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Another Top 10 Run for Dale Jr.
Bud Team Comes Back From Early Difficulties to Lead 10 Laps
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Jeff Gordon became the first man to win the Brickyard 400 three times Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gordon was followed at the finish by Sterling Marlin in second and Johnny Benson in third. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 8 Budweiser team started near the back of the field in 36th, and had to overcome brake problems and a crash on pit lane to lead 10 laps of the race. The team seemed poised for a top three finish, but a late-race caution period jumbled the field. The team held on for a 10th place finish, the 10th time this year the Bud car has finished among the top 10 positions.
The Key Moment: Things were exciting from the start for Dale Jr. and the red No. 8 team, as the brake system was not working for the first two laps of the race. When Dale Jr. managed to somehow avoid a multi-car crash on lap three, it allowed the team time to make three long pit stops to repair the brakes. Dropping to 40th, Dale Jr. put on a brisk charge forward, passing 13 cars in 13 laps. When the yellow flag came out again, the team made a rapid two-tire stop and left their pit stall with a chance to move up further. As he was returning to the track, Dale Jr. was slammed hard by the car of Hut Stricklin, who was exiting his pit area with an aggressive move across several lanes of pit road. Two more pit stops followed to repair the damage caused by the crash, which had also forced the Bud car hard into the pit lane wall. The pit stops dropped the team to 39th place, where Dale Jr. began his second frantic charge through the field, taking only 40 laps to pass 38 cars and move into the lead on lap 65. From that point forward, Dale Jr. ran much of the rest of the 160-lap race in the top three until a yellow flag on lap 133 jumbled the field.The Bud team chose to take four tires, while others chose to take only two tires to gain track position.
Dale Jr’s Quotes: “We passed more cars than I can imagine today. The guys had the car set-up really well. It was almost easy moving up after we got the brakes fixed, and then Hut (Stricklin) just ran into me. He hit me so hard that I slammed the pit wall on the right side. After that, the car wasn’t as aerodynamic as it was before. I’d go down the straights and the thing would just jump and wiggle around, but we were able to pass people just as easily. It seemed like just a few laps later that the crew told me we had gained five bonus points because we were leading the race.
“The last set of tires just didn’t feel the same as the others. We made very few changes to the car today and until the last 25 laps, the car was great. At the end, I couldn’t get the car to turn. It was tight. Tight, tight, tight. It was great to see two DEI (Dale Earnhardt Inc) cars running up front for a long time.(Steve Park and Dale Jr. ran first and second for more than 25 laps.)
Best Team Radio Chatter of the Day
The drama began early when Dale Jr. stepped on the brake pedal on lap two, and the pedal went to the floor.
Dale Jr.: “I’ve got brake problems! The brakes don’t work! The pedal goes to the floor.”
While the team prepared to make an unscheduled pit stop to repair the brake system, there was a multi-car crash on lap three, which allowed them to repair the brakes under the yellow flag without losing a lap.
Tony Eury Jr (car chief): “OK, we’ve got time now. Tell me what it’s doing… does the pedal pump back up?”
Dale Jr: “It does, but then it goes down again…”
Tony Eury Sr (crew chief): “Alright, we’ve got time, so let’s change four tires and check all of the lines…”
The team made as routine of a pit stop as possible, while Tony Jr. was able to correct the problem.
Tony Jr: “Have you got pedal now?”
Dale Jr.: “Yeah… I do.”
Tony Jr: “Alright, we fixed it. You should be OK…”
On the lap 79 restart, Dale Jr. went three-wide to sweep past Tony Stewart with a daring move.
Dale Jr: “Whoooooooooooooooooooooooooohooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
Dale Jr. and Stewart ran in tandem for the next 20 laps. The two young drivers began working together to see how their cars would react in clean air or when right behind the other. The drivers communicated through their spotters after Dale Jr. waved Stewart past on lap 94 to see if the duo was faster with Stewart’s car in front. One lap later, Stewart waved Dale Jr. back into second place.
Ty Norris (spotter): “Tony says that he is just too loose with you right on his back bumper like that. He says that one of you needs to give the other some space so you can both run in clean air. He doesn’t care who, but you guys need more space in between each other.”
Dale Jr: “I’m kind of loose on my own, but the car was really good right behind him. It’s good in traffic.”
Thanks to Jade for the Bud Race Report. Jim 8-)
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