Dover Internat'l Speedway - Dover 200
RACE WINNER: CARL EDWARDS
Scott Wimmer: 3rd (started 2nd)
- Another great run for Scott in the #21 AutoZone Chevy! He is really showing some muscle out on the track and I just know that win is coming. Unfortunately, I believe this race was one that the team gave away. Several races back, the #21 decided that it would aid in the development of a new crew and it really blew up in their faces today. On every pit stop there seemed to be trouble, especially with the left-rear tire changer. It hurt watching Scott lose all those positions he either maintained or gained on the track. Finally, after teammate Jeff Burton went two laps down after he pitted under green fearing a flat, Richard Childress called for a team switch between the #21 and #29. This was a great decision and paid off instantly – on the next (and last) stop, Scott gained a spot on pit road.
- Sadly, as it so often happens, time ran out. Several cars stayed out on the last pit stop and that, combined with lapped cars and caution after caution, really hindered Scott’s ability to get back into contention. In the closing laps, he battled with Marcos Ambrose and Denny Hamlin. Just as he was passing Hamlin for 2nd on the final lap, a bunch of cars wrecked and the field was locked. Such a shame, but Scott was a man and did not insult his crew on air like Hamlin did several races back. You’ll show ‘em what you’re made of, Scott!
Casey Mears: 4th (started 9th)
- Back-to-back wins were not written in the records today for Casey, but he ran solidly all race. It was a little nerve-wracking to watch him and Scott racing at the end there, though (I always get nervous when my favorite drivers combat for position). He was the live “reporter” again for ESPN, but seemed a little more strained this time (probably because it’s a shorter track and there is less time to talk with the crew). His crew chief Chad Walter was amusing and in good humor, however.
David Reutimann: 15th (started 35th)
- After a DNQ for the NEXTEL Cup race and a miserable qualifying run for the Busch Series, I was apprehensive about David’s performance today. But I loved every minute that he proved me wrong! Immediately after the green fell he began picking up spots and slowly but surely made it into the top-20 (even though he apparently hit the wall at one point). He avoided the wild wreck that Mike Wallace, David Ragan and Stephen Leicht were involved in to move above 15th, but then his luck ran out. When the lapped car of Kevin Conway drifted into the side of Regan Smith, all hell broke loose behind them. David slowed but was instantly hit from behind by close follower Reed Sorenson. He slid and bounced down the straight for some time without getting too much damage and was the only car in the incident (also including David Gilliland) to continue on. The car was still good, but late-race cautions marred his march forward. Another wreck happened right in front of him when Juan Pablo Montoya creamed the #11 of Jason Keller. With a couple of laps to go, I thought I saw David dive onto pit road, but according to NASCAR.com he finished on the lead lap so I might have been mistaken.
- Quotes: “I had a great car until I ran into the wall with it by myself. I got tied up behind the No. 38 car (Jason Leffler) and I hadn't been behind a Busch car here like that. We were just practicing (before) and it caught me off-guard in the race how tight it made the car. I hit the wall with it. The guys came in here and busted their tails on the thing and worked and worked on it. They got it to the point where it was a car we could run among top-10. We just got caught up in a deal on the front straightaway there when they started wrecking and we had it missed. Whoever was behind us -- you know it's hard to slow down here -- they got in the back of us and wrecked us. So, we came in and they beat on it and worked on it again and we ended up 15th. All in all, I'm real proud and we had a good car. We just didn't get a chance to show how good we were. Some of it was driver inflicted early on and some of it was other drivers. I'm proud of my guys, as bent as that car was it shouldn't have been able to go down pit road straight. They got it to where we could almost be in the top-10. That's pretty impressive.”
Race2Win
- David remains 5th in points and moved up to 10th in owners points.
Other Notes:
- ESPN’s coverage continues to make me sick, especially now that Allen Bestwick has been kicked out of the booth and replaced by Suzy Kolber, a woman who has no experience in NASCAR whatsoever. She also has absolutely no idea how to narrate anything without making it sound like a funeral. Nothing to add to the show except a woman’s voice that does nothing but embarrass women who actually know what they’re talking about. I am not racist or sexist, but ESPN seems to be grasping at straws to present a diverse panel. In exchange for this supposed milestone in NASCAR history, the discussion is weak, bland and desperate. The only good thing ESPN did this weekend was get rid of Shannon Spake!
