NASCAR Classic Race replay: Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s first Cup Series win | Texas Motor Speedway

the wheels are ready to roll the concern the tension building 4-500 danger fill vials Jeff Burton succeeded in the first 500 mile er on this track mark Barton claimed the second 500 here and last year texas terry labonte administered at texas whipping to the elite of NASCAR three years this ways has been for many a matter of survival the question will survive to claim the 500-mile er today in Texas [Music] it is the low before the storm the quiet time before all that pent-up power and energy is directed onto the smile of a half-track with a DIRECTV 500 Winston Cup stock car racing returning to Texas and there you see the starting field on pit road 43 strong for four million dollars about to unroll and all of its passionate glory in action let's go trackside right now hello everyone ken Squier with you were just about there just about ready for that command to get this race underway but for a moment we'll spend it with dick Berggren and one of the all-time favorites here in Texas Terry Labonte owns all the records here at Texas Motor Speedway fastest qualifying lap fastest race ever run here he's led more laps than anybody else what he got for today Terry close and we feel like we won't be too far off we'll just have to make the right adjustments got to be right at the end good luck to you today let's go to Ralph Sheheen a week ago Rusty Wallace reached an amazing milestone in his racing career his 50th Winston Cup win but you did that on a half-mile in Bristol Tennessee today a treacherous mile and a half what are the keys of victory year you gotta have a great handling race car for number one a good pit stops last year we finished fourth that had a great car to enter the race yesterday morning in practice we were super good so I'm real confident for today's race Ken rusty will start 19th today and he will be coming in strong after that great run he had at Bristol Tennessee to win number 50 well we're just about there getting down in the count getting ready to fire them up here but let's for a moment go topside and meet the guys we'll be making the call for you a fifty time winner Ned Jarrett's with Buddy Baker and here's Mike joy thanks Kenan hello everyone welcome to what they proclaim on t-shirts to be the asphalt frontier here at Texas Motor Speedway well Rusty Wallace is the tenth NASCAR driver to hit the 50 mark 50 victories met Jarrod as 50 as does jr. Johnson and look at the bottom line however Rusty's about 20 to 21 and three-quarter million ahead of Ned but there's one thing rusty doesn't have with all that money and that's his own Wheaties box Ned Jarrett's one of four nascar legends to be so honored joining other sport greats you'll be able to pick that one up in your local grocery store later on this year well Ned so much for breakfast about today's race well it'll be interesting Mike as has already been alluded to their last practice was rained out last night what they normally call happy hour the most important practice session they didn't get the run they practiced yesterday morning but a lot has happened since then they rent a 300-mile bush race in and out of the showers and of course it's rain since that race and so they don't really know what to set up but the race cars will be most of them have built a lot of adjustments into the cars that they can adjust on it during the race today well if you look at this track from the helicopter it looks much like Atlanta or Charlotte same shape pretty much the same size but Buddy Baker what's it look like from through the windshield it's totally different believe me this race track is one of those racetracks that when you really start in there and get going hey it's a different animal totally well Fritos we'll take you inside racing and buddy we'll take you for a lap around Texas Motor Speedway well let's just go right out of the pit road into turn one preferred line right on the bottom as you sweep out of the turn right up against the wall 195 or better down the back straightaway in the tricky third turn this is a turn you have to watch for you've come out right against the wall double-dog Blake down the front straightaway and back into turn one getting set to go as we're just minutes away from the command 43 riders will take on the asphalt frontier here in Texas CBS Sports coverage of the DirecTV 500 is sponsored by DIRECTV what are you looking at Havilah add more life to your car and by Ford Outfitters No Boundaries [Music] whether it's a dirt track in the Dakotas or here on this giant Texas Motor Speedway here are the words that will raise the hair on the back of your head once again ladies and gentlemen the grand marshal of today's Direct TV 500 mr. Larry Latham with those most famous words in motorsports [Applause] [Music] the power is turned up we're ready to go racing a look at the starting lineup and the green flag next flying high above Texas Motor Speedway now that's the way to get to the racetrack providing aerial pictures for you today the bud one airship Budweiser official beer of NASCAR let's have a look at our wrench head comm starting grid for today's 500 mile ur 26 career pole for Terry Labonte the defending champ for this race and Kevin LePage has his second front row start this year Scott Pruett his second top-five start of the season and Dale Earnhardt jr. he's been in the top ten six times this year Dale Jarrett the Daytona 500 winner twice runner up here and Steve Park who was fourth in Atlanta and seventh at Bristol rookie Jeff fuller the former modified champion has his first top ten start and Jerry Nadeau his third top ten of the season Ward Burton the winner two weeks ago at Darlington and Mark Martin winner of this race two years ago Mike Skinner who came so close to that first career win in Atlanta and Joe Nemechek who was fourth here in 98 Matt Kenseth who leaves the Rookie of the Year chase and Bobby Labonte winner at Rockingham Stacy Compton has his best start of the season and Chad little Dale Earnhardt who wanted Atlanta last month and Ed barrier Rusty Wallace who got that 50th career win last week and Ricky Rudd michael waltrip with Bill Elliott who had a strong third at Daytona Jeff Gordon hasn't won since Charlotte in October and Dave Blaney makes his Texas debut Brett Bodine cracked the top 25 in qualifying and Johnny Benson coming off that impressive runner-up finish at Bristol Kenny Irwin last year's pole sitter and Dick Trickle in the Joe Bessey Geoffrey Bodine car Garry Bradbury makes his first start of the season replacing Rick mast to the 41 Darrell Waltrip three-time Winston Cup champion solidly in the field Jeremy Mayfield fifth year last year and Kenny Wallace's fourth start at Texas Adam petty is NASCAR's first fourth-generation racer today and Rick mast has moved into the AJ Foyt car Elliott Sadler finished in the top 10 here last year in Ken's straighter ninth at Daytona then the provisional starters Jeff Burton who won this race in 97 and Tony Stewart last year's rookie of the year Sterling Marlin who has two top 10s in Texas and John Andretti looking for his third career victory today Jimmy Spencer seventh year two years ago and Bobby Hamilton with three Winston Cup wins to his credit and finally Robert Pressley who scored a career-best third-place finish here two years ago back there were five drivers who failed to qualify for this race Taco Time Wally Dallenbach Dave Marcus Kyle Petty and Robby Gordon only sixtieth of a second separated first and last manufacturers breakdown and today feel there will be 18 for 16 Chevrolet's and 9 Pontiacs you see that Ford is leading right now with three wins this year over one for Chevrolet two for Pontiac 43 drivers will start this field today 334 laps for 500 miles personal over four point three million dollars the fuel when to 62 63 65 laps race record was set last year by Terry Labonte at over 144 miles an hour we'll be riding with seven different drivers in today's 500-mile race Dale Earnhardt jr. Budweiser cam starting from fourth position Mike Skinner with the Lowe's onboard Cameron is Richard Childress Chevrolet will go off 11th Bobby Labonte has the Circuit City camera inside him Joe Gibbs spot again starting 14th [Music] ricky rudd with the Texaco Havilland camera in his Robert Yates racing for the 20th starter and the Siemens camera is in Dave Blaney's Bill Davis Pontiac from 24th spot [Music] Johnny Benson coming oh so close to that first win here's Benson the Lycos calm camera in his Tyler Jeff Pontiac and Tony Stewart with the Home Depot camera in his Joe Gibbs body act from 38th position let's try Dick Berggren on pit road I'm listening to Mark Martin in the number six car that is one of the fastest cars out here they are so comfortable with the setup that they have in that thing even though they only had one practice session on the race setup they didn't touch it this morning Mike he has won more than half the stock-car races out here let's go to Ralph dick as far as the front row is concerned this race is really going to start on lap number three Terry Labonte is going to make sure he leads lap number one they're hoping to help Kevin LePage lead lap number two who is sitting right next to him that will give each of those teams five bonus points for leading a lap after that it's every man for himself trying to tame Texas it's been a tall order here over the short history of this beautiful speed plant the track which has 173 thousand seats say that they have more season ticket holders then do the Dallas Cowboys this track has been very successful with most NASCAR and Indy Racing League events since it opened ken Squier now the wind is gusting now sometimes 10 to 15 miles per hour from the north to the south that means they get a little kick going into turn number one it follows them down the front straightaway Michael getting set for this race to start they're about half a mile away you could see him zigzagging back and forth they're getting he's in the terrace and also cleaning the racing surface for the race tire it's cool out there folks in the stands sweaters jackets things are about to heat up thanks for faster racing cool weather overcast tires would have he's well to the pavement pace car is in the fourth DirecTV 500 is set to go green and we're racing at Texas [Music] ensuring himself with being able to lead that first level capital page from the outside Paul did not quite get the go at the green and Scott Pruett has slipped underneath him for second spot lepage's third Earnhardt jr. than the eighth car is the fourth place he has a very strong see a lot of side-by-side racing back in the pack those first five or six cars are single-file Dale Jarrett fifth Steve Park in sixth rookie Jeff fuller in seventh and here's the first side-by-side battle Ward Burton after that practice crash he and Jerry Nadeau tussle break plates that after that crash it got no lapse on that Pontiac that he's driving here today before qualifying went out and qualified at night and looks like he has a good car for race seller riding with Mike Skinner that's Ward Burton just ahead Mike you can see how flat the track is one thing they told me about gravesite if you start in there very flat and carp floats into the corner lead chains turn one scott pruett a NASCAR rookie well pretty much a name onlys tamed champ cars sports cars here he is in the Cup circuit and Dale Earnhardt jr. moved ten to third place now he'll go down the back straightaway into turn three looking over the rear spoiler Levani here he comes on the inside made it look too easy that's the power of the bedbug larger shovel right so Scott Pruett has led in NASCAR for the first time and this also the first race of Terry Labonte has led since Rockingham back in October Terry back to then about three or four spots so he's now back up to speed but he got caught on the outside they just can't go when they get on the high side of the racetrack he was not going to take any chances up there in that second groove it working as time goes by over right now the faster way around this racetrack is right down at the bottom of the racetrack so Terry too much racing you have to go to take chances here's Dale Earnhardt at 15th the last week's winner Rusty Wallace the number 2 in 60 bath Kenseth mid his second late last night and it was for a national event and he's back there in 16th position upper left of your screen red there like Stacy Compton that 21st position means that he's lost a spot drivers in green there on the upper lap those positions or drivers who gained a position or it's got puss making this thing look pretty easy in the 32 car believe and Eve actually stretching just a little bit happy moving up pretty quick one other day Oh Garrett little contact down in turn one ricky rudd traded a little pink with somebody there to no consequence as we've been green for all of these first six laps there's that battle was Chad little on the outside a Ricky Rudd down in turn one yes almost a left side by side this is seven of michael waltrip boobs up underneath there's the 42 in blue and green that's Kenny Irwin and Johnny Benson as they've pinned that 97 of Chad little on the outside from Ricky Rudd's car looking back at Michael Waltrip's number seven and upfront things have heated up for the lead it has that the eight car there Dale Earnhardt jr. move closer and closer on Scott Pruett and he brought Kevin LePage right along with your ride with Dale Earnhardt jr. defending Busch grand national champion as he looks over the Ford of Scott Pruett Mike man 1 the bush Grand National race a couple years back there and he won his first race ever right here he loves this track they run one two Pruett the leader Earnhardt jr. in second now Terry Labonte who's led three of the four Texas races including this one has dropped back to sixth place let's go to pit road what's the problem Mike that number five is done pretty loose to Chevy not handling the way he needs it to so he is just going to drop back a little bit try to be patient can get that for their first round of pit stops cruet being pressured by Earnhardt jr. and now back comes Kevin LePage that purple and white 16 who fell back a little bit there at the beginning that he has moved right back up in the third place and in contention for the lead now here is the first group of the first pack of the field is split into two large packs and this is the first part of the first one as things have strung out kind of quickly here at Texas in these first ten laps this all the first group of cars event nurse there's about three seconds back to where Ricky Rudd leaves that second large group of cars the comprises the second half of the field and they lack about half a lap to these three leaders yeah just behind them Dale Jarrett's move and then there's Steve Hart and so it's gonna be a big turn the cardfight if they are not for more on this outstanding what's to cover Edith Bergeron well Earnhardt jr. won his very first ever histories race right here [Music] see who you're running with up there he's running with a guy that doesn't have a lot of experience here in Texas but then again neither does anybody else in this field like he just backed off something I don't know why he slowed down so much and cause behind his back they hit a slick spot and they thought something was going on out there but they back off and stop luckily lot of position changing back that the third fourth and fifth well you're right Steve Park weapon both the third round Earnhardt jr. or something happened they may have had a little contact in that Dale Earnhardt getting me definitely checked up he was right up and under Scott Brewer two laps ago and now he's fallen seven tenths of a second behind we look back at the third place car of Steve Park and he also drives for Dale Earnhardt a he is on our juniors teammate and one last couple of races that Park has had including his first ever Winston Cup poll dick what happened to Dale junior the gold prize of colors in his breast and might and he looked up there and thought one of those Yellow Jackets was the caution light backed out of it for just a second because here in Texas you don't want to mess around with a caution light so look at him he's doing fine he spoke to Brett back in time through it [Music] but that was a strange moment out there breezy I mean they just slow down and Britt just kept going and everybody else started passing everybody else back there for that third fourth and fifth six decisions but one thing that is happening though the aid of Dale Earnhardt jr. has called Pruitt again he's tightened right up as we go back to Matt Kenseth here and Rusty Wallace as they fight back in the pack this will be for 14th position last night second place finisher against last week's Winston Cup winner let's go back to the front where you can see the Earnhardt jr. is right on Scott Pruett now his favorite place to try to pass has been entering turn one can't get much lower on the racetrack than through it as though it turned three no he's been getting a good run off of turn four and that's what has allowed him to get up there going into turn one let's say if he's going to do it no but don't believe it this time not gonna happen 16 laps complete two rookies lead the field Scott Pruett and Dale Earnhardt jr. with Steve Park and third will be here comes the lead Earnhardt jr. going to turn three and the crowd goes crazy on the front straightaway they really pulled for Dale Earnhardt jr. he's got a lot of pressure right now Steve Park and he hits them and turns him around caution is out and everyone else will drive through that smoke screen to the caution flag as Steve Park and Scott Pruett make contact Steve Park just barely touched him as they were in or out of turn four there and just enough to turn him it doesn't take much of a touch at that point of the racetrack you're almost out of control anyway in just a little bit of a touch and a round he went that's too bad cousin Scott Britt had his best run going of his NASCAR Winston Cup career he had just given the low lane on the racetrack not given but allowed Dale Earnhardt jr. the bottom lane Earnhardt jr. went by for the lead Steve Park tried to follow through the hole closed up and Pruitt's car you can't see the damage from this shot but there is some roof flap that's an aerodynamic device designed to keep the cars on the ground when they turn around put their tail into the wind it'll build the picture will knock that one back down into position hopefully Scott through it and stay in this race he's got a lot of damage there the car is kind of dogleg and down through there the left rear you can see has a lot of damage there let's have a look at what happened be parking one there right there they just barely make contact around he goes Kevin LePage did a good job of dodging it Terry Labonte comes along goes down to the inside here comes Dale Jarrett Mike Skinner here it is again just a little bit of a nudge coming up right here and that sent the back into Pruitt's forward around let's show you what Ron Hornaday excuse me with Dale Earnhardt jr. sonnez mirror [Music] mic is amazing there wasn't more contact there they were leading the race they were the first three cars and it was a miracle that a lot of people didn't get caught up in that wreck the best thing that happened there about he was Pruett after he hit the wall was able to keep the car against the wall and everybody else had a clear path down to the inside and to the caution flag as he comes into the pits so does the rest of the field coming down to make those adjustments let's go to dick Berggren al Dale Earnhardt jr. is going to give in and take four tires he's a little bit loose in and a bit tight cutting out they're going to try to adjust the car for that in part with tire pressure at least crew now over the wall Jack been Jeff Clark has the right side of the car up in the air four tire change right front tire bounced or at the 32 car Ted let's go to Ralph Sheheen capital of ages and making changes on his car he was a little loose off so he's going to make an air in the air pressure down a little bit Steve Park came in he took the track bar down one round as well and a spinner as Elliott Sadler gets turned around he got shuffled off the edge of the asphalt is everyone merged out coming out of their pit and with all the rain last night he was stuck in the mud and Mike one thing that happened here a lot of the cars and running back in the pack only took on two tires so they were coming down through they were pitting back down pit road they were coming at a pretty good clip and he was there and he was coming out and she say got clear yes or was he coming in a traffic jam down pit road looked much like the one coming into the racetrack and there it's still a line of track kvitko folks trying to get in this caution is the first one of the day 19 laps are complete here in Texas welcome back to Texas were under caution on this replay watch the one of Steve Park and the five the red car terry labonte everybody's trying to get out to that outside lane and they just squeeze elliott sadler off into the grass which is very wet yeah he was pitting on the far end of the pit so he'd already made his pit stop and was coming out and just got squeezed over there and there's Jeff Burton in the 99 car having to take the base of action there and remember there's no tread on these tires so they have no traction at all out there in the mud let's go to Steve parks pit for an update and Ralph well Mike Steve Park has had a pretty aggressive start to this race as you've noticed and so NASCAR has got on the radio to his crew chief and asked Steve please settle down a little bit or we're gonna keep an eye on you so Steve Park they're telling him to just ease up a little bit yeah the next thing he would see is a flag and they'd come in and talk to him for a while but you know he's just trying so very hard he's got a great race car and it's hard to put a governor on there all right down in the first pit there if Scott Pruett down toward turn one he's lost a lap he's been there the pits so long dick can they get it fixed yeah they're working on it Mike they're trying to straighten out the front end though front wheels aren't pointed correctly and here comes the green flag and fruits [Music] we're back under green Joe Nemechek two of those cars that took on just two tires to gain track position as net pointed out they're going to battle Rusty Wallace to the lead they hate to see that 31 out front because it the sister track here in Atlanta that car was a very dominant car with Mike Skinner had the engine problem that near the end of the race but he really had the car beat all day long mess car risk and cut points victory so Ned will add him to your list at the top of the day of could as wood isn't shouldn't right as he came home so close Rusty Wallace making a move on the inside into turn three last week's winner becomes this week's leader Skinner tightens it right up on his rear bumper and brush to get the five bonus points for leading the left for