No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Runs Strong At Loudon

Waltrip Scores Top-25 Finish

LOUDON, N.H. - The opening laps of Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway looked like the NAPA AUTO PARTS team was well on their way to following up its impressive run from earlier in the season. Driver Michael Waltrip drove from a 32nd-starting position to 15th place in just 60 laps. Unfortunately, the team experienced setbacks in the pits which caused significant losses in track position. Despite the misfortune, Waltrip rallied back to score 25th place.

"We had a really good car," said Waltrip following the race. "We just had a tough time in the pits. The guys did a good job getting the car ready for the race, but we lost it in the pits. That's what happens when you are learning as a young team."

Points leader Kyle Busch led the field to the green flag after Friday's qualifying session was rained out. NASCAR set the field by the rulebook. Waltrip wasted no time by moving from 32nd to 25th place by the time NASCAR threw the competition yellow on lap 35. Waltrip's only complaint was the car was a little tight. The pit crew went to work to make a small air pressure change along with bolting on four fresh Goodyears and adding fuel, but Kevin Harvick's car created a problem for Waltrip when entering the pits. To save time, the NAPA crew only changed right side tires and added fuel.

Crew chief Bobby Kennedy encouraged his driver despite the problem, "You've had good lap times. You're times are the same as the top eight."

When the race went back to green on lap 41, Waltrip was in 25th and Carl Edwards was the leader. By lap 60, Waltrip moved to 15th place on the board. Unfortunately, his surge to the front was slowed on lap 83 when points leader Kyle Busch spun out on the backstretch. His spin also collected Jamie McMurray and David Ragan. The NAPA team used the caution to work on the car. Unfortunately during the stop, there was a problem when changing one of the front tires as a lug nut got stuck. It caused Waltrip to lose 10 track positions. When the race restarted on lap 89, he was back in 25th place. As before, Waltrip's times were comparable to the frontrunners. Waltrip fought hard to hold off leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. as they went side-by-side for many laps. But on lap 143, Earnhardt made it by the NAPA Toyota to put Waltrip one lap down.

The team's first green-flag stop took place on lap 157. The NAPA Camry remained tight through the corners. Kennedy called for a four tire change that included an air adjustment. When Waltrip returned to the track, he ran between 27th and 25th place.

Two more caution-flag periods came out on laps 222 and 229. The second was caused by Chad McCumbee, who got into Matt Kenseth and David Gilliland coming out of Turn 4. Casey Mears and Brian Vickers were also involved in this incident which led to a 10-minute red flag for clean up. Once the field was released, Waltrip came down pit road for a four tire change, track bar adjustment and fuel. He returned to the track in 27th place and Jimmie Johnson was the leader.

Waltrip was able to pick off three more positions by the time the NAPA team's final pit stop took place on lap 281. Waltrip reported that his car was way too loose so air pressure and track bar adjustments were put into action. The service also allowed the crew to bolt on four fresh tires and take on a splash of gas. As the final laps ticked away, Jimmie Johnson went head-to-head with Greg Biffle. Biffle won the battle and Waltrip was able to cross the finish line in 25th place. It was Waltrip's eighth top-25 finish of the season.

Teammates David Reutimann ended his day in 15th, while Michael McDowell led a lap and turned in a 27th-place finish. All three Michael Waltrip Racing drivers are guaranteed a starting spot in this week's event at Dover, Del.

Biffle's victory moved him up six spots in the Chase standings. Rounding out the top-10 finishers in the Sylvania 300 were Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, and Kevin Harvick.

As for the Championship standings, the top 12 after New Hampshire are Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth.

The second stop in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship gets underway this Sunday at Dover International Speedway. Broadcast coverage starts at 1 p.m. ET on ABC and radio coverage on the Motor Racing Network.