HAMPTON, Ga. – The race is on for teams vying for a spot in the Sprint Cup top-35 owner point standings. After next week’s event in Bristol, NASCAR will lock in the top 35 based on the current standings. Sunday’s 30th-place finish in the Atlanta 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway by NAPA Racing’s Michael Waltrip has the team ranked in 33rd, just 28 points out of 30th place.
“Bristol will be huge for my entire organization,” said Waltrip, who started the 325-lap event in 27th place. “The new cars are tough for me to drive at these intermediate tracks. We were loose at Fontana and Las Vegas. Atlanta was absolutely no different. I thought after Saturday’s Happy Hour session, we had figured out what we were missing over the last two weeks. I honestly thought we were in contention to equal, if not better, the 11th-place finish we had last fall. I could drive it in hard. It was just a little tight on exit. I felt really good about our chances, but once the race started, it was like I was in a different car. It was back to being so loose that I really couldn’t drive aggressively. I don’t know what happened. I am hoping the upcoming short-track races will produce better results for us.”
Michael Waltrip Racing once again had all three cars in the field for the Atlanta 500. The opening laps of the event saw Dale Earnhardt Jr. set a blisteringly fast pace. By the time the first caution was thrown on lap 39 for debris, over 20 cars were a lap down, including Waltrip. The NAPA Camry was loose, and it had no side grip. Crew chief Paul Andrews called for spring rubber, air pressure and wedge adjustments. Waltrip returned to the track in 32nd place and Earnhardt Jr. was the leader.
Throughout the event, the loose condition remained as Waltrip forged ahead, competing against drivers Kasey Kahne, Travis Kvapil, Dario Franchitti, Reed Sorenson, Elliott Sadler, Patrick Carpentier, Dave Blaney, Joe Nemechek, Regan Smith, and David Gilliland. A series of services occurred on laps 86, 115, 168, 201 and 223. Ultimately, after the team’s seventh stop of the day, Waltrip’s NAPA Camry responded when spring rubbers were pulled from the car and the air pressure was adjusted.
“The car finally turns,” said Waltrip to the team over the radio during the caution on lap 283. “The front is handling well. We just need to get the back to work. I really like the air pressures now.”
The race restarted on lap 289 with Kyle Busch in a Toyota out in front. The NAPA Camry went head-to-head for the 29th spot with Kvapil. Waltrip got the edge on lap 300, but relinquished it 10 laps later due to handling issues and finished 30th.
Toyota earned its first win in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition in just 40 starts with Busch crossing the finish line ahead of teammate Tony Stewart. Busch’s victory was his first with his new Joe Gibbs Racing team and the fifth Cup victory of his career. Busch also won the Craftsman Truck Series event on Friday night.
“Paul Andrews and the team worked very hard to get the balance right,” elaborated Waltrip. “I could drive it near the end. We have a test coming up this week in Kentucky, so hopefully we can figure out what we need to run competitively in these new cars at tracks like Atlanta.
“I am so happy for Toyota. I knew they would win this year, and I was so hoping it would be us with them in victory lane. They have done so much for me and my organization. They deserve the win. Hopefully, I can get them win number two.”
Rounding out the top-10 finishers were Stewart, Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Brian Vickers and Jeff Burton.
Waltrip’s teammates David Reutimann and Dale Jarrett finished 20th and 26th, respectively.
Next up for the Sprint Cup teams is the fifth event of the season, the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The race broadcast will start at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX and PRN radio.
Atlanta 500 Lap-By-Lap:
http://www.nascar.com/2008/races/lapbylap/03/09/lap.by.lap.atlanta/index.html
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