2002 UAW-GM Quality 500

2002 UAW-GM Quality 500
Race details
Race 31 of 36 in the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
Layout of Lowe's Motor Speedway
Layout of Lowe's Motor Speedway
Date October 13, 2002 (2002-October-13)
Location Lowe's Motor Speedway, Concord, North Carolina
Course Permanent racing facility
1.5 mi (4.02 km)
Distance 334 laps, 501 mi (806.281 km)
Weather Mild with temperatures approaching 69.8 °F (21.0 °C); wind speeds up to 12 miles per hour (19 km/h)[1]
Average speed 141.481
Attendance 100,000[2]
Pole position
Driver Joe Gibbs Racing
Time N/A
Most laps led
Driver Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing
Laps 96
Winner
No. 40 Jamie McMurray Chip Ganassi Racing
Television in the United States
Network NBC
Announcers Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons and Wally Dallenbach Jr.[3]

The 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car race held at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 13. Qualifying was canceled because of rain showers, so points leader Tony Stewart started on the pole position. Jamie McMurray, subbing for an injured Sterling Marlin, won his first race in his second career start, setting a new modern era NASCAR record for quickest win. The race would also be the final race for Donlavey Racing.

Rain caused the start of the race to be delayed over 3 hours. After the rain stopped, NASCAR decided to start the race under yellow for the first 5 laps as the track continued to dry. The race began at 3:45 pm Charlotte time (Eastern). Sunset time was 6:51 pm, the race was completed at 7:17, The late finish contributed to a large jump in ratings for the NBC telecast. NASCAR decided to move the fall race at Charlotte from Sunday afternoon to Saturday night for 2003.

McMurray would go on to a modest career in NASCAR's Cup Series, with his 2010 season being the most notable, winning Daytona and Indianapolis.

  1. ^ Weather information for the 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 at the Old Farmer's Almanac
  2. ^ "2002 UAW-GM Quality 500". Racing Reference. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  3. ^ "The Race: UAW-GM Quality 500". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2014.