you fans that might not be familiar with NASCAR Winston Cup racing any driver who reads a lap during the competition whether it's in green flag conditions or under caution flag gets five bonus points and that's the first lap that Rusty Wallace has ever led at Texas he's had some good runs here but not out front just behind these two guys that we're watching race very hard for the lead right now the 22 of Ward Burton is moving in destroyed his car in practice here took a backup qualified with very few laps on it look at him go now this car is really on the move right now the 22 of warburg looks like he's able to keep it right down on the bottom of the racetrack which is good at this point of the race and there's Matt Kenseth right behind Matt Kenseth in the Ford number-17 Rock behind him engine doing a good job he's another of the rookies running up front is a good tonic the last two finishes for Burton third at Bristol and the wind at Darlington dick Berggren has more [Music] the problem he can't feel the throttle he has told the crew that he wishes he had a sniffer throttle spring in it if there's any way to fix it he'd like to have that happen that would be a log pit stop back for 13th place Kenny Irwin Felix Saban is 42 last year's winner this race Terry Labonte of the five and their Steve Park battling and here comes parks boss and car owner Dale Earnhardt in the three wonder how you race you boss do you give him any slack I don't think so these guys race pretty hard against each other well tell me you used to be Richard Petty's teammate how did you race him well I knew one thing if I wrecked him I didn't have to go to round him when he found out bill Stevens Mike a contrast in pit strategy in that last pit stop Dale Earnhardt came in and took four tires his crew chief Kevin Hamlin wanted to take a look at the tires coming off of that car to look at the wear to help him later in the race to gauge what they would do Rusty Wallace came in they took two tires Robyn Pemberton was more interested in track position early in the race and it worked they picked up nine spots including the lead that's Wallace out front of the left of your screen what Skinner right with him and look at the lead they've opened up they'll open up a good lead in Ward Burton we talked about a moment ago how well he was writing he has really dropped back now to about the tenth or eleventh position he leveled out yeah I would watch any makeup way up on the high side racetrack and now there great trend and then just going right on by well buddy if you bang your foot and you get it so you can't really feel that throttle what does that do for your feel of the racecar well the throttles just like the steering you drive the car with throttle so if you can't feel it it's one of the good senses you have inside a racecar to make it do what you want to do he gets in line there just ahead of Terry Labonte and that will move back to 12th place for more on Warburton Ken Squier well I'm amazed he's doing anything with his car remember this is a fresh car he crashed that car on Friday they did not make the Friday session final practice period they were still working on it they changed the motor that on Saturday happy hours they didn't get qualifying left that got us into ninth position and he is doing in he's walking with a very severe limp as he ambled off to that caterpillar number 22 this morning let's go back at the front Rusty Wallace on the left Mike Skinner but have a look who's coming not only Bobby Labonte Matt Green 18 here comes Earnhardt jr. back to the front he restarted eighth he's up to fourth right now I think Dale Earnhardt jr. may have the quickest car out there but Bobby Labonte has a knack on these types of racetracks the Ellen's Atlanta he might own Texas and he keep trending like adrenaline today our Circuit City cam on board Bobby Labonte looking back at Earnhardt jr. already in just 25 laps seven different leaders of this race the body looking ahead at race leaders Rusty Wallace to the floor to Mike Skinner Chevrolet [Music] for more on the body there's Ralph Mike I spoke to his crew chief Jimmy Makar this morning in the garage hearing about why he thinks Bobby Labonte is to really chase a championship he says I noticed Bobby noticing the little things more than ever before he visualizes everything around him he didn't used to do that before the little mistakes could cost him a place or two here there which cost you big not anymore bobby labonte is amateur driver runner-up for the championship last year and Warburton continues to backslide he'd gotten back on the low groove there and had run pretty good for a few laps Mike and then all of a sudden the car gets under gets up in that second groove lost a couple more positions we're gonna have a fight for the front as the front four are closing up together boy Bobby Labonte with Dale Earnhardt jr. back to where they meet throughout the leaders down very very quickly you look at now Dale were not as far as they start down they learn art Jim you as they start down the back straightaway these cars are absolutely flying around this racetrack good year with a new tire here and that means higher speeds particularly corner speed let's have a look with Joe Nemechek and our fritos onboard telemetry at speed at rpm well you can see this is in the turn the rpms gets down in the mid seventies but now they go up to speed goes up with the RPMs over 8,000 rpms a little bit of break is he went into the turn just to get the car set then he starts picking up speed and you see that speed now going up over 180 588 miles an hour then explain that you don't so much use the brake to slow the cars you do to set the car in the corner well put you can almost run wide open around this racetrack you didn't have to decelerate just a little bit but it's better rather than just lifting all the way off the gas just get the brakes a little bit because it it won't affect the setup for the race car dumped weight as much going into the corner as it would if you let off the gas and then back on the gas from our light goes Cam Ranh for Johnny Benson as he passes number 12 Jeremy Mayfield may feel now at seventh and Johnny Benson has taken over six she climbs the ladder Phil Stephen says far Mike Johnny Benson's on a tear remember he started 26 has worked his way up to six but his crew chief their James in a little bit concerned the last pit stop he doesn't think they got enough fuel into the car he's hoping for another caution to even the playing field 38 laps complete first and only caution of the day so far back at lap 18 when Steve Park and Scott Pruett got together and turned for any fuel in it until they had run that far when they had the first caution and not burned much Rusty Wallace the leader at lap 39 it's Ford Chevy Pontiac now that for parity Wallace Skinner and Labonte are the front three Dale Earnhardt jr. his sport and Matt Kenseth fellow rookie is Bill [Music] 44 laps are complete in the Direct TV 500 rusty Wallace's Ford continues to lead Mike Skinner Chevy Bobby Labonte's Pontiac in the Chevy of Dale Earnhardt jr. now there's your front four and they have opened up quite a gap on fifth place Matt Kenseth its 3.2 seconds from Earnhardt jr. back to the fifth place car not anymore Johnny Benson just got by him to take over that spot to move Benson up to fifth and displace Kenseth to six there they are at the bottom of your screen new paint job for Benson this week [Applause] as the leaders back to turn one rusty uh opening up blue to the ground here about half a second I'm Mike Skinner you know talking about fifty victories when I talk to Rusty Wallace about finally getting that fiftieth victory he got you know his 49th last year and he thought he'd get the 50th and it'd be over with he said it was such a burden now he can go back to living again because it was one of his great goals in life to win 50 races he said it was like somebody lifted a weight off of him his goal now 51 then 52 terry labonte started this race from the pole and let it he is now back at tenth place let's get an update for big burger they really have a neat time down here listening to the drivers on the radios talking to they're cruising about eight or nine laps military Labonte radioed to his and said I really need more injured he was complaining he just didn't have enough home that's what he was behind Mark Martin's the number six that very same lap he closed about three son Martin at the end of the straightaway you only do that one way motors 610 he has gone five Mark Martin he's closing in on the leaders knee baby doesn't have as much water as he'd like bike never meet a driver had enough motor no nothing sir never happy no everybody wants more power for eleventh place mark Barton now has a Steve Park right behind him most of parks career spent in the open-wheeled ask our Modifieds where he finished second in the championship spent some time at Dale Earnhardt's Busch car almost won the horse race here in 97 was running up front the lapped car took them out Mike our leaders in just a moment or two are going to be in lap traffic and I'll tell you that makes a lot of difference in in race cars a lot of time when we start running of the changes aerodynamics of the car and what's good working up to lap traffic don't work as well after you get up there Rusty Wallace is going to lap pass Scott Pruett through it will now be three laps down he lost two in the pits as a result of his collision with Steve Park that brought out the races only caution so far back at lap 18 the Arawak we could be the next driver to go a lap down it's not quite in the picture there but he's not various running well over the race record set last year by about ten miles an hour but it's early yet dick Berggren close to the pre-race show an average of nine cars crash out of this race every one of the three years has been held we have a ways to go remember Elliott Sadler who got off in the mud outside the pit lane there he is he's picked up 20 spots from where he had to restart after spinning out there first position Sadler Jerry they're simple to write email anything the lead a year ago in this race Perry takes overnight BJ back to camp it's not often on CBS we see Dale Jarrett getting past let's see at Michigan last year well that was a snoozer Jarrett kind of ran away from everybody he won the Daytona 500 this year on CBS and I will point out Ned has the same shirt and tie on the bun Dale won that race back in February so we'll see we have superstitions in this know you could argue back to say it wasn't a snoozer took the dare that's all - no kidding now Jeff Gordon remember has not had a top five finish since his win at Charlotte last October he is currently running in 19th position starting third and he has yet to have a top-25 finish at this racetrack he sent the pre ratios trash has just not been kind to him he's run well his death finished well turn forests been pretty bad for him both wrecks ADIZ had here were right off turn four they're so Bobby Hamilton just went a lap down and going into the pizzas can't straighter this would be an unexpected stop first Raider put at least right-side tires [Applause] in July second place Mike Skinner on your left third place Bobby Labonte to the right they are seven tenths of a second behind race leader Rusty Wallace Schrader's away but he's going to lose a lap with that pit stop yeah there's the lead car pilot start/finish line down into turn they're running around the track now in between 29 and 30 seconds and that can make a pit stop in about 16 seconds but till you slow down and get your speed back up it's impossible to make a stop and not losing battle for 10th place Jeremy Mayfield and Terry Labonte now here's Wallace about to lap Rick bass the new driver for AJ Foyt mast have been contracted to Larry Hedrick at the 41 car but here he is an AJ's car he's been side by AJ for the season Mike Bliss started out the year and then Dick Trickle aboard for more on Rusty Wallace let's go to bill Stevens Mike we already noted that they came in on that last pit stop and got two tires however they may be paying the price Robin Pemberton the crew chief for rusty just told me that car is getting tight now rusty is turning the steering wheel the car does not want to respond as it should so they got the track position they wanted but now they're hoping for that yellow flag so they can get him in and make the adjustments to leave second place is heating up here comes the body closing in on Mike Skinner's second position it's still Ford Chevy and Pontiac here the front three spots here in Texas CBS Sports coverage of the DirecTV 500 continues after this message and a word from your local CBS station how unpredictable is Texas Motor Speedway of the top seven drivers right now five of them have never won a Winston Cup race Mike Skinner and second Dale Earnhardt jr. and fourth Johnny Benson and fifth Matt Kenseth in sixth Kevin LePage in seventh only leader Rusty Wallace and the man you're riding with bobby labonte know the way to victory lane in this division boy if I was ever to run another race I'd love to have a car that would stick to the bottom like Bobby Labonte's car was in turn three and four just in that car looked like it's on the string right down on the white line picks the throttle back up never moves off that white line fastest man on the racetrack buddy is Jeff Burton he is up to tenth after starting 37th first round qualifying didn't get fast enough second round rained out so he had to take a provisional start he's gained 28 spots his crew chief Franky Stoddard started out as a youngster in the pits watching whatever butch Elms did to his car little quarter mile dirt barrage Speedway in Vermont to find out how Stoddard got from there to here he'll have to pick up the inaugural issue of dick Berggren s new magazine Speedway Illustrated great story on Frankie Stoddard and that'll be on newsstands May 1st saw Bobby Labonte take over second place from Mike Skinner yeah that cause very very good talking about the 99 car though they spent last year just setting up for the race they didn't worry about qualifying they started in the back so many times that they're good can work their way to the front certainly nothing new for them 67 laps complete for more on Labonte here's Rollins Mike the last two years we've come here the Texas racetrack we've had trouble getting happy hour and that's a final 1 hour of practice that the afternoon gives a team the final shot at setting up their racecar crew chief Jimmy McLaren driver Bobby Labonte decided they would take the Saturday morning session and make them their happy hour they threw a handful set their race car and got a good baseline for the race setup so that when they were a little loose and a little tight on the early running of this race they knew what to do put on two tires made a wedge adjustment raise the track bar up to revs and now Bobby's got a great handling car as noted by Buddy Baker that didn't just benefit Bobby Ralph but also benefited Tony Stewart you're riding with Stewart who is now 19 Makar and Stewart's crew chief Greg Zipadelli share a awful lot of information at Stewart and started thirty-eight and now half the gap between his starting spot and the lead he's 19 now Bernard got a little box down there we went around him as they came up on Darrell Walker through now have gone a lap down and an unscheduled pit stop or a little bit early maybe not unscheduled is Johnny Benson and the pits here was running out of the top ten Phil there yeah that's exactly right this is why James dents was so concerned before this is Laura stopped for fuel than it is for tires but why they have him in they want to get four new tires on that race car and get him out but under green that costume gonna cost of at least a lap hill at the time of his stop Benson and Bill Elliott were the only single car teams represented in the top 20 and now Benson will drop a lap back to at least 35th place now what he does now see his a caution right now because [Music] but he certainly does not want to see a caution on the Speedway well the others will have to make a pit stop within 15 or 20 laps and certainly obey him a little bit less the best second place Dale Earnhardt jr. underneath Mike Skinner third place excuse me first place we still have Wallace in front at Bobby Labonte in second his closing markers Labonte is close right up on Russia's a memo a couple cars running side by side right in front of him Bobby was gaining a little bit he's laugh but now that rainy allowed get right up on Rusty's almost on his bumper they put a loaf of bread put on there in the car number 11 it'd be interesting to see how fit the car is up I was that bottom part of the racetrack we know he's lightning fast around the bottom Bobby looked very quick on the high side of the racetrack also now they're gonna work underneath the 41 Gary Bradbury making his return to Winston Cup racing driving for Larry Hendricks his first starts at Rockingham Bobby Labonte likes that a little bit better than heavy to go on the outside Bobby of course the NASCAR Winston Cup points leader going into this race you'd like to get up there pass rescue Oliver get those five bonus points and boys that they work hard for that five bonus points because they add up as the year goes on Championships have been won by bonus points so Rusty Wallace leads Bobby Labonte by a narrow margin 73 laps are complete as they try to tame the asphalt frontier [Music] at the Texas Motor Speedway only one fashion bus rate summary [Music] 79 laps have been completed 115 miles at the present time Bobby Labonte has pushed that car out in front of Rusty Wallace we've been fighting for second place it looks like he's losing that right now to Dale Earnhardt jr. let's join right now with Mike joy and the guys in the booth pit stops have begun Ken Stacey Compton has just been in Scott Pruett for a second time in now Ward Burton is making his first green flag pit stop of the day Bobby Labonte has taken the lead and Dale Earnhardt jr. to second here's Rusty Wallace though on pit road as soon as Wallace surrendered the lead and he came let's check first with dick Bertram a Ward Burton is going to be going to game because the hero has absolutely gone away on that race car they're also ready to put a rubber in the right wing of that car pit stop as a result of the work that they are in the process of doing let's go to Bill Rusty Wallace halfway through his pit stop for tires another ponder bear in the right rear they were going to make a chassis adjustment but called it off filled the car with fuel and he gets out a very good pit stop for Rusty Wallace Brett Bodine is in so as Wallace's teammate Jeremy Mayfield on pit road Robert Pressley and Jeff Gordon come to the pit lane and here's Dale Earnhardt and Michael Waltrip Sterling Marlin gets his service and goes back out Ricky Rudd is coming in John Andretti is coming in these are all scheduled pit stops now they are Ned and the two leaders are still on the racetrack you talk about a calamity right now if the yellow is to fly now it would really make them these cards have to work very hard to get back up north to leave Jeff fuller Terry Labonte making pit stops Joe Nemechek is in Bill Elliott and Tony Stewart built Dale Earnhardt is in that's an ill-handling race car they made two chassis adjustments on the car four tires they even changed the air pressure in it they are working from behind here the car is not responding to Dale here's the race leader Bobby Labonte on pit road Kenny Irwin is in as well Darrell Waltrip and Matt Kenseth making pit stops here's Ralph Tommy Labonte making his way down RPM's is what he's watching a tachometer so he stays right at the right fit laying speed he brings it to his mom they're very happy what they handling on this car they're not going to change anything but four tires and they're gonna also put in full as he comes in to change tires on the left side now with Jeff Chandler working in one into the other and he is underway Adam petty Mike Skinner they are all coming in for a scheduled pit stop Dale Jarrett comes in as Bill Elliott goes out let's go to deck juniors crew anxiously anticipating his down pit road he slides push stop 3,500 arm the end they kept telling him did not want a speeding penalty he slowed the race car but whether you're a junior now around the side of the race car he's the front tire changer shutting the crew chief Oh junior another great stop mic they just completed a stop on the 31 car that car wasn't handling perfectly but they made some adjustments on the 31 to get him ready and he's backing out Kevin LePage and barrier Steve Park Mark Martin and Jeff Burke odd control 85 laps complete these are the first green flag pit stops of the day LePage let the last lap ahead of cart and Barton they've all pitted bill Steve Park is in they just put one round of wedge into the race car they're finishing up the left side tires little bit of a hang-up and a little lazy getting out of the pits they also took two kids of fuel and away he goes and look at this battle Rusty Wallace Dale Earnhardt jr. and Johnny Benson all battling the Johnny Benson this is putting him back in the south of where he wanted to be after that pit stops which worked out well but he'll have to stop before they do again if this nation continues to go green but right now he's in great shape now this will be the battle I think for second place Ned everyone on the board above the mat caution is out caution flag [Music] pointing toward turn two is caution is out and one car is working its way around on the apron Stacy Compton it's made contact rear-ends almost out of that car buddy yeah the right rear has got some damage right front tire you can see is very very flat evens up against the wall some point in that right Stacey Compton has been thrown and hogtied here by the Texas Motor Speedway and we're under caution for the second time today and I believe everyone made pit stops under green before that caution flag came out the only exception might be Jimmy Spencer and hit Jimmy had gone a lap down so that did not affect the leaders that much but certainly gave him a big break in from feedback on the beat lap Bobby Hamilton comes in as we go to caution and there's a look at Spencer 11 leaders today ties the record we're not even halfway home stay with us [Music] 89 laps are completed John Andretti comes to pit road for service now John hood Jimmy Spencer has made a pit stop under this caution flag he was the race leader but because he had not stopped and Johnny Benson made a pit stop because he was out of sequence with the rest of the cars having pitted early let's show you why we're under caution here at lap 89 we see that car coming off of turn four or does that turn two but he anyway it looked like he blew a tire and was going into turn one and actually got a little bit sideways here and then just got right up into the wall looked like maybe a tire might have gone flat but he lost the back of the car first before it got up into the outside wall it's a rookie Stacy Compton from out