And here it is, Tuesday evening - and I'm just gettin' the Race Report started. Sunday night was another nailbiter, in that I had to rely on my prowess with things elecronic once again, as a previous engagement meant I wouldn't see the race live. (By the way, thanks to those who e-mailed me to ensure I knew the race was Sunday, not Saturday, night!) Fates were with me - VCR recording was loud and clear...
Then Monday night, I had to watch the Toronto Maple Oafs' hockey death throes... then a round-trip Tuesday to Detroit on business... it's 10:30 Tuesday night... wonder when I'll actually get this finished and posted?? My apologies to all five of you out there who actually follow my rantings...
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| "fair-haired boy"...... |
I'm not much for Gee-Whiz numbers - but Ken Squier is irrepressible in this area. The fact that the combined gathering in the Speedway made it the third-largest city in North Carolina maybe says more about North Carolina than it does about the crowd... (Hey, just kiddin'... I've an uncle outside Murphy... it's a lovely state!)
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in Rusty's 'copter... |
Oh, yeah.. the race....This was another "No-Bull 5" event, and the eligible drivers for the Million$$ were Jeff Gordon, the Burton Boys, Bobby Labonte, and Mike Skinner, based on their run at 'Vegas.
Bobby Labonte and Jeff Burton enhanced their shots at the Mill$$ by qualifying first and second. Third place qualifier was Kenny Wallace, then Elliott Sadler, Steve Park, Kenny Schrader, Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeremy Mayfield, Jeff Gordon, Mike Skinner and Ward Burton rounded out the top twelve. Points leader Jarrett was 28th, and Papa Earnhardt was 15th. DW continues to improve, gettin' the K-Martmobile in the field on speed, again out-qualifying team mate Spencer.
Looks like eight drivers missed the race: Jeff Green(#01), Dan Pardus(#50), Ricky Craven, Marcis, Randy Lajoie(#14), Morgan Shepherd(#05), Derricke Cope, and Carl Long(#85).
For once, the race started under a clear, sunny sky, with Labonte leadin' the field into turn one. Burton, Kenny Wallace, and Steve Park were tucked in quickly behind him, as they entered turn two.
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The green flew again on lap 8, and the same four jumped out in front. Meantime, Stewart, already with almost 500 Indymiles on him, had moved from 43rd to 35th...We'll keep an eye on that boy... (He started last since the chopper didn't get him to Charlotte in time for the morning drivers' meeting.... tough old birds, these NASCAR officials!) Papa Dale was up to 9th, Baby Dale had slipped to 16th....welcome to the big time...
Surpsisingly, the leaders began to string out early in this race, and running order among the leaders often was very static throughout segments of the race. Only man really on the move in first ten or so laps among the leaders was Skinner - by lap 12, he'd come up to fifth place from his tenth-place starting position. Bobby Labonte still led, with Jeff Burton, Sadler, and Park on his tail, then Skinner, Martin, Gordon, Schrader, Mayfield, Dale Sr, Ward Burton, and Hamilton made up the top twelve. Top twenty were all runnin' single file. Lap fifteen saw Jeff Burton pass Labonte for first. four laps later, Stewart was up to 28th, and Spencer was in the garage with a holed rad from the first incident... hmm..
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| Trailered...... |
On lap 31, Gordon took second from Martin; and Stewart was 23rd, obviously totally outclassing the backfield riff-raff he'd had to start among... Lap 35 saw Stewart in 19th, as he passed wannabe Cupper Dale Jr... by lap 40 he was 16th, as he mowed down Rusty Wallace.
Lap 48 running order had Burton still out front by 2 seconds, then Gordon, Martin, Park, Bobby Labonte, Mayfield, Skinner, Schrader, Dale Sr, Andretti(!), Ward Burton and Kenny Wallace as top dozen. Just outside this group in thirteenth was the Hard-Chargin' Mr Stewart!
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This was just at the start of green-flag pitstops. Around lap 65, Jeff Burton was one of the leaders in early. By lap 79, all had cycled thru, and Burton was still in the lead, followed by Gordon and Martin. Stewart, who's clawed his way to eighth before the stop, was back in tenth, while Dale Jr was 19th. Meantime, Dale Jarrett had patiently worked his way up to 17th.
We now continued this long green run, and Burton began puttin' good cars down a lap. By lap 95, There were only 17 on the lead lap. with Jarrett bein' that 17th car, with Jeff Burton all over him, and Geoffrey Bodine, whom Jarrett was contestin' 16th with.
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| in front of leader!... |
After the stops, Burton still had the EXIDE Taurus out front, with Gordon, Martin, Bobby Labonte, Dale Sr., Park and Ward Burton behind him. Lined up beside Burton at the point was Jarrett, the first of the down-a-lappers. He would need to do his best John Force impression here, get the drop on Burton, and unlap himself, then hope for a yellow.
And that's about wha' hoppened... half a lap after the green on lap 111, Geoffrey Bodine lost a tire, and threw the aleady-crumpled PowerTeam Chevy into the outside wall, for Caution three. Jarrett, havin' got in front of the leaders, scooted around to the rear of the lead-lap pack. Speculation on Bodine's car was that sheetmetal had not been pulled completely from the tire areas after the first wreck, earlier in the day... Mayfield also regained his lap...that Bobby is a generous soul...
The green flew on Lap 117, and, as before, Burton jumped out front, followed by Bobby Labonte, Gordon, Dale Sr., Park, Martin, Ward Burton, TONY STEWART(!!!), Terry Labonte and Andretti in top ten. Jarrett was up to 14th, and there were fifteen left on the lead lap.
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| with frustrations!!... |
All the lead cars came in once again - except Park and Ward Burton, who assumed the lead positions! Thus Park and Ward Burton led off Jeff Burton, Dale Sr, Bobby Labonte, Martin, Andretti, Mayfield, Terry Labonte and Tony Stewart as top ten.
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By lap 18, Burton had a three-second lead. The track had cooled some 15 degrees, and the EXIDE Taurus obviously thrived on it!
After another long green run, in which the top ten largely held their positions around the track, we got into green flag pitstops once more. Lap 191 saw Dale Sr. in, then Stewart, Jeff Burton, Martin, and so on, until all had cycled thru by lap 204. And Park was back out front, followed by Jeff Burton, Martin, Bobby Labonte, Dale Sr, Stewart, Schrader, Ward Burton, Terry Labonte, Dale Jarrett, Mayfield and Andretti as the twelve cars on the lead lap. Gordon had returned, running 41st, many laps down...
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| for Park... |
All the lead cars came into the pits for tires 'n gas. Burton was first out, and led over the s/f line on lap 249. Bobby Labonte quickly took the point, and on lap 250, there were ten cars on the lead lap, with Labonte leading Jeff Burton, Martin, Stewart, Dale Sr, Ward Burton, Schrader - "Mr Invisible" this day, Terry Labonte Andretti and Jarrett. One lap down was Skinner and Mayfield, rounding out top twelve. A lap later, Stewart was by Martin, and had his sights on Burton.
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| Tony, Bobby, 'n Jeff mix it up! |
Oh yeah, Tony solved the Skinner lapping problem... a little tap on the rear, Mike's up the track, and the three leaders were by him. He didn't learn THAT at Indy!! Problem was, Mike fought hard, and Stewart lost the lead back to Burton in the process. Tony fought back, nearly wrecked 'em all, then settled down into third to regroup.
Lap 296 saw Stewart assert himself again, passing Labonte for second. Six laps later, "Tony the Tiger" (as Squier was determined to refer to him) retook the lead from Burton. Around lap 305, a THIRD round of green flag stops began. Once they'd cycled thru, around lap 312, Burton had the lead, followed by Stewart and Labonte. Burton got trapped behind the #90 car, this week's driver being Hut Stricklin, and Stewart once again was out front, with Labonte second.
Order on lead lap on lap 318 was Labonte, Stewart, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Martin, Jarrett, Schrader and Ward Burton. We learned all would need one more stop near the end of the race.
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| Labonte splits Lepage and Andretti... |
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After all the final stops were made, around lap 378, Burton had the lead, followed by Labonte, Stewart, Martin, Jarrett and Schrader.
With fifteen to go, Burton and Labonte were nose-to-tail, but Bobby could not muster enough to get by, and Stewart was on HIS tail. A good finish was imminent for Joe Gibbs' Racing - the football analogies were fast and monotonous from the resolutely hyperbolic Mr Squier...
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Thanks to his steadily movin' up to finish fifth, Jarrett held onto the Points lead., but Burton is only 33 back. Bobby Labonte sitr third, then Martin and Stewart round out the top five. Jeff Gordon (remember him?) took a real hit, dropping to eighth, behind Ward Burton and Dale Sr.
So next week, it's on to the Monster Mile at Dover, for some more short track craziness!! Can't wait!
See y'all there... From My
Couch!!
"Mr. NASCAR" |