2003 Virginia 500

[Music] NASCAR on Fox welcomes you back to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where today NASCAR's Winston Cup Series wears off at the shortest track on the circuit Martinsville Virginia Speedway for the Virginia 500 this track nestled between a neighborhood of Holmes and the norfolk southern rail line has played host to great racing since 1947 and there is not a seat to be had today as folks settle in for some great short track slam-bang this track is truly shaped like a paper clip and contact is near-constant it's a fun place to watch a race we're about to find out if it's a fun place to be in one let's go trackside for today's opening ceremonies ladies gentlemen would you please rise at this time as our presentation of colors from our local veterans of World War two Korea and Vietnam our invocation today by mr. John Fox of Raceway ministries let us pray our Father as we seek your blessing and pray for a safe race today we remember our nation in this time of war we thank you for the rescue of the seven prisoners of war and pray for the protection and safe return home of all of our troops we pray for healing for those who have been injured and comfort for the families of those who have given their lives in the fight for freedom as we pray in Jesus name Amen leading us into plentifully today seven Campbell's saw the particle Speedway president clay Campbell and his wife Kim and Clark and Kelsey Kilgore children of Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore and his wife Marty [Music] merica and Republic for which it stands one nation under God [Music] god Bless America as performed by Miss Lloyd stand beside her and guide her [Music] through the night with the light from above from the mountain to the forever to the ocean why [Music] America my home sweet home Oh God Oh merica my Oh [Music] gentlemen please welcome the final five contestants with Nashville star who have traveled all bikes is performing live of the USA Network last evening they are Buddy Jewell Miranda Lambert John Arthur Martinez and Brandon severa [Music] why [Applause] [Music] Oh [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] and now for the most infamous words in all of sports Virginia State Attorney General Jerry Kilgore isn't it great to be an American in honor of our freedom in honor of our country in honor of our troops gentlemen start your engines [Applause] [Music] [Music] Budweiser official beer of NASCAR and proud sponsor the buck polled award given to the fastest qualifier each Winston Cup race today Jeff Gordon joins the boat poll winners of mock 2003 since 79 anheuser-busch has awarded more than eight billion dollars as title sponsor of NASCAR's pole award program it is a perfect spring day the sky couldn't be brighter the Sun couldn't shine any any better as we look at the starting lineup for today is racing to the hot shoes Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt jr. share the front row with two dodges right behind Ryan Newman and Kenny Schrader and the tracks winning his active driver Rusty Wallace there with Joe Nemechek Ian rode free you know what yesterday remind me of this is a flat Bristol there you think about it got concrete turns we just don't have the banking here we got the same contact we're going to see the same kind of action this is a flat first yeah I mean all the action happens right in the groove of the racetrack there's nowhere to go there's nowhere to escape you're still up on the wheel arches oh man I think I really feel I'd like to be out there today I mean I know that's stretching it a little bit but I sure had a good time yesterday watch terry labonte from deep in the field he was really quick in practice and everybody talked about the track changing you know how they they ground it last year and how different was and it is different but it's different in a good kind of way I think we're going to see some great side-by-side racing you get pinned down on that inside the guy on the outside can hold you up for a long time 43 cars here for this race nobody goes home as we continue to page back through the starting lineup what I like about this place Mike it always remind me running into a sea of people not a sea of love but a sea of people look deep in the field a lot of heavy hitters back there you see Bill Elliott going to see Dale Jarrett back there a lot of wins Matt Kenseth our points leader got to pass Winston Cup champions have to take Provisionals Bobby Labonte and Dale Jarrett here to pocket of Kurt Busch that's the same position he started here in the fall when he won this race say everything's closed here look at the haulers I mean everything here is like your best closest friend rubbing shoulders all the time [Music] Todd Bodine and hermie Sadler double duty this weekend they were in Nashville yesterday for the Busch Series rains so welcome Mike joy and Larry McReynolds and Darrell Waltrip the track's winningest driver thank you right up there in one of them yeah well at Talladega we're talking yesterday you had to make the car fast you're Darrell you got to make it last oh yeah it's it breaks you know Talladega we talked about aerodynamics hear you talk about brakes you got to be a caught careful with the brakes you can cook them you can get things going read boil the fluid is in you're in trouble the rest of the day so got to stay off those brakes I've talked to many of these young drivers down there they say manic I'm having trouble with my brakes use your right foot not your left that's how you save them Larry what have you got to do what kind of parts do you need what kind of people's aside for duct tape and a hammer do you want to have on hand to get through 500 laps here let me know everywhere we go were that equipment failed us you know we're about engine failures but here along with the brakes you know so much heats being generated you've got a very low gear in the car we care a lot of gears up here transmissions yeah it's hard on the engines but Mike what I lay this Blake and thought about last night is this is one of those places where you want to get off sync on pit road if you just follow the leader all day that's what you're going to do follow the leader a lot of different uses on pit road to get that track position special like this race and one thing we haven't addressed is traffic Darrell the lap cars here can be a real hit and we saw that yesterday I mean they live upon us now they take the preferred line and they shook out you go down in the corner they shove you pick up all that trash on your tire it really breaks your moment so yeah laughs traffic is a big big problem we saw that all day yesterday [Music] set to go at Martinsville Speedway for the running of the Virginia 500 let's quickly go to anime FINA TV print report dick Berggren pain trader has been one Winsted corporation 1991 but he's got a fast car today he starts in 4th position to win you got 50 mini ball with three of his 37 start here at Martinsville Matt wahoo99 driver Gephart and her smarts coach Ryan and a 40 year ex winless Turkey one year back in 1997 10th position that's right where you roll off of today talking to a number of crew jeez this morning they said the 99 car looked very stout in the final practice session Steve Byrnes well Matt to time Winston Cup champion Terry Labonte 21 wins 2 Cup wins but he's never been a winner here at Martinsville he's been second three times as crew chief tim losses they've got a good race car today is his 52 start hoping it will be a golden one Jeanne Zelasko well Kurt Busch turns to the deepest red crab that we last gone and ripped off seven three bakeries he hooks two rats again today returning to the same watching hat just like that Sunday last fall when he got the win he will roll off 36 it could not be a more perfect spring day not a cloud in the sky and engines look around here degrees what that tells me this is the hot been all winking that right back get real slick these are always ready let's go in that forward will constantly be talking about 500 blacks here and look at how close the field is packed 4/10 of a second from first to work interacting about a blink time and practice as they might 310 from the fast field hey Doug y'all serious yeah they please pull the belt side is the twice the length of the race yesterday [Music] [Music] Jr net Budweiser car he got pretty good bite off that second turn in a high group Darryl you can do that and I think we'll see that all day long the guy on the inside had the advantage should have on the new tires but as the tires wear off he starts to slide up into that second group I saw a lot of drivers learning you did too working on their cars to be able to run the high group here it's not going to work early but if we come in after the tires we're a little bit Jeff Gordon he leads that first left he's led the last seven races of this season five points every time he leads in those races and what happens here Michael arias everybody fights for the bottom sometimes I'll open up that outside you can pass a lot of race cars when you're back in the seat Kenny Schrader is the one lead car that's still up on the outside and he fends off Rusty Wallace and now will go single file through the first ten quick Maidan straightest it has the card he said I got Jeff Gordon worried I said how's that he said I stayed behind for Dan laughs and I know he had to go in and start working on his car he said look any freighters keeping up with me was right up there for the carrot top of the hood of that thing probably that face traitor looks good though he's run there in fourth place and he's kind of good cars they were happy with their car practice they really were I don't think anybody was happy with her car though is Jeff Gordon I mean he was on pole I watched him practice couple cab contact back here three and four up two bunch of sadly somebody recovered Dale Jarrett one of them - still going Jeff Burton gets past Jimmie Johnson and that's for eighth place as from 10th I'm back it's still a 2 wide log jam and when you're back there Darryl how do you be patient you see the leaders getting away what can you do well this is all stopping and going the problem is the guy in front of you stopping when you're going and you bang your front end up close you break ducks up first thing you know you got evening from now Kenny Wallace trying to make the move on Jimmie Johnson on the outside Wallace was the quickest of all drivers in yesterday's final practice I will tell you what we heard Matt Yelp and talk about Jeff Burton front of these guys Jeff Burton he was good both practices and when he qualifies as good you definitely have to watch him closely gods I almost picked him for today's race I thought he would be a good thing about Hungary run well here and he's been good all weekend new car keep on that car under Paul Andrews you heard Chris fired you guys talked about the changes propagate grapes and raspberries now the car key for Jeff Burton [Music] Rauch teammates the point leader Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch third in the standings and they're side-by-side but that's way back at 29th right now kanessa Carver's worst nightmare is to see your cars running side by side it works place like this is very good somewhere like this especially when you're back in the field you come into the flag it wouldn't be too bad [Music] the thing about this place look here here comes Jeff Courtney's at the land now hoggle down is in the middle of the backstretch wait he's a half a lap down already you know unique thing about this racetrack besides it looking like a paperclip we go to asphalt tracks and go to concrete tracks you look around here the corners of this racetrack it's concrete the straightaways are asphalt see it's concrete from there to there all around both ends reason they did that those little modified cars would come here there you see the other into the racetrack the modified cars would come here so much grip and these corners so tight they couldn't keep the asphalt down for the put concrete yeah this is the original concrete surface Ricky Craven has just passed greg biffle to move himself up to 16 behind Elliott Sadler and before I anger half of Nascars longtime fans of cinema Turner's Darrow and this tracks winningest active this weekend driver Richard Petty of courses the tracks all time and he is in most places yeah he run a lot of races well before I got started but even certainly the king at all the ball race Nixon I watched Kraven test up there last week and he had a great car on the long run that's what I watched he ran about 75 it never slowed down very much he's got a really good car brand new race car boy [Music] looking back ricky rudd on the inside a Mike Skinner and a Ruud finds a place in line in 19th just ahead of Skinner as Mark Martin they're at 21st at this look right here this is what these guys are feeling and seeing the whole time they're in this race car around this racetrack gets closed and heightened there you know what else I mean your arms and everything you get tired here it's a very physical racetrack you know what else gets tired it doesn't anywhere else is your braking foot the one is some drivers when I said use your right foot you don't break-in here because you use up too much break put that that foot up under the clutch pedal and just break the gas with your right foot that will save the brakes Jimmy Johnson trying to get a spot back from Kenny Wallace this is now for ninth place [Music] here's that log jam we talked about at second place male tuner had looked inside Ryan that they'll jr. in the Budweiser car his if weakened has not been without the event yesterday in the garage air talked about the garage air being close quarters him and Jack spread got together for the left front fender off that racecar for the rear bumper off jet spray now watch see junior get down low side of ride rides in the outside crew here we got a pretty good fight off their rides are letting go but in peril and ladders and I see the bride wanted to race him and runs outside he can hold him up for quite a while and Jeff Gordon would get smaller and smaller out there leading this thing they have and junior gave a wave as he went by as if to say thanks for not running me hard winded we'll do that later and Larry knows just like yesterday I said talk to this guy talk to that guy spotter and tell me cut me some slack let me go he's holding me up Joe Nemechek six Tony Stewart trying to take it and that is a newcomers for Jeff Burton right behind the two of them Burton the 99 who is presently a and they were really nervous this morning about the because they changed a ton of things on that racecar it just went down in the racetrack yes see if they'll Aryan he was not very good I mean he was slipping and sliding all over the place guys been watching the race up here on the back straightaway and Jeff Gordon got himself a pretty good laid but he's getting ready to get out some lap traffic you know how that works here at Marvel those guys that want to go down a lap so probably the guy's brother second third fifth in the gates crown back on Jeff board here as soon as he gets here right now top bow down is about a half a second slower in the 24 car so we'll be long I've taken 20 laps I'm gonna say somewhere around 25 laps he's gonna be kissing tail in the field it will have that conveyor belt of cars waunakee laps are complete here in Martinsville Virginia Jeff Gordon is [Music] welcome back to Martinsville Speedway from our Budweiser aerial coverage can you find the leader he's right there well no he's not he's right well he's there he's there somewhere he's Jeff Gordon and he's been the leader since we waived the green flag he started putting laps on cars now just put Todd go down in the 54 car lap down one takeout is impressing the heck out of me there goes our leader right there but not too terribly more behind him as a cabbage really got his core hooked up great know how many changes they made oh they cover they made two right look at that thing go around the curve Larry it's hugging the bottom he's one of the few cars that select him to run the bottom of the racetrack right now now there's some grip if you can get the left side tires right against that curve it seems like maybe they didn't grind it right close to the curb and you can really pick up a lot of grip with those left side tires ride with Rusty Wallace 85 Milton fifth right now seem dive down in that turn it hasn't hooked that curve now that's what the guys could not do here last four last fall they could not ride the bottom they had to move up but I think they've got long stripped down there now now rusty has caught his teammate Ryan Newman but dick Berggren could not pass him doing his slipped back like he started third spot running in six spot right now the cars a little bit loose off he just picked up the radio and said he needed some fight in and meanwhile Matt Berlin has told him that already in this race the brake rotors are glowing-hot steep dick and happy hour Kenny Wallace was the fastest car in practice but the last few laps Jimmy Johnson Jimmy Spencer Ricky Craven have all gone by the 23 Kenny Wallace telling police look there's a protein I need more forward bite they will love these guys movies right now dragwon Kinney watch watch the rotor start war that's when he grounds off in the corner and applies the brake pedal I mean it's like molten lava yeah there's two ways to race here you can get on the brake on the straight way and you get off like a road course or you can what I call ride the car down ride it all the way into the middle of the turn and if you do that your brakes will not last you know we talked about qualifying being important here right here we're seeing Bobby Labonte and Dale Jarrett there these guys won the last two races here Bobby Labonte last year Dale Jarrett 2001 and that fact they're battling for the 33rd position but the real problem they have is Jeff Gordon's only four seconds behind and they can't pass but they race each other side by side out of desperation that desperation usually leads to trouble look who else in this pack Bill Elliott Steve Park our point leader Matt Kenseth and Jerry Nadeau they're all in danger of the by Jeff Gordon can you see Ward Burton in the 22 car behind him the problem he had he had a great qualifying run on Friday even the pace laps happened so fast year we could explain him this is looking back at Ward Burton but he had a crash yesterday in practice had to go to a backup car Jimmie Johnson working on Ryan Newman who I said earlier Rusty Wallace couldn't get by and finally Newman way and now Jimmy Johnson is going to take over six there's 43 cars out here in about 35 of all run the same speed do that once and then you use that chrome bumper [Music] tricky scrape and he continues to move forward in that 332 tide car its battling and Jeff Burton it's about 4/10 of course if you're back there and you're trying to get up to the front you've got to use your stuff up you can't say okay I'm saving the car two lap down this early in the race [Music] they crave it into partner a good example of what we're talking about the gallon and just an event to be Spencer trying to get past Joe Nemechek having