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RACE RECAP: DALE EARNHARDT JR.
NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET
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DATE: 8/9/2008
EVENT: NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
RACE: ZIPPO 200
TRACK: WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL
START: 18th
FINISH: 30th
OVERALL:
Dale Earnhardt Jr., driving the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, finished 30th Saturday in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.
Earnhardt was running ninth on Lap 65 when he radioed to his GoDaddy.com team that the No. 5 Chevy was suffering from handling issues and possibly a broken sway bar.
After further investigation during the course of two pit stops, the team confirmed that the sway bar had broken. In an effort to finish the race and gain valuable owner points, Earnhardt managed to keep the No. 5 GoDaddy.Com Chevrolet in the top-15 for 62 of the 82 laps.
IN THE BEGINNING:
Earnhardt started the race 18th and steadily worked his way through the field. By the time the first caution came out on Lap 13, he was running 15th and reported that the GoDaddy.com Chevrolet drove nicely.
LIFE IN THE PITS:
During this first caution, Earnhardt came in for four tires, fuel and an air pressure and wedge adjustment. Earnhardt was 13th on Lap 15 and only 10 laps later, he was up to 10th.
Under a long green-flag run, Earnhardt radioed that the GoDaddy.com Chevrolet’s handling was becoming loose while driving to the left, but drove fine when turning right. On Lap 43, Earnhardt was running fourth.
On Lap 48 and under the green flag, crew chief Cam Strader called Earnhardt in for four tires, fuel and an air pressure and track adjustment to alleviate the No. 5 Chevy’s loose-handling condition. Earnhardt rejoined the field in 30th.
HOW IT ENDED:
Earnhardt drove the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet up to ninth by Lap 65 before encountering problems with the sway bar. Strader called him into the pits on Lap 75, so the team could investigate the issue that was affecting Earnhardt’s ability to drive.
Four laps later, Earnhardt came back into the pits to see if his team could fix the broken sway bar. However, with only three laps to go, there wasn’t enough time. Earnhardt and Strader decided it would be best to finish the race as is. When the checkered flag waved on Lap 82, Earnhardt was 30th.
NEXT UP:
This Saturday, Mark Martin will pilot the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Michigan International Speedway, which will air live on ESPN2 at 3 p.m., ET.
Photo courtesy of Hendrick Motorsports
*****
Thanks to Megan Whiteside for the race previews and recaps.
Courtesy of Hendrick Motorsports.
National Guard Racing and Dale Earnhardt Jr
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