2003 Darlington Raceway: 'No, I've never!' | NASCAR Classic Full Race Replay

[Music] welcome back to Darlington Raceway heavy cloud cover but no rain in sight that's the good news if we're set to go 400 miles Budweiser official beer of NASCAR and proud sponsor the but Bowl award the fastest qualifier each NASCAR Winston Cup race honors Elliott Sadler who has his first career but poll since 1979 anheuser-busch is awarded more than eight million dollars as title sponsor of NASCAR's pole award program Dodge Bates car set to roll off and here's the starting lineup Sadler for Robert Yates there with Ryan Newman who has 11 front row starts and 49 Winston Cup tries Jerry Nadeau and Jimmy Spencer big things expected from Row 2 today Jeff Gordon er1 Darlington's past masters and Kurt Busch there in Row 3 Ward Burton and last year's winner of this race Sterling Marlin in row for completing the top ten Michael Waltrip and Todd Bodine see if we can get over sterling to talk to us hey-ya start the Marlys DW up in the TV tower but how you read how's the old silver bullet looking today to be a lot easier this year you don't have to come from the back you're already up to the front so I'm gonna keep an eye on you buddy got my money on you today standing on that bad boy ten-four 43 cars here nobody went home as you have a look back through the rest of the field and a lot of talent starting deep look at Winston Cup champ Stewart and Mark Martin back in row 14 a lot of Winston Cup wins at Darlington back there you look at Dale Jarrett and guys like that Jeff Burton as well starting to play deep in the field but this joints not about going fast for one lamp it's about going fast for 400 miles and staying off of that old wall you don't want to be saying hello wall [Music] yesterday's Busch race rained out they will run tomorrow at 11 a.m. and you'll see that on FX Larry Mike I wonder if there's any other wall and racing has been hit as much as you want to get it just the right amount at the right play okay we're going to look at the weather air temperatures 63 degrees now here's kind of a key based on practice yesterday that track temperature 75 degrees in their practice yesterday 25 degrees cooler 50 degrees tracks gonna be a lot crazier cars are going to slide around much more today but the good thing is it's not raining Lisa's dry dick Berggren this morning NASCAR officials Navin boots told the drivers meeting that compromise is the best strategy for Darlington take-take-take he said will not get you to the end what he really meant is this is one tough old place be careful to Steve well dick Dale Earnhardt jr. got off to a slow start this year but his last two finishes he's finished second and third his best finish here at Darlington and six starts his fourth he did that a year ago his crew chief Tony Eury jr. told me this morning Jr says he's got the best car he's ever had here at Darlington Matt Yocum Steve your average team here on pit road has about 12 sets of tires in their pits that's about $19,000 now the average tire window about 60 to 65 laps but talking to a lot of crew chiefs they expect you to see short pitting a lot of teams like Tommy Baldwin here in the seven and James is the though sure Pitt as her car Peter lead to try to make up more time on the track which changes everybody else's strategy keep an eye on that today Jeanne Zelasko Dale Jarrett defer to Elliott Sadler's notes at Rockingham Anna got him a victory today the 88 car you see on this track is the one that ended up in victory lane so DJ decided to go with the same plan after the final practice on Saturday the 88 team went to their teammates and said tell us everything you're doing they followed the setup to a tee let's see if they have the same results one two go as they come by we'll be racing at Darlington in one lap and Daryl every race we've seen so far this year after the green flag everybody's fought for the bottom of the racetrack probably won't be the case here no here you just go see a lot of fight I can be fighting forever any space they can find cuz it's just not enough room on this joint for 43 cars that's the hard thing Mike you practice practice come out there alone all the time all of a sudden you start racing with people somebody's right up alongside of you said you can't do that how would you like to been in this race when they started 85 or 90 cars back in the 50s well according to some folks out was and I just want to say uh straighten it out put Michael Waltrip went to the back of the field because his car was damaged heavily in practice had to go to a backup car Kurt Busch a backup engine yeah he a Michael Waltrip crashed with about ten minutes to go of practice here's our race analysis 43 cars no one had to go home only 43 cars here 293 laps 400 miles tires there's our key graphic right there you had Merc Matt Yocum talking about that everything there's the strategy is every time the yellow flag comes out you come to pit road for four tires there's no tire changes here this place is like a piece of 80 grit sandpaper just eats the tires up field in turn three like Atlanta last week this track was reconfigured that press box sat and what used to be turn one but highway 151 right behind the track limited expansion so they rebuilt the back stretch into the front stretch and so now the small end of the track is now turns three and four the big turn is turns one and two st. Patrick's Day tomorrow instead of we're under the green here Darryl we're going to be waving to the green okay a little turbo walljump just reach of bands can you pull those belts tight there you heard Mike joy talking about it the High Line Ryan Newman in the 12 it's the chapel million seventy one and two pulls him down the backstretch yeah Ryan just had to you know head to right leaves up there on the outside that's good if that's where you want to be going to determine one and then paid off but here comes Elly and charging back on the inside got that eight gates horsepower wound up and he's going for the lead right there folks is where you've got to let up the guy on the outside he's got to let to go to the inside go or you'll wreck you can't go through there too wide but the best thing you hope for when you're going to turn one is that guy will push you up you can put the cross over move on I'm sure we'll see that a lot today oh yeah Matt Kenseth did not get off to a particularly good start but it doesn't appear there's anything wrong with his car just being a little cautious and letting tires come up to temperature and pressure that's the whole thing here it's always being cautious don't put yourself in a position where somebody can wreck it and you can go out there and you can run your car hard in the first eight or 10 laps but you're going to pay the price 30 or 40 laps in a run you want to use the good up in those tires thank you early Jerry Nadeau coming hard in that black army Pontiac at the bottom of your screen took second from Newman and now if you set sail on the leader you don't see many people drive by Ryan Newman they news pumped and that Pontiac looks good this weekend it's the best we've seen a Pontiac run so far this year hole in one cup kid finished for a Pontiac in the first four races Jeff Gordon's drops under Jimmy Spencer who may have brushed the wall at turn one and he says you see Sterling was right there and because Jimmy got in trouble starting had to lift and it almost got sterling in trouble coming off a two over there is a treacherous place [Music] Rusty Wallace underneath board Burton this is for eighth place he's been getting about a car laughs he has definitely own the mood things happen quick right now with all these cars bunched up got to be real cautious but you wanna pounce on the guy when you get an opportunity you'll ride with Dale Earnhardt jr. there in the eight car he started 16th he's all the way up to ten so he's on the loop as well Jimmie Johnson just moved past Todd Bodine to take over 11:48 and I was picked Timmy Johnson in our pigs but I'm gonna tell you he was maybe one of the best cars in that five to practice yesterday the 48-count I think the 48 and the 20 comes Jeff Gordon underneath Ryan Newman and trouble Jerry Nadeau the second-place car spins I get to turn back around because if he hadn't he went to the bottom of the racetrack the caution is out did he make contact I don't think so Darrell at Kansas spins coming off turn two I think he might have got tagged from behind trying to slow up then that can happen so easily off that corner over there you come to three I wanted to I'd open then somebody lets up in front of me you can't help but get in the back of I don't think they didn't hit anything he went in all by himself Darryl and I'm not sure if the car got upset on entry or if something happened in the middle of the court I don't see damage on the car whatsoever think he was very very very lucky [Music] but Nadeau was French not Irish but this weekend everybody's Irish you take all of Sam rocks you can get well he just made a big withdrawal from the lake I can tell you that when you're running second you spent in front of the whole field coming at you in the middle of the corner and a car that somebody doesn't run into and you don't hit the wall I guess not like all three trips I guess how we call that good luck you said it we've only run about six laps I'm going to anticipate most of the leaders will stay out but probably Jerry Nadeau Matt Kenseth will be to compete road for four fresh down the back part of the field will come down pit road here he goes he just gets in there that's where it's agony McMurray clipped Matt Kenseth in the 17 Jamie McMurray in the 42 that was right over in the middle of turn two after Jerry Nadeau hits bone no I think Larry and I'm not sure further back Jerry's already around but you can see was all by himself and did not make contact with the wall or another car let's see if Kenseth comes into play here they all have to go the apron because they can't see for the smoke that's what happens everybody goes down on the apron you can't see for the smoke you get down there it's real dirty and Sandy the that apron is is really really slick there's where Kenseth McMurray got together right there yep you get down on that apron and even when you're trying to come in pit will probably sit before the days over with down here in turns three and four there's native he's already turned around three times and hit it in the right direction you know I just Jaime was down in there very down in the bottom there and it's so dirty and there's so much sand and grit down there they got on his tires and he shoved up into two mad Kansas he was trying to avoid native 19 cars stayed out but I won't tell you what surprised Dale Earnhardt jr. he gets him four fresh tires on this first caution [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] but be ready be ready great black they're all around [Music] back under way just half a lap ago with Eliot sazer leaving Jeff Gordon Ryan Newman Jimmy Spencer Sterling Marlin and Jeremy Mayfield further review showed that the secondary collision in that caution not a rookie mistake by McMurray but Kenseth trying to get as far away from Jerry Nadeau as possible yeah I just don't think two men knew that talk about anybody beating down any lower than he was plus he could seen they do out the corner of his eye over there I think he was trying to pull down and get away from him everybody continues on the lead lap there's Matt Yocum and Jared he told his crew he just didn't know unhappy says that's never happened to me that's the first time he did say though the car was a little loose on entry for tires in the chassis adjustment the Steve Byrnes well that Dale Earnhardt jr. had fought his way from 16 up to seventh but his race car early on had gotten very tight from the center off they took four tires made an air pressure adjustment and a wedge adjustment I mean the thing about a race car here if it's tight in the beginning it's only going to get tighters you burn that fuel off this you're going to well what happened today knew he goes in with that left side down on the apron when that car starts up the racetrack most the time you catch him with the truck and he probably can't spit a little too quick in the back in jump down Spencer going out here we go trouble in the front Jack Sprague in the 0 car straighten it up keeps it out of harm's way action is out again man everybody's running into each other there's been about two or three wrecks down this front straightaway leaders going into turn three he's trying to get it going here and stay on the lead lap and he will cut these cars all but stuff like this on the start and they just can't get away from each other and I'll tell you a good handling car will run over a bad handling car here more than any place else that's what happened to Tony Stewart last year in that race way around over buckshot Jones when your cars handling real good you're back in the throttle you're making time the cat in front of he's having a little bit of trouble he lets up out the gas and you're gonna run into him what's the last time you saw two cautions in a row and no concrete contact yeah we head in here when the wall we talk about the wall and here comes Nadeau on the outside of spraying here looks like Sprague this was down low trying to keep you know trying to stay in the throttle up off the turn for the other thing just come around the track must be really slick right now well I tell you another thing don't remember it's rained here since 1 o'clock yesterday started stopped raining finally this morning's racetrack is what we call green there's no rubber on it there's not a lot of grip when you come off the corner here and you got down underneath somebody like it and you got a lot of steering input got the wheels really cut hard left and you're trying to stay in the trouble the thing just will spin out with you just like that so Jack Sprague makes a withdrawal from the lock Bank another one you make deposits to the concrete withdrawals from the look back looks like most of our leaders have come to pit road now except for the ones that pitted on the last caution only one that stayed out that didn't pit the last caution was Jimmy Spencer in a 7 car but here comes elliott sadler Jeff Gordon Ryan Newman Sterling Marlin Tony Stewart all of those cars that did not pit the last time see this is ideal scenario for the guys that pitted on the first caution because now they're at the front of the field dick Berggren Sterling Marlin and his crew if they didn't the first nine that this time around they were going to lose a lot of track position they decided that was okay sterling said the car is a little bit loose they've adjusted the weight distribution Steve Brian Newman has gotten extremely tight off the turn for the chase four tires one round down on the left rear let's go to Matt Yocum and Elias Saturday leaders in his car with a little loose meanwhile the 24 jet board making a chassis adjustment his car was loose everywhere not entering in the center and up as Reijo the left-rear in the 24 so it's gonna water I'm going out there at one time but I'm gonna tell you what I'm here for most people is they're a little bit loose you have to be careful not though for just that car because when this rubber gets back on the racetrack from racing on it it's going to start tightening up the caution a brake for Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray who were both involved in the first caution they are both back in the pits for further repair 31 cars making some repairs the left run time is spent a lot of cars banging into each other look at the MacMurray's card right side of your screen Jack Sprague just coming off that corner you your car really is wanting to push it's trying to push them knows but you keep steering into it's tearing into it and then all of a sudden it fights in the back in will pop out from Robby Gordon's on board oh that's where he got damaged I saw him down here working on his you know got damaged yeah he got Terry the body turned the body got Brent boy silver clr car go into the fair riding in bumper cars you see right there in 3rd talk about a rollercoaster in the first 14 laps Jerry Nadeau and though one car remember he started this race third spun out he was always to rear the field he was working his way forward now he has stayed out of this caution so he's back to third Evan flow before those guys that do they ever need a good run the first full races of the 2003 season they have finished 22nd or worse I don't think that's indicative of how they that perform but that's what the results have been Jeanne what a Tony Stewart do on his top wow it was pretty routine for tires Tony coming in said look the car is a little tight but it's tight behind these guys and he's got to believe that when he finally passes several cars it will be ok so they didn't make any adjustments to skate them for new tires kinda like Larry said Mike right now you got to be careful you don't want to over adjust your car this this track will go through a change or two here before too long our aerial coverage from Budweiser and UC Darlington Raceway the grandstand outside turn two at the upper left that's the big end of the track is a Cape Deauville the small end now turns three and four for the seventh time and has Winston Cup career Jimmy Spencer is a leader at Darlington Raceway pace car pulling in he'll bring Dale Earnhardt jr. Jerry Nadeau John Andretti and Jeff green to the green flag one likes this view he you see the pace car dropped him off there 50 miles an hour's what they bring up to speed but watch the Fox tracks here as he starts climbing for the restart [Music] third didn't the high gear start-finish lad at 100 miles an hour got his hands full of Dale Earnhardt jr. not a car behind him 140 miles an hour in turn turned one on the restart picked the throttle up real early in the middle of one and two they'll come off turn 202 the backstretch at almost 160 miles an hour if we can't if we keep up with the speed of these cars over the longer they run the floor they get they just keep it slower slower because they keep losing grip single file at the front among the drivers who did not make pit stops but look back here for everybody's trying to gain as much ground as they can Darryl in just these first few laps while the tires are fresh well when you got everybody bunched up like yet people are letting you know they can't really it's hard to race here so if somebody gets up out of the groove everybody goes by you lead James Dale jr. where he advanced to their feet has little fresher tires than Jimmy Spencer not things and he made a smart move there you know give and take Jeff Gordon on the move up after that pit stop battling side by side was Sadler that's for 17th position Matt why did Jimmy Spencer on pit - tired timing today he said it would be for tyre Tommy but why nope it Tommy there's only a couple laps really on the tires each stance and uh you know I figured the first 17 cars have pitted the first time wouldn't pit this time so I mean hopefully we get a caution let 10 15 laps and it'll be worthwhile but let's wait to see hey Mike I bet you go back to him a little while and say he won't do that anymore we'll see Spencer now trying to hold back John Andretti whitey what day are racing hard now in just a moment president Bush along with the prime ministers of England and Spain will be addressing the nation and you'll be able to see the president's address over on fox news channel here on the Fox Network race coverage will continue well Jimmy Spencer he's losing about a positional lap right now Mark Martin in the six car we started back in 27th this is a battle for fourth with Mark and Jimmy I know it shows a lot of competence in