Classic NASCAR Full Race Replay: 2001 Homestead-Miami, Bill Elliott win

267 laps around this mile and a half hole to make up the 400 mile [Music] [Music] slipped in line second then John Andretti and Ricky Rudd Rusty Wallace [Music] Rusty Wallace [Music] running in line night there's rusty [Music] hey rusty was up the hill on a track of the bank [Music] Jeff boards on the inside of Rusty Wallace trying to take the spot away that's Jeff green I'm sorry Barney [Music] leaders at the stripe to start [Music] [Music] the silently after September 11th we expanded to include all of our lost heroes and on this Veterans Day we especially remember those who the defense of our country Jeff Gordon's having a hard time defending right now did look too good that movie like Oh Jeffrey trying to take over aids and now he's back about ten wherever what's going on with Jeff he's loose penny loose from the start the 11th spot we took the green flag at 11:00 but gained a couple of positions on the that inside one initial break [Music] motor sports too he's out of the inside check his gap on his teammate Casey Atwood [Music] dominated the NASCAR Busch Series race here near the end a very fast race car just reach up to eighth place around Leffler [Music] [Applause] [Music] Starly to lesson yesterday if any of that chassis setup information - this witch he could be a dark horse candidate for the mill he can be very good order when Saddam Jimmy Spencer got a head start [Music] in his Spencer started 34 so making some good progress towards the front [Music] second start for Hendrick Motorsports remebering he drives that car full-time next season and Dale Jarrett wigglin and water [Music] Jarett back in 24 25th maybe 26th and if kevin lepage gets 8:27 never saw there's a rocket engine by the bird leaf race car [Music] that race team and cruciate Todd Parrott are a group to never give up he'll keep adjusting that car too - adherent working the throttle you cannot get [Music] it is either to be like Benny said early you've got to love the Bob the race at so he can I could have the gas but I can't tell that that's power these type 27 from him and Dale Jarrett is back in place after just nine laps danandcasey awkward and Ray Evernham scotches are the early leaders you're watching NASCAR on NBC you [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] Sterling Marlin had passed the became axe ago probably six [Music] Tyrel [Music] go but he's not very happy right rear tire looks like he's loose wasn't right in the center you see when it gets on the gas a car twitches a little bit to give a hard time for the middle op while he used to work loose and we'll use that here's what we mean we were talking about loose - inside our virtual garage preferred line on the bomber speed while like it is your homestead-miami everything is found all of a sudden the back in will just kick out and you go up the old trying to chase the back now that's exaggerated but that's what about what it feels like to the drivers loose when the backend loses grip type when the front-end loses great [Music] major proportions Mikey is in a few weeks back of his best qualified runs with the season here this week he started in eighth very solid and now he's just moved up to the 8th spot he's one of those cars that was talking about [Music] watch Jeff Green anyways below the white line time [Applause] Kevin Harvick is taking the fish bought away John Andretti and one straighter it will lose two spots that car way out at the top left of the screen from rusty and partic here Marlon he passed all of these guys to get up to third here comes Michael [Music] everyone to microwave goods will come back on the outside - hardly watching this from our US Army Skycam courtesy of the United Michael Waltrip's car Mack the biggest concerns over communication apparently Keith Barnwell Michael's father could not talk to Michael so the 15 team went next door in eight he went next door the firewall a problem they brought out now michael waltrip does have communication with his father she far have a backup of the press box most of these guys inside the cars run a backup radio so you have a problem inside the car you later you can actually switch over to a second radio which helps a lot sometimes and as early in the day as it is somebody's running a backup backup the spotters stand right now for the Speedway we've talked about just how difficult it is to pass how these cars need to stay on the bottom of the racetrack next year major NASCAR series will finish their CC cheering the NASCAR Busch Series the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and and I would just hope that Curtis three of the folks in our ASC [Music] to make it for Billy again the cars are also thought because they're so aerodynamic today they built a great facility here it's just like you said VP it's hard to run side by side it says look everybody wants to be on the same stayed on this racetrack you got to get down to the bottom Center safe place so very hard to run side-by-side everywhere let's compare the packing of this racetrack with one for example off the road in Florida Daytona drastic difference Daytona with one side our virtual garage once again and show you Daytona is Bank 31° this homestead - banks six degrees that's a mouth like running the apron at Daytona that's exactly what this picture that you're seeing looks like they tone up with the apron they're only here they race on the apron [Music] position he's up to 15 Bell scoring suitable Tony he's chasing down Lord Merton they're just ahead of him [Music] they talking to Bill Elliott this morning we asked him how his car was running while daddy during that fragrance show and he said well my car is pretty good but I still think this fella Tony Stewart I'll tell you what that corner right there look really really good that's exactly what your car look very good right now Stewart of course the only winner mr. babies one about even though success here pretty challenging [Music] we'll try that again even tape machines have problems like these race cars have problems so we need around a wedge and that tape machine and we'll send it back out [Applause] and here we see tony stewart the 20 going worth the memory foam to show the final practice show yesterday afternoon on CNN Sports Illustrated this car Warburton was the quickest ball but Ricky Rudd been back they both just went by rug and that puts Ricky back to 14th it's all good outing it right now he's out in front of Casey Atwood his teammate and Sterling Marlin in another gods [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] not 50 miles into the Pennzoil Freedom 400 and Dale Earnhardt jr. is on pit road Matt Yocum he came on the radio a few laps ago Alan said he thought he might have a right front tire going down but he wasn't sure so they are gonna change all tires here Dale jr. machine early break to the guy who is trying to get up through the 15 points but just about cost me $700 did you see that a fourteen point three I've got a deal he's guys blow up it's tough under 13 seconds on getting member 110daysdown the VP challenge yet to be claimed so far this season [Music] bill alia the leader has moved up on the tail end of the field he's put Rick mast Cinelli etcetera lat let's take you through the field and check out how the top ten are running we start with Matt Yocum I spoke to Mike for news the Lyons crew chief he says bill reports in his car is a little tight turns one and two but loose above to reform other than that the car's brakes too bill patience for Casey Atwood that's the call tight in the middle of both quarters and also a little bit loose coming off of turn four that's the story on Casey Martin Sterling Marlin started 5th running third moving up nicely a little tight we need to free it up just a little bit is what he told the guys four straight out of the top ten for these guys to bill ever the only advice so far for Kevin Harvick from his crew hit your marks be smooth for the guy that had his car blew up on yesterday Matt last year Rusty Wallace had four wins reports in his car is pretty neutral like a lot of other contenders clues softer inform Seville and that's the story for Jeff Gordon in the 24 car loose off turn four but Robby Loomis is counting Jeff he's running good lap times tip says the car is better in clean air Matt Michael Walter reporting in to the gray do is goodnes race car is - a little bit on the loose side off turn four but other than that the Napa car running well also looking at the 5 car terry labonte I talked to his crew chief gary hart he says Terry is not talking about [Music] this is the car - a little bit free ox Matt John Andretti has slipped all the way back to nine through in the early going his car very loose he's hoping that the air pressures and the car will come to him that hasn't been the case so far Marty Jason Leffler fairy-type bill they were too loose in happy hour yesterday they think they went too far on the adjustment still looking for his first career top ten - Matt well documented the back of Tony Stewart is battling the flu to IVs before the race right now his cars free Tony says the track is a little bit sweet but is starting to come Ward Burton in a Dodge man having a right in the center of the turn and the [Music] but so far that hasn't been a major hindrance that's the story for war Matt Kenseth having a very nice run started 21st up to 14th that said nothing on the radio before the race started they qualified said well he said it's pretty cold to be behind this first place fire back to you bill and the 93 of Dave Blaney the teammate to Ward Burton has the common affliction loose off of turn four that's what a lot of guys are battling man Mark Martin trying to turn around a season here in Homestead after happy hour only made one small track bar change more mark reporting in the car is to his life 66 of time without another guy hoping to break into the wind Tom making the 18th different winter you know one his cars but loose like a lot of guys off turn four also Jeff Burton I talked to he said they were hoping to really turn around the weekend Jeff was not happy the way his push car ran he says Jeff not saying a whole lot but the car is a little free to bill and in the 31 car today Jeff Greene who will drive full-time from Richard Childress next season his crew chief Gil Martin Hills second race as crew chief of a 31 worked with Ronnie Wood last week breehn this week Marty Bobby Labonte has said absolutely nothing on the radio he's running in 20th right now but remember he started 31st making nice progress all he track feels a little bit slicked back today and right now these guys have worked very the attitude of the 92 they want to loosen him up on the first pit stop third the 92 car the 26 car Jimmy Spencer has run very well they told him early on don't overdrive run your line he's a spurred adjustment on the car air pressure down in both rear tire as for the 48 of Jimmie Johnson he is tight everywhere history chief this weekend Ken house is working on how to make that car better his what adjustment to make for the 48 car of Jimmie Johnson Phil disappointing runs so far here at most is for ricky rudd twenty-four spot remember if check four points on Ricky Rudd today that's tender positions then jeff gordon has the championship rut struggling allen boy I'll say he is Bill started forth and as bill told you he's all the way back fourth place while Jeff Gordon is up there in fifth has taken four from kevin harvick there's really nothing he can do when you have a car that you can't step on the gas so you're just tiptoeing the whole lap if they finish as they're running right now Jeff Gordon will get the Lucent Cup trophy this afternoon he's got a lead by 370 or better at the end of the day to have it locked up before the year's final two races but as things are going right now it's good for Gordon and bad for us was the fastest car in the top six vehicles out there even faster than the bill Elliott's for everybody because we normally don't get many cautions in these homestead races and if Gordon is good after laughs at 39 now that's bad for the competition as a matter of fact Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart about the same speed Dale Earnhardt jr. came down pit road for an unscheduled stop back at lap 28 Matt how about some more on that the car chief on me he says they check the pressures nothing was wrong with the tires Dale jr. says the car is driving very weird he says he wants a rubber in the to make their next stop Dale Earnhardt jr. is a lap and 3/4 behind leader get out in front you're watching NASCAR on NBC [Music] [Music] you skyline of downtown Miami across Key Biscayne Biscayne Bay from the Homestead Miami Speedway where today the NASCAR Winston Cup Series runs the Pennzoil Freedom 400 checking our Wendy's race menu NASCAR on NBC continues from Atlanta next Sunday the Napa 500 at noon Eastern Time then we wrap up the season on Friday November 23rd noon Eastern Loudon New Hampshire and a final event of 2001 Bill Elliott so far today we've run 44 laps Elliott has led them all from the pole but he's not leading by a whole lot now he isn't because his teammate Casey Atwood is right there and look at Sterling Marlin the 40 car and talking to those guys in the garage here this morning talking about the 40 car star Lamar has your car now it's not good at all and they changed this changed a bunch of stuff promising the changes they made are working very well Lee McCall told me they changed four shots four springs in both sway bars see right there sterling roll through the center the corner really really good which gave me the opportunity to get on the gas earlier than KC and all of a sudden you're up next open fire you see those characters on the hood of that car rock and roll legends kiss the grand marshals for the weekend here at homestead let's check that on pit road party