of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at his best qualifying effort of the year and looks like the Mark Belling car is out of the race let's check on pit road with Robin many things to focus on while they're making their pit stops well CBS is always trying to come up with new ways of giving the viewers at home something different to look at so we mounted this camera on Bobby Labonte's pit board he stuck it out Bobby made his pit stop and when he was leaving instead of commenting about the great pit stop or how the new tires fell to whatever Bobby said hey that's a pretty cool camera guy he's mounted up there that's pretty neat so you would think they'd have so much on their mind instead they're busy just noticing everything [Music] there's Bobby Labonte and in one lap we'll go racing my body is the leader Rusty Wallace at second Dale Earnhardt jr. in third now Ward Burton complaining of handling problems now has dropped off the lead lap back to 38th place dick Berggren now they came in here Mikey took all four tires off Tommy Baldwin the crew chief flying underneath the car took a look at all the springs all the shocks they bounced the car up and down they said they could find nothing wrong with it so they changed the air pressure right back to where they had started the race where he was good and they told him good luck buddy he's out there at 180 miles an hour - bill well you've heard the term we're lucky to be here well that certainly comes into play for the Rusty Wallace pit crew and talked to Robin Pemberton this morning in the garages and he was sweating bullets his pit crew was socked in by weather and Mississippi waiting for an airplane to get him here to Texas it finally got him flight and they got here to the track exactly one hour before the green flag 27 cars are on the lead lap hill bobby labonte the leader Rusty Wallace Taylor Hart jr. Mike Skinner Matt Kenseth the top five Jeff Burton Terry Labonte Kevin LePage Dale Jarrett Jeremy Mayfield the top ten Steve Park Mark Martin Jerry Nadeau Jeff Cort Joe Nemechek that's 15 Elliott Sadler Bill Elliott Dale Earnhardt Kenny Irwin Michael Waltrip is 20th Jimmy Spencer Johnny Benson Bobby Hamilton Dave Blaney Sterling Marlin Ricky Rudd Tony Stewart those are the 27 cars on the lead lap yeah four cars on the outside when they drop the green flag home this is very dangerous because they're going to fight Tony Stewart popular body right in the middle [Music] buddy say it now well now there's Lorna because the cars that started on the inside led by Jeff fuller were a lap down and they're also in front of race leader the green number 18 right villager scream was Bobby Labonte and he's on the inside of his teammate Tony Stewart ride with Bobby Labonte is he works underneath Ricky Rudd you're fast be patient you have a car that can win don't try to get them all in one turn one turn Tony Stewart lined up right behind boy traffic jam in the back straightaway it is heavy three wide back behind the leaders and even that the leader Bobby Labonte made it three wide one guy that really had a tough a Dale Earnhardt jr. he got caught up in when they dropped the green flag up in lap traffic there and just really got that right away now in front of the body Jeff Fuller Dick Trickle up there trying to stay on the tail end of the lead lap and Robert Pressley as well as freshly dusted front of Labonte Ralph Mike when you're running in traffic like this the way the airflows off the car in front of you like it's doing right to Bobby Labonte as you watch him chasing down the lead pack right now that air can dramatically affect the way the front end of the car handles Bobby Labonte was suffering what is known as an arrow push the air would come off of the car in front of him and make his car want to slide up the racetrack because now two groups working Bobby feels he'll have a better opportunity to get around that arrow push he's got a pretty good distance lead on the second-place car with 1.7 seconds last time they came past a couple of lap cars in between he's got to work this traffic Rusty Wallace second Mike Skinner Dale Earnhardt jr. battling side by side for third her forth rather there's your third place car earn our juniors rookie nemesis Matt Kenseth that's yellows number 17 yeah he's got so much traffic around him Jeff Burton there in the 99 all these guys are going back and forth around [Music] [Laughter] single file of the fellows who are running for their racing lives right now are Jeff fuller and Robert Pressley they are ahead of the race leader Bobby Labonte as we watch Bobby's older brother defending champion his race driving number five Terry Labonte the outside pole sitter kevin lepage running right with him this goes to show you they have good race cars because right now they picked it up and Bobby's body hasn't been able to get by them and they're not holding him up if a pit stops have fresh tires and perhaps made adjustments on their cars and they are good here comes Earnhardt jr. alongside fellow rookie Kensi [Music] move on the outside usually when you move out there you get hung up and go back he just went right on by Matt tensed now he has the lap car of John Andretti just ahead the petty Pontiac Gordon against the Bill Davis Pontiac 93 is Dave Blaney [Laughter] [Music] pretty good man well buddy car the top group car the bottom group how do you be patient in this situation and that ends up making a move on the outside there he got hung up I had to back out and throttle now he thought pedal on the little that's what you have to have patience because you can't panic and pull over in the traffic difficulty moved up on now Earnhardt jr. he's got to look like that vulture the cartoon saying patience heck I've got a clock kill something does he wanted that spot Matt kids have blue on by him now here's Mike Skinner right behind him [Music] john andretti on the outside of earnhardt as they had them in turn one and you could see the car actually get sideways in ER in the corner there that's what we call taking the air off the spoiler as there an arc jr. started turning in the corner and ready what's on the outside and the car just went sideways getting off into turn one saw a little wiggle from Skinner there is he got up alongside and ready and from a provisional start coming towards the front of a 99 up to 6 [Music] well let's have a look now that the track has changed on our freedos telemetry with michael waltrip see if there's any difference in speed or RPM a hundred laps into this race say those are pants no about 80 600 [Applause] where it's 192 at right now but distant race conditions we don't have the front end barked off they tape the nose in the car to get more downforce and passes the best conditions when the qualified right man faith condition to not see those things Bobby Labonte works over Robert Pressley remember this is one of Presley's favorite racetracks he finished third here two years ago at 77 that Bobby Sam well this isn't all bad I'm silly nobody catching me laughing they're pulling me along now he has gotten past Dick Trickle and now Labonte will put Presley a lap down so the only car between Labonte and daylight is the body act of Jeff fuller [Music] battle for seventh place seventh date tonight and a little further back to the back as they work underneath John Andretti Dale Earnhardt and Steve Park that's 12th and 13th there's Mark Martin on the left rear screen in the car number six they blame the Earnhardt they're in the number three the black car as they head off down in the corners easy this is not a walk in the park salamati as clear sailing for about half the racetrack around and the second-place car for Rusty Wallace on back still has to negotiate that traffic to have a shot at Bobby Labonte he's running over two seconds behind him looking at this battle here back about what a rather 60th position and here's Jeff Burton trying to put the move to Mike Skinner they are 56 106 laps complete in Texas Bobby Labonte and leads Rusty Wallace of Dale Earnhardt jr. [Music] this CBSsports race summer is sponsored by next town how business gets done [Music] after 110 laps have been completed 165 miles 11 liters up in front 12 lead changes a couple of cautions and Stacy Compton in that second caution a big victim there who crashed got through it crashed earlier and we've just had an incident over in turn number two let's get back with a story here's Mike joy big crash up in turn 2 and there is one of the cars involved Jeff Gordon again has been snakebit here in Texas you see the damage to the hood and the left side of his Rick Hendrick Chevrolet and there are other cars involved here right and a car has been on top of that car you can see the hood there Nash straight down where car has been on top of the hood Bill Elliott was definitely involved he did get his car going and is going around the racetrack now trying to catch up and see that debris on the racetrack one car light blue car got up into the wall pretty hard that could have been Jerry Nadeau let's have a look Blainey loose everybody checks up and it's Naidu who goes around off Gordon's bumper behind Gordon was and there's bill heaven he's the one Betty that got up on top of Gordon but I don't doubt they're they're going down through there on two wheels as a matter of fact Bill Elliott very lucky not to get upside down here it is again they were running so close coming off of turn to see Chad little and the green car getting slowed down from Johnny Benson closed up too quick for him [Music] Joie Chitwood show if he wanted to he went down through there on two wheels here it is again as they do goes hard into the wall now I want you to watch the ninety three right there Blaney look how he gets loose chicks up and everybody else just accordions behind him yeah and he got touched by a dude that really got Nadeau started on this right Johnny Benson just caught up in the middle there had nothing to do with it it's a great job not to wipe his car out and the two dallas-fort worth sponsored cars naidu's and Benson's both in trouble now here's Elliot's car being pushed back to the garage area the damage on his Ford at that great run at Daytona finished in third place and dick berggren can give us an update the best pit stop of the day and every other pit stop he has pulled has been a great one they're all at the 15-second range the car has been absolutely perfect he is even telling himself and his crew on the radio I just have to be patient let's go to Ralph pretty happy down here with the pit stop on the 18 as well the world pit crew champions of 1999 clicked up a 15-point for second stop they're pretty happy with the handling of the car was getting a little bit tight they made a slight air pressure adjustment went up just a touch on the air pressures here with the 18 Bill Stevenson not too many happy people in the Rusty Wallace pit that was the worst pit stop they've had today on the air hose was in the way rusty had to wait until they moved it from out in front of the car and as we look at the leaderboard they are sinking rapidly I'll have to check bill because there's very little apparent damage to Johnny Benson's Carl he was the last car into that skirmish with Bill Elliott up on top of Jeff Gordon they're doing a little dent and fender work on the right front though of Benson's car so it may be a little more serious than we first thought CBS Sports coverage of the DirecTV 500 continues after this message and a word from your local CBS station [Music] skyhigh views of today's race courtesy the bud one airship and Budweiser the official beer of NASCAR 115 laps complete were under the third caution of the day for a crash involving at least four cars in turn two Bill Elliott Jeff Gordon Johnny Benson Jerry Nadeau were involved it was the 93 of Dave Blaney that got up and out of the groove and everybody checked up and tried to take advanced several ended up in the wall and Elliott ended up on top of the hood of Jeff Gordon's car they've continued to work on it back each lap he comes in they do a little bit more work to see to put a lot of tape in there but the aero package of his Chevrolet is not what it needs to be to run the speeds they run here let's get out the Gordon file on Texas as they work on bill Elliott's car in the garage area 1997 slow car Jimmy Spencer Gordon is leading her the urban in the wall hello Gordon knocked out one year later that's gotta hurt cut a tire down coming off turn four last year he finished 30th that's Gordon's best run here bill Stephens is back there where all of the hammers are banging in the garage at bill Elliott's car yeah Mike Bill Elliott not a happy guy very frustrated bill you've been watching the work on the car here you're not feeling too good I mean it's kind of been par for the course I mean just you know last week at Bristol we broke a transmission it was kind of a weird deal and then you know I just got caught up in that deal wasn't a lot I could do you know Jeff got into the whatever happened he in a 25 car and I would have been okay but then I got here from behind one of them we gonna get back into this thing oh yeah well he's got a Ralph Sheheen [Music] Mike they've been very busy down here in Jeff Gordon's pit working on the number 24 trying to get him back into some form of aerodynamic shape the biggest problem is the body especially all around the front end trying to get that car to handle the best they can aerodynamically fact they're saying she's not pretty and we're gonna do the best we can to get as many points as we can here today nothing aerodynamic about duct tape is there no and I'm just looking at the hood that's the cop razor just under the PE on the front of that DuPont Chevrolet there as he goes down and it's a miracle that didn't knock operator all the way off that car that's the truth than you you know they talked about the Chevrolets at the beginning of the year not having downforce on the front end hey maybe that bit there on the frame [Laughter] now saw Jerry Naidu's car headed for the holler the Danbury Connecticut driver is out of the race let's set the field for you we have 21 cars on the lead lap and Dale Earnhardt jr. is the class of the field Bobby Labonte is second Steve Park is third Mark Martin fourth the highest he's been today and Jeremy Mayfield is fifth in the number 12 rookie Matt Kenseth is number 17 there's a yellow car in sixth place Dale Jarrett seventh Kevin LePage the outside pole sitter eighth the blue roof white cars Rusty Wallace he is ninth Terry Labonte is tenth Mike Skinner's eleventh Dale Earnhardt's 12th Joe Nemechek Elliott Sadler Michael Waltrip and also on the lead lap Jimmie Spencer Jeff Burt way back 17th Kenny Irwin Bobby Hamilton Johnny Benson and Jeff Gordon are still on the lead lap but those cars were damaged somewhat in the turn to crash riding with Bobby Labonte here in the Interstate Batteries camera I think I mention it the pre-race show my fish that would have Levin straight winners how to repeat Bobby Labonte is the only driver who has repeated during that period upon VP if we have the last race of the season in the memory let's go green at lap 118 trouble front straightaway sterling marlin slams into elliott sadler and marlin go slow ride go pace car do man pace car would go down pit road it looked like sterling with on his way into there a break for Dick Trickle dick trickles out in front of the race leader I think the cops will have to come out coast early grass here comes Jeff puller trying to erase the leaders back and Tony Stewart Tony Stewart trying to get back before they learn our TV yes [Music] we stared mated but Jeff polar dip black maker it all happened on the restart and again it has rained so much here all day yesterday and again last night that these slick tires gained no grip on that very very wet grass Thank You spotter I'd say straight exacta that's what he needs to do because that's he doesn't realize it has the wheel cutter don't think you've been stuck in the mud I have yes now you'll see the 21 of Sadler on the outside and the problem all barlen got squeezed up and right in yeah - Sadler and then Sadler had trouble getting going to speak and we had talked about it before the race started aim back out in the grass today was gonna be in trouble man yes so now Bartlett I lost a lap slipped down there on that that stuff now he's getting a little bit of help from the safety workers push him out you didn't need a lot of help obviously two guys were able to get him out of there and we're back under caution again [Music] and Elliott Sadler's car goes to the garage [Music] welcome back to Texas 121 laps complete Mike joy with Buddy Baker and Ned Jarrett sterling marlin with an extended pit stop and a lot more of that duct tape Phil Stephens yeah you got that right Mike they just went through a couple of rolls of that stuff to try to cobble together the front of the number 40 car actually the news isn't as bad as it could have been really superficial damage other than the taping on the front the thing that's gotten the longest on that pit stop was to get all the grass and the sod out from underneath the undercarriage of the back since they had just pitted before that caution didn't have to change the rubber obviously didn't flat spot the tires so he's good to go Jeff Gordon makes a pit stop as does dick trickle trickle and Tony Stewart with a big beneficiaries of that caution flag trickle in turn two got out in front of the race leader they learn Hart jr. and Tony Stewart nipped him at the caution flag to get back on the lead lap so cleanup continues and there is trickle completing his stop and he'll roll past Jeff Gordon to whom much more tape is being applied process the car this normally driven by Geoffrey Bodine the car number 60 and he said yesterday that in an interview with Ken Squier that he planned to race again in California next month yay looked pretty good other than having the cast on his right arm and wearing that brace on it's a midsection that he really is alert and very heat ready to go back racing I think says they removed the braces Sterling Marlin makes another pit stop trying to keep from going another lap down and you ride with the leader Dale Earnhardt jr. behind the Chevrolet safety car let's update on Earnhardt jr. stay for PIC Bergeron he was just talking to his crew Mike he was complaining about some debris on the front straightaway here obviously he wants the cleanest possible racetrack in front of him when they dropped the green flag so all of a sudden here goes down scar back out on the racetrack and sure enough they found some of that debris so Jarell bobby labonte's having a lot of fun talking back and forth with his crew chief Jimmy mayekar but if you think the life of one of these drivers is glamorous here's an idea of what Bobby's schedule has been like this past Wednesday he was a Greenville pick at Speedway in South Carolina testing for Martinsville and he crashed their short track car Thursday he came all the way here to Texas it's been nothing but concerts and autograph sessions as you would imagine when you're in your home state and then on Monday Kenny's got a television commercial shoot than a test Tuesday and Wednesday in Talladega it won't be until next Thursday when Bobby Labonte finally gets a day off Ken yeah Bobby Labonte like so many of these Winston Cup runners you don't think about all those other things they have to do besides get out here on Sunday now you're riding with Tony Stewart and what a story here he's up to 19th on this restart he is in the lead lap and he's going to be starting in front of trickle and Gordon and Spencer in that lead lap it'll be fun to see if he can fight his way back up to the front of the field and run with those top runners this is the kind of odds he likes to take on getting set for a start here's Mike joy and Ken they're waving it off we're gonna hold for caution one more lap Jeff Gordon hangs on the lead lap and here's Adam petty let's catch up with a 19-year old his great-grandfather Lee petty a NASCAR champion in the 50s and winner of the first Daytona 500 his dad his grandfather the King Richard Petty winner of seven Daytona 500 seven Winston Cups his father Kyle Petty has been a Winston Cup victory lane as well so now he's a fourth generation driver that's a first for NASCAR and it may well be a first for any professional major professional sport but there's Adam he's in 30th place in his first Winston Cup Drive one lap down to the race leader 124 laps completed as they try to tame Texas [Music] then CBS sports race summary is sponsored by Budweiser the official beer of NASCAR hey race fans this Bud's for you after 125 of 334 laps 187th and a half miles 12 liters League change 14 times speed down to 134 four cautions for 22 laps three cars of crash out well Elliot maybe getting back here we're getting set to go racing once again let's try it again with Mike joy getting set for the restart Dale Earnhardt jr. leads Bobby Labonte and 20 more cars on the lead lap inside that's Jeff fuller trying to get back on the lead lap but Bernard gets a good jump as they head off toward turn one 126 laps complete on the break there so cooler had to wait for him to start the race bobby labonte trying to clear the lap traffic and camp [Music] it allows Earnhardt to get out in front pretty good margin puller is the second car in line and al-abadi clears Robert Pressley so one lap car separates the body from a leader further back Dale Jarrett Kevin LePage Terry Labonte Rusty Wallace all in a pack they tried to clear that lap traffic as well and you're having to pick it up on the outside this will look at the back of a plane nice car looking back at seventh place Dale Jarrett spotter for down here Cheerilee man with lap cars restarting on the inside of the 22 lead lap cars on the outside it takes a little while for the field to sort out here Jarret goes under Blaney as they head down in turn three and Kevin LePage who furbish does that with him as they don't but right by 3.now plating is one lap down looking ahead at LePage and a front right side of your screen Labonte gets underneath Jeff fuller and now has clear sailing toward race leader Dale Earnhardt jr. that battle here for 11th position Rusty Wallace Pike scooter in the car number 31 they learn hard into flat number three riding with Mike Skinner here now anybody remembers that Lana they make a little contact when they were racing each other down there this time no no foul you could say or not was a little quicker so Skinner just letting go you know for teammates they race more like brothers they race hard racing in Atlanta things about they ready mentioned they're racing for the lead the frighteners car a little bit Li's - yeah thirty-six there the Gallic are on the inside the Skinner Schrader's also one lap down Arlo's camera on board Mike Skinner back at straighter [Music] you can see the lead the Dale Earnhardt jr. is opened up on Bobby Labonte but now that Labonte is clear trapping they have an opportunity to close back in there you see Bobby Labonte and that little dot out there passed the condominium to turn to that is Earnhardt jr. boy look they have to be so proud I mean first year Winston Cup all the group there they moved up to Busch grand national with Dale Earnhardt jr. as crew chiefs who never won what a great job I mean to be able to lead the first year period one of the cars buddy that was involved in that most recent incident Elliott Sadler in the garage here's Bill Stevens with an update Elliott Saddles has been taken to the infield care center complaining of some pretty severe pain in his left arm and left shoulder crew chief Mike Beebe is actually looking around to maybe put somebody back into that car if they can get it repaired his team is very disappointed the Wood Brothers hoping for a big day today was on this day back in 1967 Cale Yarborough won the Atlanta 500 and that was his first career victory 134 laps seventh place battlers Dale Jarrett 88 Kevin LePage number 16 we're pulling up on Ward Burton and Burton is also one lap down in the bill davis 22 and made some good adjustments on the 88 car of Dale Jarrett because now he's able to run that lower line and they have good corner speeds they fix their car somewhat formerly and race when he couldn't keep up courtesy move by Ward Burton he just moved up and let him go didn't didn't block the lane that container will be returned somewhere down the road or maybe it already has you don't know the name these drivers so they look out for each other on jared has really moved away from Kevin LePage now and he's got Mark Martin in his sights that's the sixth and that's another good guy this part of the race will move over and let him go because he watches his mirror and knows that Jarek much quicker right now so he won't race him for that spot it's been boom or bust for Mark Martin here in Texas he hit a gusher of 98 as the race winner but the other two years they've had this race has finished no better than 34 you know I don't want to say anything but I thought I saw a little bit of smoke got seeing it Mark Martin just move over and let him go there someday he'll return that trying to Joe Nemechek have another look at our ranch at comm telemetry this time the RPMs on the bottom at some revolutions per minute of the engine in the document I saw 190 miles an hour also and net 203 dose and he just took 13th place away for Mike Skinner [Music] here's your third place battle Steve Park the Chevrolet of Baelor our and Jerry baby now from Dale Earnhardt jr. to Bobby Labonte it is four seconds that's From Here to Eternity on the racetrack or a good-sized pasture believe me he's been moved around here quite well Bernard is just doing it his own way right now shorted out you can't even see him it's about the distance from Dallas to Fort Worth for first a second but a long way to go almost 200 laps to go anything can happen and given the history of this racetrack most likely will absolutely dick Berggren just Kate Brad parent from Dale Jarrett's car just came roaring down here the Dale Earnhardt jr. spit flapping his arms in the breeze with a giant smile on his face he's complaining he's you guys away dick Berggren one of the reasons why Dale Earnhardt jr. is lead has grown so big is because Bobby the bunny's racecar has become very very loose and he just cannot keep up the frantic pace that our junior has set they have been making all their adjustments to the 18 car with air pressure they're talking about adjusting the track bar as well now on the next pit stop so Dale Earnhardt jr. has the lead over Bobby Labonte's Pontiac Steve Park Chevrolet Jerry may feel and Matt Kenseth [Music] welcome back to Fort Worth another Texas twister has claimed Johnny Benson you see Benson climbing out the Beverly Chevrolet and also involved is John Andretti something went all the way through the radiator on that car part flew through the front of that car and knocked Olin radiator here's what happened they were coming off a turn to Ricky Rudd in the 28 up front there and the 10 car of Johnny Benson as Rudd slows down a little bit it looks like and Benson under the 43 looks like you just got loose but as he came off of there or pets it had a hard hit into the wall it's right along with him [Music] you could hear the RPM to really get up there as the back started around on them to start it's the only Texas owned car in the race to Beverly pilot and leader they learn our tutors in Dick Dale Earnhardt jr. indeed is in Mike the crew had been talking about a two-tire change it's going to be a four-tire change however as Jeff Clarke jumps over Tony Eury they have had absolutely flawless fire pit stops today this 25 year old driver poised to win his first ever terrell well a 15.7 stop down here for the crew of IV Labonte another great stop Peter Jennings raised the track bar down one quarter of a turn and they put four tires on it they're hoping that track bar adjustment will get that car handling the way they need it Hill Stevens Steve Park at a track bar adjustment they dropped it one turn they took one rubber out of the right rear hopefully that will correct the problem with that car in traffic it has a tight condition Matt Kenseth two-tire stop no adjustments yeah there were several cars really advanced up through the field there on that stop I noticed that jr. really was way back to came back out Rusty Wallace took on two tire Dale Jarrett took him two tires I think Vijay came out first we'll see when it's all settled down here playing for track position in Texas CBS Sports coverage of the DirecTV 500 continues after this message and a word from your local station welcome back to Texas 148 laps complete we've had two lead changes under caution Michael Waltrip led a lap and has met theorized the first car out of the pits was Dale Jarrett he is the 14th different leader today he leads Rusty Wallace Matt Kenseth Terry Labonte and Dale Earnhardt jr. who led the race when the caution came out came out of the pits in fifth place well Texas Motor Speedway is not one but two racetracks they opened the second one up Thursday night big crowd on hand a lot of dirt slinging a lot of passing a lot of great racing and Ken Squier is with the fellow who won the big Friday night feature indeed they have brought back American sprint car racing here at Texas and soon to be at Bristol and Charlotte North Carolina and the king of the outlaws Danny Lisowski is here Danny how soon are we going to see you in one of these things well that'd be a great deal for us to do that but right now I'm real happy with the Pennzoil World of Outlaws coming to places like Texas Motor Speedway Charlotte Bristol I'm just excited about being here well you had a sellout crowd magnificent proud to watch you win on Friday night and take a little look at it right here for a moment oh yeah there we are smoking a tire coming off for I think for the checkered it was a great day to be here and uh here we are in Victory Lane I'll tell you what I was happiest day for a long time being here first inaugural winner over here at Texas Motor Speedway and we're very excited about coming back thank you very much and we look forward to seeing these sprint cars a lot more it's a great addition to this track and a lot of other tracks thanks for having us all right let's go to dick for just a moment Dale Jarrett took just two tires on that last pit stop that's how come he is in the lead he had a quicker pit stop than almost anybody else Earnhardt jr. and his crew were going to take two they changed their minds at the absolute minute indeed he was here on pit road when they changed their mind to go to four tires instead of two we are going to see some people try to later it is a good strategy it may well win this race too bill well we talked a minute ago about Steve parks crew taking some rubber out of the right rear spring this is what they look like that's a spring rubber that's half a one right there a hole one would look like a donut now you're familiar with what a coil spring looks like these go in between the coils and the crews can adjust the spring rate the travel of the suspension with this rubber now they had a tight condition in that car so they took out half this rubber that will allow the right rear of the car to compress a little bit more in the turns they think it'll help the car to steer better thanks Bill long pit stop for Sterling Marlin and Dick Trickle has taken his tow Bessie owned a car to the garage area we started off with this fellow of lap 18 getting into Scott Pruett that was the first of five incidents this afternoon let's show you and he joined us late there's part and leaders Scott Brewer who had been the leader adjustment past Kalina he's made repairs and Bruin continues 14 laps down Stacy Compton in turn 2 took a heart bounce off the wall he's made repairs he's 53 laps back Bill Elliott Jeff Gordon along with Johnny Benson Elliot's car climbs up on Gordon's and then Johnny Benson getting a little loose there after contact with John Andretti both of those cars heavily damaged Benson has climbed out of his five big crashes at 150 laps and here's Bill Elliott they he said he's going to go out and ride around a bit well all that hammering has come too good that pitted a new radiator inside his Ford Elliott is back on track right oh sorry excuse me that he knows he has no chance to win the race but he's out there running laps to try to gain points of course he have to gain position for it gain points now let's go the route Thank You Ned I was just checking down here with Brad Peters attire specialist for Dale Jarrett I said what is those two tire stop gonna do for you didn't take him long to give me the answer went right to his notebook here this white notebook right here turned to last year's race here showed me that exactly at lap one this very same thing last they got sixty three laps as we go back to green for Kirk - trying to get back on the lead lap against Dale Jarrett Rusty Wallace battling fools even as they come off turn two and down the back straightaway look like the two car have the advantage right now DJ doesn't like that outside look you see everybody fight for that bottom groove coming off turn four third place there number 17 Matt Kenseth what a great job rookie in this division running in third place at this racetrack that's an accomplishment really doing well won't stay out there - well he will if he can do it comfortably but as DJ tries to go back on the inside of Rusty Wallace but Ward Burton knows that there's a good chance that could be a caution on these restarts because the cars running so close together so he's going to stay out there for several laps but that's one of the starters excuse me spotters one of the spotters that he spots for Ward Burton that's exactly what he was talking about they're beating and banging back there and that could cause a caution and of course they'd be back on the lead back he is technically on the lead lap right now now Mike's from Long Island and you heard Ward works for Virginia pretty well let's see Dale Earnhardt jr. just made a pass on Bobby Labonte as they come down the front straightaway Ricky right there he's already a lap down right now but I will tell you one thing he Earnhardt jr. moves up to fourth and the fella ahead of him now is the man he's battling for Rookie of the Year honors Matt Kenseth Earnhardt jr. has led three races this year all on Milan and averey strength Las Vegas Atlanta and Ear Texas he just very very aggressive than this racetrack applies itself well the guys that run the corners extremely hard Earnhardt jr. on mission right now Dale Jarrett is your 14th leader of this race turds urn taro escaping a bit I'll tell you what he better not be any more aggressive than that right there that was almost too cocky caution to yourself caution is out of Ward Burton's going to race back to the flag that strategy be played there it's going to work Dale Jarrett lives out in a crowd of here comes champion little bring back to the flag trying to get back on the lead lap and Jarrett could be in trouble because Rusty Wallace is just gone by where he slowed down till they burst in mate Ricky Rudd yep back on the lead lap and rusty took advantage of that situation and although they don't race [Music] start/finish line first the caution was not for Dale Earnhardt jr. it was for debris on the racetrack and it is the sixth caution of the day coming at lap 156 there was debris up in turn three some of that beaten a bang and no doubt summit 156 laps were closing it on halfway in the DirectTV 500 at Texas Motor Speedway Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett up front [Music] well Dale Jarrett's load up coming to the caution flag to allow his Robert Yates racing teammate Ricky Rudd to get back on the lead lap and so let's go down to Jarrod spit here's Ralph Todd Parrott is the crew chief for Dale Jarrett and your drivers slowed down a little bit to help out his teammate but she sounded like you weren't a little happy about that outcome well I just we looked real funny if we got hit from behind you know when them guys didn't know he's gonna slow down you know the 28 car got his one help for the day now the guy get his car right that's it Mike you know sometimes when you try to help out your teammate it can be very dangerous and when you're leading dick well you don't want to take any chances you don't Tony Eury and his team have taken no chances at all today that car looks like it's on a rail what's this kid got to do to win this thing Tony well that's exactly what our driver said he said this thing on a rail when he ran off from Bobby there but he's trying to get him to save it a little bit the cars extremely good but why Chevy's been running like that for four or five weeks now we just had three bad weeks got behind these points we got to finish this race get us the top ten get them and we're in green flag Rusty Wallace on the point Jarek coming to the fine during his second Matt Kenseth the rookie is third Jarret for the leadoff turn - holy cow did he hit the afterburner or what down the back straightaway down the back straightaway got it back under green earn our junior on the outside there laughs thanks buddy now a couple other colors also factors so did robert pressley he got another car over ricky rudd of course michael waltrip perhaps or maybe perhaps he was still on the lunar jr now have third place to itself the fourth car on the screen ran things for the record this is Earnhardt jr. 12th Winston Cup start his dad seven-time Winston Cup champion Hart scored his first win back at Bristol Tennessee in his 16th career they blame is there he's a lap down ain't just in position as they restarted there in the 93 but in our juniors car looks to be handling just like he wants it to in verse five [Music] [Laughter] it's ride with Blaney looking ahead at the two leaders the Fords of Terra and Wallace you'll see the left here comes Earnhardt jr. passing the lapped car of Blaney he went a little bit high coming off the turn opened up the groove there for Earnhardt jr. defender now blade he's a graduate of the World of Outlaws as well we heard from Danny Lisowski earlier Blayne you're very successful driver in f-series looking back at him notice the tires start to wear off he's starting to run higher and losing those bikes here's the tenth place battle kevin lepage 16 here comes Tony Stewart [Music] as they head down in the corner right on the white line take the kevin lepage washing up the racetrack man dick trickles back on the speedway after spending some time in the garage until vestige Chevrolet here's Earnhardt he's in the 18th place about to overhaul Jimmy Spencer on the outside the hard way oh yeah Barnard is already one raise this year up to 16 and now works around the lapped car a brick mask driving for AJ Foyt 32 is Scott Pruett and 45 Adam petty if they aren't hurts a little bit on the nippy side right now he just had a penalty that brought him into the tents and put him in the bathroom field so he is really on a mission right now now Adams father Kyle Petty has been helping out in the pit kind of spotting and coaching faretta but we just saw him run to the garage area the word is he's going to put his suit on and hop into the Wood Brothers for they used to go out for the hunt again so he's very familiar with the team of course we've heard earlier that soare labs aren't for sadler after that crash so he's out of the car which proves one thing we are a big family and we'll help other teams out one thing you can count on we'll fight on the teams also coming up to complete half way back to say the same thing back look at Jeff Burton seventh-place 30 positions from where he started he and Tony Stewart for the provisional spot Dale Earnhardt jr. now he's moving down the tube there Rusty Wallace they head down the back straightaway he definitely has a very very quick car we said that over and over again but it's amazing to watch what he's doing with this car he likes us track down his first whoosh NASCAR series brat national win right here boy did he loosened up rusty by moving up that close to him he does have a cup of time for us people will say you know third isn't that bad for the moment and Breanna Olson Burt for a car up in the wall in turn four that is Gary Bradbury have any cars racing back racing the leader back to the line this time they're not better now they've obviously so here comes Jarrett a somewhat leisurely paced back to the caution flag there's a gentlemen's agreement among the drivers about not racing back to the caution flag unless you're trying to get a lap back from the leader and no one was closer to contend so let's make this the seventh caution of the day and lap 169 track crews going to Gary Bradbury Zaid and to clean up in the garage area already there have been seven cars make that eight cars either behind the wall lengthy stays on pit road or out of the race in the garage due to crash damage not quite the average for this race which is nine but then we're just halfway well that's the car get er if you get in trouble here you really smack the wall pretty hard Bradbury is okay Larry Hedrick Chevrolet is not nerds bradbury through a slide around and into the wall and it looks like she slides around the track the leaders are now heading into the pits first to dick Berggren Tony Eury jr. going to be up on the front tires now as Earnhardt jr. comes down pit road driving the same car he matched his career best finish ever in 10th in Las Vegas in this race car let's see if they're gonna pull a four-tire stop or a two-tire stop last thought they did was 16 seconds windshield comes off in front of it that you got a little pace of plastic and they just pulled off another four-tire stop for junior meanwhile Bobby Labonte has gone out of the pit he's finished as ruses his part as his skin there's the 99 of Burton boy Jr's got his work cut out for him now to Ralph as a four-tire stop for Dale Jarrett they did exactly what they had with the car before they just changed tires that's all they did to it they like the way this cars handling right now Jarrett with two runner-up finishes here in Texas in the first year and in 99 he finished 11th year in 98 bill Stevens Rusty Wallace came in got four tires no chassis adjustment and two stalls down Matt Kenseth is still in the pits he was going to come in and just take two tires they changed their mind they're taking four and as you can see there's a NASCAR official in front of the car a tire from that team got loose and crossed pit road they're holding them up also a lengthy stop there Dale Earnhardt has been in for a very long stop they took a long time on the right side of the car now they're under caution so they have the luxury of taking time it's not going to cost him an additional position [Music] but how about Matt Kenseth visit yeah cost him a lap he's still being held and let's show you what happened oh there goes the tire and that's going to cost him at least a lap that is too bad yeah the centric right right else I'll stop him right there and let everybody go by and you'll be at the tail end or find a lap down it wasn't Matt's fault no definite it's alright 171 laps are complete here in Texas were under caution but we'll be right back [Music] this CBSsports race summary is sponsored by Hamill add more life to your car after 171 of 334 laps 256 and a half miles they've had 15 different leaders to lead a swap 21 times cautions the story said them of them these the drivers who have crashed out of this 500 Nadeau from Connecticut Sadler Virginia and ready Benson Pratt berry all victims of this mile and a half track and would you believe that a car that was a lap down just a few moments ago is now the leader there he is Ricky Rudd and with more on the story here's Mike joy rut is at the front after the pit stops that remain under this caution flag Jeremy may feel there is in second Bobby Labonte is the third place car two forks leading a Pontiac there's LaVon is number 18 Steve Park number one in a Chevrolet is fourth 31 there is Mike Skinner the fifth place car and Rudd is on point and this is another situation Mike where a lot of the two tires while others took on four tires so they're they're learning that that works let's go to dick Berggren plus one team that took on no tires network burton currently running in seventh spot remember a few laps back he was a lap down god has laughed back on one of those caution flags came in this time around took no tires at all just fuel putting up into the front of the group in seventh spot Earnhardt jr. meanwhile took Ford he asked his crew he said how many of those guys in front of me took two were none and they said well about all of him so her heart just calmly we'll take them one at a time every left the mike the burton brothers are sixth and seventh robert pressley is eighth Jimmy Spencer is 9th Dale Jarrett 10th this man Dale Earnhardt jr. is 11th also on the lead lap Rusty Wallace Mark Martin Kevin LePage Tony Stewart Joe Nemechek Terry Labonte Chad little Michael Waltrip Dale Earnhardt 20th Jeff Gordon Kenny Irwin and Bobby Hamilton but I mean get up on that day we'll go go great great great [Music] 174 laps complete don't you dare for a bit get up because I ever heard [Music] back in the pack might have a shot at getting back on the lead lap he lost to lab he was penalized a lap when his crew then attire get loose and roll across pit road maybe much quicker [Music] even if they come down the front straightaway not quite let's get an update from bill Stephens it can update on Matt Kenseth now we saw the tire get loosened cross pit road a NASCAR official just came over to Robbie Reiser the crew chief and said Robbie I've been telling you already turn to Tony Stewart excuse me bill but he got way way up the racetrack almost hit the wall but hung on to what he's dropped in the back of the pack let's go back to bill as I said Mike the problem with the number 17 car today has been matt has spent too far outside of the pit stall he's been too close to the action coming by on the right side the NASCAR official said I've got a hole he's got to bring that car closer in when he brings it into the pits so that then was the penalty for pitting outside the box all those pit stalls are marked over the line an infraction and a resulting penalty there's ken's of trying to get back on the lead lap Ricky Rudd trying to hold up a big as he knows that's one of the faster car [Music] nah fret now Ricky rut got his card I'll then pretty good - tires are working for these guys Matt Kenseth feels a little bit quicker but what Ricky runs pretty tough - to have him when he able to turn down on the bottom side of the racetrack Bobby Labonte is back in third now here's Kenseth having a look to the inside and all not this time Jeremy taken the inside looking at well far they're trying to lift on the inside of Matt Kenseth he has a good race car now that car is ticking a little bit better than that temple that's certainly going to hurt Kenseth [Music] because he's moving backwards [Music] so Ricky Rudd leads it Jeremy Mayfield both in Fords levanti's Pontiac Steve Barnes Chevrolet let's show you what happened there to Tony Stewart up in between turns one and two as way up on the outside the orange car got loose there and had to chase the car up the hill and that didn't get better as he got that big that loose again it was very fortunate to get slowed down enough that it didn't I interrupted bill because I saw that smoke from the right rear thought he might the back ricky rudd now I've fallen out of contention there he's moved over there about four or five cars got by him in one corner three drug was the 15th different driver to lead this race now Jeremy Mayfield goes up front and he will be the 16th different leader they're the green car is just so consistent he's very consistent and we all know he was lightning fast when account he's very patient to the record for this race 19 different leaders cept the first year 1977 behind this team far ahead of ricky rudd but Jeff Burton is past Dean part and Burton is about to join Bobby Labonte there's Burton the right side of your screen the 99 for here's michael waltrip in our rancette comm telemetry michael in 18th place he's on the lead lap four sixes [Music] [Applause] Baptist rally that would [Music] he was not anywhere close to 9,000 to that point pick back here is Ward Burton tries out right free of traffic Kevin LePage 16 pulls up alongside this is for ninth place on bet with Robert Pressley and night obeys now Tennyson pertinent fighting for 11:00 and war Kurt and then that yellow black car out there he still does not have the handle under that car he's not able keep losing valuable this was reported he took on no tires during that last new fresh tires will run faster longer speaking of which looked at the three car of Dale Earnhardt now he is really flying up through this crowd they made him mad whoo-hoo what would go out thank Mike he's up to 13th place chasing Rusty Wallace now Ricky Rudd was the leader on this restart rut has fallen back to fifth place dick Berggren problems that's what I asked his crew chief Michael Vick's Wade he looked at me and said just one word tires they didn't take any tires on that last pit stop that's how he got the lead and the car just doesn't handle that well now Ralph popular Bonnie's number 18 has been tight off of the corners right now so he is battling that problem which means as he comes off the corner he's having a hard time getting that and make it a good run down the straightaway Mike John Andretti after crash damage from Johnny Benson back into the race his 200th career start will not be a memorable 40th place right now there are two old warriors going at it listen how many times have we seen that two and three here they are going at it again that's for the 11th position like that 10th position now [Music] you know that men that walk with delicate that's right so when you get back and lose track position it's tough to get back to the front now Presley is suffering the same fate as Ricky Rudd not enough tires that's why he's dropped those three percent Robert Pressley was up there in the midst of the lead lap been a competitive race here at Texas Motor Speedway were just past halfway we've had seven caution flags six of them four crashes eleven Bill Elliott Jeff Thornton Johnny Benson and Jerry Nadeau were involved in that one in turn number two and this race has had 15 different make that 16 different leaders from pole sitter Terry Labonte down through Jeremy Mayfield was in command right now ahead of Bobby the by Jeff Burton Steve Park and Ricky Rudd the top five as we watch the ballot of 10th place there Rusty Wallace and Dale Earnhardt this two drivers are running about eight and quarter seconds behind believer here comes Earnhardt look into the inside here we go I guarantee you he'll get down in that corner but charter must be our takes the spot through Joe Nemechek so move Earnhardt up to 10 that Nemechek up into 11th place and here comes Jeff Burton this is for second place underneath Bobby Labonte Duke Burton has passed a lot of race cars today he started took the provisional back in 37th position came to the front then had an extended pit stop during a caution period got back in the back again came back up towards the front now in second place Jeff Bergeron has passed all the 1e trails Jeremy Mayfield with 191 laps completed [Music] welcome back to Texas kid has funny ears he's listening on the scanner listening to his favorite driver and crew chief and spotter communicate might be Jeremy Mayfield he's got the lead from Jeff Burton but Burton's closed up at lead car by Roger Penske and Michael Cretu FFA's the former world wide racing for Ford Motor Company now a NASCAR team on the Penske teammate to Rusty Wallace they feel out front but Jeff Burton has just inhaled him yes it's a matter of time Burton look to the outside inside places he gained on Jeremy now the car at this point the race will have to wait and see that he is the fastest car Burton with a look to the low side and Mayfield slips up the racetrack a bit may have our 17 different leader here this time baby we definitely have a race they're side-by-side but now you see the 99 of Jeff Burton take the lead down in turn one [Music] so Jeff Burton's Roush Racing Ford dumps to the front his Ford Ford Pontiac and Chevrolet [Music] Burton did lead-free flag pit stop so we're still on 16 different leaders dave blaney making a green flag pit stop [Applause] no crashing the attrition has not been high the only car officially out of the race is Jerry Nadeau [Music] on that nuttin and these big penalized came down pit road too fast they play any farther Jeff Burton gets that he is very very tough just in the distance [Music] that is about for 16 seconds behind as we look at this battle for second one more lead change will tie the record for Texas in this race 24:00 we've had 23 today reply the record believe changes Bobby Labonte went by just sin and took over second spot and there's there's day learn on 10th place right now in his Richard Childress Chevrolet and you just saw him saw the wheel finding the handle up just a bit like even good race cars affect every once in a while a good close to 200 miles an hour when shepherd moons past john andretti and ready 44 laps down in 39th place but if he stays on track seven more laps they'll pick up three points from Gary Bradford's great car I think I'll back it up ten miles an hour because we do have two or three let me tell you that a racetrack it's very fast forward balance [Music] 203 laps complete let's go to Jeff Burton's pit here's Bill Mike Frankie Stoddard is the crew chief for Jeff Burton he's talking to Jeff right now that will grab them they have moved all the way up through the field boy the way that he's running today you're probably wondering when we were going to show up [Music] what a job by deaf Berg he was really down on himself after qualifying with the broken motor with for him and he's a super race car driver I'm real proud to be able to be associated with him the next side battery is this whole team good real good there's eight cars real good it's a bunch of them I think it's been a great race all day and it'll be nice to pull this thing off the state of Texas this morning I asked Jeff Orton if he was concerned about starting so far back he said are you kidding I do my best work from the back he has shown a lot of times that he can come from the back battle for eighth place net teammates hustling back standing car number 31 Dale Earnhardt and number three took the position away right in front of them is Ricky Rudd in the car number 28 he has dropped back now and you can see why he just can't keep the car down on the racetrack of 28 they just went right up the racetrack the middle of corner bit straightaway speed but not much in the moment that's eighth ninth and tenth Mike Skinner loses a spot there may gain one from Ricky Rudd let's go to Skinner's pit well Mike these Winston Cup cars have pretty big pieces of machinery but some fine adjustments will make huge differences with the cars crew chief Larry McReynolds he's talking about adjusting the air pressure in Mike Skinner's car of a pound if usually they will do so much less like to say two to three pounds which could be 20 to 25 pounds of spring rain adjusted to the car but now can Squires they're talking about just a tenth of a pound which could be as much as five pounds of spring rate adjustment Ken see that number 33 Nemechek he's about to be challenged I'll tell you the strongest one out there is Tony Stewart in back-to-back laps he passed terry labonte then he passed Mark Martin six laps later he took Rusty Wallace here he is closing in on these leaders trying to crack the top 10 Tony Stewart's coming on strong back to Mike joy Stewart charge number 20 there on the moon at 12th place behind Nemechek and Skinner and just in front of Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin seems that most every driver who has led this race has cycled through the field either because of taking two tires or four tires and the number of caution flags today seven have really provided some jumbling in the running order we're at 205 Jeff Burton is the leader in a Ford Bobby Labonte's Pontiac Jeremy Mayfield's Ford and third Dale Earnhardt jr. and his teammate Steve Park and Chevrolets [Music] welcome back to CBS Sports coverage of the DirecTV 500 from Texas Mike joy with Ned Jarrett and Buddy Baker our leaders Jeff Burton but Bobby Labonte remains just about eight tenths of a second behind Dale Earnhardt jr. now up for third ahead of Jeremy Mayfield back to fourth Steve Park is fifth Kevin LePage is sixth seventh is Dale Jarrett eighth this Dale Earnhardt and here's the ninth place battle now Joe Nemechek in 33 and Tony Stewart's 20 a lap ago sped past number 28 Ricky Rudd so they are on the move currently 9 and 10 it's a run let's see if he's want to be able to make the pass that's why I always like my car to handle the most right down that straightaway just sitting out 20 card just pull up on Nemechek and blow by and down that back straightaway let's give you a reading on Joe Nemechek ranch shed calm telemetry will have been a break hit 191 miles now they're going into turn 1 and if we stay on this to turn 3 you'll see the turn 1 entrance because of this curve front straightaway might be just a little faster than the entrance into turn 3 [Applause] 188 miles an hour you think more racetrack more speed now he touched the brake a little bit getting off the corner buddy I don't understand that he just let me a footrest on it and then setting that light off well certainly not trying to but didn't realize pressing on the right leader in traffic cam court boy Texas is still not his racetrack he had gone a lap down earlier Mike and then made a pit stop here just a few laps ago so he's pretty far down the list now in fact he's been shown three laps down in 31st position most of the damaged cars from the six accidents have gotten themselves back on track jerry nadeau officially out a lot of damage to Johnny Benson's guard he climbed out Adam Pandey hid it behind the wall almost all of a sudden he was running back there and about the 28th through my position somewhere back there around 30th but hits toward the garage he was hoping to run all day just to get experience but as you say that's one thing he did get today and that's what he was out here for he actually got some good race time out here and he knows what the car feel like it meant way of the race that he completed about 200 16 laps to the garage a nineteen-year-old has a lot of promise and a lot of opportunity but also a lot of responsibility to carry the most famous name in stock car racing to another generation I think you'll fit in that mold just right at lap 220 here's your leader South Boston Virginia's Jeff Burton Dale Earnhardt started 35th to win Atlanta Burton started 37 today hurts Kenny Wallace battling try to stay on the lead lap Brett Bodine just ahead of it whose used the combination of a fast race car out front [Music] car number 11 shown in the 25th position one of the very huge driver owners left in which to conquer a scene that he and Bill Elliott among the teams that contend every week you'd have to count Kyle Petty in there Betty enterprises as well well Jeff Burton just did get by Brett bow down there down did not realize the leader was there with almost a retronym turn where's Daryl Walter on his victory tour this year his last season on number 66 this his last appearance in Texas med let's add to that list Dave Marcus who attempted but did not make the show here in Texas as one of the driver owners series it is certainly a dying breed I was just thinking about what Waltrip said the other day he said if I don't win a race this year well I'll just pull instead of retired yeah Thank You rod coming into the pits he was one of those that took on no tires during that last caution period and he dropped back to a little bit in the field that now headed down pit road seeds had some damage on the right front of his forward [Music] was it from the brakes he'll get tires now but it'll be costly it'll be at least two laughs dick Berggren it was worth the try though Mike he really had to do something in order to get his job back it looks pretty good he showed his stuff he showed he's quick he's back on the Speedway stop bill Stephen I'm with Adam petty first of all that what brought you into the garage hi we broke a motor that's what happens that's just my look last night I had a car capable fishing in top five and somebody blew up in front of me and I got in there wreck and today we just riding along running about 24 and am brewing motor so I that happens we'll come back at Charlotte least I didn't tear it up I learned a lot and I just figured out you know what my line was an hour and get back in my rhythm and everything like that so I honor some of those guys respect out there today I had a good time and we'll go get him next week and he got the name petty it's easy to get that respect well I asked his father Kyle why start at him at the car eating us racetrack in NASCAR to make your first debut and houses will you remember I started at Daytona he said Adams run well here he's qualified up front here in the Busch car and had a good finish in in a truck and Adam likes this racetrack so he gave a good account of himself today sorry to see his day and early 227 laps complete the DirecTV 500 continues on CBS after this message and a word from your local station [Music] welcome back to Texas 231 laps complete pit stops continue this is Michael Waltrip Jeremy Mayfield and his teammate Rusty Wallace are both in as well these would be scheduled pit stops those that need adjustments will be coming in first does Michael Waltrip goes out first to this group but he came in before they did it so all those cars are on the lead lap yeah it just is where the great pit crews come in when they stop under green anybody have a dip stop under caution but when you stop on the green one second it's almost a football field here big battle a Steve Park and Tony Stewart share the same piece of racetrack Dale Earnhardt works by on the outside now Earnhardt and Stewart have been drafting together and they caught Steve Martin was battling Dale Jarrett tires Tony squeezing past Michael Waltrip Steve Park Grove ow the gas and just let Tony Stewart go right on by you don't see Jarrett because he's come on to pit road along with Matt Kenseth Kenny Irwin Robert Pressley and Ken Schrader dick trickles in the pits as well and here's your race leader coming in Jeff Burton and the second place man Bobby Labonte he'll Stevens the Exide crew over the wall this is what they call their 17 seconds at the office half a second for each look not two and a half seconds of wheels they'll do four tires two cans of fuel the left side of the car is up so far no snakes whatsoever [Music] let's stop for the leader brows shaheed Jeff Chandler and very good go to work changing the tires on the left side now of Bobby Labonte's machine this will be just a four-tire stop no adjustments to the car a 15-point oh for second stop an absolutely fantastic stop by the 18 team a good stop at a bad result for Dale Jarrett he was held in his pit for coming down pit road faster than the NASCAR mandated speed limit well he was he was penalized about what he did his pit stop was 1509 was his pit stop and he lost 15 seconds as a result of that muster back to the pits Dale Earnhardt jr. is on pit road right now stalled the car briefly he has asked to tighten it up just a tad when they put new tires on it it's going to be another four-tire stop a little trouble on the right rear Randy car trouble get them up there they know 17 violent today for junior Kenny Wallace Mark Martin Tony Stewart Steve Park Joe Nemechek are also in there's mark Barton will enjoy a new paint job on his car right kevin lepage become trouble turn to one car in the wall hard it's Jeff fuller and there's going to be a lot of cars that are going to be caught a lap down here as couple of cars have not pitted Kevin LePage and Chad little have not pitted I'm not sure if LePage has received the caution flag or if he came past the flag stand before the wreck happened but the rookie the former modified champion from Auburn mass Jeff fuller and the eel river racing Pontiac a hard hit in turn two it's the eighth caution of the day coming at lap 238 or at both ends of that car are used up fuller had a great qualifying run he was one of the two rookies in the top ten in qualifying Scott Pruett was the other and you can see that he is okay I'll having a look at the damage can we fix it that job Jeff is okay let's show you what happened in turn two up there by himself and the back end just goes out from under him and hits hard into the outside retaining wall there's the slides on around down across the racetrack Cara's going die yet you would think maybe a tire went flat but you could see the right-side tires on that car we're up the left side of course are down but he hit the wall hard enough to make those lose the air eighth caution of the day Jeff fuller the latest victim of Texas Motor Speedway he's okay car is junk we'll be right back [Music] 239 of 334 laps complete 350 eight and a half miles 16 liters working toward that record of 1925 lead changes eight cautions as this track continues to devour the NATO Benson Bradbury Compton Adam petty lost an engine fuller just crashing hard appear in turn number two this track can really bite him well let's get back with more of the story from topside here's Mike joy joined CBS Sports tomorrow night beginning at 9:00 p.m. Eastern as we bring you the ultimate shining moment live coverage of the NCAA men's championship between Florida and Michigan State it all starts with prelude to a Championship presented by Honda it's a 9:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CBS well things have really shaken up right now and it's good to be Jack Roush two of his cars had not made pit stops under green and they are at the front of the field here's rally points fantastic to be Pat trice and crew chief for Kevin LePage because right now Pat you guys are sitting in an enviable position explain to me how the advantages worked out for you what you're gonna do to try to get to the finish now we've been getting good fuel mileage all day Jack does a great job working on that for us and the family click Ford's been running really strong all day we're running in the top five we were still running real good times will you go a few laps guys coming a little bit early we just had to stay out because last time cause you come out right after everybody pitted so you never know and finally a break went went 1-1 our way this time and hopefully it'll work out State Green arrested a and hopefully we'll be there in victory lane wheel deck there at the back end of the line but they're actually at the front of the field they're only going to need one more pit stop in that 16 where they're planning on taking just two tires stick well good news bad news sad little indeed he has got a lap on most of the field by doing what he just did but in order to accomplish that he had to speed down pit road Jeff Hammond said no questions just stand on it he came flying through here NASCAR penalized him for it as a result Chad little has got to go to the end of the longest line he will be in second spot but the end of the longest line now as a result of all of that they have decided bring the car in right before the green flag put some fuel in it Wow wild wild day for Chad little well let's try to explain how the leaders of the race are last in line they did not make pit stops under the green so when the caution came out they had nearly a lap on the field all of these cars that you see here that are on the lead lap came into the pit so the cars that were out there got a free pass all the way around see now here's the pace car in front of that pack these two lead cars come all the way around so they will line up in the back but they are the two leaders the cars ahead of them are technically behind the pace car so they're on the tail end of the lead lap and there's a long list of them there's at least 13 of them in that position they'll all have to race very hard to stay in front of LePage and little to keep from going one lap down it's exactly right they were one lap down when the caution came out as a result of channa Chad little and Kevin LePage not having made a green plate hit stuff everybody else had and so now we get one more lap to go but you're right they're going to have to race hard and Kevin LePage is right on the back bumper of the 22 car afford Burton Dale Jarrett is right in front of Burton and then Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace Nemechek so yeah those are the drivers that are really going to have to race hard here Ned let's get an update from Ralph on the Elliott Sadler driver who was injured in that crash with Sterling Marlin back at lap 119 and Mike fortunately it's a positive update Elliott is okay he has a bad bruise to the left shoulder and the x-rays were negative that was the big concern they are afraid something was broken in there it's just a bad bruise to the left shoulder he's going to be fine Kyle Petty