your car and your driver when you'll stay out on an owner caution like that but there you know just like I do you got to put four tires on particularly early in the race like this where the track is so green and you need all the grip you can get and the longer they go the worse that's going to give Tony Stewart right behind Sterling Marlin Jimmie Johnson you're watching from Johnson's on board and they have sliced their way through traffic in a hurry and they're taking no prisoners my god watching them and when they catch them they pass them if you don't get out of their way it might be one to you Brett boat I'm not in his own car being past Sterling Marlin making the try on the bottom of the racetrack the reason is boudin is running only a partial schedule in his own number 11 to fill the feet of the net just arcade see how that see how that bottled everything up he couldn't get off that corner the guy on the inside couldn't make the pass because you got to be able to slide out and it bottled up everybody behind them that's what causes wrecks here but they're Jimmie Johnson the 48 he was all the way down on the apron in turn two and that was kind of a gutsy move this early in the race and there it is he's in track yeah he just got into sterling that sterling got into the wall I believe Sterling's left front fender is killed as well this trough there he Sterling's in the wall turn one hard bargain the body's in trouble 874 is in it and Sprague and Harvick are there caution is out I mean I think there was a problem that happened all the way over here on the front stretch that started off a turn - yeah yes started over there got everybody wadded up there behind them and they just nowhere to go trying to pass the slower car of Brett Bodine yeah this track is only so wide patience is a virtue but cost Darrell it's so hard to be patient I don't think I've ever seen these guys racing as hard as they are right now early in a race like hit like this here - at this racetrack yeah 48 cars gonna have damage and certainly had probably ruined Sterling's day right there because he got damaged on both sides of his car this was coming in off if he can touch into turn one darling can't turn the car the left front fenders got this steering locked up let's look up toward the top of the frame right over here now it's good unfold right here yeah just the left front tire was rubbing on the fender that wouldn't turn on going in the corner and there bobby labonte he may have got tagged from behind then he gets hit by Kevin Harvick in the 29 as well I don't think I've seen a race start here like this in a long time where everybody's so impatient now under this caution everybody's on pit road except for Dale Jarrett and 88 and Jeff Gordon in 224 everybody else is on pit road for four tires Steve Byrnes Larry Mack Dale Earnhardt jr. says car has freed up considerably they'll make a small air pressure adjustment and a wedge adjustment four tires for Dale Earnhardt jr. Matt Yocum and Tommy Baldwin came on the radio Jimmy's pursuit all right we are going to pit this time as a kick in the love bit of the sheet metal damage the left rear corner they're gonna make an air pressure adjustment in the right Jimmy said his car was good but he just needed some help up off the corner it was just too tight dick Berggren Sterling Marlin winner of this event last year car is really torn up like the right side of the car as well caved in there's a big hole the left front fender they're going to have to remove the radiator it has a puncture wound in it Bobby Labonte is about to garage stalls down trunk has been ripped off that car nose is all pushed in boy there's a beat-up stuff awful early in this race again this all began as Tony Stewart Jimmie Johnson and Sterling were working in a tight pack they're trying to pass other cars just maybe just misjudged a little on Jimmy's part and he moved over into Sterling got sterling up in the wall sterling goes down here he must have a right front tire down or else that left front is hung up in the fender and he can't turn the car he drives right into the wall he saw Robby Gordon's shoot through there let's look from his point of view [Music] third caution of the day here at John [Music] now you see why this track is too tough to tame [Music] next time before we got a little bit of something at the blower's going thing look all right on that right front looks real good Jimmy gotta we gotta settle in here and get to the front we've got to just settle in and right here now guys how's your temps right now 35 all the two inch piece of tape mom [Applause] they put on the fender for the hoods right there let's get ready jack up the right-hand side throw that in there have been and balance out 3,500 second 30 muffin so I top it off with gas I kind of Christopher utter me yeah go ahead chance you got one by Michelin because so much is riding on your tire and brought to you by Dodge you can take life as it comes or you can grab life by the horns done by Pizza Hut now you can get our new freshly baked cinnamon sticks and by Visa proud sponsor of NASCAR this is a visa race break along with Jeff Hammond Chris Myers from the Hollywood Hotel in Darlington three caution flags already inside of the first 24 laps and the driver and crew chief of the 48 car that's Jimmie Johnson and Chad can outs have invited a beat have been invited to the yeah at the at the end of the day to discuss what happened I guess been a six or seven car bang up your butt a little history between Sterling Marlin and Jimmie Johnson if we go back to the finish at Las Vegas yes things got kind of heated up right there on the last lap and your sterling got into 48 car turned him around and you he wasn't very happy about that so I'm sure NASCAR wants to set these guys down and find out what's going on guys but there's one guy I need to make sure they need to bring along with that deal I think as a spotter goes I think they have a little bit of responsibility with this situation also things are heating up every Chad Knaus cooled his a driver at that time and let's see if this continues let's check in with dick Berggren who is standing by during this visa race break with Sterling Marlin sterling what happened out there I guess started a star lap before had a good run on the on a solo car and race y'all wait in the corner in one and and I had to let all for your reckless both and he'll try to get through one in two and come on and then Jimmy got a good run on me off too and got me going in three side beside and come up off forward I guess it was racing in in what Jimmy's fault wasn't my fault Jimmy's got loosened and the slid Oklahoma bumpers and turn us both in offense he got in here too wouldn't turn so nothing deliberate no he just this race and just racing deal and miss Darlington yeah I've never seen you know the star of the race with so many people three wide and I mean just driving like he's tear to go and this place you got to be patient we tried to be but we got caught up in it has been a while racing so far my joy well he saw it like Daryl did now on the restart dale jarrett leads Jeff Gordon Dale Earnhardt jr. Jerry Nadeau who's led a charmed life so far little leprechaun and him today and Jimmy Spencer here we go when I see here today is the young is kind of restless they need to calm down here a little bit I mean tell you I've never seen a race start like this here here come's Navy with a run right up to the bumper of junior they're going to go inside Gordon for second place let's go to the pits and Matt and the young one Jimmy Johnson had to make two stops on pit road one to service the car then he came back in just to work on the cosmetic damage to the right front corner that race car cord quick but a big huge piece of tape used to try to help the aerodynamics a little bit and helped cosmetic damage [Music] Jeff Burton just took ninth place from Ricky Craven right up there against the bumper of his teammate mark mark you know we had him on our Bush show yesterday started back in 37th he said he had a good race car he's pretty much backing it up he's proving it Jr inside a Gordon that second place changing value Terry one thing about a good race car here it will find his way to the front if it's any good at all her a friendly cow and a Rudd had to go way low to keep from getting into the back of her there's Bush to the outside he had to hurry up and get back up on the racetrack before they got to turn one that is not worth this is such a momentum race track I mean you've got to carry speed all the time or you'll get past Jimmy Spencer just went past Jeff Gordon who's fading just a little bit here well we've already seen two cases of we're staying out on old tires ever and when I'm saying old tires that's four or five lap tires is not working it might be alright later but it's not good right now tracks not got any rubber on it it's not got any grip in it those Roush cars right now 8th 9th and 10th the leader of that group is Mark Martin Steve burns in his bed Mike Mark Martin started 27th already inside the top ten the ironic part of that is Kurt's been Leslie saying this morning that they are much better on the long runs and the 99 has a problem coming out of turn two he got into the wall but now a lot of smoke and I think Tony Stewart might have got into him after he had trouble yeah they were they were racing over there I don't know he got into the wall I'm not sure if anything else happened I think it's tire smoke I think the damage from the left rear Darrell is from Tony Stewart but that car is in no hurry to get back to the garage and the caution is out now caution is that now he could not get to pit road because he was trapped on the high side of the racetrack through 3 & 4 Roush Racing plagued with several weeks of engine failures for a variety of reasons and a lot of smoke here from Jeff Burton's car yeah and I gotta believe it's tires because I mean he got up in the outside wall aware off the two real hard he and Tony Stewart racing off that corner over there and that Ian Tony made some contact Jack Roush has seen that scene far too often in the last four weekends well is there damage to Stewart's car the right front of Stuart's may have and I think probably clipped the left rear of Burton's when Burton's car slowed dramatically Tony was down on a pan right there Darrell yeah you see some yeah you see smoke coming out of Burton's car oh it's smoke smoke was coming out of Burton's car yeah it looks identical to him in Atlanta yeah and he got in his own oil I think and got into the fence when I looked up he and Tony you look like you were making contact see right here right here right here Tony comes up boning and yeah it shot Burton into the wall or Ricky Craig it's hard to say today we're gonna quickly get to the bit that's going on from Ricky Rudd the tariff on simply from Jeff Burton's car that's a lonely feeling right there Jeff Gordon in the 24 car he's gonna go from fifth about 25th because most of the leaders stayed out but remember he stayed out over the last caution don't care all these guys came in Matt and Larry to answer question one reason why they're coming down Jeff says the car is just way too loose they made a wedge adjustment they're also going to back up their track bar adjustment debate on the last stop he says they just feel like they're gonna lose way too much time on the racetrack that's why he's getting up the track position now trying to fix the car early so they can gain it back later see that's what happens Mike when you come down there early and make a big change you were too tight to start with and you make a big change in any get to thing way way too loose and so he had to come back in and put it back like it was and find the middle that's what happens here you put it back like it wasn't even alone give Jeff Burton's engine let go we'll check when we come back [Music] all right lap 34 position 14 [Music] motor feels any different than what you had yesterday not the work person I asked about a motor at Darlington car usually what I worry about definitely very peppy feels like it's not good bottles I don't feel good on the bottle okay this was supposed to be a Richford race motor so will this make sure we have it back to there [Music] [Music] [Music] it's like we could afford to be a another under softer on that right front to me now making those thanks for the info never you have bought about anything in [Music] [Music] but er if you were looking for tires I believe the 54 the nine two cars that are out right now thank you [Music] there's a happiest dog in town he belongs to Bobby Hamilton who won the craftsman truck race yesterday here at Darlington second race of the season there's Bobby and Gatorade Victory Lane and here are the Craftsman Truck Series standings brought to you by Sears with Hamilton the boy standing leader after two of 25 races sleeve if I was going to bed I put my money on Bobby Hamilton Cody's got that Winston Cup experience got a great team you can see it all right there all the truck races on Speed Channel well on further review let's have a look back in see where Jeff Burton first got that left rear fender damage coming down to here and again everybody's just running all over each other 32 car dives to the outside but to the inside he got into the left-rear there I say Burton was moving out to try to get a run on Marc so Tony Stewart did not cause that damage and only got a tiny wrinkle above the tire on the right front yeah of his Chevy that's Burton slowing down right there and Tony just had to dive under him Jeff Burton's car has been towed to the garage with what we believe is an engine failure and one week ago st. us on first verse has the same look as it did a year last week we don't even saw you hit the wall later all we found out he did so Roush Racing engine woes continue here's a look over the last three weeks what's happened it also lost two engines of the Craftsman Truck Series race on Friday as well so I'm I know poor jack has to be pulling this hair out of course Jeff Burton came in here tonight in points he's gonna take a big hit and I think Stevens crew chief Paul Andrews thanks Larry Paul what happened to the race car today we had a really good car today sit go forwards awesome Geoff was really going through the field we had some lucky breaks on the pit stops got some good track position but our collars are real strong any idea what's wrong with the motor come out the bottom and look a little bit like Kurt's a little bit like ours last week also engine troubles continue here in the Roush camp they've waived off the restart one lap will go back to green 37 laps complete in the Carolina Dodge dealers 400 here at Darlington back down to pit road and Matt well Mike under car should give drivers a chance to catch their breath and the crew members to kind of check over tires and look at their notes but also gives owner Jim Smith who is at his home in California Washington race to call his spotter Eddie thrive on top of the spotter stand he called an Eddie relayed the message he said the boss called it's a great job hitting five extra bonus points for leading a lap and he thanks you for not pitting under this caution is said to be 1500 bucks cost of a set a tire you would think you could get more than about four or five laps out of a set of tires it cost him that amount of money but you know we've talked about crew chief Tommy Baldwin remember he asked two wins here but with Ward Burton the 22 one of the most frustrating thing is a car owner and I know is to take tires home from here you look at him you say well gosh they don't look like you hardly even use them so we didn't we didn't run up with two laps but they wouldn't we couldn't keep we had to change that's right here's our a singular wireless virtual crew chief question of the week you can vote now from your singular wireless phone by sending the text message fox to phone number 191 or visit foxsports.com to vote online remember last year Sterling Marlin came from the back of the field to win this rings he go had to come from the garage today to win it because he got a lot of problems downer they're working on that car I'm sure they'll get him back in the race but do a lot of repairs on the car [Music] getting set for the restart Dale Earnhardt jr. the new leader jerry nadeau right there with Jimmy Spencer John Andretti and Jeff green little different looking top five than we often see will put Fox Trax in and how about a little st. Patrick's Day crank it up Gregory [Music] [Music] [Music] Earnhardt jr. the leader cars that made pit stops of my work Jeff Gordon coming from the back of the pack once again was almost a disaster get down this crunch straightaway here Jeff Tony Stewart's in the wall often two straightens it up I think that happened going down to front right here Jeff green put a big block on Tony I don't know if they make contact or not or if that was just getting up too high and getting in the loose stuff that's something you're gonna probably hear a say about a 2,000 times a day oh he's in the wall but you know you go into the wall here you're not running so fat and you scrape it you don't really slam into it unless somebody gets into you you get up there I guess and just kind of rub into it it is that Darrell because they're running one at Daytona they call the Richard Petty groove or you're so close to the wall to start with because that's where you run well that's the whole thing I mean now these cars are so fast here Mike you use up all the racetrack you use all the track that there is available to you and you get that close to wall you're gonna rub into it pretty regularly and I'm gonna tell you he hit that thing pretty hard there I could bend ball joints kick the rear and over been trailing arms that was actually the second hit he'd hit it once before back in turn one but Larry he's not lost position he's still running right there in front of Casey Mears Darrell how big a gamble is that you know to stay out and try to diagnose that race car after you bounced it off the wall say no smoke he's got the steering Willa's hand he can tell if he's got a tire rub or not so the tires are smoking you can just about run without it front in here because aerodynamics is not real real important here so it's more in his hands they're going to be telling them you make the call I'm gonna tell you why how about that kid behind Tony Stewart throwing that 41 car Casey Meares only made two Busch starts here he tested here and everybody in the garage here when you talk about young drivers everybody will point toward him and say give him one hose the big one to watch but it's like Jeannie disclosed in the interview with Casey at the top of the show he is used to running cars that are so much faster than these what you always say Darrell you can slow down a guy who's used to running 240 it's hard to make a guy run as 120 feet up you pull a chain you can't push it if you're fine then wrinkled up that's it good for him good run for him today good run for John Andretti who Mark Martin has just passed marks got a pretty good looking car I mean he's been passing a lot of race cars bare neck 510 lat now that's got to be a crew chief who came in and got tires on that last caution versus one that did two seconds of laughs I mean two seconds at the end of a run is about what you'll lose [Music] we look out the back of Dale Earnhardt jr. can hardly see that second-place car back there he's two and a half seconds in front of Jerry Nadeau there's the interval right there back to they do a little further back the Roush cars remaining Mark Martin right there with Kurt Busch now a fourth and fifth I'm telling you Nadeau running second after spinning out on the floor second or third lap of this race right up in front of the whole field and