and they're having a good time Alan and will let's talk to gene Simmons since he's the one who can probably hear me to death how cool is this racing stuff you've been around a lot of neat things I'm sure in your 20 year rock-and-roll career this is about as hot ever imagine anything people risky [Music] before it's one thing to watch [Music] unbelievable and that's Paul Stanley and these guys are having a good time and if you need to get certainly to stop stick out your tongue gene so anyway these guys are having a great time kiss car doing very well on the racetrack as well now you didn't think you were going to hang on to that module with a couple of rock-and-roll Saturday morning [Music] Gina jeans all taller than I am on you in the mess with him there pretty used to handling their own sound equipment thank you say what - up the second spot around Casey awkward and some pit stops here at lap 48 Dave the 55 car of Bobby Hamilton is in just talk to crew chief Jimmy haulage he said we're terrible we're tight we're loose the car is not good here back out I don't think he's having a whole lot of fun guys the page also in it at a pinch me drive a racecar sure it's a lot of fun to go out there all these guys walked away you pick a day today the Bobby Hamilton it's not a lot when you start out bad better the cars just get worse because the track is hot you wear your tires out and if the car is sliding at the start of the race is going to get a lot worse as you [Music] come in shy about 50 words to be those pit stops tony stewart try to move up in other spot he's in eighth 4:7 making you look good as Tony [Music] making me look real good in that hey you are faster he pulled over and let him go what's the smart because he runs side by side to the corners right now and you're just going to lose time for the guy who's chasing you down figured hey I won't lose a lot of time I'll let Cody get from me tony stewart has led 210 of ever here at homestead and wedding both previous editions of this pendulum 400 and I mean the key is right there if you watch that the center of this racetrack when it gets me the cards he could stay down low and get on the gas [Music] put the lap on Bobby Hamilton Jr that for car running back 35th position ken schrader has also been put a lap down by the leader just past the 50-lap mark 267 make up the distance green flag pit stops when we come back to homestead [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] NBC's coverage of the NASCAR Pennzoil Freedom 400 is brought to you by Miller Lite grab a Miller Lite it's Miller time by God you can take life as it comes you can grab by by the war the official home improvement warehouse and by McDonald's we'd love to see you smile new leader for freedom 400 Sterling Marlin has just gotten around Bill Elliott second driver to pace the event and he made it look pretty easy coming off turn two he got a great run on the bottom of the racetrack looked like bill might have pushed off that corner sterling did not just pull alongside of it took the lead going into turn three so Elliott led the first 52 laps now Marlin has been out in front watch this is Tony Stewart went up to pass Rusty Wallace for seven uh-huh you're something emerging at quarter panel excuse me I'm coming tony was down there pretty far sorry to see some green flag pit stops that's teri the body bottom of the screen Road buckshot Jones has been in that spot shot leaving the pit lane you've got Elliott Sadler and Kurt Busch Hoss the track [Music] [Applause] makes it also that Geoffrey Bodine [Music] the green flag after Starla got run him down it looks like stewarded still pretty loose off the corner this is 3rd place in case you happily [Music] and at what's going to come to pit road KC's heading to the edge get laid which is inside of turn number three all the way around the inside of the corner and now about what a wall starts that's where he's got to slow down and start obeying the speed limit which is 45 miles per hour he's John Andretti comes down to pit road bill the clever four-tire change try and take him up the racetrack chatzi adjustment made by the fuel man so they work on the Cheerios car here on pit road that one stall behind him will be Casey Atwood in the 19 car started outside the he finished a little bit tight trailer making in air so make a chassis adjustment [Music] Mark Martin and Jeff Burton is off the pit lane here called Robert Pressley Tony Stewart Ken Schrader on to the pit road green flag stops lap 59 Matt and here comes Tony Stewart the two-time winner here in Homestead I talked to Greg Zipadelli scoochie did you see the brake dust come out of Mikey let your pal no chassis adjustments on the 20 missed a four tire change they will no judgment all the way around still develop while a few laps ago Ward Burton radioed in that this car he's catched all over the place some look for a big chassis just been here it's a track bar adjustment [Music] [Music] Andy Thurmond already going to work on that right front no adjustments to the chassis they will make air pressure adjustments to both right-side tires because Elias says his cars too this off turn four they didn't want to try too much more than that / - this great race car he's down it away today Jimmy Spencer started 34 and he just wanted a little air pressure now out of the right rear that's the only adjustment for him he's climbed his way into the teens with his round of pit stops but he's driven his way to the front as well and Spencer is off of pit road 45 miles an hour while Ricky Rudd has made it to pit road this will be a chassis adjustment air pressure adjustments are also supposed to try and put a rubber in the right gun I didn't see them do it there but a few months ago the cars getting a better the fella tried to do it with chassis and air pressure and look standing run again format Kenda canoe before top tens in a row if they can pull it off 30 no adjustments to matters of rusty Wallace's losing a track on that three row coming into their stops what a move money [Music] run especially at the end of it a little bit tight however to the door half Marla to them time these guys racing for the championship today That's not me [Music] Dale Jarrett leaving the pit road but Jeff come on [Music] but Tony Stewart goes by both of them the orange car [Music] is being shown as the leader and he's not yet been on [Music] Addie's it now while chip is on it's Michael [Music] he told me before the race they would go between lap 62 and 60 the women's race cars handling and the lead is going to suck it around to Casey Atwood the pit stops [Applause] trap took over the lead Jeff Gordon caught him and then they came to pit road on that entryway around the inside of turns three and four and Gordon pulled a beautiful move Marlin wasn't going fast enough for watch this and it's real important hitting the pit lane speed started move out yes party the story has to stop slow down crossover and get to his saw Gordon winter recently remember Mike Skinner had dominated the race off and forced Mike out he's involved the pit road and whatever passion again and only show people you know the times on the imminent there's always one of the best guys in pit lane at Tony Stewart 22nd position has driven his way on the green flag up to the third [Music] bill Elliot a second stewardess spoon that's too early Marlin fifth and you've got Kevin Harvick Michael Waltrip Matt Kenseth Terry into the top 10 Kenny Wallace 30-second spot Marty what's going on party's starting to be a long he was very tight on that last one they made an air pressure judgment when they came the car fell off the jack they lost a lot of time on pit road I talked to Tony where's the president of Dillon making plans come back for the next year and they plan to make announcement on that in Atlanta five Marty thanks you seen Teddy running right behind Tony Stewart a moment ago one of the NASCAR spotters around the racetrack said he might have seen some smoke in the 20 but they checked it out said it looks clean so everything's good it's our Mountain Dew green flag pit stop summary see Jeff Gordon at 117 for quarter look at Tony Stewart one fourteen point six I mean that's three right there is how he did it in lap out lap did it better than anybody else which is gettin down through the gears and getting to the started pit lane and also getting up through the gears back onto the racetrack and that's a little more complicated at this track than most because of those ring roads on the inside of the corners that he went into on and off pit road through mcasey Apple has been the subject of many many rumors in this car is Ray Evernham enough displeased with the way things have gone to replace him with Jeremy Mayfield that's been the rumors nobody has spoken officially about it but Casey out what if he's dropping his job driving well the last trip for Isis he has appeared as though he was driving for his job it certainly has been conversations with Casey Atwood he told them that Pocono good and throughout the day on Friday they would get worse and worse and worse but I had a long conversation here to making peace success in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and he hopes next weekend in Atlanta they're further Casey's premier and who exactly ruck will go on with his race team so that's a major announcement a lot of people looking for next weekend hooray underline his enthusiasm and his support for Casey Atwood in the future now dr. Santa John's a crew chief on his 19 car this morning and asked him highs car was they said we've got a good race car as a matter of fact I think we have a better race car today then we had a Phoenix and I think most coming fans will realize just how good he was at these got a new second-place car Tony Stewart has just gone around pillar yet and picked up the number two spot this is early a watch Stewart all the way on the apron to get around a lap car Rick mast that was brave work very well all that dust kicking up boy that's slick well they look like we had a whole lot of choice he committed himself 90 car may not have known he was now there Valon he's holding his breath though using that April like that thanks Leslie if his car's working really good on the bottom so he can get away with that there's a bunch of cars that if they tried that the cars was slide way up through the middle of the corner Matt what about the 20 car is actually just a piece of cake with Tony Stewart regularly made a three-wide at Winchester on the high banks was the car all right he says yeah actually I've just met a very aggressive wasn't a pretty pass Huson aggressive pass in a lab car and I kicked up some dust everything's all right with a race car there you go tony is a second and a half behind leader Casey Atwood were just past the hundred miles of the Pennzoil Freedom 400 in Homestead [Music] NASCAR on NBC from sunny South Florida with the Pennzoil Freedom 400 just past the 1/4 point and young Casey AK wood is leading in Ray Evernham stodg our dodge track fact 8 NASCAR championships decided at this Speedway couple of Winston Cup couple of Busch Series couple of Gatorade All Pro and a couple of goodies - series if you're not familiar with the latter - they are some of the various NASCAR tours that run all over these United States but they have like 13 different touring series including the Winston Cup this Tony Stewart is unbelievable here this beat legend that's him in the 20 the orange car the 19 is the leader Tony Stewart started 22nd Casey Atwood started second and Tony Stewart is about to take the lead just joining us Wally predict opening comments today the Tony would not have any to traffic to get to the front and contend stop short of that but he said he wouldn't have any troubles but this seems to be the place turned to look like he gained on that lead last time off turn to that but turned three and four he looked like he might have lost distance to Casey Atwood I think he had to pass that car that's why it looked that way he'd be here he is the fastest car I think in the middle more than anyone I've seen right now Tony Stewart two for two and here at the Homestead Miami Speedway he's had a great deal of success here right in the center [Music] Tony Stewart [Music] do it leads at Homestead those aren't unusual words you know everyone talked about the time advantage they had here on all sports they say to be the man you know you gotta beat the man this racetrack Tony Stewart he showed it he is the man let 44 laps is 99 win let a hundred sixty six hundred sixty seven laps in his winning here ago now Oh 267 he's out in front [Music] Tony still finds his bottle challenging it's one of the hardest because it's such so low on grip that you know the corners are so big here that it's hard to decide and win and how much throttle you can apply and you know most the tracks we go to when you get rotated in the center of the corner you can be flat on the floor with it once you get back into power but you can't do that here it's it's a track that you got to use a little more for this and as the tires wear out you get a you got to work a little harder as a driver he's right I mean you do a penny never talked about this yesterday you have to work really hard to get around this race act if you're never going to get the car so you're always catching the car you're always turning it especially if it's loose he'd be a long day Matt Kenseth having some problems was running eighth he's dropped back to 14th Marty what's going on and they have been as high as fifth Alan heartbreaking news for these guys it feels like the engine is starting to go then he radioed in it feels like we've broken the balance breeding they are certainly on seven cylinders when he runs by us sounds like it's almost a a battery problem or something the cars sputtering if you will they will bring him down [Music] on the racetrack caution on the race on yellow caution is