2003 Talladega Superspeedway NASCAR Cup Series September 28, 2003

[Music] we'll be up here watching for you he'll do well on pin road all right same way danny about before somewhere right there yeah okay pick him up pretty good about right there [Music] it'll be one to go you get here [Music] [Music] okay all right you built up do you want to go this time 188 laps [Music] so practice session sterling thinks today could be the day today burns matt ryan newman moving to the back in a used race car that's a good thing the used part you see ryan doesn't like new cars in fact around town he drives a 53 plymouth now the two cars he wrecked in restrictor plate races this year brand new this one used and restored it ran at daytona and they think they've got it even better here at talladega marty well dave from 36 on back you will find four of the five roush cars three of which had to take provisionals just to make the race including championship leader matt kenseth but kurt busch just told me you know what we're actually in a pretty good spot after all it doesn't really matter we qualify at talladega and i've got three buddies back here to help me get to the front bill marty dale earnhardt jr has a good car a different seat a stronger helmet and renewed confidence going into this race one thing he doesn't have is this special shoe this is a carbon fiber shoe hard on the bottom so you don't have to flex your toes as much it was supposed to take away some of the pain from earnhardt's injured right foot he decided he didn't need it he is using a little bigger heat shield to try and keep some of the heat away from his injured right foot suffered in an accident at dover last week that accident gave him a slight concussion he was cleared to race wednesday would have qualified 11 the car failed post-qualifying inspection dale earnhardt jr and his drive for five straight races at this track comes from the back of the pack alan okay bill of course dale jr and his teammate michael waltrip have won eight of the last 11 of these restrictor plate races here in a daytona if you will michael's thoughts a minute ago on his team radio i'm here to help you man i need you to help me help you i want you to want me my daddy always used to say you can't help somebody that won't help themselves so i will help myself as all help me sounds like he's all pumped up he sounds like he's all fired ready to go try to win this thing michael gonna come from row number nine in the 18th starting spot 188 laps around this two and two-thirds mile track and we're set to go with the ea sports 500. doesn't look like an advantage there yet [Applause] [Music] elliot sadler jamie mcmurray still in pace formation except they're about triple the speed now about halfway back there you see these guys getting in the middle gonna try it out like jeremy was talking about never see jeremy on the outside looks like someone has gone to the middle and forced jeremy on the outside elliot sadler leads lap one with mario still being pushed along by his ganassi racing teammate sterling marlin in that outside lane and there's double wide for the top spot he ward burton the 22 car and buckshot jones in the middle that's why jeremy couldn't get down there jimmy johnson in the second row oh look at this look at this wad of cars ken schrader with the charge up the inside in the 49 bill elliott and tony stewart pushing him and jeff gordon moved up in front of the 22 cars oh it's so close in the middle at three and four nice and then go ahead there's the first of it this is you know one of these racetracks where drivers looking in the mirror as much as outside that windshield because you've got to drive defensively here so as you see schrader just puts the block on bill elliott bill elliot yeah that's what you're gonna do when you look up in the mirror you see a guy making a run at you you're going to pull up in front of that guy you're going to block the pass and hopefully also he's going to give you a push down the straightaway you see the yellow line to driver's left as we ride with michael waltrip reminder that that's the out of bounds line if you drop below that line in order to advance your position nascar says you are out of bounds you'll be penalized did you see that bp kenny wallace had a really good run there the 23 stacker car but he couldn't go anywhere yeah because he's in the middle and all the cars in front of him and yesterday in practice 23 car looked really good talked to the crew this morning they were very happy thought maybe this could be the day that kenny wallace wins his first nascar cup event schroeder looking around jimmy johnson there at the bottom of the racetrack and as we watch coming from the back dale earnhardt jr has picked up a drafting partner it's ryan newman that is in behind him junior's up to 29th after starting in 38th [Music] to the point jamie mcmurray in that outside lane move mcmurray leads marlon is second dale jarrett third and pole sitter elliott sadler is fourth [Music] and behind that it's anybody's guess [Music] and right now this is are obviously going to handle the best so the three wide is to if you're going to drive three wide this is the best time to do it because your tires are the best once you start wearing those tires down and burning that fuel off these cars are going to start dancing around they're going to start really moving around look at matt starting in 37th he's up to 14th after four laps kurt busch working right with him is up to 16 for his teammates bill dale earnhardt jr and michael waltrip trying to remain running nose to tail as soon as they got in those positions the spotters called down that's the 15 behind you trying to run with you but it's hard to hang onto those positions it changes so quick and ryan newman got in between him though ryan's trying to hang on to junior and keep that run from the back going forward well the eight car there everyone in the garage area knows that that car is fast at these racetracks when we walk through the garage here this morning probably the most often asked question of us how many laps will it take to eight car to get to the front they all feel like he will be leaving this thing before the day is over oh he's gonna try the middle behind ricky craven you can hear him get out of the throttle there again he had a really good run but there's just nowhere to go junior's back around 34th you just got to be impressed with this run that matt kenseth is making up through the field junior's kind of got bogged down in traffic but kenzip is now up to 11th check him out the black car there center of the screen smirnoff ice logo on it that's kenzik and the car behind him his teammate kurt bush in the 97. gotta have friends in this race that's one thing about it if you're gonna work your way through traffic you have to have guys going to work with you dave what are they saying about the 17 car you know we talked about the 17 not being that great in qualifying and expecting that i talked to robbie rise about that this morning and i asked him you know robbie why is that that you guys didn't work real hard on your qualifying package this year he said we focused on other things we focused on the things we weren't doing well road courses and 1.5 mile tracks and they've improved their average finishes there this we thought little here on this racetrack where everyone's running neck to neck all day long marty they've kind of the same thing on the 97 car they knew they would not be good in qualifying knew they would be better in the race and he also had a plan to follow his teammate to the front designed from the very beginning of this race kurt said we're going to try to follow matt to the front and stay up there as long as we can as long as we work together we'll be harder to be they're working together very nicely right now up to 11th and 12th positions kenzit started 37th kurt busch started 39th [Music] now the cars are starting to get in two lanes and not that three-lane nonsense the first six or single file and then they're double wide from there on back a couple three wides farther see kenzit behind buckshot jones back in the winston cup field for just the second time this season in the double zero car buckshot running tonight it's a former dei car and engine that michael waltrips nascar bush series team is fielding for the georgia driver last time by just three seconds between the leader jamie mcmurray and the last vice car of jason jarrett check that out now the leader's pit matt joachim where you got to make murray for us well when he looked in his mirror out and saw that his teammate sterling marlin pulled in behind him he said to a spotter lord over here is that sterling he said yes he goes tell him i can run anywhere he wants to run but i prefer the bottom sterling said anywhere he wants to go i will go and then about two laps ago he said is sterling trying to pass me or is he running warm he's starting to dip out a little bit they said we believe he's running a little warm he'll follow you and the reason he asked that is because sometimes the guy behind you may not be able to run the bottom line so he has to move up and you don't want to get past if the guy moves up behind you in seven or eight or 30 guys go with them so you want to know where that car behind you is running you want to help him so he can help you 10 laps complete want you to remember to make note of who leads at lap 50. if you'd like to win a trip to new york city and work as a special correspondent this december's winston cup awards ceremony know the driver who leads at lap 50 for your chance to enter the nascar big apple sweepstakes anything happens we'll come back live for now we take a break from talladega just spin behind you crash behind just keep coming you'll be coming through the okay back it down watch right [Music] yeah reigns in the white car first cautions out left hand and remember that there's no more racing back to the caution so this is the point that nascar has to determine what order the field was running in as soon as the caution comes out [Music] and set the cars back in that order before they come to pit road and that's obviously obviously going to be a huge problem here today because they're all too wide and three wide [Applause] spencer benson all torn up go around and jeremy's right front is not turning that's not a good sign rear suspension broken see how the back right rear fender sitting down all over the tires there's larry floyd [Applause] and again when i talk about these drivers being so concerned about this it's not only the danger of getting hurt it's the fear of failure let's see what happens here somebody just started to come around like maybe had a flat tire was that mayfield that is the left rear tire we see the tire rolling down the racetrack that is jeremy's car so he went up into benson when the tire came apart larry floyd first i'm sorry and then the jam up behind him [Music] that could be one reason that jeremy had fallen back is because of that left rear tire going flat [Music] don't get any one car crashes here in talladega not very often anyway six of them there [Music] so we're under caution for the first time pit road is closed so we'll take a break you're watching nascar on nbc [Music] [Music] [Music] before we're gonna get you in here close to the wall you're gonna have a pretty clear shot in so i'll talk in here yeah i'm gonna tell you to go you're gonna end up coming around to 22. you're gonna have the 22 an empty stall and then uh 22 will be the first one you drop around [Music] still closed [Music] [Music] everything looks good on the left side i don't know if i want to take a chance though i might just change them because just because i mean i can feel nothing's down yet but i definitely did something but i mean i could have a piece of rubber i mean it's like where yesterday you know if i get up in there where there's all dirty air circling air i can do okay but like as soon as the 97 went down there and one car got outside of me and just stops you know if i stay in a good hole it's alright just as i can never do anything by myself i just killed [Music] donnie is that the 43 pitting in front of us 10 forward 43. get with his spotter let him know [Music] is it open this time [Music] is their next race is our craftsman truck updated nascar bush series update haven't yet opened pit road because the crash was in turn four and they're still working to pick up some of the debris and so on there at that pit entry so let's take a break before they open the pit lane and we'll come back to talladega [Music] i know a little something about making good moves [Music] [Music] so [Music] but this time donnie four will be ready you go on my command get close to the wall don't get too far out stop it on the board can't take about eight seconds no not that much probably about four seconds four to five seconds [Music] 3600 at the line 36. he's better nbc sports live at the talladega super speedway where the ea sports 500 is under caution and here comes the opening to pit road first opportunity to get service under this yellow flag for the field dave casey mears said my car's a little bit tight but nothing i want to change no tires ran through his pit stall they have to push him back now they can start fueling it before they send him away marty charlie marlin already leaving dave fuel only for the car the car has been excellent this will help their fuel mileage today matt there was some debate on the ganache radio about whether the pit or not they finally decided to pit four seconds of fuel for jimmy blue murray bill still waiting on dale earnhardt jr to think into his pit stole he finally did the front of the car is bashed in the radiator screen is all torn up now they're gonna go around to the right side put on right side tires topping them off with fuel they bounce back and forth between tires or not now they're gonna end up taking four so it's gonna be four tires for junior he was so late getting down pit road they went ahead and decided to make the entire change but you can see the front of the car knocked in dave bill elliott's radio was hung open during the last run and then it came unconnected all together so they're putting a new radio button in there to try to help bill communicate with the pits they could not hear him during that entire first run matt a traffic jam somewhat dave here on pit road the 32 ricky craven tried making his way into his box he was pinched off then he was rear-ended then the 98 of jason jarrett also involved cosmetic damage to the back of ricky craven's pontiac so i'm guessing that's who the eight car rent in the back of is 32 because i'll tell you what that hurts badly yeah chris christie fittipaldi and jason jarrett also were involved in that stack up on pit road so it's uh apparently the first set of pit stops has been fairly chaotic here there's a pretty big hole that they have to fill there right in between the hood and the bumper see if we can take a look at what happened we're riding with dale jr here behind jeff green dale jarrett came out of his pit box up there on the left a lot of guys checked up in front of him that's probably going down pit lane and you're that close to a car you can't see what's happening two cars ahead so if somebody checks up in front of you unfortunately you're going to get you're going to run into them or get run into and no one is really going to change tires or just two tires fuel only so you have cars leaving the pits by the time that the back of the pack gets to their pitch because they're not taking much fuel exactly just three four seconds of fuel now i want you to remember the the spring race here at talladega dale earnhardt jr was involved got some damage in that big lap four crash and came back and won the race he made 17 pit stops in that race and still came back and won we'll see how many pit stops they make here we'll see what the results like at the end of the day early caution is out in the ea sports 500. [Music] flat thomas all i need is get it flat where you lay it right over the hole three guns over here in the drill 3 16 drill bit and pop rivets go get everything straightened out before we ever fasten any screen wire okay let's get that piece pulled out need a bird comparison they want to go when they get back here so can't be waiting around we'll get behind losing strap [Music] just really ain't worried about putting the tape back on the upper grill if i just get that screen wire out get the bottom tape back up we'll be fine [Music] just enter in three tony [Applause] i wanted to go when they come around here tony like you said ace cars just down the middle of three and four [Music] unscrew the tape ain't gonna hold it [Music] before almost at the beginning of pit road guys i'm at the beginning of pit road [Music] they are you gotta get caught up [Applause] apparently [Applause] [Music] [Music] a pack the back of the packs just now the middle of one and two anytime who started that mess guys you are watching the ea sports 500 from talladega super speedway on nascar in car on in-demand all right well don't quit working on it but you don't give up on it i'm just saying you ought to be fine i have no problem here running let's see what you got to do so you know what we got to do all that we got to do is pop rip that screen down get it fastened down the rest of the way then we'll put our tape back on and that's all we need [Music] that rule sucks because you got to say single file you can't i mean we're supposed to do guys that can stack up front of you [Applause] if that screen blows out that's really going to hurt the aerodynamics that car that screen actually helps the downforce and the drag on that car so if that screen blows out it's going to be really bad for that car and we always kid about 200 miles per hour tape and sometimes it's only 150 miles per hour we'll put it through the test right jamie mcmurray leads elliot sadler is second sterling marlin third dale jarrett fourth and ken schrader fifth off the pit stops then buckshot jones ward burton jimmy johnson mike skinner and jeff gordon but it doesn't take long [Music] give you an update uh behind the wall jimmy spencer jeremy mayfield larry foyt david green and johnny benson after the crash floyd is going to be transported to a local hospital by ground for further observation and while the field uh comes back to the line to complete a lap under green let's hear from one of the drivers in the garage dave it's jeremy mayfield of course it sort of started around your car jeremy what happened well i'm not sure exactly you know i think we uh cut a left-hand tire down and just took off you know it uh i just went in turn three and just let fear dropped out under me and just took off straight to the wall and um you guys hated that tour a lot of good cars out here really good today and just kind of buying their time waiting for uh opening to take place there or whatever but it's a bad day for us uh guys are working on it will it go back out yeah we're gonna try to get about capital