|
Late-Race Spin Relegates Texaco/Havoline Team to a 23rd-Place Finish
CONCORD, N.C. (May 28, 2006) --- Casey Mears and the Texaco/Havoline team were poised for a top-five finish when the No. 42 Dodge snapped loose sending Mears into the outside retaining wall with less than 75 laps remaining in the Coca-Cola 600. After several trips to pit road to repair the car, Mears finished the race 23rd and remains 11th in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings.
"We made great progress today on these mile and half tracks," said Mears. "The guys made positive changes to the Texaco/Havoline car all night. It just snapped loose after a fuel stop and I couldn't save it. It's unfortunate because it could have been a great finish for us and a good points night."
The crew of the #42 Texaco Havoline Dodge, driven by Casey Mears, move the car during qualifying for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 on May 25, 2006 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Mears started the 400-lap race, the longest of the season, from the 30th position after pole night on Thursday. The team knew it was going to be a long evening, especially with the smaller fuel cells and harder tire. Crew chief Donnie Wingo made the decision to scuff tires during the final practice session in preparation for the race, and also devised a plan to get Mears to the front of the pack.
It took Mears just 25 laps to work his way from the 30th to 20th position. When the caution flag waved on lap 33, Mears was up to 18th. The pit stops on lap 35 were a prelude to what the race would entail -- several different pit strategies. While the No. 42 crew changed four tires and packed the car full of fuel, many teams elected for either two-tire or fuel only stops. Mears returned to the track in the 22nd position.
Wingo began to execute his strategy alternating between fuel only, two-tire and four-tire stops. Mears broke into the top 10 after a fuel only stop on lap 113 despite battling a tight condition through the corner. He dropped back to 20th after a four-tire stop on lap 131, and was up to 15th following a right-side tire stop on 144. Following the caution on lap 159 and a stop for fuel, Mears was now set up to consistently run in the top 10.
He battled his way up to sixth on lap 197 just as green-flag pit stops began. Even after a four tire stop, Mears returned to the track for the restart in the 10th position. Slower traffic became difficult to maneuver through as the leaders began putting cars a lap down. By lap 300 there were just 19 cars remaining on lead lap, including the Texaco/Havoline Dodge which was sitting sixth.
The caution flag waved on lap 304 and Wingo called Mears down pit road for fuel only. He took the green flag in the second position, but was struggling with a loose condition. He dropped back to fourth on lap 312 and lost control of the No. 42 Dodge Charger on lap 313. Mears struck the outside wall and collected the No. 5 car as he came back down the track. The Texaco/Havoline Dodge suffered extensive damage to the right rear and left front.
The team made three pit stops during the caution, first changing all four tires and pulling out the sheet metal in the wheel wells before repairing the damaged fenders and making a chassis adjustment. When the green flag waved on lap 320, Mears was 19th and the last driver on the lead lap. He quickly told Wingo that the car was now extremely loose. He was passed by the leader on lap 354 and pitted under green on lap 360 for a major air pressure adjustment, four tires and fuel.
Mears held on to the Texaco/Havoline Dodge to bring it home in the 23rd position, two laps down. The team remains 11th in the championship standings after the 12th race of the season and now sits 52 points out of 10th. Mears' Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates teammates Reed Sorenson and David Stremme finished 10th and 31st respectively.
On Saturday night, Mears and his Texaco/Havoline crew led by crew chief Brad Parrott finished fourth in the NASCAR Busch Series race after leading 59 out of 200 laps. Parrott used fuel strategy to boost Mears to the front, and the team was leading up to lap 194 when the car was unable to pick up enough fuel on the restart. Mears was able to rock the car to get it going again in the corner to earn the top-five finish.
The Texaco/Havoline team heads to Dover International Speedway next weekend for the Neighborhood Excellence 400.
|