out for possible debris maybe for Matt Kenseth's car and now the update is they're checking for oil and turn three and four dream report a man that he spotted some oil and turned three and four mr. caution I'll take a look Tony Stewart did not walk to say this caution flag he had things going his way first one of the race lap 83 leaves 28 cars on the lead lap Joe Nemechek had just been overtaken by the leader put him a lap down tough luck for last week's winner Kenny Wallace there in the yellow car caught a lap down the Pennzoil machine that right rear town Tony Stewart's car to me just looked weird looks like it's bathed in oil you know these tires have the good gear is in yellow and you can normally see that but it seems to be disappeared and gone on the 20 car maybe it's an optical delusion but there you go you beat me to it maybe he just got a scuff that yellow lettering off on that pastel green wall best could be he couldn't just brush the tile up against the wall or another card not that yellow wall second set of pit stops these will come under caution be at lap number 83 Stuart Atwood Elliot Gordon and Marlon are the top five coming in anybody tried to tires for track position let's find out Marty sterling running fifth Alan he says he doesn't know what to do to catch those guys for Sterling Marlin and Mel adjustments Tony's stove that Lederman rates no adjustments on the 20 car they will just go with four tires and wheels Jeff huge Paterson packs in that fuel cell [Music] take care of the right front it's a small air pressure adjustment more dodges Elliot as they head out a lot of traffic out here they disappointing for Jimmie Johnson he'd like the car so well they were going to make any adjustments but they had a slow time on the right rear and that caution he lost spots on pit road he gave up 18 spots of the run well the only thing I would say about this is that if this this place goes green for so long what you want to take your for now in case it goes green for a long time I think those guys will live to regret that here coming off pit road we see the dwarf Burt the 22 car comes off in front of Tony Stewart it comes Bill Elliott Casey Atwood but Sterling Marlin with just two tires who's gonna be your leader off pit road [Music] [Music] here at the Homestead Miami Speedway still under caution Sterling Marlin has won the race off pit road taking just two tires our NASCAR Busch Series update Joe Nemechek with his third victory here in Miami yesterday last week's Winston Cup winner not faring as well today he's a lap down in 29th Kevin Harvick wrapping up his championship season final margin 124 points over Jeff Green Harvick dominated yesterday's race blew the engine up trying to end his season for the wind Craftsman Truck Series Jack Sprague was the 2001 champion his third such title edging tenth Musgrave for that mark and of course next November all three of those championships will see their seasons final race happening here at the Homestead Miami Speedway still cleaning up the racetrack so let's take another break sterling mark is the leader [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] still under caution in the Pennzoil Freedom 400 at the Homestead Miami Speedway first yellow of the day coming out for oil on the track they've got the jet blowers out cleaning some of the rubber debris off the surface before we go back at the action looking down on the Speedway for the Budweiser comm airship brought to you by Budweiser the official beer of NASCAR joy race fans beautiful day for enjoying it 81 degrees perfect South Florida weather under which to contest this event and while they continue to clean up the speedway let's squeeze in another break Sterling Marlin Ward Burton Tony Stewart Bill Elliott and Casey Atwood are your top five drivers [Music] [Music] [Music] welcome back to homestead in the Pennzoil Freedom 400 for the VASCAR twins series of course the big story today Jeff Gordon could clinch his fourth Winston Cup title he's currently running 6th Ricky Rudd number 2 in the points his 18th Gordon needs to beat rut by 10 to 15 finishing positions that clinch the title they're having a good run this week but that wasn't the case last we get Rockingham some people thought maybe they were just protecting points but that was not the case at all not at all knowing and if anything is probably probably the opposite we probably tried too many new things because we're going out trying to win races we're not going out there trying to conserve points you just can't do that anymore if you do that you're gonna you're gonna follow him even further behind than what we did last week so you know really we were going for it and we just made some some you know mistakes on the setup we're good and happy hour and it just didn't seem to work for us in the long runs now keep this in mind today Jeff Gordon is very good on the long runs but not so good on restarts on new tires so they added one round of wedge last time he was on pit road let's go to Matt Yocum Bill pole-sitter Bill Elliott is trying to break a 226 race winless streak the last time you went to Victory Lane was at Darlington the pole sitter though is currently fourth on this restart he and Tony Stewart the two cars that took on four tires in that lead pack he is still battling a tight condition Mike Ford his crew chief made a track bar adjustment went up one round to Dave burns Matt when Jimmie Johnson came in for an extra pit stop this time they took this off the car this is a side skirt that goes on the left side of jimmies car between the wheels it helps with the airflow on the car and I talked to Kent house the crew chief to say well what will the car be like now and he said it's such a minor change it'll be very small I said well what would do loose or tight he said well that would be telling he said I can't do that he said it's there for a reason but it's not a very big reason Marty well Dave remember we said it sounded like a battery problem for Matt Kenseth lectrons was right it was a bad connector on the alternator which made the battery go bad six pit stops later they fixed the connector the batt a new battery is in he's back on the racetrack on eight cylinders now and green flag the lead lap in 28th spot Sterling Marlin and Ward Burton three cars who only got two tires on their pit stop it detect oh nice turn long to go by Ward Burton [Music] [Music] the problem was for Matt Kenseth they've not necessarily cured it because he's throwing some smoke we watched Tony Stewart try and deal with Joe Nemechek first car lap down and we see their cars he is back on the lead lap good stop well he stayed back out to all the other leaders have made their pit stop who's put him back on Lila is currently the 26th position that kinds of is getting the Black Flag for smoke see it from behind his bar there so he'll be coming to pepper you should be coming to pit road shortly [Music] and curating a through the 25 car slow on the end of the Speedway earlier getting some extensive repairs made the right rear tire [Music] look at a pee-pee but I couldn't see it Mike Wallace Jeff Gordon Casey at birth Ward Burton and added my quads get up there he was seventh on the restart to entire cities his own spot with two tires [Music] logs are Nicky this morning especially the drivers meeting said so what's going on with the car when the season's over we'll discuss it not until then same thing we're doing with our Champ Car program when that season was over then we'll discuss it so sorry Mike no answers moves into the four spot another spot Tony Stewart for tires caching Sterling Marlin Norfolk I didn't think the two tires was a bad gamble VP they'd only run 20 laps on the tires they did if we get that long green flag run there's any way or they'll have time so even though even though I lost the lead I don't think I do something thing that Tony Stewart gets around this be play so fast love Tony's [Music] [Music] so Tony Stewart leading for the second time in this race and as you said earlier Betty no doubt about it [Music] Jeff Gordon is 4th Ward Burton is now fifth party well the problems just get worse for these guys Alan they the best way to put it is he accidentally [Music] problems of the [Music] they're now trying to clean up all the mess here on pit road [Music] they cured all the problems from a penis claps and time on the track what happens now sure that you've worked it worked on your car before anytime that you touch a hot wire found the alternator and you ground that to another piece of gold well then you get a spark and that's what they did they grab the wrench the puncture the hole in it that is two laps down back in 40 rages on these cars some are so that could have done it as well six place Casey Atwood around Mike Wallace with the heads of Kevin Harvick challenged Wallace first fire [Music] Mike was guarded by a thief position so on his situation I think that two times was the way together trying to get some track position I'm in the feeling that stable role and Ward Burton will live you know place like this where goes me for so long I always think you should take for [Applause] [Music] more for pit road here's Marty guys if you are the superstitious wat this is the same part the race of Phoenix who took on two tires and nearly won the race finished up there but Peters [Music] to stay up here in the top five running seven eleven worth the gamble for us and that's what we expect about 15 to 20 lights hanging in there I like much said Betty from where he started he's a lot better off than he was exactly [Music] 1/2 seconds behind leader told me Stewart & Stewart putting some gap on stones Marley Stuart and Marvin [Music] [Music] spots could change hands over these last three races sterling spent as high as the lead in the points early in this season and we talked with him earlier in the weekend about tried you know put together some top fives here 3x left and you're labeling get back 30 Toni's run off for good and when he finishes his top thousands huh just get out to gain anything only Daniel's below hot [Music] the next but we just work hard in this thing called one with this week in taste early reports the label getaway in here and then we're gonna character Lanica spies here here are the championship standings as we look from second third and fourth and the worst look at the money then it pays and that this is as they are now in this race that's not as they came in that says they are now so Sterling Marlin in fact has moved up past Dale Jarrett currently as they run now and like you said look at the gap from second to third to fourth difference yeah that's a lot of money rotted snake over the final couple of races even if Jeff Boyd locks up the championship today speaking of Gordon he's in fourth ricky rudd is back in 16th 370 or better maybes 370 371 [Music] before coming out of the race calculator Alan thank you you can notice on this Rhonda Courtney was on the restart in that problem the fact that he increased the air pressure in the tires remember he wasn't very strong on the restarts and was stronger deeper in the runs this is the strongest he's booked early in the race Robbie Loomis said they were good yesterday made three or four minor changes get him a championship run for that 24 bun fifth place here Ward Burton in the 22 Casey Atwood in the nineteen a Tony Stewart is running so fast at this battle there's about eight seconds behind the leaders case yet with goes by Ward Burton takes the spot away get warrant just got two tires on his pit stop so just past 150 miles of the Pennzoil Freedom 400 in Homestead Florida you're watching NASCAR on NBC [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] Tony Stewart is the leader the Pennzoil Freedom 400 caution on the racetrack debris in turn number one is the call from NASCAR race control second caution of the event and so the field begins to slow down with 27 cars on the lead lap and another opportunity to come to pit road looks like those guys that change two tires caught a break now they're able to go back and again and be even like Mike Wallace's situation 412 quarry he gained the track position he's currently running in the seventh position now he can go ahead change four tires and be back equal with but again we've only run just over 20 laps somebody else is gonna try to tire see you don't need so we'll see who in the back as we see the debris well maybe the guys have changed for couple of we'll take two there you go we're doing polar that's Jeff Gordon's radio and I they're going to take for every time we run a situation right here the top five or six you're going to go ahead and take forward plus the championship and Kevin Harvick Terry Labonte similars guys Harvick back in eighth Jay Labonte intense and Michael Waltrip in 11th they might try to tires well let's see Barty Sterling Marlin in the middle of your screen he is a little bit tight the other they are going to try and loosen him up though by taking a half pound out of both left side tires tobacco come Tony Stewart was complaining about his car being a little dirty back on the gas off turn four they made an air pressure adjustment in the left rear tire FF tires are on your stove chef Gordon getting four tires a fast stop no chassis adjustment just a little tight also got a fresh train Oh trouble on pit road my goodness Ward Burton has gone through Ricky Rudd's pit crew after contact leaving his stall oh my gosh goodness gracious I think Ward made contact with another car on pit road [Music] there was a NASCAR official as well as members of Ricky Rudd's crew down there see NASCAR officials try to get Ward to get his car out of the way because they're gonna bring an ambulance in there [Music] so many pit stops and so little trouble that you get immune to it but it is dangerous being out there working on those race cars they're coming by at 45 miles an hour at the pit road speed limit actually the