NASCAR Classic Full Race: Jeff Gordon vs. Rusty Wallace, Round 2 : 2002 Bristol Motor Speedway

I think whoever was on a sympathy play here today you sounded fine there I think that was Friday oh okay that's the magic of videotape welcome to TN t--'s coverage of the Sharpie 500 we're so glad to be here with you Allen Bestwick Wally Dallenbach and Benny Parsons winner at this racetrack in 1973 you know all the talk about the atmosphere the stadium now these drivers have to go race in here now is the time and really truly to do that you have to have a pretty doggone good race car you got to be able to keep that thing on the bottom like Wallach talked about in Wally's world keep that car on the bottom of the racetrack be able to get off the corner that lose in the backend and the pit crews have to do a tremendous job because here track position I think is really gonna be the key we've seen two of the last three victories guys have stayed out for 150 laps stayed in front and no one could get by them all right last night we played around with how many cautions would there be in the NASCAR Busch Series race I got a better one for you tonight wall ready which will be greater the number of lead changes or the number of caution flags tonight that's a question that's a good question which is surprising from you Allen but now that's a good question I you know usually you get a guy here that may get really hooked up and if there's one car that gets hooked up and he can stay on the bottom like very nice out talking about he's gonna be tough so I think I'm gonna go with the cautions what do you think see what's a full moon tonight yeah there's probably gonna be 1214 caution flags and probably eight or nine lead changes maybe at an AA meeting it just wouldn't be right if I agreed with the two of you so I'll go with the lead change is greater than the caution flags tonight we'll see how it all works out okay aren't I all right we've been here for a couple days these fans have been coming in here getting all charged up are we ready to start this thing I'm ready you ready I am ready let's go all right let's go trackside for those famous words to get this thing going and now for the words you've all been waiting for Grand Marshal Kellie Neal drivers start your engines [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] ready to go with the Sharpie 500 at Bristol careening around this racetrack must be a lot of fun for behind the wheel it's very very physical this has got to be the toughest place in the world and go inside EA Sports Joey how they come to a NASCAR Thunder 2003 inside my TMT Pontiac now just to give a look Ryan a little book go by I think that was pretty aggressive there BP all right now then and the spotter got to work with you the spotters got to tell Rusty Wallace I'm on a rusty lookout I'm going on the inside leaving the outside open I don't think you're not making any friends tonight BP usually apron just a little bit bid nine and John endrin he's a nice guy he's going over let me go by hold close but folks that's how close is going to be and that's what you gotta do you'd be going to horse to trophy tonight guys take a camera to the pizza follow BP to the truck cuz there's gonna be a lot of hot drivers after [Music] bloodlines are the official beer of NASCAR is proud to sponsor the bud pole award given to the fastest qualifier at East NASCAR Winston Cup race Jeff Gordon fastest qualifier for a second straight Bristol race here is 42nd career by pole award since 1979 anheuser-busch is awarded more than 7 million dollars is title sponsor of NASCAR's pole award program here we go Walmart starting grid for tonight's Sharpie 500 alongside Jeff Gordon looking for that elusive first win this year Dale Earnhardt jr. lent a hundred 81 laps in finishing fourth year in the March in row 2 on the inside Michael Walker great qualifying run Rusty Wallace nine wins six of those wins have been on the concrete surface golden Benny Wilton winner Bill Elliott has seen row number three Johnny Benson thinks he's got a great car tonight see if he can get that breakthrough win on this on a rapport is Ricky Craven on the outside Kurt Busch would love to win one for his sponsor dodge at Ford in row five Ward Burton the Daytona 500 winner with five top ten to the slant seven Bristol races Matt Kenseth Jimmy Spencer on the inside of six he'd finished second here in the spring in Kurt Busch had little tussle Bobby Labonte on the outside Jeremy Mayfield driving for a Everingham gonna come from row number seven Ryan Newman very quick can happy hour we'll see and Ricky Rudd 50 times he's been here no victories yet tonight be the magic night Skinner announced this week they're going to Pontiac unfortunately Mike's gonna go to the back his team changed an engine so he'll have to drop to the tail end of the field also Elliott Sadler will go to the back of the field will see Elliott starting position a little bit later on they'll journey Joe Nemechek in row 10 at mark Martin's second in points way back in row number 11 along with Kyle Petty inside of road 12 is Kevin Harvick happy Harvick let's try to top them Kevin Benny Parsons you got me try it again they're VP Kevin Harvick many Parsons up at EMT you got me I'm ok you missed your chance at winning tonight last night or not tonight hopefully we were just saving up for tonight deep good in cars been pretty good since we unloaded we made a lot of adjustments in that will tend to see you out fall but we'll try that's for sure so what's Gil Martin and the guys been saying to you have you mentioned patients once or twice today about finishing first here because if you don't finish you don't have a chance to win so uh this is probably the hardest race to finish right here well Kevin good luck to you thanks baby Kevin Harvick gonna come from row number 12 tonight in the Sharpie 500 now we look at the final qualifiers on time Jeff Burton got the 36th and final spot of the field then we go back into provisional land an elliott sadler I mentioned him starting back here 38th place that's where he started when he won at Bristol in the spring a year ago see if that the same magic rubs off on that 21 car tonight and there Steve Park is in 42nd spot and it's a lucky fan of Steve Park wins tonight picked up a million dollar bonus sure you want me to pronounce that name right now we'll wait we'll do it later alright I need to practice that one a couple times during a commercial for drivers failed to qualify here at Bristol Sadler long solder and Shepherd we'll have to watch along with you tonight let's get some stories from pit road starting with Dave burns last week dale jarrett was the michigan winner lucky enough to spin in win in 1997 he led 200 left 10 laps here at Bristol on his way to his only victory fast and lucky DJ will need to be both tonight in order to win Marty Snider well Davis Jeff Gordon's a favorite his teammate Terry Labonte might be a good Dark Horse pick they tested here for two days a test went excellent and the last time they tested at Bristol was 1999 the famous night race went Earnhardt took while it was leading party tonight marks Bella's 150 fifth career short track star but he hasn't won here in Bristol since 1988 so Elliot nee Everingham dodge boys came to Thunder Valley intentions they worked on comfort and field they crossed the first big hurdle by knocking down a top-five start now the largest hurdle of all his game at nine carted victory lane Mike board told me the crew chief it was very fast in the short run but slow on the long run they made a number of changes hoping the score Bills third win this has five stars this evening bill Mader Ricky Rudd starts 15th tonight and finally knows where his future is earlier this week it was announced we'll be in the seat of the Wood Brothers Ford for the next three years Rudd has 23 career victories coming with some of the biggest teams in the sport he's tied for 24th on the all-time list the question is can he get his 24th career win while still driving for Robert Yates is a team with the driver is the tribal with the team or runs her will runs next win come in his new ride we'll wait to see what happens you know it couldn't be like Pocono where the cars are away from pit road for a minute at a time for Bill he's got to be at Bristol the noisiest track on the circuit good luck bill we're with you bill we're backing you up I still got that glove up here if you need a relief pitcher peepees at our team caliber 360 race car what you got up there Benny Allen this has got to be the toughest race track on the circuit physically because these guys go in the corner so so fast and try to drive them out it also is very very hot and humid out there and let me show you one reason it's so hot inside the race craft we go inside our team caliber 360 the exhaust system as it comes off the cylinder heads is about 1200 degrees as he goes down the tailpipes out to the collector here it naturally cools off and here is probably 500 degrees but right under the driver right underneath the driver's seat this exhaustive system is probably six seven hundred degrees and that means the drivers about that far back kind of temperature it's 130 40 sometimes 50 degrees inside the car that's one reason that is so tough is the dog on heat inside the car that's complicated at this racetrack by the bull nature of the stadium there's just not a lot of air moving down inside that hole now there isn't a lot of the drivers so a lot of the teams will run hoses to get the air circulating underneath the seat in between the seat and floorboards to help move that air a little bit but it's like sitting on a burner now let's talk track conditions here Wally we had the rain just before we came on the air it stopped and it was a pretty heavy downpour all the rubber that had been worked into the tractor in the NASCAR Busch Series race last night at the practice yesterday is gone is gone I you know it's gonna be slick for a little while these guys are taking a few extra lap to get the track cleaned up a little bit but it's gonna take a while to get that rubber back into the racetrack so they're gonna be sliding around a little bit some things will follow for you through the course of the Sharpie 500 tonight race for the championship sterling Marlins starting back in 27th spot Mark Martin back in 21st and track position sterling doesn't have it right now but somehow someway as crews got to get it and do it with pitch strategy right PP you're gonna see a lot of that tonight we saw Elliott Sadler sneak in with a long long run on tires now the cats out of the bag everybody knows that so you see a lot of teams doing the same thing I believe we'll keep an eye on more cautions or League changes too of course the big thing for the drivers tonight we talked about on countdown to green keeping control of their emotions you're gonna have drivers getting bad they're gonna get hot you can't help but so close you got 43 cars on a half mile race track you're gonna be bumping you're gonna get bump in and you're gonna have tempers flare there's no doubt about it you're going to have these spotters and these poochie's BP tell these guys a whole race easy take it easy be patient save your car and the spotter is some doggone important here because when someone looks inside black I was looking inside Rusty Wallace in the 8 sports if someone's looking in the spotters gotta tell him someone's looking because if you dive down to your broom and just like he's not there he's 1 inch in the left rear you going to back the thing in the wall and you're out for the night and you're gonna thank that guy do that on purpose and but it didn't do it on purpose they just with everyone there and thinks that the guy oh honey just to use any kind of common sense or in in the back of it one to go is the signal as the drivers come to the start/finish line so one more piece left before the Sharpie 500 begins and I think you know what Earnhardt jr. said beginning of the race you can see a lot of these cars want to get to the bottom as fast as they can you got to be on the bottom of this racetrack to be fast and you don't want to get stuck on the outside you can just blew so many positions to begun you get on an outside lane juniors going to try I think he's going to drive down one on the outside of of Jeff Gordon if he can get a bite he'll try to take the lead but Susie finds out he can't you'll be cutting the hole but he's got a friend in that third spot right there and that's his teammate Michael Waltrip and Michael may just give him a break and let him down there turns banked more steeply than Daytona or Talladega on a half mile it produces action that makes this NASCAR's toughest ticket 147,000 are here tonight at Bristol Motor Speedway to see the Sharpie 500 they're all on their feet now Jeff Gordon about to lead the field down for the start Roger withers on TNT here we go Jr does that jump that he wanted [Music] Johnny Benson forth by the launch of his fifth this is from sixth on back Bill Elliott and Kurt Busch Kurt Busch at 97 cards hung on the out trying to get in there now you got a mad driver already you know Justin laughs - that's right because right now Ricky Cravens mad at Kurt Busch I'll see if that trend we've got pushed in on his right front tire got pushed in he's certainly lost the aerodynamics in the downforce on it but it doesn't look like it's rubbing the tire that's the most critical thing perfect place [Applause] ahead of them a change for saying we got trouble attitude Sterling Marlin was in the middle of it but he got through that's top of mine and Steve Park in the one car and the 90 car is Lance Hooper these guys got to get they got to get going or they're gonna go left down and they had to get for the left down by Earnhardt jr. it's Todd he's gonna try to get it back [Music] Wow so the first caution took just six laps to be waved over the Sharpie 500 for trouble on the backstretch Steve Park one of the drivers involved here's our Wendy's race menu upcoming action on TNT and NBC the southern 500 next weekend Darlington Raceway then we go on to another short track race under the lights at Richmond Loudon New Hampshire in the Monster Mile in Dover all coming up race for the championship on TNT and NBC what caused caution number one I'll see if we make some sense miss you see Todd Bodine underneath Jimmie Johnson there just got in the back of him got him sideways he checked up and then Sterling got in the left rear of Todd and turned him around and I did a little bit of damage to the 40 car and a right front fender but BP really doesn't make much of a difference here too much does it on the Aero stuff and watch Sterling Marlin he makes contact with the 26 but somehow keeps from getting too much damage we see just a little damage about where the right front headlight would be but not he checked up to give me a chance to save it but when he checked up there's a bunch of guys behind them that didn't there's Todd Bo Ryan who has been on the pit road there's the damage to the 20 but I don't see that as being a real big issue I don't know it doesn't look like it logs even close in that grill opening I think he's okay Matt what about it well in conversations between sterling and Tony Glover the team manager Tony told sterling the valence is beat in a little bit they're going to work on that when they make their first scheduled pit stop but more importantly they made 18 chain eighteen changes from the end of final practice yesterday to the start of the race today [Music] back in 29th place Dale Earnhardt jr. is the leader and Rusty Wallace that to car is stalking Junior rusty with the whole success at this racetrack came here tested for two days guys told me they really got their race car much better here they feel like they're easily can win tonight [Music] party what about their to car right now Benny I talked to Jeff thousand longtime crew member for Rusty Wallace and he said that was the most productive tester talking here at Bristol that they've had inside plus he got very comfortable now they found during that test yes I think there's probably a bunch of shocks if they changed that it shocks with this rate caps barium that really helps to give a grip on this rate FAQ and I know Russy is one of the best teams to work with these shots especially that Brett bovines car has gone behind the wall and the hitters up another one todd bodine and that looks like he was all alone where the car cinemates like a right rear tires flap you know you hit that wall awfully hard a lot harder than it looked from up here when we got in the in-car camera he hit that wall pretty hard that first time Todd has discovered that this is not going to be a good night for I wonder I thought he was all alone coming off the corner something that he seated up a smoke come out the back right before he spun there was a puff of smoke to come out the back on the tires look up [Music] something broke from the first crash todd bodine involved in both of the first two caution flags during the shocking five Dale Earnhardt jr. is the leader that's gonna hurt the Sharpie 500 produced alive on TNT coming to the green flag Dale Earnhardt jr. leads Rusty Wallace Jeff Gordon Johnny Benson and Michael Waltrip Oh John even Denver good restart my Kowalczyk got by him for it and he shut the door on Bill Elliott he why's he got to the bottom of the racetrack but Kurt Busch he's on the inside of Elliott now [Music] and Ricky Craven the 32 tide rides going to try to follow and does and gear kept Warburton getting freight train yeah that's what we talked about you get stuck in that High Line and you're just praying for an opening to get down