Once the race
went back to green, the damage to the nose caused us to lose the
draft. We could not hang with the lead pack because of the nose
damage, forcing us to drop back about 20 seconds or so in sixth
place. Fortunately, another caution came out, allowing us to make
the truck even more aerodynamic. The truck was better, but not perfect.
We caught up, got up to second, but got pinched down onto the apron,
as the leader tried to protect his position. (Heck ... I would have
done the same thing!) It was scary, but cooler heads prevailed.
A lapped truck was staying with us leaders in an attempt to get
his lap back, but this allowed rest of the top trucks to catch up.
I supposedly had a "deal" to work with the #60 truck in the final
laps, but he wanted to make his move before I did. I went to the
outside, and the third place truck went by both of us. At the white
flag, I caught back up, and got fourth, and ended up only .324 seconds
back. This race had 31 lead changes and the Sealmaster / Transmission
Technologies Corporation Chevrolet led about 7 laps, making for
a good pay day, and an excellent momentum booster for the entire
team.
"I want
to wish everybody a speedy recovery..."
Final Words: Some
people got injured in this event, including Geoffrey Bodine and
a few spectators in the stands. I want to wish everybody a speedy
recovery, and hope this incident does not damper the fan's viewpoint
of this series. People should remember the racing, and not the accident.
NASCAR does a miraculous job of creating a safe sport for everybody
involved, including the drivers and fans alike. Without their attention
to safety, this accident could have been much more tragic for everybody
involved.
Daytona was good
for us. Highs and lows aside, it shows that hard work, determination
and a cool head can pay off in the end. We look forward to good
things at Homestead and beyond!
Looking ahead
to Homestead
We always run
well there, and we look forward to maintaining our momentum. We
are heading directly down there from Daytona, and will be preparing
both physically AND mentally. On the physical side, you need to
prepare for the humidity and heat. I will drink lots of fluids,
stay in the motor coach to stay cool, and eat pasta to boost my
carbs. On the mental side, the entire team will need to get focused.
This is a flat track that carries high speeds, meaning aerodynamics
will again be important. Unlike Daytona however, this track has
very long corners, and you must have a strong motor that can produce
lots of torque. At Daytona, our engine speed varied only about 500
RPM's per lap. At Homestead, we will be set up to run a very wide
range of rev's and, we'll need to rely upon a good set of brakes.
Our history at this track is sketchy. We've qualified well, but
in both the races we've ran here, we've destroyed our trucks. For
the first time, I'll be driving on my birthday. It's going to be
another special day, and we look forward to breaking our streak
of tough luck.