he's still out there going into good shape and of course Kurt Busch qualified six haven't started to rear the field because the engine changed so a lot of these guys are getting to the front from coming from the back Mark Martin and Kurt Busch both have good-looking cars right now they're both handling really well they're running good I got a plate they're sitting there holding their breath oh the nothing happens to him there John Andretti running in a solid sixth place dick Berggren Yan Andretti started in 26th place so he has passed 20 cars to get where he is he's got a fast car but there's still more to be had he called on the radio and told his the car is mechanically tight and Aero loose but theoretically they should be able to adjust it get him still savour speed dusty burns well dick Dale Earnhardt jr. said at the beginning of his race his number 8 car was tight then he said it got freed up now he said it's snug and I like snug every driver does Steve I mean what you want is to be able to turn that wheel to the left and stay in that throttle and if you can do that you can run good anywhere just goes you're hooked on that steer you're in control you've got the car under control it's not you're driving it it's not driving you Kurt Busch Rockets past Spencer that'll change fourth place Jeanne well Tony Stewart actually have no complaints before he met the wall now it's actually not as bad as you might think he has said several times on the radio that they'll have to work on the right front the next time they come through a little bit tight it is not terrible but he did have heard it a little bit you know Mike Larry one of the things we always did coming to Darlington was we made our fender openings the absolute maximum size they could be in other words the clearance around the tires so if we got it into the wall the fenders wouldn't get down into the tires and didn't y'all have to come here with a little extra structure in the right side of your car we do a lot of things to the cars coming here would always be sure that there was enough bracing in that right side to keep the she fell off of the tires that's what you're really trying to do because you just know I don't care who you are how good you are you're gonna rub that wall here you know one of the things I mentioned is you know bending the ball George Evan up in a little ball joint but Jeff Hammond and I last week talked to the mood people that have the ball George for these race teams they came up with a new ball joint the ball goes we used two runners for production cars they've come up now with actually a racing ball joint that's much more durable they gotta have cut they got to have a lot of really nice durable parts on the front these cars now because we've seen last week Rusty Wallace hit the wall in Atlanta Ryan came in made some tire rod made some towing adjustments and he ended up finishing 12th or 13th Tony's right there he had really given up that much after riding the wall the way he did one will tell you Dale Earnhardt jr. five seconds in front of Jerry Nadeau and I asked Tony Eury I said what car is this he said this is a car in at Rockingham I said right now see when you're in the front like this Larry you can just drive off we leave everybody else knows everybody else's race the neat like ricky rudd and our pole-sitter elliott sadler are right now this is for 14th place and until he catches traffic they'll junior is just sitting there Ronnie it's the easiest this one your job is easy as that darling Darlington you're out front all by yourself no traffic but when he catch to the back of this field jerry nadeau akechi five and a half seconds back to Nadeau another two and a half back to Mark Martin Kurt Busch and Jimmy Spencer [Music] [Applause] [Applause] Winston Cup racing on Fox presented by Michelin is brought to you by McDonald's and fine napa auto parts napa we keep America running well we've gone 60 laps Dale Earnhardt jr. your leader at Darlington Raceway welcome back NASCAR Winston Cup Series on Fox presented by Michelin and if you've just joined us you've missed a lot we had more action than an episode of the shield let's take a look back and show you Jerry Nadeau as we watch the live action with junior leading this is native who is second at the time slipping out of a track and then Matt Kenseth having some problems here with Jamie McMurray yeah right there they were trying to basically get back to the caution and Damian Berg got into Matt kids and then you see Kensie this is Italians to hate for what are you doing what's going on here to the crew of McMurray and the Jack Sprague has problems on his own yeah green racetrack early on he had a problem coming off the turn four right there Randy goes he continued outside Sterling Marlin and Jimmie Johnson looked like sterling who won this race last year had some tire problems causing a seven car wreck yeah they start in turn four right off before they got together Starlin got down there one and two wounded wrecking collecting six other cars in this wreck I mean it's been really really interesting so far the Atlanta winner Bobby Labonte having problems there and then the Roush engine story Jeff Burton moved his way from back of the pack out of the race with the engine problems and currently though Mark Martin and Kurt Busch are running third and fourth ginseng Dale Earnhardt jr. back to live action so at least some of the Roush engines are holding up so far and there is Jeff Burton with the Catholic yeah they said Matt there with him and I'm sure he's not very happy camper right now and neither one of them so givi and rest and see how the day plays out for the rest of the Roush car we had four cautions within the first 33 laps here Jeff that you talked about driving with patients and people hitting the wall the most famous wall this side of China have the drivers settled down a little bit here it looks like they're starting to get into a routine here this is why those places you got to develop a rhythm early on if not get you in trouble early at Marc Marc making a move now as well up to third currently Marc really likes this race director he's closing down right now Jerry Nadeau and don't be surprised if Marc's not up here contending for the win before the end of the day let's go back upstairs rejoin Mike joy Darrell Waltrip and Larry McReynolds thanks Chris the only cars officially out of the race Jeff Burton due to engine failure and Todd Bodine damage sustained in the lap 23 crash big movers Dave Blaney has now joined the top 10 and Mark Martin now goes after Jerry Nadeau and moves his Ford into second place it's such a frustrating place to race tony has been working working working trying to get around the seven car here and they can't he can't make the pass and look what it's done behind him cars bottled up everywhere I know that smart Martin going there but I'm going to tell you guys we talked about this kid just a few laps ago Casey Mears in this 41 car right here he drove by Tony Stewart and Jimmy Spencer under green flag racing just a few laps ago [Music] [Applause] great advice from his spotter and from his crew chief Jimmy let's race the race track be patient take care of your tires things you have to do Darrell at this racetrack every single corner every single lap place in really good shape he's gotten to the traffic he's kind of in a zone all by itself and that's what you want here is a zone you want to be all by yourself nobody in front of you nobody behind you that way if anything happens you got time to react to it Tony Stewart backing up there you saw Dave Blaney go by and outside pole sitter Ryan Newman is backing up Steve yeah Mike he's dropped all the way down to 28 from the very start of this race he's talked about how tight his race car is describing it now is unbelievably tight he says the front end is skating and at one point he said up front in the tires were chattering yes Dave once a day in trouble right there with Ward Burton in the 22 car turn one caution is out that group of cars right there just kind of been all just Newman's Muppet hope that's alive they've been all around me now what's his buddy baker spotting for him Larry Force go and get his lap back looks like along with Brett Bodine and Kevin Harvick trying to get their lap back Ward's just having a tough time even getting up to speed though it looks like to stay in front of Dale Earnhardt jr. he's going to make it around as Earnhardt brings the field slowly to the caution flag Burton stays on the lead lap let's see what happened here in turn one Lord just goes in down on the apron and you can't go into that corner with basado someone somebody's got it something's gotta give before you get there you see ward was alway down on the apron what Ward's hoping was it that Ryan would let off a little early and give Ward the room to slide up in front of him if I got doesn't you just about wreck every time going in there like that remember what dick Berggren said in the beginning they told him at the NASCAR meeting this morning you got to give give give you can't take take take normally you just I mean normally you know you can't race somebody into that corner the guy on the outside the guy that has to lift from Kenny Wallace's point of view the contact and this when you mentioned buddy baker is Ryan Newman's spotter Baker won the southern 500 here in 1970 and won this spring race a year later so good a lot of experience up there on the roof for Ryan Newman yeah he's been kind of ryan's coach and he's done a very good job with ryan pit road will be very very busy I'll be the only car that stayed out on the racetrack was the pace car but he might have wanted to tell Ryan that the left Ward go on right there [Music] dick Berggren Kurt Busch comes through stop into his pit area they are going to tighten it a cup a little bit put a little round of wedge in the left rear corner of the car other than that the car has been good to Steve Byrnes no changes for Dale Earnhardt jr. bill try the front tire changer they call him they heat getting the job done no adjustments on the eighth the six car Mark Martin makes an air pressure adjustment let's go to Matt an air pressure adjustment for Jerry Navy no forward grip off the corner they're also trying to pull a tear-off off the windshield with a hook I don't know if they got it did that look like it he also made a track bar adjustment we're working the fifth caution flag of the day in the Carolina Dodge dealers 400 and fame Darlington Raceway which has seen five different leaders Ryan Newman Jimmy Spencer pole sitter Elliott Sadler Dale Jarrett and Dale Earnhardt jr. now that equals or surpasses the number of cautions in 40 of the nearly 100 races they've had at this racetrack the record for today's race 15 caution flags and the way they're running it could be in jeopardy I think it is Mike Cheney we have the time to make sure this toe is squared off and get it right I can get this car back to the front and that is exactly what they're gonna do Tony made his first stop through the pits they worked on that great vendor pulled it out here he comes again I'm going to check the tow in Tony's already noticed improvement in the car in just the one lap that he made Matt Jeannie had a conversation this morning with Chad can ask Jimmy Johnson's crew chief we're talking about at Atlanta where the NASCAR officials normally about halfway Motel teams are allowed an extra man over the wall to service the windshield well it's early in the race Jerry Nadeau had a bad winter they're gonna pull the chair off NASCAR's not allowed teams to have the extra mats they had a big hook with a tire wrap around the windshield tear off to try to yank it up they couldn't get it Nadeau still has a very dirty windshield and is not happy I mean this place is terrible on windshields san blas all everything else you have to get those tear off offs our fox sports crew cam today is being worn by Ohio native Steve Williams he's the catch can man for Ricky Cravens Tide Pontiac the catch can catches the overflow from refueling off the vent he's doing a whole bunch of job so if the catch came in has become one the busiest men on the pit stop he puts the wedge wrench in he holds a second can he's got the catch can in there a lot of things going on in that position right there and that catch can serve two purposes catching the excess fuel out to overflow also there's a Vallon there he has to open before that car will take the fuel that the gas man is dumping in 70 laps Robby Gordon the leader he did not pit under this caution so he's the race leader then Dale Earnhardt jr. leads the race off pit road with Mark Martin and Jerry Nadeau you're watching NASCAR Winston Cup racing on Fox presented by Michelin [Music] [Music] [Music] hey lab step [Music] [Music] [Music] I've already gone five once we've got ginger iers over and three people on all that debris down just watch your eyes [Music] welcome back to Darlington Raceway were under caution at 72 laps Dale Earnhardt jr. leading Mark Martin Jerry Nadeau Kurt Busch at pole sitter Elliott Sadler Ford if you haven't looked lately look again look again at Matt Kenseth in victory lane at Las Vegas helping him vault to the top of the Winston Cup point standings where he leads Dale Earnhardt jr. our race leader by 74 points and earlier today kenseth getting involved after jerry nadeau spun by himself Kenseth drives down the racetrack and Kenseth drives into Jamie McMurray both cars spin but Matt Kenseth has come back staying on the lead lap he's back to 16th place and the driver that initiated that caution Jerry Nadeau his third one an up-and-down day at Darlington they do he's doing a good job though he's been right up there at the front ever since to start a race even with the spin so boy I'll tell you one thing about this joint Oh Mike you better come here will you work close on a day's work right here buddy driver crew the whole crowd goes the crews are busy patching up the cars the drivers are busy tearing them up 100 miles of racing completed Darlington now coming back into the race Tony Raines Sterling Marlin and Bobby Labonte are all back in the race after crash damage here Steve Byrnes hey Mike just to follow up a bit on Mark Martin in that six car they took some air out of both front tires and took a round of bite out of the left rear so that's the update on mark Martin's pitched off the Steve that tells me that car is getting tighter it's not want to turn they saw from the front spring rate by taking air out of the tires and took some wedge out we talked about before break Robby Gordon he stayed out just a liitle lap but now Dale Earnhardt jr. in a car he is looking to race that crew proved why they the McDonald's picture of competition two weeks in a row they beat everybody off pit road from our aerial coverage provided by Budweiser they come around the small end of the Speedway turns three and four and look for the restart to begin lap 75 long as we keep these cars keep them bunched up the way that we have here with all these cautions we're going to keep on having people banging into each other like to talk about 100 miles in the book so there's really only two cars officially out of the race Jeff Burton of course with the Indian failure and Todd bow tied in the 54 car [Music] Mark Martin with a little different line there in second place zero right around the bottom of the racetrack that's the way we used to run this joint I mean that was turns one and two and when your car was it'd be a little tight on that turn there what we've what used to be one and two when you got the car good on that and then you go down here two turns three and four you'd be a little bit loose so this racetrack is very difficult there's always a compromise to try to get where you drive it on both ends Joe Nemechek takes 10th place from Casey Meares here comes the floor that is Mike Skinner and you might the reset the turns down here three and four now our sweepers you sweep through that corner you get down here two turns one and two you go up into that turn and cut you cut twice to get through that term wants to get in wants to get off and it really is a two different terms totally tech-free drops to the bottom on Skinner makes the pass I'd say he's been strong pretty much all day long started back in 32nd position we watched him yesterday in practice he was pretty good on those long runs and like a lot like Jerry Nadeau those guys need a good finish first full races have not finished better than 25th but we greens run one here in his Busch car last year I believe it was so he gets around here pretty well Jeff Green in 12th there's Matt Kenseth still moving back up toward the front he's at 14th place Mike Skinner net for car he looks like he's on the move pretty good his old cars turning good all next to the corner cause everybody has fresh tires right now it's 50 laps in the run that's when you see the good cars prevailed Wow log jam right here Oh Mayfield got a little tap from Stewart this is back from about xx on back there's a lot of room for your car for you to go a lot of places you can go but there's a lot of no place to Carl to stick except right up in that groove there a lot of amazing though these guys are not bashful about getting all the way down on the apron getting in the third one that's what shoots these race cars up the racetrack well that's this is classy slide job you drive it think down underneath of them and to gone outside better let you in are you gonna wreck both cars that's what this joints always been about though it's it's about anticipating where you going to catch you guys not only the guys that's making the pass but the guy that's being passed and you got to let off on the straightaway let they go to the inside go or you'll wreck now watch Tony Stewart's orange Chevrolet home be posh Evie right here now he's thought you know he's got a little bit of a run the 19 car gets loose I mean it you know if he'd have been carrying any more speedy to been in the back of Mayfield's car have been a wreck looks like twice on one on one straightaway Dale Earnhardt jr. a second and a half up on Mark Martin Jerry Nadeau his third Kurt Busch is fourth pole sitter Elliott Sadler running in fifth just ahead of Dave Blaney this is this place you don't do anything for the first 300 miles except stay out of trouble keep defenders on the cars stay out of trouble don't get in the wall don't get run over then you go racing the last hundred miles let's go to the pole sitters pip hears battle let's check we're really going to be good in the long run and [Music] hurt Elliott Sadler's say in our pre-race he felt like his car was the strongest dave blaney is real happy he has passed 25 cars but he's even more happy with his own vehicle crew chief robert booty barker nailed the setup so far no complaints from Blaney no adjustments just new tires when he comes in on his pitstop stick Chun edge China edge reading went from 6:00 to 10:00 thon that last round of pit stops they decided to tighten up the car and the decision he's got how did you that was made by no less than Richard Petty he clearly worked he's picked up another spot and ready now running in ninth spot one of those long runs that some of the drivers are looking for the longest green flag run we've had has been right at 30 laps and these things do get ill about 50 laps into a run but I tell you God been watching Larry started way way in the back but he's just nipping his way the front is this kit right here things are looking up for him yeah no give this is the same car that we heard our guys earlier talked about he had it rocking him a lot of teams even Elliott Sadler talk to Raymond Fox month this morning myself I set up their works in Rockingham what we're pretty turnable for this place always ran mom this was always