2004 Food City 500
Motor car race
The 2004 Food City 500 was the sixth stock car race of the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season and the 44th iteration of the event . The race was held on Sunday, March 28, 2004, before a crowd of 160,000 in Bristol, Tennessee at Bristol Motor Speedway , a 0.533 miles (0.858 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race took the scheduled 500 laps to complete. Kurt Busch of Roush Racing would hold off the field on the final restart with two to go to win his fifth career NASCAR Nextel Cup Series win of his career and his first of the season.[ 1] To fill out the podium, Rusty Wallace of Penske-Jasper Racing and Kevin Harvick of Richard Childress Racing would finish second and third, respectively.
Background
The layout of Bristol Motor Speedway , the venue where the race was held.
The Bristol Motor Speedway , formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway , is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee . Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961. Despite its short length, Bristol is among the most popular tracks on the NASCAR schedule because of its distinct features, which include extraordinarily steep banking, an all concrete surface, two pit roads , and stadium -like seating. It has also been named one of the loudest NASCAR tracks.
Entry list
#
Driver
Team
Make
Sponsor
0
Ward Burton
Haas CNC Racing
Chevrolet
NetZero Hi Speed
01
Joe Nemechek
MBV Motorsports
Chevrolet
U. S. Army
2
Rusty Wallace
Penske-Jasper Racing
Dodge
Miller Lite
02
Hermie Sadler
SCORE Motorsports
Pontiac
East Tennessee Trailers
4
Kevin Lepage
Morgan–McClure Motorsports
Chevrolet
Food City
5
Terry Labonte
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
Kellogg's , Got Milk?
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
Joe Ruttman
Phoenix Racing
Dodge
Miccosukee Resort & Gaming
10
Scott Riggs
MBV Motorsports
Chevrolet
Valvoline , Harlem Globetrotters , Eagle One
12
Ryan Newman
Penske-Jasper Racing
Dodge
Alltel
15
Michael Waltrip
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Chevrolet
NAPA Auto Parts
16
Greg Biffle
Roush Racing
Ford
Jackson Hewitt , National Guard
17
Matt Kenseth
Roush Racing
Ford
DeWalt Power Tools
18
Bobby Labonte
Joe Gibbs Racing
Chevrolet
Wellbutrin XL , Interstate Batteries
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
Rent-A-Center , Motorcraft
22
Scott Wimmer
Bill Davis Racing
Dodge
Caterpillar
24
Jeff Gordon
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
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
38
Elliott Sadler
Robert Yates Racing
Ford
Pedigree
40
Sterling Marlin
Chip Ganassi Racing
Dodge
Coors Light
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
Black Wolf Harley-Davidson
77
Brendan Gaughan
Penske-Jasper Racing
Dodge
Kodak Easy Share, The Punisher
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.
94
Stanton Barrett
W. W. Motorsports
Chevrolet
Bojangles , AmericInn
97
Kurt Busch
Roush Racing
Ford
Sharpie , Irwin Industrial Tools
98
Geoff Bodine
Mach 1 Motorsports
Ford
Lucas Oil
99
Jeff Burton
Roush Racing
Ford
Roush Racing
Official entry list
Practice
First practice
The first practice session occurred on Friday, March 26, at 11:20 AM EST and would last for two hours.[ 2] Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 15.009 and an average speed of 127.843 miles per hour (205.743 km/h).[ 3]
Second practice
The second practice session occurred on Saturday, March 27, at 9:30 AM EST and would last for 45 minutes.[ 2] Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 15.447 and an average speed of 124.218 miles per hour (199.909 km/h).[ 4]
Third and final practice
The third and final practice session, sometimes referred to as Happy Hour, occurred on Saturday, March 27, at 11:10 AM EST and would last for 45 minutes.[ 2] Brian Vickers of Hendrick Motorsports would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 15.604 and an average speed of 122.968 miles per hour (197.898 km/h).[ 5]
Qualifying
Qualifying occurred on Friday, March 27, 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.[ 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.[ 6]
Ryan Newman of Penske-Jasper Racing would win the pole, setting a time of 14.954 and an average speed of 128.314 miles per hour (206.501 km/h).[ 7]
Kirk Shelmerdine would crash on his second lap in turn 3, slamming the outside wall. While he had set a lap, he was forced to use a provisional.[ 8]
Morgan Shepherd would be the only driver to not qualify for the race.