Scott Wimmer: 3rd (started 2nd)
- Another great run for Scott in the #21 AutoZone Chevy! He is really showing some muscle out on the track and I just know that win is coming. Unfortunately, I believe this race was one that the team gave away. Several races back, the #21 decided that it would aid in the development of a new crew and it really blew up in their faces today. On every pit stop there seemed to be trouble, especially with the left-rear tire changer. It hurt watching Scott lose all those positions he either maintained or gained on the track. Finally, after teammate Jeff Burton went two laps down after he pitted under green fearing a flat, Richard Childress called for a team switch between the #21 and #29. This was a great decision and paid off instantly – on the next (and last) stop, Scott gained a spot on pit road.
- Sadly, as it so often happens, time ran out. Several cars stayed out on the last pit stop and that, combined with lapped cars and caution after caution, really hindered Scott’s ability to get back into contention. In the closing laps, he battled with Marcos Ambrose and Denny Hamlin. Just as he was passing Hamlin for 2nd on the final lap, a bunch of cars wrecked and the field was locked. Such a shame, but Scott was a man and did not insult his crew on air like Hamlin did several races back. You’ll show ‘em what you’re made of, Scott!
Casey Mears: 4th (started 9th)
- Back-to-back wins were not written in the records today for Casey, but he ran solidly all race. It was a little nerve-wracking to watch him and Scott racing at the end there, though (I always get nervous when my favorite drivers combat for position). He was the live “reporter” again for ESPN, but seemed a little more strained this time (probably because it’s a shorter track and there is less time to talk with the crew). His crew chief Chad Walter was amusing and in good humor, however.
David Reutimann: 15th (started 35th)
- After a DNQ for the NEXTEL Cup race and a miserable qualifying run for the Busch Series, I was apprehensive about David’s performance today. But I loved every minute that he proved me wrong! Immediately after the green fell he began picking up spots and slowly but surely made it into the top-20 (even though he apparently hit the wall at one point). He avoided the wild wreck that Mike Wallace, David Ragan and Stephen Leicht were involved in to move above 15th, but then his luck ran out. When the lapped car of Kevin Conway drifted into the side of Regan Smith, all hell broke loose behind them. David slowed but was instantly hit from behind by close follower Reed Sorenson. He slid and bounced down the straight for some time without getting too much damage and was the only car in the incident (also including David Gilliland) to continue on. The car was still good, but late-race cautions marred his march forward. Another wreck happened right in front of him when Juan Pablo Montoya creamed the #11 of Jason Keller. With a couple of laps to go, I thought I saw David dive onto pit road, but according to NASCAR.com he finished on the lead lap so I might have been mistaken.
- Quotes: “I had a great car until I ran into the wall with it by myself. I got tied up behind the No. 38 car (Jason Leffler) and I hadn't been behind a Busch car here like that. We were just practicing (before) and it caught me off-guard in the race how tight it made the car. I hit the wall with it. The guys came in here and busted their tails on the thing and worked and worked on it. They got it to the point where it was a car we could run among top-10. We just got caught up in a deal on the front straightaway there when they started wrecking and we had it missed. Whoever was behind us -- you know it's hard to slow down here -- they got in the back of us and wrecked us. So, we came in and they beat on it and worked on it again and we ended up 15th. All in all, I'm real proud and we had a good car. We just didn't get a chance to show how good we were. Some of it was driver inflicted early on and some of it was other drivers. I'm proud of my guys, as bent as that car was it shouldn't have been able to go down pit road straight. They got it to where we could almost be in the top-10. That's pretty impressive.”
Race2Win
- David remains 5th in points and moved up to 10th in owners points.
Other Notes:
- ESPN’s coverage continues to make me sick, especially now that Allen Bestwick has been kicked out of the booth and replaced by Suzy Kolber, a woman who has no experience in NASCAR whatsoever. She also has absolutely no idea how to narrate anything without making it sound like a funeral. Nothing to add to the show except a woman’s voice that does nothing but embarrass women who actually know what they’re talking about. I am not racist or sexist, but ESPN seems to be grasping at straws to present a diverse panel. In exchange for this supposed milestone in NASCAR history, the discussion is weak, bland and desperate. The only good thing ESPN did this weekend was get rid of Shannon Spake!