now they're gonna store it pretty bad but these guys do a good job on it they'll get our get our dodge back out there we can run a little bit try to get some points anyway okay allen different kind of disappointment this week last week he was disappointed at finishing second today he's one of the first in the garage and we saw we showed you at this top of the show that crash that happened here the fourth lap in may exactly the same thing with cut tire that on the 12 car but 25 cars involved so i guess we're lucky with only six or seven cars involved here single file front seven then this is the race for eighth you're riding with curt bush inside of ward burton [Music] break on a line buckshot jones with a move the outside of ken schrader jeff gordon going to get in behind buckshot [Applause] moreover more of the drivers in trouble in the early crash dave jimmy spencer was in there jimmy uh describe what you saw and what happened uh the 19th car got into the wall you know so uh then somebody got into him and it's talladega man you know uh three four four play ranks this year and i think we've crashed three of them and just you know you you think you should be in the front you think you should be in the middle you think should be in the back don't matter where the heck i go they all seem to attract to the you know and you thought you had a pretty good car today didn't you oh i know i had a good car and and then we were starting just dropping to the back just you know i don't know i mean it would have been so easy for and it's so easy just to say stop but you know that's not an instinct the spotter does the spotter just go low go low and i go low and then the whole closes up and uh i'm really not mad at him i just i'm upset it's talladega i love this racetrack but and his last one of course was here nine years ago guys and that's what i'm talking about the frustration of not being able to compete so spencer in the garage johnny benson larry foy jeremy mayfield there david green has just come back out on track after some repairs to his car the others involved in the crash tony raines uh jason jarrett some of the drivers getting damaged have all continued on jason had a tire cut down under caution after the crash went down on the back straightaway on him and he got that repaired and is continued jimmy johnson running in 12th place now in the middle of the pack his team talking strategy a minute ago it's driving driving fine it's just just a different game right now i don't really know what i need to do looks like the middle to top the place to be to carry the momentum but it's not like what we've normally had here i'm not working right now jimmy also said on the radio allen it feels a lot different out here and under that last caution jeff gordon clicked over and talked to jimmy johnson he said it's weird how the top is working they thought the middle would be the line to take today and that was their plan jeff on the outside line jimmy has just now gotten back to the outside line he said remember this you can't shake anyone today and get free from them we have to work together i'll tell you what look at buckshot jones a double zero car with help from ward burton jeff gordon all these guys going by on the out by on the outside and that's how jamie mcmahon the 42 car took the lead from the outside buckshot jones looking for the lead in his second race of this season [Music] and he got out at the strike that time that time by double zero was the leader [Music] still double wide and triple and look at the pack behind him starting to fan out [Music] [Applause] not in this lead pack way back there dale jr the driver five has uh got a little bit of a problem right now bill yeah just uh not having good a good time right now it just radioed into the cars no good on the straightaway getting a look there to see if that screen's still in the car you guys would probably have a better look at it than i do from down here but uh just says the car is no good on the straightaway right now can't make any ground though not too happy to see it looks like the bottom part of the screen i don't know if bp will take a look at it when it comes by this time it looks like it's blown in but i don't know it's hard to tell in fact nascar race director david hoots has just passed to the inspector the official that stationed in the 18's pit to tell them to work up a plan to fix that damage for their next pit stop see the grill there see the the damage on the grill and where they tried to tape it and like bill webber was saying they tried taping the screen on [Applause] [Music] bill you got more there just that they do have a plan i'm sure that's what they're going to explain but the plan is to pop rivet that screen in place provided it's still there when he comes back to pit road they are crowded around the monitor down here tony yuri jr the car chief giving the crew instructions telling them what to do next time earnhardt junior's on hit road right now they're hoping that screen stays in place back to the front it's buckshot jones and jamie mcmurray side by side for the race lead last time buckshot jones led a nascar winston cup race june 2001 michigan he's out in front now at talladega dave plans uh johnny what was your plan today before all that happened the plan was to run more than three laps i did in the spring and i guess we accomplished that but unfortunately it was only about 10. it i don't even know what to think you know i mean it looked like somebody had a problem and everybody's going to spot at the same time you get bumped there's nothing you can do so bellevue pontiac was decent you know we're good at happy hour that's part i was looking forward to the race itself we're quickest on the sheet but just kind of hanging out fighting our time and i guess wrong place i don't know where to hang out anymore i got the front running fourth year and got wrecked on the last lap and hanging out with the back and go right now i don't know where there's a good place nowhere to go here at talladega for benson guys good place is the lead yeah that's right outfit buck shots in the best spot you can be in your talladega sometimes even that's not a safe place exactly 31 car lead pack there terry the body is the last one in that group and he is in 31st place who's that down by the line [Music] is that jeff green right at the very top of the racetrack yes [Music] oh four wide how about tony stewart marty one of the things that happens in these big drafts alan is that the car will sometimes overheat that was the case for tony stewart before the last caution it shot up to 245 on the water they came in took some tape off water is back down now carr running much better and both benny and i talked to tony stewart this morning he's feeling fine hoping for a win today bobby allison joins us in the booth when we come back to talladega after this clear the 41s outside outside three wide still still outside you got one more of the 90s behind the 90s clear to the middle you are clear to the middle still clear to the middle you're clear outside clear high you got the 29 one car back outside that's the 29 outside right there all by himself man you know it just it's just main call buddy you'll be fine keep working on it [Music] knowing what i know and seeing what i'm seeing i can't do nothing [Applause] clear all around right there wherever you need to be i make moves i get myself the open shot they just drive off and leave me okay man we don't have the gear we can't change it let's forget about it i know forget about it let's do it you are clear high if you want it clear high still got the same three guys helping you from behind there [Music] [Applause] and high side might be better buckshot likes it up there you might like it too there you go [Music] so that'll be the 41 up top with you the only one up there behind you of course you're three wide on top right there [Music] still got that hole right there three wide you're on top there's four wide right there in front of you [Music] third two three wide and getting close yeah mark martin was third last time by he's now back about fifth or sixth so many years here at this racetrack we came to watch the alabama gang and the leader of the alabama gang was honored today as part of the pre-race ceremonies part of the winston victory lap programming program commemorating uh the long run of winston cup racing bobby allison the 83 winston cup champ 84 victories four here at talladega the leader of the alabama gang he's in the booth here with us ba how you doing doing really good what a good day this has been how about that making a lap around the speedway huh that was wild wasn't it i'm telling you they had me all suited up and uh and over there in that uh driver's seat seat and you didn't want to pull in did you no it's a tough deal bobby the alabama gang you and your brother and neil bonnett and of course your sons and so forth um you really had a lot of support around here you weren't native to here but you certainly came to be out considered an alabamian yeah that's for sure you know we're uh born and raised in uh miami florida and came here as a young man won my first feature event in montgomery alabama the second week i was in alabama and the people in this state just adopted me you know the state is so pretty and the tracks are so nice here right from the very beginning and i just had a great time here and you said that was easy money up here in alabama huh yeah you know i mean the money in south florida was so much smaller than the money here and and then i ran good uh immediately and like i say got my first feature win second week here that was really a big great big boost for me what you think seeing it got jamie mcmurray's car painted up here for this race that is really really nice i'm telling you what uh jamie came out and spent some time at the place in hueytown the other day and um you know got to talk to him a little bit i've been watching this year and i've been uh very pleased with this performance but spend a little time with them and then see that car painted up like davey's first uh texco car just you know really really looks good now you are working with a group that's building a new winston cup team we've seen come out a couple of times this year yes uh don arnold motorsports out of uh maple florida you know billy bigley jr is the driver and just put a lot of good effort so far but it hadn't showed uh we've had some really crazy little problems right at qualifying time at indy we need to beat 18 cars to get in there and we beat 16. um the bristle uh running really good and had a battery uh problem right at the qualifying time and then at richmond something happened it just didn't let the car go good enough and so backed up a little bit in the testing now to see whether we're going to go to atlanta or charlotte and give it a try again bobby so good to see you here today always a pleasure and uh congratulations on being honored is one of nascar's great champions which you certainly deserve well and winston did so much for us and i just really appreciate that and thank you very much bobby allison leader of the alabama gang 1983 winston cup champion here today with a sit talladega let's very frustrating ride here for michael waltrip on the pit stop they had to put four rounds of wedge in it he was just loose loose loose but the car and the traffic is just adding up to more frustration his radio traffic a few moments ago oh man what he's very disappointed in is the gear in the car in his crew chief sluggard labby apologized to him right at the end of that conversation said michael we have the wrong gear in the car i screwed up i'm sorry we can't do anything about it please just drive as hard as you can he's driving pretty hard right now it just took fourth place with a little drafting helping sterling marlin [Music] he's driving his heart yeah see you're exactly right he is driving just as hard as he can [Music] next up jamie mcmurray to see if he can pick off third [Music] 60 cars the slow machine on the inside they're working around david green beaten up in the lap 10 accident his car and now michael on mcmurray for third that's mike skinner now behind michael in the draft meantime his teammate dale junior's drive for five he's in some trouble bill still way in the back allen with a car that's not very good as michael continues to chase the double zero car up front what they're doing down here behind the pit box is they're redesigning a front grille and a screen for the eight car that's on the track they went ahead and riveted the screen into a piece of sheet metal that'll make it easier just to attach the sheet metal by pop riveting it to the hood of the car to the front of the nose of the car so they're doing as much prep work as possible while the car is on the track when earnhardt comes on pit road they'll try and fix it and make it better probably that is if he does that under green he's probably going to have nobody to draft with and he's going to probably go down a lot yeah i don't think he can afford to try to do it on the green flag he must wait for a costume i think and michael walters almost made contact with ward burton and ward had to ease off the problem look how much how many positions he's lost by just backing off the throttle michael to second [Music] [Applause] behind buckshot jones and ward burton hanging in there though now he's caught in the soup in the three wide drive driver slugger lobby talking to michael walter mike skinner underneath 11 or 12 it is busy and for the lead not yet but here comes mcmurray back to michael's outside with no help he's coming to the outside that was a strong move power move by the 42 mike wallace in the middle of this in the 09 you're looking back at him from skinner's car here's ricky craven behind ward burton who's that jimmy johnson coming up the middle she's been pushing a lot of guys today here's michael trying to the inside trying to make his dive to the inside could not make that work you heard the radio traffic that pit stops are not all that far away so let's take our break here and make sure we're back in time for them buckshot jones leads at talladega still outside three wide right there behind you 22's in the middle clear to the middle if you need it a double zero outside [Music] [Applause] double zeros outside they are three wide behind you middle lines moving back up middle lines there clear high clear high three wide behind you either sides clear double zeros outside now you're clear back by two [Music] three wide behind just five deep coming to lap 42. [Music] [Music] inside [Music] they're all around clear clear [Music] outside [Music] hello we're low outside [Music] stay with it straight back [Music] so inside [Music] all around good job here good job [Music] wide [Music] working about them still widening barrier you clear low with that 380p with you one back foot 42 working the bottom here [Music] clear low [Music] with you the zero one with him go outside still outside helping you let's see what how many more donny uh this time by will be four more laps tell us don't give up bottom of james [Music] about five more lamps but five more laps they should be pitted in a couple be [Music] aware okay you're three wide right there still outside back to two nobody's behind you [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] with his car nascar says no more passing to the left on pit road once you pass the line where pit road speed limit begins but when they fit under the green at challenger they come in packs in bunches maybe 15 and 20 of them at a time and they'll come in two and three wide and nascar said when you get to that line you'd better be in single file instantly hand shot up in the air drivers asking all kinds of questions [Music] we finished that in a minute bill you got something there buckshot jones the first of the guys running up front on pit road to right side tires and fuel no chassis adjustment was trying to stay out to match the pit stop of michael waltrip couldn't do it burns the nine car bill elliot on an offer pit road two right side tires no chassis changes the radio was changed and now works for bill there's board burton was leading just a couple of laps ago tony stewart's also in concerned about the water temperature we talked about alan it went up to 250 on that last one they pulled the pizza tape off a little bit tight two tires no adjustments maddie a two tire change for warren burton a little bit of trouble and he's down and away wow terrible pitched up by wards guys tony stewart came in behind him and he's going to leave 15 car links in front of him these guys get single file [Music] there's one peeling off i hope they come by for the most part well now you definitely do not want to run out of gasoline in all this pack right kenny wallace is in dave and they said that we do have a great race car this weekend it was not a fluke that we led in happy hour however we paying a price fuel mileage they had a bit early and they're gonna watch that all day okay look at the guy's hands out the window gonna be a lot of guys coming into the pit lane this time so here comes the big jam and just just to finish that story really quick mike helton ended up the president of nascar i ended up walking up to the microphone and giving a very succinct explanation and saying this is the rule you better follow it and the rule is you cannot run side by side as you enter pit row c eliot and they've got to get guys come on you got to get single files there's no way you're going to be i mean you can't do it see okay now skinner stopped we'll see if they consider that correcting his own position marty jeff gordon says the car is just a little bit tight but i don't want any changes it'll be two right side tires and a can and a splash dave a little loose in a little snug off the corners for bobby labonte he stalled the car out of fuel two tires and can't get it re-fired matt a two-tier change for ali and sadler meanwhile they're gonna go to work on the left side of jimmy mcmurray's car he has cosmetic damage to the left front headlight cover dale jarrett sterling marlon mike wallace casey mears jamie mcmurray mike skinner bobby labonte all leaving pit road oh look at this gasps single file robbie gordon around the outside there yes [Music] jimmy johnson to his pit marty having an excellent run allen the car just a little bit tied off of two but they decided to make no changes two right side tires chad can now said go on my call they get it full of fuel waiting for that to happen they say the signal goes there he goes bill michael waltrip bomb pit road to right side tires they're gonna wait on the fuel slugger told him you wait on me wait on me trying to pack it full of fuel fuel pouring out now he's got it he's on his way two stalls in front of him he's on his way with two right side tires and fuel as well kurt busch rusty wallace mark martin dave blaney also pitting there [Music] dave cars a little bit tight for championship leader matt kent that they're going to