reason why Cal Wells has his guys that go over the wall wear helmets just for that reason right there [Music] see the attention being focused to the crew member that's down along the the inside wall and we'll get an update as information becomes available naturally [Music] you can see Ward Burton came into contact with somebody on his right front he's got damage on the left front and the right that turned him back into Ricky Rudd's car with the left front I hope everybody's okay [Music] while we continue to monitor the situation down at the end of pit road we will tell you that Mark Martin came off the pit lane first and look like a lot of guys took to there we talked about yep there's mark as your race leader Kevin Harvick Jeff Burton Jimmy Spencer they came out next in line [Music] and there's Ricky Rudd who was driven his car back out onto the racetrack and all of a sudden Championships and all of the stuff doesn't mean so much until they find out the condition of his crew [Music] they have naturally closed the pit road go on any race cars coming on it off of there while the safety workers do their thing and we will stay under the caution flag [Music] [Music] let's go back and take a look at what happened this was at the end of pit road Ward Burton coming out of his stall he and Casey Atwood hit and he got about three guys it looks like maybe they and the NASCAR official the official goes up on the hood and rides the 22 car and Lord wisely stop thank goodness he did so let's take a break while we continue to monitor the situation at the end of pit road we'll be back [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] back at the homestead Miami Speedway all attention still focused on the end of pit road after the accident at the end of the pit stops involving Ward Burton and members of Ricky Rudd's crew there are two crewmen down is the report we get to this point and they're both being attended to by medical personnel to be transported to the infield care center for further attention the levers down in the area and continuing to monitor the situation for us and we'll bring you whatever updates we can as quickly as possible let's take a break from homestead [Music] [Music] back at the homestead Miami Speedway where the Pennzoil Freedom 400 is under caution an accident while teams were leaving pit road after their stops saw Casey Atwood and Ward Burton collide sending Burton's car into Ricky Rudd's pit stall where his crew was servicing his car and has injured two members of the Ricky Rudd team right now they're being attended to by the safety workers that are being transported to the infield Medical Center and will get whatever attention they need including that medical helicopter if necessary and obviously we continue to monitor the situation for you and we'll update you with any information as soon as it becomes available but a very scary situation bill what can you tell us well I don't we're down here on pit road we're about 15 to 20 feet from the 28 pit stall and obviously because of the situation we've decided to stay as far away as possible you can imagine the emotion in there a lot of guy is obviously very concerned as well as very upset so Michael McSwain the crew chief was overlooking the situation they have as you mentioned taking two crew members to the inferior infield care center I talked to Steve post their public relations man he's gonna give us an update as soon as possible but very tense down there near the 28 pit we're trying to stay away obviously as they try and sort through this situation and as more information becomes available down here on pit road or from the care center we'll get up you guys right away yeah thanks Bill we take a break from here in Homestead we'll come back with more coverage in just a minute [Music] [Music] [Music] that is the air ambulance helicopter leaving the homestead-miami Speedway with one of the members of the Robert Yates racing team injured in the pit road accident moments ago very serious situation as the car of Ward Burton was knocked through the Ricky Rudd team while they were servicing his car exiting pit road but watch this that's case yet with the red cars he leaves his pits all set Ward Burton decides to leave they make contact and Ward Burton just gets knocked into the pit crew of Ricky Rudd and also the NASCAR official who wisely jumped up on the hood of the cat car you know nobody did anything wrong here everybody was just trying to get out of their pits it got three and four wide and that and this isn't one of our tightest pit lanes there's actually a lot of room here in his pit lane but when he got three or four guys going for the same spot this can happen [Music] nobody feels worse right now that the guy driving the 20q car right now that's all Awards want to know is how are those guys let me know what's going on Walter you talked about cal wells and there's 32 team wearing helmets right this actually all the IndyCar teams wear helmets everybody that goes over a wall are wearing helmets down I just think it's a smart idea I mean obviously in the situation like this a head injuries is what you're worried about more than anything so the 20 or the 32 guys wear helmets I think that's a good move you see the 28 car back in along with the 22 as they try to make some repairs and continue on in the race which Michael McSwain with the hammer in his hand crew chief and they'll send the driver back out and continue it's tough decision do you keep going do you stop and Ward Burton's car that's Tommy Baldwin with the big hammer the crew chief they're trying to make repairs on his machine we are one laughable restart getting that signal Mark Martin Kevin Harvick Jeff Burton Jimmy Spencer and Rusty Wallace are the top 5 all just getting two tires on their pit stop as well as the Todd Bodine car in eighth place he just got two tires on his [Music] all these pit crew guys up and down the pit lane have seen this they've watched this happen the drivers know that it's happened how do they put it out of their mind and just go I don't think you can I mean that's part of the part of the risk and going over the wall these guys know it's amazing it doesn't happen more often I'm glad it doesn't but once that car comes down pit lane these guys will have her the stops and not think about it Dave burns well I just spoke with a NASCAR representative who for the moment has told us that Bobby Burrell the front tire changer for the 28 car of Ricky Rudd does have he is unconscious and has head injuries they are Tran today he is the one that they transported in the helicopter to the rider trauma center in Miami so he's on his way John Bryan is still inside with some sort of injury they're looking at him there he is the jack man for the 28 car and there may have been at least three other people including the official we don't have any information on at the moment we'll stand by and get it to you as soon as we can all right thank you and we will bring that information to you as soon as we can [Music] kevin harvick gonna make a bid to the lead on mark is two laps down he's if they're trying to get in front of eater hope the Kasia play [Music] jarett's in 30th place one lap down lefty wasli traffic [Music] cars left his back Tony Stewart is just past Bill Elliott behind Rusty Wallace he's the next car on rusty bumper there is that orange car is Stewart Elly at the pole-sitter [Music] so far Bill Elliott has led the most laps today [Music] trying to put his bumper right on the bumper and that's gonna slide them up to the racetrack all four wheels below the line [Music] Wallace Stewart Elliott racing for fifth sixth and seventh [Music] I two walls as he looks back at Tony Stewart oh there goes [Music] reusability on the inside [Music] Eliott let the opening 52 laps of the race but he's not letting since [Music] to the middle of the car could the outside [Music] - wallet just got two tires on his pit stop Nelly that's one reason to work so well yes [Music] scored on sterling marlin this would be for ninth place [Music] and Tony Stewart picking up another spot around Jimmy Spencer that'd be four [Music] 9 [Music] Martin Jeff Burton ed Stewart second third Kevin Harvick declared our school it tends to lead Harvick is almost three seconds in front of our Fars Kenny Wallace and Matt Kenseth between the two [Music] Tony Stewart attract the teachers it is your place no matter no matter what you drove when you went [Music] they said that I did [Music] son in a squalid go-kart track to Talladega [Music] little by little member martin burton only got two tires on their stars see Martin Martin used a lot of apron and he wanted to Stewart is close that's the way lose a brother yet they slide up the track you just turn right underneath [Music] why don't you explain these folks want to talk about my arrow loops try my best if you're if you're the guy in the back you got a good car you pull up right on the bumper the guy in front what you do is you're not you're also taking the air off his rear spoiler which is not given any downforce as well as pushing air up underneath the bumper which lifts the rear of the car off the ground so by doing all that what happens is it takes traction away from the rear tires and that's what makes a car loose zip right on by that's what Tony can do right now well Mark Martin would be it's next potential subject to battery [Music] that's been terrifying sirs right behind me crashing there's there's a little bit [Music] manners sent along a taste Tony Stewart to run down the Kevin Harvick car become has been trying to work his way through the field up to the second spot [Music] and Stuart to lap cars and the white machine is Kevin Hardin [Music] well that time till his dude gained about 3/10 of a second [Music] kevin harvick finishing up took over this car on her dreadful circumstances at the deputy in February Harvick got in the car the second weekend of the year in Rockingham and despite having won Leslie he's competing with potentially in the top 10 in the final Winston Cup points what have you learned this rookie season so far Kevin I've matured a lot as a person and as a race driver and and learned a lot through the year and we've had no choice but to learn some things that that we've done that I wouldn't take back I mean as far as racing hard and use the bumper those are things that we'll probably do for a long time and have done for a long time so we're not going to change the style of race and we're just going to try and zip the old mouth shut sometimes when you don't need to say anything and just try and put a control on the temper a little bit he's angered or frustrated some of his competitors on the track with his aggressiveness times but [Music] this year the [Music] by the way he's performed have been admirable we've done a fantastic job there isn't there's no doubt about that there you see the entire offensive looking polic leads and - Lance Turkish has had a third-place finish all right this has had a terrific year and some very trying circumstances trying they'll learn are drove before that's pretty about as trying as it places change hands to be Spencer's got five our party here comes bill Elliot up to challenge that six car [Music] still in search of victory to end a very long dry spell September 1994 last time Bill Elliott took the checkered floors of NASCAR Winston Cup race seems the days he's been competitive he doesn't get me to finish the day's he gets through the finish he's not finishing up to the front close enough to contend for the win [Music] awfully awfully good get worth garlic [Music] that way made it better [Music] three seventy or more clinches the title today for Jeff Gordon [Music] [Music] it's catching [Music] say who else is catching the story Stewart is catching Kevin Harvick that was three and a half seconds and now that wait first two seconds down to set over the quarter the place he could really overdrive easy to see that car burning want to try that card a little bit deeper to sit the car slides up the racetrack so we really have to be disciplined getting into the corners here Gordon is one okay here but by his standards not praying his to homestead finishes tenth in 1999 seventh last year he's hoping for victory today we're just past the halfway point of the race just across 200 miles Kevin Harvick is the leader Tony Stewart is quite a real event you're watching NASCAR on NBC [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] NBC's coverage of the NASCAR Pennzoil freedom 400 is brought to you by Pennzoil were driving protection by Sprint PCS the clear alternative is cellular by Pep Boys all you need to know is where to go Pep Boys and by Casey Atwood and the new crew fueled by Mountain Dew hope wherever you are the weather's as nice as it is here in South Florida 81 degrees I don't care what you want to do out be it on a CD or on a race track a new leader year at the Homestead Miami Speedway Tony Stewart non-car Kevin Harvick going down into turn one get alongside and I'll turn to goes right by it is a couple seconds behind him on when to the commercial and he caught him just that fast so Stewart out in front for the third time today try to stay undefeated here at the Homestead Miami Speedway and see if he can do something about hanging on to third and moving up to second in the NASCAR Winston Cup championship Harvick is second the third behind followed by Jeff Gordon Bill Elliott now Casey Atwood up to eighth Rusty Wallace and Todd Bodine earlier at lap number 111 there was an accident on pit road if you were this far leaving his pit stall collided with Casey Atwoods and went through the pit box where Ricky Rudd's team was serviced in his car at least two members of runs team inch and taken for medical treatment the letter has more on that force and blood steam has soldiered on in this race bill amazing LM not just that ROG team is able to continue on but the so are the rest of the