there's much grip in that High Line as there is down low Spencer they're working on Villa Elliot the 41 Jimmy won last night's NASCAR Busch Series race here now Benson got the spot back he lost on the restart to Michael workplace Bobby let jin-ae late now Kurt Busch rolling - Michael Walter happy for fifth place [Music] Potter telling Michael Waltrip that he's there and he almost a lot of times to you look up in the mirror and you see a guy coming yola's can feel that he's going to be there when he get to the turn and I think my witness ponder helping him as well as seeing that Ricky had a run Tommy had an idea that Ricky was going to be down there so Michael Waltrip and that 15 shuffled back to 8th place there after being as high as fourth just after the restart and you saw the pillow it did get down between me man what's going on with Michael well Betty the last half of happy hour they finally fixed the 15th any change in the sack [Music] that car test will not tighten Robby Gordon spins in traffic cautions out better go Robby first gear come are you going Junior's not gonna let him get it better now there's another bad guy yeah he's not gonna be happy with junior and the guy that hit him in the back to spin him out yeah oh yeah this is gonna be a nice evening Robbie started back in 30th so we'll get a look at what happened to him when we come back third caution flag already and just one a change so far [Music] which play takes over TMT see every episode back-to-back and don't miss the drama of which play 2:11 all the way on the Mt under caution in the Sharpie 500 bristle for troubling turn four robbie bourdon is the principal think he had help oh yeah he had some help in the form of the 55 car Bobby Hamilton just gets right in the left rear a little bit and around goes Robbie [Music] now Robbie tried to get a lap back coming to the start/finish line from Dale Earnhardt jr. did not you remember the March race here in Bristol he and jr. had a little in race confrontation picture there then they had a little post race confrontation pictured there one for which Robbie was placed on probation by NASCAR until the conclusion of tonight's race actually it Wednesday is uh not I was told by NASCAR he's not on probation so that kind of the play what happened to spring no no I don't think he just got the car going fast enough but her heart was woke down Ravi is now a lap down in 39 and the cars okay land they came on pit road pulled out a little sheet metal and change four tires but the biggest problem for Robbie his earplugs popped out about 12 laps ago he's got him back in and he's put some tape on the end of him on his ears to make him stay in good as noisy as this place is up to sure when you put your ear plugs in like before again you take duct tape and you put up over your ears to keep the plugs in your ear and it feels really good after the race pulling that tape I bet it does and right now Robby Gordon the 31 car Ward Burton pretty doggone good so and he make it run it to again yep Ward is the seventh place car the dealer's here you can in the back of somebody you want to get if you're gonna get somebody's attention you want to hit them getting off the corner and then they can save it but if you run into somebody like Bobby data on Robbie getting into the corner it's almost impossible to save a race car like that speaking of lap cars kind of in a position of peril this is Steve Park he's a lap down in 48th place and is separating leader Jr from second place Rusty Wallace no more Rusty Wallace finally Steve Park moved up the hill to get out of rusty Lawson way because it was obvious that rusty and Steve in those cars were faster someone not anxious to see Steve parks early troubles would be Daniel ferny hunk with Woodstock Ontario Canada one of 10 finalists who came here to Bristol in the sharpie million-dollar contest he was picked the Grandin to be the finalist then random was starter in tonight's race Steve parks during the race Daniel would get a million bucks not likely they've got a lot of adjusting to to who they're going to do that and those ten people that came here there's none of those people that hate me right now yeah cuz you're the one that picked I was the one that reached in that hat and drew out [Music] State Park one lap down 48th place long night ahead of him here mr. Ricky Craven right behind park there Ricky's in sixth place Marty how about that damage on Ricky's car with Kurt Busch Kurt and apologized through his fodder to Ricky Cravens birdie contact the there is some damage they on the right front fender coverage Cravens time Ford but it doesn't rub the tires we're not really concerned about it right now just a little tight for Ricky right now Sterling Marlin mark not where they want to be though 24th place their VP March started 21st sterling started 27 tell most 20 changes are so much tournament Tony whoever made this morning evidently working a little bit better than the yesterday he's marching forward [Music] call for spots of March maybe now tomorrow keep season 4 ZZ MOSI and how about there that's good Dale Earnhardt jr. the Sharpie 500 he took the lead in Jeff Gordon at the very first lap he's paced every one of the 47 3 runs so far [Music] [Music] Todd is behind Michael's gonna go a lap down here quickly and so much for starting third [Music] Carr does not look good yeah [Music] Oh Bristol Motor Speedway and the Sharpie 500 going under the caution flag just as we come back that would be Ricky Craven sitting at the bottom of turn two well they get the thing going again and I don't think don't think he's gonna get lapped he was at sixth place at the time of his spin now see damage to the front so evidently some damage from the back and it has so slight a touch wasn't it yep that was going in doesn't be on that's right going in the corner he can't get a guy in the back [Music] I tell you what he's very fortunate he didn't back that thing in the wall because that turn one you'd think he's carrying enough momentum that he would not be able to keep the car from backing in but he did Craven got it going he stayed on the lead lap take a break over into the yellow [Music] never doubt it Rick grilling tune into the superstation tuesday night for the best in major league baseball when the Braves traveled to Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates in weeks baseball's best on TBS as Tuesday night at 7:00 Eastern some stuff going on on pit road and we were I was watching when sterling left his pit I saw the check going down the pit a long waits it looks like he got the jack hung up underneath the car here it gets loose and it runs right into the 32 car that's a long ways down there Benny it really is okay finally stop I don't even think it into the 32 car he finally just stopped whoo and everybody's brave it almost ran over and we saw a shoe for the trainer they're working with the right hand off the jack man making sure that wrist isn't broken now sterling received a stop-and-go penalty for that right he gets penalized for pit equipment leaving the box so he is now very far 37th place it's mentioning that about the back half of the field pitted under the caution we didn't see the stops but from 21st place Bobby Hamilton to the grid stayed out what Jeff is going to get caught in between a bunch of laughs now cars here turn inside of my car [Music] ahead of him top of the screen from Jimmy Johnson I'm back here as the rundown comes by Aviva the guy but so far we've a Mehmedi conscience for court for thoughts whirlwind in this gale so far VP we've had zero leachate [Music] see about pork or something like that definitely the pitch stategy were looking at already a lot of these cars pitted over 60 laps into this race oh there's a wreck I'm coming off the table off turn two it's Elliott Sadler 25 cards you don't name a check got a little bit it looks like again sideways and the 21 car drifted up into him and lost the rear of the car here coming around the leader trying to get a lap back Steve Park trying to make his way through Mark's teammate Dale Earnhardt jr. Oh give her plenty of room so Robbie gorg was a benefactor now whether or not jr. would have left Robby Gordon back my we don't know but he's going part nine [Music] so those two cars back on the lead lap and this looks almost like his car in qualifying elliott sadler bringing out caution number five already wait a minute we've only had one lead change so far oh we have it we have known lead changes it's okay we want that I get starts on the pole always gets credit for being a leader but there's no lab be LEED zero I've had hey look I've been up and down that pole with NASCAR before oh god I beg your pardon oh there you go Elliott senator think use your head our temper plenty of action so far in the Sharpie 500 at Bristol we're already working caution flag number five and we're just at lap number 73 this one came out when Elliott Sadler got crashed on the backstretch look at the 25 car Joe Nemechek he comes out of to and to me it looks like he gets a little bit sideways getting off of two and he kind of came down the track cuz he was trying to save the car and I think he got it - Elliott I don't know that's probably not what Elliott thinks happened but that's what it looked like from here talked about the emotions of racing at Bristol during our Discover card countdown to green little upset somebody's already boiling over I hope he slapped that with his hand now his fisk of believe al were to be looking at his name Nemechek continues on has not pitted and he runs Maurice Joe here he's in 25th place to make our singular call to the pits Matt Yocum while Alice Shuford his Chip Ganassi Racing Victor coordinator now sure you've had a chance to look at Greg pies he's had and also the tape to see what happened what did happen is he okay well he needs to be okay it looks like his hand got gone between the car and the jack and the jack drop just a little early but like them but it had a chance to fire wait and he will continue he will finish this race now keep in mind folks at Craig pies he's the backup jack man with authority Rick reeling the normal jack man pulled a hamstring you know that could have been a lot worse for Sterling if that Jack would have got hung up underneath there yeah hey Webber what still it said to you let's find out Elliott your version of what happened I don't know I was trying to follow the 99 through and the 25 car just cut completely left Joe usually doesn't drive like that so I don't know if a spotters know to me was clear but bills to shave the best coffee ever handy the Wood Brothers gave me a great car this foot bills are buddy of all the guys and everybody motorgraph I'm sorry I just had a good change the William you told us you're an emotional I'm not gonna damn good tonight [Music] so elliott sadler is behind the wall is also behind the wall after his two crashes and his brother Brett is back on the racetrack after losing 17 laps when his brakes were long back to the board and Steve Park got a lap back front leader Dale Earnhardt jr. coming to that last caution the caution before coats hanging up pretty good betweens they learn our jr. and Rusty Wallace a white car between the two diesel app the news tonight here at Bristol from our US Army Skycam courtesy of the United States Army an army of one the engineers let all the lab so far that car right behind him his derrike cope was the only car one lap down but rough seas coming directed ninth place he sees rustiness bear on fur caracal move up the racetrack and kitties guys room here we go and during Cobra so let's see how long if at all Rusty Wallace needs to track down about a half a second behind it now mr. Johnny Benson Dermot and Ward Burton in the 22 and this is fifth and sixth place [Music] [Music] it sure does look different it's called playing stinky it's supposed to be a tribute to the cat dealers across the country for good jobs were happy with their claims while he's looking on the inside wanting trying to move up the wage to just enough to get that dodge alongside you he's worrying him he's worrying him right now he's in his bare left right it looks like Horace parked a little bit better right now so he'll keep just like you did there on the apron leading that begins at 10 yeah you would hit him in law but Jimmy Spencer Jimmy part of groceries race in the target part of the front his team and off chose to pit on the backstretch they had the pick of the 11th pick of pits there are 22 stalls in the front but Dave they chose to go to the backstretch come in Alan when the leaders finally do Jimmy's been very content with the car just a little bit loose and they may take some air out of the right rear to it just for that and that's how Jimmy was last night in the bush race was just a little bit loose employee he was pretty fast which depending on the backstretch is not the kiss of death that he used to be and the really truly as we said on the countdown to green only for decent pit stops the end the boat pit roads and Jimmy has the end of the backstretch pit see Spencer winning last night as we took our NASCAR Busch Series update Greg Biffle with a third place finish extended his lead on Jason in the Busch Series championship race at Darlington this coming Saturday next Saturday [Music] Bobby Labonte was talking him this afternoon and he was pretty happy with this said it was working good it was comfortable turned it in the center pretty decent says this place is a lot more fun when you've got a good race car Virgil Bobby unpack was talking about they've had this season they've won a lot of teams can't say that short track at Martinsville but since that race in mid-april no top-10 finishes and this is a former Winston Cup champion and championship team there's the gap from bobbing up to leader Dale Earnhardt jr. about to complete the 90 second lap of the Sharpie 500 at Bristol you're watching NASCAR on TNT [Music] here for drama all weekend on TNT a trained killer has a sights that on the president but one man will do anything to stop him Thomas Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich next after NASCAR on TNT even though there are 147 thousand seats here at Bristol Motor Speedway this is the toughest ticket in NASCAR people lined up up and down both sides of the street last two days with signs saying tickets needed I don't think they found many people will depart with theirs BP no you haven't taken to Bristol you certainly do not want to sell we see they are not Junior all of a sudden is caught up in some heavy heavy traffic to Robby Gordon and Dale Jarrett yeah these guys belong to last couple SP p88 had the 31 turned at least twice and they're still banging into each other they're not happy with each other right now that was for in 31st place Jimmy Spencer loses a spot to Bobby Labonte he's six plays Benny and up front the leaders are in some pretty heavy traffic too so things are going to get interesting here in a couple of minutes during your still trying to get by Steve Park in the one car he just put his teammate Michael Waltrip a lap down now he tries to put his other teammate Steve Park back a lap down and Russia says I got three Dei cars right in front of me [Music] that's a hard way to pass up their rusty now if you're Michael who we're riding with here even though Dale jr. just went by you you want to try and stay in contact with him because if the caution comes out maybe even get a lap back looks like [Applause] Jeff Gordon is trying to get my Rusty Wallace on between three at one and two as rusty moved up to get bound the outside a Steve Park looked like Jeff Gordon looked on the inside now said Rusty Wallace was going back to the bottom yeah that's the same place to be three bushes closed on them the fourth place car Ward Burton's coming up from alive in now plus he can get up to that one car he'll use the bumper here comes Jeff fort he's gonna have to give even lower than that Smith that said I'm saying you gotta get lower but you can't but all of a sudden rusty seem to have lost some of his speed and it does he was up trying to Class D parked on the other side like there's not gonna be a problem and he can't catch Steve Park right now part of what's going on down the retrofit we hadn't said much on the radio in fact he was bragging or not bragging he was saying to his team if I can just get to downtown jr. I think I can pass him and set sail but right now it does look like it's hard too little too tightly she likes to run alone b.p my talk takes one bobble off the turn and boom you lose the spot oh you got went drivers got to just lift off the problem to get the car back under control while he does that someone's pulling alongside on him trying to take that spot away rusty may not have said much but watching the back end of that two car and it's awful Wiggly awful happy they're coming off the corners looks like he's fighting to hit it loose to me he's keep the car on a bomb the racetrack he's back the third place now as Jeff Gordon has done by could it be that someone has experiences rusty got up there on the outside trying to past a part and just lost his rhythm III think so Benny now that but it's still slippery up there you still pick up that rubber Co that rubber on the outside dirt maybe got a little bit on his tires in it like you say Lawson come because she's coming right back at Jeff right now Hut Stricklin in the 23 now a lap down to the leader back in 36th place [Music] about the championship leaders Mark Martin in the six running in 24th Sterling Marlin run in 25th third place in points Jimmy Johnson just ahead of em in the 48th and 22nd well I tell you what he's got that dodge Mark Martin won