put a little bit more air in the right rear tire and change two right side tires and get them off the pit road as quickly as possible remember fueling that 13 and a half gallon fuel cell bill up to you dale earnhardt jr has limped his way on the pit road going to be a two right side tire change they can't do anything with the grill at this point just send him right back out that screen is slightly dislodged from that tape drop they did on it about 50 laps ago but to this point he's still on the lead lap kevin harvick coming off with matt kenseth is that waving him in front of him [Music] and here comes the pack steaming by them jeff gordon is going to take the lead on the exchange of pit stops well he will once they steam up there and pass kevin harness how's that yes right now harvick in the 17 car kenzik would be first and second but no more that would be the new leader so jeff gordon elliott sadler kurt bush are your top three on the exchange of pit stops [Music] now you're clear i need more tires more tires because flat spotted that's right he came in there too hot when he got on the brakes he locked the tires up that's why he asked for four which is very smart of him yeah it's very easy to do here at talledega because you come off the racetrack at 190 mile an hour you're trying to get the car slowed down to what is it 55 mile per hour for the pit road speed so you jump on the brakes and you downshift and normally you'll lock up the tires problem for mcmurray is see way ahead of the windshield that's the pack and he's out of the draft well the good thing is he has buckshot jones and i think the 12 car of ryan newman around him there we see buckshot coming up right behind so he's got good cars to work with that double zero car is fast i bet you he pushes that 42 right back to the pack in real time [Music] the problem is the pack there are the leaders either is the front five have gotten away from that group [Music] check it here when they come back around to the start finish line we'll see the deficit he's got to him and then we'll track it over a few laps and see what he's up to how about that 42 maddie lorne spotter told him try to follow to try to cover up the air on that damage left front try to see if he can let the double zero go by but he feels like his car will actually still be faster out front of the double zero they just told uh they told buckshot to go around and buckshot said i can't get to him to go around him that's because bill the last time by buckshot ran i mean the 42 car ram 49.75 around 192 miles per hour faster than the leader yeah what watch this i noticed this when we were watching i think it was jeff gordon's pit watch the gas pour out of the can all over the gas man oh no coming out look at that oh man and although that stuff's not lit it still now burns was seven point two seconds behind leader jeff gordon a lap ago he's chopped about three tenths off of that this time uh jeff gordon was the leader of our uh lap 50. and you'll need to know that to win a trip to this year's winston cup awards ceremony and serve as a special correspondent log onto nbcsports.com check out the nascar big apple sweepstakes for rules and your chance to register every week [Music] there's your front five now those front five right now will probably stay in line and not race each other because they are away from the rest of the pack and they know if they stay single file it's gonna be hard for these guys that are two and three impressed to catch it from fifth place rusty wallace to sixth place tony stewart is a little less than two seconds so we'll see if that second group is able to make up any ground or if the front two will stay in line and try and get away slow car inside as you go through the corner here and clear clear all around clear all around [Music] 48 said he's running a tick high with the fan off so just so you know that he just backed up a little bit he's right [Applause] [Music] there [Applause] [Music] another slow car on your inside here good package [Music] side inside inside is clear clear all around nice and tight here 2.9 pulling away from second pack [Music] definitely use a little bit more gas right now okay [Music] wide open every lap just like i did in practice the other night [Music] and four just keep it tight you guys are pulling away about two ten flap on that second pack what up on the eight here now the pack's coming up on the eighth going by him on the high side [Music] on your inside on your inside [Music] 28 clear on the eight nice and tight [Music] we gotta get tight that pack caught us on that lap a good bit nothing i can do more [Music] [Music] player off player all clear [Music] clear all clear nice job of sticking in there buddy elliot sandler should be able to drive by jeff gordon i have not seen any evidence of that when they get in single file like they are now the second place guard doesn't appear to me like he can pull down fast there's that screen we were talking about earlier that 200 mile an hour 200 miles per hour cape didn't work it didn't work no it was ready to blow off the car all together well like benny said before it's only 150 miles but you know you're right bp you still it still comes down to you're going to need help you're going to need guys to work with you in order to pass that guy that's leading that race and that looks like this second group has caught jeff gordon 77 car pull that back up right on the back bumper off rusty wallace well they finally got single file [Music] and you're right they ran them down dave what are they saying about dave laney in the 77 car well they came in early and uh did a fuel only stop but then he was a little bit loose in the outside line so they made a wedge adjustment it appears to have helped the car and as you said brought that whole bunch of them up to meet the back end rusty wallets what was that that was an attempted block uh yeah blaney up to the outside of kurt bush you were talking about what jimmy johnson you have moved to the inside who was that rusty yeah that was rusty i think it was 97. it sure looks like it was it looks like the 97 had to get off the throttle for something he was running third when he went by the start finish line he's now back to about eight or ninth remember jamie mcmurray had to take four tires and fell way back he's cut the deficit he was to the leader in half matt running in 22nd allen down in the 42 pit jamie telling his team the car is really tight car chief mike brill took a backup nose section they have trimmed it up to get a headlight cover so if we do get a caution they're going to try to repair that damage left right headlight cover the car really tight but it's fast the pack is really tight yeah that's right they've come back together after the pit stops michael waltrip and sterling marlin got together and drafted up to the front of the field earlier here they come sterling in the silver 40. michael with that big nappa logo on the hood of this car [Music] casey used a little bit ago to help him try to get back to the front [Applause] all this going on from fourth place on back jeff gordon elliott sadler rusty wallace top three then jimmy johnson in fourth missed the race for fifth mike wallace in the 09 pushing sterling marlin through 66 and 188 laps complete in the ea sports 500 at talladega you're watching nascar on nbc [Music] we run with a fast crowd a tough crowd more like a mob you're low still too wide [Music] goodbye too everybody has helped two by [Music] two two by two two by two you've got the 17 and the six with you on the bottom [Music] still outside outside clear to the middle both sides both sides clear low if you need it still outside outside still outside outside still there clear low if you need it clear low look at the 17 and six pushing you here right 2x2 97 has helped with the 29 2x2 everybody has helped two by two go outside still outside [Music] two by two we bought two about seven back so they're still outside two by two [Music] clear to the middle two by two a lot of help on the bottom with a lot of help you're clear all clear all clear [Music] their talladega win was their only career winston cup victory richard brickhouse dick brooks lenny pond ron bouchard bobby hillen phil parsons and his brother all winners here davey allison and ken schroeder winning here also had additional winston cup victories elsewhere [Music] [Applause] who will it be today will there be another first time western couple here highest candidate is mike wallace been shuffled back the seventh spot right now but right in the thick of it now i want you to watch this glob of cars coming by we normally call it through the field i'm not sure if we shouldn't re-title it through the pack today but we'll try jeff gordon is the race leader that much we know for now marty what's he saying we'll do our best alan gordon's car really good right now going for a seventh premier restrictor plate win a little tight when someone is on his right that's why he likes to be out front matt elliott sadler in tow looking for his first restrictor plate victory the car is neutral but he did say earlier it was free in the center of the corner today rusty wallace changed two right side tires no changes to the car yesterday in happy hour he went to the back at the front twice a good sign for rusty 17 car this says it all spiderman off we heard about earlier he said to matt i don't know how you do this man i don't know how you do this phil michael waltrip running back up front cars better than they thought it was earlier in the race trying to help junior a little bit but i don't think that's going to work for very long we'll see his sixth card running in the sixth position mark martin looking for another talladega win the car is neutral they took on rights on his last stop jimmy johnson on that low line his temperature shot up to 240 a little bit earlier needs to get a peek of some fresh air following kinseth in the line to keep that water temperature down matt what a great run by mike walson you know the 09 car the car is really good he's just riding his tie they took on right sides in the last stop [Music] position he has finished fifth and sixth in his last two talladega races a little bit loose next time they will take two tires on the next stop left tires on their next stop bill ricky cravens cars running well they did take a little tape off the nose when he stopped to try and help the temperature rising they wanted to try and keep it a little bit cooler get a little more air in there marty well in the ever-changing things kurt bush has shot back up to the ninth position car very good no changes on the last stop on their next stop they expect no changes then as well and four tires matt kevin harvick bouncing back net early damage for the contact off hit road hasn't said anything since his last stop when they took out right side tires meanwhile lord burton looking for his first top five this year carr was good on the first run but since he stopped took out those right sides he has picked up a bad push we put the telemetry in there the real time where the guy's running at the moment and that shows you just how it is here at talladega we saw kurt busch go from what 12th to 8th back to ninth all in the course of about nine seconds where he actually was on the racetrack jeff gordon is your leader we're just at 200 miles in the ea sports 500 not quite to halfway [Music] caution flags just one came out earlier lap number 10 when jeremy mayfield cut a left rear collected a few other cars mayfield spencer benson larry foyt in the garage the only cars out of the race so far you're watching nascar on nbc so [Music] [Applause] already underwater [Music] [Music] 97 with you now and they're 2x2 behind [Music] him [Music] [Applause] [Music] 97 is with you and you're clear back behind him by three 2x2 five deep behind that [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] back to the 48 he's clear by two and a [Applause] half scroll around clear both sides we're both pop up here that's a slow car up there [Music] clear behind sterling if you need it still outside [Music] you are watching the ea sports 500 from talladega super speedway on nascar in car on in-demand your player they're all around [Music] [Music] and you are clear for the moment clear all around too wide behind you clear they're all around [Music] gonna be coming up on some pit stops again in another 10 laps or so most of the leaders were in about 50 51 52 get uh 38 to 40 laps on a tank of fuel some of them can and some of them that's a real concern the caution's like that early caution flag might have solved some of the team's problems but a lot of concern about at the beginning only about some cars could get 33 34 left what about the 24 car what are they thinking marty well jeff gordon's going to come in about seven laps spinning so that means some of the cars that cannot go as far as the 24 bunch of the 24 bucks gets up in their pits so they start getting ready for their pit stop some of the cars will come in as early as three to four laps from now and that could be a problem in that period between the time the first cars start pitting and the last car fits because i don't think they can hit change a couple of tires and not get lapped very close see michael waltrip making some moves in traffic trying to get back up toward the front sliding up in front of kevin harvick now jamie mcmurray moving up to try and get the draft from behind [Music] is that kenny wallace yes he's one guy that just can't go that far ken schrader is in kenny wallace is in bill elliot's in dave awesome bill will take two right side tires fill that thing full of fuel that'll be it for him no changes to the chassis still likes the way it drives kenny wallace off the pit road as well guys matt wedge adjustment on the 22 left side tires he had a push [Music] so those cars are leaving pit road and john andretti was the other one in the jail that group of cars to fit see if anybody comes off this time as they exit turn four remember the pit road rules can't pass to the left you've got to be in single file before you get to the speed limit line at the beginning of pit road looks like they stretched that the last time it looked like they [Music] still a little warm in the home depot chevrolet for tony stewart they cleaned the grill they were debating on taking a little more tape off they wanted to leave as much on as they could left side tires getting packed full of fuel drexel fidelity gets the sign and he's uh back out on the racetrack that's pretty good and i'll tell you the way they're doing it's probably a little bit safer to come in there with the least amount of cars he had the least amount of chance of getting messed up on pit lane he's in for his pit stop it'll be at lap 84 dave and bobby labonte last time got right side tires actually got four tires last time this time they're going to take on two left side tires no chassis adjustments for the former winston cup champion remove a windshield screen though he should stay a little bit better out the front remember he lost a draft before because he stalled it this time he did not stall it before he came in and pitted i think the last time they ran out of gas this time they stopped a little bit early to make sure that didn't happen is that not right dave didn't you run out the last time yeah that's what i meant by saw the vp they actually ran out of fuel and then had to get re-fired he was almost a lap down when he made his pit stop a lot of hand waving now again so we see a lot of the front runners hitting pit lane this time just to get back to the last time we saw mike skinner kind of scream by on the outside coming to pit road he basically he passed on the right but then he stopped and got back in line behind all those cars he passed nascar said okay he corrected it he corrected himself okay let's see jeff gordon elliot sadler jimmy johnson dale jr sterling marlon and others rusty wallace takes over the lead marty jeff gordon hits pit road a little bit tight they decide to make no adjustments on the car however this will be a two tire right side stop for jeff gordon his teammate jimmy johnson in front of him left side tires for jimmy johnson a little lucian they make an air pressure adjustment trying to tighten that car up bill dale earnhardt jr at a very odd angle but his car looks legal in that pit stop cars having to go around him including buckshot jones who's now at a bad angle in his pit stall junior's gonna have to back up he's gonna maybe block traffic trying to work his way out that was ugly man junior cannot catch any kind of break today he can't has trouble getting this pit box and now couldn't get out had to be backed up he's going to lose the draft again with the lead cars mike skinner he was just coming off pit road something happened to him when he left championship leaders in dave right side tires for him alan no chassis adjustments no air pressure adjustments talked about matt likes the way the car is handling just a little bit worried about guys getting around the flap cars not in line that was his only concern on the track bill michael waltrip and ryan newman came down pit road together the crew chiefs talked it over it's left sides for wall trip it's also left sides for brian newman who has two pit stalls in front of him the tear off from the windshield full load of fuel the 15's on its way and so is the 12. kurt bush was also on and off pit road jason keller joe nemechek on and off the pit lane [Music] rusty wallace is still the leader here he comes to pit road for his stop that'll put kevin harvick out in front followed by ricky rudd and robbie gordon wallace is in dave right side tires for him no adjustments for him as well fill that fuel cell full of fuel rusty happy with the way the car is handling and remember we talked about yesterday he was able to run through the pack matt dave they're going to make a wedge adjustment on terry labonte's chevrolet and also you see about a hard two or three crates there they clean off the grill left side work done stepped in front of that car to clean it off just as he was getting ready to go huh mike skinner's been back in bill [Applause] thinks he has a tire going down ryan newman really he was just in for his stop so must have picked up something when he left here was kevin harvick who took over the lead yeah there it is that's coming off turn four all right matt and the 29 is in right side work on kevin harvick chevrolet gonna try to do a little bit of work on that car mark martin also win they top him up dave lady jeff burton ricky rudd also pitting there there's newman they changed left sides guess what have a right side go play and michael walcott hit it with newman the inner liner just blew out buckshot jones tire down and we can see just how much damage those blown tires can do and there's some debris there will be a caution flag yeah i wonder if these guys are blowing these tires because they're not changing right sides and they're locking up the right fronts going in the pits good point coming down precautions out caution is out may have split it bobby and flat spotted there you go exactly what you're talking about wally robbie gordon was the leader he is on pit road as the caution comes out did he miss his pit yes he did and he backed up into it but robbie gordon was the leader when the caution came out so here comes the first test of sorting out how they run and where they run [Music] as jeff gordon brings the rest of the pack i think jeff gordon's going to still be the leader [Music] how about that stop get your pit stop change tires and still be the leader the word for nascar is robbie gordon is the leader and they will put the pace car in front of him he hadn't pitted he had not pitted and when the caution flag came out all those other cars slowed down and he had the same he had to back up but basically while they slowed down that gave him an advantage [Applause] well that'll be the first um instance to go back and study as they you know for finding the rule over the weeks is how that played out now looks like the kenny schroeder is going to be the lucky dog earnhardt junior's hit stop getting boxed in the pits awesome costume because now schrader the first car one lap down lucky dog gets a whole lab lucky dog he'll take it so robbie gordon jeff gordon jimmy johnson elliot sadler mark martin dave blaney kenny wallace ricky rudd kevin harvick bill elliott that is how we see the top 10 at this point 27 cars on the lead lap by the way bobby labonte did manage to stay on the lead lap after his pit stop caution probably helped him there and the pit road is going to be open here uh for the lead lap cars see if there's any takers they were all just in yeah i think seeing all those tires go down i'm not sure if i wouldn't come in and change the other ones too right back in to change the other side is that mark martin peeling in i think that's pretty good strategy it looks like mark and kenny wallace ricky rudd see if they change right sides no looks like they're just putting fuel in some of those cars right sides on the 20. okay bill [Music] [Music] the car is tight they did fix that damage the left front on the previous stop they didn't take out any tires they're going to torque a little more on the nose of the car because they feel like that maybe he is getting a little bit of other aerodynamic damage there so they're going to try to work on that see if they're working on the car and that's a good move because as good as that car was good we ain't got nothing to lose now hey check this out see the tire mark on the door that's how close we're getting out there let's see where it's rubbed up against the healthcare that's good there no problem [Music] so we're under caution for just the second time in the ea sports 500 for debris on the racetrack and jeff gordon will now be the leader [Music] anybody see the wet the wide red tape 3 900 when you get to the line [Music] [Music] put gas [Music] uh ty where's the cars at just now entering three rubber hammer all right let's be in four and they're saying one to go when they get here everybody over the wall everybody over the wall [Music] just now it's four [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh hanging out he's cool can't you get any tape over top of the grill just like we'd race it now it's all aluminum it ain't coming off it's fun you just don't understand what it's like to hear the carbs they don't go all these see what these plates are like you want to go [Applause] it's real hard can't vote yeah we'll work hard to get you a little bit jump here watch that slow car there the tail ends just now in room one [Applause] don't have to work on it no more kurt busch also in the top 10. none of them stopped under this caution flag dale jarrett bill elliot jeff burton bobby labonte all on the lead lap 28 cars on the lead laps and bobby is in there [Music] 20 stop the damage is pretty severe the double zero car taken behind the wall what tony stewart yeah i think he did i thought i thought i saw that put right sides on maybe four the cars who pitted under the caution bill elliott robbie gordon kenny wallace john andretti tony stewart michael waltrip ward burton mike wallace dale jarrett terry lavonny mark martin jamie mcmurray jeff burke ricky craven those are the lead lap cars that pitted under the caution jeff gordon did not [Music] diving to the inside already trying to get back up front [Music] [Applause] that repair is definitely going to help with straightaway speeds yes probably up to corner speed as well because it's going to cars going to be more aerodynamically balanced so all these cars that are at the head of the line right now did not hit under the caution watch that yellow line junior get down there remember if you cross that yellow line to advance your position you're considered out of bounds and you're penalized where he did it it's worse you can crash when you get down on that apron going into turn three like that it really really upsets the car doesn't like that car becomes angry both junior and joe nemechek are being warned by nascar junior for flirting with that yellow line and nemechek for blocking [Applause] nemechek jr and jason keller in the dei one car the pennzoil machine are now the first three cars not on the lead lap and they're racing for the lucky dog pass and they're right together right there i think junior seems to understand that because he's very aggressive right now trying to get up in that position bill what do you think you're exactly right bt i was just going to say i can't see the whole race but i can certainly hear what he's saying and you can hear just by his voice even before they went back to green he knows exactly the situation he's in and what he has to do right now what he has to do bill is pass that yellow car in front of him that's why i like this deal because now the cars that are lapped down have to race hard if earnhardt's the lucky dog you ought to do that pull again and see how the fans go this time right phil whoa he's hugging that yellow line isn't he oh he is he wants to get underneath that one car and do exactly what he's doing down the back stretch he's got nemechek behind him it's a tough spot for jason keller there [Music] ladies and gentlemen [Music] right black nascar winston cup trivia question the only driver to sweep talladega nascar winston cup races in the same year more than once buddy baker no no no i'll give you a hint he's related to the guy trying to do it again bill earnhardt 1990 and 1999. dale earnhardt did it pete hamilton 1970 buddy baker 75 daryl waltrip 82. dale junior 2002 are the drivers that have swept talladega races in a season we'll back it up if he can win today but at this point it's not out of the question here we talk about how much damage hurts these cars there's a prime example how now that a car is so much faster now they just fixed that little bit of damage on the nose which where he needs to be right now he's the first car not on the lead left 29th the 25 car right behind him is his closest challenger for that spot so he and joe nemechek are going to have to really race hard for that and see what happens if the caution comes out up front it's jeff gordon leading jimmy johnson's second elliot sadler third ricky rudd fourth [Applause] and after that it's kind of a you pick him [Music] kenny wallace was fifth last left by that's him in the orange and yellow car scraping the wall i don't think he's gonna be fifth this time because he looks like five or six cars been able to get behind if he's up there on the outside now he's finally got a car pointing behind him but he's up there really by himself yeah it's funny went around the garage area this morning talking to different crew chiefs and drivers and asking them if they noticed any tendency like that and usually the high line here with talladega goes and a lot of folks were saying that just didn't seem to be that way impressive i was just gonna say it just seems like the middle line is fast the guys are running in the middle and that's usually the high line but now that these cars are three oppressed way up top it just doesn't seem like it's getting it done what about the 12 car bill what's the story on him benny when he was coming down pit road he said he wanted his crew to check the right side tires because they felt a little funny they only changed left they looked at the rights never really got a communication back and forth as to whether it was okay or not when he took off when he got back out on the track that's when the right front went that caused him to have to limp back to pit road knock knocked him off the lead lap but the thing is it's pretty hard to look at rights yeah when a car is sitting on the on the ground and so ryan newman is now a lap down in 32nd place and he's trying to get up there and get around earnhardt jr and see if he can be the lucky dog all right battle for the lead yeah that's not that's skinner yeah skinner is two laps down so he's trying to get one of them back from jeff gordon he's not even in position to be the lucky dog at this point and he's passionate leader how unlucky is that yeah no kidding but i'll tell you what he might be bringing that 29 car to the front once again that outside line you get him two by two it seemed to work well kevin harvick in skinner's wake and harrick will probably dump skinner as soon as he can harvick to the lead in the 29 car there you go thanks mike yeah come on let's go buy that 01 car vicious game third time today harvick is led but it will only be the third lap that he's led exchange of pit stops harvick leads elliot is second jeff gordon now third kurt busch leading the pile for fourth on back three by three three wide all right twenty one's finally got someone to help him here so here we go three by three at tempo i see him now three by three helping you right now [Music] outside outside still three by three here comes smoke finally finally someone's coming down here to help you here three by three three by three tough cars behind you now good job so three by three clear low still three by three there's not a lot of help not a lot of holes here buddy hang in there still there go outside outside inside oh if you need it clear low three wide still three wide you're high if you need it all clear anything you need all clear besides both sides both sides clear high clear high high line's moving at 01's backing up a little bit on the bottom up there [Music] inside inside [Music] both sides both sides are high if you need it [Music] [Music] two by two everybody has helped oh right sorry through gordon for second that's kurt bush up on the high line trying to charge around the top side big wiggle there for mcmurray but he hung on [Music] and there's another guy we talked about earlier they took the time to fix that car and he's right back where he was earlier before the damage will be too far of jamie mcmurray our lowest improvers and snoozers who have moved up and back from the start of the race the roush cars bush and kansas those who were kind of struggling today on the snoozer side sterling marlin just went to the garage seconds ago during the break looks like the engine is gone on his machine buckshot jones we saw the damage on his car that brought out that last caution he is also retired for the race jerry mayfield was back on the racetrack uh he is still and i saw him make a pit stop at green flags not just a moment ago but he's now 81 laps down hey jimmy johnston has gone to the front and the 48 car yep [Applause] just uh if you're just joining us involved in a crash at lap 10 when he cut down a left rear tire and took johnny benson larry for jimmy spencer with him 42 car jamie mcmurray still in the thick of it matt there's two huge pieces of paper really helping murray's car he says the car is very comfortable now he's only concern he has is crew chief donnie wingo the water is 230 how much higher can it go or should i really be worried he says just don't let it go too much higher than 230. dip out get some fresh air that's what he's been doing new leader elliot sadler out in front talked about sterling marlin going to the garage marty it's a hole in the radiator allen what put the hole there sterling he got hot swell the radiator up and busted we run hot yesterday and uh kind of careful all day running 240 250 and we got in that big pack and it got up over 250 and looked down about 260 and it split the radiator and you hated paul guys got spout shot really built a fine car here and ernie's bunch worked on the motors hard and you know the winning race could reside in us but it just wouldn't be today under the new rules how's the racing been sterling put the wickers back on the wall and pass there you go that's the verdict from sterling marlin it is a terminal problem they are done for the day allen and what sterling's referring to is the rules package of a few years ago where they had that big metal strip across the roof of the cars that caused the great closing rates and multiple multiple lead changes in races here in daytona removed because the driver said at that time the closing rates were too quickly now we're starting to hear a lot of drivers saying put them back on we heard one of them just say that sterling marlin oh that's the difference between the total lead changes in the race and the ones that have happened on the track not because of pit stops the green flag pit stops so 12 changes for the lead on the track out of the 22 that have been totally in the race i was going wild 29 cars going backwards yeah i wonder what i mean the 29th car picked up a big time push or what because uh maybe just got shuffled i don't know but it looks like he's struggling right now or the 77 car that is a dodge you're not seeing things normally afford but you know they get their engines from the jasper penske folks and they you know they have a good restrictor plate program but they spend a lot of time on that dodge engine not too much on the ford so they build a dodge to come down here [Applause] that just can't be comfortable being in the middle of one of those packs like that i wouldn't think so being the middle guy you know something else you get going on here right now is the the race for the lucky dog pass earnhardt jr you see him there in the eight ryan newman joe nemechek greg biffle they're all kind of in the vicinity racing to be that first car not on the lead lap see these guys right here what they're where they want to be is they want to be in that first five or six car group single file and you want to get all the racing behind you right now you're just trying to fight your way through like junior you know they're you're always looking for the line that's going to work with you and you're also looking for the car that's going to help pull you to the front but when you get back there it's three wide you just can't go anywhere adding frustration to the tension jamie mcmurray the 01 car mike skinner just a reminder he had to pit twice a little bit earlier in the race lap 84 and then again at lap 87 and those were under green so that's why he's not in the mix for the lucky dog pass skinner is in fact the first car two laps down in 33rd place my guess is that he flat spotted a tire coming in we saw him when he came down fed room i guess if he slid a tire classified and had to come back in wow jeff putting the block on the 42 car mcmurray trying to hang on the third spot which he does elliot sadler is the leader we've just completed 300 miles and casey mears has popped up on the line dave he radioed in that uh he was his gauges were going crazy he thinks it's going to blow up they said bring it in bring it to us he smoked real bad the last time coming to the try over guys yeah that's two that's the team carter sterling marlon that we just heard from who overheated down it wouldn't go at all was he complaining of uh water temperature problems dave well i was listening for that and he they said what about the water and he said the water's dropping so you know i mean a drop in temperature would be good but no no no dave that's bad oh that's bad if it drops fast that means he's out of water it doesn't have any water that's right there's nothing to gauge you drivers know what all those gauges are supposed to tell you [Applause] elliot sadler leads just past 300 miles [Music] coming quick on the outside outside outside [Music] more slow cars ahead outside slow cars on the bottom still there the car's gonna be trying to get inside of you inside inside inside hold your line clear low behind him if you need it clear low still outside 15 in your mirror one back with momentum don't let it get inside of you [Music] 17 came with you still outside clear high clear to the middle clear to the middle you need it [Music] [Applause] you are clear high clear high clear high five back 1709 first two cars you're looking at [Music] 22 in your mirror inside still inside ten more laps 10. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] here [Applause] [Music] now with him and inside inside [Music] back to the 42 year line he said he's got the 32 with him [Music] you inside inside [Applause] [Music] get you back here for helping the bottom [Applause] [Music] [Applause] side package on gordon here five and a line clear all around you're high [Music] here you are [Music] to observe the penalty he would have been speeding down pearl road go back on the racetrack have to come back to be penalized for speeding and [Music] yeah 26 cars on the lead lap all in that pack you're looking at every one of them plus most all the lap cars that are left in the race in fact they're only two cars on three cars on the speedway that are not in that group matt kenseth michael walters rusty wallace racing for fourth place marty what about the 48-24 what's their strategy well their strategy is they're gonna come down about four or five laps bp but you guys talked about it becoming time to become intense on the racetrack even a little chance between teammates [Music] jimmy i gave him that one i can't give him the next one if these guys are up my butt like that you've got to be careful no reason to pass right now just stay in line jimmy uh jeff said if you can just try to [Applause] jimmy came down and blocked his teammate jeff gordon jeff did not like it as you heard on the radio conversation he said i gave you that one i won't give you the next one yeah just gotta work together don't make the teammate mad that's the only friend you got out there matt kenzit rim riding around michael waltrip and jeff gordon but who's going to help him junior's not going oh my goodness crash hack there [Music] kansas gonna lose all kinds of spots after lifting off the gas dave what's up with the 17. bp he thinks he has a flat left rear tire he just radiated in [Music] oh man and that could be the first in the championship armor we've seen on matt kinseth this entire season his worst finish so far this year 22nd he's off the pace on the back stretchers you see the the the goodyear lettering is rubbed off the side of that tire apparently from where he and michael waltrip made contact stranger just made a pit stop the 49 car you know what this might not hurt it's that bad because we're coming up to a set of pit stops here there are guys dropping off the track onto pit road here we see the contact between michael walter there we saw the smoke from the tires making contact with the 15 car marty 40 coming to you jeff gordon and jimmy johnson both won't pit road second and third left side tires for gordon right side for jimmy johnson packet full of fuel they leave at the same time dave matt kenseth is already gone left side tires for him the crew checking now to see the valve stems are both up but the tire damage from the contact they were gonna put in about four laps so alan you're about right they all have to pick one more time today anyway they should be okay it's just not gonna help hurt him all that badly if he can get up to speed with these cars leaving pit road ahead of him well that's the problem i don't think he can al we'll see how it all shakes out but how about elliot sadler maddie raymond fox was trying to work a deal with donnie wingo to pit at the same time but window wanted to go a few more laps so they did come with the 24 of those guys they made left side tire change in the 38 of elliot sadler okay 64 laps to go so everybody is going to have to pit once more here's ward burton in maddie right side tire change for ward burton not completely happy with his race car as they're waving go go go they've got her full about bobby labonte dave for the first time today a two tire change for bob levanti two right side tires for him leaders michael uh i think it was michael waltrip now it's kurt bush and some more cars heading for pit road waltrip is in ryan newman is also in there pitting mike skinner's coming in jason keller's pitting and bill here comes michael waltrip allen said he couldn't see a thing he goes i don't know why i ran into that guy in front of me so they're going to go ahead and take a tear away off the windshield give him right side tires his crew chief slugger labby says the car is just junk but we still got a shot to win this thing right side tires going on the fuel going in meanwhile in front of her ryan newman getting his fuel now he's on his way to do you hear what a difficult time these guys have getting away from the pit stop very tall first gears in this car very very tall so you got to be careful when you leave fifth you don't snap an axle you used to see that a lot especially when you change just one side of the tires because one right rear is hot and sticky and the other one's not so kurt gives up the lead comes to pit road tony stewart is also in along with a few others marty allen won an outstanding run for this team started 39th today the tire wear has been excellent he wants a clean windshield right side tires and that will be it they pack it full of fuel man an easy entry for jimmy mcmurray so that he wouldn't slide those tires only going for right side tires [Music] on the asphalt the rear tires will slip jason jarrett kenny wallace jamie mcmurray pitting jason jarrett's going to get black flag for being too fast entering pit road now another group of cars coming to the entry to the pit lane jeff burton is in dale jr and about uh six others maddie and the 99 of jeff burton looking for his second restrictor plate victory going to work right sides only at this juncture bill it's right sides also for the 80s slid the tires coming on the pit road according to his spotter but junior jumped on the radio said rights only wanted to come in with the 99 of the 16. he's got everybody behind him as they leave dave [Music] you will see the cars who've already stopped coming by them now as junior and the rest of these guys and harvick struggle to get up to speed and blend in with that draft robbie gordon took over the lead when those other guys pitted now here he comes onto the pit lane and mark martin's guys only going to go for right side tires at this point as he pulls in easy to his pit box they pull a tear away off earlier they had fixed a hinge on the hood bill matt it's right side tires for robbie gordon in the 31 they dropped the jack weight on the fuel he heads out followed down pit road by the 21 and the six of mark that's ricky rudd leaving along with robbie gordon and mark martin and john andretti and here comes jeff gordon and the other guys that have already pitted jimmy johnson going to lead them as you see them overtaking them on that outside lane so all the cars that have stopped in fact i think we just finished the pit stop cycle so that's going to put jimmy johnson there back into the lead jeff gordon's second elliot sadler third kurt bush fourth and dale jarrett up to fifth after his pit stop it's the farthest to the four i can recall dj being today elliott sadler dj teammates could work together also got teammates running running one and two and checking on the lucky dog pass there's dale jr you just saw drop in the line he is again now the first car not on the lead lap if a caution comes out he gets the free pass past the pace car he is racing with greg biffle for that spot that's nipple in the 16 right behind junior he's been in that position for some time but has not been the lucky dog because the caution hasn't come out for him [Music] i'll screen the updated running order of these cars [Applause] today almost the most this season talladega at 16 earlier in the year the april race here at the world's fastest speedway how about dale jarrett marty it's been an interesting day for the 88 bunch allen for about 30 minutes dj had no communication with this spotter bob jeffers they thought it was the radio that bob had turned out as to radio and dj's car either the antenna on the roof or the connection to that antenna has broken dj had to switch the backup radio which has an antenna on the door and then he could hear a spot of wally i could not imagine driving this racetrack without it without the assistance of a spot that would be unbelievable yes that would be pretty difficult you know you don't rely on your spot 100 obviously here but they are a big big big help at a racetrack like this so plus you can't you know it's hard to communicate with the team or anything very difficult we really rely on those radios more than we think dale racing with his son jason in the field today for his first nascar winston cup start just the second time they've run it and raced together they ran a nascar bush series race in charlotte a couple of years ago 350 miles [Music] [Applause] [Music] around clear all around good steady work here cars inside of you eight cars inside on your quarter back in line back in line [Music] [Music] still there 22 in your mirror working keep digging pretty wide behind you big 15 in your [Music] mirror [Music] 15 in your mirror [Music] [Applause] first two cars in front you have damage on their nose that they've already tried to fix during these pit stop 32 and 42 got damaged [Music] still clear high that's the five and the eight behind you right now [Music] well they tried they just tried that last lap when they turned three but it hadn't happened [Music] matt kenzit the nascar winston cup championship leader remember he bounced off michael waltrip and had to come to the uh pit road about what two-thirds of a lap dave he was kind of off the pace limping around with a left rear tire that was going down he's in 21st place now [Music] and ellen i checked with the crew on that to make sure that the left rear fender wheel well area was not severely damaged really nothing that affects the car right now and interestingly just before that he had said to the crew hey i don't care what you do to the car it's handling great and apparently it still is ellen he's hooked up in a little draft there with mark martin and jason keller and ken schrader and so on if they can stay in line [Music] it's going to be tough but they might be able to make some ground on that lead group they're about a half a straightaway behind well right now they're seven seconds behind we will try to follow and see if they are gaining in fact how about mark martin marnie having a decent run trying to get his teammate to help push him to the front there benny you know nascar's modern era there have been three caution free races here at talladega the first of which happened in may of 1997 that day yes who mark martin bliss with the field starting 18th leading 47 laps and setting a record that still stands today the fastest 500 mile race in nascar history that day the 43 cars covered 500 miles in 2 hours 39 minutes and 18 seconds for an average speed of no better than 188 miles an hour in victory lane mark martin's ford if you haven't looked it forward lately look again mark martin on the lead lap in 20th place up front jamie mcmurray with a push trying to get through the second spot [Music] here comes dale junior jumping up front michael walter pushing elliot it's getting intense yeah i know jimmy johnson did not want to see that 24 car disappear in this mirror no he'd rather have his teammate right there and i know elliott sadler in that 38 cars looking for the 88 car dale jarrett he'd like to see him in his mirror you just feel a lot better when your teammates behind you else kind of getting shuffled back in that inside lane that's him way at the bottom of the screen five stories tall the banking here at talladega 33 degrees it's unbelievably imposing when you get out there and you look at that racetrack close up little debbie lap leaders today jeff gordon has been out in front more than anyone else more than twice as much as anyone else but he's losing spots he lost five positions the last lap in that that outside outside lane there bp and i think he needs to get down in the middle or the bottom ricky right off the pace dave they believe that when he came in for his last hit stop guys when he was up shifting coming onto pit lane that they dropped a cylinder and then we left it later just sounded terrible it was great up until that time and now he just radioed in guys you want me to keep going because she's gonna blow up and they said well just ride around the crew chief nascar just told ricky he's no longer meeting the minimum speed look at this michael waltrip by elliot sandler now looking for a way around jimmy johnson for the race lead and look who's coming up behind it to try and help dale jr junior not on the lead lap but try to stay at the front of the pack if he gets a caution to get the free pass see that piece of bare metal his crew making some repairs to his car junior involved in an incident on pit road back at lap 10 limped around for a long time finally under a caution the crew able to make some repairs okay what i thought michael had a great run going on those guys but somehow he got beside the throne and stalled and earned a little bit loose there you hear the engines don't change tones because these guys do not have to back off the throttle unless something happens in front of them if someone gets loose or whatever they will ease off but ninety percent of the time they run around this racetrack wide open never backing up one second [Music] if you gotta slow down a little bit you just ride the brake you just tap the brake with your left foot like bp says you don't ever want to lift your foot off the gas because boy it just kills you lose a lot of time a lot of speed tapping the brake while keeping the gas pedal all the way to the floor it just yep just slows the car down just a little bit [Music] [Applause] waltrip trying to mount the charge again in that outside lane that lane has worked pretty well today junior pushing him literally pushed it down the back stretch here at talladega junior just bailed out does michael have enough to squeeze in front of jimmy johnson for the lead no but jimmy johnson doesn't have any buddies right now on his bumper so they may pull it off right here i don't think the eight cars gonna go down to 48 do you trouble johnson spinning to the inside don't come back he's gonna i don't think he's got much of a choice oh boy did he just get through there [Applause] he's still moving and junior gets the lucky dog pass say what jimmy johns is a lucky dog right there he is turning that thing sideways 190 miles per hour how that kept from being the big one i'll never know they were racing for the lead somehow all the pack got by while he was down on the apron and when he came back across the racetrack the cars were gone thank goodness [Applause] so the caution is out for just the third time in the race michael waltrip is the leader dale jr is going to get the free pass after the pit stops this sets up a number of things one it keeps junior's drive for five alive two the pit stops are gonna bring fuel mileage into into play they have been coming off the table by the start finish line and the 15 and 48 i think are going to make contact [Music] 15. that's right the eight got in the back of the 15 he turned down and hit the 48. look at that wow now watch this [Music] very close and you know what save jimmy johnson there all that pavement to the inside of the racetrack that used to be grass what a shot this is a great shot right here see all that pavement he's sliding on that one that was done as a safety measure because when that had been grasped that would have been an awful crash for johnson and it just doesn't take much folks when these cars make contact they're so loose anyway it doesn't take much to get these cars sideways [Music] and watch this all the cars go by there's an opening he goes up the racetrack oh man how close is that [Music] probably the left front valence is the only thing that's really damaged on that car right front's flat they'll get that changed here pit road is not open yet so johnson's going to have to start at the end of the longest line on the restart [Music] marty the valence is all torn up and he came on the radio that's the only thing he said the valence is torn up i'm okay never explained really what happened they did not get a lot of the valence fix it was four tires they're obviously going to have to come back down pit road get that front valence fixed they didn't lose a lap so and these stops are going to come with 44 laps to go fuel mileage is going to be on the bubble depends how long this caution runs marty it is outside of the fuel window for jeff gordon however they give him a tear off on both sides of the windshield it'll be a right side tire change only no changes matt the 38 car elliot sadler right side tire changes they're going on the jack and he's down to the right oh he hits the 43. that crewman's down michael waltrip is on pit road it's a four tire change he said he had no idea what happened out there they took four because they're four laps short he's gonna have to come back and top off back to you matt jeff green is trying to turn on a pit road a crew member on the 43 was struck they're trying to help him off pit road we'll update the situation momentarily looks like they all got up yeah a little slow but boy here we go we've got two cars just trying to hit the same spot watching 43 cars trying to come into his pit and ellie is trying to leave he just hooks the left rear and those poor guys are they got nowhere to go man that jack man gets knocked about 10 feet down the racetrack fortunately he didn't get run over by the 38 car once he got thrown down the racetrack watch here [Applause] he took a hit thank goodness for those helmets they're wearing too maddie rg kennedy is sitting on the pit wall medical attention there's a king the king is talking to archie archie's talking to the medical folks here on pit road archie's been with that team a long time has he yes so matt will stay on top of the situation for us and get us the update that we can and we'll reset it for you go up to the last car on the lead lap just like you do any other time it's no different just calm down baby we're all right we're gonna win this race calm down calm but i don't think anybody's understanding me i'm calmer than anybody here here i come 3900 all those guys are most of our laptop anyway we'll get you fine we'll be fine [Music] come over to wow tape it up forward it was as far as the grill opening now [Music] go [Music] just keep on going by the field past the pace car and catch up to the tail end of the lap cart to the outside only outside this hotel move down you are watching the ea sports 500 from talladega super speedway on nascar in car on in demand splashing it's not one to go yet do you want to wait till next time around go ahead come on now it'll be fine we wait till next time around just keep going all right get caught up we'll splash as late as we can that's it we're going to get caught up but the end of the field is just now in two that catch can the overflow can attach to the back of the car for the entire time they were fueling it if i got that right bill yeah well you i didn't see the whole thing allen but here's basically this discussion right here is taking place on pit road because apparently the nascar officials working this stall did not see the infraction it may have been a call from upstairs from the booth so that's what kruger is talking to the officials about about how they're enforcing the penalty they've already told him he has to go to the tail end of the longest line so we'll come back sort out the order of the guys on the track and then we'll run to the checkers here at talladega you're watching nascar on nbc [Music] [Music] [Music] watch all these clowns pulling out up here starting to back anyway [Music] [Music] 10 away the old one around the old one there you go right here okay hold on all right let's go gonna have a couple deer outside we gotta line up in the back [Music] 77 will be the last one here outside we still got three cars on pit road i think we got a probably good shot as anybody [Music] about 40 to go when you take the green car since i got off the plane run outside to 31. and then you go up they say go up to the nine [Music] all right you're good right there [Music] gm quality 500 saturday night october 11th lowe's motor speedway it's the first prime time running of this fall classic be there as 43 of nascar's fastest burn up the track to take the checkered flag record crowds will witness record speeds on this historic night it's nascar's newest and most thrilling event saturday night october 11th it's the uaw gm quality 500. don't miss it back as the green flag waves in the ea sports 500 in talladega and a few things to catch you up on elliot sapper is the leader warren burton is second jeff gordon third rusty wall is fourth kevin harvick fifth none of those guys popped off the fuel on one to go there are several who did i'll get you that list in a second dale earnhardt jr michael waltrip jimmy johnson restarting 24th 25th and 26th with 40 laps to go and we talked about it being intense about 10-15 laps ago you ain't seen nothing yet that's right folks you haven't seen anything yet because it is going to be really intense because some of these cars will not have to pit again they will stay out there they'll make it on fuel some of them got to stop for gas and go first guy who did top off the fuel at the restart jamie mcmurray in tenth place top nine did not stop first car one lap down is ryan newman in position if we get a caution for the lucky dog pass and here's a bit for the lead as ward burton works to the outside of elliot sadler greg biffle not on the lead lap pushing ward burton there's rusty wallace with help from his teammate [Applause] ryan newman the penske dodges [Applause] and biffle both those cars trying to compete for the lucky dog award right now it's new in the 12 car jeff gordon trying to get back to the front 24 car oh boy jeff is all over the 12 and believe me he does not want the 12 in front of him right now and here comes junior right into the middle of that pack listen to he and his team talking under the caution a minute go ago the bottom down you go up to the last car on the lead lap just like you do any other time it's no different just calm down baby we're all right we're gonna win this race calm down calm but i don't think anybody's understanding me i'm calmer than anybody here here i come that's just before he made his pit stop by the way man what's going on with archie the any updates archie kennedy benny is on his way to the infield care center for a check over he was smiling he was talking to the medical personnel he did complain that his vision was a little bit blurry but by the way that looked it looks like he came out pretty good yeah i guess that's good here we are seeing a lot of blocking right now a lot more than we've seen earlier in the race mike watson zero nine cars trying his best to get by jeff gordon 24 and jeff was having no part of that look at junior he's up to seventh he restarted 24th just a few laps ago elliot sadler hugging that yellow line [Music] rusty wallace now with jeff gordon working underneath his back bumper [Music] on board rusty how about rusty's chance dave he's never won here before well the only uh the only hiccup in his day has been that he stalled leaving pit road this last time uh can they make it on fuel billy wilbur doesn't think so yeah that's another factor that's that's left to hang here we restarted with 40 laps to go some guys probably can make it some guys probably can't matt how about ward burton well ward burns earlier concern allen was the fact that just like back in the spring race he was hitting the red chip back in the spring race he pulled that chip out engine builder terry ellich wasn't happy so this time they just told him to switch the back up box and he's okay now i guess he's okay he's going to the lead and greg 16 car trying to follow try to stay in position to get a lap back in case there's a caution and i tell you what when they race like this oh there's a chance ryan newman squeezing in front of matt kansas your championship leader in that black 17 that last caution got him back up to the lead pack and then he did not pit under the yellow which means he can go the rest of the way he didn't hit under the yellow he didn't top off the fuel on the one to go like some of the others did got him his track position back bp and i were talking earlier we think the roush cars can make it on fuel look at jimmy johnson 48 car started 26th with 40 to go he's up into the top five marty allen it was amazing to watch that team work they made four pit stops and made them very calmly these were the same crew members who got hit on pit road just a couple of weeks ago they fixed surveillance they got it fixed better than they thought they could because they had one extra caution left that allowed them to put some extra tape on it will it be enough to help my goodness gracious alive they went in the corner lock they were running dirt [Applause] smoke flying fenders bending [Applause] it always talk about give and take it's giving it to him now yeah giving it to him i mean it's kind of get yourself in that position but we haven't had the big one yet as we check our napa field summary caution flags today one was for debris one was for a wreck back at lap 10 when jeremy mayfield cut a tire one was for jimmy johnson getting knocked around when he and michael waltrip were racing for the lead just a little while ago cars out of the race larry foyt jimmy spencer buckshot jones sterling marlin casey mears now i hear ricky rudd has taken his car to the garage and may be done for the day 32 lead changes 15 different leaders and may have another one here rusty wallace looking on ward burton for the top spot kenzeth in that 17 car trying to follow rusty and here comes junior [Music] and we're seeing guys push each other a lot more in this part of the race here where you got to be careful doing that too or you'll get into that situation we saw with the eight car and michael walcher how about that dave here's the situation with them robbie riser to man stay out i think we can do this on fuel matt back to robbie does jack think we can make a card under jack roush he thought we'd be one and a half short said robbie so matt said i'll race hard now if we're still out here with 10 to go i'll save you some fuel then matt that's okay dave i'll take it dale earnhardt jr wants to race in the middle of the track he was asking his spotter ty norris have me give you us wow did you see that was that the 22 yeah it was you were saying i'll try and get this in he went to the middle of the track ty said it's not there finally got him a spot jeff clark just did the fuel mileage on the eight car they're about 150 yards from the start finish line they got 187.89 laps so they'll run out right in front of their pit store let's see what happens see i see these guys are pushing each other i'm telling you it's really really tricky right now when you get somebody pushing on you and you turn the car just a little bit that car gets really loose they're pushing on you and you're trying to turn the wheel it's just going to push your side you're going sideways like jimmy johnson did a moment ago exactly so these guys i mean i know they're trying to help other cars but you got to make sure you're doing it in a straight line the closer we get to the finish the better the chance for the big red oh man jimmy johnson off the pace it's an engine failure it looks like for the 48 bunch bp they're gonna go straight to the garage you get those things spun around backwards when the race car gets spun a lot of times the engine gets spun around backwards that's not a good thing damages things inside oh here we go championship leader off the pace in talladega with 30 laps to go dave he radioed in motors broke well that was not a good place to have your engine blow up kind of like running out of gas and somehow they all kept from running over did make dale jr have to get out of the gas a little bit but he's still believe it or not after spending most of this day a lot down in the hunt for the win and here goes junior on the inside of mike wallace i'm sorry that's kurt bush that's mike wallace that's going with him in the 0-9 [Music] so junior to second position the 16 car biffle is a lap down matt what about the 22 lord burton is saying they're running all over me going into the corner i am back on the chip they're telling pull the chip pull the chip out that's pretty hard to do that's the chip that limits the number of rpms the engine can turn it's in the ignition box usually mounted to the driver's right the way the seats are and everything it's pretty hard to reach over there and grab a chip out unless they have it set up for the driver to do that see michael walter from the 15 cars moved high trying to get elliott center trying to get some help and use that high line to get to the front [Applause] see kenza there slow on the racetrack trying to get back around ryan newman under mike wallace and matt kenseth headed for the garage his worst finish so far this season 22nd it will be below that today dave he shut it off immediately alan the crew asked him to restart he said well let's wait until i get to the pit stall i haven't repaired it yet but i'm sure it's broke crew going underneath right now not a lot of oil up underneath the bottom i think that he got to the blown engine quickly he's coming with the pipes here hey guys let's go put it away we have one more green flag commercial break to get in so let's do it now i don't want to miss the finish of this one any more than you do you're watching nascar on nbc coming with you the 09 and 18 on the bottom 24 now on the bottom [Applause] 42 15 38 behind you three y three one [Music] see wide still three wide free lives so with the outside with the 38-31 right there 25 to go outside with the 38-31 [Applause] top and bottom are lined up we're high clear high you're up top there by yourself the 42 is the first car back [Music] [Applause] get some help here on the bottom [Music] three wide three wide two outside two outside [Music] the 20s inside the 12 you're clear to the bottom if you want to get in with his draft either one back [Music] shuffle back a couple of spots [Music] check it out coming off turn two we see the eight card go high newman went up there with him and rusty was a sitting duck they just blew right by him rusty tried to go up there was nothing he could do [Music] teammates that may be able to gang up on junior the body was almost a lap down earlier i don't talk to that crew this morning bobby labonte's crew and they were very optimistic about their car and their chances today marty well bp matt kinseth has just been given the signal it is a terminal engine problem he's going to climb out of the car they were trying to take off a rocker send them back out on the track and jeff paxton you see him on top of the engine literally jack roush in there they're trying to see if they can maybe fix it and now they've given the matt the uh matt the way to wait a second signal so i don't know what's gonna happen they did give him the we're done signal just a second ago though all right so that'll be the first race here at talladega matt kenseth has failed to finish and it looks like it'll be his worst finish of the season so far for the lead bobby lobotti dale earnhardt jr it's mike wallace in the 09 trying to push levonny tony stewart in big orange trying to push junior [Music] 2x2 for the lead with just 21 laps to go matt kenzit's lead coming in 436 over kevin harvick [Applause] see right now junior this terrific run would move in the second spot is bobby labonte goes to the front big blocking going on here he was for a minute i thought he was in front not any longer stewart needs to get behind that 18 car somehow mike wallace for second place on bobby labonte oh nine car james finch is out here jeff burton you got that car below that line pretty quick so you think we'll be okay and the race continues we stay oh caution caution for oil [Music] [Applause] caution for oil now the caution is out all these guys can stop racing right now bobby labonte will be the leader he was out in front of junior when they called for the caution so there's no point racing back to the line okay now and ryan newman the lucky dog again this week newman's going to cover yeah that's a fast race car he didn't have where we see that doesn't have quite as many miles left as he did at dover last week but he is the first car to lap down and he's going to get the lucky dog pass now 20 laps to go does the caution give you enough laps these guys that were close on fuel like jeff gordon where you don't have to stop and you can make it to the finish or do they have to come in i think they'll come in and put some fuel in will we see anybody try and take tires oh yeah make a big charge through the field sure the guys in the back part on the lead lap i think we'll take everything take tires take everything you can you got nothing to lose hey ricky craven bill ellie kenny straight are those guys blaney those guys back there in the lead left they'll probably change four times and get good to go caution will leave us after you subtract jeff burton and add ryan newman 24 cars on the lead lap probably go back to green somewhere around 16 or 15 to go [Music] [Applause] oh that's going to be dramatic it's going to be tough wow and now we really don't have the patience because when you're in the back you got to go bill webber i just wanted to let you know the a-car is not planning to pit okay what fat back's thinking bobby labonte's pit [Music] sure felt good to leave but it did i'm talking those guys this morning if that pack is zippy i don't know if they'll run enough yellows to give them what they need to stay out for fuel but we'll soon find out here they come opening a pit lane bobby labonte tony stewart both favoring the inside like they're going to pit road [Applause] they are and junior's going to head in crazy [Music] already gone this car ran out of fuel at daytona earlier this year it would have run out here they would have had to have stopped marty they have tony stewart already gone all they needed was two and a half seconds of fuel that'll get him to the end bill junior said let's do this right howard's almost past the pit he's on his way it's him in the 20. 20's got him 18's got him too bill that's what those teammates want to be all right here's the 49 card talking about power change there we go right jack is on the up right side is going on looks like right sides only 32 i think got tires as well we talked about mvp now those are the guys who pitted here's the guy who didn't and he's your new leader kurt busch out in front 18 laps to go at talladega dale earnhardt jr tried to win five straight here can he do it again again [Music] on the lead lap get you a piece of barabon ready to put on that hood again because that seemed to help when we did that as well come on back in she's a good piece of parabon to put back over that hood [Music] [Music] i couldn't tell thank baby newman okay [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] uh you can never be too careful [Music] yeah the 8th car too [Music] [Music] right now there's uh 16 laps to go this time [Music] back out a lot of conjecture as to whether or not you could get the car back out at what in the end was the problem matt i don't know something broken engine so it's uh it's really disappointing i mean you know up to this point then you guys done a really good job this year giving us reliable stuff that runs pretty good but um this recital play stuff has always been our weakness you know none of the none of the cars ever come here and run and uh just gotta do more work on this program you know we shouldn't uh we shouldn't break parts you know when when we run like that you know it should be reliable enough to make it so it's real frustrating because at this point we haven't broke parts but um yeah the guys did a good job we had ourselves in a good position to get a good finish and uh just come back and get my kansas they tried to get him back out but this will be their first dnf of the season alan so matt kenseth going to finish right now he's showing in 33rd position he may finish a little bit lower than that but uh his previous worst finish of this season had been a 22nd so as marty said his first dnf of the year and his championship rivals could gain some ground on him depending on how these final laps play out bill well i came over here to ask tony your senior if he talked to me and he smiled an amazing day can you finish it in victory lane well i don't know is uh we was too close to gamble there i guess slugger he's going to try it but we were going to run out on the back straightaway if it went green the caution you know might might have got us through and then again it might not we hadn't been running up front today we've been tucked into behind people all day and we ran a lot harder a lot faster laps that time so i know the fuel mileage changed so no way we could take a chance on running out of gas certainly and we just stopped getting gas in didn't know how many was going to stay out there but uh you did talk about staying out until just about too late yeah well you know it's a gamble you want to gamble or not the way our luck's been since may uh we don't need to gamble on anybody i just it's uh it's too big a risk to take hopefully uh that 18 cars 20 can pull us up through there get back to the front all right they got a ringside seat too just down from the finish line still cleaning up the debris from jeff burton's lost engine we're under caution at talladega a very dramatic finish coming up stay with us [Music] dale the truck [Music] here [Music] [Music] taking a green lap 174-117 clean your motor out when you get around here get you a good start get it wound up the best things in life are the things that are true budweiser my pontiac fuel for the soul by the united states army an army of one and by old navy painters fans will work for you 150 000 fans of the talladega super speedway all on their feet as the field comes down to the restart that'll be with 14 laps to go the top seven did not pit under this caution kurt bush is the leader mark martin michael waltrip john andretti dale jarrett terry lavonny dave blaney stayed on track they're hoping their fuel is good to the finish tony stewart first off pit road he's in eighth place dale jr is in 10th we're back under green [Music] and you've got to get greedy here benny i mean there's just not enough time to work your way through you've got to everything that you can get you have to get every single lap other quick notes jeff gordon robbie gordon jamie mcmurray topped off their fuel again so they're toward the back of the pack ryan newman now back on the lead lap restarts in 24th mark martin kurt busch teammates we're out with the roush cars running first and second and they can go the rest away but their teammates that both phone engines and jeff burton dale jarrett was getting a push terry the body who's that stuart like i said you got to get greedy if you're going to have to take some chances here if you're going to get to the front you're going to have to take more chances now than you've had the whole race junior behind the lap car of greg biffle 16 is one lap down i think tony was trying to get in front of junior when he made that cut through the traffic there's the 20 up top party what are they saying down there this caution the last one put them back in the ball game they were four to five laps short for making on fuel had they not gotten that caution they wouldn't have had a shot to win the race they have made zero adjustments on that 20 car today it's been outstanding except for the overheating they had a little bit earlier kurt bush up in the front they've made one adjustment on that car today a quarter pound out of the right rear tire on the very first stop of the day we told you at the top of the show watch out for the roush cars they started in the back but they made their way to the front same car kurt busch started 36 with at daytona and finished second and look who's fourth allen dale earnhardt jr now behind