competitors the very unfortunate situation we all know the dangers involved in this sport want to bring you down here to pit road just to give you a little feel of the atmosphere still very emotional down here still Michael McSwain is time back up on the pit box right now Ricky Rudd's new crew members are probably going to get a test throw it back upstairs Alan there's a caution on the track for debris and these guys probably will come back to pit road that will go back maybe after the stops alright Phil tnks third caution of the race same reason as the first two debris on the track Ricky Rudd is running back in 16th place and dies the decision to continue on in the race not an unexpected one on behalf of Robert Yates and Ricky Rudd and his team it's pretty much what you have to do everybody you know puts that behind them and this is part of the business like said the best thing for them right now is to keep concentrating on the race at hand and go about their business because you know these things happen I mean we're truly when you see something like that we don't say here to do our job but we've got to because this race is going on we're going to try to bring it to you the best way we can no question their thought is constantly are their friends and co-workers but it is the job and it isn't a risk that they accept when they take the job Thomas Carson flagged the 17 car and the one car got a lap back the one car came to Boston now back on the lead lap the 17 car Matt Kenseth got one of his left back so now the team has to get out and concentrate go over the wall and make a pit stop stops will come at lap number 148 Tony Stewart Kevin Harvick Jeff Burton in the first three coming in followed by Jimmy Spencer and Jeff Gordon party Jimmy's pizza remember took two tires they'll make a track bar adjustment on this top and they're having a lot of trouble with the right rear tire it'll be four tires and one round down to the track bar little bit loose to Matt Tony Stewart no adjustments on the 20 car the two-time winner here very happy with his race car just needs a potholes water remember he is battling the flu and a piece of tape because the air hose from his helmet came loose Ricky Rudd is safely in his stall he has the very install on pit road leading directly to Pitt out they have a new check Jack man Shane Calais Scot nasod and Kirk homeless changed the right front tire as they were coming down pick pit road crew chief Michael McSwain shouted Jess - Jess - they took just two right-side tires for track position all right bill Thank You Sterling Marlin is going to come off pit road first followed by Tony Stewart and then Ricky Rudd the exit of pit road might not have been very clean for Jeff Gordon and Jeff Green look at the left front fender on Gordon's car looks like the left Rhonda's been in our diploid spot we saw want that bidness car in Charlotte in the coach 600 here we see Jeff Gordon in his pits starts to leave his pit all of a sudden here comes Jeff Green everybody's getting out at the same time today yeah that is not gonna help Jess cause I don't believe he's not too happy about it either left front fender damage for Jeff Gordon he's in the night position now but he may have to come back to pit road and get that looked at under caution we'll take a break you're watching NASCAR on NBC and welcome back to homestead under caution Jeff Gordon has just been on pit road and he's now leaving pit road he made contact with another car bent the sheet metal up around the left front tire they had another car look at it they looked at it as it went by they said Jaffer's gonna have to come in we're gonna need to pull that away Jeff radioed back that I barely made contact with the other car they said there's a long way to go in this race we have to come back and fix it so we don't take any chances he was here only briefly they pulled the sheet metal away from the left front and sent Jeff Gordon back out on the racetrack so we talked at the beginning of this race about how crucial pit stops are how much traffic there is down here unfortunately it has been well-documented here in many ways this afternoon and it looks like bill they've got it fixed pretty good I mean that thing was really bent up and if Jeff would have known how bad it was been he would have definitely come in but they looks like they got that thing fixed I watched him coming out of the pits and you watch Jeff drive right up on the back of 31 think he was real happy with Jeff Green on that but he did get it to the rear bumper did Jeff do anything wrong now he needed to anything wrong but that's you know three or four guys going for the same real estate Jeff got the worst of it he's not happy about it Jeff Gordon was nice when he came off of pit road he is now 27th well that he's got his work cut out for him but karl was very good there right before the yellow so I hate to fake up a lot of ground and we saw some more strategy on these pit stops Marty yeah Alan Sterling Marlin came in 11th out first they took two tires again remember they did that earlier in the race as well and it really worked for Sterling he was a little loose on that last run so they put one round in the left side for Sterling Marlin hoping to tighten Barty standing by at the medical center down here in the infield we've gotten some further reports on the incident on pit road for the 28 guys first let's update Bobby Burrell who appeared to be the most seriously injured he was actually transported to Jackson hospital with head injuries I tried to confirm whether he was conscious or unconscious and they didn't know so they really don't know his condition right now he is on his way for further treatment [Music] who wants to win this race for his teammates Plus with Jeff Gordon having his problem in life thing is turned the other way around and rut knows it [Music] and Stuart's only in satisfied [Music] today Tony Stewart is led and I think is loose right now Patrick [Music] to where they need to be yet - these cars are [Music] at 32 machine get by Sterling Marlin try to stay in contact with the leaders in case a caution comes out and maybe four tires but you know ricky rudd only took two times wallet right now he's giving tony stewart of race as we have seen today kevin harvick 2/4 [Music] next to challenge Marlon he to Casey Atwood in the nineteen [Music] I think once Tony gets his pressure tougher they need to be [Music] Martin what's going on with sterling Bosch now we thought it might have been the two tires Benny [Music] the left side that you type them up apparently it tightens too much is too tight [Music] as they keep failing danacarr perfect around these corners you want saw the other scene of tea just never perfect suddenly really he's around the lab car of Ricky Craven enclosing it on the front and here comes Harvick [Music] [Applause] well at this point up from the 19th starting spot hoping to stop Tony Stewart's win streak at Homestead [Music] [Applause] [Music] NBC's coverage of the NASCAR Pennzoil freedom 400 is brought to you by dodge you can take life as it comes so you can grab life by the horns dodge by Pennzoil protection by Budweiser with the crisp clean refreshing taste you'll find in no other gear this Bud's for you and by Motorola check out the smartest new wireless technology at Motorola com [Music] Tony Stewart is the leader in the patio freedom for 100 250 miles in Stuart leading at this mile and a half track is quite a familiar sight [Music] this is the third running of this Pennzoil 400 and both previous editions featured Stuart leading to final lap taking the checkered floor 1999 stewards with the victory while Dale Jarrett wrapped up the NASCAR Winston Cup championship that day that last year still in dominating the race while his Joe Gibbs teammate Bobby Labonte claimed his first NASCAR Winston Cup trophy and almost dropped him soon as he got it [Music] Stewart out in front for the fifth time today seems like people playing strategy on the tip stops he's dry he's losing the lead on pit road not because his crews not working well but because other people are taking two tires March it right back [Music] eleventh position he's about ten seconds behind Tony the 66th car [Music] Barna what's going on about it well they've been fighting a loose race car for most of the day but they've been sleep fairly happy I would not be surprised to see these guys try some pit strategy late in the race because that's what they need his track position now just like his teammate the flu but he's on the back end of it he has requested water on every stop he kills much better than his teammate Lee goes across the eight [Music] ten yeah it's doing it's working for Todd taking just two tires on a stop a little bit ago Jarett we saw there in our back how's he doing today - good and one of the biggest surprises is Dale Jarrett not running up front how fair you said your car was having trouble turning how's your race card it's still tight in the center well beanie like you guys said yesterday in the tower not too good for nothing is shame since yesterday and asked our things aren't still too good biggest concern right now for me is my brother [Music] he was Jack man down on the 28th Bobby grill I hope everything's okay with him right now hello Bree we've been changing stuff just like we been doing all weekend long we'll keep changing stuff to the checkered flag poles and just use the rest this race is intense yes Feeny you are right we are not to you thirty third one back down but obviously Betty there Foster they're teammates up that road I didn't realize that John Bryan was Debbie's brother we've got the note John and though all those guys on the 28th car pretty well most of us take a charted back to Charlotte and those guys are all but airplane and and right now our thoughts are with it again an accident on pit road at lap number 111 two members of the Robert Yates racing team have been transported to local hospitals for treatment Bobby Burrell Brian will continue to pass along further updates as we get them [Music] Kevin Harvick took third spot away from Ricky Rudd before just a moment ago while we were talking to Todd Parrott and head off as well but he's still pretty fast must be pretty comfortable with the alias like that [Music] homestead-miami Speedway courtesy of the United States Army an army of 1 there are 2 out of 12 ways to be a soldier find out more at goarmy.com/officer with his using all that Racetrack getting off the corner trying to get as much speed as he can out of this 28 car he only changed two times the last time bla the competition changed or as Casey Atwood he was right behind Ricky Rudd trying to creep in and take a spot Casey started on the outside of the club Lowe has left 15 laps of this race did it back from lap 64 to 78 and now just passed 250 miles he's still hanging in there with a good run [Music] dammit I'm listening to he and Robbie Loomis talk damage on pit road leaving at lap 148 fell from ninth to 27th after an extra stop for repairs bellies gained a few of those spots back Ricky Rudd's got him pray warning wants and back there in traffic and as you heard just moments ago bad news in fact it was a little more descriptive than that a few laps earlier very badly loose race car he's back there in traffic he got trapped behind John Andretti for a number of laps did not get around the pool we finally managed to work around that but between uses cars any defects from around back a lot of trouble remember we talked earlier in the race in the top corner party clean air here back there in the 24th position [Music] that's what they try to do is stay up front because this car runs beautifully in front but it really struggles when he gets back in traffic 370 are better at the end of the day and Gordon wraps up the Winston Cup title less than time next Sunday on NBC benny was talking about there's some aerodynamics all that air pushing down on the car by yourself to get the most grip as possible when you're around other cars they're kind of robbing you some of that air so you don't have the full downforce that you would all by yourself kevin harvick ricky rudd Casey Appleton Bill Elliott racing for third fourth fifth and six behind Tony Stewart just passed 250 miles [Applause] [Music] [Music] back at the homestead Miami Speedway where the Pennzoil sedum 400 has just gone under the yellow flag same reason for a caution we've had all day debris fourth caution all for stuff coming off race cars and dropping onto the track Tony Stewart's not very happy about that every time he sees the yellow he sees his lead disappear less than 30 laps from the last set of pit stops we'll see some people try to tires here we'll Jeff Gordon try to tires to make up some of that boss track position I think I think you have to don't you beat me I mean that's always you're gonna have 15 bars and the leader Tony Stewart the first time today they will make a wedge just huge patter submitted and the left we're for entire change and they're going to make an air pressure adjustment in the right rear because Tony said his car was two three four the center is a man driven right now racing this day in the championship chase racing for his fallen teammates here they were injured earlier this is a four-tire stop watch the guys on the Left hunt for the 21 [Music] last night but look at Jeff for me jumped out right behind Ricky Rudd a tough situation for rusty players you know they're gonna have a slower stop than the guys that would have normally been there and it cost him some spots and put doors right up on his bumper another close call on pit road asada says everybody [Music] watch right here the 19 car comes out and it's almost in the same situation and there's the 28th right to his left again my part on the brakes money just barely ghost by that proven on the 43 car the tire carrier as case yet was was leaving the pits Marty Snyder well Sterling Marlin came down