notes in the rearview mirror he can't see anything but a windshield [Music] ricky rudd trying to take tenth from bill elliott and he does and here's tony stewart the 20 car if you've been looking for that orange machine and haven't seen it now you understand why Tommy Tony's got that car working right on the bottom it looks good what is say bad starting the ruling started 26 of the 12 he was loose on exit back on lap 32 but now the part is gone at the tight side keeping in mind where he's headed for the race card to build the race Sonoma 2000 came back next year extra motivated and won the thing back here at the spring race at Bristol absent from the paid procedures something darling dia to get out of the car 367 he's extra extra motivated tonight he was Bristol nitrate check the lemon spot bill Elliot so now this is what I would call marching to the front Kurt Busch start to put some pressure on Rusty Wallace for third place [Music] Jeff Gordon has gotten away from rusty now put three lap cars between himself and that blue goose all going Dale Earnhardt jr. zwey so far he has led every one of the 122 laps [Music] one of the teams reported that a spy there might be some oil on the track NASCAR spotters can't find it so it looks like without staying with a green or that's one of the guys that need to pit be big yeah one of these guys that juniors coming up behind him yeah teams wouldn't do that would they Woods will be back do you think what we see on the racetrack when we need a caution I think it's time for a cow tail boys well rusty is struggling in traffic isn't it yeah it's got 120 something laps on his tires too let's yeah that is that a thank you doctor yeah okay doctor getting some sharpies out of that no doc doctor did a doctor made a nice save which throwing got my mark and drove away from the dinner the Sharpie 500 from Bristol mutt that was the lever yeah the old bill it's might have been Bill Miller yes it is [Music] [Laughter] you think the Sharpie 500 from Bristol Motor Speedway on TNT brought to you by the Home Depot NASCAR's Home Improvement warehouse by stacker - the world's strongest back burner burned back fresh cravings and supercharged your energy by the United States Army an army of one and by havilland a chevron texaco product jeff gordon makes a bid for the lead on Dale Earnhardt jr. and he's got it going into turn one he saw the open he jumped in there now all of a sudden Junior King keeps crown the bottle of rain I trust he did the same thing a little bit ago he moved up high and the next two or three laps he could not keep the crown the bottom should pick up some debris up to it's the only thing I could think of so Jeff Gordon retakes the top spot after Dale Earnhardt jr. led the first hundred thirty laps of this thing without Gordon started on the field summary a little bit above there from Jeff Gordon and Mike Wallace in the 14th are as a chrome horn five cautions nobody out of the race yet five cautions two leaders bottom of the body goes by Kurt Busch moves into the fourth position so it's Jeff Gordon Dale Earnhardt jr. Rusty Wallace Bobby Labonte Kurt Busch then Ward Burton Jimmy Spencer Matt Kenseth Ricky Rudd five laps in these guys up front and have not visited king road yet they may have to come in under green pretty soon and that that will hurt because these guys had hit it earlier put it under the caution so they didn't lose a lap they didn't lose that much back position these guys have come in under great they're gonna lose at least one lap 27 laps of caution out of the hundred and thirty six we've run so far how many more do you think they could stretch that fuel and maybe see some guys 170 before I don't know we can see 170 they probably look they might try 150 the first stop maybe even 160 but not I don't think it would which is coming fast yeah Marty wasn't said about the aircar down there a lot of teams have started tight and they're getting looser the longer the race go this opposite of what you would normally expect on a racetrack but that's what's happening tonight Dale junior to loose off the corners I just checked with Jeff Carson one before and that surprised me this place is alive yeah all right let's check on forth Rusty Wallace and Kurt Busch Bobby the bonny just got around west and picked up the third spot [Music] mile-per-hour I kinda rpm to Kurt Busch goes down to 94 mile-per-hour that's as low as it go in the corner he'll accelerate to one I think rusty maybe hold them up a little bit there too the highest pain he has some space in between heaven rusty all of a sudden I mean rusty Wallace's car looked like it was great and in the matter of two laps if he came just felt right off fell right off him and Kurt Busch just goes bye-bye or poster for stay back to sixth while Steve Park is not on the revived let's out today the guy's a lap down Scott Wimmer Michael Waltrip Ken Schrader Mike Wallace Robby Gordon Jenny Johnson Steve Park Terry Labonte Jerry maybe Derek : dave blaney they're all Lance Hooper is six laps down Brett Bodine is 18 laps down Elliott Sadler and Todd Bodine are off the racetrack [Music] many cautions as we had in those opening laps this has been a surprisingly long green flag run [Music] guns board now okay there push up high in turn to BP so keep an eye on him and see feet balls off cause he was up there pretty high so we got a little while before we see any of these guys have to pit under green Jeff Gordon out in front of Dale Earnhardt he's the one trying to bulldoze his way up through the lap traffic Gordon leads you're watching NASCAR on TNT what's not a minute Akbar 48 and all watching caution here hey Mike but I've got great okay who gets a lap back 32 did 27 did not yellow flag number 6 is out at Bristol in the Sharpie 500 Jimmie Johnson bumped the wall in the middle of 3 & 4 and all the leaders are gonna come in to pit this is the backstretch pit road Jimmy Spencer is in he was the eighth place car Dave he was just a little bit tight Allen four-tire change wedge adjustment air pressure adjustment to loosen his car up [Music] party Jeff Gordon Dale Earnhardt jr. come down pit road Court is your leader he started tight the car came to him he liked how it felt at the end it was a little free off of the corner though they're going to take one round of wedge out of that car they have never won here at night as Jeff Gordon in behind and Dale Earnhardt jr. the car a little too loose as well for him off of the corner he said make a very small adjustment Tony Howard the left foot boards but he will win the race off pit road change for Tony Stewart even climbed up tonight he made the forward bite they also made a track bar adjustment to help with [Music] I'm telling you what these two Chiefs were debating that backstretch pit road spot before they had to go pick their pitch spots yesterday Jimmy Spencer's out second he went in eighth and watch this there was see Spencer coming down in barely is beaten by the 24 car of Jeff Gordon Spencer with that first pit spot on the backstretch kit Road he used it to maximum advantage there same thing Dale Earnhardt jr. did in the spring race here [Music] and tradition but race series race Sunday next up December to the hundred 500 on third and twisty ties during time 700 500 up to the vertical or the big piece there my credit bring fairness they're the biggest thing they've ever done coca-cola racing family family um least eight Tony's two top ten job tension as well second [Music] besides the same to speak 26:46 cars on the lead lap [Music] [Applause] [Music] a champion by Jerry jr. they told Authority [Music] [Applause] [Music] so far no Fasano mm mm an accentuation he is not yes 9 or similar Genesis back then when we can win with your hands me out we'll trim kretzmann track option sometimes we wait too long just like here he's gonna be here to get it go to your ear so he's the last race Phoenix Arizona are that won't go that long it was check out somewhere it's a super high bridge tires [Music] per hour and evil and evil [Music] [Music] sky sky again there get out with that problems that's okay throw a caution flag education free to the three big boy don't caution the starship we're stay out of the green I'm sorry into the Mike Skinner Mike Skinner had made a pit had made a big spender track that this is racket this is team coke steam going to work spacing there's Terry there's Terry two-time brewskis high-risk alliterate not tonight Dave he was already - what's up as this compass this time precaution for abortion caution flag or some flag is out debris off of co-stars numbers number 7/7 your behind out behind Allen crater behind there behind ya yeah about not remorse that my horse and I flagged at two liters two leaders to lead changes changes but 7+7 Russian flags giveaway give auntie an eternity and being with BP Sharpie 500 400 interior cinematic news in a minute how popular is the night race at Bristol popular enough that the racetrack gets constant requests for people to get married here on this day so this morning at the start/finish line nine couples exchanged their vows you notice the racing apparel and all of them we've got a Rusty Wallace couple we've got a Tony Stewart couple you got Jerry Nadeau standing there watching all this area was the honorary best man and here's an interfaith marriage I met those people they're from Muncie Indiana they said all the drivers kissed at the yard of bricks Willie gives a start in Slam one day he got VP he had your chance but did I would be a bigamist if I did that now Terry would not let me allow me to do that you're sorry we're going to go back race time let's do that trouble like his three laps down 36th place in that Kodak Hills our guys back here run side by side you get ten flirt attendees pets are cleared on laptops they can beat me when you're stuck on it it's a disadvantage game a lead lap on a restart when he got cards lap down we talked about that those guys back 11 to 12 they restarted 22nd 24 spot [Music] slow part just like the big fast car Gordon leads Jimmy Spencer second Rusty Wallace third they've cleared the lap traffic to earn our junior and forth body the body and fifth father the body stuck behind cars finally gets underneath Mike Wallace here play second car one lap down ken schrader is the first car one lap down he's just ahead of Bobby here in the perfect the thought crossed my mind as we're watching the 18 here pretty solid night so far but then I thought it's just way too early to say that it weighs to Tony Stewart working on Matt Kenseth great and he's through when he started back in 26th for the port car it's a lap down but by Matt Kenseth michael has just it's just not an upgrade chat for him tonight he needs all of it really slide around in 12 place on the lead lap Michael is choosing to drive that car up there I guess it just won't stick on the bottom so he's chosen to go racetrack nobody else but now he's back to the bottom people of course it won't stay on the bottom too well a fox [Applause] 13th right now leader oh we got a champ up and turn to right bunch of guys checked up over there place competitive pretty solid run to nine that 55 party darling yep started 34 is in jeopardy you're going to lap down there in those opening so far back in traffic Hamilton one of those guys who doesn't know what he's doing next year yet he has said he's leaving this 55 bride but I talked to Bobby yesterday said he got anything solid he said nope states offered a lot of people but about his race Dave the car he's using is a car that Joe Nemechek took to Victory badges at number 33 last year at Rockingham it ran good earlier this year at Darlington and that's why they brought it here they say the front-end geometry is such that when you raise it up here for the high banks the car reacts very well they've been pleased with the car all weekend long check our lowers in poopers Hamilton one of those Jeff Burton gained 26 pots since the start how about the snoozers todd bodine just came back on the racetrack after time behind the wall in first two cautions in this race and a spin at lap number seven pretty sick traffic around the corner it's Harvick Mayfield [Applause] on board but Jeremy may feel looking back at kevin harvick I haven't used a lot of apron [Music] coming up on 200 laps of the Sharpie 500 crystal a lot of cautions in the early going than a lot of green flag racing the Obama basketball returns to TNT Reggie Miller in the rest of Team USA take on Algeria in the World Championships of basketball coverage beginning next Thursday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern live from Indianapolis here on TNT the third place there Dale Earnhardt jr. by Rusty Wallace it's still Jeff Gordon leading Jimmy Spencer second and jr. just moved into that third spot and it's like the last few laps at the 8 car the but carpet villain our jr. has been the quickest car of the top five man he's hanging on the part of the racetrack isn't it sorry about that leaders all kind of bottled up in traffic right now there's seventh place Jeff Burton by Kurt Busch about that 99 car Dave well Jeff Burks was a little bit tight they made an air pressure adjustment to correct for bad laughs 60 and then he went picked up 11 spots in 53 laps he's doing very and something they said over the radio the 60 car last night in the Busch Series Greg Biffle is his teammate they said remember what the 60 did last night so they've got some useful information from that race another guy with some useful information from last night's that 41 Jimmy Spencer offset Matt Kent at the 17 car the last two laps has lost two spots and it just nut is not able to keep up and look like he's run a competitive speed hence it back to 11th spot now lanai looks like he's running okay it's got two left cars behind him before the next or the challenge for position will come up and that will be Sterling Marlin now up to 12 Matt the car looks like it gets in the corner good but it looks like it shoots up in the middle like it's not turning in the center maybe there's a reason this part went up off the bottom in this instance it went up the race oh I see why is so slow and helped up the racetrack so you oh yeah checks and balances emotions of racing at Bristol when you're mad at somebody still got to keep that concentration up going to try to tell you something on Matt Kenseth but nobody could give me her in court as to why the car was bad and you just saw why it was obviously the contact but he's had radio interference all night long it's been incredibly difficult for him to communicate with his crew and it is for everybody I mean you know this is the toughest place to hear your crew chief because all this noise down here is going to their mics while they're trying to talk to you in the race car and it is so difficult to hear even from where we're sitting in the race cars it's hard to hear the coochies and vice versa his car didn't want to stay on the bottom that time either by itself now the last couple laps up and want to make the car gets in really good and then he slides up the center pressure on second place there they'll chair it on the move that was 18th place he just took for Mark Martin and if I'm not mistaken Jarek pitted on the last caution flag and had fallen back to about 25th or 26th and he is marching back to the front you are correct there BP via March yeah classified that there's the score in cereal on DJ last week's winner at Michigan [Music] yes it over 1:17 now the cars much better as you can see and juniors cars much better - yes it is a lot better than it was a team well he ran so well at first under 25 30 laps and [Music] very very good speed to see Jeff for the leader if they're trying to best is best to get by John Andretti and jr. closed it right on the back bumper get out of the gas off Terry - we kind of helped on John that was all the opening jr. needed to close the gap entirely they one thing it brought a hundred forty-seven thousand people to their feet and ready the first car now one lap down himself between the top two John doesn't move out of the way here pretty quick seven cautions to lead changes Jr those guys on here fit Marty those guys on the ape is pretty happy father very happy right now the car very good for Dell Jr's not saying much on the radio because he's a little busy right now but Vinnie here's proof that people listen to your advice Jr's team and happy hour yesterday was bottoming out on the racetrack that was making the car tight see what they did a quarter-inch did you tell us last week that was a big adjustment tool had probably the body goes around Timmy's pinch on the racetrack for the fourth position if you tell us that was a great adjustment tool that's what juniors team today and the car has really respond Marty we talked about over there our Roush Racing team caliper car last week about how these guys to get the car down on the racetrack had them sometimes move the engine up 700 pounds are moving it up it doesn't seem to work but obviously that worked very well for Dale jr. and his crew the Jeff Gordon got through the traffic better than Dale jr. did there so that's a lot of the reestablish the lead of about nine tenths of a second coming up on halfway in the Sharpie 500 at Bristol fun times top 25 college football returns to TBS on Saturday nights beginning September 14 between the big 12 and pac-10 conferences it's big play Saturday on the superstation took that flight all-american young woman and placed her squarely in harm's way it had nothing to do with senator olive Wallace very nice Jeff Gordon is the leader Dale Earnhardt jr. is second Rusty Wallace third Bobby Labonte 4th Ward Burton has just taken fifth