an easy time of it dispensers done well here in the modifies and in Winston Cup behind these two groups tearing the body moving up in 12 positions a lot of experience right in this pack here Gerry had a great car in two that scene just continues this year to impress major Wolcott here really they got their act together they had some great runs look at Tony I'd say that's the best-looking car here right now it's Raven I'm sorry Derek Raven split up into Joe Nemechek banged him around a bit but they were able to continue neither one of the cars but company's car just impresses the heck out of me they've really got it hooked to the bottom and that is a good thing here comes out the corner so nice and straight underpowered [Music] craven just a little bit of a dent there on the right side where he and Joe Nemechek in side-by-side well Jeff Gordon is in the thick of it now race traffic he just caught the 22nd through the 37th place cause that whole pack is right there in front of there you see him putting Jeff green an AOL far down he's running right now in the position 37 the problem is they're all running side-by-side there's no really place to go and greens trying to hold on to the tail end of the lead lap that's the front valence Kol cab on Jeffrey's car [Music] in the carnage when it's an under acceleration to backs down this is he left off the guest see how the back kind of comes up that's gonna shock package indeed here Jeff Clark puts Kyle Petty a lap down let every one of this race is 44 laughs [Music] The Virginian 505 is brought to you by Old Spice by Chevrolet wherever there's a winner's circle we'll be there by AOL broadband welcome to the worldwide Wow and by Auto light spark plugs it's time to change your plug 52 laps and now it really gets interesting for Jeff Gordon because right in front of him are a trio of NASCAR past champions and the point leader Bill Elliott 5et body Dale Jarrett and Matt Kenseth right in front of leaders and they were running side-by-side and we were talking earlier guys the woman run side by side the best thing those guys could do was running side-by-side there's nowhere for Jim to have anywhere to go exactly right the damage in yur in the process of all this has closed up within just a few car lengths of Jeff Gordon Kenny Schrader humming amazing Larry that proves it that good qualifying effort was not a fluke in third place and doing a whale of a job and I talked to his crew chief this morning Scott Eccleston they struggled out the truck but he said every time we work when they call we made it better by qualifying she was good and it stayed good now if you see Matt Kenseth go a lap down here we haven't seen that often this year in fact he has finished he hasn't run every lap on the lead lap but he's finished every race this year on the lead lap Dale Jarrett trying to keep from surrendering in a lap to Jeff Gordon here's Jeanne Dale nbw I would think this would be your worst nightmare not one Richard Finley and they will both be in the pit they will be making discussions having discussions as to what changes will be made the research will be will be mostly hands boys on the radio talking with driver so there will not be any confusion the 88 Markham planning that they are real learn law higher pressure adjustments Stewart still runs it for but he is closing the distance on leader Jeff Gordon Friday night on his birthday a sprint car race with a way still beaming today he showed the team the home video of his win one aspect of the victory he showing his team how he went to the bottom the high side tried differently into the third in civilian that's what he's done here today he's tried the high side he's tried the bottom right now he's hugging the bottom he told fujita modellers a car has so much grip on the bottom the car very fast Jeff Gordon is in a pass warm of bees and try not to get stunned right here including Dale Earnhardt jr. has calling him run in a second heard Matt just coming out Tony Stewart now he didn't say pictures these guys too these cars trying to keep from going a lap down Laney Kenseth Elliott and park slit by some of these guys on the bottom he's just so good right there in and all he there this could cost Gordon the lead working lap traffic here they come and this is when a driver gets real impatient you get frustrated and you want to knock somebody out of your way and there what happened those guys they'll fight that later for once they've given that laugh left like that second third fourth place card quite as hard and everybody you know the spotters securities and colonies got to a drought hard drive are staying at that 24 here's man [Music] I'm starting to drive off and back on laughs 44s the 20 tries to make a move on Jr makes the pass Gordon said the car is really getting loose so besides traffic and having the pride of navigate his way a very loose race car trying to hold on to this lead then that 20 car I'm diligent he's got that bottle Morgan and he can go ride a on the outside here looks like it's cars just so much better everybody else's right now a spotter sideview a Parton's Ville Speedway as Jeff Gordon works underneath now for today's sick and a wireless virtual crew chief question vote now by sending text message box to phone number 191 [Music] stay tuned for the results a lot of guys complain about being you pull such a low gear here and we talked about earlier this racetrack I think the temperature is as hot as it's been these cars really start to slide around 65 laps without a caution that's when you really lose that forward bite the rear wheels hook up have a look at this close quarters Dex break loose loose he's already had his buffer knocked off lunch break is over in the garage area yesterday well on that one Dale jr. would have gotten the ticket because Sprague had stopped coming into the garage and it looked like I was going to swing right into his garage opening but Brian making any stock suddenly and they are jr. what ready for here's what happened yesterday during final practice the parking lot fender bender monkey I love the word anticipation he was anticipating him going on in ship Mike wants a I've been noticing about Jack about Jack Sprague is being qualified really good here to this past week qualified 14th but since to drop the green flag he's been steadily falling back to the pack right there his car has got to be you know ill hammered right now take it off the corner you solved the 31 car I'm Robby Gordon get into him now Robby Gordon on the other hand started back in 38 he's made his way up to 23rd so these guys are both going in opposite directions right now probably seems like his cars working well on Jackson's going the other direction new crew chief on Jack Sprague this week Tony fer yeah he replaces Dennis Connors and Jack came up here to test in the round-robin Gordon in the single number 31 car with Jack's track team have been tested with his old crew chief Dennis Connors in his new crew chief Tony fer Tony firm is actually hired for the shop woman job this is about before between Rusty Wallace and Jimmie Johnson but in since then Tony horoscope dude and now watch to step on the chocolate Chad Knaus yesterday and then Jimmie Johnson's car looked mighty good on the long run too though there were a lot of laps in the car really was stable for the whole time got off the corner good the straight got his hands full right here trying to get around rusty Baga we run the better this thing first the center I don't understand for bunny tempore that's not a bad thing well and I think one reason Darrell is his air pressure is a big deal at this racetrack I mean I've talked to some of the teams they were starting their left-side tires as low as seven or eight pounds they looked like they were completely flat the reason they started so low you feel so much air pressure here I think a lot of times it takes a while for the car to come in what that is is the air pressure company yesterday we had eight point five now how critical it is not eight pounds but eight and a half pounds of air that left rear tire and they said be careful on the parade lap don't street your truck around too much you lop knock the tire off the wheel toward the back of the top 10 Kevin Harvick has come from ninth to tenth in ahead of him 42 Jamie McMurray's he burns they might we've been listening radio communication down here Terry Labonte said he's a little loose date lady is too tight Kenny Wallace needs forward by Jamie McMurray is making his very first start Donnie windows - how's your card he said fine I don't want any changes the Marlins theme story is pretty much 75 to 80% everybody out there they want something a lot of more coffee I might be a little bit but made it for someone that doesn't really know what they want you know so just leave it alone sometimes you fix what in throat that's right race leader Jeff Gordon is in heavy traffic you'll hear that a lot today regardless of who the leader is Gordon let every one of 74 lap he s Stewart right on his bumper and Earnhardt jr. on his flank [Music] back in Marksville pissed ops underway Jeff Gordon a little bit of trouble on the left rear service comes late maybe an air pressure adjustment a close call hero by Tony Stewart Rusty Wallace and air pressure adjustment for Stuart he was a little free well I will tell you what Rusty Wallace that Miller Lite crew they came in fifth go out second that's what you have to do here your crew has to buy you some positions just like that tide crew did for you yes got it right dick Berggren yeah that was a four-tire change for Rusty Wallace as well rusty left here so fast that he knocked Donald Richardson his front tire changer over no injury here but knocked the right over Stevie main dictating makhmur hands we indicated just a little while ago came in made no changes they had a little trouble getting off pit road though Donny window pointing out the whisk to cover fishel was in the way as he watched Kenny Wallace pitch just next door to Jeannie all right before the caution came out Kevin Hart came on the radio he was happy where he was at position why he was looking forward to trying to save his break Cindy Anna come in for the pit stop they asked him what he wanted he said for bite baby four tires and they dropped the rear tire pressure as well and he was out thanks genie we're under caution for jerry nadeau spin the army car going around and turned to the zero one [Music] I mean these are guys we talked about it earlier desperation trying to get back up there stay close to the leader and this was this caution was quite a break for Kenny Wallace and Mike Skinner they're in the four car these guys just trying to get back on the lead lap did incredible job of a 360 there to keep going to see that a lot here at this racetrack from Dale jr. on [Music] they spun almost into his teammate Johnny Benson and then the two of them almost collided coming off coming out of their pits together but up at the front Tony Stewart Earnhardt jr. and Jimmie Johnson each dropped the spot and the reason was rusty Wallace's great stop I'll tell you what there was the real winner right there was rusty wallace necro day you'll pay off go crew chief jake alder used to tell me he killed them in the pit [Music] [Music] here's this week's not-so-secret number the be a grant Marshall per day contest log on to nascar.com or foxsports.com and enter for your chance to win you'll start the race fight the pace car spot for practice wave the checkered flag in Rockingham the party Cutler says here we go here here's where it becomes active 8 2015 calls on an inside line that's what makes it tough but you're back there fifth six or seven Yeller right now it's going to be Keith let's say Jeff he's heard that last traffic which exactly he's looking for later in the race he was able to open up a big lead until he got into lap traffic for Rusty Wallace he needs it in the same thing if he wants to keep close with the 24 card talking about Rusty Wallace I topped the bill will burn earlier this morning and he told me that he was so proud right now when he's going pit crew and I think he was able to show that right there on that first pit stop he's really got these guys working together they're fast they're gonna give Rusty Wallace every opportunity here today to win this race because it will keep them up front all day off pit road hey Jeff I wonder if it's a coach we'll burn you know got over and change the tires there for a few weeks it may be AC look here's what we need I think so your own thing right now that the village benevolence by some example as well as I motivate these guys I think Billy's doing a great job he's doing I think he knows this going on right now on this whole team better logic in credit for dick wrecker Athena got some more information on that don't you yes certainly one of the things that Rusty's crew was talking about this [Music] last year in this race crash with Mike Skinner and that was really the end of his day he started fifth as he did today but that crash on pit road really put him out of contention for the win so they are watching it as is everybody else here this were the most difficult if not people and the reason for that is because so many of the good pits some of the good cars are pitting in the turn down there and when you start out you don't forget that there's a wall out there and you just drive out in front of people not realizing you're in the turn I mean this is probably one of them the last respect that with the ones that wrote but to do it they had to make it start over turn three goes all the way comes out on turn two the battle between Kenny Schrader and Jimmy Spencer now dealing with the lapped car of Johnny Benson but they've been Cameron back and forth for sixth place here now Spencer's get a single pilot pass Benson to those two Dodgers will probably [Music] Jeannie [Music] well for bobby labonte battling out there the track is something he is used to but he's also used to being a very nice guy you won't see much more than out there on the track day earlier track 5 and 17 in the old one [Music] anymore and if they [Music] we talked about Bobby Labonte and Dale Jarrett it was a good break for those guys well we talked a little bit before that comes they were about four laughs that the problem you have is when you let people go back it then everybody goes back you know you want to land a guy but you know he's better dude you are but you're afraid if you let him though you're going to get freight train and so you try to as long as you can don't want to make anybody mad but you know face fight for the same piece of real estate I'm gonna tell you what you look at at Kurt Busch out there in a 97 car started back in 36 position he's halfway to the front he's up there Valens and Bobby Labonte right now he's in the 18th spot and the thing about his leg we always felt like if we can stay on the lead lap to the first caution whenever that is you can hang in there it's down to leave after that first caution then you're gonna have a good day ricky rudd 17 driving for the Wood Brothers out of nearby Stewart Virginia for many many years the woods would run the super speedways and Martinsville their only short-track stopped because it was their home racetrack side-by-side I knew this would get good Spencer Schrader at it again yeah Bongo and carrot Tom my buddy right now my mother is a Moscow oh yeah fungus much better look at that oh yeah [Music] Lorenzen in 1964 led 493 of 500 laps Jeff Gordon is on a similar pace he's led everyone so far the virginia 500 our box is brought to you by UPS official delivery company of NASCAR we want to race the truck people love the truck UPS delivers a chance to win four tickets to the Daytona 500 log on to foxsports.com keyword UPS racing I like Ted truck flames on it good-looking truck Jimmie Johnson is flying he just took Tony Stewart for fourth place as Stewart bounced off the carving near the inside Kermit but I will tell you unless his car just really comes in there alone between each other I don't think George cars is this good this run as it was at first run I think they may adjust it on a little bit Larry they call it maybe what's the wrong way they'll go back the other way on the next round pit stop because he's definitely loose off of two now that freezes and almonds Jimmy Spencer and Kenny Schrader's are both catching Tony Stewart Jeff Gordon still with a one and a half second lead Dale Earnhardt jr. now second Rusty Wallace third Jimmy Johnson Tony Stewart talking about that seven car that's close in in a hurry you know they were really good at Bristol and I tell you this I after I run yesterday I send after one town so this is like being at Bristol with no Bank and in that car was really good at Bristol coming up off the turn on the concrete and that's what he's doing today he's really accelerating hard about the turns straight to drag strips and to u-turns that's Martinsville Speedway Jimmy Spencer has caught Tony Stewart Matt Spencer has a low-fat hope he would like to have a Winston Cup trophy Tommy Baldwin is it says tire man see now remember easy that's exactly what he's doing he just roll in the car subtract Metzler around the outside of Stuart and Daryl this track has the neatest tradition of trophies of anywhere we go one of those grandfather clocks take great pride and call it one of those bad boys home it's the only place I know if it's ever had a trophy like that and the thing about it is I've got the very first one ever won and you're still working just fine so these do you have 11 grandfather clocks at home since you won here 11 time I've spread them around I got Excel I shared the will now problems on Matt Kenseth's teams back in 36 position you said that right Mike he's led two points for the last five races in a row they took a spring rubber out of the right rear that's a likely adjustment the man Carol mentioned a moment ago some guys have adjustment Justin too much now that Kevin said he can't get on the gas when he's in between the turf can't get back on that throttle what that tells me like a lot of people he's fight and loose off if they stop with that Rider spring don't sound like they're quite where they need to be so one the one the prompt you have is you want to run really low here but that curve watch Tony Stewart right here he hits that curve watch the car it just causes it upsets the car so badly a lot of guys instead of running a solid link on the sway bar will actually run a chain so that it doesn't upset the car quite so much see the curb that right there when you run over it doesn't look like a whole lot but it'll absolutely it'll spin you out if you're not careful that's the standard parking lot curve it's about three four inches tall is it it feels like a straight four feet tall on top of and that's actually what happened to a lot of guys in qualifying has good race cars in practice they cliff that curb and kill they're qualified like Tony Stewart's dropped back to six the reason they over adjusted on that pit stop on lap 80 the middle loose too tight man we talked earlier about this racetrack be in the concrete corner something else at half of this racetrack costly changes rubber starts building up in those corners for that yet but you have to constantly