Full qualifying results
Race results
Fin[ 9]
St
#
Driver
Team
Make
Laps
Led
Status
Pts
Winnings
1
13
97
Kurt Busch
Roush Racing
Ford
500
119
running
190
$173,965
2
4
2
Rusty Wallace
Penske-Jasper Racing
Dodge
500
100
running
175
$141,878
3
14
29
Kevin Harvick
Richard Childress Racing
Chevrolet
500
0
running
165
$131,978
4
17
40
Sterling Marlin
Chip Ganassi Racing
Dodge
500
72
running
165
$135,125
5
23
17
Matt Kenseth
Roush Racing
Ford
500
0
running
155
$136,098
6
19
49
Ken Schrader
BAM Racing
Dodge
500
0
running
150
$77,945
7
1
12
Ryan Newman
Penske-Jasper Racing
Dodge
500
25
running
151
$124,862
8
6
42
Jamie McMurray
Chip Ganassi Racing
Dodge
500
0
running
117
$87,095
9
2
24
Jeff Gordon
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
500
0
running
138
$120,168
10
8
15
Michael Waltrip
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Chevrolet
500
0
running
134
$110,796
11
18
8
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Chevrolet
500
91
running
110
$118,748
12
3
16
Greg Biffle
Roush Racing
Ford
500
58
running
132
$84,890
13
20
22
Scott Wimmer
Bill Davis Racing
Dodge
500
0
running
124
$102,440
14
9
38
Elliott Sadler
Robert Yates Racing
Ford
500
0
running
121
$103,273
15
10
30
Johnny Sauter
Richard Childress Racing
Chevrolet
500
1
running
123
$83,090
16
11
48
Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
500
8
running
120
$90,215
17
16
19
Jeremy Mayfield
Evernham Motorsports
Dodge
500
0
running
112
$96,565
18
33
5
Terry Labonte
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
500
0
running
109
$100,065
19
32
31
Robby Gordon
Richard Childress Racing
Chevrolet
500
1
running
111
$104,792
20
7
77
Brendan Gaughan
Penske-Jasper Racing
Dodge
500
0
running
103
$81,900
21
30
88
Dale Jarrett
Robert Yates Racing
Ford
500
0
running
100
$104,557
22
25
32
Ricky Craven
PPI Motorsports
Chevrolet
499
0
running
97
$93,390
23
21
6
Mark Martin
Roush Racing
Ford
499
0
running
94
$81,045
24
12
20
Tony Stewart
Joe Gibbs Racing
Chevrolet
498
25
running
96
$115,518
25
36
45
Kyle Petty
Petty Enterprises
Dodge
498
0
running
88
$82,570
26
37
50
Derrike Cope
Arnold Motorsports
Dodge
497
0
running
85
$68,440
27
26
01
Joe Nemechek
MBV Motorsports
Chevrolet
496
0
running
82
$87,694
28
39
0
Ward Burton
Haas CNC Racing
Chevrolet
496
0
running
79
$71,150
29
29
43
Jeff Green
Petty Enterprises
Dodge
496
0
running
76
$94,285
30
35
4
Kevin Lepage
Morgan–McClure Motorsports
Chevrolet
495
0
running
73
$70,685
31
42
02
Hermie Sadler
SCORE Motorsports
Pontiac
490
0
running
70
$66,890
32
38
94
Stanton Barrett
W. W. Motorsports
Chevrolet
453
0
crash
67
$66,845
33
27
18
Bobby Labonte
Joe Gibbs Racing
Chevrolet
428
0
running
64
$112,808
34
28
10
Scott Riggs
MBV Motorsports
Chevrolet
404
0
crash
61
$91,922
35
22
25
Brian Vickers
Hendrick Motorsports
Chevrolet
377
0
running
58
$74,690
36
24
41
Casey Mears
Chip Ganassi Racing
Dodge
331
0
running
55
$66,645
37
15
21
Ricky Rudd
Wood Brothers Racing
Ford
166
0
crash
52
$92,666
38
31
99
Jeff Burton
Roush Racing
Ford
138
0
too slow
49
$99,977
39
34
98
Geoff Bodine
Mach 1 Motorsports
Ford
59
0
brakes
46
$66,505
40
5
9
Kasey Kahne
Evernham Motorsports
Dodge
57
0
crash
43
$96,315
41
41
72
Kirk Shelmerdine
Kirk Shelmerdine Racing
Ford
7
0
handling
40
$66,390
42
40
09
Joe Ruttman
Phoenix Racing
Dodge
4
0
rear end
37
$66,335
43
43
80
Andy Hillenburg
Hover Motorsports
Ford
4
0
brakes
34
$65,656
Failed to qualify
44
89
Morgan Shepherd
Shepherd Racing Ventures
Dodge
Official race results
References
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