August 5, 2007

LONG POND, P.A. – A mechanical failure with five laps to go ended Michael Waltrip’s day in the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry during Sunday’s Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway. The driver survived two flat tires to battle back into contention for a top-35 finish before a loss in power relegated the team to 38th place. The team’s fuel pump is believed to the culprit as fuel pump issues led to both Dale Jarrett and David Reutimann’s demise.

“It was a tough day for us,” said Waltrip after walking away from his NAPA Camry. “We battled a variety of problems today -- two flat tires, an ill-handling set-up and then a loss of power. This is the second week in a row that the NAPA car had to be parked before the end of the race. I know we will get to the root of our problem, but it is still frustrating.”

Looking back to the start of the weekend, Waltrip recorded the 39th-fastest lap in Friday’s Bud Pole qualifying despite scrapping the Tunnel Turn wall and waiting out a 45–minute rain delay. The No. 55 Camry turned a 54.353 second lap (165.584 miles per hour). The session also saw all three Michael Waltrip Racing teams make the race with David Reutimann earning 31st and Dale Jarrett scoring 40th.

“Our car was crazy loose,” remarked Waltrip after qualifying. “I got to the Tunnel Turn when I was coming to the green flag because you like to see where your car is at that point and I went to touch the brakes and the pads were pulled back. We were loose coming to the green and loose all the way around. But I’m really happy that the lap was good enough to get into the field. I was going full tilt for the full lap.

“Our goal each week has been to get all three cars in the race and I think we have been faced with more challenges this season than what we thought and what we told our sponsors. It’s nice to see that we’re gaining on our goals and it’s better to be able to come to the track and prove that by getting all of our cars in the race.  We need to finish all three of them in the top-20 on Sunday if possible in order to keep gaining points. It’s important to me to get the No. 55 car ahead of the No. 49 car in owner points so we would be locked into the field in the case of rain.  If Mother Nature wouldn’t have cooperated, the No. 55 car would have gone home.  So it’s important to go out and gain enough points to put ourselves in a position to be locked in should there be rain during qualifying.”  

Then on Sunday, the opening laps of the Pennsylvania 500 saw Kurt Busch pass the pole sitter Dale Earnhardt Jr. to start his domination of the race. Meanwhile, Waltrip battled a very severe push in his NAPA Camry. The first opportunity to make adjustments came under green-flag conditions on lap 32. In 13.62 seconds, the NAPA crew made an air pressure and track bar change. Waltrip returned to the track in 33rd position.

Trouble struck the NAPA team when the first of two left-front tires went down on lap 48. The second soon followed on lap 86. Waltrip was forced to race in 42nd place, two laps down while trying desperately to gain as many positions on the track as possible. Good news finally followed when Waltrip radioed in on lap 93 to say the car was incredibly loose, but was the fastest it had run all day. The condition enabled the NAPA Camry to move up to 38th before Competition Director Bobby Kennedy notified his driver that Dale Jarrett was forced behind the wall for a fuel pump replacement.

Two more pit stops to adjust Waltrip’s tire pressure were completed on laps 116 and 125. The NAPA Camry was still loose, but running competitive lap times. Drivers on the same lap as Waltrip were Elliott Sadler, Johnny Sauter, J.J. Yeley, Kyle Petty and Jamie McMurray.

Greg Biffle spun on the short shoot on lap 139 to bring out the fifth caution of the day. This time Waltrip, while running in 37th place, reported the NAPA Camry was once again pushing badly through the corners. The pit crew went back to work and adjusted the air pressure. Waltrip rejoined the race in 39th.

Michael Waltrip Racing suffered another setback when David Reutimann was forced behind the wall on lap 151. Like Jarrett, the fuel pump was to blame.

As for the NAPA crew, Waltrip kept moving forward as the team’s final service came under green on lap 172. Like before, air pressure was changed in just 13.30 seconds. Then on lap 173, the caution flag flew for David Ragan after he lost control of his car. During the yellow, Waltrip told his team that his Camry started out pushing, but then started handling much better. Waltrip was allowed to move up to 35th place.

The race resumed on lap 179 with Waltrip quickly gaining two spots over P.J. Jones, subbing for Robby Gordon, and Elliott Sadler. However, the race action was soon slowed on lap 181 after Carl Edwards touched Reed Sorenson. The contact caused a chain reaction resulting in David Gilliland, Brian Vickers, and Jamie McMurray suffering damage to their cars. During the incident, the NAPA Camry was able to hold on to one of the two positions it had gained earlier in the run.

The final green-flag waved on lap 185 with Kurt Busch still in the lead and Waltrip in 32nd place. Unfortunately the NAPA Camry soon lost power with five laps to go and was forced to call it a day.

To no one’s surprise, Kurt Busch claimed his first victory of the season after leading 175 of 200 laps -- a new track record at Pocono Raceway. Rounding out the top-10 finishers in the Pennsylvania 500 were Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer, Mark Martin and Casey Mears.

A total of six Toyota teams participated in today’s race.  Besides Waltrip’s 38th-place result, Dave Blaney scored 20th followed by Brian Vickers in 29th, Jeremy Mayfield in 31st,  David Reutimann in 41st and Dale Jarrett in 43rd.

Next week Terry Labonte rejoins the NAPA Racing team for his third and final race of the season at Watkins Glen International.

Pennsylvania 500 Results:
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2007/21/data/results_unofficial.html

Next Up:
Centurion Boats at The Glen on August 13
2006 Winner: Kevin Harvick
2006 Pole: Kurt Busch
Television: ESPN at 1 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN