(MY COUCH - OSHAWA, ONT - Sept 6, 1999)
After all the controversy last week, it was with anticipation that I sat down on the ol' Couch for this race.
In reality, however, I knew there would be no payback attempts, these guys are just too professional (especially Terry Labonte) for that kind of nonsense. And, I suspect, some word likely came down from NASCAR that they'd be watchin'... kinda like baseball - don't get caught throwin' the second beanball...
 |
| From 1950... |
 |
| The "Darlington Stripe"... |
This race was the 50th Southern 500, and this track is steeped in tradition, from the first race in 1950, to the famous "Darlington Stripe" of 60's fame. It's said that using the outside rail to "help" you through the corners was such a part of the race strategy back then that many drivers reinforced the inside right quarterpanels to keep 'em from gettin' crushed in on the tires during the race!! Even up here in Ontario in the '60's, if one of our high school buddies creased daddy's car, we kidded him about his "Darlington Stripe"... even if was the front fender...
This is still "The Race" in many drivers' books; second only to Daytona (Brickyard?? puhlease... just a money thing...) in stature. Forty-five hopefuls showed up to get into the show, all plannin' to stop Gordon at four wins...
 |
| New duds for Elliot this week... |
Top qualifier, hopin' that that might parlay itself into steady employment next year, was Kenny Irwin Jr, in the Havoline Taurus. Ward Burton put the CAT car second, and Jerry Nadeau was impressive, placing the M&M's car in third. Followin' them was five-peat hopeful Gordon in fourth, then Hamilton, Sadler - new colours for this week, Bobby Labonte, Skinner, Lepage, Elliott, Mayfield and Kenny Wallace roundin' out the Top Twelve. Jeff Burton was fifteenth, Martin sixteenth, Rusty twenty-fourth, and Earnhardt, twenty-fifth. Points leader Jarrett had a terrible first round, and ended up back in 36th. Two cars missed the show - Stanton Barrett in Junie's #90, and Todd Bodine in the 30 car.
 |
| Tony was a "NO BULL" guy... |
This was one of those "NO BULL" affairs, where the top five drivers from the last "NO BULL" race, plus a fan for each were eligable for a million dollar bonus... (Wish I could get in on that... I'd buy Nova Scotia...) The eligable drivers were Bobby Labonte, Jeff Burton, Tony Stewart, Mark Martin, and Dale Jarrett. (Can't remember which race it was... should check it out, I suppose...)
 |
Kenny 'n Ward lead em off...
under threatening skies... |
The green dropped under a dark sky, as ol' Dennis to the north hadn't realized he'd worn out his welcome... Ward Burton grabbed the lead, and after the first lap, led Irwin, Gordon and Nadeau over the line. Soon the frontrunners were in single file, and fairly content - except Mayfield, who was makin' moves through the field. Further back, Jeff Burton was movin' as was Jarrett - by Lap 6, JB was 13th - up two, and DJ was 32nd - up five. And this ain't an easy track for passin'...Nine laps in, Gordon took second from Irwin, and set out after Ward Burton.
 |
|
Jeff chases down Ward... |
 |
| and JB is gettin' a hotfoot... |
By Lap 20, Mayfield was fourth, but most impressive was Jeff Burton, who had the EXIDEmobile up to eighth!! Six laps later, Gordon was all over Ward Burton, gettin' the lead on Lap 26. On the same lap Mayfield took third from Irwin, and we began to hear about excess heat gettin' into Jeff Burton's car, apparently around the shifter...
But it didn't seem to slow up JB too much, or maybe he was tryin' to get to the chequered ASAP to save his feet from heatin', as on Lap 36, he got by both brother Ward, and Mayfield, for second place, and went after Gordon. Top twelve running order on Lap 40 was Gordon, Jeff Burton, Mayfield, Ward Burton, Irwin, Hamilton, Martin - movin' up nicely, Skinner, Sadler, Bobby Labonte, Nadeau and Elliott.
 |
"smoke 'em if you got 'em"
says Jerry... |
 |
| ...and gets a tap from Bill... |
The latter three were involved in a little incident on Lap 44 or so... Nadeau was closin' on Labonte, had to get on the binders big time, lockin' and smokin' the tires. ("Flat-spotted" said Benny P. "that may mean trouble.") Elliott, in 12th, had no time to react, and crumpled up some of Jerry's rear sheetmetal. Although no one wrecked, as BP predicted it would ultimately lead to the first caution.
