Joliet, Illinois (July 9, 2006) – Little chatter was heard Sunday afternoon on the radio between the NAPA AUTO PARTS team as Michael Waltrip and the No. 55 NAPA Dodge looked strong in the early running of the USG Sheetrock 400. However, when the smoke cleared after late race high jinks, Waltrip crossed the start/finish line in 30th position, six spots higher than his qualifying position. Waltrip remains in 35th position in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver points, eight races before the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup begins.

Nearly sixty laps were completed before a normally talkative Waltrip radioed his crew. On Lap 58, crew chief Joe Shear radioed Waltrip, “Let me know how the car’s handling, so I can make a game plan.” He responded “It was a little shaky at first, but now it’s perfect.” When the leaders began their green flag pit stops Waltrip had climbed 19 spots to run in 17th position. On Lap 60, Waltrip steered the No. 55 NAPA Dodge onto pit road for a scheduled stop. The NAPA team replaced all four tires and fueled the car.

Several laps after the restart Waltrip radioed, “It’s just real loose on new tires. We’re missing the start somehow.” Under caution on Lap 69, the NAPA team adjusted the air pressure on the left side of the NAPA Dodge and raised the track bar one turn. The adjustments had adverse effects, however, as Waltrip radioed, “We made it too tight on exit. I’m skating the front tires.”

On Lap 110, three cars separated Waltrip from race leader Kevin Harvick when a severe push caused him to brush the wall. Three laps later Waltrip found himself a lap down to new leader Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and racing Jeremy Mayfield for NASCAR’s lucky dog. “It was pushing already, now it’s plowing through the turns,” Waltrip commented on the handling of the No. 55 NAPA Dodge. At the halfway mark of the event, Waltrip was running in 33rd position.

Long green flag runs allowed the race leaders to lap the majority of the field. On Lap 194, only seven cars remained on the lead lap. “I need to be tighter. We need to figure out a way to be tighter in the rear,” radioed Waltrip. A pit stop on Lap 203 assured that the No. 55 NAPA Dodge would make the checkered flag without another stop should the event remain green. “That’s better. Just a little tighter in the center than I need, but better overall grip,” Waltrip commented after the adjustments.

On Lap 228, Waltrip unexpectedly returned to pit road after hitting the wall due to a flat rear tire. On the restart, Waltrip radioed, “It drove the best it has on the start all day. It’s a shame we’re so late in the race to do anything about it.” With 15 laps to go in the event, Waltrip was running in 30th position one lap down to leader Matt Kenseth and remained there until the checkered flag dropped.

Kenseth dominated the second half of race and appeared to be headed to his third victory of the season, but a sudden surge from Gordon in the closing laps allowed him to catch Kenseth in Turn 2. Gordon then appeared to tap Kenseth's rear bumper with his front bumper. Earlier in the race, Gordon closed in on Kenseth's rear bumper on a restart with 30 laps to go. But Gordon couldn't pull off the pass and Kenseth got away. This time Kenseth spun, allowing Gordon to pass. It was Gordon's first victory at the suburban Chicago track, and his second victory of the 2006 season. Gordon won two weeks ago at Infineon Raceway.

Next week’s Lenox Industrial Tools 300 will take place at New Hampshire International Speedway on Sunday, July 16, 2006. Coverage will begin at 1:30 pm on TNT and MRN.