is currently behind the wheel number 21 Hill Stephens well it's been some minor deal-making going on down here in the 99 hit of Jeff Burton on the Exide car they've been in touch with a number 18 car Bobby Labonte the interstate car on the restart they're hoping to hook up together and try to run toward the front Exide batteries and Interstate Batteries working together what a country Ford versus Pontiac Roush versus Gibbs now they should be in good shape they're at they've had a fast race cars all day and they're out in front out front here and has a lot of traffic a lot of race cars between them and the leader operation green flag you heard Dale Jarrett and time Jeremy Konner there was some shuffling around to hold the backstretch over there PJ said he got back to where he was so I don't know what the and they are streaming past him here's Earnhardt jr. alongside the 99 Jeff Burton jr. is going to move up and there's trouble with the three car he got way up high [Music] yet it might have been that he got shuffled so far off the racetrack he got a lot of that rubber debris on his tires and had to work it loose before the car would stick there be okay now we're being told that that the 88 car has been posted because he passed on the left okay no that was that has been taken away they were talking about that but I guess when he said he got back in his position then I guess they were right it goes so the leaders are mid-pack there's Jared battling with Steve Park and well back in this pack are the race leader's Kevin LePage and Chad little and that is a big disadvantage because two cars up front up there and clean air and their trouble that got hit by the four car going into turn one caution flag where the leaders more cars spin LePage to bring them around to the flag now he will let off and all of these cars in front of him will come back on the lead lap and be able to catch up to LePage and Chad little because the pace car will not pick up the front cars in the pack it will wait for the official race leader Kevin LePage exactly there's DJ's car sitting down on the inside out he's moving around inside the car you can see I'm not sure they'd hit anything real hard he's spun up to the outside the tribe idea that down across the crack BJ going into the turn on the outside of the floor and I thought they got got together not not anything to Bobby well let's have a look at it that yeah with no exactly Vanna okay see there's DJ on the outside of the four car and still think they got together I'm not sure Ricky Rudd touched it I don't I don't think so no I didn't look from that angle it wasn't apparent there's another look I've already happened for where that cameras kicked in see there is some damage to the left side everybody else was able to miss him yeah and he brushed it though it was not as you said that well that's it anytime you hit at 190 miles an hour is tough but well the 90 car also spun there yet barrier let's see what Mike Skinner saw of this if they touch look at those the black and the red and blue and the yellow car yes it is hard to say look like now Dale Jarrett will climb out and they'll hook the wrecker up to the number 88 what a difference from a year ago when everything the brakes went their way they went on to the championship this year they're having things happen that didn't happen last year and it'll be the first time the Jarrett is finished out of the top dozen here at Texas well this will put the field back in order behind the pace car with LePage and then Chad little and then the rest of the pack will be behind them no he declined getting on that stretcher he said I'm gonna walk to the ambulance they're lucky he's limping a little bit maybe favoring his right knee but it didn't look like he hit anything hard there too and I'm surprised that he wasn't able to crank it up and drive it back sure Ned of course when you go into that corner of 170 some miles an hour any kind of a hit is pretty hard but we'll check on the condition of that car and Dale Jarrett when we come back to Texas after this [Music] we're under caution for Dale Jarrett's accident you see the tires flat spotted and damage to the 88 off it goes to the garage 249 laps complete were under yellow racing electronics provides the communications to a lot of the race teams and scanners to the fans and are in car radios let's try to get a word here with Kevin LePage Kevin Mike joy at CBS things are looking pretty good they're doing a great job what did you think when you're leading the race behind all those other cars right in front of you trying to have to bust your way through them to put them a lap down though hey well we can do we're gonna do the best job we can and we'll see what happens at the end of this race okay one lap to go we'll let you get back to work let's show you from Ricky Rudd's car what happened down there in turn one there's right there the fourth card didn't touch it that's when DJ was turned into a prime so certainly didn't want to imply the Bobby Hamilton did anything wrong and he didn't so now we're back to well if anything's normal here at Texas this would be it there are 17 cars going to line up in the outside lane on the lead left so the leader Kevin LePage is out front Bobby Labonte is second Dale Earnhardt jr. Jeff Burton Jeremy Mayfield Tony Stewart Steve Park Rusty Wallace Mike Skinner and Joe Nemechek 10th then Chad little Terry Labonte Ricky Rudd Dale Earnhardt Mark Martin Ward Burton and Jimmy Spencer those are the lead lap cars Ken Squier how do you tell if you have a racer living in your neighborhood well Kevin LePage says as you drive by a house in July the grass is over 14 inches high that's where the racer lives we're too busy to mess with lawn mowers coming to complete lap 251 of 330 pee [Music] that's Robert Pressley racing back into turn one trying to get back on the lead lap he's done it once today for the moment he's done it again here's Matt Kenseth right with him his lap when he was penalized for hanging out of the box pit road just trying to get patted going down in the corner Matt Kenseth this on the inside you see by the body now pulling even Kevin LePage and then start off turn full and this is for money Bobby Labonte for the race lead gets it he's got Earnhardt jr. right up his tailpipe such a place card they all are not here as they head for the back straightaway [Music] [Music] [Music] very very fast race car so the popular body so right now it just might yes what happiness battle [Music] riding with Earnhardt jr. and here at Tony Stewart he's on the move get a dip inside Bobby Hamilton and try to take fifth away from Mayfield not that time might feel wet on the outside of Hamilton State Park and car number one and trouble turn for one car around and sliding down at his Joe Nemechek and spinning to the infield as Rick mast off turn four and caution is out for the tenth time today Rick mast back under way there that you just went across the grass now he's back going you know the complexion of this race is like the weather in New England as Mark Twain said if you don't like it just wait a minute because it's all gonna change it has changed the number of times already here today let's see Robert Pressley and matt kenseth were ahead of leader Bobby Labonte and they have both come to the caution flag and gotten back on the lead lap Joe Nemechek climbs out he's okay but the concrete here in Texas has bit another one got his first win in NASCAR Winston Cup competition last year at New Hampshire he's not real happy right now you can see him just kind of leave me alone let me look just for a second but it's mandatory he goes in and gets the check over from the doctor tier tenth caution of the afternoon Joe Nemechek with Rick mast also involved we'll be right back with you here at Texas after this [Music] Joe Nemechek is the latest victim of Texas Motor Speedway bringing out the tenth caution flag at lap 250 for 90 laps to go and let's show you from Ricky Rudd see the smoke up ahead mark slow down okay as Rick mast on the left there spun out down through the inside Fritos takes you inside racing we've had a number of cars get loose and get up and hit the wall if easy to spot a car that's loose watch the back of the car trying to go to the outside there yeah if you ever see one get that far sideways that's more than loose it's a wreck taping up a little bit of damage now this was from one of the much earlier collisions that Ricky Rudd got a small piece of very early in the day we've had ten caution flags nine of them for crash incidents seventy seven laps to go and this one is far from over there are eighteen cars on the lead lap there's probably 16 of those that can still win this Dale Jarrett is out of this race Bill Stevenson they'll Jared right here the reigning Winston Cup champion Dale first of all physically how are you okay just hit my right knee on the steering column but uh I'll be okay we're trying to determine from the replay if there was contact before the spin what happened I use all the replay I did and I don't know I'm not sure what happened I just know when I got into one car started wiggling that was from a touch or if that was just from the tires I'm not sure he's disappointed obviously dick Berggren virtually nobody pitted on that caution flag here's why Bobby Labonte keyed his radio had talked to his crew chief Jimmy bait car he said you thinking what I'm thinking Bay cars said yeah track position Bobby said yeah and they stayed out and everybody else thought that was such a good idea they stayed out way in the back like Jimmy Spencer and Robert Pressley were those guys way way in the back who did make pit stops under this caution flag they were toward the tail end of the lead lap anyway so gave little or nothing up by making a stop you're exactly right I'd take four tires two fives at the back because you can only go forward with that kind of advantage it really helps the cars to have fresh sharper get back Robert Pressley just got in his lap back so he was all the way bill Stevens with Joe Nemechek Joe physically you're okay but not a happy guy no it's probably as pissed as I've been in a long time you know you you come here to these tracks and you race hard you know we had a good car running in the top ten and lap cars just won't give you a break and they want to race you down in the corner and pinch you down on the apron and that's what happened to me I mean I just hit my left sides on the apron and started wiggling and couldn't save it uh just very unfortunate people got to start using her heads a little bit obviously entitled to be frustrated he was out of the Busch race yesterday and as a texas-sized temper flare up there leave several of those today tough day for Joe Nemechek Bobby Labonte a race leader as we go back to green Dale jr. in his tire tracks tighten your seatbelt I'll guarantee it's gonna get a little more exciting now you're getting bounces when a cow to move people Dale Earnhardt jr. has had a break car all day long first Ford in line Kevin LePage in third here's the fifth place battle Jeremy Mayfield mm Steve Martin Rusty Wallace Mike Skinner each of the three brands represented up fried a Pontiac leading Chevrolet and second is looks like a Chevrolet the bath Dakota first and then afforded third and the Chevrolet of Earnhardt jr. does go to first the body sees a big gap behind him lifts the throttle and drops in line and kept on the pace is really turned it up into 16 [Music] I think the longer Kevin's car goes on a run the better it gets at least I was virgin several times today this is hands up left from his tires now that might be able to challenge these three have opened up quite a lead on the rest of the field there's the front three and there's the gap Jeff Burton in fourth place Jeff Burton see he he does have a great race car though if he catches [Music] Jeff Gordon makes a pit stop he's been kinda like below cowboy today a lot of duct tape a lot of repairs Africa [Music] laughs 111 there's Burton the fourth place car right side of your screen he's trying to close in but he's got a long way to go 1.7 seconds behind the leader and about nine tenths of a second off the third place car so let's go back and get the battle for seventh team - they're Rusty Wallace 31 Mike Skinner bottom right now would like to be down there with acceleration off the corner buddy quite well [Music] that battle for 7th place on back good run for Steve Park today got caught up with Scott Pruett at lap 18 early on in the race they fight it up front but Mark spent a lot of time in the top tenth in the top five this afternoon he has been a certainly in the top ten all day long this could be it for Jeff Gordon he's back on pit road after just making a stop the left-turn garage [Music] tract owner Bruton Smith would love to have a second Winston Cup race here at Texas I don't think Jeff Gordon would be a fan of that awful racetrack for him so four times here he's had trouble this man he loves it he won his first Busch Grand National race here now pulling away from Bobby Labonte good when his first Winston Cup race disappearing view of you in my rearview well I think he's gonna see a rising car in the background there I think the 99 car Jeff Burton he's running very very well he's a little way back but he seemed to be closing in on second and third Lilly's 2.6 seconds behind the leader right now I agree I think he is closing in one second and third you'll see how he stacks up against Earnhardt as they run a few laps I'll tell you one thing he's not gonna be easy to pass Earnhardt I can remember the first rates that I ever won and Jeff Burton was talking about him there mom ago he lost a tenth of a second that last lap so Earnhardt is pulling away from everybody and as we noted Jeff Gordon did into the garage area for ninth place terry labonte the defending champion of this race and here the teammates side-by-side again are these two cars welded together today or an iron Skinner they've raced each other pretty hard you said the race right brothers and they certainly been together all day Earnhardt moves into 10th spot there's Gordon [Music] I'm sure what the record is for a rookie driver how early to win I recall Ron Bouchard won at Talladega and I think his 11th start back in 1981 I don't think that was in July look at the following bite the Jeff Burton just got off the corner there he gets up pristine he said in the season or in his written statement okay certainly what made they learn Hart won in his 16th start that was at Bristol Tennessee in 79 [Music] so Burton having pasla pay for third place and moving away from Kevin LePage at about two tenths of a second a lap but Bobby Labonte looks like he's turned adapting he looks like he's closing in a little bit on me from Bobby Labonte you'll see him we passed jeff gordon coming out of the pits dorkness two set of tires decided to try once more here on the truck there a moment oh well as pudding Eddie pulled into the garage and then he pulled back up toward pit road and then they backed him up and then they put tires on it sent him back in the race Gordon came into this race 10th in the points standings and continues to soldier around here running fast enough when he is in 30th place 13 laps down battle for fifth place Jeremy Mayfield and Tony Stewart Tony Stewart much quicker hitmen the corner of injury Stewart moved up well since this last restart run time he was a lap down on the back straightaway just about the water I'm not sure Bob felt really smoking earlier no that's not Heather's hand barrier barrier coming for Junie Donna let me out of Richmond Virginia caution is out make that number 11 for the afternoon and this should be their last pit stop they should be able to go the rest of the way I'll attack the fuel now what's a good pit crew work now Ned so barrier will coast to the garage for Donna levy and this should once pit road is open bring everyone in Dale Earnhardt jr. is your leader Bobby Labonte is second chef Bert his third that's a Chevy a Pontiac and a Ford Kevin LePage Jeremy Mayfield and then Tony Stewart Steve Park Rusty Wallace Terry Labonte and Dale Earnhardt are your top ten also on the lead lap Skinner Kenseth Martin Ward Burton little Rudd Spencer and Presley and we have broken the record for most caution flags in this race anyone surprised know you hate to see it because a lot of great cars and you know you hit the wall at 190 miles an hour it's really good that nobody's been injured but yes a lot of cars have been torn up to one tough racetrack Earnhardt jr. is just about to overhaul the pace car to get to pit lane here now only the cars on the lead lap 18 cars on the lead lap are allowed to pit the first time by let's first go to bill Stevens Jeff Burton is in in the number 99 they're going to put a half a pint of floor air pressured into the right rear tire to loosen that car up a little bit this will be a four-tire stop this will be a crucial one remember this team started 37th today and I've opened a third [Music] be with that one to dick Berggren Bobby Labonte and his crew chief had talked about taking just two tires winning crew 15.9 a good stop for bobby labonte jr. came in with the lead went out and talked about to the body yes but some other cars just took on two tires back there I think beat them out that's right Ralph fourteen point seven seconds for Dale Earnhardt jr. a very strong stop by this team down here they took four tires and make no adjustments the one the two in the 17 got out ahead of Earnhardt jr. and here's Dale Earnhardt looking hard at that left side now the last time they were in they had a very very long pit stop and we're told now that they are changing the battery on Earnhardt's car that's located behind a panel under the left rear wheel well so he'll come back and be on the lead lap a turn art will be back in 18th place the master of Texas for the moment Dale Earnhardt jr. you think his crew wasn't happy they beat Bobby Labonte out of the pits yes don't forget that is first NASCAR Busch Series grand national win came right here in Texas pick up on the background for Joe Nemechek it's called the bump em ride and into history we were here and that was a great day [Music] Dale jr. and his dad and crew celebrate that was then and this is now steve part but al Jr's teammate is the race leader Rusty Wallace is second Matt Kenseth is thirty-day then turning on jr. Bobby Labonte jeopardy Tony Stewart Kevin are the top ten on this restart [Music] [Music] I have things to happen absolutely right now Matt Cain took the third place rookie fourth place they are not giving away Jason which he was there yes lap traffic but now those in front for real there they with the foam kids a boy in a hurry careful careful it's under the bottom that goes right back into Bobby Labonte also moves past Matt Kenseth but here comes Jeff Burt four good tires against two tires [Music] it's a big difference especially when he had a fast race car already yes that's what makes it look easy [Music] that's right look guy he goes to the outside Rusty Wallace Bobby Labonte also on the move on the inside and here comes Jeff Burton more tires is like putting on Superman's cape oh you got it they Park and one car his teammate Earnhardt's teammate the same garage boresville North Carolina mark runner-up for a NASCAR modified Championship by the smallest margin in series history Jenna Busch grand national driver and now in Winston Cup for Dale Earnhardt identical cars except for one thing left-side tires right now well Steve Park is not showing any favoritism to the boss's son but I don't think he knows in my office they come down the front straightaway side by side Earnhardt jr. back to the lead [Music] making a lot of fun I could hear him over the cars Matt Kenseth passing Rusty Wallace that's back at fifth place and here is the 16 car of given the page as well they're trying to make fast pull the Gulf Coast kids that paper here Paige started on the outside pole and he's had a great day here in Texas Bonnie takes over second here comes Jeff Burton Watson forward bite off the corner here of Jeff Burton he'll just motor out Steve Park giving it a game tribe of that car little loose off the corner and he surrenders the position [Music] for their sailor narc jr. leading across now he has an advantage now of a full second over Bobby Labonte let's go to his pit Tony Eury senior Tony those tires got them to the front what do you got to do to keep we're got a stamp rubber pitch it more laps but watch the cars real good it's good on four tires all day long we wasn't gonna mess that up good you're brought a great tire here and you can put two on get away with it for about a half a run but you couldn't make that whole run I don't think [Music] the only thing you can predict here in Texas is the race will be unpredictable they've run it three times and this in its fourth year could give us a second first-time winner Jeff Burton scored his first ever Winston Cup win here in the inaugural in 1997 is pulling away back he's almost to one for three seconds ahead of Bobby Labonte now oh that right on the white line oh stop body--that sure interval from first to second but the about a half a turn back now riding with a wind this day lie to hit a racetrack [Laughter] doesn't spend much time out of that throttle does he well he's made it all count when he really needed the grip he was a loose problem and when he got back in the car was already set really good to get a good run up out of the corner he didn't overdrive the corner sterling Marlins car being pushed into the garage area he will join at barrier Joe Nemechek Jeff fuller Adam petty Gary Bradbury Benson the cars out of the race picked up another temp at lap 1.4 seconds between Earnhardt jr. and Bobby Labonte and just hope so Matt Kenseth noir start to say the Barnard just hope there's not a caution flag but here will everybody's going to get past as Kenseth slams the inside wall and once again for the 11th time today caution is out for an accident it's the 12th caution overall at lap 290 and turn for once again is calamity corner Carl very very hard on the driver side man Matt Kenseth runner up last night to Mark Martin in the long-delayed Albertsons 300 he's very talented young man is leading the reports coming out of this race and getting window nets open and the fire crew always wants to get that hood up to have a look inside to make sure that there's no broken oil or fuel lines or chance of a fire there's Matt with his hat on already learn that trick from Jeff Green no doubt and Dale Jarrett comes back into the race 45 laps back let's show you what happened to Matt Kenseth guys going into the turn but if the hole by you could see it wiggle just a little bit getting in there now turning around watching hit on the left side of that race car very hard in the wall now here's where you fluckey everybody goes by without contact 290 laps complete 44 laps to go still a lot can happen here in Texas [Music] two hundred ninety two laps complete forty two to go Mike joy with Buddy Baker and Ned Jarrett it's been mechanical mayhem ten of the twelve cautions here have been