 |
| Mike's firestorm... |
 |
| Jerry's done for this day... |
And that occurred about five laps later, as Nadeau, entering the turn just in front of Skinner, had the right front blow apart, sending him into the wall. Skinner, right behind him, had no place to go, and was collected by the M&M's Pontiac as it came down off the wall. Mike treated us to some great pyrotechnics, as it looked as if he busted the fuel pump or line loose, and we had a load of flames underneath. Fortunately, he was able to keep goin' and kinda outran the fire, finally stopping so a fire crew could get it out. The car was well-done for the day... Nadeau, in the meantime, ended up against the inside wall, fully torn up, with a little lick of flame from his engine compartment. He got out ok, and it was extiguished (or went out on its own...) (hmmm... is it just me, or should John Hendrick be stockin' up on Monte Carlo sheet metal and Holinger decals for '00???)
 |
|
Jeffie slams the door... |
All the leaders heaved a sigh of relief, and headed for the pits. Tires were gettin' to be a concern, 60 laps was the best anyone was expectin' and we were past fifty... Gordon and both Burton brothers pulled off excellent pitstops, and JG got the lead out of the pits, slammin' the door in Jeff Burton's face with authority on the exit.
Thus, on Lap 57, the green flew with Gordon leadin' Jeff and Ward over the line, with Mayfield in fourth. Gordon, in a pattern that would continue in other stops, could not hold off the pack on fresh tires, and within a couple laps, had fallen to fourth. A lap later, Ward led Jeremy by brother Jeff (Million$? - what million$??).
 |
|
Jeremy gets under Ward... |
Three or four laps later, Mayfield took the lead from Ward Burton, in a nice move underneath, and began to walk away from the field. By lap 74, Mayfield was a second out front, with Ward Burton, Jeff Burton, Martin, Gordon, Hamilton, Bobby Labonte, Sadler, Stewart, Nemechek, Irwin and Marlin rounding out the Top Twelve. A lap later, Jeff B was by brother Ward for second, as Ward once again had his tires fade. Within ten laps, he'd dropped to sixth, behind Hamilton.
By Lap 90, Mayfield was over two seconds out, and Gordon had passed Martin for third. Mayfield, like many before him, had found that the high line could really work for you here! We also learned Ward Burton was being bothered by a sticking throttle, havin' to hook his foot under it as he went into the corners... Jeeez...
On Lap 107, Gordon's tires had come in, and he caught and passed Mayfield.
Tony Stewart's day, meantime, was becoming longer, as his second set of tires warn't workin' well at all... he got lapped around Lap 108, runnin' around 30th... this triggered the second set of pitstops, under green, as Tony was one of the first in on Lap 111. The leaders began to come in a few laps later, with all the leaders havin' cycled thru by Lap 125 or so... Top Twelve runnin' order on Lap 128 was Mayfield, Jeff Burton, Gordon, Nemechek, Martin, Ward Burton, Hamilton, Jarrett (! - pitting on the back under green did not hurt him, he kept all the spots he'd fought the last 50 laps for...), Marlin, Kenseth, Rusty Wallace and Irwin.
In what seems to be a weekly occurence, David Green parked the KODIAK Chevy with engine problems - diagnosed as a likely busted camshaft...
 |
|
Mike took a hard lick... |
Lap 138 brought out the second yellow, as Mike Waltrip took a hard hit into the wall out of Turn 4. He was a sitting duck, and was barely missed by several cars, including brother Darrell! (There was speculation there may have been contact with Spencer, but it was not confirmed, to my knowledge - just a "red-and-white car".)
All the leaders pitted, and Jarrett lost many spots once again... Marlin, who'd been havin' a decent run, had to park the COORScar, with a holed rad...
Mayfield, Gordon, Jeff Burton, Nemechek, and Martin were first out this time, and led 'em off on the Lap 141 restart. Burton immediately took second from Gordon.
 |
|
Sadler nails Grissom... |
Five laps later, we went back under yellow for the third time. This time it was poor Steve Grissom, new shoe in the Cartoon Network car, who spun in front of a crowd. Steve had a little help from Elliott Sadler, who, in tryin' to decide which side to make a run on Grissom on, simply booted him in the rear instead... "Grissom as innocent bystander" still lives! Caught up in the mess were Geoff Bodine, Musgrave, Kenseth and Kenny Wallace, who literally slid past a slowing Jarrett backwards - impressive sight! Jarrett snuck through, but it was close, with a little rumpled sheetmetal!
Again, all the leaders came in, and Ward Burton's crew pulled off a dandy, gettin' him out first, followed by
Gordon and Mayfield. But wait! Who's that in the lead?? Jarrett and crew, seeing their chance, as we'd only run ten laps or so since last time, had stayed out, assuming the point.
So, when the green flew on Lap 156, Jarrett led off Ward Burton, Gordon, Mayfield, Jeff Burton, Nemechek, Wallace, Martin, Hailton and Irwin as Top Ten. Behind Jarrett was a dogfight, with Mayfield, Jeff Burton and Nemechek gettin' by Gordon - that fresh tire thing again, then JB passing brother Ward, Gordon repassing Joe...
 |
|
The TIDE car... all washed up...... |
And so it went until the fourth caution, on Lap 174, for the comatose TIDE Taurus of Ricky Rudd, dead at the entrance to the pits... All the leaders came in, including a frustrated Jarrett, who dropped from first to seventeenth...
The green flew on Lap 181, with Jeff Burton out front, Gordon, Mayfield, Martin and Ward Burton in pursuit. A little drama behind them, as Irwin's day went down the tubes, as he slapped the outside wall, pancaking the bodywork. Cost him much time in pit road to get it pulled away from the tires again... He MAY have had a bit of help from Stewart - not sure... No caution ensued, and Dale Earnhardt was the next whose day went south, as he had a tire going down, and a Hell of a time gettin' down out of the high groove to get into the pits...
While all this was happenin' JB just padded his lead, havin' two seconds on the field by Lap 190 or so. On Lap 194 Top Twelve were Jeff Burton, Mayfield, Ward Burton, Gordon, Martin, Hamilton, Nemechek, Lepage(!), Rusty Wallace, Spencer, Sadler, and Jarrett, who was once more on the move. We learned hereabouts that Earnhardt's problem was not a tire, but improperly tightened lugnuts...
No change next fifteen laps - Nemechek and Lepage got by Hamilton, but frontrunners stayed in place, and Burton's lead was three and a half seconds by Lap 209. By Lap 221, Burton was 5 seconds(!!) out front, and Phyllis Farmer, his million$ partner musta been goin' nuts!! Gordon had worked up into second, Nemechek and Lepage had passed Martin, and DJ was in 8th place.
Then came the "sprinkles"... The fifth caution flew on Lap 230 for rain, light, but too much for oval tracks and slick tires on 3400+ lb racecars...
All the leaders pitted - except Terry Labonte and Spencer, who thought they'd risk stayin' out in case the heavens opened... Gordon took the opposite tack, he'n Evernham makin' huge changes in the hopes of bein' able to charge thru and have something for the EXIDE car at the end. Eight laps later, with it clearing up, Terry came in, givin' the lead to Jimmy.
 |
|
Jetblower action!!... |
The race was red-flagged on Lap 244, with Spencer leading Jeff Burton, Ward Burton, Mayfield, Martin, Lepage, Gordon, Nemechek, Hamilton, Wallace, Schrader, Sadler, Jarrett, Park, Elliott, Terry Labonte and Bobby Labonte as the 17 cars on the lead lap. Now we got to watch the jetdryer for 24 minutes, along with some interestin' interviews, until the race was restarted.
The race restarted under caution, and Spencer and Bobby Labonte among the leadlappers had to pit. This put JB back in front. The green flew to start Lap 251, and Jeff Burton got a good start, with the lapped car of Tony Stewart fallin' in between him and second-place Ward.
 |
|
Jeff does Tony a favour... |
We ran about eight laps, and the sixth caution flew, on Lap 258, again for rain. In a most humanitarian move, Burton let Stewart thru to get back on the lead lap - nice gesture! (mighta backfired, however, as Tony hit the pits for four fresh tires, and woulda been a force in the later laps...)
Two laps later, the race was redflagged once again.
At this point, the Wizards at TSN decided we'd all rather watch Edmonton and Sakatchewan play football... so that was it for direct coverage North of the 49th...
 |
Jeff's raindance.. didn't we
see that this spring?? |
We left with Burton doin' a repeat of his spring raindance. According to "Sue's ADNASCAR Newsletter", Inside WINSTON CUP, and Catchfence.com, I didn't miss much... after another hour and a half or so, according to IWC, they restarted under yellow, planning to run ten laps past 6:30 p.m. During this caution,, as they'd guessed wrong on set-up under the last caution Gordon also pitted, dropping back to thirteenth... But it never got going, the rains persisted, and the race was called after 270 laps, Burton leadin' the parade.
Thus Jeff 'n Phyllis won a million$, and the rest of the Top Twelve were Ward Burton, Mayfield, Martin, Lepage - his best finish, Nemechek, Hamilton, Wallace, Schrader, Park, Elliott and Stewart. Gordon? He came in in 13th, as his strategy backfired when the rains stayed...Jarrett salvaged a 16th, and Bobby Labonte came in in 19th.
This was a real good race, and was shapin' up for some interesting results; too bad the weather got in the way! Jarrett keeps his lead intact, now 168 points in front of Martin. Bobby Labonte is third, 320 back of DJ, and Gordon, in 4th, is a mere 22 points behind Bobby. Stewart is a further 28 back, in fifth, and then Jeff Burton is sixth, 31 behind Stewart. That 3rd thru 6th traffic jam could lead to some real interstin' racin' over the next few weeks... And it starts next Saturday night in Richmond, at the EXIDE NASCAR SELECT BATTERIES 400.
See y'all there... From My
Couch!!