a I ran the Bristol set up here but as my brother always told me I'm old school Jerry Nadeau running in third does he have a tire rub on the right front seen a little bit of smoke track a little haze over there he could have brought the idea yeah big-time bet and that's exactly what he has on the Rainey on his team told him that the right front tire was robbing and then adept that would really really that's that's a serious rub I don't think I'd sit out there very long with that I'm not sure that he got into anybody it doesn't appear to have a lot of damage if there might be minor damage but he can't stay out there with that tire rubbing like that no oil is under way to deal one outside that was checked with one of the cars that was behind maybe it wasn't no I don't see any damage on the car whatsoever yeah we've been towed that NASCAR is going to put the black flag out for him so he's gonna have to come to pit road that's gonna cost him probably close to two laps and what a shame I mean off to the start he had there he spun out and he recovered and he's running at a top I don't think it is either now I did it initially but it's got to be a no leak I mean this is the kind of look these guys have had all your yeah that's not a tire rub now it's coming out of both fenders yeah Jerry Nanak you look at the back of that car go to old pressure force day Ben get that stay back stay back down tonight - Matt oh my he can see you Ryan padlet in the poochie's hooking the hood he's gonna raise the hood Jerry maybe said one day or aligners Sunday attend smells like oil grime is bar crowd orders now it goes what's wrong here with the L want a tough break for an ad had a great day going you can see the crew still look around a bit he's trying to dissect what's wrong and he shut it off there's oil all over the outer edge of the tires it took the tires off in the Sears oil everywhere underneath the hood it's on the hood [Music] well that's a heartbreaker for jerry nadeau it's one thing one when that happens and you're running in the back but when you're running up there in the top three cops that's tough and overcome what they had overcome by spinning out there the first part of racing getting back up the third position and plus I think it's good for the Pontiac teams because I think they were probably the the weaker of the all the manufacturers and to have a car running that well was good for them today Matt Kenseth leader in the NASCAR top-10 you see him closing up on Dale Earnhardt jr. he's just gone in the ninth place and we talked about overcoming deficit just remember he had spun out early in the race was way back almost dead last now he's up tonight just went by John Andretti [Music] there let's have a look at de learn our juniors lying around this racetrack is just looking for a place where there might be a little grip that's up it is a little grip but when your car is handling like that car appears to be handling you can run it where you want to because it will never it won't do anything you don't expect it to and that's what happens to you here you drive off in the corner things on handling of it now coming off before that is right out against the wall right there but you look at look at his hands Mike see his hands he's not fighting with that car watch this he goes down here he uses it into the corner I mean that is a beautiful hand and I'll handle it automobile here at Darlington and thing about running to where it loans to it's easy on the tires as well and you can hear him work in the throttle you don't just mad it here you got to work the throttle cars got a handle good you got to be able to ease into that trouble looked like it took his left hand and reached out in front of the window event for a little air it might be wanting to stay cool look good you know but if there is a racetrack where you driving as much with that throttle of that steering wheel is with the Prophet pedal it's here at darling hi folks we're going to help you out here's the not so secret number in our via Grand Marshall for a day contest just log on to nascar.com or foxsports.com and Lycos and enter for your chance to win if you win you'll start the race right in the pace car wave the checkered flag and be a network executive Winston Cup racer Rockingham next year more detail kourt's calm or nascar calm we're either side inside the fan inside [Music] clear low [Music] [Applause] [Music] NASCAR on Fox presented by Michelin is brought to you by UPS official delivery company of NASCAR we want to race the truck people love the truck UPS official delivery company of nascar delivers a chance to win four tickets to the Daytona 500 log on to foxsports.com keyword the UPS racing jerry nadeau back on track eight laps down but the report is he may be leaking fluid they're going to bring them back in and let's go to Matt great race car prepared by Ryan a heartbreak line what's wrong with the car we we broke the oil pressure of sitting on the back of the back of the heads there we lost a lot of oil and the shame Gary's been doing a great job team's doing a great job we really feel like we're getting things together here it shows like it on the racetrack binder then we're running third so feel really good about everything it's just a shame the US Army car was doing great the team come together just the shape I had that happen at Charlotte three or four years ago normally you would run a steel fitting right there it goes into down the back of the motor through the firewall to the gauge sometime a gal miss around put an aluminum fitting right there and that lad sit there and vibrates and breaks that fitting right off well Darryl with NASCAR's now decided as the natives come around a couple of times and they believe what may have been leaking was what was spilled from the earlier leak and that now that's burned off and they're gonna leave Jerry out right a little residual oil laying around on top the motor there what's frustrating about that fitting that's not a fitting for performance issues it's opera to be able to read the oil pressure makes you wonder why do we run an oil pressure game yeah I knew it and trust me if that's what happened you'll go home and you'll kick yourself all weekend all week long all right begs the question why not an electric gauge why run a gauge where you've got to run an extra line to the gauge why not use an electric senator I don't think that'd be very on these engines I mean they're dry sump engines and if the oil pressure there's only a couple of gauges you really need to be really accurate on and the oil pressure is one open so I wouldn't want to take a chance on some kind of electrical problem messing up a whole person here's our pole-sitter Elliott Sadler and the Robert Yates number 38 for Jeff Gordon third and fourth and quite honestly if you look at these cars today the gauge is in Amory today you're just about what like what was in them 10 15 20 years ago haven't changed all that much one of the few things I can say that about here's Kurt they're lighter the gauges are lighter we know that here Kurt Busch who is running in fifth place let's listen hear what he's saying there Darryl is they they must have been a little bit loose they put wedge in it which is supposed to tighten the car up but it made the car looser it's not unusual about this racetrack so what he's saying get that wedge back out what's linking me loose is my car is laying down on the right-front then it's getting loose yeah he's got too much wedge in the car and it's actually like riding on three wheels and I think Jeff Hammond can show us at the Ford cutaway car exactly what he's kind of described [Music] we're going to learn what's going on right now a shark fish if you'll look he's talking about the rights run he's going over his charts [Music] rubber right here the truck runs free just like this there what that will do it will make the right they put if they put about a half a rubber like Jeff had in his hand there that'll stiffen that spring about a hundred hundred fifty pounds you can't start the race with a rubber on your front spring but you can add one as an adjustment on the pit stop during the race 106 laps complete Dale Earnhardt jr. is lead 2.8 seconds on Mark Martin but what I liked about that was Kurt Busch young kid that got a lot experience owned any of these racetracks but he knows what he wants that race car to do and he's telling Jimmy that's what crew chiefs Larry knows and Jeff he wants the crew chief give me some feedback tell me what you need tell me what we can do to make the car better and that was a great call on his part and that's what Jimmy Finn has told me about Kurt Busch he never quits thinking about a what his race cars doing what it might need to fix it on what he can do to make the car better himself right now here's Dave Blaney ladies been in the top 10 all day flirted with the top five and he's presently in seventh place Jeannie [Music] Judy Barker request from his driver you guess absolutely perfect I guess on this setup and we were perfect we believe pretty good so right now but 185 to go and colleagues invites you we're just telling so far so good guys you know Mike Larry Jeff a guy wanted to pick but I kept watching practice he started way back in the field I thought that they maybe not going to have that great weekend I should know better Dale Jarrett in that 88 car is slowly working his way up to this field and he's up to a lemons place right now and that car really looks good picking them off one at a time I think we're gonna hear a lot about Dale Jarrett for the day's over first race we did here on Fox 2001 Dale whipped up on a pretty bad here two years ago and I think he's doing the same thing he did two years ago he's good he don't run that fast lap but he's good on those long runs it's something we need to mention this is Dale Jarrett's 500th career start Winston Cup start here today guys talking about Dale Jarrett what I found to be interesting I think we talked about a couple times Jeanne Zelasko documented that they were able to use the notes off of Elliott Sadler's car they actually even changed the front spindles Larry because the feeling Dale's car was not quite like he wanted and he relied a lot on what Elliott said about his race car thought maybe was just a little bit better so they made those changes which are pretty big when you come to a racetrack to change front spindles to get your car driving right Jeff you wouldn't let me change my pick would you Darrell no just thought I'd ask speaking of picks Sterling Marlin the defending champion of this race for at least the second make that the third time today has just pulled his dodge to the garage Dale Earnhardt jr. at one point six seconds over Mark Martin [Music] bill outside layer clear [Music] good job diverts right that all right [Music] [Applause] [Music] 25 more laps 30 to 60 fastest car on the track [Music] 30 to 40 lot of 50 inspectors in front of you [Music] new leader at 117 laps mark Barton out in front of Dale Earnhardt jr. and Myka what I'm saying earlier you come up to the back of the field I don't care how big a lead you got you don't just blow by these people when you get on old tires their junior runs up on a slow on a lap car car he's getting ready to lap and Mark had to run off turn two now one reason try passing may have been may have so easily taken the lead from junior was a conversation the junior had with his crew a few minutes ago we do many I'm tired now and there you see to the next pit stop on junior 15 laps and that's not for fuel that's for tires but what happens here in these long red runs is that some of the leaders start coming to pit road it don't matter what lap your own you can't be far give up so much time to them with them on fresh tires and folks away you can see that is that with the difficulty that they're having laughing other cars yeah it's just so hard you know the tires are worn out now and you just don't have the you don't have the maneuverability that you need to work your way around people that's what happened to junior dave blaney just got around Kurt Busch that was for sixth place Joe Nemechek has moved up now into the top five yeah Nemechek just got by Blaney just a lap or two ago but Blaney is having a great day and so was Joe Nemechek but you know we talked about comparing this place to Rockingham Blaney had a great run at Rockingham a few weeks ago this place is very similar that's the same car that he ran at rock community Rockingham here in Bristol are very very similar on tires and setup and everything else Tony Raines who was involved in the lap 23 crash has taken his car back to the garage joining Sterling Marlin Jeff Burton Jack Sprague is Todd boat on it talk about cars coming to pit road Ryan Newman in the 12 car he's on pit road this is probably a routine stop he's doing that short pity he's gonna get advantage of those fresh tires hope it cycles through you don't want to get caught by caution flag he'll make up that much time on the leader what happens here though is when car start to make their pit stops you got cars out there that are 2 seconds faster against and the closing rate is so fast sometime you have an accident here because the guy with the new tires runs a phone a slow car and they get together what do you know that well Darrell that's the exact concerned Tommy Baldwin jr. has for his driver Jimmy Spencer in fact he told spotter Eddie threat start telling me when guys start peeling off the to get stuck out there lose too much track position on these older tires thanks Matt one of the fastest cars on the racetrack has been Michael Waltrip he went past Dale Jarrett past Ricky Craven and you just saw him pass Jimmy Spencer that moves Michael into the top ten it's almost like he's been saving his tires maybe a little bit more than some of the other guys have because he just found all of a sudden started going by these guys Greg Biffle in the 16 car he'd been in the top 15 he's on pit road along with Ward Burton who just went a lap down and Michael did come here and test couple of weeks ago and said he loved his car in race trim that is a backup car though he wrecked his primary car yesterday in practice now Mark Martin struggling to put Robby Gordon down a lap see he doesn't want to go a lap down and he's not going to give in to mark and you can hold the leader up here so badly Robbie's having a Dave Marcus kind of race stayed out on the caution to lead a lap pick up five bonus points and now he is fighting like crazy to stay on the lead lap long as he wants to hold him up I think he can because his we'll really have to be careful cuz he's the leader of the race you don't want to take get rekt by somebody that can't beat you see if it works this time and why these guys are fighting Robby Gordon Jeff Gordon who's in third place he's the Larry Mac expect Mark Martin to pin on a belt lap 134 mark says he wants just a little more trip out of his race cars we're going to take a little more air pressure about a half pound out of both front tires he said his cars needing her loose core tight he just wants a little more grip Steve he's getting that point where he's happy with this car you don't want to over just like Darrell and I talked about while ago and people may say a half a pound air but this radial tire remember the radio tires like a spring so that's like taking about 10 or 15 pails of spring rate out of those front Springs a half a pound of that price let's see do a little we bit at a time you want to slip up on it you don't make any great big adjustments you don't get the car upset Johnny Benson Pitts mark mark our brother Mark Martin bleeds and Jeff Gordon closes the gap on second place Dale Earnhardt jr. Mark Martin racing with the with the 31 car it cost him a second a lamb coming out around maderos now we get to a point in the race on green flag pit stops which appears to me it appears treacherous because you have cars that were slow now on brand new tires racing cars on the lead lap that were fast and now around worn tires and have backed up you catch a guy you just catch people in places where they have nowhere to go and neither do you you run over each other Robby Gordon who just flipped that lap down in the 31 he comes to pit road along with Jimmy Spencer in the 7 car Bobby Labonte course whose many laps now and I tell you this is one of the most treacherous pit road to get home to under green it's a stop bone Yin you have to get on the apron and that apron is very slick a lot of sand dirt grit down there and you get it on those hot tires Jimmie Johnson is east of his cars way off he's been struggling the last several laps I've watched him he's lost lots of positions and now he goes a lap down battling the scheduled stop for Jimmy Spencer lap 128 just like Tommy Baldwin talks back a chassis adjustment left side in place change for second place 24 car service complete for Spencer green flag pit stops first time we've seen this today first long green flag run of the afternoon hey dirty almost he missed it right there we just talked about it in the 97 card he completely missed pit road except though you got to go around again you get down and you get that salmon grid on your tires that took the car will turn any he can't even want to get back up to speed this is going to cost him a lot of time now watch him right here to turn three and four there's the interest to pit road right there and it's as you see it's right in the middle of turn four and there he comes oh yeah maybe he can't make it way to face completely missed it yeah I mean you have to remind your driver you're trying to do all you can it's a green flag pit stop you have to remind him on the front stretch you have to remind him to get on the back pitch about the interest of pit road and now he comes in extra slow what's up Casey Mears and Rusty Wallace almost run right over him yeah he's gonna mess that missed that I messed up once Joe Nemechek working on Dale Earnhardt jr. this is now for third place remember Jeff Gordon's gone past per second and don't forget to joe nemecheck screw chief almost won this race a couple of times with with Mayfield here in the 12 car the current L Kurt Busch has got a whole bunch of things that they want to try to do this stop they're changing the wedge either changing fire they also had to pull the tear off off the windshield he was having a hard time see and did not put that rubber in the right front spring seen the point leader Matt Kenseth in Casey Mears completing his stop going out Mark Martin in the six car Tony Stewart in the 20 car Jimmie Johnson who just went a lap down he's on pit road long with Elliott Sadler Dave Blaney this is the deal it's a domino effect once a few cars start to pit you can't be far behind Dale Jarrett an 88 car he comes to pit road as well Steve Byrnes Mark Martin will have to get in just ahead of the 23 of Kenny Wallace slides into his pits to the right of the pit buddies safely inside tops and rotating the front tires before escalating on the rear tires the jack man Chris where Richmond schinsky the gas man no Acosta's just a little air pressure retired from our cart [Music] Dale Jed Dale Earnhardt jr. he's fouled pit road Jeff Gordon is now led eighteen of his 21 Winston Cup starts at Darlington he's had six victories here Nemechek Salida right now boy all these guys that have made pit stops they're just worn by him left and right left and right he couldn't get defeated if you want to do Steve what DW Taylor jr. says his cars got just a little bit looser going to change four tires have a pound of air in the right front leg up speed sorry sit back on lap where the car was gonna go loose at 4:25 friendly losers the plate was the I'm at Dale Earnhardt jr. discussed not making any changes at all but again a half a pound in the right front