adjust that race car even if you have a good car yeah the thing about concrete I think we talked about this couple weeks ago at Bristol we don't put it on an track you put rubber into the track and it gets sticky and grippy but the concrete doesn't have the pores so hard end up building up rubber on top of the racetrack [Music] Jerald Larry I'll sit there watching that one of the guys that qualified really well here out of the Hendrick group was joking Emma check in the 25 car and right now he's really struggling like you're saying I'm watching hero from the bumper camera Michael Walters car and he's really having a hard time I think in this part of rotate the middle accord and get off that corner like he's spending the rear tires an awful lot it was really really fast he's cooked front get off the corner to make the movie get turned he can't get to him they bill get by him again he's one of the cars that's falling back into the clutches of his teammate Jeff Gordon's getting ready to come around laughter Jeff you know this your ear down to 55 miles an hour in the middle of the corner and you're going to turn that racecar mat 800 horsepower and try to get up to 120 mile an hour down at the end of these short straightaways it's pretty hard to hook it all up at one time I don't think he's got his egg Darrell he's not dropped like an egg and he's dropping I don't Kevin Harvick right now he's got it figured that started back here at 29 these are the top 10 running 10th place right now Coughlin is out cautions out Ricky Rudd has spun and turned for juniors gonna beat the 24 car back to the line he let him go now that would have been a violation of the gentleman's agreement but not of the rule not of the room but the gentleman's agreement was meant for when we're all lined up bracing that the guy running eighth or ninth and jump out past everybody coming back to the line that's what the intent was but enforce keeping the car down that was up to whoever won to do that let's show you what happened Gordon going way around Ricky Rudd's car and here they come and he realized you know that isn't that that's the gentleman's agreement is you don't race the leader to the line well not not when he's it not when he's been pushed out of the blind or whatever you're taking advantage of it and there's no reason to I tell you what all our leaders on pit road this shows me just how bad this racetrack is how slick it is everybody's pitting Jeannie that includes the 29th Kevin Harvick looking for more flawed by last night the car starting to come him just air pressure Justin's this time and a fuel it Rusty Wallace has run in the top five all day he has called the shots on his pit stop four tires no changes man and the seventh car has taken his gas can dragging down pit road that will be a violet the end what did you spend on the 24 Jeff Gordon still needed help with the drive off and he had caused in the state for Spencer and I think what happened those guys were going to change just two right-side tires the guys changed tires quicker than the guy got the fuel and they got the can out he came out with a lead but he's going to come back in man Larry Mac that was exactly the game plan they were going to do a two-tire change on that stop and there you see it now that's the overflow vent where a lot of that fuel is coming from so that as that can has held upside down fuel goes in the car it's replaced by air from that overflow but the problem is Mikey came in running fifth and now with 27 cars on the lead lap he's going to restart this thing in 27th he might as well come in and get his two left-side tires to go with those rights now you can't leave the pit box with equipment is it end of the longest line or is it a lap well it should be then the longest line after a caution okay ricky rudd and matt kenseth get together here Daryl heavily going off in the corner here against is struggling Ricky just drives in too hard underneath of him in slides up into his pens amount depends his self out Ricky's trying to stay off of him got into hard got on the brakes sent himself around pretty nice save by Kenseth Oh Ricky hit him pretty hard yes he did we're under caution for the second time today at Martinsville Virginia [Music] Jimmy Spencer spits Cruz made a 26 position mistake he goes to 27th on the restart Tony Stewart a classic example of beating yourself right there [Music] [Music] [Music] Rusty Wallace keeps having a look inside Tony Stewart for the lead well based on what we saw yesterday two tires didn't last very long we have to get board and that's the thing that's how I totally Stewart in the 20 car that's how you got the lead they elected after only 35 laps on their tires to take two right side tires only what he's hoping we talk about how love they start to air pressure it takes a while right side tires to catch up to the left side tires just grip is the difference in the racetrack now than it was it before the ground it is the track is smooth real smooth and it's really hard to get grip Stuart only the second different driver to leave today Jeff Gordon was out in front for the first hundred and twenty laps I'm gonna tell you what though Jeff Gordon has his hands full right now with that Budweiser car he just drives five coming off turn two down into three and four takes second place away from Jeff for her third place away Gordon banging on coming off the corner like it he had better poker fight this finger did for the lead [Music] Rusty Wallace becomes the fire different leader I'm paying down 25 Larry will pay the price for taking two tires dispense with everybody else take a bullet [Music] good Craven and Johnson battling for fifth park outside is a lap down now seniors over talked about the car on the inside they call me outside can just keep your pin down it really makes it difficult see how they had to bang that's about all you can do is bang into that guy's out over there [Music] and it's a long to Jimmy Spencer who tracked that gas can down pit road here he comes there yeah he's a half a lap down right now and then think about a guy like Jimmy Spencer now is when you got to talk to him and tell it to be patient you got a good car we'll get you back up there and you got to really work with the driver right now because he's got to be a little bit upset about what happened Dale jr. around the outside of Tony Stewart second place I think that back he's got to be a lot of said about what happened [Music] Jeff fort realize Dale jr. was quick barrel it looks like he waves him by well let's see if we can see any communication here between these guys oh yeah here under me buddy take it all down in there you got the right away and you're faster than me like it might be a little quicker but I am probably going to come up behind you and let you know that I'm not gonna do that then a good example of what we call big-picture racing [Music] all the way through this thing Dale jr. trying to lead the Winston Cup point standings for the first time in his career he came in here second and the point leader Matt Kenseth is mired back in 37th place a lap down what was it just two three weeks ago you're not picked up on the fact that Dale jr. was talking about we gained a lot of points it's a good opportunity to gain a lot of points the man is thinking championship and his team is thinking championship I mean you watch those guys last week you're talented when the left front was pull up on the racecar they didn't panic they got it fixed they got him back up very one rate yesterday with the garage here in situation with Jack Sprague they didn't panic they just fix that left front fender that's right from 29th to seventh that's been the day of Kevin Harvick Jeannie crabs in the 29 pit not exactly turns out Kevin Harvick burned his right foot specifically the heel during the truck race yesterday and the car heats up the foot is really starting to boil to the trying to come up with something that they can put in there to try to cushion that he'll the thought process is one stop try to get it in there to try to help him to alleviate some of the pain that happened to me and it's a very painful injury it doesn't seem like you amount to much but you get that great big blister on the heel of your right foot and it just absolutely worries you too that you can't push the problem down and it takes away from your focus it hurts and when you're in pain you just hard to drive the car like you want to and there's so much heat generated in this racetrack we talked about this earlier with the low gear you pull the braking but I don't tell you what they were not that happy is a ride with Dale Earnhardt jr. as he runs second behind rest of Wallace they would not have to have have Harvick's car yesterday I have to bleed running third that truck race yesterday helped them with this Winston Cup car I say that very thing learning that I think that what they learned yesterday in a truck race they applied today and it's really working because he looks good around the racetrack working on Russell up here now this the bear camp battle and the juniors just all over rusty he's trying to always look Chloe's looked hi look at hi and cut and lo you know Mike you talked about Dale Earnhardt jr. big picture racing he's right now of all the drivers he's been running at the end of the longest retraces 32 consecutive races almost the full season of races well that cages are doing a good job of fixing the car when there's something wrong with it also did you got outstanding equipment keeps working at Highgrove in three and four I think a lot of that Darrell is the maturity of Dale Earnhardt jr. we've seen in past seasons if the car wasn't right as the race went on it wouldn't get better this season they've been improving that car the races go along and he's just improved his position to first this may or may not apply it just seemed right to me when I was a child as a child as a man he's thinking is a man [Music] with Tony but also this morning he's a different driver this year like his father clearing some of the grass he says he just much more focused he's matured as a driver he after half [Music] last night call to find a car [Music] make sure you don't lose him he is much more focused this year than showing to the point yeah rumor even has it he gets up before noon now Jeff Burton running in eighth place he is the highest placed four in the field look again 11-news proud teammate an Elliott Sadler right behind the Longford Clark Park marina roll 11th 12th and 13th but there you also know that when you're doing well but everything's going well boy it makes a lot more fun a lot easier to get up get going Kurt Busch has come from 36 from where he won here up to the top 10 and he's presently in 11 just that's the way he had Kansas not great qualifiers the car guard but they always get good at a race now it's not happening for Kansas today but his teammate certainly has got ins act together Jimmy fini Kurt Busch's crew chief this is the same chassis and here we have a battle between Kenny Schrader Jeff Burton for 8 but the same chassis that Kurt Busch won with here in the fall different body [Music] Ricky Rudd who was gone a lap down and like you can hear how delicately you have to handle that trough listen listen this thing [Music] never really gets you out of it but just brought you speed up all the way on the straightaway when you're already in the straight line working with interested you know we talk about mistakes I'm gonna tell you mistake we don't want to count them out but it has really caught Kenny Spencer he's only picked up five positions up to 22nd the problem leader Dale Earnhardt jr. is for second fine fifth almost going a lap down just a few laps Spencer left the fifth with a gas can bad dog no biscuit deep deep in the field 20 seconds he's been moving up the Dale Earnhardt jr. is closing in jr. leads Rusty Wallace by seven tenths of a second [Music] NASCAR on pot is brought to you by or if you haven't looked at Ford lately look again nice to have you with us from Martinsville Virginia today's aerial coverage provided by Budweiser Dale Earnhardt jr. trying to win the back-to-back races and that's the Fox compound as we can look at just outside the track that they began racing in the late 40s here one of the smallest tracks and oldest on the NASCAR circuit Jeff having lots of the green flag racing only two cautions of so far and a guy who's one of five drivers from the state of Virginia Elliott Sadler has has never done well here and his oakley said look this is a tough place for me to drive but he's doing okay today it really is Chris and we talked to Elliott earlier this week and he openly says I don't like margul I've never been good here and the matter of fact this is the first race he's ever qualified for traded at one time for starting 36 but believe it or not he qualified 37 because somebody was basically you know disqualified he got moved up into the field so this is kind of like a really good start these guys that's the way you say all the time like I can't stand it but this has a very solid run right now he's running currently you know 13th that's a big improvement for him yeah his 150th the career start and also Kevin Harvick who was second last we kind of lost in the shuffle of Dale Earnhardt jr. is wet with the yellow line controversy and Harvick of hoping to get a big win in moving up here he really has he started way back in the back also and very smooth and I really kind of believe that you know yesterday's truck race where he finished third he maybe got some experience of that and right now trucks looking very good against starting way back see Roger the RPM swing dropping I went into 4,500 and up over 9,000 rpm so you see a lot of RPM range here when he comes a place like March away that's why it's so hard on the engines as well as the rear gearing and his hard concern in being challenged right now by Kenny Schrader outside and you know Larry and Darrell have talked about it the cars go up to 150 miles per hour in the stranger and then they have to come down to about 50 or 55 the turns test where you use a lot of brake and getting down in the corner so the guy that can get champion hit his car slow down but yet not Barney's brakes up and that's very important we're getting a look at the speed right now again Dale Earnhardt jr. is a leader we mentioned in the pre-race showed that he has never led in points affect 67 different drivers have led pointing back to 1949 and a Tudor finished eighth that was some times he's been up this high a second but certainly be one win today depending a month wedge leader Matt Kenseth he could possibly take over the point's lead and his short track program has really come a long way to the top mods your last year yeah really has it was one thing you ever kind of wonder about whether they'd ever figure out how to drive a short track but last year they showed a lot of people that hey he can get around a short track like Martinsville good at Bristol as well as you see right there the 15 Carmichael and offered whether his teammates trying to get around Robby Gordon to get in front get an opportunity to get his lap back but they are our junior right now is doing what he needs to do to get himself positional weather first Winston Cup Rusty Wallace with the low still wins at this track of any active driver running second Jeff Gordon third let's go back upstairs rejoin Darrell Waltrip Lorinda Grendel - Michael thanks Chris you saw our Fox compound Jennifer Wells runs the office trailer there and whenever we've got a problem is Jennifer can you help me with she always can happy birthday and happy birthday to Steve Byrnes tomorrow oh yeah and I see my sister Carolyn was a birthday this week Easter Alisha this week last week was Buffy Michaels wife's birthday thought of birthdays this past week mr. Frantz was about a week ago happy birthday that everybody had a birthday this past week wait say about that I said it's a lot of Brooke that's a lot of candles it is on a fire extinguisher happy birthday to you I'm not sure if it's Kenny Wallace's birthday but he was the fastest car in practice yesterday and right now he is 19 he might seconds back he might be like I was at the fastest truck in caught in a practice before we qualified has to do I should know the gun there cuz their vices are you go win the book you know Darryl Ricky Craven he may not be up there leading this race right now but he may be our sleeper I think just as he was 2 years ago here when he won this race here in Africa we listened in under caution great Solomon thing came to life and I think that was the tire pressure but the first 15 20 laps that run was pretty sloppy in the middle you know what's the pressure stamp off still had to break straight good man I think it's prom night I cannot afford to get any tighter in the middle [Music] what I what I noticed yesterday Larry is even when those pressures were way down at eight and a half pounds in the left rear tire the car filled over the truck yes they grow very good and I can tell almost like you flipped the switch with those pressures that start to build and then the things that get too much aerial that's when you get the wheel spin and once again I want to explain why they start the pressures to load up the cars better in a practice build up why don't you start in there because you build up so much air pressure here with the way the heat is especially with bread key that you have to store Oriol feels so much air pressure over the long run you'll hear the driver say by the tires feel like basketballs bouncing the brakes in the front cause the front to get hot and then the wheel spin in the rear all that year causing the rears to get on that's where the build-up come from well Darryl we're back to where we were after a long run of green racing the leader in this case the eighth Dale jr. racetrack yeah your Twitter a rock and a hard place you want to get by these guys but you don't want to beat you front end up you know if you're running in the back of somebody close up you start running hotter you lose your brakes so you have to be somewhat patient even though your cribs telling you that 24 cars come and he's closing pick it up began working on joe nemecheck write down who's the 23rd place called alright jr. is the leader then Rusty Wallace Jeff Gordon Tony Stewart and in fifth place Jimmy Johnson here Steve canal's chant what is Jimmy sang about his race car right now it's a little tight in the center [Music] the crack see what happens you have to be so careful to try to fix what Chad can out said that car is because it's tight not turn it in the middle and then loose off if you make it turn Bethel in the middle sometimes it will be looser off if you try to make it tight on the exit of the quarter and make it too tight middle lot of times they'll Daryl if you make it fix the center it helps ticks you can do a lot with brake adjustment we got a brake bias valve in there that you can take front brake away and then put most of the rear sometimes that'll help you get the car turn a little bit but Larry one thing that I'm worried about with so much green flag racing already I got a feeling it before the day no weather go season guys was a brake problem there you see Jimmy Spencer in that