MOUNTAIN DEW

SOUTHERN 500
Date: Sunday

Site: Darlington Raceway, Darlington, S.C.

Track: 1.366-mile banked raceway

Annual: 54th

Television: NBC (WSMV 4)

Radio: MRN

Start: 11:30 a.m. (ct)

Defending Champion: Jeff Gordon

Runner-up: Ryan Newman

2002 Pole-Sitter: Sterling Marlin (finished 4th)

Laps: 367

Miles: 500

Qualifying Record: 170.970 m.p.h. (Kenny Irwin, 1999)

Race Record: 139.031 m.p.h. (Jeff Gordon, 1998)

Total Purse: $4,695,345

Payouts: 1st Place - $212,183; 2nd - $135,505; 3rd - $122,251 (2002 figures)

BRISTOL, Tenn.