for concrete punchers ten big accidents accounting for ten to the twelve yellows now tonight on CBS Queen Reina of Jordan and guitar God Eric Clapton followed by a powerful all new touched by an angel and then Chuck Norris stars in the action-packed world premiere movie the president's ma'am that's tonight on CBS and Chuck Norris an interested onlooker today was Ward Burton's man earlier in this week Ward seven-year-old son Jeb got to meet the action star and boy was he thrilled it was and Chuck was seated next door and sweet here to us at the beginning of this race he loves odd racing Dale Earnhardt jr. continues to lead this race now over Bobby Labonte and Jeff Burton here's Ralph Mike the gentlemen on the left here with his arms folded that's B Hoover on day learn are juniors team he is one of the chassis special setup guys for Dale Earnhardt jr. there's a reason why it's so special you see the team found out that B plays exactly the same as Dale Earnhardt jr. so basically whenever Earnhardt jr. eats be over eats and whatever jr. eats B Hoover eats and believe it or not the team gives him a lot of ribbing about it hey Chuck Norris has a stand-in why not Dale Earnhardt jr. sure what would it be a sit-in for hopping in that car so they can scale up who knows go be Hoover huh there's the leader got an arm out the window to get a little bit of cool air and there's plenty of that to be had here in Texas it is a very cool unhhhh spring-like day 17 cars still on the beat lap and five of those took four tires during this caution flag Terry Labonte Mark Martin Dale Earnhardt Robert Pressley and Chad little so they may be a bit quicker than the cars who did not stop you're exactly right Mike it may be bigger and we even think it is let's get out of the pits of the second-place car and dick Berggren bobby labonte and his crew chief Jimmy Makar I've had conversation and they are in agreement they would like to see a long green flag run they think that's their best shot to catch that number eight of Dale Earnhardt jr. why not Earnhardt jr. has incredibly fast pit stops he seems to be quick right out of the box on new tires Mike stop it has spoke to Michael Waltrip's car as he came down and got ready for this restart that must be an oil tanker that thing's been doing this for a long long time I don't know what I'm at all he's got in it but there's plenty he has been smoking for quite a while in fact when we had a caution a while back we're hit very I thought it could be Michael Waltrip because his car had been smoking but he's been hanging in there although he's a few laps down still hanging in there is been shown in the 22nd position two laps down there are only two cars a lap down Bobby Hamilton and Kenny Irwin his net pointed out 17 cars on the lead lap if Earnhardt jr. wins today he and his dad will become the first father-son combination to visit Victory Lane in the same season since 1988 Bobby and Davey Allison that would be some great company too thinking the same thing since the last year the Bobby Allison race that's when the artists [Music] listen [Music] now he's not going to get [Music] and the 2tm cars got the jump on Jeff Burton's Ford there's Earnhardt and Labonte they've taken off and they have Hamilton as a lap down car cushion [Music] that's his best chance maybe with capacity buddy if you could do that but Earnhardt begins to pull away a little bit now just to call them for the half away that's not much but enough that it won't loosen him up just being right up under it before he can do that and that's exactly what Bobby Labonte was trying to do you're riding with the circuitcity camera onboard Bobby Labonte and that's not wasting a lot of time out of trouble out there heads the hole through the corner just kind of feather put it through it listen [Music] and coming in his rearview mirror is Jeff Burton that third place car has now cleared Bobby Hamilton and is about to join this fight for the lead he is definitely gaining him popular body they say he's right now the last map is 3/4 of a second behind the leader fifth place battle Steve Park and that number one Kevin LePage they both had a great run today and a fee they're very hard here comes Jeremy Mayfield Steve pump is caught on the outside and is not half the grip stay there and remember he only took two tires way back there surprisingly didn't come into this last caution didn't want to give that track position I guess but better Ned let's pick up on the cars that took four tires on that caution number five terry labonte and number three Dale Earnhardt have climbed up now to 11th and 12th trying to March [Music] we'll be of advantage last week to Bristol Tennessee which is a very difficult track to pass Ontario Nevada came in with about 17 or 18 to give all the way from 17th up to fifth position so what there see how it works here worked for Johnny Benson down on the second place finish four tires on the last stop beneath it Bend all day as his game plan these guys made a great move they're out there Tony Stewart battling Steve Park for seven we don't get to run off the corners the courage that the comparator getting right now relevant some home ago the Burton was three quarters for second line Earnhardt right now is 1.15 second sideburn are pulling away even though Parton is gaining as increased we said home Bobby Labonte disease he's up on him [Music] the distance look whoa look at the father back here he ended up anything I the three wide into turn three and tarry the body did not give an inch they don't call him the Iceman for nothing he just took it in there three wide and since I'm not giving you this spot that surprised me I thought terrified back off before he didn't proud of it when at the dinner bells ringing there's only 32 laps to go and we still ended up here side by side coming off turn two riding with Brittany ride [Music] there he got a good run off of that turn from the high side this sort of blood driving in that second brutal bit yeah pilot working very well [Music] and art mate that spots in and ricky rudd might have kicked up a little dust in the infield grass trying to get by as well didn't quite make it beside they couldn't hold on things are getting closed at second place Jeff Burton in the Ford has caught Bobby Labonte but they still lack 1.5 seconds to Dale Earnhardt jr. Dale Earnhardt jr. Danny about a tenth of a second the lamp is powerful Walter takes his car to the garage area if we watch him go down and turn three Dale Earnhardt jr. a guy had the nerve to ask me the other day is he for real for real well the Earnhardt's are known for April Fool's jokes on the Winston Cup competitors Earnhardt won his first Winston Cup race on April Fool's week in 1979 and if you've looked at the calendar here we are 21 years later the same weekend [Applause] you know my hat's off to mark Martin not only for winning last night and extending that great string of Busch grand national victories but in Victor he reminded everybody that this was the weekend we lost a great racing champion [Applause] [Music] he was the defending Winston Cup champion in a plane crash goes back to Bristol Tennessee from a personal occurrence [Music] these two cars are basically the same as as far as speeding around the racetrack it would take a mistake on one or the other for position change because bobby labonte is just as fast as Burton there 27 laps to go boy that's a long time though on the racetrack anything can happen just one time get out of the groove a little bit have to check up no second third place card to be right on the heels there are your three liters and you see the advantage Earnhardt jr. has one point six seconds while Bobby Labonte has to occupy himself with Jeff Burton now for Labonte you see now what we call big picture racing it's got a second place car try to run second of every that's five points between those two positions at the end of the season or they add up so they start to do yes he's going to take what he can get from this this race and you know once they saw Earnhardt pulling your way say hey I can't get this thing up who's private for pick second place with livadas Pontiac is doing against Burton's poor but here goes Jeff with a look on the inside got a good run coming off the turn cold that is not good enough to get on the inside of the car we are 25 laps from the finish at Texas Dale Earnhardt jr. with a two second lead but a lots left that can happen CBS Evening News with John Roberts will follow us on most of these CBS stations that crews a little nervous never have they won in West a cup race their first year out and here they are with the chance to win a big race I'm talking there's the second-place paddle Jeff Burton what a day he's had coming from 37 starting position remember he won in New Hampshire from just as far back it was a New Hampshire let's get an update on Burton bill Stephens you had to pick up on the point that buddy made just a few moments ago about the 18 and the 99 being above the same speed that has not been lost on driver Jeff Burton just radioed to crew chief Frank Stoddard I think I'm going to need some help to get around the 18 but he'll have to pull over and wait for help because those guys have really opened it up now there's not much help ahead in the form of lap traffic top car on your screen is Jeff Gorton he is running many laps down Dale Earnhardt jr. coming up to lap past him on the left of your screen now goes around the outside to play the TV the scoring monitor showing Gordon down 13 laps Bill Elliott landed on Jeff Gordon's hood in the four car crash on lap 111 they've spent the whole day repairing the damage this is for second place you're right better those cars are pretty even to match yeah Bobby revani and he don't make that many mistakes if I was having to catch somebody I'd want to be somebody besides possible bonding I think he's got a good run that top coming off the turn too when my body went on the outside of Jeff Gordon right here is where Bobby is really distressed wrong coming off the turn forward cut the past jeff has got to run off there too but this time Bobby Labonte got a good run off there [Music] now it's gonna be in lap traffic here in just a little bit and that that may hold him up and you have to catch these cars TIFF right to keep that momentum up for a second and third place car if the close right in our 20 laps to go Dale Earnhardt jr. second in Rookie points to Matt Kenseth Kenseth has crashed out of today's race at lap 290 John Andretti moves aside with his wounded car as does Bill Elliott and there's dad Dale Earnhardt catching a night catching Mike Skinner again how many times have we seen this today these two are teammates and they have been right close together all day long we're getting down to our accounts for money Skinner though gives Earnhardt plenty of room and Dale moves up to eight he's rated running away but Mike the car his teammate are number one a Steve Park I believe has been reported that he has smoke coming from his car course those engines comes from the same shops Marcus balling his tail end of the lead lap he has he definitely is off the pace as far as where he was earlier second place black flag is out for Steve Park don't have to pin the body trying to hold on but he's up on the outside and that's not the fast way around here now beneath gotta go there he's got a target exactly havock option Phil Elliott moves aside the spotters up on the roof told Elliot you got him coming side-by-side for second place when Elliot gay broom Bobby the body cannot hold him cos he got on the house didn't have to grope the holy men back now both these drivers figure for the Winston Cup championship there's Frank Scott is not happy Jeff Burton's crew chief I would say that lap traffic back there just a second before that Burton is 8 for the Winston Cup boys Bobby Labonte is the point leader they are a hundred eighty-five points apart in the standings and both figure to be there at season's 16 laps to go Dale Earnhardt jr. the defending Busch Series champion Winston Cup rookie trying to win in all Levin start Ralph and Mike nobody is doing inform it's all Dale Earnhardt jr. ollie is getting over the radio is just split times between him and where the traffic is he's doing it all by himself nobody's gonna this would also be the first lipstick that went for crew chief Tony Aires senior who's been around NASCAR racing for many here but you wonder if Steve Park depend he's coming into the fancy wasp back play ancients comes out to say the same shop or if they get a little nervous about you know we see it all the time [Applause] a hundred or so my problem say [Applause] [Music] so there is Park and the look at the source of that smoke see if they can get him back into the race he's had a great day but for the month was Scott through it early on in the official send to back out but they looked underneath the car to see if it was leaking ET ball and prepared that they didn't seeing he said okay ball back out and that smokes coming out the tailpipe showing something internal press leads day appears to be done [Applause] tonight on CBS Queen Reyna of Jordan and guitar guide Eric Clapton on 60 minutes followed by an all-new touched by an angel and Chuck Norris CBS Sunday will be the president's bam--it's tonight on CBS 12 laps to go Terry Labonte moves past Tony Stewart that is for an eighth place dick Berggren I you aright Mike this book is coming out of Steve parks exhaust both of them so that's a pretty serious internal problem the engine was absolutely rattling when he pulled out of pit road here it'll be a miracle if he makes it to the end motor sound just like him running down pit road with the mic it's only got a run 16 more miles and then the warranties up every year since 1994 Winston Cup racing has had at least one first-time winner back in 1997 it was Jeff Burton right here in Texas and we maybe 11 laps from it happening again Dale Earnhardt jr. as a three-second as the laps tick down tend to go you know we were just talking a second ago about baby Alice when you went that first race you may win many more because you have that confidence right now he has the confident when he went he may went four or five races this year Dale Earnhardt jr. where's Tony Stewart had that great season last year as a rookie won three races and the lot of people thought well are hard five be the god that could come in and duplicate that kind of an effort John step ports it like most fathers and sons there's a bit of a generation gap between Earnhardt and jr. Dale likes to get up early and go work on his ranch at the crack of dawn jr. likes to sleep in till noon but he'll stay up half the night on the internet yeah all his drum takes address he loved to go out he loved to have fun with kids his own age at me want to talk about Dale Earnhardt jr. well he's played a tattoo on the field here this afternoon eight laps to go as he crosses the stripe there's Kevin LePage on the left of your screen in fifth place the 12 of Jeremy Mayfield is six it continues to let them believe he's up to about four seconds now [Applause] we are told that the steve part had a stuck valve in the engine on the restart over-revved it between gears or not but the team feels that will not be of consequence to Dale jr. his leads up to four seconds seven to go here's this battle for pimpin it's tightening up between LePage the outside pole sitter and Jeremy Mayfield who finished fifth year last year there they do get closer and closer every lap it's four seconds first to second and a second to third Bobby Labonte Rusty Wallace is four ahead of this battle Kevin LePage from Vermont and Kentucky's Mayfield Stacy Compton being overlapped by Earnhardt jr. [Music] they learn our ginger is had but one top ten finished this season came at Las Vegas where he finished ten and only two other finishes within the top 20 but with two years in a row where he was this thing don't you know all the kids back there that are learning right now that the way she was saying someday I might be like Dale Earnhardt jr. but never mind the finishes I think the key here buddy is that Dale Earnhardt jr. this year in a Winston Cup car has led at all three mile and a half racetracks he led at Las Vegas he led it Atlanta he's well out in front here with five laps to go a few years back i won - father over in Japan and I'll tell you what he'll have a great deal of that race so it's not just a mile and a half racetrack this guy's very very [Applause] he has an older brother Kerry who also raises Ana's over sister Kelly drove some late-model cars for several years before Kelly was very very good down in Myrtle Beach where they cut their teeth more times around style apps for Dale Earnhardt jr. now two seconds separate second and third once a dick birth gun round nobody who just moved away Michael Sutton happening in the grandstand every person here standing now nobody sitting anymore there's damning time to count the cash buddy they know something special captain three laps to go [Applause] like father like son [Music] you know he knows what's going on a lot of pride has to be police where he can almost see now he's in seventh place itself Dale Earnhardt finger is what a day for this great third-generation driver from Kannapolis North Carolina white flag last lap for Dale Earnhardt jr. don't you know his heart's beating harder than that cars running right now his grandfather round former national champion they called him iron heart because he gave nothing on the racetrack his father seven-time Winston Cup champion once dubbed iron heads and then the Intimidator how about this kid he can coach time now Mike checkered flag Dale Earnhardt jr. his Texas Motor Speedway second first time Winston Cup winner Jeff Burton is second bobby labonte third Rusty Wallace leaves Kevin LePage and Jeremy Mayfield to the checkered flag much pride in that three car is Dale Earnhardt senior goes around this racetrack for what this kid has done right now as a kid himself and Tony Eury senior has been crew chief to both earn art different times in their career including earn our juniors Busch national championship in the Busch grand national series let's get his thoughts with Ralph Tony Eury senior has just won his first ever Winston Cup race Tony tell me how it feels did they hit me it but I that's the way we wanted to win we want to come down here we want to show these guys that we're capable of doing it it's not just some blue steam it moved up here it's a great great race team right there and tell me your feelings about Dale Earnhardt jr. and what type of driver he is already that this young stage in his career well he's still learning he's hard to keep him slowed down his I guess everybody seen today and when his car is good he's going to show it and that's the problems we have him we're getting in traffic we've got in trouble just like last three weeks we've been in it we break free race cars so uh that's the only thing we got to do just keep him toned down he's like a wild horse you just got to keep him toned down all the time not surprising this young Mustang would get his first win right here at Texas and Mike he was yelling and jumping and screaming up and down inside the cockpit of the car yelling and cheering to all his guys as he crossed the finish line well there's dad who parked his car just outside victory lane to come in and join the celebration now he's entitled to go there not just as the father of the winner but as the winning car owner Andy Dale Earnhardt jr. like six times for a hundred and six laps you know last night I've predicted this was going to happen I just had a feeling all week long that they all are not doing it we've gonna win this race see the crew members from other teams coming out to congratulate you and Jeff Burton's crew members what a great day for this rate great racing family and for the Petty's their fourth generation star Adam petty got his first taste of Winston Cup competition today animal end up fortieth but had a strong race until he came out of it and lap 215 there's the Intimidator and today proud father Steve there is a heart as big as a man [Applause] [Music] [Applause] well I know how it feels it's special to see your children do good things that it means more many times and it always did with me at least it means more than something that I ever did well Ned you won 50 Winston Cup races but I remember the emotion in your voice she described the first time Dale Jarrett won a Winston Cup race up at Michigan it's so special it's it's sometimes hard to put into words every day out there watching and listening who knows what we're talking about I mean if your son wins in Little League or whatever it is it's a special element when your children do special things well he's in the family business now Dale Earnhardt jr. is a Winston Cup winner and a push series champion he's run 190 miles an hour all day and now coasted into Victory Lane and waiting on him along with Dale Earnhardt is Ken Squier his dad is here first what a moment the seven-time Winston Cup champion pushing his son's car to a stop in Victory Lane here at Texas hey fella what does it mean to win your first Winston Cup race that's pretty special [Music] [Applause] [Music] Dale you see more emotional and I've seen you in all your victories come on [Applause] how about it Dale this is as big a moment for you as it is for him I think Cudahy something else uh uh yeah he's talking about coming to Texas and winning his first Cup race he won his first Busch race here when you the kid could do it Tony you're and all the guys worked really hard and uh I gotta thank Budweiser Chevrolet everybody his kid he he worked hard and Tony Tony jr. Tony jr. Tony senior Richie Gilmore and all them guys in that engine shop we've got a good race car a good engine a boy drove a good race and it was only your 12th start in Winston Cup yeah I'm out of breath hey I'll tell you what that was the hardest part is race ever dude certainly drove a beautiful one today and you were pulling away at the finish yeah we had a blue all day long all week long and uh felt pretty good and what's the race started what's race time we had a good car and I was pretty happy you certainly did a beautiful job Dale Earnhardt jr. wins his first Winston Cup victory let's go to Mike joy like father like son Dale Earnhardt jr. conquers Texas ahead of Jeff Burton Bobby Labonte Rusty Wallace and Kevin LePage the top five [Music] I don't think I've ever seen Dale Earnhardt senior that know everyone the Daytona 500 maybe close six through ten Jeremy Mayfield Dale Earnhardt Terry Labonte Tony Stewart and Ricky Rudd what a day as they tame the asphalt frontier for Ken Squier Ned Jarrett Buddy Baker dick Berggren Ralph Sheheen and Bill Stevens I'm Mike joy saying so long from Texas Motor Speedway for Dale Earnhardt jr. has won his first Winston Cup race the DirecTV Texas 500 [Music] [Music] this is he won his first pager here now Tiger Woods legendary March continues as he pursues a second green jacket a tradition unlike any other the Masters on CBS sports Chuck Norris is the president's Banshee yes tonight