seven car remember running fifth not that many laps ago had the gas can stuck in the car let's hit road here is about to lap down let the road and could have been the leader [Music] speaking of break we'll take one right here just a little different but the effect is the same we're going to stop coverage preset come right back DeMarco hey guys stealing how jr. I want to say hey to all the troops overseas all the guys are doing a great job we're tuning in we're watching we're real proud of you really excited hey waiting for you to get back home and get back to living 190 laps completed Martinsville Virginia Dale Earnhardt jr. is the leader over Rusty Wallace by nine tenths of a second Jeff Gordon right back up Wallace Jimmie Johnson Tony Stewart the top five Ricky Craven Ken Schrader Gordon to the outside of Rusty Wallace for second place [Music] with our leader Dale Earnhardt jr. is the fourth different driver to lead this race today and they're having a look at that roll bar there pat yoga in there time and money quietly two different charities in Dale jr. one of his biggest charities to Make A Wish Foundation yeah he's signed a number of items in jeffersonville Dale I'd like to autograph something to you he gave a little Trevor license plate paid off today [Music] so far so good and you know something like their jr. gave a good welcome there too or in the middle-eastern I am so impressed I mean watching this thing on the television and watching the dedication and the commitment of those men and women over there fight for our country and the intelligence of all the coming decisions it makes me proud not the archives over there working as hard and going like they are it's really incredible three if what I believe Jeff Gordon that 24 car in his cuffs off go by Rusty Wallace just a second over second now he's all over the rear bumper this buck Weiser car Dale Earnhardt jr. Nate I mean they're running two different lines Jeff Gordon I've been watching him for about the last 50 or so laps he's been hugging the bottom in Dale Earnhardt jr. right after that last pit stop he was running the upper groove there you see Jeff fort right to the bottom of the racetrack at both ends remember earlier when Gordon just waved junior bye go on go on you lead for a while use up your stuff I'll be back he's back he talked to Robbie Loomis this morning about the 24 car and they've always been happy with his car but they said it just seems like they never could pay it off in the race it was always a good qualifier he sent over close to a three tons of this car but just never could pay it off in the race long runs today sure is remember when are three months to Cup champions we're about to get laughed early in the race by Jeff Gordon one of the Phil Elliott did but the other two the eighteen of Bob the body and the 88 of Dale Jarrett not only were able to speed away and stay on the lead lap but Labonte is now 10th and Jarrett 12 Jeanne all good preparation on that Bobby LaVon he knew there be a long green flag run E flat board in practice Hosting 80 laps the most of any car in the garage and it is paying off now Robbie by the way feeling the pressure to keep up the momentum yesterday one of his good friends David Green won the Busch race last night Bobby's nephew Justin terry labonte son finished 2nd care week speedway in Asheboro North Carolina had to top it off Bobby's son Tyler finished last night in a quarter ready emo hi I'd say I'll say so there's pretty impressive kabbadi moved up tonight on jamie mcmurray who is 10 Jeff Burton Dale Jarrett climbed right up to 12 and hung in there burly interation bobby labonte said hey I'm a nice guy but I'm not gonna be a nice guy all day he'll care it's a nice guy they drive very similar styles but when you get ready to go a lap down you tell that out the window and go forward but you know not watch Dale Jarrett here the UPS car can't help the same Richard Vulcan guard in this week to look after this race car didn't have a good qualifying effort because actually Dale Jarrett locked the brakes up on Friday qualified they were about to go a lap down and less than hundred left those guys have to wonder - Oh Josh what have I got into now they've rebounded up here baffle to give the coq10 they have to feel good this is a brand new race car a test had never seen a racetrack Jeff until they unloaded it here on Friday learn one of the things I know you guys to touch down yesterday I think it's really good vehicle then you really show it you don't move funny hard you need to because you don't want to use your equipment up but all sense somebody comes on the air says hey the leaders only about a strike way behind you you got to get up on the wheel now thinking shows right here while these guys champion on their great race car drivers so they got up on the wheel stay away from the later and gave the crews in opportunity work on their race cars and put themselves back into periods of time to race have time to be a little impatient well I can put a period on it I'm so glad I went to the spotter stand yesterday I kept DW posted and maybe I went a period of time and did keep him posted and I said the leaders at the line now there you see the spotters and he said let me tell you something do a little better job off that don't leaders cuz like wait a minute oh you've got a stable but it wasn't show time yet [Music] two hundred five laps complete Dale Earnhardt jr. lead over Jeff Gordon down to six tenths of a second [Music] the Virginia 500 on Fox is brought to you by McDonald buy viagra ask your doctor if viagra is right for you by Autolite spark plugs it's time to change your plug and buy sacker to the world's strongest fat burner welcome back to Martinsville Mike joy Larry McReynolds Darrell Waltrip Dale Earnhardt jr. has opened it up his lead over Jeff Gordon now one point two seconds only one car in the garage the team Virginia Chevy for hermie Sadler of Emporium moments ago a little bit of more than casual contact what happens here is he gets into the side of the 31 car takes him out of control look like they were both trying to go to the same direction in the each other [Music] magnetic attraction you know what possibly derrike cope coming off pit road could have provoked at Michael moving without their coats I think there's gonna be some tired yeah at this race this is a lot of green flag racing or a short track like Martinsville normally we will run 50 or 75 laps catch a caution debris caution car spin out we've got a lot of green flag racing here today folks right we've only had two caution flags in the last one was 100 laps to go as Tony Stewart takes fourth place from Rusty Wallace who went up the racetrack going into turn one the AOL Cheviot Jeff green going to go a lap down to Dale jr. I got two laps down and I tell you what we talked about being worn out Jeremy Mayfield in the 21st position he just want to lap down the leader Dale Earnhardt jr. just a little bit ago and I'm sure what he told his crew is guys the bad news is I'm having a power steering problem we got a report from our pit guys that you have a power steering problem his crew chief telling them no the bad news is a 300 laps to go dick Berggren Rusty Wallace part number two has slid back to the fifth position by guy has been monitoring his radio and rusty has not said a word about the car not being right his lap times have been pretty close to those of the leader and he has not called for any adjustments meanwhile let's put our hands together and give a round of applause Kenny Schrader's car number 49 qualified well started in the fourth position [Music] Eccleston has been- and all day given a terrific stock that that's big for two reasons at the end of last season folks at kind of written Kenny Schrader's off as a fella who's Winston Cup career was in its Twilight and people had written off the forty nine as a team that couldn't go anywhere no matter who was in the car all the naysayers have been proven wrong yeah I mean this has to be a great shot norm for this route they had a great they come a speedway but fifteen finishes this year remember Kenny Schrader's worked on twelve years without a Winston Cup win [Music] now bobby labonte joins this battle it's Schrader Craven Labonte for 6th 7th and 8th Jericho writer just got around Craven and out [Music] Jericho is going to be just as fast masters of these despite being lashed down because he just fitted for higher [Music] you know Burnett like like Larry pointed out I think that's what after Michael no 30 through our leaders right now we're out there with a hundred laps on their tires here's the battle between care of the body Martin that's a battle for 50 state Mike BW imagine how this is green flag stretching out might be hard on brakes it is hard he told routine Jim long that he feels like all he has left is from Frank Jim Walker finding him to turn on the pain we're going to pitch in about nine or ten we haven't got a pit under green and marks now Wow it's like when we saw green flag stops at Bristol I don't know when the last time I saw a green flag stop at Bristol and we're going to see him here today done Kenny Wallace now going for 16th against Mark Martin like marked cars definitely going away talk about we're getting close to supreme flag pit stops cars to start definitely slide around them and the thing that bothers me about the pit stops is now you don't get guys coming to get tires and there gonna be a lot back from the guys on old tires you get hung out and the reason these guys really have to go is that leader is Rafa Hyneman and Kenny Wallace in 223 car what he did he was about to go a lap down he's decided to come to pit road and make his pit stop this will be four tires of justice I'm sure Steve Byrnes [Music] [Music] and Kenny Wallace asking is Christine belief Lopez are you sure this is the right thing to do with the first car on pit road the lame sex lets me take four tires that's 23 of Kenny Wallace left side tires going on they're getting Wallace and the problem with green flag stops here I mean look around here this is where your inner pit road this is where you go off pit road and you have to maintain 30 miles promise or you're going to go a minimum of two laps down here's where you go in pit road right here this front stretch it's 3/4 of the racetrack and again 30 miles per hour including the pit stop are you going to lose two laps no matter what you do if you pit under green you don't have a lot of time to make adjustments mostly just air friction so if you're not very good you're going to get an air pressure adjustment that's about it [Music] Pender's knocked in pretty good brother but it's not in purchase every steering tires are about that bullet out a little bit off the top get to justify our pressure fr and what DJ saying is don't mess with no fender if it's not rubbing I need a quick pit stop do something that don't take long but just air pressure before I get to that pit box right don't rebuild the car under green just give me some gas tire to get me out of here Jarrett racing for seventh place against Kenny Schrader and this is one of the places again we're running fast beats here there's a place you can get by that right front fender like that it would be here at Martinsville and I will tell you what is good to see I would fix it anyhow how it only fix it a little bit that look like your right front for half the my sister all right into somebody they CL Earnhardt jr. some would not sing like this Jerry the disco Ryan Newman in that 12 car lap down so now we're to 16 cars on the lead lap [Music] our part in the last car on the lead lap Dale Earnhardt jr. leading Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart Jimmie Johnson three seconds back Rusty Wallace four and a half seconds down to the leader ten laps from halfway at Martinsville Virginia here's where the coca-cola racing family is running in today's race [Music] Stewart in third the best of those and we have 16 cars presently on the lead lap mark mark the last of them Brian Newman the first car one lap down a couple moments ago bill Earnhardt jr. had a little trouble in traffic trying to get around Mark Martin and when you get 10 down on the bottom right there particularly off the turn - I had the same problem yesterday the car just breaks loose and almost spins out with your right total turn - Darrell yeah round goes Mayfield caution is out - Thompson is out man that's going to say Bart Bart he was fighting like crazy to stay on the lead lap he did not stay on it though there was going down he tried to let him get it back Gordon is kind of like a gentleman see did a nice gentleman's job of slowing down but that was one of those I cried man that's right I won't tell you what we talked about costly mistake Steve Byrnes had told me during break our guys even though you may not hear him on pit road they give us a lot of information Kenny Wallace who had pitted under green because they didn't get the car fuel the last pit stop now he's three laps down as you're riding with him right here in the car now sir we had no cans to put in the car now what he is explaining is that at the temporary fuelling depot sent up here for the Winston Cup teams it's been a little slow process of filling the dump cans after pit stops and there's quite a line there's was quite a line there so they didn't get all the gas they wanted at the gas pump in time when they made that pit stop so right there just looked like possibly Ryan Newman got in the back of Jeremy Mayfield the 19 again Ryan Newman desperation tried to stay within those leaders to get that lap back jump it if Mayfield's having some kind of problem of his power steering he may not be able to get back to the gas because it can get the thing to cut that could have caused him a problem all right it's been a hundred and 20 laps since the team's were on pit road no line of the gas pumps now and everybody's come they'll be a line on pit road you see the green flag waving there at the entrance of pit road there in turn three all the lead lap cars will be able to pit road for adjustments for tires and I'm sure based on Kenny Wallace experience make sure it's full of fuel this is a timely timely caution for these lead cars because it was getting close to green flag stops Jeanne well as memory serves Bobby the body's crew correctly plus or minus if you left they went 100 to 88 on the left side tires to win last year they'll make worn tires to the end of the race does the pressure deficit aleph careers need to be Jonathan Eason for my cue to go up on the air pressure in the right-side make a pan are barrage Jimmy Johnson says work your magic let's go back and they've already made a chassis adjustment on Jeff Gordon's car actually what it is it backed up the wedge adjustment they may have the previous stuff no adjustments for Dale Earnhardt jr. Steve I'm okay guys Rusty Wallace hopes the caution comes out about every 50 laps he went from fifth to second on that pit stop that time they are working their magic downer today dick oh they sure are they're doing a great job down here in rusty Wallace's pin no special stuff that they're doing they did put around a wedge in that car but you know they took four tires again Larry and that's just a huge advantage to be able to beat all these guys off pit road well so hard to pass on the racetrack much easier to pass about pit road well Nick if I can't ride he's passed about 13 cars and three pit stops and that's what you have to do four laps from halfway we have a look at race off pit road Gordon [Music] and then it's so close between rusty and Dale ginger the Virginia 500 on five brought to you by Budweiser the best things in life are the things that are true Budweiser we've just restarted here at Martinsville Virginia we're just past halfway [Music] that Mark Martin got into him and cut into him in a pretty good way actually and here comes rusty nowhere to go got a feelin if it wasn't another Wallace in that orange car there it might have been a little bit more than just hey go ahead brother what that really cost rusty Jeff Gordon is in 24 lead in the race right now rest he's in second but there's three lapped cars in between Jeff Gordon and Rusty Wallace and a lot of distance to and right behind 95 laps today and a Rusty Wallace a big gainer on pit road I mean that's that's phenomenal those guys I mean they hit three pit stops they've done that job and pass race card each time and that isn't him proud of what they've done but whatever they've done that's a big improvement for what they were doing in the past because those stops are really like the rescue vote and of course we don't want to take away from Jeff corkscrew Robby Loomis that group they keep maintaining the lead through their pit stops but they have that optimum pit spot just as you exit pit road nobody to block them in todd bodine smoke in the left front yeah and is going to come in got that bender down on left front tire probably can't steer the car maybe documented Derick coat now the second car to retire along with hermie Sadler so here passed halfway we still have 41 cars out on this racetrack and that's kind of what happens on restarts you always get into the back of somebody [Music] why today Billy they're working really hard you know since the first year we had a new tire changer come on the front and we've been practicing quite a bit and they you know finally come together as a team I just hope it continues he's in the front all day you know we've got a good party Davis driver great race [Music] Rusty Wallace trying to break a victory drought that extends two seasons he's under Mark Martin a lap down he saw Kenny Wallace Rusty's youngest brother loose up in front of him watches coming off the corn are we got into the 43 not turning around right now everybody's getting into everybody in 243 painting back to the pretty good little courtesy bump there and now he told me MA and he's holding up half the field Darrell look at this logjam I'm gonna tell you what Sterling Marlin in that 40 car started back in 2050 been quietly hanging on the lead lap he's out there left remember skirting did not compete here in the fall because bike less substituted for it but Steve in a car doing pretty good hanging in there picture is Larry I just went down to their pits and check on what they did on that pit stop they did absolutely nothing he's making a slow move to the front of the car so good no changes that number 40 was that the brand new race car untested unloaded it for the first time here on Friday but he must have a pretty good package because they said they took count of the same setup shocks and all and put it on the 42 car and he's right there with him as well but this pack right here I mean they look like the start of the race it's two by two for about nine rows and they're all behind Kevin Harvick in the 29 and John Andretti the 43 burp brake root gouge that's what happens here like I said you want a gas when the other guy was too it doesn't work and this is a gaggle of race cars right here and you know might get under somebody it better than they are you get under them and you need to get back to the throttle quick quickly so you can get a jump off the quarter but when you jump in that bottle you get the back end out