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In a race that featured Dale Earnhardt, Jr. controlling the first half and Ricky Rudd owning the second half it was a late race charge by Junior that gave the checkers to the #8 Budweiser team. Thus, as was remarked, fittingly, an Earnhardt drove the American flag around a NASCAR track in salute to the tragedy and heroism of last week and the winning attitude of all Americans. He also added win #2 of 2001 and #4 of his young career! |
”Now Let’s Go Racing!”
Dale Jarrett started out on the pole with Bobby Labonte along side but it only took Bobby 3 turns to get by and lead lap 1. DJ diced with Bobby and retook the lead for lap 2 but by lap 3 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. swept by and just started to pull away. By lap 10 he had opened a 1.5 second lead and continued opening up until lap 21 when the yellow flew for the first time today. Bill Elliott, starting up front got too excited and overdrove into turn three, sliding up the track to grab a chunk of wall and a bigger chunk of Bobby Labonte. Elliott was able to continue but Bobby needed 135 laps to get his car back on the track.
Most cars remained on the track so when green flew at lap it was Junior still leading followed by Ricky Craven, Ricky Rudd, Ron Hornaday and Jeremy Mayfield. Craven was looking VERY strong and Hornaday was looking like he was driving way over his head. The cars were able to run about another 20-25 laps before the second yellow flew at lap 55 when Jeremy Mayfield looked to lose a tire and slap the wall. This time it was pit stops for all with Rudd’s crew winning the pit road battle followed out by Junior, Jarrett, Tony Stewart and Craven.
Junior wasted no time retaking HIS lead and pulling away from the crowd but before he could get too far Buckshot Jones was putting a Cheap-shot Jones on Brett Bodine, spinning the #11 and causing yellow number three. No pit stops this quick showed it was still Junior out front and nobody seeming to be strong enough to stay with him. The yellow was an extended yellow to allow the ambulance to leave the track and take Mayfield to a nearby hospital where later reports showed him to be OK but sore. The green at lap 78 was followed by a bump and shove match between Hornaday and Jeff Gordon in which Gordon slid up the track, swapped paint and sheet metal damage with Ricky Craven, which was then followed by my turning to a fellow race watcher and saying “Hornaday is going to hit the wall within the next 40 laps.” It was clear to me that he had a strong car but the not the patience for Dover.
This green run lasted about 40 laps with Junior waving his tail feathers at the rest of the field and Rudd doing all he could to stay within shouting distance. Hornaday, who never slowed after bumping with Gordon, was still running like he HAD to win this one or suffer the wrath of Super Tex. At lap 117 a plume of smoke erupted from the #97 of Kurt Busch and yellow #4 flew for a track clean-up. Pits for all again saw the cars return with Junior still top dog but Stewart taking 2nd over Rudd in 3rd. DJ held 4th and Kenny Wallace, driving for injured Steve Park now in 5th. Hornaday’s slow pit stop had him return in 10th and the injured (both car and pride) Gordon in 14th. The green flew at lap 125 and at lap 130 Gordon finally caught up with Hornaday.
Now I REALLY DO try to be completely unbiased when I write but for this once I have to say, “Jeff, you’re a …” No. Wait. Don’t go there. Well, there’s no way a driver of Gordon’s skill can hit someone on the straightaway like that unless he intended to. I won’t buy that “Sorry, I didn’t mean it” stuff in the post race interview. Jeff, you crashed him and so win my “Cheap Shot of the Race” award. Yellow #5 was out on lap 130 for Hornaday’s spin that took innocent drivers Ward Burton, Mark Martin and Johnny Benson to the garage. You all owe Jeffie one. And my prediction that Hornaday was going to hit the wall was off by 10 laps (he just didn’t do it himself like I expected).
Racing resumed (and so thank goodness does my racing coverage) at lap 136 with Junior leading Stewart still. Rudd wasn’t happy sitting third so quickly whipped by Tony and continued his earlier chase of the #8. He never got chance to try his hand though as the yellow was once more in the air for Andy Houston just losing it when he got up in the loose stuff. It was pit time once again and when the dust on pit road cleared it was the Home Depot crew who got Stewart out first. The #20 Pontiac was followed by Earnhardt, Rudd, Kenny Wallace and Mike Skinner, who took only 2 tires. The green came out again at lap 172.
As before Junior quickly retook the lead and it looked like a 400 lap stomping was due before Rudd finally got chance to get behind Dale and race him for the lead. His nose up under the rear got Jr. loose and Rudd took the lead for the first time on the race track at lap 184. As he started to open a little space the yellow once more closed up ranks when Mike Waltrip took his car way too high and slapped the wall bringing out yellow #7 at lap 200. Pit stops shuffled things again and when the green came out at lap 208 Rudd was on top followed by Earnhardt, Jarrett, Stewart and Kevin Harvick, showing up in the top 5 for the first time.
And for the first time Jr. didn’t fly past Rudd on the restart. Rudd even began to open a gap on Dale, pulling a half second ahead. But once more, at lap 227, yellow was flying again, this time when Robert Pressley ventured too high and slapped the wall. The cars pitted again and this time it was Rudd first followed by his teammate, Jarrett, Earnhardt, Dave Blaney and Stewart. Dave Blaney? Yes Dave Blaney was in the top 5 and a quick check on pit road showed he didn’t get tires, just a gas fill up. Now, I’m no crew chief, but I can say I know Dover pretty well and I know tire wear at Dover pretty well. Common sense says (no, screams!) change right side tires at least. This track just plain eats right side tires up and anyone stopping in the pits HAS to take tires unless you’re only 10-20 laps from the end.