michael waltrip to the outside they go looking for the front bad news for the competition that's bad news for the competition 15 and 8 are hooked up kurt bush is trying to block he's doing all he can to keep those cars behind him and that's what he's got to do he's got to be looking in that mirror because he knows if they get beside him he's going to lose a bunch of spots right here michael waltrip with the break to the right good for the lead [Applause] [Music] gets there oh here we go pushing nice bump by mark michael waltrip to the lead junior can't stay with him and junior gets hung out and these guys know that they've got to separate these dei cars they're in trouble here comes the louse charge don't count out those teammates kurt bush pushed by mark martin and greg biffle up in the outside lane 97 car with a bid for the lead just turned under the 16 car and made some room made him a hole [Applause] junior and michael waltrip side by side rusty wallace is behind michael tony stewart is behind junior [Music] [Applause] [Music] now you know these guys can't say no go ahead no no no you go ahead because that could be the victory yeah whichever one of the dei cars gets at the head right that's kind of been the way it's worked here goes junior up on the outside of mark here goes michael on the inside mark getting stuck in the middle and they're gonna all go by the six card to second place or racing for second now for the lead tony stewart bobby labonte lined up behind the eight car all of a sudden that didn't work all of a sudden tony stark fell back he's in that third line now he's setting up for a wild finish here at talladega could we see a last live pass for the win yeah those guys are stuck up on that third line bp and it hasn't worked all day we check our walmart nascar winston cup race back 11 winston cup races at this track settled by a last lap pass more than any other track the last one this race 2001 dale earnhardt jr here comes elliot sadler posted her yellow car on the inside 38 trying to get by junior scarf [Applause] [Music] [Applause] oh look at junior push michael michael smart was back and forth into the corner earnhardt's had that 15 car sideways a couple times today junior trying to squeeze down and waltrip to the lead he gets in front of kurt bush [Applause] eight to go mark mark behind junior jeff gordon there right side of the screen in the 24 car he got four tires on that last pit stop he's up to 10. newman right behind him yep keep an eye on those guys great drive for mike wallace the 09 car black orange and yellow stripes on it right in the thicker face he was seventh last time across the start finish line and back down in front of kurt bush and splits the middle here comes junior trying to go that's great to see the attention already focused on the elliot sadler car yeah we see him taking his helmet off and they're going to red flag the race we've not passed the lap yet at which uh they would not use the red flag so they're going to stop the field on the back straightaway and we're going to go under the red flag look at the damage to that car what a heavy hit that thing well that thing was hitting on asphalt normally we see that on grass but this was on asphalt [Music] and for everybody that wonders why they use the carburetor restrictor plates to control speed it's just for that reason there's a certain speed at which when you turn one of these race cars around backwards it goes up in the air you see this area right here above the driver they call it like the birdhouse right here this area looks good that's what's protecting the driver and that really held up well now we see the car stopping and here he comes out the window that's great scary scary crash for elliot sadler let me get my breath before i take a step i'm dizzy let's go back and look there he is right in the middle and these guys see the hood flopping around in the deck lid the tethers that nascar has these teams installed to keep the hood and deck work he took the steering wheel off right away yeah that's unbelievable he had a crash in practice driving for the wood brothers a few years ago in michigan it looked like that see that's the problem when you get like i said when you start mirror driving and that's what these guys are doing they're trying to get in front of each other trying to make blocks just close to the end of the race you're not going to give a guy a break [Applause] you know something i want you to think about as you're watching these replays again watch what i think happened is elliott reacted to dale jr dale jr started to turn left in front of elliott and i think elliott just reacted to that and moved left and that's when he came across the front of curt bush i don't think he was trying to block kurt i think he reacted to dale jr making a sudden move to the left and just instinctively that could be but i mean you're still getting a lot of that going on right now that you don't see any other time of the race yeah i mean you know one moves and everybody moves pretty much already moving steering wheels off see watch junior here he moves to the left to block elliot right here and elliot turns good could be he could be trying to dodge that car i've seen the air a long ways before hit anything now the banking kicks the car back to the left fortunately it was down where no other parts hit him while he was flipping watch again junior makes a move to the left to block and sadler turns to the left [Music] go on board with curt bush and there you see the car that's one of the nuances of the rule this new rule that once we get the 10 laps to go they don't give the free pass anymore so sorry greg and we have six laps to go in the race actually five and a half with where the field is sitting halfway down the back straightaway there will be 23 cars on the lead lap and we're probably going to have four four or three laps left in this thing so it's not over yet michael waltrip is the leader dale earnhardt jr ward burton they're all up there in the running for the win in the ea sports 500 at talladega more drama left to unfold here at the world's fastest speedway elliot sadler fortunately out of his car after this scary ride [Music] nbc monday fear factors back in vegas baby all new and 400. nascar is going to have a record pushing once everybody clears out all right [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] you are watching the ea sports 500 from talladega super speedway on nascar in car on in demand [Music] [Applause] plan to but if they don't open fit road i don't want to go to the longest line because it's a single pile restart well if we're going to work on it we're going to be back there yeah but it's a single file league restart would have to go all the way to the back under you know with all these other cars that are last pound with that scope behind them yet yeah that's info i love being in predicaments we're not supposed to be in we'll stay out until the pits are open they got to open them because they're going to go back green this is going to be the one to go coming here that's what i'm figuring but uh don't we'll have to that's why i wanted to know if they didn't if we could make another lap before the opening without it blown [Music] now [Music] examining wearing that but right now the hutchins works much better with the seed he has so dale earnhardt jr with a new seat and a new helmet in fact they're thinking about modifying the helmet perhaps to scope out or scoop out some of the side so he has a little better peripheral vision so junior making safety moves last week he credited tony urey junior and tony urey senior for making the decision for him tony junior told me this morning it's more than likely his mother and the doctor that convinced him to change seats so that's the story on dale earnhardt jr let's get more from matt and right now bill the main item on the agenda tony yuri senior is winning this race your team cars second and third normally it's usually the guy that's ahead the other guy will follow what are the rules now because i do remember hearing junior say something earlier about he hasn't had a partner since he got off the airplane does that still stand well that's what he said uh i think i'll stay out of that one but never know what's going to happen they're going to be they're going to be double wide if he don't help michael somebody will for sure so uh it'll be it'll be too wide here for four or five laps whatever we gotta run here uh we're gonna stay out of it this time our email wouldn't hold the messages we got the last time we told him to pass michael so we'll just keep our mouth shut we'll stay out of it this time to marty schneider well matt the one man who could spoil dei's party jeff gordon sitting in fifth four fresh tires how did jeff feel about his chances robbie loomis he feels great about it first of all like sailors john and rick hendrick at home leave your tv on because i won't watch the end i'll call you in white see where it shakes out but you know we're looking real good we see that we got michael and dale jr up there we wish jimmy johnson hello chevrolet is up there to be with us right now but we're going to dig hard and see what happens here at the end you have no teammate up there how do you get in between the two dei cars jeff gordon two words jeff gordon he's got four fresh tires you know he talked there at the end he said i think we'll be better with four tires i can drive back up through there i was a little worried when they restarted with 14 to go and then he caught back up to him just did an awesome job right now he said the only thing i wish i had robbie loomis said there's a seat belt for the top of this pit box so i could strap in yeah i'll bet jeff gordon sitting on the racetrack now in the middle of that pile of cars that nascar will sort out their running order when they begin to roll back under the caution flag how about michael waltrip do you have a shot at this thing matt well let's talk to slugger labby you knew i was coming down here yeah i saw you over there talking to tony i figured you'd come down and try to get something going here well what about it are you guys going to team up or is it going to be every man for himself well i remember back was it last year dale jr tried to pass us with a couple to go he ended up finishing six so hopefully he remember what happened back then and uh that's what tony senior was saying really well that's cool you know hopefully he'll just give us the push and you know we were life away from winning that thing you know but they're saying they're not going to tell him what to do so well i just heard dale jr tell tony cena on the radio he says man i wish there's anybody instead of michael in front of me because he knows what i do he knows all my tricks and uh hopefully uh michael's got it all figured out but man we've had a heck of a day we michael he hates his car it won't run we pulled the wrong gear it's been a bad day you know i told him on the radio we'd sell it after the race was over because he he hates it you know it's a brand new car we spent a lot of time building it and i just won't run for some reason but it's running pretty good right there but napa chevrolet has been doing pretty good the last five weeks have been really hard on the team and uh victory will be really good for us right now marty jimmy finning the crew chief for curt bush what did kurt say about the contact with the 38 jimmy uh he really didn't say none the next thing he knew he said somebody came across this hood he didn't really uh it happened so fast he just saw the 38 coming across his hood so he didn't really know what was happening it's going to hurt your chances for a win how bad is the damage jimmy well it's bad enough we got to come in right now and uh beat the fender out if we stay out there we're gonna blow a tire and really chew it up so uh kurt did an awesome job today you know that's that's plate racing they did a great job coming from the back to the front they do have a lot of fender damage and they will have a tire of unless they come down pit road matt and marty would you believe they're short on fuel too no we're just kidding that's what we're joking around about we came down about where do you guys stand now how do you think this is going to shake out i'm not sure yet we're somewhere between probably 4th and 10th 7th maybe we'll just have to see how it shakes out in the way nascar looks at it but it's just been a kind of a weird day getting that flat tire really hurt us and we finally got the lab back and ryan just did a great job driving back up to the field and we're in good shape fuel-wise so we'll see what happens a very impressive job by him behind the wheel how big if you guys could pull it off and get your first plate win oh it'd be fantastic i mean to get uh get roger's first plate one to be awesome but uh hopefully we just get out here with a good finish and a car that's still in one piece and go on to the next race marty it's been an interesting day for tony stewart greg zipidelia's crew chief well you guys have really worked hard you've been back you've been up to the front does they have enough to get past those dei cars i i don't know it depends on what kind of run we get we miss the gear a little bit so when we uh when we get spread out or or get in the wrong situation it doesn't pull up a little bit but uh you know for not having any practice yes it really um tony's done a great job his team's done a good job and hopefully we can get out of here with a with a good strong finish for home depot how has tony felt in the car today uh he's been great all day um you know came this morning good spirits felt good was a lot better so you know we'll just keep our fingers crossed there and hopefully we don't have another one of those wrecks talking about the gear situation greg came on the radio said we just didn't have enough practice yesterday and tony came back and said guys that's my fault it's my fault we're in this predicament okay marty yesterday if you just joined us tony stewart uh i guess friday night developed a migraine headache and was very very sick and did not practice the car tomorrow dave well bp we don't have an official report yet on elliot sandler other than they are going to load him into the chopper and take him out of the racetrack for further observation remember last week they did that with dale jr to avoid the traffic problems and just make sure they get them there as quickly as possible to be further evaluated we have some more information on his condition we will let you know and uh you know i just took note of the words on the side of the helicopter there lifesaver and after looking at the way that car wrecked i guess we'd have to say the safety equipment that elliot was wearing definitely yes good observation caraway medical center uh excellent reputation not far from here it's down in birmingham alabama and uh so we'll get whatever update we can on elliot sadler but again we did see him climb from the car under his power and work with the safety officials they're attending to him now they're getting set to fire the cars up on the back stretch they're going to open the pit road as they come by the first time allow everyone to come in what they call a quickie yellow means the lap down cars don't have to wait another lap to pit and they're going to give them the one to go signal at the start finish line so that means we're going to have a four lap race to the finish dave got more for us yeah just the fact that uh they really have no condition uh report on elliot he's talking with the medical uh the medical workers there and again they're just going to get them out of here and as quickly as they can just for further evaluation at the university of alabama birmingham medical facility marty dave burton probably feels like a man on an island you have the lead frank stutter but can you keep it well actually we don't know the lead they just set the field not sure exactly how they set the field but that's their discretion they put the 15 in the front the eighth second and us third um when the caution came out i thought we had the lead but you know they've got better uh telemetry and stuff up there than we do here so we're in third that may be okay because uh i'm not sure that we want to be behind the 1588 being hunted like that we could be the hunter and that'll be a little bit more fun frankie said the car has been excellent today and ward has done a terrific job alan and the field rolls to come around to get the pit road opening to get the one to go signal and the setup for what's going to be a wild tense dramatic four laps at the finish of the ea sports 500. he thought the last restart was wild yeah point do you see this folks because this is for all the marbles stories of the day dale earnhardt jr got damaged on pit road back at lap 14. he spent most of this race a lap down got back on the lead lap when he managed to be the first car one lap down and a caution flag came out about two-thirds of the way through the race came tearing through the field after the restart took the lead with 24 laps to go for the first time all race [Applause] [Music] and now he's running second behind his teammate michael waltrip as we get set for this final restart earnhardt jr trying to win five straight here at talladega michael waltrip heard from his crew chief a minute ago got a new car here not really all that enthused with with it but he's managed to work his way to the lead and that's the spot you want to be as we get down to these final laps this car he tested in daytona a couple of weeks ago around about 1100 miles with that car water was very happy with that car but obviously michael not too pleased with it we have 23 cars on the lead lap fueled by this caution flags pretty much been taken out of the taken out of the equation everybody should be good to the finish now it's a question of which way do they end up finishing in these final four laps and i think you've got guys like ward burton and jeff gordon probably spotters and rusty wallace these guys behind the dei cars have got to be talking to their spotters and cutting deals right now because they know the only way they're going to beat the dei card is to gang up against them kurt bush involved in the accident with elliot sadler getting the damage repaired on his car you heard from his crew chief jimmy fennick there a minute ago it's going to put him at least back to the end of the lead lap cars now because we're inside the final 10 laps only the lead lap cars go to the front of the line in single file for the restart we saw greg biffle alongside michael walker when the cars took off well he has dropped back and he will restart the race in the 24th position now i say that earlier about those guys teaming up but i could be wrong on that the 8 car and the 15 car could be going at each other pretty hard i don't know what do you think i don't know i think that the 8's gonna help the 15 win i don't know i'm going to go against you now okay i [Music] [Applause] [Music] earnhardt