funnier and the guys take off now Kevin Harvick he is not waving John Andretti by no he they made a lot of contact there just a little bit ago Harvick is a lead lap car and ready is down three laps and he just called him it your number 43 and I've never worn [Music] I think he was just being just friendly when addiction problem he picks it up and arrow you're almost way up on the straightaway before you even think about hope that throttle all the way down I try to say you want to get back yet you know if you can get back to the throttle you can pass that guy or you can get away from me and you can you ain't and you hurry up and when you hurry up that's when the thing gets out money's get sideways you spin the tires just killed your lap speed Jeff Gordon Dear Leader and look at the advantage he has over Rusty Wallace its distance and to battling laps cars while for second Dale jr. right alongside rusty for an instant and yellow car there kitty Wallace um he's doing a good job trying to get up there and get his lap back here comes ginger Fox give her the fork all right now he's three laps down they barely made it out after that race car they rolled pit road Jeanne Zelasko was telling me while we're at break unhooking a rear sway bar I don't know about normal rear sway bar here as much as you heard from followed by now the most recent caution at lap 243 for Jeremy Mayfield on his condition actually lost the felt off the power steering pump Allah he lost power steering as you can see hermie Sadler doesn't have anything to do his car stops today he's actually standing by just in case Jeremy cannot go all the way we're depending on the caster that's going to have the Carstairs to know what kind of caster sitting they got a lot of short tracks these cars will almost turn into the turn about probably have a little bit as in the middle when you got to get it headed the other way but they will lead down into the corner by themselves so he can make it I guess if he's in good shape may well be how Jeff Gordon wanna right here with no power steering 269 complete that's to 31 to go here at Martinsville Virginia caution waves at the fourth time today here at Martinsville Speedway Jerry Nadeau went into turns one and two and when he tried to drive off the corner the car coasted up to the outside and to a halt in turn three Nadeau climbed from the car and crawled to look underneath the rear end yeah I think it's possibly lost a gear or something back there because uh just like he didn't have any power you know like he couldn't get it to the pit and I tell you we're seeing a big puddle of grease it looks like run out from the back end possibly uh I'd say you might be right and just it won't go it's locked up some of the lead lap cars pitted but far from all of them yeah I mean we have 15 cars on the lead lap I think that was a good move pretty much Sterling Marlin Jeff Burton Elliott Sadler Jamie McMurray and Terry Labonte you know that was cars as but at the back of the lead lap cars I was kind of a no-brainer to me on that and Jeremy Mayfield in it to replace that power steering pump let's go to Chris Myers for a visa race break hi thanks Mike guys are with Jeff Hammond of the Hollywood hotel is you gonna look at our location and the insider Jeff Gordon leading again this is the seventh the straight race where he has led including today still no whit and he said 15 points coming it's too early in the year to panic we just want to shoot for a top five if the opportunity presents itself to win we'll take advantage Y and one thing I can add right about that if you listen to him after qualifying on Friday he was so excited he was hauling a radio can you imagine you know Winston Cup champion like at whooping in Holland just by qualified on the pole I mean he's really getting motivated and pumped up and I think today it's just kind of continuation of that however the leader of the last at the halfway point the last eight times here at Martinsville has not won and of course Jeff Gordon was anything can happen here you talked about beating and banging and you know we talked about the Darlington stripe take us through a little Martinsville mayhem as you see some of the drivers who have worked their way around this track and survived so far lap 80 Tony Stewart in Senate Jerry Nathan around he goes man it's just past the weight is tied racing here every time you turn around one 19 to 21 car gets into Matt Kenseth right here Ricky nobody hurt but again you see the 24 car had to avoid and he was a later time and Dale Earnhardt jr. was getting ready come by was he do he shows the gentleman's agreement backs off the bless the 24 go back front and here Dale Earnhardt jr. and Rusty Wallace therefore they are too thick elite Rusty Wallace and here again you seen the 24 and the 8 right there their race is really hard right now 24 is still leading the race to this point at they learn how jr. in the Sun wiser 8 Corp car but Jeff Gordon leading let's take a look at our old lap spice leaders as you see Jeff Gordon who had let the first 120 yeah this is the old spice lap leaders if you're speaking English then that's what I'm trying to do add that Dale Earnhardt jr. its second and Rusty Wallace who has both windsurf any active driver at Tony Stewart who was leading this race remember last year with 160 laps to go before Bobby Labonte on the caution took over wanted yeah it did not but one thing I want to add right now is I like that old Spice's this makes you good slice that's really good stuff told you are you telling you I need to use that Tony nice try Tony Stewart pizzas that prana he's probably swept it out in there this has been a piece of race break if we covered all the sponsors I think we have we got a long way to go here anything can happen I did you like Martinsville may have the idea okay that's what that looks from the Hollywood hotel we'll be back in a moment the Virginia 500 on Fox is brought to you by subway fresh made sandwiches on fresh-baked bread subway eat fresh by singular the wireless company that fits you best by Miller Lite life is best told to the place called Miller side and by enterprise rent-a-car we'll pick you up laughs 282 and we're back under green after the fourth caution flag of the day Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt jr. clear lap traffic Kenny Wallace laps down just in front of his brother rusty you know Kenny has a good race car he had been on the lead lap for a long time remember he had to come to pit road for a green flag stop because he was not full of fuel and the caution came out and burned him and to add to the list of gods that pitted I think Kevin Harvick in the 29 his crew chief Todd barrier after they saw all the cars to the back come in for a pit stop they realized they decided to come to pit road get four fresh tires - I think that was somebody probably saw yesterday in the truck race Larry how important those four tires could be he did have to give up his father said it had been 26 laps since the leaders pitted Matt Yocum was telling me why we ranked at the 99 fitted for four tires but could not feel because his fuel cans were not back from the Unocal trunk just yet so it's not the end of the world but you don't want to paint yourself in the same corner that Kenny Wallace painted herself into and NASCAR limits how many full cans of fuel you can have in your pit now Dale jr. on his previous pitstop show you hear and listen in small Oh problem when I come into the pitch you won't be human improvement front tire changer carrier stated it frankly is 24 car we know meeting up there I go deeper into the box go my mini cam know what to do it and I mean that's a tough call right there I mean what Dale Earnhardt jr. would hope is the s enough room with a feat for their bottling up in turn one and two everything's good though we stayed green flag racing but I mean here they're discussing it yet you want to go deeper in your box better for your pit crew guys but behind the 20 for fall/winter favor thinking if they went deeper in a box that would forced the 24 car to go in the [Music] maybe get hit for the mom a little bit these boxes are so they're so big but yes so small you're trying to hit your mark that close Ricky Craven Brian well early continues to shine he is in sixth place dick on the racetrack Dale Jarrett got turned sideways but he was able to gather it up and everybody continued back to dick he starts Ricky Craven started the 17th spot he's work his way into 6th position bike trying that caution flag he and crew chief Scott Miller has the longest of conversations private Eddie has tried every line out here on this meet and absolutely nothing works for it said he's losing grip across the board so when they can in the next time they're going through a whole bunch of stuff at that car and try to get it so that it bites a whole lot better and Ricky wants a red white white rag thanks dick I think Dale Jarrett just made the big brown save right here boy did I looked up there and all I saw was 88 and ups sideways got into the side of the 43 car there the 43 ready to him straightening back out definitely straighten it back out did me yeah man jumped up otherwise I don't know what it is be ready in case we cut a tire down [Music] and what will happen you will get up out of the groove and pick up rubber all your own your hot tire well with some of this contact that we've had here it could have been a piece of debris but yeah that rubber will stick to that tire like a nine button on your passenger car tire who this thump and bump till it knocks itself back off I will tell you what looking at Dale Earnhardt jr. is lap times I mean he was a tenth quicker than Jeff Gordon was that last last lap he's plugs into the gap there pretty easily and Jack Sprague goes around compliment that started a and michael waltrip were beating him back Kenny Wallace trying so hard for the third time to get his lap back I believe he'll get it back this time Jeff Gordon let him have it back the way this started Darrell wasn't pretty jack sprague and michael waltrip have contact I think three times on that lap and it all ended up with spray getting turned around Africa in turn four [Music] application of what we used to call the chrome horn when we had chrome to bumpers now right here we're going to look at the lead plate right here [Music] of three all right now we see a lot of our leaders come to pit road so this is going to pay off for those guys that pitted the last time star mall in Jeff Burt elliott sadler Jamie McMurray turned the body and Kevin Harvick which Harvick's decided to pit again Jeannie well get just a reminder the 18 cars decided they will take four tires most of the way until they get to the end of this rain and be a judgment calls less exact getting four tires and fuel Rusty Wallace is in for four tires no changes whatsoever not even air pressure on this car it's running so well met it needs to be a little more a four-tire change [Music] or they are popping up down there next to the pit road because all the cars were not by Rusty Wallace just to back out of the back up off of the bone I hate it when you come around there to black guys holding the panel up telling you to stop and you're coming out there at 35 miles an hour need a little blade in line back there little perch [Music] two hundred three laps to go as they come back lapped cars pinning [Music] Sterling Marlin becomes the fifth different leader night you saw all that contact back there it turned to [Music] they still have a penalty box here up before the days out [Music] we're back under green with Sterling Marlin the leader some drivers stayed out on the tail end of the lead lap Jimmy Spencer trying to get a laugh back on the tail end of the lead lap he's blocking too Hickman Murray going down in there he's trying to stay out get back on the lead lap but and obviously he's very desperate to do that well and he you know we know he has a good car from early in the rain hanging his car [Music] that had to restart race way back in the pack Dale Jarrett made three pit stops and now he'll serve a drive-through penalty for exiting the pits too fast trying to beat the leader on the green gap that the green black came out he was just leaving the pit so he he sped out of it a little bit and what a drive-through penalty means is he don't actually have to stop in his pit it has to go the entire length of pit road and pit road theme genius the problem is he stopped too many times he was getting frustrated a total three trips through first night he got four tires many came back through and they worked on that fender rug and then he had to come back again because he was missing lug nuts on the left front wheel when he was that third trip that was not the charm obviously he tried to make up the time and now he's paying for it Jeanne he's back out on the racetrack he lost a battle lap and 3/4 just in that drive through that shows you how much time you lose here pit road on the green I think you're looking at a very frustrated driver right there with what's going on on his race team right now and this has not helped any many so here's the situation in front of the leader Joe Nemechek Kurt Busch and Ricky Rudd on the tail end of the lead lap the 40 Sterling Marlin is your leader his teammate the 42 right there about to give up second place to Terry Labonte Texas Terry Labonte net five car car looks good straight up off the corner how about tire wear Department pretty good bike Ryan Newman on the other hand has had a real problem with grip all day long on the radio he talked about not being able to get some fight but look at this tire that came off his car just before the caution flag he radioed in to his crew saying he thought he had a loose wheel it wasn't it was this tire that really lost its thread so that caution flag with a lucky thing for Newman they would have gone much longer Kempton what they can remember we talked about inner liners and safety shield a tower of inner tire they do not run that here at a short track but that tells you the kind of driver Ryan Newman is he won't burn the tires right off of his race car he knows one speed wide open sorry I think some we're going to hear I bet you before it's over with a lot of crews are going to have to start servicing the driver getting bags of ice getting him something to drink it needs some cold towels because this thing is going long and hard and we still got 200 laps to go and it's hot outside you heard Ricky Craven wolf that red wet towel to chill oh look at this pack and that Genie told us that and get an ice pack on his stop Jimmie Johnson right in front of Dale jr. pole-sitter Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart Johnson is in fifth place Steve and Mike he did make a pit stop here recently they just took two tires though they put two terms in the right rear Chad can ask the driver how he failed he said I feel great but just get me out of the traffic that's what it took two tires that's not a bad thing sometimes I mean you get stuck behind all these lap cars and we saw Tony Stewart early in the race his car was off the good on two tires yeah I know I feel because if I was just a few just give me five some of these guys I think I got somebody I can compete I think I got somebody I could win with but traffic was so tough yesterday there's going to be less traffic leaving this place than Jimmie Johnson's in right now yeah yeah I mean it's it's really tough [Music] Jr just got away from that group worked his way through it on the outside then went under Robby Gordon to get away from that pack [Music] look at this battle back here that starts with Jimmy Johnson Tony Stewart Jeff Gordon Rusty Wallace they're about six through nine now I mean this has probably been the best race cars to have this race to the exception of Dale Earnhardt jr. the reason that they're back in here is we have a lot of cars like Sterling Marlin Jamie McMurray and Terry the bunny that stayed at that time but possibly they've got little older tires he's dressed desirable didn't jump this group could prevail and just take several laps he tell you who's coming are not getting soggy in milk tearing the body has all the caught Sterling Marlin and turn three and that is for the lead and again that's in traffic there's cars desperately hanging on to the lead and tail end of the lead lap Nemechek bush and run their wooded here a year ago from we were pulling for Terry to lead a lap yeah a little laughing out for how long it would come on there you can do it and I think he did he did we thought he led one under caution it turned out we were mistaken and he finally got to lead some laps here under green and he may get to lead some today as he draws a bead on that silver Dodge of Sterling Marlin yeah I think that Ricky Redmond at 21 cars going to give me his best friend right now because he's going to get a nose up under sterling right there Charlie got low jump off the corner only but that traffic in front right there is going to bring we are known by NASCAR they are looking at some debris so that would be a big break for Joe Nemechek and Kurt Busch Ricky Rudd and off the pasta Norfolk but out of the crew Jeremy Mayfield has taken his car to the garage area where he'll join jerry nadeau derrike cope and hermie Sadler and caution is waving cannot get inside outside the ricky rudd Dhoni magic and Kurt Busch they will get their lap back sixth caution of the day comes out of lap 318 for that piece of metal debris up in turn four [Music] I think Sterling Marlin Marlin and Terry Labonte also Jamie McMurray Elian stefa remember these are cars that stayed out the last caution they've decided to come pit road they feel like they have too many laps on their tires Kevin Harvick's back on pit road Jeff Burton he's on pit road remember when he took four tires on though he could not get fuel he'll get painted in that box of being out of fuel Steve and Tim law telling Terry Labonte we have to pit we need the fuel right side tires on and it will save four tires on the number five of Terry Labonte Jack goes up left-side tires on hey LaVon ease away Jamie McMurray getting serviced he was the third place car I saw those smoke coming out his tailpipes as he was coming down pit road there it stopped now hey DW we just heard on the radio that that car may have the motor may have blown up I'm 42 I thought I saw him as if he's coming to the pit lane and the little puffs of smoke was coming out of it by a tough break from occurring run well terry labonte let the last time by 319 complete in Martinsville NASCAR on by is brought to you by Chevy trucks the most dependable longest lasting trucks on the road [Music] getting set for the restart working lap 324 the McDonald's drive-through pit crew championship fueled by Powerade among the teams that choose to participate in this competition Michael Waltrip the leader Dale Earnhardt jr. Robby Horton Jeff green and a great pit bull the season long winter hits 200 grand pit stops very crucial to the running of this race today and on the restart number eight up there in the outside groove Jr is your leisure area Jimmy Johnson Tony Stewart Network couple of guys back on that caution 25 97 and the 21 cuts the guys up here again in position to get a lap back I mean you