tire that number eight car we're leaders giving up joe nemecheck giving them so much right now he's finally coming to pit road now Darryl I mean yeah that he couldn't run any further but Peter suspends Oh almost won the race here a couple of times with Jeremy may feel when they were in the 12 car that's Joe's crew chief so he knows how to set a car for this join doesn't surprise me to see that 25 car running up front like that Nemechek gets an extra two or three laps from that set of tires yeah his car didn't look bad if one like it was handling bad was just slow I'd like to say he couldn't get out of the way fast enough I think he wanted to get into pit for two laps and couldn't get out let's keep track his last lap on the old tires was thirty three point five eight seconds we'll have a look at how he runs with new tires once he gets back up to speed Elliott Sadler back up to fifth place Matt Mike as the pit stops continue the sight line your Elliott Sadler has climbed himself back into the top five he pitted back on lap 133 he's been loose and tight back and forth all day he was at it three and also wedge adjustment on the pole Simmons so the pole Center is fifth our point leader Matt Kenseth is fourth Jeff Gordon is third Mark Martin has now reassumed the lead in the Pfizer viagra Ford at 136 laps Mike you just mentioned and I'm telling you this guy right here what a rollercoaster day good pit stop like normal and he's actually going to be running third now that all the pit stops has cycled under green hey he's our point leader and you know if he keeps doing it this is what you have to do to win championships have trouble overcoming Mark Martin out in front at Darlington after 136 lat one flat leader up 38 you're okay man it'll come [Applause] [Music] 35 litre wrought 3085 at seven cars short load up their product [Music] no pressure foot behind you gained a bunch on the leaders on your stop nice job [Music] 31 chance leader 31 pan we thought you said cars neutral but understanding [Music] yeah Roger no pressure from behind 31:20 same as the leader [Applause] [Music] NASCAR Winston Cup racing on Fox presented by Mitchell is brought to you by for the official truck of NASCAR by RadioShack you've got questions we've got answers by NetZero internet access and by coca-cola the official soft drink of NASCAR Mark Martin believes here's why Jeff Gordon's up to second place a sub 14 second stop you see that just as we tape it during that round of green flag pit stop a few minutes ago nuta wits to come this season the McDonald's drive-through challenge powered by fueled by Powerade all pit stops are timed and the participating crew with the shortest cumulative time it's 20 grand than the season-long winner $200,000 there are the standings not bad money of all Gorton his second two seconds behind race leader Mark Martin but he is closing at a high rate of speed Mike same Odile marks up here people trying to stay on the lead lap the one car got lapped and got back around Mark's got his hands full trying to get through these lab cars and of course these lap cars like Steve Park it's their job to do everything they can to stay on the lead lap should they catch costume of course Martin tried about esteemed Park once ago the 31 car was really given mark a hard time mark come off and for their lost his momentum Steve come off with a head of steam and around him he went and gordon's back there nipping away he's loving every minute of this was once the leader gets by you you know you're a little more forgiving you'll let the guy run in second go because you've lost your out fraternity to get your lap back and no fault to Steve Park that's his job take it in he sees the situation take advantage and get going Get gone now what about Jimmy Spencer Spencer was up in the top five when pit stops came and whoops back bumper gets kind of skinned up there no like wall was all drawn in they just need to hope that bumper cover stays in place there don't start dragging because he's sitting there right now running in night position and he stopped early Darrell was etic could that have been new versus old tires new tires old tires I'd say [Music] jeff gordon l 3.9 delegates behind mark mark st. they happen to Jeff that happened to mark he had to go through that st. back in traffic they held him up a little while marks he still had gotten around to the one car up here though he's still working on him pretty good there you see able to Fox Trax he's three and three-quarter seconds behind the leader mark mark right now and it's pretty much holding all the way around the racetrack in there their lap times are fairly close to each other and if you're planning your sandwich stops at home we are halfway in the Carolina Dodge dealers 400 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina Mark Martin eight different or nine different leaders today Dale Earnhardt jr. pole-sitter Elliott Sadler Dale Jarrett Jimmy Spencer Joe Nemechek Jeff Gordon Ryan Newman Robby Gordon and Martha have led this race last time to here now mark was the long side of the one car as they come off turn two couldn't make the pass had to back off park went on lost all that game all that ground he game and here comes Gordon you same right here coming up on the back of the bumper of the six car and I got a date your little brother is not doing too bad today boys yet I mean remember he had to start this race in the car that was unpracticed because of crashing yesterday and happy hour the final practice and he's moved up to the ninth position it's not bad from the back in the backup car he seems to be good on those long run well he tested here and he told me said DW I love my car he said it's a most awesome car I've ever had in Darlington [Music] [Applause] [Music] Jimmy Spencer after that contact with Mike Skinner now Spencer is in the tenth position and still a bumper cover not apparently a danger just a little bit broken up there bongos wagging his tail Mike the Darlington stripe on the right side was hard enough though to give Spencer some concern about a possible tire rub but they had any threat to spot or take a look at it several times by spray dealer Becca Spencer said it looks good doesn't look like the tires rubbing Jimmy yummy meant we've been watching there are monitor as well we've seen no smoke whatsoever so I think he's in good shape he did tank wall pretty hard after contact with the nose of Mike Skinner's Pontiac [Music] just past the halfway point mark mark leading and Winston Cup racing on Fox presented by Michelin [Music] 3150 leader 3180 medpar German [Music] 31:55 expand Marta [Music] 31:55 leader at 3200 a [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Fox welcomes you back to Darlington South Carolina this is a visa race break with Jeff Hammond Chris Myers from the Hollywood hotel more than halfway through this race and Mark Martin currently here leader and what a difference a week or a couple of weeks make he of course with Roush Racing and they've been taking their heads for engine problems and we saw even earlier today with Jeff Burton who has had a lot of success here at Darlington having some problems and falling out of the race but you know long jump John and they happened to be Mark Martin on 117 he actually takes the lead away from failing our junior right here and Mark is looking very strong right there bandaged got a kind of serious literally space so some members of your team can have problems mark mark was second to last in Atlanta he did finish last in Las Vegas but he is currently leading this race can he hold on it if you look in the top 15 drivers right now there are four including Mark Martin of Roush drivers like Aaron C brother there's only one thing you can do right now is run it as hard as you can to try to stay out there in the front and he's a great man right now for doing that and here's another guy right now who led early on that's joe nemecheck but to show you the difference in tires here at Darlington on old tires just before it nemecheck pitted he was running like 30 350 he came in put on new tires came back out he ran 30 76 that is 13 miles an hour's difference between old tires and new tires that's the reason why Darrell and all these guys keep talking about the rate of closure with guys with new tires versus Owens how much trouble you can get in and how important it is to make sure you get in and out of pit road right kind of sequence otherwise you can lose a lot of ground speaking of a pit road let's get on a check to get more on the 25 car and tell him to check the Jeanne Zelasko also a guy that has a pretty good race setup today just one track bar customer Leon been a nice Sunday ride for Nemechek he's saying now the card is a little tight right now but word from his spotter and his crew chief look the car looks good everything looks beautiful Mike jeanny I'll tell you who's coming right behind Joe Nemechek and that is Dave Blaney in seventh place but he's been closing fast on Nemechek Larry auntie Judy Barker's just got to be beside himself to go in there and take that team over come to the Busch Series away did steps into this operation here and man has he made a difference I mean it was a tough decision I mean he left the bush not already to leave a bush mean he left the championship-caliber Bush to Bill Davis and stop women bootie said I wanted to be a Winston Cup crew chief by age 30 he says I'm 31 so I got some lost time to make up I'll tell you talking about Dave Blaney another car right there that yellow car Mike Skinner I mean he's been coming to he's up to 8th position after starting back in 23rd this race team Mike Skinner Larry McClure the whole group they need a good run they only had one top-10 finish last year it'd be great to see them close the deal here with the top ten finish Skinner presently eighth running 8 seconds off the lead and right off the bumper of Jimmie Johnson who's won now Jimmy Spencer has now dropped a spot to Dale Jarrett that puts him back to 13th place Matt Mike he is fading and fading fast Ben's reports the crew chief Tommy Baldwin and we've lost the handle the race car Tommy Tolle's Benjy piece what they proudly said was not to tow out when he hit the wall and back Thomas said hit the wall pretty darn hard we actually saw it on TV yeah I mean I'm sure that he has a lot more damage than it appears to have that's what's affecting the car Jeff Green right behind him I've put Jeff Green in a class with Dave Blaney as perhaps the two most underrated drivers in the Winston Cup garage lot of talent there too Jeff Green is crew chief now Mike beat had some good runs here last year with Ricky Craven to the 32 car and as I said earlier they were very fast in both the final practice sessions yesterday Dave Blaney is caught Matt Kenseth who's backing up Joe Nemechek just past Kenseth the lap ago 4/5 the Blaney trying to take six there sometime you know we just had a round of pit stops sometime you make the wrong adjustment you go the wrong way as we're at Kurt Busch talking to Jimmy Benny earlier and you just start backing up and you can't wait for that next round to stop to get it put back like it was dick Berggren is in the point leaders pin Matt Kenseth has been dropping back he has gone back from third to sixth Mike the problem with the car is that it's just a bit tight he's having trouble picking up the throttle when he picks up the throttle the nose pushes out but they are almost 30 laps away from their scheduled pit stop sock crew chief and former Busch Series driver Robbie Reiser they're back up front mark mark with a 2.8 second lead on Jeff Gordon well you don't want to be loose here because if you're loose here you gonna rent but what happens to you get over you go over the edge air Larry with getting the car too tight then it won't turn you won't wreck but you won't go anywhere well that's reason Mark Martin we talked about it earlier they just been making small adjustments cuz we know now this racetrack is getting plenty of rubber on it and that's going to tighten the racecar up as well it's a momentum racetrack you've got to be able to use the throttle as much as possible to keep your momentum up when the car is tight pushing you got to be lifting out of the trouble a lot you just don't go anywhere and what about the driver who led most of the last green flag run Dale Earnhardt jr. Steve mic down on our juniors describing his race car as tight Tony Eury jr. said that's because the spring rate on these tires is different that's why you feel tight and we can look in the car there you see his hands going down the straightaway here going down into turn three seem getting an extra seat get that another at right hand over there get that other hitch we're gonna have to turn that thing to the left coming off the corner and you can hear he's not back in the gas now what makes the spring rate on this set of tires different air pressure well yeah I was just going to say Steve Mike Darrell what happens when you get these tires from the tire company they actually have rated this tire talked earlier about the tire being a spring and they actually have the rate wrote on them you work very hard to get matched set of tires where it don't differ but if you heard Matt Yocum talking beginning of the r870 sets it's almost impossible to get every set of the same [Music] Elliott Sadler's close right up here on the back of Jeff Gordon Jeff got a little bit of traffic and that's for a battle for second place right there so our poll centers having a pretty doggone good day you're finished second in this race last year and he's proving it he was not a one lap wonder when he said on Bowen he's always down on the apron and they know they're smart racing right there there you see Jeff Gordon go to the inside you're faster than me you called me catch me here you can't stand to have somebody else your back loafer you got to get him out from behind you it's like the joke about the old bowl of the young bulls standing up at the top of the pasture looking down at all the cows and just waved Elliott senator Bayh go get him son yeah I'll be down there in a minute [Music] things that go bump and darlington up this is on Fox [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] there he is inside began behind him all clear [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] thirty forty about twenty four lands we're low up on clear all clear [Music] NASCAR on Fox presented by Michelin is brought to you by Budweiser the best things in life are the things that are true Budweiser welcome back to Darlington at 175 laps mark Barton leads from Elliott Sadler and Jeff Gordon Dave Blaney has taken fourth place boy Dale Earnhardt jr. Lee looks good Larry humming that suckers yeah he just put two Kenny Wallace down a lap that was a 20th place car so we have nineteen cars on the lead lap there you see the graphic right there 18 laps to mark Martin's probably on pit road that will be mainly for tires not for fuel and there you see he's almost four seconds ahead of second place Elliott Sadler five cautions in the first 74 laps since then we've had two long green flag runs Matt Kenseth now battling Mike Skinner for seventh place if you want to know what backpedaling looks like that's kind of what it looks like we'll just have a theme car starting to see a few cars come to pit road this is a little bit earlier we still feel like we're about 15 to 20 laps away Ryan Newman went a lap down he came to pit road along with Robby Gordon Greg Biffle Johnny Benson and now Kenny Schrader in the 49 Kurt Busch missed the pit entrance he was running in eighth position and trying to get to his pit cost him six spots when pit stops cycled through he was back to 14 since then he has climbed up to 10th spot but those have been hard spots to regain and and just Hamlin the racetrack he's about a half a lap down now his teammate leader hard part they did not have time to put that spring rubber in the right front of Kurt Busch's car we're talking now about taking one out of the right rear on the next pit stop yeah I mean Darrell Mike is competitive as things on pit road to me putting a rubber in that's like the last place or because you're going to give up so much time whether it's under caution under green so I'm sure they've talked about other adjustments to keep from having to do that he just cuts it I know what you'd be telling me just gonna have to live with it but we don't have the time put one in the front it's very difficult to do Martin's lead on Elliott Sadler 3.8 seconds Jeff Gordon is a further one second behind running in a comfortable third he's four seconds ahead of dave blaney man these cats come and get two tires they go flying by the leader and everybody actually thinks I'm happening to him let's go to the pits of the third place car here's Matt Mike back in the year 2000 caleb earth the catch game and for Jeff Gordon's completely is senior college at Virginia Tech a new install holder for the place could run the football team a chance meeting with Brian wise to the team manager in the 24 the not only an internship but then a full-time job as a team engineer the guy who used a hold for Shady Graham is actually a guest this week of the 24 he came by the shop he picked practice with the team he jacked the car and Jamie's tires he carried the tires and they said looking at the stopwatch he has a better future as an NFL kicker currently with the Carolina Panthers Jeff Gordon is kicking some today up there in third place four-time winner you know they always say two crew chiefs heads is better than one so I'm going to confirm our crew chief know what I'm gonna probably do who say yeah these guys pitted under green was about 160 two laps to go if I kind of try to divide that into three runs two more stops rather than stretch it to 65 laps I made back it up to about 60 laps on this set and get the advantage of the each set of tires that 60 laps to get to the end of this thing should we go green the rest of the way that's the best way that I know of that you can maximize each run learn you know how much we've already documented it with joe nemecheck how much his tires fell off those last five or ten laps can cost you as much as six or seven seconds if you're not careful yeah boy I tell you that 38 car is coming in a hurry guys but she's closing up on Mark Martin he's gonna be right here of his time they make their pit stops just stand by we'll get you four fresh tires here real quickly and have a drink of water get that next stop [Music] what Carl be pissed its lab to be on the bottom [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] no pressure from behind the four cars fitting this time ah clear all clear [Music] [Applause] [Music] free flag pit stops have begun Mike Skinner is done Dale Jarrod's in Jeff green or Rusty Wallace and Joe Nemechek are on pit road mark Barton leads by 3.8 seconds trouble john andretti hard crash on the front straightaway caution is out boy this is gonna hurt a bunch of guys let's say no I don't know Larry pit road is pretty clean yeah but she had a lot of cars on pit road and had just went a lap down it they'll have fresh tires mark Martin's over in the middle of 3 & 4 right now looks like Ricky Rudd is trying to come to get that lap back and we'll so will there it looks like Larry Foyt and Jesus to the caution flag I think did Jarrett lose a lap yeah Jarrett Dale Jarrett who had pitted along with Rusty Wallace Jeff green Jimmy Spencer John Andretti who caused the caution all those guys had been on the pit road John Andretti had pitted six laps ago and before that car even slid to the wall the left rear sheetmetal was all torn off it let's have a look here top of your screen oh look like Jimmy Spencer in the 7 car got into his left rear and Jimmy was one of the cars on fresh tires too he