Racing resumed and the choice of “no tires” held up for a little, Blaney even managed to hold onto 4th. But at lap 267 his right front tire gave out and Blaney smacked the wall hard. I quickly nominated Blaney’s crew chief, Doug Randolph, for the “Stupid (and dangerous) Move of the Race” award. Pit stops for all saw Rudd once more out fastest with Craven (2 tires), Jarrett, Gordon and Stewart filling out the top 5. This green flag run turned out to be the longest green of the day with Rudd handling the whole field while Earnhardt had to fight his way past too many strong cars after a slow stop put him back to 8th. Rudd and Jarrett, out front, finally started to feel Jr.’s presence about lap 330 but at lap 344 things got a “little testy” out on the track.
Rudd, still leading and holding off all comers came up behind Rusty Wallace to lap him. As he went by I can’t tell you what went on, after all we were watching a pit stop, but evidently Rudd made a face at Rusty or something. So at lap 346 Rusty decided to take the leader out, running over him from behind and sending the #28 for a long slide down the front stretch. Rudd miraculously didn’t hit anything (besides the front bumper of Rusty’s car) and was able to stay on the lead lap. I have no idea why NASCAR didn’t give Rusty a trip to the penalty box (as easy as it was to see that RW wrecked RR on purpose) but since Blaney’s chief already got the “Stupid Move” award I give Rusty the “Asinine Move of the Race” award. Rusty, you were already pretty low on my list but I think you sank about the lowest I’ve seen you in quite some time. Grow up before you kill someone!
Pit stops by all seemed to set up a dash to the finish with DJ getting back on the track first, followed by Nadeau, Earnhardt, Stewart and Rudd who managed to get back out in the top 5 despite his spin. Jarrett was only able to hold the lead for about 5 laps before Jr. once more flexed the muscle he had shown for the first half of the race. He swept past DJ and pulled Nadeau along. Rudd was doing all he could to get through traffic and try to catch Dale but as laps wound down he was only able to close to third before the final yellow came out at lap 382. DJ was being pressured by Stewart and as Tony drove hard into turn three, making his move, Jarrett came down and clipped the front of Tony’s car. I feel this was just one of those “going for the same real estate” deals and was in no way intentional. I’m sure that DJ will feel the same after he watches the replays.
This close to the end it looked to be a single file restart so none of the front runners chose to get pit. With 8 laps to go it was Jr. out front followed by Nadeau, Rudd, Gordon and Stewart. And, as it was earlier, Earnhardt was unbeatable as he led this same 5 drivers across the line for the checkers and his 4th career victory. As he approached the front stretch again, a familiar voice could be heard "Where's that big flag?" as a Bud crew member was seen walking to the side of the track with a large US flag. Junior took flag in hand, reversed direction and took his victory lap with Old Glory waving high. And a tear rolled down my cheek.
Kudos go out to Jerry Nadeau (2nd) wow, Ricky Rudd (3rd) who seemed to have this one in hand before Rusty proved his insanity, Jeff Gordon (4th) who I’m not sure deserves this kudo after his ambush of Hornaday, Tony Stewart (5th) who came on strong late (too strong according to DJ), Kevin Harvick (6th) who made up for yesterday’s bad run, Joe Nemechek (7th) who didn’t let Dover scare him after hurting him bad last trip here, Sterling Marlin (8th) who was strong on long runs (there just weren’t enough in this race), Casey Atwood (9th) highest finishing rookie of the race, and Bobby Hamilton (10th) getting a much needed top 10. Attaboys to Todd Bodine for going 398 laps and not wrecking anyone and to Ricky Craven who had a great run killed by a late race green flag stop. But the big Yahoo goes to Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and his Star Spangled victory lap. Great job Bud guys!
Next week it’s off to Kansas City for our first WC visit. Can’t wait to see what happens! Look for a “Mind Flotsam” in the next couple days and a new “Who Drove It?” tomorrow. And of course, post race quotes will be up shortly. Until next time…
Keep The Shiny Side
Up!
Unofficial Results 1 8 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Chevy 2 25 Jerry Nadeau Chevy 3 28 Ricky Rudd Ford 4 24 Jeff Gordon Chevy 5 20 Tony Stewart Pont. 6 29 Kevin Harvick Chevy 7 33 Joe Nemechek Chevy 8 40 Sterling Marlin Dodge 9 19 Casey Atwood Dodge 10 55 Bobby Hamilton Chevy 11 2 Rusty Wallace Ford 12 88 Dale Jarrett Ford 13 26 Jimmy Spencer Ford 14 21 Elliott Sadler Ford 15 66 Todd Bodine Ford 16 4 Kevin Lepage Chevy 17 5 Terry Labonte Chevy 18 36 Ken Schrader Pont. 19 43 John Andretti Dodge 20 31 Mike Skinner Chevy 21 99 Jeff Burton Ford 22 1 Kenny Wallace Chevy 23 7 Mike Wallace Ford 24 92 Stacy Compton Dodge 25 90 Hut Stricklin Ford 26 32 Ricky Craven Ford 27 13 Hermie Sadler Chevy 28 11 Brett Bodine Ford 29 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 30 9 Bill Elliott Dodge 31 10 Johnny Benson Pont. 32 6 Mark Martin Ford 33 22 Ward Burton Dodge 34 14 Ron Hornaday Pont. 36 18 Bobby Labonte Pont. 37 77 Robert Pressley Ford 38 44 Buckshot Jones Dodge 39 15 Michael Waltrip Chevy 40 96 Andy Houston Ford 41 97 Kurt Busch Ford 42 12 Jeremy Mayfield Ford 43 45 Kyle Petty Dodge