Channel: NASCAR

Views: 353,702

Rating: 4.830287 out of 5

Keywords: NASCAR, motorsports, racing, stock car, Kevin Harvick, chase elliott, ryan blaney, race track, super speedway, highlight, dale earnhardt, dale earnhardt jr, texas motor speedway

Id: kWgjPUIxeYk

Length: 200min 32sec (12032 seconds)

Published: Thu Mar 26 2020

Reddit Comments

[u/Intimidwalls1724]

The more and more I look back on things the more asinine I find the claims that he couldn’t drive

[u/[deleted]]

Great race to reupload. Maybe next time Texas comes around we can get the 97 race in better quality.

[u/P44Haynes]

Fuck this quality is exquisite

[u/BigDaddyPoolDiesel]

I remember this race like it was yesterday! So fired up the "Little E"!

[u/Intimidwalls1724]

The more and more I look back on things the more asinine I find the claims that he couldn’t drive

[u/Rise3711]

funniest part was watching one of the stops, tire rolls towards the middle of pit lane and the official casually walks to it and pushes it back. No one batted an eye ha

[u/MrBadBadly]

This was also Adam Petty's first and only Cup start. He died a month later.

Ironically, his father DNFed. He never got to race against his son in the top series.

[u/Nas160]

These are great races but it'd be even better if they were the raw 60fps versions. Oh well.