had just been to pit road about 4 or 5 laps ago now what did Lou for those guys like Dale Jarrett Rusty Wallace they will stay out they will be at the tail end of the lead lap they will be in front of Mark Martin and all these guys leading with hopes of caution coming out right after the restart this happens is I can't tell how many times this same scenario has happened at this place because you get you got to come early sometime to get tires goes your car so bad and you have a problem on the racetrack and you end up in trouble because right now we only show an 11 cars on the lead lap there should be about six or seven at the tail end fully laps or beat Dale Jarrett Rusty Wallace Jeff green and Jimmy Spencer John Andretti is ok he's taking the helmet off he's gonna taking a little time getting out of the car as pit road is open Jeanne Robert moody Barker luring his driver in with four fresh tires and you know that's important around here he's making his way down pit road but also saying hey please if you can get to the windshield can you tear that off because that's getting pretty nasty as you can imagine from all the debris on the track just tire pressure adjustments the four tires as people take Kenseth was preparing to commit at any rate within a lap or two but this is a break for him they're going to make a couple of minor adjustments in the car to Steve Mark Martin's going to get a chassis adjustment catch cam and Scott kurz taking one and a half turns a bite out of the right rear to that Letarte knee making a wedge and trackbar jessa4 tire chains it's gonna be a race with a 38 it's gonna be close my joy very whoops cutting off pit road I think Gordon got it yeah beat Kurt Busch's right back in the thick of things here and John Andretti climbed from his car uninjured he is okay after colliding with Jimmy Spencer and then the inside wall let's show you the race off pit road and it was as Matt pointed out a close one Ricky Craven those guys had a good stop came off for about some attaboys here [Music] so we're under caution for the sixth time today it's darling [Music] [Music] so got a lot of rays to go Michael be a hundred laps to go next time by 102 Burris workers over there - right now [Music] nah make it too big drink water [Music] [Music] which the come racing on Fox presented by Michelin is brought to you by stacker to the world's strongest fat burner by Aaron sales and lease ownership let Aaron's drive your dreams home today by pepsi-cola experience the joy of Pepsi and by the Home Depot NASCAR's Home Improvement warehouse so listen up the Darlington you don't race each other you race the track you can't even get on pit road here without having trouble drilled tough to get out off the track [Music] and we've seen some breakdowns here in Darlington moments ago lap 189 six caution flag comes out looks like Jimmy Spencer gets on the back of John Andretti and looks like Jeff Hammond and readies a tire appears to explode yes it did right there Chris but right now what happens is when Jimmy got into the sidewall of that tire if you look right it's just very thin it's a very thin but part of the race tire right there and what he did when he punctured that the tire itself basically exploded tearing the rear quarter panel off the car spinning Andretti around him back into that inside were retaining water so you know this is something very very an accident right there off the core but it's very very thin you got to be careful you pointed that out in the pre-race show and of course Jeff Gordon currently the leader here trying to win this race for the seventh time pole sitter Elliott Sadler running second let's check in with Steve Byrnes on Dale Earnhardt jr. Steve and Chris Dale Earnhardt jr. had to pit road a second time the front tire changer filled dry did not get all the lug nuts tight on the left front tire jr. losing three spots he was eight he'll restart 11th let's go to Matt and Elliott Sadler came in he got beat on pit road he said the car was just so loose on that last run he could barely keep it off the wall lap after lap they made an air and wedge adjustment same is on his last stop dick Berggren well Matt Kenseth also had problems on his pit stop one of the lug nuts on the front just didn't go on the way was supposed to so uncharacteristically they lost several spots here on pit road the good news though is the car is better on long runs the longer Kenseth runs the better his car goes in comparison to others it just is not comparatively as good as it might be on fresh tires unfortunately that's the situation he's in right now fresh tires thanks dick here's a look at the pitstop summary Jeff Gordon when in 4th came out first he was the big big gainer Ricky Craven from ninth to foreign boy good stop for those guys good stop near sellout crowd here at Darlington South Carolina only the covered grandstand seats the intern to have some vacancies so on its own crank up our Pepsi fan cans [Music] I know I saw a leprechaun or two just a flick rats head at a DW that Suns starting to pop out this is the first time we've seen this for the day we're hearing dick and Matt and Steve and Jeannie talk about these cars changing that's gonna do it a lot now you've got about five or six cars it will restart the race up in front of Jeff Gordon trying to get that lap back Mike Skinner Dale Jarrett Rusty Wallace and Jeff Green yeah it's pretty warm out there right now Larry just stuck my head out the door and Suns out it's the warmest has been after about three days you see Joe Nemechek dropping back he spent on pit road you keep from going to lap down the penalty you start at the end of the longest line but that's a lot better than being caught a lap down so sharp move for Nemechek and his crew he'll restart at the end of the line we'll crank it up Cory on this restart [Music] [Music] [Music] Jeff Gordon your leader as we close in on 200 laughs now he is not at the front of the pack because of cars on the tail end of the lead lap Dale Jarrett and Mike Skinner bat well Mike one thing the key to modify Jeff Glor he's very focused inside that racecar is that what the surroundings are earlier in the race when the Sun dipped behind the clouds and talked to chief Rodney Lewis keep in mind it's now overcast they're thinking about a judgement you're really going to be loose now at this racetrack getting some more heat into it important was much looser earlier they made those adjustments it's going to be interesting to see how they helped that race car good point man now what driver who was quick down pit road was Ricky Craven restarted fourth where he runs let's go back to Kruk am here on his catch can man on that stop which moved Raven from ninth to fourth coming out of the business here you see him take the first cab from the fuel man no jet while the field man sticks a second Candian and my body and scoots out and gains a few spots on pit road five to be exactly okay this is a good run for Ricky late in this race started back in 31st I talked to his crew chief this morning Scott Miller they had every spring in that race car lay on the ground they had stuff everywhere making multiple changes on that car this morning the candidates fought his way back from making adjustments and hitting the wall and everything else is that 20 car Larry I watched him he's really got it dialed in now he seems to be really coming to the front he's up to seven got a good-looking car right now and we watched him Darrell he made two 40-lap runs in practice yesterday trying different things Darrell and Larry got we had said a lot about today he's running pretty strong and knows his way around dogs in his Bill Elliott he said worked his way up to 8th place coming on stronger late race and being a veteran around here I'm sure he understands this racetrack as well as temperatures changes so probably making the right calls along with that crew chief over there Mike for nolan guys pretty pretty racy right now yeah you know he just consistently finishes in the top 10 here at Jeff he stays out of trouble you don't talk a lot about him but as the laps wind down he always ends up in a top-ten look at all the big numbers on the board four career starts today Terry Labonte 750th Elliott his 700th career starts and other drivers with milestones to celebrate today plus bill he didn't go a lap down on he was just about ready to cut a pit when that caution came out so that kept him on the lead lap - speaking of staying or not staying on the lead lap Jeff Gordon is 24 Dale Jarrett trying to stay on the lead lap they beating and banging that's not gonna help neither one I'm Mark Martin in the six yeah they're not helping their calls it all right there what they're doing neither one a little bit of temper flaring there yeah I think Dale Jarrett I mean you know he's a he's a guy that doesn't lose his temper very often but I'd say right there at that moment he was just about ready to give Jeff Gordon more than he bargained for [Music] let's check with Matt but Mike remember back in I believe it was 1998 last lap battle with the 99 to Jeff Burton Gordon knew where he needed to be going into turn one when he's banging fenders with the 88 [Music] I did he did get a little damage on that right front fender Jeff Gordon did that that could hurt his performance here as we go along here comes Mark Martin closing on Gordon who I think look look a little tentative down to one and to narrow at the mention of that car is okay he got that right front fender shoved in a little bit it looked like he did he's got some black marks all over it and Darrell the crew chiefs in the garage they've been confirming to me what I think we've been seeing these cars are so fender sensitive you just just been in one of those fenders it changes the way that whole car drives well with the body location rule this year Larry the fenders are certainly different than they've ever been before and I think they are more critical let's show you this again as Dale Jarrett fought to stay to keep from going a lap down here rather another lap down he's now two laps down and right here about nowadays Jarrett's having to really control his emotions because what he would really like to do is take a hard right now things have settled out with Jeff Gordon four tenths of a second on Mark Martin everybody's right back to race pace with Sadler Blaney and Craven fill in the top five [Music] pretty one nicht enjoy make sure that once bar help [Music] [Applause] [Music] where [Music] [Applause] [Music] driving the pants ain't going nowhere [Music] 31:55 70s and 80s in front of him all the way to first place [Music] welcome back to NASCAR Winston Cup racing on Fox presented by Michelin we're at Darlington Raceway right near Florence South Carolina there's a look at the new grandstands turn for turn one from our Budweiser aerial coverage Jeff Gordon leading Mark Martin by seven tenths of a second there all three right there together Gordon Mark Martin and Elliott Sadler they're all just kind of right there together Dave Blaney is three and a half seconds off the lead Ricky Craven four seconds back in Kurt Busch five seconds back our pole sitter Elliott Sadler said why today here's Matt why he's gone from tight to lose tight to loose we talked on that last stop he was so loose on the last run he could barely keep it off the wall in an air pressure adjustment now Elias says the car is on the tight side and Larry Mac one interesting note crew chief Raymond Fox a third toe Elliott did they made the big air pressure adjustment on the inner liner to help out his loose condition yeah me meant what you can do remember that inner liner is a tire within a tire it's a safety tire inside that radio time and you normally run it about 15 pounds more air pressure than the outer tire that's to keep the air pressure from equalize between the two but you can also soften the spray try to one of those all those times dropping that interlining pressure you just got to make sure you don't get it too close to the outer time pressure or you end up with that equalized tire that'll be a vibration you saw up close the front three are look at fourth and fifth right here Dave Blaney and Ricky Craven ladies best Lanie's best Darlington finish 19th September of o'lone and he is hunting his first top five Winston Cup finished well he's done a yeoman's job today yeah Mike I don't care where he finishes because he's been up front all day the cards look good and I just I just get excited for him and for moody because I just know how this is just exciting for them to know Jewish you could just reach out and put your arms around the neck and handkerchief sometimes Genie well that has been a recurring theme in the 77 pit Robert booty marker telling his driver to just relax Dave Blaney's the stress of the cars behind and booty keeps reminding him we've got to save those tires we've got to have rubber at the end of his things the corners stay smooth I mean it's so important here we hurt Bobby Hamilton after the Truck Series race other day the Craftsman Truck Series race said he never raced anybody all day long he raced this racetrack he said even caught a self will Caray somebody said no I can't do it all over what my tires in my car they just don't want to drive in the quarter so hard did you make the car do it extra slide it's going to slip around it and there's nothing you can do about that you just don't want to make it work harder than it has to twelve cars on the lead lap Michael Waltrip is 10th of 12 Matt Kenseth and Mike Skinner behind it his teammate Dale jr. just ahead let's go to Michael's pit here Steve Mike on the most recent restart Michael Waltrip restarted sixth he's now down to ten his crew chief Slugger Labbe giving him similar advice as booty Barker is a day late he's saying hey be patient the tire pressures will come up and the car will come in for you we are set up for the long runs if this thing goes green we can win this race here's the thing el-erian and Jeff and Mike - oh the sun's out I mean I guarantee you right now this track is different that it's been since we've been here all weekend long some of these cars are coming that some of these cars like that and are taking to it and others are not very happy right now and there you see his crew chief Slugger Labbe and just remember Darrell Steve they're making the adjustments on the car you hear him giving him giving a little direction to Michael but the Justice Center banking on his car they're having to make earnest race they won't able to practice his car after wrecking and practice with ten minutes to go the testin really paid off for them because then it gave him a place to start with their with their backup car Jeff Gordon has led 31 laps he's our leader mark Barton has led 71 laps the leader now we're gonna have some good little race here in a minute when they get to race to each other Elliott Sadler right back there behind and we'll get up there and kinda have us a three-way battle for the lead one thing I've seen today Darrell is that Mark Martin has taken his time passing cars he catches him he's in no rush he waits until the opportunity comes to him without using up a lot of his race car yeah this is a mark mark got a day get some go by Mike Skinner in the four car I think what Mike did it but he did what he needed to do he was on the tail in the lead lap I think he overdrove his race car he was able to stay out of front of the leaders over 30 laps but I think it finally just he used his stuff up [Music] but he wants to try to stay with these guys still hoping that Jeff would let him back on the lead lap to the caution come out Matt Yocum is in the leaders pit the radio team is being silent over the past few laps finally in lap 220 Gordon spoke and said the car is now really tight they told him how many laps were left he said look we've got almost 70 plus laps to go we just got to hang on and just keep managing our own race Marc taking his time getting past Mike Skinner not using up a lot of car but he's going to have a mirror full of elliott sadler pretty soon just saw Kevin Harvick in the 29 car he came to pit road remember he was involved in one of those wrecks a little bit earlier he's seven laps down just really came in here with optimistic about this racetrack in this race and they really have had a bad day I had a good run in the Truck Series other day they end up having engine problems but he led to race a while you know he was feeling pretty racing when we when they started Gordon the leader Martin's second Sadler third Blaney fourth and Ricky Craven from Maine in fifth dick Berggren Zinn his paper Craven started the 31st position his crew chief is about note can you get four more spots our cars really good on long runs and if it goes long we'll see what we can do but those four in front of us are really strong and we got a couple challenges in fine stay up there - what we can get trailers best track cuddly is and this place is very similar to Rockingham so it's no surprise the Ricky Craven is having a great day today Mike spent a lot of today in the top five and most of the day he's been the fastest Pontiac in the field and Larry I don't know what the Pontiac teams have found maybe it's just Darlington then the Pontiac works good here but you know with the way Nadeau qualified and ran before he had trouble now Craven up there looks like these Pontiac boys are getting their act together and of course Mike Skinner has been running up here the front all day as well so I believe you're absolutely right starting to figure that balance out it down for Chevrolet's five Ford's one Dodge one Pontiac on the lead lap here in Darlington [Music] [Applause] [Music] we're all clear [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] bill there clear high clear high 60 to go nice job [Music] thirty to forty seventy new product [Applause] [Music] NASCAR Winston Cup racing on Fox is presented by Michelin because so much is riding on your tires walking back to Darlington NASCAR Winston Cup Series on Fox presented by Michelin and Jeff Gordon a couple of veterans holding off a Mark Martin at this point he's in a pole sitter Elliott Sadler after 232 left we're going 293 former championship crew chief Jeff Hammond with me of the Hollywood hotel or two-time Daytona 500 win a crew chief Larry Mac upstairs let's do a little discussion here because we have one more pit stop to go Jeff and I want you to break down of the top ten here who should be gambling who should stop at what point well I think that my olestra compadre a pair in the mood to tell you right quick some of these guys by the short pit aren't there Larry if they want to get back into this race and I'm thinking if I'm Dale Earnhardt jr. or Bill Elliott or even Michael Walsh and they're running seven eight nine they need to cut a lot of ground right now they gonna have to gamble a little bit the only way I feel like they can pick up enough time is they've got to stop you know four or five maybe six laps shorter than a guy like Jeff Gordon is late in the race because that's the only one they can catch it that's all you've got a chance at catching unless there's not caution don't worry you agree with that you have to take that risk if you're done on that top floor I mean you just got to be so careful because the deeper we go in this run the more these cars gonna start sliding around and it can happen what happened to Dale Jarrett Rusty Wallace likes coughs now it's a catch-22 but the three guys that have two olives look at pitting together unless you want to give up something is Jeff Gordon Mark Martin Elliot settle to the top three regardless of when you pit so yeah I think you want to take advantage of those fresh tires but then you're going to hold your breath till it cycles through and I think we've already seen that happen