got four cars up there fighting to get back only lap Ward Burton mark Hardin ride and greg biffle as well and Kenny Wallace up there trying to get another one of his labs back he's gotten off a good race car he's got a shot if he can just get back to the car back up there these restarts Larry every time you have one for the doctor bringing some ice or run into somebody knocks em all in at the bharatas Laurier [Music] laughing Jimmy Johnson how many had her sideways I call dirt saved it Johnson battling Stuart this is per second [Music] tony stewart you know the first part of the race he was hugging that curve that means run in that second group yeah I think he gets so loose off of two over there that you can't really get back to the throttle they probably suggested the car round enough for where he could run high or so he can run load three and four better you can down to get a little help from anybody you know here comes Michael sliding up through here and whoopsie Michael grab that card [Music] one wouldn't stop a big cat you know if there's one if there's one place you you can't make up for what your car don't have it's Martinsville I mean you can't if your car will run 12 you can't take it run fish but I'm going to say a Deltan heart Junior fair leading the race I mean he's in his fourth season here and again we talked earlier to top fives here last year I remember his rookie season mm he had every race car out there even hit a record that was parked on the inside the backstretch that's that Carmichael's got a pressure [Music] let me tell you though his dad dad took a little time for him to settle down and become a championship contender today you know oh he came here a dozen years in a row inlay bottle sportsman which became Busch grand national and it seemed like iron art had a different vacant car every year one year was a Chevy the next race was a Buick the next race was a Pontiac and the next race he was an old Omega and the reason was every race he knocked the whole note I would have to get another one and I'm sure he would say it was the car it just need to get the right car it all worked out well in the end behind Earnhardt jr. now leads by 1.8 seconds back [Music] Oh Mike in the first four races here at marks for Dale jr. the average of twenty fifth place finish they felt like they really needed to get a handle on margin if they were going to ever make a run for the championship before the spring race last year they came here to test he ran 653 laps they tried so many different combination kind of like a Mad Kim as they hit upon some different combinations mash them together has paid off here again today they ran this same set of last year deviated last [Music] this racecar at all [Music] the box know that that is a lunch now car Larry it's a 3/4 lunch down in that's what he has today that's the type of chassis that just really were working short tracks where the roll center hips Parker through these flat that one a few places lefty woman Matt Yocum well they've actually run this car here the past four races same car fives here last year Mike this was a new 2003 body with same chest now jr. leaves his battle by two and a half seconds for second Rusty Wallace is three and a half seconds back Kenny Schrader's four and a half back and Bobby Labonte and Ricky Cravens and mr. Lee Marlins six seconds off the lead right here to see out Tony cuts to the bottom right there is some reasoning getting really good by I think they didn't grind the track right around the bottom of the come out turn for there and you get a really good buy offer now if the current is you come out of turn four offer that patch at you patch that they put there for the tunnel cut down right there seem to be able to get really good forward by see see the difference in them see this that's where they ground it and that's where they did this is all the old pavement and you can get down on that old payment and get and hook up those left-side tire and that's where so many people get in there and hit that curve because they misjudge how low they really are saying this is this is where they put the tunnel in right here that's a new patch right there but if you get down in here you can see that's the old surface all down in there and it seems to really hook those left-side tires up battle for ninth place now Ricky Craven just gave up a spot to Sterling Marlin Jeff Burton gets into this Ricky struggling right now Washington laughter - there he's not these Oscars he was earlier well what he's back my Kundera is the 38-7 Jeff Burke Kevin Harvick all those guys have fresher tires than Ricky Craven have and you can't put up a fight I know yesterday we got in a situation like this I said Larry you're just gonna have to let me know when all those guys who got you darker past because I can't do anything about it pull Burton and Craven get together the Ricky Craven has about 20 more laps on his tires and all these cars that he's with right here [Music] talk about Jeremy Mayfield his teammate he follow it [Music] Jr now a 3.3 seconds on Tony Stewart Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon it got a lot of clear racetrack ahead over there he's only got Mark Martin up there away then he's got a lot of open racetracks he not gonna be in traffic for a while Marty Martin in the stakes Ward Burton's 22 has really pulled out in front of Dale Earnhardt jr. those guys will cost you more than anybody that put them back on the lead lap with other 16 cars it's only lap as well you get a lap down early here but if you can get up there to the front of these restarts any many times you can get back on the lead lap later today one fellas had no luck at all doing that though is our points leader Matt Kenseth got a lap down early and that's where he's been mired back in 22nd place [Music] think about the points battle we have right now Matt Kenseth the devil ha 1988 Busch Series championship battles those guys Jr said yesterday is pretty cool to be battling Matt again for a title he says like will voted with you buddy I'm still in a beating it's just going to eat the ball at him 344 laps complete for just past two thirds business in the Virginia 5-iron [Music] caution out again at lab 348 seventh caution of the day dave blaney spun off the front bumper Oh Steve part coming off turn number four Blainey trying to cut under michael waltrip but there wasn't any room he wasn't hardly stopped before the caution flag way the she seen from Ricky ruts point of view [Music] Kenny Wallace got back on the lead lap as he came around of all of our leaders we'll have two cars stay out this is the race off pit road sterling Martin in the 40 car won the race the reason he changed two tires with Dillon our junior everybody else changed four tires pretty much he wins the race off pit road as far as people have changed four tires and watching that 20 car you know earlier do that Larry I released I didn't see that was all that bad especially once the pressures came up in those right-side tires a Kevin Harvick in the 29 he's actually our leader because him and Elliott Sadler the 38 they had 30 laps on their tires they decided to stay out keep that track position but he has three cars in front of him Harvick does Matt Kenseth Jimmy Spencer Dale Jarrett trying to get back on the lead lap as well let's show you Kenny Schrader's stop few minutes ago Schrader's was fifth coming into the pits well yeah he will spill in down he goes and at her but what I love about those guys they never quit yeah that's Jonathan Sherman he went right on his face here in the pits but you're right Darryl these guys just don't give up they know they've got a great car he Schrader was nipped before that caution flag Matty well they'd update Dale Earnhardt jr. the third straight stop they have been in the 14 no adjustments meanwhile track bar Justin on Jeff Gordon's car way too tight in traffic and also Tony Stewart they've been an air-pressure just in the right rear he was just way too tight in the center free up off the corner Arta this is a visa race break as kevin harvick your leader along with Jeff Hammond Chris Myers from the Hollywood hotel Elliott Sadler up behind him Sterling Marlin running third we got about went 352 laps through some observations at this point as Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt jr. have dominating right now one of the things I've noticed that is we see Kevin Harvick now establish staying out it seems like the guys who got the fresher tires we've got a definite advantage so I'm gonna be real interested to see whether Kevin Harvick as well as Ilya can stay in front of the strength of the Earnhardt jr. as well as Jeff Ford or Tony Stewart because these guys have been very very dominating all day long and track position is important but things like tires are also important today all right let's go back upstairs or get ready to go green well this caution flag a break for Matt Kenseth and they are now on the tail end of the lead lap in front of Kevin Harvick as we restart how many times have we seen this with Matt Kenseth this year this has happened several times Mike you mentioned earlier it's finished on the lead lap from every race but I think middle now before any armor pretty great just before that coffee stain Kevin Harvick behind him in the 29 car the leader with 30 left tires it's good opportunity to get that lap back and then what that catch is they build a lot of adjustability into that car with spring rubbers and oh my goodness Harvick the snail Dale Jarrett well Jarrett is trying to get back on the lead lap as is the 12 of Ryan Newman [Music] I mean it wasn't that long ago we only had about 15 carpooling laughs now we're up there we may have 23 cards on the lead lap for the race now we're going to have a few cautions got everybody groove it's hard to get out a little bit some of the cars are - yeah tired of giving people breaks from [Music] Harvick's going after DJ [Music] second thing good most eleven guys are working that top through that second group rather my can be ever notice how when you get high kind of get tired how much harder your job gets well that's the way it is in a race car just multiply that see a little bit of smoke come out the 88 car think you may be tired but remember he had a vendor that was caved in a little while ago and right now completely built up it's still rubber tip though right now all he's worried about is get back on the lead lap they will fix that tire [Music] it looks really good right now tail end of the lead lap along with the seven of Jimmy and the 80s Jared and silver and black 29 of Harmon is the leader Sadler is second and Sterling Marlin is third Steve Mike sterling marlin took just two tires crew chief Lee McCall said that should put us with the cars we should be with he's running third right now Jimmie Johnson took four tires remember on his last stop Johnson took two they took four and made a chassis adjustment [Music] Wallace first [Music] to pitstop they've had problems with the jacks on both of them to stop to go the jack didn't go up high enough this one they couldn't get the jack water into the car and that has cost rusty positions you know they're the only thing I was question we're 140 laps to go of not having four tires on that car down it almost 40 he and will probably have more cautions I think some of those got to change four tires there they make run-ins we got a battle for the lead here and it settle down side of Kevin Harvick Harvick Harvick got into the curb coming out of turn two that allowed Sadler to get a run [Music] be exciting for Elliot get back beside it highlights the tracking that like a teammate well Ryan Newman washed up into Jarrett and Sandra had nowhere to run nowhere to hide look at Dale Earnhardt jr. that ain't car the Budweiser car for fresh tires piece isn't gonna I won't come up there I want this leave don't look too far behind either because here comes at a warrant Home Depot car number 20 slipping into the picture and there's you have them into tires but all stand Darryl I believe I wanted for tired that last caution that way I may only be able to change to later on in this race I always like to get them under color and get them in at the best time this late in the race especially for second place junior on the outside Harmon and again attire Cinco that 10 car just about went around tires seems to be the 10 cars got to live for now guys and he can't hardly get the pit road built so many cars is coming daddy now make there and lose a couple of laps changing that tire they can get that knockdown when he got into him and knocked down Elliott Sadler Dale Earnhardt jr. their battle of the bleed that's a really afraid for Matt Kenseth he just continues to pull away out there trying to get back to the lead lap as well as Ryan Newman Jimmy's family up and health care lucked out they had him passed and then they got the bangin on each other over there and he got background there are two Nuri turns at Carla like at the final [Music] and the nice thing is you watch Stewart inside of Kevin Harvick the nice thing about where Kenseth is he's running his own race not using up his equipment he's all by himself clean air we talk about clean air it does anywhere when you got that nice clean air going into the breakdown player anyway [Music] the guy that has led 176 laughs he's kind of been out of the picture through all this Allstate pit stops Jeff Gordon that 24 car he pulls inside story mode that's the faster fifth but their library that happiest his best Parton's Vil finish in eight stars is 17 and here he is running second and chasing the lead we said in order to show he'd never really qualified for the race in a provisional situation every time so he's having a great day he's really pumped up about his race team and what Raymond's to us [Music] I couldn't use for everybody with empty van Jews the guy we're looking at right there was smoke coming off the bench tell you what's bad news for a lot of guys what I'm seeing that 24 car yep Kevin Harvick now remember Harvick has 30 left from this time Jeff Gordon hinted that last caution to refresh time Thorton has led 176 laps the most of any driver today started from the pole and this morning was that consensus favorite Dale Earnhardt jr. leads this race with 130 laps to go elliott sadler and [Music] virginia 500 on fox is brought to you by Visa Visa dot-com / NASCAR for an incredible NASCAR offer our leader just put a lap on the point leader well our did he he did and then he didn't I say well right here he's got that low line he gets down you say goodbye it off the curve for what to think I'm out there you can get your car down there you and make it cut get good bike get good traction right there I tell you what I got its leading this race up to the elastico I think he is paying the price those xxx tires now Kevin Harvick in the 29 car he just got passed by 10 first and five in the body so he has sent back to the ninth position I just thinking he's going to lose another position to Greg Biffle in the 16 actually Greg is still a a lap down but he slides back for regardless Matt Kenseth and Jimmy Spencer have now gone a lap down once again to Dale Earnhardt jr. and a little bit of frustration showed in the voice of Elliott Sadler as he had this discussion with his pit crew [Music] and that happened when the last coughing came out and I won't tell you what there you have to make a fast decision here as a crew chief most places the caution comes out you have a full lap to make your mind up because of where the entrance on pit road is turn three not much time to make a decision now and but the driver really he needs to know because he has to before kind of prepare himself and come to pit road one of the incidents is where do you want you want to know that the crew and you are on the same page that when they want you to pit that you know you're going to bed they know you're going to win let me tell you ain't on the same page what on the same page Tony Stewart I think he just gestured to him look don't hit me again I'm a lead lap card you're not [Music] Darrell Eric one of the things I'm kind of curious about kind of watching the guys last time everybody's pick the pace up here with about 116 laps to go and the one big question here at Marvel has always cuz who's got the best brakes here at the end we've been running pretty aggressively all day long it was use these brakes up interviews with the folks it's kind of like what I'm interested in right now [Music] let's have some conversations that it takes a little bit to get going the car is much better at the middle at the end of a run Jason Shapiro power the prick he said I think these brakes are the best we have ever had here I have so much pedal left you have no idea of course if you're a brake specialist especially important bill which is thank you big time in Shapiro did say Tony let's not talk about it again I don't want to jinx us yeah one thing I noticed yesterday of the break package we had on the pads are a lot thicker than they used to be was the big issue here you'd wear them out big big pad to fix that the roamers here than they used to be they got better air fans in them to keep them cool that ducks all the duck technology that were using to cool the breaks that is a lot they're the fans and everything that to blow the air into the brick so everything is better than it used to be and therefore over to go through this remember a thousand times 500 left once at each end I mean things have to be good especially the Coulomb because we meant to nerve looks like molten lava there that's happened twice the laughs and look at that it doesn't really ever hardly ever stops going even on the straightaway it's always struck me funny that if the smallest track we run the biggest breaks and then of course it's the biggest wreck we run the little small breaks dick perfect well one of the new technology things has happened here this weekend like is that some of the brake pads had actually got a hole in the mid air circulating hole and most of the teams ow [Music] to the tire itself member when tires used to fail here with the beads we get slot not anymore because now they've got a bit with a blower on it that goes by good thing about that also it's cool that tire down some dick and keeps the air pressure from building in such as well too much of a difference Larry and the brakes cycling between Dale Jarrett on the left and Kenny Wallace's right front on the right and again this could be a product left foot to right foot breaker Darrell guys what I was talking about in the early part of the show their body guys like the reviews their left foot you're going to use more brake if you do and junior always made me high five foot down and just use my right foot for gassing and braking [Music] - for the guys are up in front clean traffic they're not trying to bump it down to the way back in lab traffic that allows that the not abuser brakes so much and another thing if a car is pushing and not turning Darrell and driver driving crazy when he start but his jobs do whatever he has to do to make the car go fast you use that brake pedal to make the car turn a little bit not a good idea here Jr trying to put Ryan Newman a lap down jr. now has a two-second lead on tap at F