jr looking to become the first driver to win five straight races at a nascar super speedway it's not an all-time nascar record richard petty and daryl waltrip won seven in a row at short tracks uh richmond and bristol respectively but it's never been done on a super speedway junior here and bill elliott and michigan have each won four straight races he's trying to carve out new ground that even his father didn't accomplish i like tony yuri senior's answer i don't want a dog in this hunt yeah that's right here i almost let them take those guys i'm proud of the job they did i'll fix that car it's hard to fix a car here at talladega it's so important to have these this arrow right and they they got it right a couple things just to talk about as far as the restart is concerned from the driver's perspective as they get ready to go single file i won't stay that way long restricted engine package like we run here it takes a little while to get up to full speed and you're going to see guys trying to lay back burton you see that gap that he's back got behind dale earnhardt jr he'd like to keep that and accelerate a little bit before they do so then he'll have a run when he gets to the start finish line he'll have a run he'll have more speed and he'll try to get by him but he's also getting in his ear right now close it up because nascar will try to keep the cars tight all right here we go coming down to the restart line junior laying back from michael yes there it is a restart line right about now is when they need to nail the throttle go go go go and see all these guys up against that side retaining wall you can only pass to the right now michael maybe is sitting down right now because these guys have laid back so we'll see what kind of run they get when they get to the middle of the back stretch there is such a thing as getting too far ahead at these uh drafting tracks and and michael may be in it may be it he may be sitting up we'll see what happens jeff gordon should be a little bit closer to 22. tony stewart did three wide with mike wallace back there coming off two but meanwhile here comes warren burton yeah the eight's got some steam we'll see what happens see how michael blocks and you know he's going to block [Music] michael waltrip dale jr wardrobe jeff ryan newman the top five and now just about getting up to full speed in these cars i'll tell you what michael did a really nice job on that restart he did i thought he had too big of a jump but obviously he did not here jeff gordon jeff gordon for third on ward burton got it ward's got no drafting help man he's just going straight back [Applause] marty jeff gordon right before the green flag said is there any way i can get rid of this rev limiter chip they said turn it to box two it's unlimited that should give him more rpms helped him pass ward burton can't help him and what that means is they got two ignition boxes and they have chips they put in and usually they put a higher chip in one buck for just this get some more rpms and just make note of talladega there is the start finish line it's not in the center of the trio but like at daytona they've got a little more racing to do when they get to that two laps to go outside ward burton trying to rally back ricky craven getting up behind him to push in the 32 down the inside rusty wallace [Applause] [Music] jeff gordon gonna have to pull out and hopefully get some help here he's all over junior's back bumper ryan newman is tucked up against gordon they're coming to the white flag two and two thirds miles of racing left at talladega do they all make it back around and who's the first one to the checkered flag wow there's tony stewart [Music] shuffling rusty wallace out of the way jeff gordon trying to block stewart trying to find some running room stewart up the center so far nobody with anything from michael waltrip outside it's kevin harvick in the black and silver cars jordan's having outside car gordon trying to jump in front of harvard and get the push gordon to second michael waltrip trying to figure out who to block here they come to the final corner and down to the start finish line wall michael waltrip will win the ea sports 500 in talladega [Applause] kenny wallace mark martin in a wreck after the checkered flag [Applause] well he held him off he turned in and that restart won on the race it did i i thought he got too big a jump but it was just the perfect jump and junior did not abandon no he didn't he stayed there stayed with him you made the call vp maddie and a handshake and a hug by junior's uncle danny earnhardt slugger congratulations what a win man thank you teammate helped us out you know i'll tell you dei the other competition caught up with us when we built a brand new car took it to daytona did a tire test got the roof hatch in it i'm sure mike will do something crazy with that you know he is but uh man the last five weeks have been hard on us and i told these guys just stick with us and with michael and everything will work out just great man what a deal we needed it we needed it back what were you thinking everybody start to shuffle coming out of two i know one thing i figured we'd run out of gas i figured we were done so uh it's a good team effort and you know when diaz one two on the track with dale jr it's hard to beat us you know they try and try to try it so you know we've stepped up us and they built new cars they worked real hard on air stuff and uh it's a good day the eis won nine to the last 12 where stricter play really first yeah that's the first that's perfect didn't it yeah i know you want me to go to victory lane high five me first you know that's beautiful michael waltrips second win of 2003 and what a miserable month it's been for waltrip in this team slugger talked about the way things have been going for them lately last five finishes before today 42nd 37th 32nd 26th 42nd he was fifth in points after michigan five races ago he fell out of the top ten for the first time all season last sunday at dover this is the last half lap see junior still having that 15 car he's also trying to run second he goes up to block the 24 car and look at this mess behind them and wait do you see when they come across the start finish line they're four wide coming across the start finish line [Music] michael blocking blocking the whole field everything he could look at curt bush with the damaged fender right back up in the middle of the 97 car now after the checkered flag keep your eye on the green card bobby labonte he gets bumped by bill elliott i believe and bobby and kenny wallace got the worst of it was that chevy commercial where they put the donuts on the side of each other's car how about we make that our chevy winning moment michael waltrip today's winner chevy congratulates mikey in the number 15 monte carlo chevy will tell you mikey will tell you the only thing that comes close to monte carlo's reputation on the track is its reputation on the street more champions depend on chevy we'll be there [Music] at the center of a mystery is there no one in the venerable law firm [Music] presenting the all-new sleeker more powerful solar weather coverage you can count on [Music] welcome back to talladega in victory lane everyone drove away from that last lap crash and now the celebration begins through the alternate exit only michael waltrip would think of that that's the new escape hatch approved by nascar recommended for use but not required yet in these cars and michael waltrips the first one to use it [Music] [Applause] let me take this towel here have a towel i don't know where to start but let's start with the final restart tell me about that with the eight behind you oh what a what a day we uh battled hard all day long i was afraid about the restart my car was uh here a little higher than i wanted it to be and i was afraid they'd get a run on me and that's what junior tried to do i bought that one off and then i saw gordon get beside dale jr coming off four and you know i had to go for it i had to go up high and hope that junior didn't have a run on the bottom to get under me and come back and block him off and it was a good plan but uh you know i'm sitting over on the back straightaway thinking where am i gonna put my napa chevy how am i gonna position it to make sure i win and you know when i drove off bill i said i don't know i'll just deal with it when it happens but real proud for my team slugger d.i the dominance continues and uh you know today it had a whole lot to do with a couple of guys willing their way to the front because uh i think the gap between the haves and the have-nots has drastically uh closed well they put you to the back once for that pit road penalty yeah what i do i don't even know what happened not a catch can kind of they didn't want to tell you it's not important now you won the race but you had to fight your way up through that mist and yeah and how was it out there by the way with those rules yeah my car was was kind of kind of slow in the glob but if i got in the back and got a run up through there because the way it was geared i could make some good progress and it taught me a whole lot going to the back and coming back up through there so every time i was a little bit better at it but i was shocked just literally shocked when i was into in the front at the end and it had to do with great fuel mileage had to do with a great team i want to thank coca-cola klausner oreos all the people that make all this possible of course chevrolet i thought you didn't like the gear in this car because you were really frustrated in the early laps here weren't you i was but i told them yesterday that in the in the pack in the globe it wouldn't go but if i got to run on people i was all right and i whined a little bit more than i hope anybody heard me because this place is frustrating and you got your emotions out on your sleeve anyway and i was complaining a lot but uh i'm thankful to put our nap of chevy and victor lane guess what tomorrow is her sixth birthday how about that wish your happy birthday happy birthday and the birthday celebration is in victory lane at talladega marty well bill speaking of not knowing where to start alan jill jr where do we begin with your day let's start with the end and michael just have too big of a run on you for you to be able to catch him well he he has a great car and uh and um he's one of my toughest competitors on the track like this because he knows a lot about me and what my what what ways i might what all my tricks are so uh it's real tough to to get by him i get up beside him but it's hard to get by him i didn't have any body behind me that i'm drafting partners with me and jeff gordon we're buddies but we're not drafting partners and uh it just didn't work out like uh it we wanted it to we're real happy to get second we had a uh trouble on pit road lost a lap there ran most of the race the lap down the rule worked out for me i didn't earn my lap but uh i didn't earn it back but the rule worked out for me and uh got it back and uh man we were just running into everybody everybody was running to us and some people hung onto their cars and some people didn't i feel like i caused the crash with elliott i hope he's all right just a rough race and it was fun but i don't think everybody out there was too happy with what was going on out there and that's the wildest i've seen in a long time all right they did an incredible job being a lap down come back to finish second today three seconds and now a third for tony stewart let's talk about that last lap or two cars high cars low cars running from the left side cars running like a pinball yeah but to bounce into third position uh after not even sitting in the car yesterday and i got to thank bobby labonte and kyle petty for uh they both took about three laps in the car for me yesterday i had a migraine like i haven't had for about 15 years and uh couldn't even stand to see light that's how bad it hurt but you know slept all day yesterday and all through the evening and came out today feeling a lot better and didn't know what to expect i mean with the rules change and all that and just really happy the car wasn't quite as good as what we we could have fixed a lot of things if i could have drove a car in a happy hour and made it better but i tell you what the the guys in the pit crew they're the ones that deserve the credit for this they got a great track position every time and you know at the end there uh we got a couple big runs and then got through to a couple key cars and you know every time you look up at the end of the race you see the 8 and the 20 together 10 and that's the way we finish so pretty good result quickly do you like the new rules i think that nascar is doing a great job with them i think the intent of it is great needs some tweaking i think you know some guys that would never get laps back under certain circumstances of uh have finished in the top five last two weeks because of this so uh i think there needs to be some tweaking to it but i think all in all it's done for the right reasons the good thing is when when somebody has a wreck like we had here today uh you know we all start slowing down right away and that was the whole intent of the rule was to save our competit fellow competitors so uh i think everything's going along for the right reasons tony stewart third in talladega marty matt jeff gordon made a run with four fresh tires but in the end you apologize to your crew why well it's more apologizing because i let harvard get to the inside of me down there in the middle three and four i i put myself in perfect position had a push got by junior and had my set side on on michael and had the momentum and he moved up and and when i moved up with him harvick snucked it inside of me and i just was really you know apologize about that i mean i'm they know me i'm going to go for the win i'm not going to stay there in third and i'm glad that i did and we still ended up with the top five so i'm real happy with that real quick did the new rules work i don't know what they were meant to do so you know i wasn't a part of that the rule changed in any way i just uh went out there and drove my car the best that i possibly could you know i don't i didn't see a big difference from before than the cars you can bump draft a lot more finishes fifth today for jeff gordon dave all right kevin made it through the end through those final laps kevin what was it like well it's pretty wild it's pretty cool there at the end kurt busch he was uh on a mission there and he had he had the old 29 jim goodrich chevrolet going but uh went in the middle there and thought we might have a chance coming to the line and everybody peeled off behind me and and you know wound up seven so still a good day for the gym good and chevy how'd you feel about the package and how it raced um i tell you i it completely changed my opinion during the race our package wasn't as strong as as we have been in the last three restrictor plate races but it's a lot like the roof fin and you can pull up better and i think the racing was a lot better all right kevin harvick a top ten at a restrictor plate race that's not bad michael waltrip with his fourth nascar winston cup wins second of 2003 his first win not at daytona earnhardt jr from a lap down to second and brian newman from a lap down to fourth dog award he comes back to fourth yes top ten there for mike wallace remember kurt bush after that damage to right front fender he comes back to finish sixth bobby lebody 11th at the checkers then crashed after the checkers in turn one kenny wallace same thing crashed after the checkers but again they all drove away last on the lead lap 23rd place mark martin everybody else from there a lap or more down again elliot sadler taken to a local hospital for further examination same for larry floyd he was involved in a very early crash was taken to a local hospital for a further examination and we got no further update on him after that early accident and you saw our championship leader matt kenseth the sub headline on the day with an engine failure his worst finish of the season and 33rd championship standings the lead was 4 36 coming into the day so about 80 points off the gap and we have seven races left to go in the season the only one of the top five we haven't heard from is ryan newman marty allen it turned out to be not such a bad day for guys who lost a lap ryan you have a smile on your face because you got the lap back and still finished fourth how'd you do that no i got a smile on my face because we finished the race so that's a good point too it's uh it's really no fun out there i mean when you can get when you can get back up to the front for whatever lap it is if it's a last lap thankfully you have a you have a fun day but other than that it's no fun i mean it uh beating and banging around there at 190 miles an hour we got cars that are tore up just about like they were at bristol and martinsville it uh it uh it's uh it's not fun and to me it's not racing but uh i do it because it's part of what we do and he makes reference to the two big restrictor plate rex he had earlier this year but today he finishes and finishes for it alan okay marty here was the uh the big moment of the day the scary like man i had a good car it takes the steering wheel off and i'll throw it on the dash and that set up a red flag which set up a wild sprint to the finish michael waltrip pushed by his teammate dale jr then blocking for all he could to keep jeff gordon and kevin harvick and junior behind him and waltrip extending chevrolet's victory streak here at talladega now 10 straight races at the world's fastest speedway the bowtie brigade have held the winner's trophy and that start finish line being down on father down the racetrack cost kevin harvick about two or three spots because it looked to me like he was third or fourth at the normal start finishing next week it's off to the kansas speedway in kansas city our saturday nascar push series coverage will feature wally's world for real yeah for real the uh mr clean auto dry car wash as you can see being used on my car there cool a little demonstration on talladega yesterday wally races on saturday uh jimmy johnson and chad canals will join bp and i for the broadcast and we hope that you will join us as well that's two eastern next saturday nascar bush series racing from kansas presented by midas next sunday on nbc the banquet 400 presented by conagra foods coverage starting at 12 30 eastern with discover card countdown to green nbc tonight starting at 7 6 central all new episodes of dateline nbc american dreams law and order criminal intent and then the premiere of the lions dead a wild day here at talladega michael waltrip has the biggest smile and the biggest trophy from the ea sports 500. [Applause] last season on third watch it was

Channel: Racins Fun

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Id: P8BzOT91kuU

Length: 229min 7sec (13747 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 09 2021