NAPA Autocare 500
Martinsville, VA, October 3rd, 1999
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NAPA Autocare 500 |
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| Jeff's new pit boss... |
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| for four laps! |
On Lap 13, after a two-lap passing maneouvre, Gordon, Rudd and Kenny Wallace had passed Martin, who began a slow slide backwards in the field. After this brief charge, Gordon also began to backslide, and we all began to wonder... By lap 29, Top Ten running order was Nemechek, Bodine, Musgrave, Petty, Rudd, Wallace (K), Gordon, Andretti and Martin.
Lap 28 or so saw Mike Bliss' day spoiled, as the 30 car began to smoke. Turned out to be a power steering line working loose, with fluid spraying out. It did not lead to a caution because of what transpired next...
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We now got into a loooong greenflag run, with Nemechek still out front. Lap 71 saw Earnhardt pass Mayfield for 15th, as he moved forward. On Lap 76, Bodine and Kenny Wallace went at it side-by-side for second, with Wallace ultimately claiming it. Kenny was on a tear - four laps later, he and Joe were door-to-door for the lead, with Wallace movin' into first place after the duel. Joe musta used up his tires in this, as he began to filter backwards thru the field... by Lap 96, there were 33 cars on the leap lap, and the Top Twelve were Kenny Wallace, Bodine, Petty, Rudd, Gordon, Andretti, Skinner, Nemechek, Rusty Wallace, Ward Burton, Jarrett, and Earnhardt(!). Bobby Labonte was 15th, Stewart 16th, Martin 19th, and Jeff Burton 23rd.
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| O-ring seal...... |
Tires began to go away among the leaders by Lap 110, and green flag stops began. Race leader Kenny Wallace wheeled the Square D machine onto pit road on Lap 125, one of the earliest in among the leaders, giving the lead to Petty, after he, Andretti and Gordon had passed Bodine. Soon Andretti was challenging, and passed, Gordon to take second. Petty Enterprises first and second! As soon as the pass was made, Gordon dove for the pits.
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| again... |
These shenanigans put JG down almost a lap, and all the remaining leaders pitted under the caution.
Now, the first out among the leaders was Marlin, then Bobby Labonte, and PE team mates Petty and Andretti. However, those who'd pitted earlier under the green, including Wallace and Gordon, got picked up by the pace car, so when the green flew again on Lap 146, we had leadlap tail-enders Kenny Wallace, Gordon, Rusty Wallace, and Ward Burton leading off, with race leader Marlin next, followed by Skinner, Bobby Labonte, Petty, Andretti, Mike Waltrip, Geoffrey Bodine, Park, Stricklin, and Benson makin' up the REAL Top Ten. (This stuff always confuses me...) Earnhardt was down a lap in 19th, but lined up beside Kenny Wallace... Jeff Burton was 28th, and Mark Martin's miserable day continued, as he lined up 33rd, down two.
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| beer after work, Kenny?? |
The replay showed clearly that Irwin took a run at Stewart into the turn, hit him, and spun him into the wall. Probably payback, in Kenny's mind, for all the indignities at Tony's hands that had caused the other two cautions... Hey, what's he got to lose? He's outta the 28 at season end! Poor Brett, of course, just found hisself starin' at the HOME DEPOT car's nose, as he collided with it, havin' no place to go... Ah, well... boys will be boys...Wonder what NASCAR will do? Tony's behaviour, and Irwin's, would look more at home in the NHL (God love it...), but the crowd was really into it!
But in all the confusion, guess what? All them guys whut were Tail-End Charlies got to come back around, and get on the end of the lead pack! So, when the green flew on Lap 156, Marlin led off Skinner, Bobby Labonte, Andretti, Petty, Mike Waltrip, Geoff Bodine, Park, Stricklin, Dallenbach, Craven, Bickle, Kenny Wallace, Gordon, Rusty Wallace, and Ward Burton - all on the lead lap. Within a couple laps, Skinner had taken the lead from Marlin, and behind them, Petty was movin' up, challenging Skinner for first, on Lap 161.
But Skinner held on, and after 20 laps or so, Petty fell back, so, on Lap 200, it was Skinner, Marlin, Andretti, Petty, Bobby Labonte, Bodine, Mike Waltrip, Stricklin, Kenny Wallace, Rusty Wallace, Gordon, Ward Burton, Park, Craven and Bickle makin' up the sixteen cars on the lead lap. Jarrett was a lap down, in 17th, followed by Earnhardt, Jeff Burton and Rudd, as Top Twenty.
Notice top Ford was Stricklin in 8th place.... What were you sayin' last week, Mr. Childress??
We were in the midst of another long green run, and tires began to go. By Lap 210, Skinner was slip-slidin' around, as were those chasin' him.
We learned at this time, that Yates, likely fearin' a motorized version of RollerJam between his 88 and 28 cars, and Joe Gibbs' 18 and 20 cars, told Gibbs that he was not responsible for Kenny Irwin's on-ice...er, sorry... on-track behaviour. After all, he noted, Irwin wasn't even Yates' "driver of the future"... Poor Kenny - threatened by the series' new up 'n comer... disavowed by his owner... how low could his day get??
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Lap 226 saw Gordon take tenth from Rusty, in a tricky 3-lap pass....
Kenny Irwin's humiliation became complete, as he'd had to head to the garage area with a busted front spindle on the Havoline Machine... while sitting in his car, likely thinking seriously about his career path, he was accosted by one of the least aggressive drivers in the series... Brett Bodine... and blasted for the wreck that put Brett in the garage with him. Strangely, Kenny didn't wanna talk to the TV guys about any of this...
We ran just to the halfway point, 250 laps, when green flag stops began among some teams. We also had Tony Stewart shamble back onto the track in the HOME DEPOT remains about this time...
Gordon continued his march forward, takin' 6th from Stricklin on Lap 254. Twelve cars were left on the lead lap. Some of the lead cars began to pit at this point. Rusty came in on Lap 268,and on Lap 289, running order had Skinner, Andretti and Bobby Labonte fightin' for the lead in traffic, with Gordon, Petty, Kenny Wallace, and Bodine roundin' out the seven cars still on the lead lap. In eighth, down one, was Earnhardt, then Jarrett, Park, Marlin and Stricklin rounded out the Top Twelve.
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| not of his own making... |
All the lead lap cars - six, now that the STP car was out - headed in for tires, gas, 'n suspension fixes. First out were Bobby Labonte, Skinner and Gordon, then Petty, Kenny Wallace, Bodine, and Marlin. Earnhardt, Jarrett, Park, Rusty Wallace, Stricklin, Mike Waltrip and Ward Burton were the only cars down one lap, filling out positions 8 thru 13.
This was an extended yellow, as a track worker was hurt in the clean-up, and an ambulance was needed to get him to the infield care center. Did not hear at the time what happened... At this point, Irwin returned, and only car off was the freshly-wrecked STP Pontiac of John Andretti. Andretti was obviously not happy with Tony in the Post Incident Interview, refering to the fact that Tony'd also taken him out in Pocono in July . "One guy is out there terrorizing the place," he said, "He took me out at Pocono, so it's hard to be diplomatic. He needs to settle down, I guess."
The green finally was waved on Lap 312, with the front car, Marlin's COORSmobile, actually on the Tail End of the Lead Lap, in front of leader Labonte. On the restart, Earnhardt also got around Labonte to get back on the lead lap. Petty got around Gordon for fourth on Lap 320, and Kenny Wallace seemed to be strong, up to third behind Labonte and Skinner. By Lap 325, Marlin was back down a lap, and there were again seven on the lead lap, five down a lap,and five down two laps.
There was now talk about pit strategy. Everyone would need one more stop, and could likely run to within 40 laps of the finish. Is that what you do, or do you pit at 60 to go, to have faster tires to make up positions in the 60 -30 to go timeframe. And hope no one wrecks, causin' the yellow to shred the strategy, like an overheated right front tire...
Lap 350 had no change in order on the lead lap, with Labonte still leadin' Skinner.
The fifth caution was called by NASCAR on Lap 374, to allow an ambulance into the infield for that injured track worker. Once the ambulance had made the infield, the pits were opened.
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The green finally came out on Lap 384, with Labonte leadin' Gordon. In the mid-pack infighting, Petty got hit by Spencer, resulting in a steering misalignment, and Kyle hangin' on, hopin' for a yellow not of his doing...
Earnhardt was on the move again, and on Lap 401 - 100 to go - Skinner began to fade, and lead lap running order was Labonte, Gordon, Kenny Wallace, Earnhardt, Skinner, Bodine, and Petty.
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| heads for hospital... |
None of the three leaders, Labonte, Gordon, or Wallace came in, but the back half of the first lappers, Earnhardt, Skinner, Bodine and Petty came in. Theory was that they would be slightly faster, and able to regain their track position, then move thru to the lead, on fresher rubber.
The green flew on Lap 412,with Burton (J), and Wallace tryin' to get back on the lead lap. The traffic allowed Gordon to get under Labonte for the lead on Lap 417.
A lap later we had another melee on the front straight, this time with Lepage, Nadeau, Bickle, Craven and Nemechek trippin' over each other. This brought out caution number seven, on Lap 419. This time, leaders Gordon and Labonte, and fourth-place Petty, came in. Kenny Wallace stayed out, as did Earnhardt and Skinner.
The race restarted on Lap 425, with Kenny Wallace out front, chased by Earnhardt, Skinner, Bodine, Labonte, Gordon and Petty. Five laps later, Earnhardt had gotten the GOODWRENCH Chevy out front, and within a few laps he was ahead by an astronomical 0.5 seconds. Behind he and Kenny Wallace, Bobby Labonte, Skinner Bodine and Gordon were mixin' it up.
By Lap 448, running order on the eight still on the lead lap was Earnhardt, Kenny Wallace, Skinner, Labonte, Gordon, Petty, Rusty Wallace, and Geoff Bodine. Roundin' out the Top Twelve, down a lap were Jarrett, Marlin, Jeff Burton, and Steve Park. Over the next 15 laps, this remained unchanged, and Earnhardt had stretched his lead out to an amazing, for a short track, 2 3/4 seconds. Kenny's SQUARE D Chevy had begun to fade, and he was now behind Earnhardt, Skinner, Labonte and Gordon in fifth.
With 33 to go, Skinner began once more to fade, and by Lap 472, Labonte and Gordon had passed him for second and third behind Earnhardt. Dale looked to be cruisin' to another win...
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All the lead cars came in....except the Dupont car. Whitesell had Gordon stay out for track position, as he wasn't makin' a dent on the two leaders racin' them. A gutsy, make-or-break call, considering the microscope the new crewchief was under,
This meant that when the green flew again on Lap 482, all Gordon had to do was hold off a field of freshly-shod racers for 18 laps for the win.... hoo boy... edge of the seat stuff, fer shur....
Gordon led 'em off, with Labonte, Earnhardt, Bodine, Skinner, Kenny Wallace, Rusty Wallace, and Petty on his tail. In a significant stroke of luck for Gordon and co., Labonte's engine went sour, and he was just enough down on power that he couldn't clear the lapped car of Mayfield, and Earnhardt and the rest of the leaders got stacked up momentarily behind him. This gave Gordon a chance to get some breathing space in the lead. Within a lap, Earnhardt had taken second, but Jeff was about 1.1 seconds out front, with the lapped car of Hut Stricklin still between 'em. Earnhardt finally muscled by Stricklin with about 10 to go, and set out after Gordon, closin' on him each lap... pickin' up about a tenth of a second a lap.
Three to go, and Stricklin spun - no yellow, as he gathered it up... Earnhardt was within four tenths of a second - gettin' into "chrome horn" territory...
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| not close enough... |
But win Gordon did, with Earnhardt breathin' down his neck. Third went to Geoffrey Bodine, then Rusty Wallace, Kenny Wallace, Skinner, Petty and Labonte completed the lead lap finishers. Ninth place, down one, went to Jeff Burton with Jarrett, Marlin and Park rounding out the Top Twelve.
Stewart finished in 41st, the worst finish in his WC career so far, and poor Andretti wound up last, in 43rd. Martin kinda salvaged a sixteenth place, down three laps, and polesitter Nemchek, who'd dropped out, finished 38th.
Another great short track race, and the end of short-trackin' until the New Millenium. I'm really startin' to wonder if NASCAR is wise, migratin' to the cookie-cutter 1.5 milers, instead of tracks like this! The frammin' and Bammin', and payback opps like the Irwin-Stewart deal, are the stuff NASCAR was built on, and even though I'm not a cheapshot fan, the emotion of a Stewart does spice up the show...
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In spite of his off-pace finish, Jarrett continues to lead the Points, at 4276, 251 up on second-place Labonte. Martin is now 25 behind Labonte, but a comfortable 105 points up on fourth-place Stewart. Jeff Burton sits fifth, 31 behind Tony, with Gordon 18 points behind him. DJ's grip on the Championship is getting more secure each race.
Next week we're back to Charlotte, for the UAW-GM 500. Will JG continue his winning way, or was this really just a "new coach" thing, like you often see in sports? Will DJ strengthen his lead?? Will Tony keep his cool??? We'll all find out at Charlotte next week!
See y'all there... From My
Couch!!
"Mr. NASCAR" |