Gordon with 107 laps to go [Music] the Virginia 500 on Fox is brought to you by new Quaker State the power to reduce friction by coca-cola the official soft drink of NASCAR by The Home Depot NASCAR's Home Improvement warehouse and by Applebee's neighborhood drillin ball eatin good in the neighborhood 99 laps to go at Martinsville Dale Earnhardt jr. leads for Chevrolet is Jeff Gordon Jimmie Johnson Tony Stewart than Elliott Sadler's for the Chevy of Bobby Labonte and the Dodgers Marla I'm just Larry I'm just so impressed with their here I mean he's not roughing anybody uh he's hot [Music] Gordon was closing he took his time with Newman and got around him clean didn't get into him or anything else yummy Newman definitely dealt them a bit for a while and use that patient here's lead now one second over Jeff Court here's a look at yesterday's results of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series brought to you by Sears Dennis Setzer the winner over ten Musgrave interlopers truck whackers Kevin Harvick injured and Darrell Waltrip in seventh Darrell is 35th in the points by the way yes after one race for those of you that are counting point on I didn't know you were Bobby Hamilton and Rick Crawford are to the point leader a lot of points battle Dennis Setzer that's two races in a row here at Martinsville plus two in a row on the Craftsman Truck Series well it's here in a couple weeks ago so about points you do the man you said well now if I ran them all about 35th now or what I've been said I'm not sitting next to us remember the higher you go the harder hit the I do know that here's the other bound up the food chain right here's the interval from junior back to Jeff Gordon two lapped cars in there Tony Raines and Ryan Newman when he was battling around Newman just a few laps ago you see Jeff for battle dr newman as well he is so Dale Earnhardt jr. down to 21 80s and 90s now Earnhardt jr. back to runnin 50s and six but he's not going to be for longer because jr. is coming up on a big pack of traffic a lot of cars is still overlaid laughs that makes it even tougher just a lot of gas what I would call lurking back there right now Tony Stewart's back there the 48 car there's a number of cars that are just looming in the background Jr sticks to catch Joe Nemechek that just actually made their laugh up just a few laps ago Bush got sideways while ago now he's in for [Music] when you get down here near the end of the race we're closing in on that now where it's not about to go you start using up what you got the back anything you start driving it a little bit harder he's a little bit more break get back in the gas real quick we'll talk about what you got how about what you're going to get or pit road at lap 330 yet most of our leaders should we go green they can make it but like people like Kevin Harvick and Elliott you taught me not to say not DW but the math says they can I think there'll be going to slows if they don't they wish things their hope they can thanks are pretty world space here among the top five as you go three seconds make it four seconds now on Elliott Sadler here Sadler lurking is term in the online computer world is people that that look at all the postings on the news groups but never post a message themselves there's somebody here that's working post a message I fix the hole before the days of winter [Music] Sterling Marlin they're in seventh place you saw Bobby Labonte six partland seven when we get to Burton we're going to be 11 seconds back of the leader and my kid my house lurking is when my fax machine runs out of paper I see I have messages lurking inside my little machine rusty is night he is 12 seconds off the lead look at the experience in this group Rusty Wallace night ken schrader 10 and then Terry the body 11 and in this day of junior works some traffic up here's boy rusty and Kenny Schrader's battling each other one thing about being the leader he got to get to get to the traffic first people battle you harder we talk about two tires versus four tire see Kerala body still only left in 11th Kevin Harvick is leading this race 60 laps ago elected to stay out it took our leader Dale Earnhardt jr. 60 laps to go by him those four fresh tires and put a laugh paid the price for leading as a little bit of the race he did there Harvick strategy needed one more caution flag between men and now I'd say what they were minded we had seven cautions in all between lap 103 48 the Dale Earnhardt jr. is the first of 15 cars on the lead lap [Music] welcome back to Martinsville Speedway 77 laps to go a junior leading Gordon Jimmie Johnson Tony Stewart elliott sadler here's some of our Budweiser aerial coverage and the rail line right now runs along the back stretch is going to be moved so clay Campbell can build more grandstands back there and more folks can some come and enjoy Winston Cup racing short track style on the half-mile Paperclip shape Martinsville Speedway yep we're Junior right has a seven tenths of a second lead as all yes you look at more more like Krystal I get the grandstand all the way around her look like fresh coal look like Richmond is what you can do with a short track for Marquardt into 6 effort to get his lap back and now he goes back a lap down with Eleanor [Music] alright let's show you how not to get your sponsors decal on TV [Music] Raven in the 32 we're looking at you want the back of the car to do that you want the back of it to fold up that way it doesn't touch the speed you out it doesn't hurt you you just don't want the front to do this now what Ricky might want to do is run up there and heat it one more time maybe it flop and get a caution because if he doesn't he's don't go a lap down he's only about five six car lengths ahead of leader Dale Earnhardt jr. and we have been told that NASCAR has totaled into Robby Gordon Creek Kevin Hamlin that group singer car fix it next time Jeff Gordon is closing thinking he is back there lurking and he has been just a few 100 quicker than the Hindenberg really catches it is what our leader catches that track in Texas my second place of the junior and banging side-by-side for the line one of them said I think it was Gordon City well that event for the lead we might olive wrench are we have a definitely race get different tax for his head we just interpolated a Sabine would have been big but they could be the same thing I think you're looking at you guys and got the both of them are not gonna do anything that's gonna Shepherd so they're going to race smart Raven surrenders a lap to junior with all the success the Dei detailing on the restrictor plate tracks they have only one short track with junior and clear voice Craven and Earnhardt jr. though jr. went in hard underneath the Craven and slid up and took them both up the racetrack that's like I'll clear myself thank you that's the 13 cars now on the lead lap we've always got that stuff off the curb for there Larry him in the 20 car they get down in it get way down on that old pavement Dale Earnhardt jr. that bud he's been doing both to this race watch him here off the turn four he goes up higher but what's cord here he comes right down on that old payment they really get the nice jump out of there it looks like Jeff Gordon gets a much better jump off turn two though that he does turn four well that turn over there is looser and that they know jr. is moving around here a little bit trying to find a little bit better line off of there so he doesn't jump sideways so manly that Darryl that Highline juniors running is that easier on the tires than cutting it down to the bottom well if your car gets a little bit loose you got a little bit better chance to hang it onto it up there you get that around the bottom pinching it around the curve you don't want to jump out money get a little different angle l for that corner over there it'll stay under you better [Music] you can do that and you know you're holding a little supplement you don't wanna show the guy behind you but when it comes time you move up there and do it this is a battle right here between Bobby Labonte Elliott Sadler Bobby Labonte goes by the 38 car that's for fifth place remember Elliott Sadler he has 30 more laps on his tires but as we draw near to the end I'd always speak too soon were about in the end remember elliott sadler the 38 car he would have to pit for nearly turn to Ryan Newman and it is a caution flag often is that and include Hart jr. so if he got the caution nobody gets a lap back and did jr. kept the caution they didn't get it I didn't see him get it myself I think you criminal hustle background err he'll get back on the lead lap if he didn't get it he will get on Dale jr. was way past the start line now Jeff Gordon was coming to the line the 32s already taken the cost in NASCAR's telling him right now junior didn't take it but the 32 car did so let's explain that you can only take the console and water and even though it waved over the roof of Earnhardt jr. he had not taken the caution he was past the line but since Craven had he wasn't eligible to race some junior back that's a semi reason to feel kind of thing sorta that Jeff we're going to be about 60 laps men to this thing most of these cars have a lot of laps on both sides I know we've seen two tires work but I just believe if I'm anywhere near the lead lap from Willie left I want four tires to race this thing to the end amen brother four tires I don't wear any kind of argument discussion about it get in here get you four tires let the driver go out there and get what he wants may I just say give me your four best tires - absolutely my friend fighting that do it again gamble with - I just think this racetrack is not as good of shape as it was earlier I think you have to have four tires Steve Byrnes and Jimmy Johnson's going to get four tires they talked about making a track bar adjustment Jimmy said leave it alone just give me the tires they made an air pressure adjustment for forward bite too Mac they learn our juniors in they're not going to make any adjustments on the Budweiser car no adjustments on Jeff Gordon's 24 does it appear to be any judgments on Tony Stewart's car everybody just looks like James gonna get the eight now when our guys not sure give us information but I have to believe Bobby Labonte and he took two tires you can look at the race off pit road look right there 40 and a half seconds Jeany had to be two times you are correct a conversation coming in michael fatback McSwain state you want four tires you want track position buddy so the decision was to go for the two tires that's exactly what they did in Bobby Labonte's case I like that strategy where he was what did he have to lose he won this race doing that he ran would you say Jani a hundred eighty eight laps son is on his left side tires last year or last time he wanted pretty good and of course what he's going to be out there clean racetrack for most of these final 60 laps that way he could run where that car was it to run a beautiful spring day and a packed house every seat sold at Martinsville Speedway do a Pepsi fan cam here [Music] NASCAR Winston Cup racing on is brought to you by napa auto parts [Music] they will restart with 57 laps to go Bobby Labonte snookered them all by taking two tires to gain track position and he beat Jeff Gordon out of the pits and Dale Earnhardt jr. by a narrow margin so he is the leader Ryan Newman has taken his car to the garage really good strategy only they don't like Larry and we saw this couple of times takes a lap or two or three or four maybe for those pressure to equalize those right sides to the left that could hurt him with these guys jumping all over him here on this restart the thing he'll have going for though he's out there in clean racetrack is lost he'll clear Ricky Craven these will be fight hard to get back to lead lap he'll be okay it's a good race car very good jump [Music] bobby labonte got our way Jr Craven takes jr. up the hill and back I mean they're 3/4 wide down the back stretch because of that water bottles body pillow and in the middle one inside boy-crazy must have a tire down guys but he is just pick up a lot a lot of different something I think hidden happening them they're leavin coming to the restart over turn three he'll stop first I think you've got a right front tire down there yeah it is let's adapt the heck of time get the pin got to get the pit road and he can and that really cost Earnhardt Jr who was fallin to break the box bunny not only does he now have a 1 2 3 4 secondly just after 3 in between him and Jeff Gordon Johnny Benson and Mark Hart back there Balan Jeff for folk Raven is going to end up defense he is in the fans turn one talks it down caution is out cautions out nobody will get a lap back night caution of the day lap 446 and because that's an old New England short track trick you roll up to the wall and you stop to draw the caution and then you scoot away that did not escape the attention of the NASCAR officials and there will be I believe a penalty forthcoming pit road is closed but I don't look for any about it becoming track position much more important now the NASCAR season in full throttle and all the action is covered across the Fox Network will be at Fontana California next Sunday on Fox and then moved to FX for nighttime coverage Saturday night coverage from Richmond and from Charlotte using Easter Bunny next Sunday that's rila for Nia in two weeks Ricky Craven spent one lap in NASCAR jail and now comes back onto the Speedway we're set to go racing Bobby Labonte's car is the color of money and he is the race leader over pole sitter Jeff Gordon Jimmie Johnson Tony Stewart and Ray jr. ready ready and one that long ago [Music] a good restart again he is on the money only three stars right there with me but Bobby really buckled it off it is our one and that clean racetrack will have 48 laps to go for that bottom right now that's where you make the motion at that time [Music] you got fresh tires on they may have to move around later but looking for the bottom you know this is about the time of the race last year that Bobby Labonte took the lead he didn't lead last year to lap 371 went on to win it the big difference last year he started 39th today he started 15 vice versa start a 15th last year to the provisional start a 39 today Dale Earnhardt jr. he's trying Johnny fit he's right back there if that sec contacto memory score right with him right here here we go [Music] you know Jeff you know I know we've talked about two tires or four tires that's the long way to go 50 laps how about watching Jeff fort he is reeling Bobby Labonte and he's faster right through the center of the quarter but Darryl and I were talking earlier bakas Ambani has that clean racetrack where he predicted his left those four tires to overcome those two things I'm pretty sure of that but it was a good call I mean look what he did he got the lead gave him a chance and he didn't have a chance before that but Darrell I think brought down what's going to happen one Jetport gets into him to start to really work on me and he gets up underneath him which i think is what's gonna happen here I believe you'll see Jimmie Johnson a couple other guys now you see Jeff before looking outside that's what you can do before tires you could drive your car in more places than fines with a grip is as Jeff board run it looks inside about the body and I really believe once he gets hungry several other guys will take advantage of whoopsy Bobby turbine having given Johnson Jeff Gordon's teammate in the lower 48 car he wants to get up there when we get for folks at home he can take advantage of it as well stay with your own car you can go the opposite way the guys turn if he goes he goes low you can go high he goes by you can go no saving anything now right Oh nobody just get up on the wheel use up their brakes use up that bumper if you have to and what we have here Bobby Labonte has not been in the top five all day long that movie but don't win the race this feel-good he still need this thing it will probably find a better finish than he was going to have if he just followed the lead watch the Busch race last night the 21 paint car over there with the who drafted this week charlie daughters oughta keep in his second because of good good pitch strategy and had been in the top ten all night or the lead [Music] battling her battling bobby labonte [Music] defending champion for today's as long as Bobby can accelerate up off of the track off of turn two and for a lane up off the bottom he's in the catbird seat Bobby's running the lower groove and wanted Devon grandpa here and about 2/3 and for that time right there you got to come off there real bone [Music] proper get nocturne - that's where the you pay the price Stewart right there you get loose third place Tony Stewart is alongside Jimmie Johnson where we got two teammates we got the 20 and the 18 running first and fourth we got the 24 to 48 running second and third they changed a little bit that laughs see that laugh right there though Tony Stewart he had the fastest needed grace innocence between the top two baklava need Jeff for a day one day Bobby Labonte is driving the fuel of his car right now and if he drives it in there too far Jeff Gordon will be right there against did the thing he's got going for him is he can get off the corner so far so good the wheels off right now tell Earnhardt jr. now huh driver car he is all over the back of Jimmie Johnson pulls it inside this is the battle before can he win the race down in the why he had been good fight on the buffer cruiser not too far behind this little karate they don't listen there's a 99 car of Burton and the 38 car Sadler in the picture left side of your screen the lead battle on the right side of your screen the race for board [Music] you're right Darrell that rights before it's about become a three-car battle now Jeff Burton Oh dystrophy association colors this week he's right there with these guys I really thought their junior can just bounce to be earlier but again he would had track position he was out front and he putts faster than Jimmie Johnson right now he keeps beating banging on that rear bumper he just can't clear him and get by did this work last week our spotter say juniors not said a word on the radio since the last pit stop so if there's something wrong with that car he's not disclosed it to the crew resident nope nope no sent and disclosed and now nothing that crew can go it's up to him in that race Roger ma'am there's really nothing wrong sometimes Mike when you start to hump your car everybody else steps it up a notch and you can they can step it up a notch tell me sir the 20 car he has caused that leaf drift up there upon his body and Jeff Gordon he's gone right well that 20 car good all day long and able to run the really love line comes off the corner right on the box Stewart is about to make Jill gives nervous and to me my car and everybody who's involved with both of those structure there pretty interesting Darrell which ever call in everybody shares in the I tell you I wouldn't be nervous I'd be happy well so far you know think about coming he didn't write he can run the low crude but when he needs to he can run the hot yeah they did just around on that car and he made a real middle but he has the most trouble right there that person just can't get off the turn to now junior went to the outside it's better off the two of it's better on the foredeck if they can get that good bite off turn four I believe he'll clear Jimmie Johnson this time the 40th car might hurt the car down there that low proven turn four battlements engine sucks s the car so badly [Music] a little breathing room he needs he's got to start battling upfront Tony Stewart just threw it into turn three two car lengths deeper than Gordon and paid the prices Gordon goes for the lead now what you see if Gordon can get hooked up and become officer - that's the hardest place it's a little it's a little browning there but now Thornton stood on this and download boy you're right Tony Stewart smells that they can turn three and it's tough that time that Gordon clipped occur that time coming down to four that's how though you try to get down there the body gives him enough room for his race car and say Jeff will get Lucy in right here here can't get back to the throttle right here wait to see who's gonna prevail because that will probably be the person he tries to follow finally he's waiting learn I think he's coming as fast as he can break even out of 4 keeping pan down if you keep him pinned down there's not a whole body keeping pan down blues dragging down the straightaway what you have to remember Bob of the body deaf girl just those two right-side tires so he really he's doing what he has to do a pony doesn't do want to do is get up in there and distract Bobby's a Bonnie worrying about him to try to get Boppity he's Aleph Bobby keep keep the 24 carp and down the body hasn't abandoned anywhere it's on the exit of the core right here you get such a good fight off her to enter actually Thornton's a little better off before he gets it gifted down there but right this one they get right there you just can't get back to the throttle and when you drive to use bender doing it Dale Earnhardt jr. net but watch about two kids allowed this is going to be four cars under a blanket here any moment 25 to go 24 they passed the line he's going to get impatient before these element I stood right there he gotta go he's gotta get my cousin Jr coming we're run twenty four to go three hours and 15 minutes have come down to this you're on some laps to go in side by side for the lead you're happy when your teammate does they're fighting for the win and you're right there behind you but you're not happy when you see people catching how many lives off the food off can you talk about three hours in something 477 lat no made no seats here everybody standing upright them foreign cars fight for the lead three cars fight for fifth to get any better than this the thing that hurts Jeff Gordon is I think he's committed to the bottom he can't he can't really run off the corner how they go like there are the two battles for the lead on the left and then see how they get Bobby the body sort of pulls away when he gets Jeff for now for underneath dummy Lurie where he's not distracted Dale Earnhardt jr. there he is working at Holland he's cop Tony Stewart back here behind me man here comes some guys that are racing hard for fourth place fifth place Elliott Sadler inside of Jeff bye Jimmie Johnson epithelium Vegas goal for Elliott Sadler to be run as good because it southern ideas to how to like this place and I think it's cool for Jeff Burton in that 99 be having good it's cool for Fox to show you home two races at 1:00 we got two good races going on first for next three Oh Oh 99 got into the 48 they're just about to female that's his driving in Hardy girl in heart got in the boner brakes it's lit up into the 48 Dale Earnhardt jr. he went to the bottom of three for them and Tony Stewart just like his teammate Holly Bonnie good fight on the hot side off turn four he's got the good shot package in there today here comes junior under Stuart had a nose under there couldn't do it hard to make that move off the two we're inside a 20 to go Ryan Newman back in the race but cannot improve his position he's 46 laps down 24 we're down to about 18 laps to go Jeff it's like he backed off just a little bit I just warned her babies these travelers tired to have just a little bit but keep off the body with I'm sure that's what he's trying to do right there Larry but one other thing is kind of looking at the front windshield yeah look at that crap getting ready coming to play here we see Dale Earnhardt jr. now to hate the 20 car tone in the body so tell me Stewart sit there look at these guys right side beside the glass traffic we're coming to places in this race I really think did - what what does Jeff fort did was backed off there for a little while I think it this brakes too hot cool things off a little bit and make another charge here he's got to believe with four credit for time gotta have an advantage I'm impressed with that 18 car Darrell with those two times of what a great college now if I was the crew chief that point out the big I'll make that call I gave you two tires I got the lead I might be able to win I'd be excited if I was fast back a page out of last year's book as Jeannie told us earlier [Music] with bobby labonte have positioned the win here one year ago but traffic and look at this group right here Jeff Burton $2.99 I think he has a tire rub becomes a seat in Vegas they've been beating him for the last five laps Alito now what happened that time Larry is the 24 car went uptown returned to got that runoff before he gets a little closer every map now he's inching in there getting a little more looking a little closer yeah I did it clerical error Jr's there to look at Bobby Labonte he's not ready to give up got a good bite on the bottom of the racetrack right there he got there with [Music] money forever to me put a lot in here the bonney's down here for Terry Labonte spun around caution in the air [Music] 13 laps to go the caution flag waves from terry labonte that's a shame he was still only laughs half a good run let's show you what happened here between Jeff Burton and Jimmie Johnson well they've done this a couple of times guys I mean the 99 kept getting in under him and then they just kind of like say I didn't appreciate that in Bangor each other and what happened to Terry Labonte same thing gets down underneath the 23 gets under Eve no no 22 23 women involved in that it's almost like he checked up because of what was going on between him that looked like Kurt Busch got in the back of 17 car look I got a bit loose and he had to check up a tad and got they'll come back we have a 12 cars on the lead lap this is a quick yellow which means everybody content right now the only one I've seen come to pit road is Ricky Rudd it's a no-brainer 12 cars only left he was running 12 hits for fresco I don't I don't know if it can't make up my mind if it's helping anybody or not I mean I think the cards have been dealt with four tires or two tires if it helped anybody it helped Delhi at seven just helped but I catch their breath dural that's kind of it because I'll tell you that's that's about the best 30 laps of short track racing we've seen in a long long time really intense and that's what they've done to this race track like they even it - you've got two options now you can hook the bottom and try to make it come off or you can roll around the top and get that good straightaway speed Darrell and Larry think about it like this right now where we are when they get ready to give these guys one to go will be inside the tenth lap row that means all these lap cars that have been kind of like create an issue during the course of the day they won't be up there to be all the lead cars on their single file restart single file restart with the thing that none of these guys can do Darrell you know this better than in the office is easy on this restart aggressive and easy don't spend those hot tires nobody got to be on your toes you can buzz the rear tires real easy keep them cleaned up see them see those guys up front there keep them cleaned up they did not give them one to go this time bought the tractor truck tractor taking one last debris but they are they did give the ten lap to go sign Jeff Gordon trying to win from the pole bobby labonte trying to win only his second short track race ever rick hendrick looks on car Dale Earnhardt jr. trying to win his second ever short track race and maybe take the point he that was time ever and Tony Stewart still in it Rick Hendricks had a pretty big weekend he won the ARCA race over Nashville and Brian the locator drives a five-floor vicar vicars he thought he had the best car he and Bobby jr. did in the Busch race almost one that got called by caution leading the race here today he's had a pretty big weekend and at our courageous accent now 17 years old it's hard to believe Jeff Gordon has not won since Kansas back in September so he's having a dry spell here forget the Victory Lane they're behind we're not in Kansas anymore but we are set to go and when they come back around it'll be eight laps to go watching 2:18 he happens to get out of the 24 going into turn 1 he make a little contact there Junior [Music] just laying back a tad laying back laying back trying to anticipate the start time into to go nobody's left nobody's sitting down with Jeff Gordon he got quite a jump on every star yeah he did really Fahmy the body didn't anticipate that white as good as as he should have an Oregon jungle [Music] your turn and now bobby labonte's got to play defense he keeps pulling away by about [Music] Tony Stewart a 20-car he went to the bottom of three and four your dog gets a little bit of a bye [Applause] [Music] magic words [Music] five laps to go this time looks like the race is really nothing to go [Music] Ricky runs new tyres paid off he restarted 12 he's up to ten he Fallon Jimmy Johnson the 48 car he already went by rescue ball so he picked up four positions just for laughs oh no he probably had too hard there was an entire those mr. feel good for feeling [Music] 217 around Kenseth the point leader spins and gets into now what often no cops no cops again the field where the cars behind him almost still not going it's just so bad because you can't see you there Bush got a flat tire this could be the race we got later did not get the caution there is no caution but he the bottles critic you will be out this will be for the Ray Kreider come on we'll be straight come on come on [Music] the body lifted Junior didn't but couldn't run over top of him here comes Gordon to the cannot get up at three [Music] again it's not over with yet but we'll have to laughs no they pocket this race restarted Stewart is mad at Elliot Sadler the camping man is three laps to go with a short track let's be mad about now I'm not sure but I he's on a flat tire but he has to make another lap and a half oh that flat tire he's turning them in satisfied but he's in turn three Valley he just dick but okay don't believe we can get this restarted unless they give one to go right now even so white flag our at $4.99 while we anticipated a big battle the finished of that fire caution flag let jeff gordon's nobody has won yet from the front row this year [Music] how about it that when you don't like Winston Cup races competitive [Music] this place it's exciting it's exciting I'm gonna tell you 500 laps up here today and 250 laps with you don't stay around for practice and Kenny Schrader's came to the line 10th the traders going to get his first top ten finish since the southern 500 2001 for hey attaboy and that's the first top 15 for fabric yeah Gordon when the Virginia vibe they learn our Junior Sadler is been Tony Stewart sternly Marvin Rusty Wallace Jimmie Johnson and straighter are the top ten Chevy's congratulations Jeff Gordon and the number 24 Monte Carlo on today's win another reason why Chevy says wherever there's a winner's circle we'll be there there is the winning pass our Chevy winning moment [Music] three Chevy's to Ford's a Chevy three dodges in the top ten Jeff Burt good run for that group it is his fourth in the in 50 has to fight the backswing it didn't win the race before he got a second place for that two tires not dirty and Elliott Sadler I mean it was a bold move he made going down there turn three but checkered flag basically and Jeff Gordon's gonna make some dough [Music] box welcomes you back live Jeff Gordon ends a streak of 15 consecutive races without a win winning his 62nd career Winston Cup victory it is the virginia 500 post race show let's get out of joint Steve Byrnes [Music] [Applause] [Music] salutes the fan rick hendrick Jeff tell us a bit to tell us about your duel with bobby labonte there at the end of this race did you wait to set him up tell us about the duel well they made a heck of a call on the pitch you know I stopped Bobby back there you know before that and looked like he had a pretty decent car and they got track position I could get by him you know earlier but I got beside him in my car just a little bit too tight on the bottom and he was holding the line you know so I couldn't do anything and we bumped we arrived a little bit and I tapped him a little bit there going into one but I think you know I had a much faster car and he knew that and you know it's just a great day for us I just I felt good about today something just told me today was gonna be a good day and man what an awesome team what an awesome Bobby Loomis all the guys in this DuPont Chevrolet incredible day what amazing car had today Jeff Gordon went from the pole let's go to Matt after a fifth of fourth now Dale and her junior scores another career best here but junior did you wear your stuff out trying to get back up to the point yeah I mean you know we're racing against the best cars in the field right there there so you're gonna wear your car out trying to get back to them and around them but I did what I could we should have had he's in the catbird seat behind 18 on that restart and heard you had a flat tire running both up the racetrack I know he's doing all he can do just keep breaking through his eye so I have to come back and shuffle the back you like seventh or so so I was happy to come back and get a third-place finish three top five in a row here and it's pretty difficult to do and I think putting a good car underneath me and I want congratulate them on such a great setup and such a good car I mean it's rare as you get such good beats coming in the racetrack they work hard and make my job a little bit easier but junior inches ever closer to the point lead today Jeff Burton has finished fourth best finish of the year what were those last few laps like well it's pretty interesting uh Jimmy and I race really hard and I ended up he came down a little bit but I came up with and he came down I got into him pretty hard and I you know I didn't mean to do that I got into him a few times before that backed up and let him get himself gathered up but it was a good day for us we fought all day we've made the car better we would say it worse and we made it better and better better so I'm paddling stick those guys we're coming together as a team great pit stops like I said begun together we're a really really young team and we're going to take a little while to get going and I think today was an example of how we can do it was great down with it thank you to uh Bob's with a strong car better let it go and we've got a big event coming from us to dystrophy association soon and we're looking forward to that and a nice job to Jeanne Zelasko thank you Chris bobbing the body a second-place finish here can you speak to your crew chief decision for the two tires obviously didn't get the win but it certainly got shot in front yeah it really did and uh yeah we're really tight before that so they loose mossad out of it and uh you know I had to get it turned because it wouldn't turn but uh the guys did a good job in this Interstate Batteries Chevrolet you know we were fifth place car there and I got two tires made a good pit call and I just I couldn't hear him so I said eh just which one do - something which want so I came in got two tires and uh you know got a second place finish up so it's really great a great day for us cuz we start at 39 the win last spring and a second-place finish not too bad congratulations Jeannie this is a great place to come to a race and this is where victory lane should be right at the start/finish line right in front of the fans so they can enjoy it Jeff Gordon fourth Martinsville wins 67 of his career what I like about this place Mike is you're slow in the turn so you can hit people and you can slide into each other you can bang each other around and not do a lot of harm and make people mad that's about it but I want to give a tip of the hat to clay Campbell that may just change in this racetrack round those corners before the fall race we've got side by side race in here now Chris my points Dale Earnhardt jr. third straight top three finish putting some pressure on Matt Kenseth he still holds the lead but Jeff Gordon who began racing at age five in California before moving to Indiana won more than 600 short track wins as a youngster in the hunt here as well when the points you see he's up to third well you got another guy right here at the top stand on the office very impressed with with Elliott Sadler today he did not like this racetrack came here may be solid qualifying effort next thing you know you find yourself up there in the top five something really good finished for him today terrific racing it towards the finish in two weeks the scene shipping to California another full weekend of racing five followed by NASCAR Winston Cup qualifying that's on speed Saturday NASCAR Winston Cup practice on amp axonify the Busch Series presented by Yamaha that's on Fox and Sunday starter David NASCAR this morning presented by Smirnoff triple ice that's on Foxsports neck Winston Cup racing with the Auto Club 500 presented by ups on Fox that's two weeks from today NASCAR returning across the Fox Network sin duda Winston Cup this season the McDonald's drive-through challenge powered by power Adolf it stops time of the eligible crew the best time gets the weekly prize 20,000 the season born winner gets two hundred thousand dollars if you want to be a Grand Marshal the green flag drops look for the secret number on the animated car wall gone to nascar.com of foxsports.com and you'll have a chance to be a NASCAR Grand Marshal Ford a coordinating producer of NASCAR on Fox Ritchie's is already kept there the coordinating director master on Bach burning find the old Goldberg temper Newton Pam Miller and David Platt technical producer Steve Stubb operating sequence for the opening sequence operated on by Gary lash associate directors Franco Shan and Derek Manning that's dope indie rock feature bracers bill associate producer Chris Wallace billion muscle since Judy Wong and Jeremy green singer producer Phil Brown executive producer for Fox Sports are ed Gorn and David Hill for all of us here on chrismyers thanks for watching Jeff Gordon the champ have a happy Easter if we don't see

Channel: SMIFF TV

Views: 9,368

Rating: 4.9587631 out of 5

Keywords:

Id: oFZxRjUt7e8

Length: 175min 21sec (10521 seconds)

Published: Tue Jul 02 2019