pit road ate that one remember took two tires last time he talked about the car being tight this time four tires they talked about strategy also at the end of the race wanting to do two tires under green if it is under green at the end of the race they took that round of wedge back out of the car today burns Marty Jimmy Spencer was running 14th they took on two tires only and he's all the way up to second now now that's a good gamble for them because the last time they took on two tires they had a good run the very last time they took on four and made a big adjustment that helped him get better off the corner so the 2016 were making the right calls and Jimmy's car is getting better got a lot of guys have taken two tires on this stop will reset the reset the situation for you come back for the restart after this on NBC [Music] checking our Napa field summary on the progress of the Pennzoil Freedom 400 seven different leaders today Tony Stewart have led the most laps Sterling Marlin Kevin Harvick Casey Atwood Mark Martin and Michael Waltrip have also led no cars out of the race and the caution flags have all been for debris 83 111 148 and 174 are the laps they came out were at 177 now let's go to Bill Weber okay less than one to go here on top of the pit box with Michael McSwain how are you doing and how is your driver doing under these very tough circumstances well we're doing okay I mean boosts our hearts with our brothers got hurt out here I know we love them they know we went [Music] try to win this thing for them your driver obviously very motivated you had to take four tires on that stop but with two he seems very strong got the car a lot there was still not quite as good as Tony not quite where we need to be but we'll just keep plugging that you know we're kind of set up now the scenario like we want to be most a lot of people took to then and we don't have to take full listing and you did have to make obviously some changes in your pit crew yeah I got some you got some more see our help us out a couple of teams over there must have been ten different teams to help us out - yeah it's nice for this one defender thanks for your time our prayers are with thank you bro Michael McSwain getting ready to go green here in about half a lap out yeah they'll fight each other for a position but what something like this happens there's everybody's there to help exactly Ricky Rudd as a result of having to take those four tires to 15th place [Music] cars with our Williams race chase bubbles there you see Jeff Boyd and Ricky back in traffic the mock McSwain muffin-topping at a point we start to change two tires we'll see them at all Agathe changed for [Music] Green that's going to be a big advantage for them to change only two tires Tony Stewart around Mike Wallace for third [Music] [Music] those pitstop Wallace Jimmy Spencer Terry Labonte Mike Jones [Music] [Music] comfortable for no I mean he's running very well really cause he don't change for the next time here comes Stewart second school [Music] one fight the inevitable that's gonna say Jeff Gordon almost had a big time and lastly there he is as he tries to go by the 0-1 and he's running 17th what's this up and turn a tree on the outside of the 31 car just gets loose go to the corner and watch as he goes up the and all those cars almost positions all those points going by [Music] filling our Duke although touch of Jupiter that's why they've got loose get glue all clear I didn't see that the first time I saved Gladys's racetrack is it's hard to catch hard when it starts running up the three or four laps to get your tires cleaned off behind John again where he had so much trouble before the yellow [Music] to 26th place [Music] and ready respond and Dale Jarrett appears to be off the pace up in three and four [Music] the sentries yeah he looks like he's got a tire going down [Music] I sure what looks like on DJ hi [Applause] gerrant heading for the pit lane costly green flag stop he's already back in 35th place one lap down and I'm not don't think he'd gild the rest of the way on fuel so I think he's going to have to stop again third place Mike Wallace Shawn Jimmy Spencer Wallace in the 12 get what is fine as pastors daughters might have the second-best garden well the original just gonna change left side tires Bob Gentry so the right side look good but DG said it felt like it might be something with news boxes let's go for let's go for so they are gonna change now take a chance tires going down how about you Burton get Mike Wallace loose into turn one [Music] if your car works good enough and you can get on somebody's bumper that's the easiest way to pass over here in Homestead is to get the car running loose and you just heard underneath of a passable as an offensive tool [Music] make sure you're good enough so they can't come back and do the same thing couple laps later man what about Davey eight was it a flat tire it looks like things have gotten a lot worse for Dale Jarrett when you let pit road they feel like now you may have a broken rear axle they're talking about taking him back to the garage Todd Perry says it too there are no cars out of this race yet time spent behind a wall for repairs could kick Dale Jarrett as a last place finisher wouldn't thought that [Music] [Applause] he's catching him [Music] Tony Stewart in that orange number 20 kevin harvick to the race lead go with those two tires very quick pace he's running Phil what's going on the twin on the other night will change left sides again we'll whip through chief Kevin Hamlin down there in the pit this morning you told me this car was no good you only been going back and forth between a single his car and trying to get both of our setups the same and finally yesterday during race I went down there Kolkata state died you just need to get me off four springs and shocks after your race with us moving our buggy and see what happens it's helped us out considerably but that 4099 are really fast is your pit crew just gonna get half well we've been doing this to Claire for fair deal and practices needle believe it out takes out at the end of the day here yeah you may need to take four huh well we might but one of our tire changers got wounded during the pit stop when the 93 had a hair gun stuck got hung up in a car and drug it out hit him in the leg so a little wounded there too all right I just want to be on the record he did tell me this morning in the garage this car was no good but they did get information from the to push car and guess what it's Helen yes yeah and then you know and I think by looking at that car yesterday PP was up and the nose was down I got a believe I got some pretty big rear springs in that car I thought some guys down this morning the right list bragging all these cars is the strongest spray in the car stronger than the front right front left front trying to keep that back up like you're talking about and also the front sprains are soft to keep the nose down try to keep that no stuff you know we think that [Music] we're gonna take a look at his pit stop to see sometimes when they leave the pit if you leave one long stripe on the right rear oh yeah see the right we're spinning the left rear doesn't look like [Music] let's take a look at the left rear here that's good broken axle they could tell them by looking on the pit road they could tell what's going on they they have gone in to change the left rear axle they believe that is the one he just gonna start up the car now he remained in the car when that came up and that was fast if they did I believe they did change the left rear axle that's one they think was broken over the axle there on the right rear they probably pulled that one just to make sure broken rot on the end because it had broken inside the year they had to pull the gear out to get the pieces out from inside slowly very slowly Tony Stewart is he is not going to change tires the rest of the day he'll go in and change the price and get some fuel but he might even change any tire so next time earlier with bill whoever it was some uncle Watson who saw past Mike Wallace [Applause] no better than five laps down in the two previous races here and forth at Olympic run series released yesterday nutria chief now the seven pink garden that Kent that we talked to on the radio very start of the race his last relation he's got a star [Music] has got he's got welcome back but he's still one lap down twenty-nine his lap times have been really good about the top five so he has a fast race car talked about Michael Waltrip and his new crew chief Richard Slugger Labbe she right now man before the race that Michael had a lot of confidence coming in he certainly is having a very good day how about your car can take it to Victory Lane everything so very good right now you know Michael confidence is pretty good we went to Atlanta and tested this week and ever since that Jets been really pumped up today he driving the wheels off that thing yesterday had a good run Bush bar and County we had to boast the same both cars and it's working good right now so see what happened started out the year in victory lane now Michael Waltrip trying to end it late in the season with another w2 - [Music] Tony Stewart goes around Kevin Harvick and a little while ago I was talking about Michael Shuchi Peterson spins up and Peter you guys took too tired he said all you need it it's working out pretty well [Music] you're quite senior caution here with a few laps make the next green flag saddle for the lead on the tracks side-by-side those guys go into turn one laying over let him go he's racist down enough to where right there he got the Stewart got the car loser Stewart have to keep the car pinch it down so captain's people get him to squeeze over come back on the inside oh yeah [Music] looking for at this track for a couple of years [Music] they're running awfully hard with a hundred miles left to go yeah this is all about when you're a driver's wife good rates part you're racing with again [Music] [Music] Jeff Berman closer and closer tuning your opinion and that's what Tony wants to get by this 29 and made some pitched we have a temper with gentleness fast here comes Stewart trying to get alongside again Stewart [Music] this is what they do it for you exactly what these guys are going through right now [Music] narvik on this one [Music] time tighten up we're Stewart can't get out of gas right there here comes Jeff Burton he's now in the picture [Music] who's that four laps there Alex [Music] he's better look at America's trouble is Jeff [Music] [Music] Oh flight took Tony Stewart forward left [Music] sliding that car to mention the Dale Jarrett is now 10 laps down in 40 seconds [Music] on the track the other 77 car DeLaughter Presley is all the rage [Music] nobody is out of this race your children's looking on [Music] owner of Kevin Harvick's car as well as the 31 the Jeff Green is true [Music] 7/7 cover in the garage area pity you asked I'll give you the answer I'll tell you had a good problem than the usual on a break chair homes realize that to get this educated a track these corners are so flat it's easy to wear out the brakes that was a problem to Robertson the master cylinder they also have some very pads new calipers and all that as well [Music] and it's not a place where you get on the brakes really hard you don't get down to the corner and slam on the brakes but you are on the brakes for a long time you just ease it a little brake pedal tilaka [Music] here then you roll out the brakes and get back [Applause] the sound of an on Harvick's car inside the final hundred miles here in Homestead [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] back in the homestead-miami speedway Tony Stewart is the leader of the Pennzoil freedom 400 with just about a hundred miles to go story of the day so far an unfortunate kid accident at lap 111 in which two members of the works Bobby Burrell and John Bryan taken to hospitals we're out with a head injury in Bryan with a left knee injury and concussion we have no further updates on their condition at this time we'll bring that information to you as soon as we're able to get it would be champion has been struggling and he's come to pit road early bill ever bad bad loose on these two tires and a few laps ago check for 3d out in and said I'm sorry guys [Music] going for two tires this and four tires tried to correct that loose condition or short pitch or make up as much as we can [Music] gone from a strong car run in the top I've been running in the back of the back [Music] as long as the caution doesn't come out until everybody else makes a pit stop Gordon's not going to be severely hampered he'll have a chance to race back but from now until everybody else gets five Watsonville so now they're gonna be on kids meals well he hit looms one lamp after on state he's gonna lose to left one and seven-eighths wanted a bunch Tony Stewart is coming off turn four now the start/finish line and so there's Stewart orange car he's tucked in behind Rick mast up there there's Tony so say one in 3/4 laps so just to get back to where he was which was the last car needs to stay green suicidal the pit stop caution flag should come out right now expecting pitstops to be in the vicinity of lap 234 for the leaders [Music] at 174 60 laps that had put him around 234 then the question becomes with 267 the race distance 33 laps to go at that point do you get [Music] my guess is they will just get two times [Music] get Rusty Wallace here we're talking about the Frank let's go on board to our foot camp see how much brake rusty uses getting in the quarter he said he's out the freights a long time a long time these movies [Music] that is strictly by accident with rustic pieces taken watches it [Music] and he's hitting that clutch until he sees it on tape he's on the break he's on the break right to about the center of the turn not so much to slow the car down [Applause] hard on the brakes right here the brakes and start beating the throttle very gently tell us more about Rusty Wallace final round of pit stops a number of teams are looking at two tires Rusty Wallace actually tried two tires earlier in the race insist honor that stuff seriously consider start going with the two time and pushy loose folks is when the car when you go into the corner and the cars pushing and you're turning the steering wheel and the car will turn and then he picked up the gas and all of a sudden it catches and the car gets loose getting off the corner how about a day got some information on breaking well in my days of driving down mountains you find that they don't like you to ride the brakes which is basically what we're doing here at Homestead staying on him that long if you hit him hard and come back off of him you save your brakes so you can relate that to your passenger coverage yesterday's race winner Joe Nemechek was talking with some of his guys this morning and he said I was flat out of brakes at the end of yesterday's race and he won so he used the brakes a long and they wore out practically by the end of the race and that race was 300 miles not for nerd like today's race but that's okay that's what they're there for you can use of assistance to make sure you don't run out of them Rusty Wallace passed his brother Mike while we were in the discussion about his technique he's up tonight now a 7.1 [Music] Stewart is not like the most laps today he's led nearly a hundred miles of this event and we've still got 51 laps to go Stewart Burton Harvick Waltrip an Atwood are your top five we're back to homestead in a minute [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] it's the Pennzoil freedom 400 for the homestead-miami speedway live on NBC down on the track today from the Budweiser dot-com airship reminding all race fans that Budweiser is NASCAR's official beer 46 laps to go is leading once again six times day these ladies won the previous two bunnies of his homestead race is out in front way seconds on Jeff Burton coming up on the final round of pit stops and Jeff Burton all the sudden struggling in the 99 car sit kill car was right up on the back bumper and as you said three seconds behind Tony Stewart [Music] Geoffrey Bodine driving a machine for brother Brett shops he's in 35th place there is the second-place car of Jeff Burton if you Gretchen Fedele Tony Stewart's crew chief you take two or four tires on your stop that's how many second lead I have when I come down pit lane if I had a good four five six for probably no question Frankie Stoddard Jeff Burton's crew chief ago for two they have two and we see some cars paid during a commercial break Mike Wallace into the 12th I was running about Katherine but was struggling trouble Stacey Compton is hit the ball turn one Russian flag is out [Music] leader has taken caution Jeff Gordon has been trapped back in 31st place a lap down the leaders already got the caution well I'll take four down I guess for most of caution Lee not as Tony spirit was coming off turn four so before Jeff Gordon had a chance to think about getting a lap back it was over now the pace car did not pick up Jeff Gordon's radio their first crash we've had all day let's take a look at what happened their comp to the nine two cars trying to get under the 22 you get on the brakes talking about brakes he really got on them hard what he did you got it loose see his hands fight back steering wheel - boy Warburton's gonna see that replay go thank you [Music] like those plates Stasi did everything he could to keep it off that 22 car yes so that the 92 team still needing sponsorship for next year one of several teams as we close this 2001 season who don't know what's happening in the months ahead for them finds his day ending against the turn one wall 43 laps to go now it's the bubble about two and four times because you're going to need more than that one can of fuel you know me you want for ya if I think if I'm Stewart's team I take four yeah well I took me in a people leader you got to take for the safety workers there with Stacy Compton [Music] Mike Wallace uh as I was saying and he made a state see out of the car by the way BP so I need to up to but he started to climb out that's always a good sign he hit that drivers side first on that wall Tony Stewart has to be careful not to pass the pace car he's on that ring road but a very shorter distance but you still can't pass the pace car watch right before he gets that he should speed up right here watch him try to get that a little bit of advantage yep but that didn't work Jeff Burton was right with him crucial pit stops who takes two tires who takes four Dave poor his cars too loose to suspend all day they're gonna make [Music] four tires for Sterling Marlin adjustment Center very happy with the car stir cracks infidelity - bill [Music] to take just I saw bill Elliot just get to I saw Jason Leffler just get to another car ahead of them on that exit to the pits Casey Atwood that's who it was that also just got two tires and Casey Atwood and Bill Elliott both have been running pretty consistent speeds again not believing he may have just gotten two tires in the 31 car so the two cars that started the race on the front row the nine and nineteen gonna take over the front two spots in the race again that would though will come out with the lead Elliott will be second and the man who has dominated most of this race fourth in line Tony's doing clean it up down in turn one well he's got some cars to pass if he's going to stay undefeated at Homestead back for the restart after this [Music] off of pit road two-tire stops have gotten the Ray Evernham dodges of Casey Atwood and billowing at the top two spots as we work under the fifth caution here's our pepsi race recap 81 degree day in South Florida as Elliott that would led to fill the 43 2 why lap number 60 Jeff Gordon watch this move on Sterling Marlin coming to pit road beautiful Gordon took the spot away from Marlon coming in and left and coming out all day Gordon here getting nicked up when he made contact with Jeff green he was nine at the time after the little payback bump he came back down pit road to get the fender fixed fell back to 27th about 174 watched most call leaving the pit road as Casey Atwood almost collides with Mark Martin this is another Jeff Gordon close call Dale Earnhardt jr. on the bumper off clear calm player Gordon with a nice save there Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick waits the terrific fight for the top spot four laps they ran like this side by side before still finding one out and here's the most recent caution over crashing the name Compton loses control and hits the turn one wall all the other cautions had been for debris the main story of the day not included in those pictures was an incident at lap 111 Ward Burton was leaving his pit stall right behind Ricky ruts car Kasey adword came out of his Atwood and Burton made contact sending Burton through pit stall where his crew was working on the car Bobby Burrell John Bryan's who members of Ricky Rudd's crew were injured they've been transported to local hospitals Burrell with a head injury and Bryan with a left knee injury and a concussion and those are the latest updates we have on those two gentlemen thought certainly width on Ricky Rudd has continued on in the race blood is running in 16th place Jeff Gordon made a green flag pit stop then the caution came out he is running in 29th one lap down and you see the case yet we put those two tire stop comes out first Dave burns I've been talking about these brakes a situation here ken Schrader had none when he came into pit road so he said let's get some brake pads changed to look it over the whole system and changing pads Schrader behind the wall no cars out of this race Mike Wallace in the 12 is on [Music] Casey at work [Music] in the same situation edson in 26th place mike wallace in 25th so Mike Wallace and pitstop to be make farm was running badly got to his winter decided to make a pit stop changed four tires that strategy did not work out as well it's about 219 Wallace Tony Stewart Kevin Harvick back together again on the racetrack go to me tie the leaders [Music] I gotta get by these guys [Music] has passed two cars on this restart already in the first couple of laps he's passed Tony Stewart he's passed count [Music] I think guest car was faster but it seemed like after about Tanner whose car fell off he's making the most of it now so we'll see if he made that they made some adjustment to help them how about the 99 car man [Music] he's like he feels like the car is better and Tony Stewart says versus the last cent it is here at Homestead it's a cars are very sensitive to change here so that's a lot of change for the 99 [Music] Barbican stewardess don't worry about this time for fifth and sixth but once again we've seen it takes about of with Tony to get his car going versus his competition question for you that is 34 laps to go by the time he uses ten of those up to get going does he have enough time to pass over pretty nice it's the last time five check it out understeer Casey Atwood second part of the frame okay see having a solid run as you guys have been talking about Ray Evernham is gone [Music] the in the race Benny talked about how these this team was good at Phoenix here's they came here with interference and tested earlier in the week found something here that they thought would help them Phoenix and use that and found some more that they thought wouldn't help them hear Ray Evernham said he had a meeting with Casey Atwood on Tuesday and said we're gonna go down to homestead [Music] and he's born Nepal yeah Caicedo qualifying on the outside he was up front earlier from lap 64 to 78 he's trying to put that was a good move my pace head with the goal on the outside [Music] earlier in the broadcast bill reported on what Ray Evernham had to say about all the rumors on Casey Atwood in his future with the team let's hear from Ray himself his thoughts on Casey awkward kids got a lot of talent you know really unexpected to be good here he's real good at the flat track stuff competitive Winston Cup racing where we talked about the other day you know he can go fast now he's gotta learn how to race we just don't take them some time to do that and you know we just gotta be patient and keep getting him seat time exactly I mean it that's what Ray's doing ray knows that it takes some time to get it especially in this series hi that Casey's doing a great job signing his car is all used up to see that that must been from the Ward Burton crash on pit road earlier right and Tony Stewart is losing spots [Music] teammate Bob the bothy is now right behind it he's not going forward Tony isn't he's going back his car he's not rolling through the center and getting out of the throttle early to get from Stewart's pit is he does not like the way this set of tires feels on his race Stacy Compton involved in the crash had brought out a caution a couple of minutes ago Dave burns is with it now another break story Alan Stacy as that one puts you out problems of the breaks yeah we hate it for the guy who's Kodiak dodge remain good all day no way the front and breaks it faded a little bit late in the run I got there running pretty hard with Ward and a couple other cars getting using a pretty heavy stuff try to try to keep it out award and [Music] going but it's way go sometimes we just go get him next week in Atlanta are you okay yeah he did walk out himself he's gonna walk away now he said it was a pretty hard hit though about it's hard goes by Kevin Harvick lose in the pit but let's mention a Ken Schrader's who's come back onto the track after the rape repairs on his car [Music] Keith Barlow a spotter talking to Michael Walter like he started the race in eighth place top ten finishes michael waltrip has had this season the two races at Daytona that's it best finish here at homestead 34th last year [Music] better after today things are going well and he is the top running car from the dealer corporated stable somebody a pretty surcharge pretty quick are there not going to catch Tony Casey was that oh that was a big block Tony put on Sterling Marlin here comes party the body [Music] to see all of it bump them somewhere back along the way and I told you I don't know what Tony's cartel but it looks loose to me right now it is loose well they have an excellent pit stop and Vinny I have some really what's that show you the clock - I have timed it twice on the video camera that they have Jeff camera has been in this business for 17 years he is one of the tire changes for Bobby Labonte he swears this is the honest truth and yielded this week 19.8 - come on it's under 13 Marty where have you been I'm trying to help out Chandler he's been doing this for 17 years the man's retired and he needs money sorry boy Tony's got his hands full yes he does his bobby labonte go Tony Stewart who has dominated this race is now back in Knight [Music] second place Jeff Burton is caught Bill Elliott the 12-car is Mike Wallace [Music] birth tried to drive it on the inside thank you [Music] Eliott trying to kid up and catch his teammate Casey at word but the youngster is five seconds out in front [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] you're looking at potentially another new NASCAR Winston Cup winner Casey Atwood the 21 year old from Nashville Tennessee is four seconds out in front of Bill Elliott with just 19 laps to go here in Homestead [Music] during the break an update on Bobby Burrell one of the injured crewman for the Robert Yates team the most seriously injured it would have appeared at first he is in reported in serious condition but awake at the hospital up in Miami where he was taken and that's certainly good news and we continue to hope for better news as we get through the reports and again John Brian the other