|
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry was on mark for a top-20 finish when the No. 6 machine struck driver Michael Waltrip from behind with just 42 laps to go in the Camping World RV 400 at Kansas Speedway. Waltrip’s Toyota spun coming out of Turn 4 and sustained damaged to the left-front side of the car. The team made repairs to get their driver back out to salvage a decent finish but had to settle for a 35th-place result. Despite the disappointing day, the result kept the NAPA team in 31st place in the owner point standings.
“We started out with a really fast car,” said Waltrip, who qualified for the Camping World RV 400 in 29th position. “Bobby Kennedy (crew chief) provided me with a well-balanced Toyota Camry. Unfortunately about halfway through the race, our car’s handling dramatically changed. We were able to hold on to a top-25 pace and were hoping to get another shot at fixing it, but we were wrecked. All we could do then was hang on and hope for the best. It’s too bad. The NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota was sporty there for awhile.”
Jimmie Johnson inherited the pole after Juan Pablo Montoya’s pole-winning time was disallowed due to a shock issue. Johnson led the 43-car field to the green flag and by lap 16; Waltrip was running some of the fastest times. By lap 50, the first round of green-flag stops were happening and Waltrip was able to take the lead on lap 51. Shortly thereafter, he was in for his first service that included a small air pressure adjustment, four fresh tires and fuel.
During the second green-flag sequence, the high groove at Kansas was the fastest line for Waltrip. The NAPA driver climbed into 18th position and as before, Kennedy encouraged his driver by constantly telling him his lap times. Many were faster than the leader, Matt Kenseth, by two to three-tenths (seconds). Then on lap 75, Ryan Newman made contact with the wall to bring out the first caution of the event. Waltrip radioed in to say his NAPA Camry was pretty balanced. On lap 76, the crew changed four tires and added fuel in 13.90 seconds. Waltrip returned to the track in 15th place while Casey Mears took over the top spot.
The NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry did not respond as well during the next run that lasted just 14 circuits due to Kyle Petty spinning in Turn 2. Waltrip had dropped to the 19th position and thought he had a looser set of tires. He reported over the radio that his car was loose in the center and off the corners. Kennedy brought his driver in for a small air pressure adjustment. The team’s four tire stop with the adjustment took just 12.67 seconds. The NAPA Toyota returned to the track in 18th and Mears remained the leader.
At the 100-lap mark, Waltrip’s car was extremely loose causing him to drop back to 22nd place. However, as the laps ticked away, his NAPA Camry started to handle a bit better; but he still could not run as aggressively as he needed. The chance to fix it came when the caution was thrown on lap 117 after Joey Logano hit the wall. This time wedge was adjusted on the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry. When the race resumed on lap 122, Waltrip was 19th and Martin Truex Jr. was the new leader.
The wedge adjustment was not the way to go for Waltrip’s NAPA Toyota. Waltrip said the wedge change made a major difference that caused him to battle a loose in and tight off condition. The ill-handling condition caused him to drop to 25th place before the team made its second green-flag stop of the event. On lap 176, wedge was put back in and Kennedy ordered the original air pressures to be put back into the NAPA Camry.
Unfortunately, the well-balanced condition at the start of the race was not recovered and on lap 225, while running in 24th place, Waltrip was hit by the No. 6 car to bring out the eighth caution of the race. The NAPA Camry was on pit road and the team worked vigorously to make repairs to the left-front side of the car. Waltrip got back out without losing a lap. When the race resumed on lap 230, Waltrip was in 32nd place and Johnson was back in the lead.
Despite the damage, Waltrip ran respectable lap times. He gained two positions on the track by lap 243. Unfortunately, the NAPA Camry’s left front tire blew out on lap 256. Waltrip kept the car going and was able to make it on to pit road for a four-tire change. NASCAR did not throw the yellow flag so the service cost Waltrip a lap as well as five valuable track positions. Through the adversity, the NAPA Camry was still able to return to the track to finish in 35th place.
Johnson sealed the win after Carl Edwards made a run at it but slid up into the wall. It was Johnson’s fifth victory of the season. His result also put him on top of the points standings. Rounding out the top-10 finishers in the Camping World RV 400 were Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, David Ragan, AJ Allmendinger and Elliott Sadler.
Waltrip’s teammate David Reutimann rallied back from a slow start to finish in 19th place.
Entering the fourth race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship, the top-12 in the standings are Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards. Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, and Kyle Busch.
Talladega Superspeedway hosts the next NASCAR Sprint Cup event next Sunday afternoon. Waltrip is the reigning pole winner and is looking to score his second victory at the 2.5-mile track. Broadcast coverage starts at 1 p.m. ET on ABC and the Motor Racing Network.
Camping World RV 400 Race Results:
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2008/29/data/results_unofficial.html
Camping World RV 400 Lap-By-Lap:
http://www.nascar.com/2008/races/lapbylap/09/28/kansas/index.html
NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver Standings (Waltrip – 29th):
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2008/data/standings_unofficial.html
NASCAR Sprint Cup Owner Standings (Waltrip 31st):
|
