| Bet you didn't know todays race was titled, "Global Crossing at the Glen". Except for the NBC directors pre race error of letting the track announcers voice be heard, you might think the race was sponsered by a sandwich. Cracker Barrel has already said they're not returning, will Global Crossing? Will NASCAR step in and put a stop to this network blackmail before anymore event sponsers leave? |
“Anyway, off to the races...”
Dale Jarrett, not well known for turning right, took advantage of Yates power and after qualifying for the pole jumped out to an early lead over team mate Ricky Rudd, with Robby Gordon, Jerry Nadeau and Rusty Wallace rounding out the top 5. Pruett popped his main ignition box around lap 4 and had to switch to the backup. On lap 14 Rusty started blowing water from a loose water hose and by lap 18 he was in the garage with a cooked engine. I'm not much of a Rusty Wallace fan but it's so much fun watching him drive a road course that this is one race it was disappointing to see him have a problem. Especially something silly like a forgotten hose clamp. Whoever the crew member responsible, gets the "Broken Wrench" award this week.
Meanwhile, Todd Bodine put a move on hired gun Ron Fellows going into the inner loop on lap 11. It's always good to see the regulars pull one over on the so called specialists.
Lap 19 showed why Dale Jarrett isn't well known for the road courses. He hasn't yet learned to pump his brakes going down the staight, soft brakes found him burried to his axles when he made a side trip to the beach. Maybe Dale ought to talk to his team mate Ricky Rudd about how to check the brakes, Ricky is one who does it well. Dale lost a lap getting backhauled out of the litter box as the caution flew. During Jarretts off road trip Robby Gordon took the lead passing Rudd. A number of drivers in the back half of the field pitted, setting up the beginning of several sequences of pit stop strategy.
Green came back out on lap 21. On lap 23 John Andretti got together with Tony Stewart in turn 1 when Stewart thought he'd cleared the 43, opened up Andretti's right front fender like an exploded soda can. After being black flagged for the jagged sheet metal, Andretti pitted on lap 26. On lap 28, the leaders started making first round pit stops on the green. The lead changed several times over the next few laps as the drivers who pitted during the earlier yellow remained on the track and took a turn at leading. On lap 30 Nemechek took his second trip across the beach outside of turn 1 and kept it going so no yellow.
On lap 35, Boris Said showed his hired gun skills by over cooking turn 1 and getting into Tony Stewarts right rear, looping Stewart off the track. Stewart turned around and kept going afer loosing valuable track position. On lap 35, Ron Fellows broke something in the drive train, bringing out the yellow on lap 36 to remove his car. Jeff Burton who had assumed the lead due to the off sequence stops, on the race back to the yellow almost stopped to allow Jarrett to get his lap back. There's an angry opinion on that matter but since this is supposed to be a review I won't go there.
Green returned on lap 41. Jeff Burton, Dale Jr., LePage, and Michael Waltrip headed up the top four. Ward Burton and Kyle Petty were in and out of the pits several times with mechanical problems. Jeff Burton was still leading at the 45th half way lap but Dale Jr. passed Burton for the lead in turn one of the 46th lap. Burton repassed Jr. on the same lap, one turn later. LePage after hanging on to 3rd since the green last came out, started to slip quickly on lap 49.
Jeff Burton started the 2nd round of stops for on sequence drivers at lap 55. Robby Gordon took the lead for a couple of laps until he pitted on lap 58. On lap 59 Robby brought the 31 back down pit road with smoke billowing from the drivers compartment due to a fire inside the car. Never did hear what the cause was but it put to an end my prediction of a Gordon and Gordon slugfest at the end of the race. On lap 60 there is a somewhat strange top 4 consisting of Todd Bodine, Brett Bodine, Scott Pruett and Ken Schrader. Lap 63 Ward Burton parked his 7 cylinder machine as he couldn't maintain a fast enough speed.
On lap 70, Jarrett once again fell victim to soft brakes when he tried to pass Mark Martin on the inside going into turn 1. And once again Jarrett was seen playing on the beach, bringing out the yellow and being backhauled out of the box. When the Yates crew gets the car back to the shop they'll find a years supply of sand for the sand blasting machine inside the 88. On the same lap Jarrett had his 2nd beach trip in turn 1, Ricky Craven "droped" his shift linkage going through the Carousel.
Green flew again on lap 73 with J. Burton, J. Gordon, Rudd, Jr and Elliot leading the way. The top 5 all came together and looked as though they'd all crash into turn 1 but Burton squirted out to a ten car lead with Jeff Gordon in hot pursuit. Lap 78 Gordon passed Burton going through 1, Burton passed Gordon back in turn 2 and Gordon passed Burton going into the inner loop. Behind this wild race, still on lap 78, Spencer exploded his engine in the Carousel and oiled down the track. Yellow flew again to clean up the mess. When the green returned on lap 83, Gordon led Burton, Rudd, Jr., and Elliot. Then came another mad rush to turn 1 that went 4 wide and Boris Said diving down the inside from 7th or 8th to grab 4th, over cooked it going into turn 1 again and bumps Rudd out of his way for 3rd.
Yellow retured on lap 84 as Sterlin Marlins car had a repeat of it's Indy problems of loading up on restarts. As his car slowed up through the essses, Bobby Hamilton, Kurt Busch and Brian Simo couldn't get out of each others way in time to avoid Sterlin and tangled. Lap 87 brought ot the final green, Gordon aced the field and said bye bye, Bill Elliot spun in turn 1 and crossed the beach but kept going. Lap 88 saw Jr. surfing the turn 1 beach and Nemechek in the wall. Yellow came out after the leaders took the white flag. Elliot Saddler got into something on lap 88 or 89. His car crabbed the last half of the track and almost got in the way of the leaders coming up on the final turn.
At the line it was Jeff Gordon taking his fifth win of 2001. Followed by Jeff Burton, Jeremy Mayfield (where'd he come from?), Ricky Rudd and Todd Bodine topping off the first 5. Jerry Nadeau, Kevin Harvick, Boris Said, Bobby Labonte and Steve Park rounded out the top ten. Dale Jr. faded to 12th and Bill Elliots late spin dropped him to 24th.
Goof of the race, Rusty's hose mechanic. Class Act, Dale Jarrett for not blaming someone for his problems. Congrates, to Jeff Gordon and the 24 team.
Jeff Gordon ups his point lead to 194 over Rudd while winning his 7th road course race, becoming the all time road race winner. Yellows allowed for 11 different leaders and 13 official lead changes. Not counting official lead changes (at the line), there were 6 green flag lead changes and some pretty good racing action. Not too crummy for a road course.
Next up, Michigan.
The other Bob, Walrus
The Lawn Mower Repair Man
*stooge note: Due to my inherent dislike of road course races, Walrus kindly offered to do today's race report. Thanks Bob. Let him know what you thought and add your thanks at the message board!