with those guys who got a lamp down there while I go about that today you may also see Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth short pitting because there are 12 to 14 seconds behind and I don't know if I'd want to wait till that till they get lapped to do it let's check with Matt in the leaders pit Wow the debate too short Peter go the full fuel run is going up and down pit road Robby Loomis a crew chief and Jeff Lord so what do you do wash it on the racetrack debris between turns three and four has put us under the caution for the seventh time today and all that talk of strategy goes to the win never mind we've got a couple of cars coming trying to get their lap back Mike Skinner and Dale Jarrett Dale Jarrett trying to get one of two I don't think they're gonna before back too far back here comes Jeff go on the bar back talking Jeff Gordon to the caution seventh one of the day at lap 237 come back do you feel the tightness the most Ninja Turtle 1/3 into the corner there before getting into turn one just want to push up to the wall boy what Robby Loomis has to do there has to make sure that he he tries to fix that race car but don't don't unhook the rear end doing it don't make that thing where it starts getting loose off because this could very well be the last pit stop of the last adjustments and that's why you go down on the apron getting into turn one because the cars really don't want to turn there you get too tight there it just makes it more and more difficult to get back to the gas and carry any speed off the corner Jerome ask you a question right here remember he got the baton to banging with the 88 car early on I'm wondering but damage to the right front fenders affecting that car as far as rotating down to the corner well that would be would affected the most as it goes down into the corner because you lose some of the downforce you can see it's caved in right there on the front so he has lost some effect of that fender they're probably snatch that bad boy out on the pit stop 11 cars on the lead lap all 11 the pit road for adjustments for tires possibly the last pit stop of 55 laps to go but I'm gonna be telling you as the driver don't do anything it's gonna get me out late I want to be out leading this race Steve Martin Martin safely in 13th and Leslie's saying just be smooth concentrate half a turn down in the left rear the only adjustment to the number six of Mark Martin let's go to Matt Yocum steam already going to work have to be long on the left side they're gonna make a track bar adjustment EEZ are good stop 24 guys a lot of congestion about the center of that pit road I think they came on pit road just about the way that went in the next time by the car is a lapper more down will pit won't tell you know it tells me mark marks happy with his car very rarity here mark partner Justin and half a pound and half around Molly's two pounds or two rounds he's been pretty happy with that Karl day he knows he don't want to over at justice thing been pretty good here's the race off pit road at lap 238 Gordon [Music] Martin Sadler Bush Craven Blaney and the rest of the cars on the lead black [Music] [Music] roughly 53 laps when we go green 55 right now [Music] [Applause] lemon bars on the lead lap bump in the Arkham [Music] so I just kind of real I got a real right front a little bit you that are soft right front tire too much but we're gonna have to come up on that air now we have another costume huh [Music] [Music] and it just want to go fifty three to go [Music] here come the left cars they'll be here inside [Music] yeah most of guys the inside have not given an inch I'm talking to a bunch of already hey just watch them and pull assert and forth [Music] there's officials on pit road to look at everyone's to cut fit stop and you'll see coming in from the right the inspector is going to come in here to have a look at the left front on mark Martin's car and he's pointing to where there's a stud with no lug nut and mark Barton had to come in and replace it that's his shade so he's on the he's the last car on the lead lap for the restart he went from 2nd to 11th but with the lap car from inside it's like restart is race in 22nd position a lot of cars to fight and this is when you come back out here have a caution right now some ham safety what you're gonna say and this late in the race nobody's gonna give you a brain okay we had no business back there in diversion place the park is still in it to win it he's one of 11 cars on the lead lap as we get the restart with 52 laps to go and Darlington Jimmie Johnson in the wall off turn two yeah he just shoved up there he got up on top of it died not sure he's gonna have to I don't think it hurted that much [Music] this is where you kind of forget about racing the racetrack get this late in the race north kurt busch he got a heck of a run off turn 2 he's brought up on the rear bumper Jeff Court he's gonna pull to the inside heading down the backstretch he wants to lead to this race missed his pit under the green flag earlier lost six spots now he's right back in it and as the big slide said cut so I did that once before and he didn't quite make it said I'll fall back in here and try that again while they at 7:38 pools rideable Kurt Busch's rear bumper counter three wide here Jeff Green gets a bit of bumper from Bill Elliott and there's Matt Kenseth back with them upfront Busch gonna try it again wait the bird huh no for that second turn before Jeff Gordon drives it down in there two three and four come on then they're on it to make the trigger did you get a three-way battle going here slip-sliding that High Line is just the way to go from 3 & 4 you keep that momentum there's a lot better grip up there boy Kurt Busch God be careful going here good job Elliott Sadler's the one it's got it the Deaf can't get off the turn - over there he's pushing in the car a little too tight yikes and it's Sadler he run out of racetrack over there he's go clapping loose second position before he bailed her off into turn three no he's got out there got real close at the Darlington stripe Darrell and Larry way up seeing this right now somebody's in trouble these guys banker fish as well as le sadly realized we still got almost 47 48 laps to go you go too hard too soon here you go to use your tires up like better like Jeff Gordon will run off the lady or he'll drive back by win this race they got to show some face yeah Jeff Gordon would if he's gonna be hard to shake down that lead I've seen he gets out front here at Darlington and man he's hard to get around we give you four fellows to watch who did not battle hard right from the restart Dave Blaney Dale Jarrett Dale Earnhardt jr. and Tony Stewart and they claim he has been good on those long runs we talked about that all day long he took care of his stuff on this restart watch these guys have been beaten in banking using our stuff on your Kanaka Halloween boy they're still telling them run your line run your race race this racetrack Elliott Sadler is up til you in let's sell it probably got the quicker of the two cars by about at hands looking at the lap times well I know we're here at Darlington but I can't wait till next week DW that's so DW house up there Bank beating and banging for sure there Errol don't need anything now Mark Martin had to restart 11th because he had to replace that lug nut he has now climbed one spot to temp they just went around Billy Elliot down here in turns three and four so he's he's got a good car we know that and he still got time and his lap times are as good as Elliott Sadler's in second place and Jeff Gordon's the leader and that's back there battling cars his lap time for that good just moved around Phil Elliott to take over night at a home Phil Elliott that nine car 700 career start 50th start here he's been pretty racy all day long here today this is his race race record he's always excelled it's just a track where you got to be smooth you got to be patient and Bill Dunn has just raised the racetrack if you notice he's never got anybody much around him she's a ride-along all by itself Elliott twice the winner of this race twice the winner of the southern 500 and right behind him the point leader Matt Kenseth here's dick Matt Kenseth's has had an incredibly eventful weekend for sure earlier yesterday he dragged an oil line on the racetrack they thought maybe was a blown engine with all the smoke it wasn't earlier in today's race he spoke wound up in an accident and now they're having trouble getting in the car child in seams if every pit stop these guys make quite know what's going to happen to the car when they take the green flag sometimes it's pushing sometimes who's there they just don't know what to expect but all day long it has been best on long runs so they are hoping this thing goes all the way to the checkered flag and I tell you now dick we talked earlier the Sun was out now it's went back in so again this racetrack is changing plus the weather keeps changing all these guys too bad about Mike Skinner back there about the fourth car back he's got a car capable of keeping up with these guys but that pit stop when the caution came out is what got him in trouble Mars Martin continues to work toward the front he's passed Tony Stewart moves him up to eighth our leader Jeff Gordon does 2/10 ahead of pole sitter Elliott Sadler go to the leaders pit Matt Yocum Mike back in the spring of 2000 Jeff Gordon had a tough start of the year was winless fabricator Steve Burke felt like they needed to have a change in luck so he wrote the initials of card number of his childhood hero the late Richie Evans Rd 61 on the front bumper and the next 103 raises Gordon 112 times each week pergi would write the initials in car numbers last week car chief Steve Letarte was washing the front of the car he washed it off he's our God in finished second nearly won the race guess what tradition came to an end this week missing Richie Evans card number but certainly his memories are still strong with this race team Evans the nine time national modified Division champion from Romeo 40 laps to go who wore the new off their tires and who will be in contention to win as this race comes to conclusion [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] inside of me the sick all by itself weird where [Music] [Applause] [Music] he's there by himself we're behind him all clear [Music] [Applause] [Music] NASCAR Winston Cup racing on Fox presented by Michelin is brought to you by singular the wireless company that fits you best [Music] welcome back to Darlington here's where the coca-cola racing family is running in today's race several of their drivers on the lead lap back through Bill Elliott as Jeff Gordon enjoys a lead of just one quarter of a second on Elliott Sadler Sadler trying to win his first Darlington victory in his ninth start here Terry Labonte won his fifth start here Jeff Gordon his sixth Dale Earnhardt got his first win in his seventh start fella named Daryl Walker won his night star here just as Sadler is trying to do today but Mark Martin is the man who's coming restarted 11th he has climbed up to seventh running just as fast as the leader yeah I think the problem is though all the cars in between him leader they're all running about the same lap time the further he goes the harder it's going to be I'm watching mark but I'm watching that 38 car and I got to tell you Mike you asked me this question we were great what do you do now if I'm Elliott Sadler I'm thinking two things I'm following the guy that's won six races here he's the winningest driver here right now I forgot a car that settled on the pole I need to win a race for my sponsor to prove people that I that Robert Yates put me in this car for they're all the right reasons I'm up on the wheel right now and I'm not holding anything but I'm not sure the debt 24 cards doing the same thing let's look back then at the third place car of Kurt Busch and go to his pit here's dick well right after the green flag came out Mike and he had French tires the word that he was hearing in his earpiece was fire management take care of your stuff but just a few moments ago Kurt Busch key in his radio that said he's having problems with his power steering he's in third he's dropped back to the task now right behind that drip look at right here Craven and then Blaney and then Jarrett Darrel when you can see the leader and and you think you're gaining on them is that one you're at most risk of using up your car well what you do if you overdrive these turns just a little wee bit that they can slip up there and knock the wall down so right now it's when you got it got a lot of things going on in the cockpit you got to think about how am I going to win this race but you also got to remember I got to race the racetrack and I got to have a little bit of tire left at the end of this thing will tend to go so a lot of things going on in the cockpit right now you know Darrell going back to what dick burger was talking about on that power steering normal people have power steering problems I think what it is these guys are doing so many things to their power steering system to keep from robbing horsepower and trust me this is not a race track you will lose your power steering this late in the race so and the other thing is that you keep dropping their air pressure down in these you get a lower and lower and lower particularly the left sides that steering box will get like a tight spot in it because it's kind of fight through that have that radial tire and sometimes they'll kind of want to lock up with you yet his teammate Matt Kenseth was having problems with power steering in Atlanta last week just like Ryan Newman was as well I think sometime it's just a product of low air pressure and in just the pump the power steering box in the pump can handle the pressure of the tires foot on it just under 30 laps to go five cars within two seconds of the lead because a radial tire does not want to turn a radial tire really wants to go straight you got to make it turn now Darrell that pack of Craven Blaney and Jarrett if they kind of quit to race it amongst themselves they're gaining ground on the leader but I'm gonna tell you looking out at Dale Earnhardt jr. the Budweiser car right here remember he was so good in the beginning this race and the weather now is about like it was in the beginning the race it's like they lost the handle in the middle portion when that Sun was out and I've been watching the lap times he pretty much has the quickest race car but does he have enough time to be in two or three quarter seconds behind and being back in six track position right now is the key I mean def Jeff Gordon's in the driver's seat he said Sarah runs his runs his kind of race and doesn't make any mistakes which he's not prone to do he can be a hard man to handle the interval was closing just a bit but I think when he catches that next pack of cars he's also gonna have Mark Martin to deal yeah and there's no traffic I mean they haven't been in traffic that restart the cars are all pretty much strong out so they don't have any really traffic problems to deal with that could have a big effect but I don't think it's going to come into play and our guys on pit road a constant feed us information even though they may not be reported on there the track temperature is the coolest it's been all day long chef Gordon leads Elliott Sadler by almost half a second when we come back we'll take you to the checkered flag [Music] Thank You 20 leader running plan [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] you're gonna have a big log game I'm here the 24 hit the wall he's kind of slow everybody's getting up on him nice job no pressure from behind [Music] 3195 I fled before them [Music] [Applause] [Music] right next to him there you go all clear all clear [Music] [Applause] [Music] NASCAR Winston Cup racing on Fox presented by Michelin because so much is riding on your tire and brought to you by Lowe's Home Improvement warehouse lowest improving home improvements by Pepto Bismol first day four stomachs uses directed and by Valvoline smack slide take better care of your higher mileage vehicle with valve aleene's max life Paden seen it I wouldn't have believed it Elliott Sadler is going to make a run for the lead against Jeff Gordon and watch how this turns out I mean when that hat right there Kurt Busch was four or five car lengths behind him at the start/finish line Eliot was just being real he was just being too cautious and he didn't you know it's late in the race II don't want to mess up I understand that but this kid here was back far enough he got that momentum off it turn to and around both of them he went baby and Sadler knew you can't go into that corner three wide somebody's got to lift Wow there's so much momentum I mean the 97 was wide open I'll take one were the other two were pedaling trying to keep off each other so Kurt Busch is the new leader and he has driven away it took Sadler a while to get past Jeff Gordon took him two laps to finally see a lap deal so Kurt Busch now has a one point four second lead before Jeff Gordon when he went he went he has dropped all the way back to eighth position Darrel I think he just used that right front tire we heard him say he's been pushing off the corner and I think the right front tires gone on that raced and guess what a bit Kurt Busch's the power steering is working just fine and it feels pretty good now I think Firestone is gonna be okay Tony Stewart and Dale Jarrett these videos for closing up now on now there comes Ricky Craven in that Pontiac in the town car I mean here he is he crawl over the back of Elliott Sadler the course Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett they're racing for position even though they're two laps down there Dave Blaney I mean we've got some guys up here that you know would you predict some of these cats to be up front at the end of the day you heard Scott Miller Ricky Craven Elliott Sadler he just about got that Darlington stripe right there one too but you heard him say his car Ricky Craven the tide car good on long runs there's the car good on long runs though Dave Blaney that 77 but you know what I believed it to 38 to 24 I think those guys used her stuff up racing each other yes and now these guys have kind of laid back in here we come and I think where it really showed up was in the beginning on that restart looks like Ricky Craven they blade he took it easy when those tires were fresh to the air pressure were there goes to 32 by the 38 right there and Blaney is all over the back and here comes Dale jr. and Here Come three of those cars and here comes mark now we're going to get a big run three of those cars that we're not running hard right at the restart race and everybody Craven Laney jr. and Kurt Busch Jimmie finding his crew chief they're loving this because they had put almost three-quarters of a straightaway on those guys back there beating and bang like this with about 15 laps to go it's simple Larry you got to start last and last year Sterling Marlin had trouble started this race last Kurt Busch lost an engine in practice at 42nd and now he leads by three seconds flat ability Jeff Gordon is just I don't know what's wrong to happen to his car he is he's dogmeat now there's a cat that's led this race forever set out there didn't look like anybody could touch him and he is going backwards at a high rate of speed Matt can update us DW the crew speculated he's not the tall remember earlier in the race Gordon made hard contact with the 88 coming down the front stretch that was the second hit the team is speculating courts not to tow out all he said was I messed up I got in the wall and when you knocked that toe out out that definitely can make one of these things push and drive