.890Full Final practice results

Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, September 6, at 3:05 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 champion needs the provisional, the next team in the owner points will be awarded a provisional.

Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports would win the pole, setting a time of 21.404 and an average speed of .

Carl Long was the only driver to fail to qualify.

Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed148Jimmie Johnson (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.404126.145212Ryan Newman (R)Penske RacingFord21.474125.733377Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord21.474125.73346Mark MartinRoush RacingFord21.476125.72255Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.479125.704628Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFord21.496125.605726Todd BodineHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord21.501125.57684Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet21.505125.552910Johnny Benson Jr.MBV MotorsportsPontiac21.506125.5461024Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.507125.5401131Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.510125.5231288Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord21.514125.5001322Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge21.517125.4821420Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac21.530125.4061599Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord21.538125.3601636Ken SchraderMB2 MotorsportsPontiac21.547125.3081744Jerry NadeauPetty EnterprisesDodge21.565125.2031818Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac21.571125.168199Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge21.577125.1332032Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsFord21.577125.1332119Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge21.611124.9362297Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord21.622124.873232Rusty WallacePenske RacingFord21.655124.683248Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet21.657124.6712517Matt KensethRoush RacingFord21.677124.5562615Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet21.685124.5102729Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.686124.5042825Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet21.690124.4812930Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet21.698124.4353041Jimmy SpencerChip Ganassi RacingDodge21.707124.3843143John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge21.708124.3783240Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge21.709124.3723323Kenny WallaceBill Davis RacingDodge21.716124.332347Casey AtwoodUltra-Evernham MotorsportsDodge21.723124.2923521Elliott SadlerWood Brothers RacingFord21.724124.2863645Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge21.739124.201Provisionals3755Greg BiffleAndy Petree RacingChevrolet21.761124.075381Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet21.772124.0123914Mike WallaceA. J. Foyt EnterprisesPontiac21.865123.4854011Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord21.740124.1954109Geoff BodinePhoenix RacingFord21.748124.1494271Tim SauterMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet22.028122.5714302Hermie SadlerSCORE MotorsportsChevrolet22.283121.169Failed to qualify4451Carl Long (R)Ware Racing EnterprisesDodge21.836123.649Official qualifying results

Race results FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPtsWinnings12517Matt KensethRoush RacingFord400134running180$163,5952212Ryan Newman (R)Penske RacingFord400145running180$127,34032930Jeff GreenRichard Childress RacingChevrolet4002running145$80,9304248Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet4000running160$87,2055726Todd BodineHaas-Carter MotorsportsFord4000running155$92,142646Mark MartinRoush RacingFord4000running150$87,2887628Ricky RuddRobert Yates RacingFord4000running146$92,22281322Ward BurtonBill Davis RacingDodge39916running147$89,8559377Dave BlaneyJasper MotorsportsFord3990running138$72,655102119Jeremy MayfieldEvernham MotorsportsDodge3990running134$60,75511381Steve ParkDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet39931running135$79,230123914Mike WallaceA. J. Foyt EnterprisesPontiac3991running132$52,94013148Jimmie Johnson (R)Hendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3991running129$52,380143323Kenny WallaceBill Davis RacingDodge3993running126$47,08015232Rusty WallacePenske RacingFord3990running118$87,75516199Bill ElliottEvernham MotorsportsDodge3990running115$74,211173645Kyle PettyPetty EnterprisesDodge3990running112$47,855182729Kevin HarvickRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3990running109$88,283192297Kurt BuschRoush RacingFord3980running106$53,780204011Brett BodineBrett Bodine RacingFord3980running103$61,680212032Ricky CravenPPI MotorsportsFord3980running100$52,8052284Mike SkinnerMorgan–McClure MotorsportsChevrolet3980running97$55,080234302Hermie SadlerSCORE MotorsportsChevrolet3980running94$41,30524347Casey AtwoodUltra-Evernham MotorsportsDodge3970running91$52,544252825Joe NemechekHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet3970running88$52,005261636Ken SchraderMB2 MotorsportsPontiac3970running85$51,780271744Jerry NadeauPetty EnterprisesDodge3970running82$40,755281131Robby GordonRichard Childress RacingChevrolet3970running79$66,686293143John AndrettiPetty EnterprisesDodge3970running76$67,593301420Tony StewartJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac39634driveshaft78$88,478311288Dale JarrettRobert Yates RacingFord3920running70$60,365321818Bobby LabonteJoe Gibbs RacingPontiac3710running67$86,108333755Greg BiffleAndy Petree RacingChevrolet33412running69$48,295343521Elliott SadlerWood Brothers RacingFord3170running61$48,23535910Johnny Benson Jr.MBV MotorsportsPontiac2510crash58$66,950362615Michael WaltripDale Earnhardt, Inc.Chevrolet21721crash60$48,165374271Tim SauterMarcis Auto RacingChevrolet2150engine52$40,130384109Geoff BodinePhoenix RacingFord1160engine49$40,095391599Jeff BurtonRoush RacingFord1070running46$84,702401024Jeff GordonHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet840engine43$92,9534155Terry LabonteHendrick MotorsportsChevrolet150crash40$68,763423041Jimmy SpencerChip Ganassi RacingDodge80crash37$39,880433240Sterling MarlinChip Ganassi RacingDodge80crash34$82,429Official race results

References