from Jimmy Spencer and I've seen golden Bennie Award winner Bill Elliott that's gone a lap down yeah Elliott Ricky Craven Joe Nemechek Jeff green and John Andretti all overtaken by the leader here in these last few moments twelve car and well I'll tell car was the fastest and happy hour you and they didn't have a for our practice and but he's going to lap down let's pop them here and a half mile race Shack if you get one car that gets hooked up like Jeff Gordon is right now and you're having just a little trouble it doesn't take long for that leader to put you lap down tarnished or running others to change for third Bobby the Bonnie around Vashti Wallace and picks up that spot all right now where's Tony Stewart Bobby's teammate there talked about how tough it is to communicate teams are trying to do some things about that man he's got a lot of fans he came up with a system at the spring race here at Bristol one year ago to use something he learned on the flightline with the brain took an extra-large beer mug engineered it for the face they could talk through it to cut down the noise can be heard by the driver it has been a big fan favorite now you can hear the crew chief a lot easier than the driver major Pat does attempt to the races any longer motorcycle accident he still works erasing radios but the retired Marine Engine but of course as we heard on countdown to green Joe gets his radios disabled yes he can't talk to these drivers or the crews he can hear though he can listen Tony started back in 26th place up to sixth defending winner of this race and Tony really is the guy with about the most momentum of the championship contenders if you will Tony's in fourth place in points now he's only 84 behind leader Sterling Marlin and here's a guy of the team who have been historically historian in their what four seasons on the circuit second half runners it's like they don't get going until the end of May and it you know every year Elliott Sadler back on the racetrack in the 21 car and every year you wonder if these guys could just get going the first half ton about Tony Stewart they would really have something going for it every year just don't get that started it was bad before he's really mad have to drive that car crystal now for another 250 laps away it is Oh Mark Martin a bit of a bump from Jeff Gordon little bit of chrome horn there whoa hang on mark place car [Music] did you damage to his right front fender on that contact with mark look like oh come on this is mrs. Bristol this isn't a place where those fenders are all critical like they Michigan last week fell right there running 130 miles per hour Jimmy Johnson Phil spot just a hundred and thirty people but he is the big loser of that beat right there Jimmy Johnson yeah because he was only 60 points back when the race started but almost passed the wrench to run in a lot of things can't happen more heavy traffic for the leaders michael waltrip about their music a second lap to Jeff Gordon [Music] okay now loud estranged track on the circuit cars going around at full speed can we hear bill whether he wants to tell us about Marco Oh jr. just drive by Jeff Gordon sigh bill stole your thunder [Music] day or night jr. back out in front all right let's see if we can hear whatever go I'll try my best the mark Martin's car has been very tight all night and he just pulled its crew idle night came in second in point not having the night how was that good I hurt you he said that Mark Martin was concerned about wearing out the right front tire the car is tight he's turning the steering wheel and the car is sliding across the racetrack 10 what's that June you just get into Jeremy Mayfield there I see some smoke fly a little bit of a bump yeah it looks like there's little damage here the right front fender Herbert Marlowe was from there earlier and those two cars you're looking at on the screen are the only two that have led this race through its first half [Music] what has been said about Jeff Gordon's over streak this year the fact that he has yet to go to Victory Lane riding the longest winless streak of his career but Dale Earnhardt jr. hasn't exactly set the sport on fire this year he's got the new at Talladega back in April but I think a lot of people expected him to contend for the championship this year he has back 16th in points well when they finished fifth at Martinsville and then went to Talladega and won I really felt like that Tony Eury and Bill during our journey of this entire team really had something going I don't know somewhere about June or somewhere things started not going well for these guys but the last two weeks at Michigan last week he ran well and obviously he's doing very well thought I saw some smoke flies second ago in June laughs down back and take a look on board oh yeah see ya that look that goes at Jeremy's left front juniors right rear would that be okay 20th place jr. trying to put Kyle Petty a lap down now Kyle still on the lead lap at 18 but I don't think for long dominant performance so far for Dale Earnhardt jr. and Jeff Gordon we're just past halfway in the Sharpie 500 at Bristol you're watching NASCAR on TNT sold out Bristol Motor Speedway seating a hundred forty-seven thousand they could probably put up another hundred thousand seats around this thing and people would still be lined up to buy the tickets to see the night race bamaca fourth Rusty Wallace a two car and the 45 of Ward Burton Cowpen the sprint car is a lap down it was a struggle to put him a lap down of those do it yeah he doesn't want to get on the outside we can make him go hi boy at his heart do and affront new leader Jeff Gordon took the top spot from Dale Earnhardt jr. while they were wrestling with Kyle Petty down jusers trying to do on the outside he goes up gets a little bit loose when he goes up the racetrack Jeff Gordon dope to the inside Junior's going to try it again kalpen is going out around him and so does Jeff Gordon on the bottom slickery up there Jr's led 140 laps tonight Jeff Gordon 129 only two drivers that have paced this thing seven caution flags about seven eighteen thirty-one fifty seven sixty nine one five 169 twenty-eight way off the pace here we've got smoke coming out the back yeah that's not good that side ricky rudd signing with the wood brothers to drive the 21 car starting in 2003 - made on Tuesday of this week we had her investors break camp on board with Ricky red but mostly that rotor stop [Music] that Licata not read the rotor looks ok but the engine I think is the problem raised from the hood take a look they're putting water in the car they probably have a hole in the radiator kpop so just take more tape off the grill not going to be good tonight for Ricky right Dale Jarrett about to get lapped by leader Jeff Gordon DJ is in 16th place and here comes junior to the outside he's trying to use these lap cars sneaking up on him third place and hanging right in there Mike Skinner headed to the back pits you saw pushing Ricky down good language not too good Ricky will join scott wimmer Derrick hope Elliot sample and Todd as far as behind the wall [Music] never see this hose blow in some cool air on Dale Junior's he rides around the racetrack tonight good mountain there engine jump as the car brakes traction it's actually a little off the to me kind of kind of launched at the rear tires off the ground yikes we know this 88 car the UPS garb Jarrett does not he's going to try to run the bottle and racetrack take Jeff chords Gribble in hope that the caution flag comes out before Gordon can you find all the proof you need hear that in this fort what you did last week means nothing Jared's about to get lapped not even at 300 laps initially he's a guy he held the big trophy at the end of last week's race so Gordon continuing to pressure Dale Jarrett and try and put him a lap down Gordon and Earnhardt jr. both led 140 laps so far we'll see if we get some drama here at Bristol when we come back almost looks like the the Hollywood sign except it's the Sharpie sign that's on the NHRA drag strip part of the Bristol Motor Speedway complex all those motorhomes all those cars there's nobody walking around out there they're all in here in a hundred forty-seven thousand seats in this beautiful stadium saw Jeremy slide up the racetrack pretty high going into three that last lap right front tires flat on his car that's probably a good reason why check also again trouble turn to Steve Park caution is out Petros about to get real busy we had just run a little over a hundred and twenty laps of straight green flag racing so this caution for everybody except Steve Park and the guy who is hoping to win a million at Park one tonight gosh it's probably a very welcome sight say what Rodney Weiss waving the flags tonight normally the starter comes here to Bristol he expects he's going to get a workout with that yellow flag we've had some really long green flag runs in this race yes we have we've had a lot of caution flag but they all came right together in the green flag racing we've had a couple of good green flag runs we've got a lot of guys more than a lap down now so these restarts gonna be pretty interesting 14 cars on the lead lap Johnny Benson just got put down by the leaders before the caution now remember that last pit stall on the backstretch that's the one Jimmy Spencer came in eighth and got out second with last time this time Spencer had fallen back to seventh the eighth seventh or eighth spot so he's lost a lot of time getting on pit road we'll see what kind of an advantage he can get Dave and I think they're gonna be happy once again that they chose this pit stall we'll see when it all pans out he's a little bit tight Benny that's why they wanted to come in to make a track bar adjustment they discussed wedge when Jimmy said let's do the track bar see how the car reacts we'll have to bet again before this is over bill Weber amazing one for Bobby Labonte the car really coming to him although it is a little off tight on the restarts going to make an air pressure adjustment to try and handle that four tires and fuel Bobby Labonte for his first looking for it's part until water tied in the middle they take a half pal on the right front tire he's also spinning the tires off of the corners in front of him Jeff one pound on the right front and course up by a bunch and jr. did they do something the right rear that Garcia's 19.3 and looked like those guys might have done something in that 19.3 Matt what's going on with Tony Stewart well batting Tony Stewart four tires he said the track bar just when the last stop didn't help the tightness in the center the court he wanted to go back so they did they made a wedge adjustment as well the car was really tight to Center and to free up off the corner Dale Earnhardt jr. came out 7th after that long pit stop so we'll follow up and see what happened there Jeff Gordon is out in front of the Sharpie 500 coming up on the lap 300 mark here at Bristol [Music] the Sharpie 500 from Bristol Motor Speedway on TNT brought to you by sharpie how do you use your Sharpie by Walmart always low prices always and by Pep Boys help for your car is just up Pep Boys away Pep Boys we're car people tempers tempers here at Bristol it applies even on the pit stops let alone the racing action Oh or tell us where I watch this now this is Ken Schrader's Jeff Greene that's once [Music] wash twice we got trouble sharing away field right at the head of them Jared Shepherd and a host of cars got the best end of it we punished leader Jeff Gordon back around nobody's gonna get a lap back and the caution flag is out once again 88 of Dale Jarrett they got the back of Jeremy Mayfield on that restart got him turned around but like we talked about these restarts now BP you've got a side-by-side almost like his start of the race yeah and everybody's getting a little bit anxious he's got that Dale chairs the left front tire really at a tilt let's watch what happens here see the 88 just gotten Abeka the 19th guard turned him sideways and then then to turn him right into the 88 car and Jeff Burton and the fit pulse class has had nowhere to go he was running fifth after that pit stop [Music] daddy at Bristol ye you get caught up Jeff Burton caught up at somebody else's best yet nowhere to go we had a good race car and now he's done watch Burton on the outside their fifth one back rusty just barely gets by and [Music] and sterling marlin points leader just barely gone by this see him working on the right front yeah that car the left front was way out of tow I mean the tow is way out but that doesn't belong there does it someone was trying to make a tender adjustment to their race car will be back back at Bristol Motor Speedway the Sharpie 500 live on TNT under caution lap number 303 after fifth place runner Jeff Burton caught up in an unfortunate scene it looks like another one of the contenders got some damage to bill absolutely Allen Bobby Labonte on pit road has substantial left front damage he pulled up until that Ward Burton take a look at it Ward said he thought it was okay but couldn't be sure so Tommy Baldwin his crew chief came over talked The Potter's crew chief Jimmy Makar say we really can't be sure don't go on our advice so they decided it was better to check it now under caution and have something happen when they were out there Bobby Labonte on the pre-race show said that it has been a terrible season he's right about that Joakim Jenna doesn't believe in luck but they have had some bad luck over the last 15 races this could be more other the see Jeff Burton coming back off the pit road to at the bottom of your screen there he's been in about three times now as the Roush team attempts to repair that damage Dale Earnhardt jr. came in second pretty far back that pit box I think that may cost some fellow Bennie he's trying to give him some space at front so if they if they win the race off pit road he can drive around the 24 car but unfortunately stop so short that I think the two cars pitted behind him the guys had to somehow get around that two car to get to his car is that what happened Marty that's what happened guys they had to jump literally over Rusty Wallace is hood the pit stalls here Bristol are very small and what teams will do is they put tape about midway into the pit stall that's where they want the front of the car to stop the tape and Dale Earnhardt jr. pit stall is too short in other words he doesn't have enough room first car to fit in the box so what they're gonna have to do now is put him about a foot forward of their piece of tape to get him into the stall so the guys can get around in the back lose positions late in this race because pit stops here especially later Bristol are very very critical I measured the pit stall down there today and it's four feet eight feet longer than the car the pin stall is eight feet long in the car so they really have their work cut out for them but that's not what we really want to talk about what's that we want to talk about a let's throw well that's where they are here we go they always baseball and folks up PP I'm gonna tell the millions of people watching tonight what they're all thinking Alan throws like a little girl well I mean baseball obviously was not his game right that is just sad do we want to talk about the the $10,000 camera that I was throwing the ready hit and break or anything like that that way you're so like a did they want to tell me that they didn't want me to throw the ball so it fell over the roof of Victory Lane and we'd have to go shhh BP you are not gonna have a problem breaking the camera with that throat first right not believing but now you saw how high up this broke booth is when Dave did his Dave discovers we could take Wally and throw him out this way ride with me next week so remember at Darlington I volunteered for that will you stripe the car absolutely okay thank you I knew I was being set up for something I just didn't know what time it was gonna happen tonight that's okay what was that we talked about paybacks latest retrace features - bring it on baby here we go green green green curtness what work you second spot and Johnny Benson trying to get a lap back from leader Jeff Gordon that's it place this is where the fuse gets a little bit corner BPI tempers right now are your patients I should say got cars stacked up in front of you the meantime you look at the guys that have already cleared the slower traffic and they're pulling away [Music] it's fairly easy for these guys he is look at him the racetrack trying to get by bitten in the 10 car he doesn't have to give to the leader absolutely Johnny's doing everything he can to stay on a lemon he doesn't have to pull over but the meantime Jeff's saying hey I got to go I got these guys right on my tail I gotta get by it repentence hope the poor is a caution here that will allow him to get to the stripe ahead of Gordon and make that lost Ward Burton and Rusty Wallace right behind that 24 and I meet Johnny as driving that thing right now everything it has desperation yes sir [Music] I started to say once we get past half that patience thinner and thinner and thinner that last 50 laps of race these guys are not going to give anything they will really be beaten and banging we impressed with the runner Ward Burton has had tonight starting in ninth place up to second if you talk to ward early in Friday's practice he wouldn't have given you anything for his chances to be in this position right now tonight Oh trouble turn three in Ellison Jeff Green let's see if Johnny I'll get his lap back hurt Jeff will get gone his lap yes he will Johnny bets on his lap the 30 car is right in the middle of the racetrack and your guts cow baby right oh man oh man that was close and that's the problem right there was racing back to the yellow one of these days it's going to be big and pile Jeff Gordon did not give his lap back I think that goes back to when he wouldn't give up that inside lane before who knows hey Jeff go around him on the outside to get by [Music] that's an ugly race guys out there that's a that's a pretty big hit and see Jeff up there on the outside and and Ricky Craven got in the wall and may attempt just ran in the back of them and that 44 car turned left out from behind the 32 I don't even think the Jeff Green had an idea that Craven was slowing caution flag number 10 is out at Bristol 184 laps to go at Bristol Motor Speedway TNT's live coverage of the Sharpie 500 continues were under caution at lap number 319 after Jeff green and Ricky Craven collided on the backstretch Pepsi race recap now what's happened so far in this race while the drivers children sang the national anthem to the sellout crowd of 147 thousand and then the mayhem began Todd Bodine lap seven involved in a spin off of turn number two then lap 18 got it again Robby Gordon nipped by Bobby Hamilton spun around that was a third caution Ricky Craven involved in that was caution number four from Sterling Marlin does penalized when his car the jet got hung under it leaving the pits and put him back to 37 at the time but he's recovered up to seven more troubles Elliott Sadler and Joe Nemechek collide Sabra hits the inside wall in the back stretch expressed his displeasure first to Joe and then to the side of the rescue he was about to get in more troubles if the caution flag is waved a total of ten times the bumpers have been used the chrome worn the patience is running out to it all only two drivers have led this race Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt jr. Gordon has led a hundred 80 laps Earnhardt jr. 140 Steve Park could have won a million dollars for a fan with a victory tonight [Music] this on the restart a moment ago the l-jabarut hits Jeremy Mayfield by the time it's done fit plays Jeff Burton is involved as well as Bobby Labonte which one at the time now the most recent caution ricky craven slows jeff green doesn't see him and hits him on the back straightaway yellow flag number 10 of the Sharpie 500 and only four lead changes they're blowing the track off with the big jet dryers we'll take another break and come back to Bristol Bowman [Music] at platform right down behind pit road in the center of the infield those are folks who won the lowest man-made movie contest it's the all decked out party for the contest winner and five of his or her friends are watching the race with TBS manmade movie host Chad Taylor from the specially designed Louis choice deck platform built there just behind the start/finish though how many people it says five the winner and five of his or her friend looks like somebody's crash in the party there they crash that party but it's a nice looking back congratulations winners you know I we talked a little bit ago about when Dale Earnhardt jr. made that pit stop we saw that back of his car hung over and as I said these pit stalls at this racetrack are only eight feet longer than the car so get it in and out of these pits it's got to be difficult for these drivers Matt you were telling me these guys did something special this week well Benny at Chip Ganassi Racing al Shuford after watching the tape from the spring race here saw so many close calls and incidents on pit road that he simulated the Bristol pit road and the teams parking lot the stalls measured twenty to five and a half by fifteen and a half and also they did they set up cones to simulate this and also similarly to other cars that might be going over the line they also set up tires and what he was trying to do teach these guys how to work around this tight pit road they also practice having to push the car up dropping the equipment push the car back to get the car out of the stall there's so much up for grabs besides winning the championship and the money that goes along with it there's a million dollar bonus from Dodge for the first Dodge team the winner championships that come back they're not leaving anything to chance and they're not gonna leave anything on the table all right and that that's amazing they go that much trouble just to be sure that they can get these cars off of pit road that's what it's come to a good story man thank you Frank position is everything still clean it up let's take a break here Sterling Marlin running now in seventh place in the Sharpie 500 he may be putting two top-off Sammy and give you live video you know they're gone you have any any footage from the 360 car that is that on tape you have any of the exhaust is what's burning his butt up you know that 360 car that'd be sweet Bennett ego show that again probably just best to just jack it up [Music] hey Beth yeah that same shot we had before the exhaust pipe be perfect yeah it's gonna be real tight don't you some other time [Music] when this thing settles down baby [Music] coming to the green flag here in the Sharpie 500 Bristol Matt Kenseth getting a little hot in his car [Music] combined unbelievable I've been there Matt Jones in South Carolina about 1980 fern sit on they wasn't they made a pit stop what they do down there BP they made a pit stop to put fuel in the car they can make it from here on as for Matt's rear end it's getting better because of all these yellow flag coming off the turn three Mark Martin Newman tearing the body in the aftermath it started with Martin and Newman getting tangled up caution is out again and look at all these guys racing now baby's gonna try to get a lap back do it oh look at this I'll rant Jeff all the way up to the wall he is not happy with that he just ran Jeff Gordon clear up to the wall in the middle of one and two not happy that the 24 would not let him have a lap back and there again you don't have to you don't have to let anybody get a lap back if you're a Jeff Gordon's possession but you know like you said earlier Allen boy he Kyle made an awfully tough on these guys to get around him and these drivers don't forget anything that happened tonight all right here's what brought here's what we see Cal pay almost gets a lap back but not quite so a Jeff goes to the corner cow so sunset glow chip I back cut me a break let me get a lap back but I agree with you I don't know when all this given the lap back came in the beam anyway so got 15 cars on the lead lap Kyle is the first one behind a circuit in 16th place and runner caution again with 166 laps to go in the Sharpie 500 you guys show us a wreck 18 will not stop [Music] thanks Bill Oh what Mark was at half of car on the apron tomorrow which play takes over TNT every episode back-to-back and don't miss the drama of which play 211 only on GMT Ryan Newman and Mark Martin brought out the caution flag a couple of laps ago hey I'm bored with Mark Martin here you see he's trying to get underneath the the 12 car right here takes down takes down low and he really was up there mark had almost door tires on the apron I just don't think Bryan saw he was there ride was racing with another [Music] Jim Wharton quickly gets by the 45 garb Kyle Petty Mark Martin has continued to lap down in third place Jeff Gordon leads Warburton second Rusty Wallace / Jimmy Spencer fourth Dale Earnhardt jr. is fifth lost that track the pit stops back at lap 2 that is said at that time and John got to cut all those spots back the second five years Rusty Wallace on the inside of pork burger takes that spot away I always got a laptop Oh Jeff Gordon mr. Pyle penny [Music] Racing here Britt stolen that Mars bill we're going to see trex like that let's talk Jeff Gordon for 200 one of the Korean party a little upset as you would imagine with Kyle Petty about his animated as Jeff Gordon will ever get on the radio he said the Kyle was not close enough to him talking about their little contact earlier let him get a break on this restart he would help out on the next so Jeff a little upset because he thought Kyle was trying to give him a flat left front tire the flat left rear tire Williams trying to collect his truck shut down Marty pile definitely jump up the racetrack at Jeff because he wasn't happy with pretty quickly on the restart we'll see if this is left back the caution comes out again soon Jeff Gordon of course in the midst of that long winless streak goes back to the Kansas City race last September 30th when we talked with Jeff about trying to get off the schneid we're working really hard to win races and if that's a story you know that we're not then you know you guys could talk about whatever you want to talk about but for us all right caution is out Hut Stricklin involved in an accident Pierre Gordon has slowed down his Rusty Wallace going to pass him to the caution [Music] I don't know cow got in tonight it was awfully close it wasn't for a lack of Jeff kind of giving it back to him though he tried his bed Rusty Wallace almost threw that gentleman's agreement out the window there they're checking the photo finished camera to see if I already got his left back or not yeah I think he did what do you think he did I think so yes but Jimmy Johnson did not and that's another reason that Jeff Gordon was slowing down I'm sure was to let the 48 car get a lap back and that he did not turn that jerk Jimmy got a bag but don't start a new card to get it back there you go yep and yeah he couldn't I mean if he was slowed down anymore the two would have passed him because his brights not that Rusty's brakes aren't that good man I tell you what that's trickling heavy crashing temporary heavy [Music] [Music] attraction when your rear wheels are off the ground the foot telling you again when you get into a guy getting the into the corner there's about no chance you're gonna save it that's what you talked about the very top of the show when you make contact at that point that front car is going for a ride and never see her jumping out he's going above the cloud for Jeremy tampers starting to boil this is about the time they start coming up and I guess now did not get that lap back here's Jeremy behind let's trick them going down the corner it's pretty rough yeah it was a pretty hard hit I mean did a lot of damage to Jeremy's car even that's a left rear left front Mark Martin got a piece of wall thoughtfully hard here at Bristol the half mile race track man so they're hooking up the remains of Hut Stricklin scar pit road is closed so let's take a break we'll come back to Bristol in a moment NASCAR on TNT from Bristol Motor Speedway coverage of the Sharpie 500 tonight next weekend it's on to another one of NASCAR's great venues Darlington Raceway in South Carolina Friday Saturday and Sunday for you black hole qualifying the NASCAR Busch Series race and about ndu southern 500 here's our Craftsman Truck Series update what's going on with one of NASCAR's top touring divisions well a heck of a championship race is what's going on five drivers within 100 points Mike Bliss obviously the leader Terry cook Robert Preston just 100 back I'm funny Rick Crawford in fourth in a race coming up in Richmond for the trucks a week from Thursday night good show alright Jimmy Spencer stolen Marlon kevin harvick they're going to restart 12 13 and by the way Kyle Petty did not beat Jeff Gordon back to the line NASCAR photo-finish camera so he is still the first car one lap down very frustrated oh yeah and Rusty Wallace is trying to get by I'll be sitting duck catch Jeff Gordon the you'll do it going out in turn one in Wallis Ward Burton Dale Earnhardt jr. and Tony Stewart the top five and you've got Johnny Benson bobby labonte Kate Bush Matt Kenseth and Bobby Hamilton Hatake for the second car got out of the 43 starters 14 of them on the lead lap it's interesting to see how this training is going to pay out payoff because I just don't quite understand why Jeff Gordon rest of all those guys did not stop we talked about down the bridge Marty's saying that they are concerned about tire wear but they got a lot of drivers out there right now a lot of cars that are not plan on stopping anymore but the guys who are leading have to stop once more oh yeah they've got stop 2014 [Music] I'm a now in twenty two to eight those guys are all gonna have to stop again but you get some of these guys in the back like Kenseth in nine Bobby the body and seventh Ronnie and seventh they're saying they're there on the track till the checkered flag waves that's right and then goes green the guys that hit stopper penises are mr. Walley I know and I thank him it goes Christo full moon come on watching bobby labonte they're not looking like he's been hammered much by that picked up left front whether let's give it a try what he got but like you were saying to be make our talk to mark want fester that agent over and that 18 car which topped off at lap 132 is good to go to the finish they came in talked about it said he might meet up break over gonna go ahead go for it that guy minute talked up on 132 good to go to the end that's Kurt Busch in the 97 car I'm sure he's good to go to the end I thought I saw a puff of smoke out the back on 97th our motion he is good Manny he's also good to go to the finish but he's got some something smoking out the left rear an offense a tire rub or that could be a tire rub because in that caution the big causing down there turned one they said the tow out was not the tow was knocked out they came in at the left sides on foot in fuel said he was going but that rear looks like that see any damage fitzy too damaged I don't know where the smoke is coming from now they do at that time if you look close he's got damage on the god bless thank you Bill what I've when my notes beat me Kurt stopped at lap 326 would be that that pit stop that they were talking about that he's going to go to the finish for my on fuel girt winner of the spring race here at Bristol famous oh it's gettin tight they're famous or infamous last laps scuffle with Jimmy Spencer you while the Sun Cowpen in the 45 car is really struggling trying to keep up well one thing he's gotten on the outside and this he can't get to the bottom the string of traffic you see any part of piece of them casings having a good run - yes he was he was on the lead lap in 12th place response rate hikes 13th the caution flag fuelling a pipe there huh you got a bunch of fuel left front tires knocked it flat and Jimmie Johnson once again did not get a lap back pit road is closed his Dave Blaney's car was sitting in the back and stretch pit opening Mike Skinner and the Senate car Casey Atwood like a little contact look like a lot of contacts and if you if you use that yellow line at the bottom of the racetrack is a gauge Mike was kind of he's kind of up off the bottom - that's too bad for Casey left front tire obviously is flat see that and he's going to lap down trying to get it fired back up and around okay pit road is open this time are we gonna see the 24 car stop here yes oh yeah wait till he gets there that's what you like about decided you're so decisive here they come Kenseth stays out Bobby Labonte pits Wow Kenseth stays out Bobby had to pin Bobby Hamilton stays out Jimmy Spencer stays out Harvick and Marlin hit it on the last yellow they both stay out these guys all put tires on and he stayed out he was a sitting duck there's only what 13 cars on the lead lap [Music] 129 laps to go for these pit stops Bill Ward Burton comes down pit road was coming in the 24 the two came his car is a little tight it'll be four tires he said Rusty Wallace got by because he had to run his crew Bobby Labonte is pitted right behind him also getting four tires and fuel Barney Rusty Wallace on pit road he's had take the tear off off give me four tires and get out of the way then I'm coming off pit road in front of him Jeff Gordon has a little half a pound of pork and Warburton meets all these guys on pit road and they go stop they got away now peel family goes by and junior comes out and late again Matt what's going on the Tony Stewart Betty he hit pit road in the fifth position Tony said the car was a little tight still the center and he was giving up a little bit on the forward your adjustment for Stuart alright let's check how they got to that scoring stripe at the exit of pit road see who got out first alright the winner is Bert or burden the flame car rusty and chef may be the farthest back Gordon spent about all night yeah under caution at Bristol [Music] coming to the green flag here in the Sharpie 500 bristle our Napa field summary five lead changes 13 cautions six cars out of the race Hut Stricklin ricky rudd Scott Wimmer Derek hope Elliott Sadler and Todd Bodine and right now Johnny Benson the third car back the family car is a leader John Andretti boy just got it's damaged look at this Bobby's getting at Jimmy Johnson got the worst end of that obviously YUM caution number 14 [Music] as the pace car picks up the field once again now we start to bring into question the record number of cautions for this race we're nowhere near the car and we are nor are we record number four cautions in the night race at Bristol is 1616 simply rat this is 1414 yes we are somewhere close to it I've got a shot 20 morning shot 20 is the Bristol record how many chains up to this in the race right now five so we've still got a pretty comfortable lead beat oh yeah you're okay on that I can see okay that may not be enough cars left on the lead lap but the way they're going here to have enough lead change to let me catch up on that this is true the all-time bristol caution record VP is 20 and that was done in two of this springtime day races okay I wonder if Jeff Gordon has any damage to his right rear he made any contact at all with those cars but maybe when he comes around the front stretch we'll be able to see [Music] oh listen it's the very end of the pump he has a little bit of tire mark but I don't think that was this cry so God bye that was a big incident for championship standards yeah Jimmie Johnson third in points coming in mark Martin's second in points that that got together with the heaviest damage obviously mark has continued but Jimmy Jimmy can't get it going let's see what having every see they're really slow restart before they get to turn that was it the one to go see there something going on there we have it we don't know about I don't know about so there's Jimmy and he's not waiting to get in the ambulance I don't think he's waiting to wave to his favorite driver right let's see let's see that's correct [Music] thank you for your sake [Music] you know what safety worker I would do that [Music] listen to the crowd [Music] oh it's Bristol that's why there's a hundred forty-seven thousand here it's getting intense well Johnny Benson is the leader here we go on the restart Robbi basically just pulls Jimmie Johnson for a wheels there was a lead up to that I said we don't know what caused it to begin with yeah that couldn't have been the first chapter no I mean obviously those two guys were upset with each other for another reason so we don't know all the facts but NASCAR get the word out yeah they're gonna put the 31 number up on that little board on the starters stand that means you're the one getting the black flag the penalty box door is open here at Bristol and Robbie boy who's gonna be taking a seat for a couple laps back in Thunder Valley still under caution and Jimmie Johnson's walked out of the infield care center Jimmy robbie is saying in his radio that you missed his shift what happened just like every form of racing he's ever been and there's always it's always somebody else's fault he had me turn sideways before we even took the green I didn't even have a chance to grab a gear he's beating my bumper cover off me coming to the green because he wanted to restart in front of me I'm trying to get my lap back as well so they just grind up forever like he always does it's a shame we got a chance to win the championship and we can get spun out before I even think the green on a restart it's wrong you can see the frustrations running high down here in the garage area guys now Robby Gordon has been on pit road serving his penalty a moment ago we intercepted this radio traffic from his car it was team [Music] [Music] [Music] just like fourth place now back on the track intense Johnny Benson right on his back bumper she's only pay for the register we saw Jeff Gordon do that each other Kurt Busch to the lead [Music] somebody missing me on the bottom the restaurant big be honest about that 10 get close right now and you know right now that's what Johnny ii just let me get back to his bumper please coming out the weather his helmet come here and Johnny's not a guy that likes that is racing whoa Matt Kenseth his was Eliott a shot yeah and Elliot's going to lose a lot of positions because of that BP diffusers are about already been wet in their short right now oh yeah that that music is burning down it hundred laps and everybody's in a big hurry Kurt Busch leads Johnny Benson his second Matt Kenseth third Kevin Harvick is fourth Jenny's Hamilton his sixth stolen Island seven cars pitted on that last and you've got Rusty Wallace at 8:00 he got off pit road first Jeff Bourn is at night [Music] at that last yellow and Jeff Burton who continues to hang in there just on the corner she got in a wreck earlier it just had the fake BP that this tire thing is the guys who did stop when it gets down closer to about 30 Oh Elliott Sadler last spring I believe it was stopped and ran this plaintiff did the same thing I think it 157 left on the to depart spencer did get by but then get back by stretcher looking to run a hundred seventy-two for second spot here it goes Tenten tires that he's got now with a 17 car tank our attention to some smoke and Sheree [Music] [Music] the way those guys were leaning on each other although it doesn't look like a smoker too bad right there comes kevin harvick veteran Benson Marty he did lead earlier in the as Kevin Harvick goes underneath in one more car going by Johnny Benson Jimmy Spencer Bentsen shuffled back now to fifth place hornet's nest behind him sterling 207 and he's got the guys on the fresh tires kind of bottled up here and the 19 Jeremy two laps down in 26th place during those guys once you get by Jimmy may feel he may have a lot of trouble was talking about his crew chief Lee McCall he says his carves a little bit snug he thinks you will come to behind us Junior super close by and now Lord and the caution flag is out again and we're award crashed lucky bay got some help Wow Schrader split in the middle trying to get his lap back almost identically in the same spot that his teammate Hut Stricklin yeah I think you're gonna if you would have heard the end of that yeah it wouldn't be good we can get this thing fixed we're coming back out after them [Music] you know one of the hardest weeks ever for his lost my brakes going into three all those half mile racetrack you crash hard he didn't even take the helmet off to get out of the car he's he's bad yep and he's looking for who did it good point big guy up here that was Ty Norris Dale Earnhardt jr. scar I so wanna get out of it he got it you know with the film his entrance did give me a buzz time I maybe don't cut me off though you know give me a little bit of time to get out of the guy answer he's gonna get spun out all right I talked to him and he ain't good doing any good Thai no no the emotions are running very very high right now I talked to baby next Friday [Music] Darlington [Music] [Music] and now that call goes out on the NASCAR radio for the driver and crew chief of the 22 to go to the big red truck and the race is over that big red truck is going to be busy oh it's gonna be alright let's see if we can see what happened and why Ward is so upset on board with Dale Earnhardt jr. come off turn to start down the backstretch jr. gets a run he thinks he has enough but just barely makes contact with Ward and bam in the wall that's one but there was contact well he's gotta finish throw that Allen Bestwick probably does the Sharpie 500 from Bristol Motor Speedway on TNT brought to you by Sharpie how do you use your Sharpie by Dodge you can take life as it comes you can grab life by the horns and by Old Navy rugby's now will they have all for your whole bunch the actions building towards the finish oh yeah like I said the Wally and I talked about the abuse is lit they just get closer and closer to the dynamite all right is this a knuckle curve or a fastball ball and a strike now that was the pitch here's the catch he went for you know that junior I thought it was gonna try to catch it I did look up in the mirror yeah yeah [Music] oh here we go we got we got the folks down in the truck keeping track of things that I it has to be useful - a good Sabbath [Music] all right let's hear for more Matt and Ward Burton was forced to go do you feel Karason award what happened how do you just didn't take his time I mean we've been given and taken out there all day I've got some really good words for him by case they don't TP but I got just control myself right a moment you sent a nice message though with the throat I wish I did something like a shot to the window and works pretty good with those things - so junior should be gladdie you didn't have anything to shoot through the window intercepted this junior side of the story over the team radio I tried to get out of it he's got it you know you give me a buzz laughs amazing don't cut me off you know give you a little bit of time to get out again 30 go get the fun out [Music] well I think that he 20 cent was warped by a couple of morning passionately thought he was going to so he got into it I think that's some interference with another radio out there something's but two sides to every story and you got them both there and they're obviously very opposite sides to that one well we're going to try this again here in a couple of war laps of caution you're watching NASCAR on TNT oh happy Harvick moved upwards hey Wally yes we never did mention that's why the 18 stop troubles for Tony Stewart as we come back to Bristol and this happened on the caution flag I wasn't going on down there well Manny he came on the radio and said to the 44 pulling up in front of MIT he hit the 44 when he pulled up in front you can see fluid he can smell the fluid leaking from the race car the officials are waving them off they're gonna have to raise the hood you can see the fluid hitting the ground tough break for Tony Stewart last three night races here a bit a second in a first they were poised for another win tonight evidently when he ran the back of him he's cut an oil on or something that's unbelievable you could see that fluid behind the car when he pulled in he was running ninth at the time and again here's one of those guys locked up in that fight for the championship that's fighting bad luck we saw Jimmy Johnson get crashed out of the race so get on the oil some leave the oil and these guys are trying to clean up and that's in Kevin Harvick's pit and they're trying to get that cleaned up because if they have to come back in the pits when Kevin pulls in that pit stall that oil was there he keep on going it wouldn't be able to stop and I think it would be safe to say Tony's not really happy inside his race car I'm sure he isn't in fact he would be the latest added in a long list of people who are upset and ill-mannered on this evening at Bristol some examples we show for you now Elliott Sadler after an early race crash Hut Stricklin like that was a Jeremy Mayfield's collection there's Jenny Johnson report Burton [Music] ah Bristol Tony Stewart the latest one to find trouble and get his temper lit up [Music] and said the 40 car man said the 40 Karl he said the 44 or 42 outside that had to be it but I can't believe that knocked an oil mine off hey Alan yeah I know you know this but that second third fourth and sixth in the warrants now they yeah with right out yeah well more and more common yeah hey the way the hole was punched in the left front that the oil cooler they're pretty close yes yeah that may have been it then the oil cooler sitting her feet was like a perfect punch wall yeah yes we definitely miss you know oddly if he's got bars in the back of that car like most these cars do it acts like a spear on that rear bumper like a dagger like a dagger this is this this may be the longest caution you're gonna have for the rest of the race with all that oil [Music] but yeah do this shot of that rear bumper if you can Dagger [Music] for those my blog can't say anything okay so he lost three laps getting that god [Music] [Music] back at Bristol the Sharpie 500 live on TNT before a sellout crowd once again and the mayhem continues Tony Stewart the latest involved in a really weird situation yeah this was not much of a hit on his part but the oil cooler sits there in that left front area BP and it must not have taken bunch of us to tour the line off and the cooler but you see the 44 got by and I don't think Tony like that for some reason and there's all the contact we're talking about but somehow someway if not that's why I said a hole in the oil cooler broke an oil on or something he is back on the right track Tony Stewart the 20 car is back on the race track but coming last three laps down yeah he lost three laps and then he's back to 26th place he was running ninth so for the caution cooler must be really close to the bodywork there in the left front area tony stewart fourth in points coming in just 84 behind leader sterling marlin then a bad night four point guys everybody except sterling Sterling's running sixth Ricky Rudd's out of the race Tony Stewart we just saw his problems Jimmie Johnson was in the accident earlier Jeff Gordon he's hanging in there he's dominated a lot of the race but he's back in eighth right now after making a later pit stop that these guys that are in front of him Marty Allen April of 2001 that was the last time Rusty Wallace Smith went to Victory Lane that was a California 49 races ago rusty loves Bristol he would love to win here this weekend now rusty has a neat tradition he named his race cars once they win a race the car currently is named PC 54 when I asked him earlier today what will you name the car if you do win he said I have won in mine but I'm not going to tell you what it is rusty got his first career win near his 50th career win here if he went tonight it would be career win number 55 Wally what would you name your racecar put one two ways for you Bristol alleluiah rifle would be Wally's wife Stan Matt one out of the 20 car well Benny we're gonna catch up here with Chris Woodward the engine tuner for Tony Stewart Chris what happened evidently when 44 pulled up from the annamund pinch the line of course and only had to come in fix it just an oil line just punched an oil line ninth to 26th and Tony's still making repeated pit stops to try and get it fixed radda oil drive dumped on the track they're trying to blow that off and clean it up so let's take a break Kurt Busch is the leader of the Sharpie 500 TNT is live at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee where a sellout crowd is watching the Sharpie 500 a race that has been dominated by two drivers and filled with yellow flags we are under the 15th caution flag in this race but it's that kind of action that these fans come to this place to see check our storylines on the night Sterling Marlin having a good point night so far yes so far you still have 78 laps to go 13 cars on the lead lap pit strategy think most of the leaders have made their last stops for the night and so and I have lost big on the cautions versus lead change at the top of our broadcast going back green a big night for tempers crystal Kurt Busch is the leader Matt Kenseth the second Kevin Harvick third Jimmy Spencer for Steve Wallace Jeff Gordon Bobby the body and Dale Earnhardt jr. [Music] jet boarding this does the dominant driver the chase seems like two hundred thirty two laps Dale Earnhardt jr. is about 140 nobody except those two Atlantan till they came in for their most recent hit stop and gave up the top spot all right here we go Sterling Marlin Rusty Wallace Bobby Hamilton [Applause] disguising might have a shot consistent place [Applause] we mark the wall to the Jetport [Music] Jimmy Johnson's back on track after his time behind seven nights down 30 good place [Music] [Applause] Oh and those your teammates [Music] Michael Waltrip's had a terrible night he's two laps down first place [Music] [Applause] [Music] rusty working on sterling fifth-place here hey rusty screw get him off pit road ahead of that you'll be potential yeah hundred twenty-eight the biggest thing of the night if they could work your way up through [Music] hey crusty scars a little bit better right here looks like looks like it is Marty want to sit down the toothpick his car's really good keep it's in mine tube in his car gets better the longer he that will be for the fourth fifth position rather rusty also this race is August 24th is a date today the last time rusty won battle for the lead is all over Kurt Busch these two teammates now these guys get to race and these guys behind we're going to close up in a hurry kids of the locker room as he raced in too hard because you're right here comes Harvey there's Rob Eliezer Matt Kenseth's crew chief they liked it for the first time tonight those hard evidence hey Dave how's the heat problem the 17 car no report on that Benny still a bad radio problem but format the main comment that he made was that I have saved my tires he believed that Kurt might have worn his outracing Johnny Benson earlier tens of class stopped at lap all right can you stay in front of happy Harvick in the 29 car [Applause] [Music] back me up in my math you are that's 172 laps he's going to try and run to the finish right yeah yeah and by looking at rusty on the race Shack he's clicking off some pretty good laps right now but two and a half seconds back a lot of time to make up Hey look who's coming up behind Kurt Busch yes two of them keep saying it's behind them but every time they get close on the racetrack we all hold our breath and look to see if it really is the NASCAR guys standing up in the booth over there this is third in third place [Music] these to race for the victory in the spring race here back in March there is a contact between them the final pump being administered by the 97 to get the lead in the wind now he's a sensor this is tough for Jimmy right now because he knows he's got a pass if he's got a pass one guy clean tonight it's got to be the 97 car of her foot cuz he knows he's being watched right now Kurt Busch is not going to make it easy for Ono [Music] we see Kevin Harvick rot on the back bumper Kenseth in the lead Spitzer and Bush [Applause] and while we continue to watch this just let you know behind them that Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt jr. have moved through store sixth and seventh to eight Rusty's about 2/10 of second laughs printer right now on those fresh tires farthest all over the back that Matt Kenseth watch Harvey brought through the middle this corner is so much faster right there Harvick slate Kenseth slipped rather here comes Harvick and that doesn't have a choice I think once they rust in Jeff Porter gonna have big trouble I think kitchen is 29 this is times are going to go away and those fresh times will make a difference but he looks pretty good to me right now this is a racetrack that has been very good for Harvick the NASCAR Busch Series competition he's got a couple of wins here and he has scored more Winston Cup championship points in the last six weeks than any other driver on the circuit everybody wondered when richard childress made that true swap teams switching drivers or it sure has this is going to be this is getting real crowded here for third spot all it sure is because you're right the 97 car I think soaping up to 41 a little bit but Jimmy does not walk to spin the 97 out he would not be good politics yeah these guys didn't have a history I'm sure Kimmy would have laid the bumper to him already by now he wants to stay in front of rusty he can't be held up in this water he's looking on the marriage he's rusty he's got to go this is the third fourth and fifth which do wrong what would I do if I was who will put you in the Spencer he I knew what he's doing because she can't hear anything else you've got it pass her claim because like I said he sent her big magnifying glass right now but what's going to happen is Russ he's gonna wear about the racetrack at half a lane rusty got a big one out of there 50 laps to go by the way we have set a record tonight for the number of caution laps in the night race at Bristol the old record was 106 we've had 118 laps of caution so far track record is a hundred thirty and it's still very much both on the back of rusty Wallace's car saw that if you I hear we talked about Jimmy Rusty's gotta go yeah trusty may have some damage on the right rear maybe a a tire rub 47 laps at Bristol if we don't see another caution go by very quickly and right now it looked like it for some reason Kurt Busch has pulled away from Jimmy's Petra Spencer caught him but as soon as Rusty Wallace got back there comes rusty got that inside lane Jeff Gordon gonna try and stay to the inside of Spencer Jimmy tries to shut the door try to do the same thing in the 8 car now remember all these guys are on pressure tires and Jimmy so maybe this is about the point VP we talked about the last 30 or 35 laps we'll probably see that difference in tires I think that was a big pass for Westies chances to win I really do for the last time by Rusty Wallace was a tenth of a second faster Kevin Harvick but he's got a bucket two seconds check at this time by rusty was only 500 to the second faster they there we see the speeds Dale jr. the fastest lap rusty was second and Bob in the body back once they quickly run Kurt Busch is going to get tax in these final apps let's take a final commercial break during green flag competition we'll come back for the finish of the Sharpie 500 Kevin Harvick is the race leader the Sharpie 500 from Bristol Motor Speedway on TNT brought to you by sharpie how do you use your Sharpie bike team Montecarlo the cars more champions depend on chevy will be there but Budweiser delivering beer at its best with the crisp clean refreshing taste known only to the king of beers and by Wrangler real comfortable jeans the guys who took fresh tires and starting to rumble toward the front Rusty Wallace opened the door to the inside of Kurt Busch Jeff Gordon and Dale falling through these guys are about 1/10 of a second faster lap Nandu tires are the guys that didn't take tires in last and what's really going to paint Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth they're gonna start running into the traffic lap traffic there they are Brett Bodine 11 cars Harvick goes by and Kenseth has closed up on the back bumper of Harvey pens at the second Rusty Wallace now third Jeff Gordon fourth Dale Earnhardt jr. fifth and Kurt Busch has been pushed back to six rust he's coming pretty hard rusty Jeff and Earnhardt remember these guys all took fresh tires with a hundred twenty eight laps to go when the guys they're trying to pass stayed out and it all pitted earlier at 32 last BP I think he might catch him they just might help me do some math here oh man that time he's report of a second pastor I never mind on a man what's his to while we watch the two Marty's going to talk about the - alright I'm not sure who's driving the two car Rusty Wallace or Roger Penske who's on the radio drawn to that thing he's telling rusty take it easy getting in hit those marks and whatever you do don't overdrive the corners catch these guys because you're faster than they are but be careful when you try to go rusty had a birthday last week but I'm sure he would take a late birthday present in the form of a Bristol wind and I see that left front rotor flown there that last shot on Rusty's car he's using those brakes keeping that car right on the bottom of the racetrack inside of 30 laps to go a lot of traffic ahead for the leaders to negotiate there's also cherry on it and the spotters are really busy right now I know rusty spotter is down those guys get it out of the way we're Levana the pod car moves over quickly yeah you'll see a lot more courtesy right now when the guys are one or two more laps down getting out of the white leaders at boy consistent right up on the back part of it in the middle of Kevin Harvick stopped with a hundred forty eight laps to go Matt Kenseth stopped with 172 to go Rusty Wallace Jeff Gordon Dale Earnhardt jr. they stopped with 128 to go what rusty plus he's going to learn about I think BP he gets on the buffer these guys see how they're moving up the racetrack on the the older tires 17 car can't stay as low as rusty and rusty will eventually work underneath Matt was sent down the Kevin Harvick Miss Maggie Kevin Harvick has said one word over the past 30 laps motivation to properly they sat in the front row we covered the race car the 100 I'm DRC are stable great view and take it to Victory Lane rusty per second I didn't get very good jump but he's still there he's still there and he's going to take the spot away off turn two and that's probably gonna lose all three of those spots to Jeff Gordon and Earnhardt as well and Kenseth is fighting hard in that outside lane but it's just not gonna be enough here on the outside lane with all their tires he gets down in front of Jeff Gordon but now he has to go up the hill just got the corner lit it too hard had to go up the hill Gordon goes by but junior not able to get by Rusty's got 20 laps to catch kevin harvick I'll help catch him but I don't know about passing on Kevin's car looks pretty good right now but there again Rusty's car is lower in the corners he can stay right on the bottom and that's that's the way you get around a guy got to keep working that low side Jeff Gordon led 232 laps of this race Marty he's in third now though and the cars very good Allen that he is running out of time he doesn't have the track condition either he's going to try to follow Rusty Wallace through in the 29 car if rusty can get underneath Kevin Harvick and there it goes to the lead we'll see a little bump and run there yep there's the bump off the corner you're going to get somebody off the bottom of the racetrack became a little much off the corner first time tonight rusty Wallace's land 18 laps to go that pit stop back for 128 to go where his crew got a lot ahead of Gordon's could turn out to be the difference in the race took very well the difference that 24 driver he's pretty hungry do real well - I remember a couple of years ago of this almost same situation and never see I saw a lot of smoke that time off the right rail rusty stop but I remember the situation Rusty Wallace lead what was at the white flag lap were coming down the jacket he's a last lap when it turn three little bump on one Jeff Gordon took the victory a little bit quicker that last lap remember Jeff's saying earlier I think over radio that his powers a little bit it's not clean air now no he's got a to bluetooth right in front of him [Music] let's check third place Dale Earnhardt jr. is around Kevin Harvick a lot of space between jr. Jeff Gordon now though about a second of the hand rusty Wallace's last win was at the California Speedway in April of 2001 Jeff Gordon's last victory was at the Kansas Speedway in September of 2001 and with 58 career wins Wallace with 54 and it looks like they're going to decide the victory tonight between them the two cars get into the center and pop really really good better than the 24 car right now Jeff looks like he gets in the corner a little bit better and boy you're rusty just stay in that car right down that's in the corner looks like that too they test a trust in instrument bit up here really is working for it because this is a Rusty Wallace of old at Bristol Rusty Wallace has strong ties to the Bristol area did he get his first NASCAR Winston Cup win here he got his fiftieth win here he's had nine victories and all the ELSA also owns a series of automobile dealerships in this area Morristown Tennessee not that far from the he spends a lot of time up in this area speed trap here okay tell me Benny I don't understand it as doubt it's inside turn 20 to come this time okay let's watch it right here we'll see speeds from rusty and Jeff it worked and it's Bristol it's a full moon night [Music] six to go at this time for rusty 24:00 does not appear to have enough to make a charge [Music] but last night Jimmy Spencer appeared to have that Bush race well in hand then a car got bumped and about spun in front of him he jumped on the brakes and Scott and stole that one away nine guys in this race that won last year that have not what mission three of those are those three drivers have 107 starts without a win and on a pre-race show we said let's drink it in today right now we've got a pretty good shot at weed right and this traffic is gonna play a big role right now rusty didn't get off a 2 at all that time here comes Gordon right up against the back bumper everybody in the crowd on their feet [Applause] [Music] I think cause that right there here comes Gordon right up to the bumper again to get that will spread [Music] underneath to the lead two laps to go get rusty come back races since Jeff Gordon has been to Victory Lane the much-publicised dry spell could come too close in one Ray's gotta stay back in traffic after Lincoln but the puppet run yet Jeff Gordon the checkered flag in the end Sharpie 500 crystal here's a discussion we've seen this before between these two [Music] for some reason all of a sudden in those last laps rusty Wallace's car wouldn't get off a turn number two Jeff Gordon 8 the distance up between him and then had to do for Haley to get the win and you know what rusty would have done the same thing I think if he were in that position and the other angle to this is plates illumise jeff gordon's - chief told me that before you left the Hendrick Motorsports shop to come to this race he went into the museum and the trophy looked at the trophy that you get the winning here in Bristol he said I want one of those I wanted this weekend Marty did not give up this entire season or tonight tell you what you know Jeff Lord's been through so much it's just exciting for this team to win the night race we've never wanted I mean I can't say I want to just meet this get a little momentum but he loves and I raise babies in Iraq he just did that's very nice this team heads to victory lane for the first time in [Music] would kiss the trophy that you get the win in this race if they picked it up tonight well he'll get a chance we're gonna want to see that here is our autotrader.com move of the race the winning pass with less than three to go I don't think this is gonna be Rusty's boat but I don't think you ever see that bump and run that was coming to two laps to go Jeff Gordon gets the win Rusty's got to be happy with second Dave is he well on the way in he was reviewing with his crew the incident that happened a couple years ago with Jeff rusty what do you have to say about this it's just racing I guess you know it's just up I'm gonna like the one it's been a long time since I won but been a long time since Jeff won two and I know he wanted it real bad too you think I mean that's obviously why it was such a fight you you guys are both hungry for this win yeah we're real hungry for it I spent a long time since I won I guess my days coming but then I tried real hard real hard enough we get nailed in the rear in the last lap and turned sideways that was I didn't expect it but I got behind that 25 car just couldn't get around on the lap cars slowed me down and when I got to when knew I was gonna have a problem and I lost the front lost air to the front it loud you have to get off on me my rear end and just enough to get in he just got to me where he can hit me I was trying to guess where they knock it out of my just couldn't catch me right Russ he'll be back again very soon guys out of track near you Marty well Dave this is one tired young man Dale Earnhardt jr. talking it over with Tony Eury senior he had a very fast car there at the end but no track position did all right you know it's uh we really stepped up communication between me and Tony Junior and everybody just seems to be a feeding off button we really getting along real well last couple weeks we just bore down you know as a team I tell you what massa it's hard race to stay after you know we we had a lot of things kind of we had a good car you know it's better than I thought it was real happy Dale Earnhardt jr. comes home third Alan Jeff Gordon is tonight's winner and Chevy congratulates Jeff for the number 24 Monte Carlo team that will tell you the only thing that comes close to Monte Carlo his reputation on the track is his reputation on the street more champions depend on Chevy will be there Bill Weber's in victory lane with Jeff Gordon and company you can imagine but this is problematic he's already shaken hands with Robbie nemesis Karl owner Rick Hendrick I may not need to do it anywhere I'm trying welcome home you know I just wanted to you wanted this night race at Bristol bad you know I did want that but I just wanted to take advantage of an opportunity guys gave me such an awesome race car great pit stops all day all night long and you know they deserve a win we don't we don't deserve to be written about about our losing streak so thank god that's over I really just want to thank God for for everything getting us through so much you know these guys stuck together this can do so much for this race team let me thank DuPont and GMAC Quaker State Pepsi Fritos everybody just make this thing happen on CBS we're just we're so fortunate Lowe's Chevrolet it's been an amazing night I I mean I I feel like this is the first time I've ever won how about the pass of rusty Jeff yeah you know he got bottled up in some traffic and I knew if I could get to him you know I can make the move and he got real loose shut the door on me and once he shut the door on me I said aren't you no fair game right there so you know I got into a little bit he got loose and I hope he'll understand tomorrow congratulate [Applause] - Jeff Gordon winner of tonight's Sharpie 500 his first victory in the night race here at Bristol let's go back to Dave burgers now Kevin just got little information here what happened with your car at the end Kevin I just started getting tight in the middle I had to use a lot of brake getting into the corner and and I couldn't leave the throttle down like I could early in that run so congratulations to Jeff Gordon man I know how he feels when you're down and everybody everybody's kicking you but that's awesome but this GM Goodwrench team had a good night all night long we kept ourselves out of trouble and came away at the top five so that's what we came here for he's had a pretty good run going he's had six top tens in the last seven races Allen here are the final results from tonight's Sharpie 500 at Bristol Jeff Gordon scoring the victory his first since last September and we see sterling marlin comes up to finish in the seventh position in front of Jimmy Spencer Bobby Labonte finally got a top-ten hadn't had one since his win at Martinsville in April in Mike Wallace 10th place run at AJ Foyt's car great run for Mike Jeff Burton got damaged the running fifth from on a restart wreck held onto the lead lap Mark Martin 23rd Tony Stewart wanted porn and we haven't gotten the Jimmy Johnson a Ricky Rudd yet a couple of other top guys in points entering tonight never see Johnson back in 34th and Ricky Rudd in 39 early retirees included derrike cope Elliott Sadler and Todd Bodine and that's the way they ran in the Sharpie 500 and Bristol what about those championship standings sterling Marlins lead was 43 over Mark Martin coming in it's 95 now but look who's up to the third Jeff Gordon gained two spots on the 111 behind Sterling Marlin became 39 points tonight BP pretty strong yep Rusty Wallace jumped up 1 and Ricky lost one and so we carried on from here to next weekend at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina our coverage starts on Friday with bud pole qualifying at 3:00 Eastern Time Saturday it's happy hour at noon Eastern followed by the Busch Series race to South Carolina 200 the next Sunday the Mountain Dew southern 500 beginning with discover o'clock countdown to green at 12:30 Eastern on TNT the race for the championship continues next weekend caught up next more drama with Clint Eastwood Dan McDermott and Rene Russo in the line of fire that's next here on TNT well we told you emotions and temper would control the night we also had a whale of a finish too and in the end Jeff Gordon is off to snide he's got his first victory of 2002 [Music]