where the front end don't turn and just being towed out Larry will that kill your tire wear yes sir it will I mean these things are designed we keep Tom at this toe out it's about an eighth of an inch that means the front of the front tires are 1/8 inch wider than the rear that gives you stability getting in the corner plus we saw that fender damage Larry I think that's the big issue he launched the downforce on the nose it bent apart that right front tire 13 laps to go me Jeff Gordon he's almost getting close to a half lap down and that's all happened in about 9 laps Mark Martin keeps coming he's passed Dale Earnhardt jr. now for 4th place I tell you Mark Martin keeps coming but the cats that are coming there's at 32 in at 77 they're not too far behind Kurt Busch Kurt Busch he has fairly clean racetrack in front of them you see Larry Ford up there in the 14 car by his self several laps down so that's fairly clean racetrack fastest car on the Speedway is Ricky Craven followed closely by Dave Blaney Franklin is coming I'm telling you he I don't think he's going to have time but if some had to Bush you get up here getting traffic you get blowed up a little bit we got another race on route we got a race to the finish Craven is a quarter of a second faster than Kurt Busch with 12 laps to go Sderot laps that's enough time if he keeps that up it's just barely enough time to catch him put that old washing machine on Hodge back let her go one tank it was two tenths of a second quicker so he's definitely catching him is hot Dave Blaney hunting his first top five wants to come finish high if I was Dave Blaney booty and those guys I'd feel like I won this race because this is a great run for that team that cats gonna win a race said Larry that's 77 car with booty over there they're gonna win a race before too long he's been flirting her at me you know he seemed like he runs good it places where you slide around what did he do most of his career slid around mostly sister Erin let me guess what we're going next week we gotta have a little of that chords in the wallet Kimmi Bartlett's got into the back of me no Carson we're gonna stay green ten laps to go the right-front gone on Gordon's car tend to go and Daryl looking at this lead pack how about Ricky Craven and Dave Blaney in second and third first Lesya Jeff Gordon yeah he gets into turn two three here car goes up the hill up the hill looks like she just doesn't want to turn in BAM right in the wall it goes and that's just no grip lack of grip almost collected Kenny Wallace Kenny Wallace bamned into the back of anybody kept on going look at second and third place as Gordon comes around he'll go to pit road with nine laps to go you have single car teams running in second and third you have the the rouse juggernaut leading this race with Bush first and Mark Martin and forth but single car team's second and third man but there's that 97 car could win every race we go to he is that good that car is that good they know that they have no engine failures they have no mechanical fears that cat can win every race and you know what Jack Roush has to be feeling good about that race car up there within a less than ten laps of leading this race with all the motor problems there you see Jack Roush there Jeff Burton there teammate losing the motor early in the race he has to feel good right now and I bet he can't wait to get back to his shop to tear these engines apart he's got mark up there in fourth place - something he's had it you know you got a lot of cards go have some trouble it's been feast or famine for Kurt Busch this year second at Daytona second at Rockingham out of the race at Vegas in Atlanta and a win and Darlington perhaps not Oakland I wouldn't count it as a win man because that 32 is coming I'm coming pulling out the fender on the right front changing all for lab for races at Darlington have been determined by a lass lap pads shall Weatherly Leroy Yarborough Darryl Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt for the fellows who did it [Applause] laney little kicks the back in that gonna catch 97 and we'll be riding there buddy and what they're telling Dave Blaney is it looks like really playing the more it's Kurt Busch and the hopes of big while they're racing side by side he can get up there where these goes guys they better hurry five laps to go the Ricky Craven is only a half a second back they have fairly clean racetrack in front of Cravens faster by far and at night eh he's got time it's gonna be this gonna be really exciting really really exciting Craven is so good through three and four in Vegas all the way it gets that wall two three and four I think he said she's a net to hold him in the racetrack because here he comes baby or laps to go this time last time it happened here on the last lap 1987 Dale Earnhardt beat Bill Elliott 1979 when Darrell beat Richard Petty on the last lap yet I didn't slip they will cross over move on him and that could happen again today Jeff Ford's problems continue has to come back to pit road what straight-leg wrong one right front two Craven on this end the racetrack really gets off the turn for hard here he comes he's there he'll make the food voting going down into turn one he's gonna put the move on the ropes to go Kreitman coming the thing that Craven is really good he's good in three and four looks like they're pretty even on this end of the racetrack he don't really pull away from him coming off turn two but right here going down into turn three this is where we're watching watch the head laps to go watch this here he goes Craven gets that high right out next to that wall watch Roger close right there the middle cuts down he's going to make a deal he's gonna get down under him that's not the way to do it I don't know come on baby come on side by side two laps to go somebody's gotta give get to determine would nobody and in the wall goes Bush that's not that was not a very good idea look the crossover when he got in here comes Blaney Blaney is still the best car on the track baby I'm telling you Kurt Busch is not going to give up the win no he's not then we come to the white flag this time Ricky Cravens not gonna give up either come on Ricky he gets that right over there Kurt Busch Franco berry co-chair we gon hint he's gonna wait on the Missy's gonna put across so bony he realized that wasn't a good mood that last time white flag here he goes he's going to try to slide under here come on baby and ladies coming he both these cars are driving terrible right they're not allowed to go now they're driving good come on baby you can do it on this in the street way come off for and get up alongside of a Peppa Mario Terry cousin whose don't get off Harry turns carrying comes East County this time it's gonna be a track they touch that touch daddy and Raven oh what a finish happy birthday that's one great race I'm telling you this race I've never seen a dog Scott Miller gets his first win as a crew chief Pontiac gets a win cow wails his engine program gets a win for first year for that engine program and for the fifth time in Darlington history a race is settled with a last lap pass we didn't have a last lap pass with no baby hair but that's the end of that that was a land at the start/finish line pass there whatever gotta see this icon do two let's this watch coming off turn four onto the front stretch that's about as close as if you get right there and this right here I don't know what kept him from both bottom up down here in turn to turn one but BAM oh boy Kraven really shot out into it it is amazing they didn't wreck after cross the start/finish line Darrell if instead of Bush coming down into Craven if he stays straight does he beat Bravin I don't think he had any choice mykos Craven came off the bottom and really slammed into him I think he got hooked together and couldn't get apart look at Craven in there look at him fighting that steering wheel and so one thing that Pontiacs got to kick out on the nose that was the difference but deep under one look at how close this finish is [Music] Oh baby I'm gonna tell you what they didn't even need seats in these grandstands cuz nobody was sitting down and nobody's leaving look at this right to the line how close can you get it but now what's really when they get on down here I mean I I thought they were both gonna bottom up and they'd have to take him to victory circle in a row back Steve Burns with the runner-up all right thanks Mike Kurt Busch that was a hell of a race at the end tell us your point of view tell us about the last lap last corner I had to get a lady the power steering went away and I've never felt the heavier car in the world.we dog and dog and dog and I tend to go and finally just gave up all together and a car was so tight I couldn't hang on and you know it was an awesome race I didn't give him one room in one and he didn't give me room out of four his way it's supposed to be I mean this was some hardball racin car would you came across a start/finish line hooked together with a 32 did you know who got there first we came out of four and the wheel snapped out of my hands because I had no power steering so look like I turned into him and I grabbed all the wheel I could to turn him back to the right and I looked at his eight post and it was right we're here with my ape oh so you know it's tough we finished second again and you know all the congratulations to the rubbermaid team on what they do all the hard work that goes into it you know we're just missing one little piece and if we can get a full commitment and make sure that we run every weekend like we're supposed to we can win some races Thanks let's go back up to the booth Kurt Busch will climb from 14th to 6th in the NASCAR top 10 business he climbed to the top of my list here's the whole last lap Craven out of control pushed into the wall I thought Craven had him here but Busch doesn't give up on him gives you a little shot gets him loose had to get completely out of the three look how far Kurt pulls away from him right but Kurt couldn't get back into gas either all four two so here comes Craven got some momentum here I come here I come boogity boogity boogity and watch out baby this end of the racetrack cream was so good down here look at the run he got on the hot sidewalk there and he comes to the white flag and has one more opportunity and here's what he knew this time he said okay I made the mistake last lap I tried to pass him going into one it didn't work he's not going to give me that line I'm going to set him up down here where I know I'm good so he lays off of him gets a run on him right here because he knows he's better in three and four and what would you want to be better you coming to the start/finish line best to be good and ran four here he goes he gets up there night watching nailed the gas makes it run up but he says I got to go to the bottom push swim up Wiggles a little bit and here he comes and Kreitman just bam he got loose it occurred in two different beginning in the world eight wheels was better than four right baby this is on great racin man and for all you fans out there that says NASCAR racing has been born lately like this I'm not telling you like those cars were welded together well you think about Kurt Busch and Dale Jarrett at Rockingham now Kurt Busch and Ricky Craven here today let's go to Gatorade Victory Lane dick Berggren Ricky Craven congratulations come on out of your race car my friend Ricky Craven today hey that last lap how sure were you that you were going to be able to make it to the start/finish line and not wreck oh my gosh I had no idea but I you know I've done this for over 20 years and as a racer that's it you dream of that you know and being a New England boy and you know being attached to this sport and NASCAR my whole life I knew there was none it not any tougher than Darlington so that's the one I want to win the worst and wow this is sweet I just got to thank everybody thank everybody back home and it's amazing that you can drive and pray at the same time but I was doing it were you holding your breath when those last couple of laps your prophet I wasn't holding my breath but I was working pretty hard it maybe didn't look that hard but I tell you what Kurt is such a good racer and we got together and I don't know why we didn't wreck with a couple laps to go and then we said well let's try it again but there's absolutely the most fun I've ever had really thankful to have the opportunity to be driving the tide Pontiac and to have this group of people and really thankful I got these three okay right Liam Everton life's good it is good congratulations it's great for the fans who enjoyed this race as well - Jeanne Zelasko after a couple of races that didn't go quite the way you wanted - it's about time yes well we had a great race car with a viagra Taurus fantastic car today and you know I'm just honoured not it's just right every time and some days you driver in the fence and some days it's something else we had a we had a great run today and my only hope is is that this team can continue to give me just ever fourth or fifth or sixth race through the season if they can give me a race car like that will win a lot of races you know they don't have to run that good every week I don't have to run that good to win you know if everything goes your way but they've got to be pretty competitive and our car was just spectacular today so you don't have to go to sleep worrying about the lug nut Matt and GT after scoring three times sixth place finishes Dave Blaney a career day third you can just feel this team getting closer and closer yeah we got some we got some momentum rolling our side Budhia is doing a great job with these cars and with my whole crew and and I can't thank him and the owners enough for putting this deal together over the winter it's working well we keep gaining and getting better and better and I can see it we can feel it so hopefully we'll just continue on here a wild finish day Blaney third here at Darlington Mike Ricky Craven with a last lap pass has become the 40th different Winston Cup driver to win at Darlington Raceway [Music] Ricky Craven in a two-lap battle to the finish beats Kurt Busch by just this little much we're gonna smoke pot off him to lay there rubbing on each other like crazy man and in Kurt Busch's pit they're not sure how close was it to one thousandth of a second we've had a great finish at Rockingham two abreast racing at Las Vegas and at Atlanta and here we are with a great last lap finished what a season this is starting out to be well I think it's parody I mean I really do believe that NASCAR is nailed it with the body location and in the common template because we're seeing everybody getting better and better and better but this race it with my for in a way my most favorite I've won several races it's my favorite race of all time to see that finish those last couple of laps Kurt Kurt puts turn to Ricky sideways down there and turn to they go down to three and four and come off turn four it's like I don't care if we wreck or not we're going for the win but I think the parity there are five races we've had five different winners three manufacturers we had a record two years ago of winners 19 we're gonna bust that record all the pieces this year yeah plus I tell you something else we got a look at the Tony Stewart the guy that finished 10th he's the guy who's a championship contender is that consistency is there for that team that's somebody we keep our eye on and my little brother Mikey he's gonna be pretty tough to finish his fifth after having to go to the rear of the field just like Kurt Busch did five Fords three Chevy's a Pontiac and a Dodge in the top Tim and boy Bristol next week Chris Mayer Kurt Busch course one thereof last time last year let's take a look at the points Matt Kenseth of Roush Racing a hanging on steady Jeff Hammond as we look Ricky Craven jumps all the way up to fifth you see Kurt Busch currently running six NASCAR's top ten the Winston Cup point standings and we had a little March Madness here in in in Darlington talk about a buzzer-beater let's go back for a moment Ricky Craven of course a Red Sox fan making New England proud and a guy who can relate to the Red Sox his struggles at Fenway certainly a traditional track like Darlington had to enjoy the moment and and for Kurt Busch to the finish well I mean right now what you saw was one of the nicest guys in racing when it comes to somebody like Ricky Craven but he really showed he's unbelievable he's like two heavyweights just duking it out right there over the last couple laps who wanted it the most well right there at the end Ricky Craven got the best of Kurt Busch but it was by a matter of inches as Darryl has said this is one of the most exciting races I've ever seen here Darlington and I've seen a few people are up at Hollow ed of course the photo finish NASCAR has a camera at the start/finish line they keep close look at the margin of victory it's just a matter of inches I mean he's probably maybe six inches right now you know Ricky Craven was able to pull this victory off but I mean it was a hard-fought day I mean it was a lot of guys that were in contention Mark Martin was against in contention Jeff Gordon looked like he was a shoo-in for his seventh win it didn't happen that way the lady in black she worked a little mystery today and she produced a brand new winter I'll tell you right now Ricky Craven will savor this one for a long time to come in Kurt Busch I'm sure he can't wait to get to Bristol next week where he can go and continue this beating and banging short-track racing we saw a sample of that of course last year a Kurt Busch at Bristol where we'll head next week held off Jimmy Spencer NASCAR fans have you missed the secret car earlier today and still enter the via NASCAR Grand Marshall for a day contest tune into the first hour after the green flag drops in the whiskey Cup races look for that secret number on the animated car log on to nascar.com of foxsports.com and be a NASCAR Grand Marshal for a day of the contest continuing next week here on Fox when we'd show you Bristol family McDonald's drive-through championship we'll keep an eye on those pit stops on the pre-race show we'll continue to update and we saw some amazing pit stops today and again next week the scene shifts to Bristol one of the one of the great tracks in that week the NASCAR Busch Series qualifying that's on speed followed by NASCAR Winston Cup qualifying on Fox Sports Net Saturday NASCAR Busch Series racing on FX followed by Winston Cup practice Sunday start your day with NASCAR this morning Smirnoff ices triple black on Fox Sports Net presents that the pre-race show with the race from Bristol on Fox beginning at 12:30 Eastern and there is Ricky Craven the only Pontiac to the top ten this year and now the only Pontiac to win and 1o when it was as it was a terrific race here the faces of determination fearless in the face of the lady in black and a race really of five parts Dale Earnhardt jr. leading and then Mark Martin in the jet board Kurt Busch taking over and at the end the only time that Ricky Craven led in this race was when it mattered the most and that was at the end of the race and he is the one who tamed the track that was supposedly too tough to tame we'll see you next week thanks for watching NASCAR on Fox [Applause] [Music] you [Music]

Channel: NASCAR

Views: 88,784

Rating: 4.9482102 out of 5

Keywords: NASCAR, motorsports, racing, stock car, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, chase elliott, fantasy sports, fantasy fastlane, glass case of emotion, ryan blaney, crash, wreck, pileup, pit road, penalty, race track, super speedway, highlight

Id: xlSII0KF5jQ

Length: 211min 28sec (12688 seconds)

Published: Thu May 14 2020