injured crewman the initial report was a left knee injury and concussion he was taken to a local hospital down here homestead for further treatment [Music] ricky rudd running in 17th place jeff gordon a lap down in 28th it will not be championship Saturday today for Jennifer trouble turn four [Music] this is what Tony Stewart wanted to see yes but there are only 18 17 laps to go no doubt he'll pay but and Casey Atwood never did not watch his here comes a-tearing car trying to get a lot back he made it so put 25 cars on the lead lap now the Johnny Benson coming back into the hunt what do you do if you're Sammy John's Casey AdWords crew chief have elapsed r17 to be 16 when they come back well I would stay out but remember what happened to Jeff green at Rockingham now this is a very different track though right surface wise Rockingham known for grating up the tires we're going on just a sudden but if everybody comes in behind your tires you're done there are the first-time winners so far this season will Casey Atwood join this list he stayed who is coming in tony stewart stay down Wow Burton's gonna come in Jimmy Spencer Mark Martin so everybody back through 17th place stayed out how did he get on pit road I thought Tony had gone by well maybe use that grass that's there that's ok that's ok it's very problem that all right these pit stops could have set these drivers back to at least 17th 18th place in line [Music] let's cover the Tony Stewart stop with Matt Yocum [Music] the bigger picture he was only 75 points out of second in the standings behind ricky rudd but they decided to hit anyways he just did not like this set of tires today we're gonna go up one and a half pounds the previous and he loses two more spots but they've got to start like Matt said you got to start the pressures up higher this time because you've got a shorter distance the race to the end [Music] did Tony get the pit road let's go back and take a look well let's see far right side of the screen this is it maybe science they keep talking about talking about it I think I'm going the pits [Music] that was easy [Music] well ray Abraham's two teams decided not to pit build their lead within the top two spots and he's up on top of the pit box last year you were an announcer part time so can you predict what's going to happen here now if I was doing that I'll probably try and figure out the lottery numbers gonna be now I'm very proud of my guys my team some we were just something we worked on just have to wait and see Casey's doing a tremendous job as is bill hopefully we can get a good day for the dodge dealers but we'll just have to wait and see what happens ray this is what you've worked for and what you've looked for it is you know certainly won it with a lot more consistency but I really feel good about the directions the team is gone and the people stuck with us and right now my guys and my race teams are doing a great job and he told us a few weeks ago when we ran a story in Bristol that if he knew now what he knew then he probably never would have become a car owner he complements all the guys that work with him and they work for him he says for all one team but without a doubt he says the most important man behind him is a woman his wife Mary he said people thought he was crazy when he left three-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon to become a car owner and start a new team but he said Mary and their son Ray J not only stood behind him but stood with him and have provided the strongest support support he is needed when people thought he was going to be a miracle worker this season they thought Ray Evernham might win all 36 races now he just wants to win number 34 it's got the top two cars with 14 laps to go hey remember Tony Stewart and that unorthodox entry into the pits is there a foul there there's a foul there they were told in the drivers meeting about using the access roads in and out he will have to go to the tail end of the line for the restart I'm sure he's thrilled with that yeah yeah you can imagine let's see he's dominated the event his cars handling went off he was losing spots he wasn't feeling good and had the flu to start the day now he's getting penalized if you don't look at me either and that's tough well you've got a car good as that thing was for three-quarters of the race and then really you're sitting there don't really have a chance now so they're on the one to go lap as you see that signal being given from the starter stand the double-up begins with all of those cars in front of him that's going to put Stuart even farther behind as he tries to pick his way forward what about this 21 year old kid about the size of saucers right Casey at work trying to get his first NASCAR Winston Cup win tell you what remember last year he came down here and he made those limited number of starts for Ray Evernham getting his feet wet and he finished 10th qualified 5th in this race a year ago got a got a good race car she's got a I'm sure that ray is talking to now but on the other hand you've got a guy that's got a bunch of experience starting on the rear bumper that wants a win as bad as Casey does that's Bill Elliott and a long dry spell for Bill Labor Day weekend 1990 four was the last time Bill Elliott won a NASCAR Winston Cup race 13 laps to go there will be to settle the pencil at Freedom 400 Matt Kenseth is the first one to lap down on that yellow 17 he's in 26th place [Music] pork for billowy oh pardon gets nicked by Mike Wallace [Music] [Music] the 40 are racing for a spot [Music] [Music] seeking his first Winston Cup seek in the show he can still get it done at 46 years of age [Music] it's okay tell those guys please don't wreck each other don't worry Joe Valerie [Music] an innocent victim when part junior as usual not overly optimistic had a chance he did and this morning they were talking about that again and with front row Casey Alberto Burnham that if the two cars with Casey's getting in the ambulance and just totaled them take me home [Music] Dodge's have any here the race though it was good strategy to cut them up foot here at the end nobody's catching him but they had dominated the day [Music] Tony Stewart can take him out of the pictures and Dodgers have been installed and I think that a lot of reason is aerodynamically they've got they've got a good piece for now special which helps that place like this inside the final 10 lines now Jeff Burton a race car it's not running the same page that the front two are he brought the soldiered on despite the accident that injured members of his pit crew he's in 16th place Jeff Gordon's short pitted got cut by a caution he's in 28th the lap down there'll be no Winston Cup trophy ceremony today in the lawn to Atlanta next Sunday the Napa 500 we see it beginning at noon Eastern Time on NBC [Music] there's our schedule Winston Cup final practice walk over to the audition [Music] next Sunday [Music] a tenth of a second a lot faster last time nine at that time he was a half hour faster man Casey Atwood [Applause] [Music] well I'm just going to say VP that you know Casey's wanted in clean air so maybe there's going to have to change his line to get the air on his car to make that car let's take a little bit better second somewhat of a turnaround for Bill Elliott his last top-10 finish was at Darlington Labor Day weekend he may not be willing to settle for second though look at this popping a highlight on the track be faster just what wally was talking about going up there and getting some clean air [Music] see me kiss behind against the arrow push and he can't drive up a hard case [Music] Casey Atwood was the the NASCAR Busch Series when he scored a victory in 1999 at Milwaukee at 21 years of age he's trying to become a very young winner in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series just under five laps to go they'll get back up once again on that Highline trying to get some pressure force this is sixth place Dave Blaney trying to get it from Kevin Harvick we talked about plating a lot all day and he's been very sunny just outside of the top 10 [Music] Man Ray Evernham heart attack I think maybe [Music] [Music] this race [Music] see down the hill from [Music] penny Michael waters that team I have not had a whole lot excited about this year [Music] so many times Winston Cup Series and agents apartment who just did not had much to cheer about in the last five or six years [Music] Oh team owner it was a lot to try and chew did not have the success he hoped for [Music] open the season winning the book pole for the Daytona 500 things were going to be great but they've struggled the spot he sure is he's having a hard time right there to centre that's where you see Michael Cory he may get him [Music] a second Michael could get posted on in three and four I think he'd probably get underneath Casey he's there for second [Music] and he protects the bottom box at the second two [Music] [Music] NASCAR Winston Cup Series boy is this going to be a popular victory a long time coming for Bilbray ever ham has put a lot of effort into this race team [Music] [Applause] is a fast man he's bringing out for the 19 car [Music] for his entire team down here those the moves of a 20 year old like his driver of the 19 car not like a 46 year old the driver of the dying car militias open here a oh yeah let's see I get everybody in here you've got Mike cord right here crew chief or the winning car ran have owner Sammy John's crew chief of the 19 okay great let's start with you I mean that was incredible last few lot how about these two guys I don't man I'm telling you they have made my life I'm telling it was you can't ask for a better week and they did a great job both of them ballclub Mike how does this feel you know bill was trying to break that huge drought it's unbelievable it hasn't really sunk in yet you know as a kid I was a fan of bills and [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] grown-ups when you were a kid though did he [Music] say you know with the 19 running up there you know we had to race him and that's that's what it's about right there all right Mike Ford the crew chief of the winning car the number nine ability burnouts Alan [Music] rightfully so it's been a long listen the crowd screaming for Billy [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] this is going to be fun that a long time since we've seen a smile that white on Ray Evernham space and on bill Elliott's face let's go take a look asiak work on the outside going to corner and I think Casey Monta moved up the racetrack a little bit trying to protect that don't look like Casey just got the corner government luge and had to go up the racetrack to chase it that looked like he got a little arrow loose right there at the end Benny that came as they were coming to five to go they're setting up Victory Lane in that chaos we'll hear from Bill Elliott when we come back to homestead in a minute [Music] [Music] [Music] NASCAR on NBC continues from Homestead Florida with the autotrader.com post race show exciting finish for the Pennzoil Freedom 400 Bill Elliott taking the lead from his teammate Casey Atwood with five laps to go to score his 41st NASCAR Winston Cup Series win Labor Day weekend 1994 was the last time Bill went to Victory Lane it was in the southern 500 at Darlington driving for junior Johnson in that 11 car [Music] for Bill Elliott spent a long time a lot of wonders if at 46 years old he could still get it done though ever the answer is yes congratulations this is the kind of day that you have fun come on guys page me it's just like priority IQ you know these guys work hard and we struggled counting off and on all day long and you know they never give up on me we decided to put two tires on and that ready brought my car alive because I was really tight with four tires and I got the case you know I didn't think I was ever going to pass him and I finally got him loose enough to enter and three and four that I was able to drive on by if the caution had not come out could you have caught him not a networked Audi miles only getting about a tenth or 2/10 until I up to know his team a loud slap to go bill last week you told us that when you get to a certain age some of the weekends aren't as much fun and there are a lot of people that maybe wondered if you would get back to Victory Lane did you ever doubt it well with writing these guys behind me no because I'm telling you I've come down here two years the past two years now is probably the worst car here and these guys stood behind me through thick and thin and I'm gonna tell you Mike Ford and all these boys Mike Derek Kenny all the boys I've known just a hell of a job because I mean know the ones they put the car under me to make this thing work all day long how about your car owner I got to put a couple credit sample right oh hey you know he believed in me for doing this deal and I think a lot of people thought he was crazy perfecting to me but you know it's turned out to be a great relationship Ray's been great to me you know I can't say enough about you dodge and all the folks it's really helped us out Valvoline steel coca-cola and all the fine people at it put this car on the racetrack each and every week you know feel like a sponsor guy here but you know that's a part of what I do what we do you know UAW spent a great part of this deal and you know we just got to keep working we got to get better you know we were great here today and that's what it's all about how about your fans bill stood with you for so long well it's been a long dry spell but you know you know several weeks ago one on a dirt track I come here and I wanted ice I've learned something congratulations welcome home to Victory Lane

Channel: NASCAR

Views: 57,607

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

Id: Ecdi4ZWEer4

Length: 211min 59sec (12719 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 20 2020