Channel: NASCAR

Views: 96,327

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: jlbQiBHCFBA

Length: 170min 6sec (10206 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 03 2020

Reddit Comments

[u/nardcore84]

Speed trap with 8 to go is pretty damn hilarious

[u/jj23345]

Probably one of the best races of the 00's.

Saturday Night+ Full Moon+ Old Bristol+Tempers+Finish between 2 bitter rivals= Instant Classic

[u/DoctaChillin]

Sometimes I wish the "racing back to the yellow" thing was still around. I get why they got rid of it, heck Wally even mentioned the danger of it in this race, but some entertaining moments came in this race as a result of that rule. Like when Gordon refused to give Petty his lap back so Kyle ran Jeff up the track. Or when Robby Gordon basically moved Johnny Benson (who was the leader) out of the way to get his lap back. Good stuff.

[u/AMRacer89]

My favorite race of all time!

[u/BotherSquidwardDay15]

This race was a wild one. Every time I watch old Bristol, I remember why we loved the old configuration so much. Was heartbroken for Ward as a 5th grader, as Jr wrecked him this race. I think he had a chance to win, or a chance to at least put a Bill Davis car in the top 5. A lot of wrecks did not take much to happen that night.

[u/rustyshackleford1993]

Did anyone hear the commercial break where Wally goes I think it’s time for a cowtale boys?

[u/willmcd13]

One of the first few races I have memories of watching. Instant classic. Best night race ever!