2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series

Common card · No. 206429

The 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 53rd season of professional stock car racing in the United States, the 30th modern-era Cup series. It began on February 11, 2001, at Daytona International Speedway and ended on November 23, 2001, at New Hampshire International Speedway. Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports was declared as the series champion for the fourth time in seven years. The season was marred by a two-car collision at the end of the season-opening Daytona 500, which claimed the life of seven-time Series champion Dale Earnhardt. The accident resulted in safety upgrades being instituted. Earnhardt's death would be the last for a full-time driver until 2026, when Kyle Busch died days before the 2026 Coca-Cola 600 due to pneumonia and sepsis. It remains the most recent death of a driver to come as a direct result of injuries sustained in a crash during Cup Series competition. It also was the first year to have a unified television contract with Fox Sports, NBC Sports, and Turner...

Read on Wikipedia · Image William M. Plate Jr., USAF CIV., Public domain