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Best Buy 400 Benefiting Student Clubs
for Autism Speaks Report
ELLIOTT
SNARED IN EARLY WRECK; CAME BACK TO FINISH AND
GAIN SPOT IN POINTS STANDINGS
DOVER, DE — Bill
Elliott in the No. 21 U.S. Air Force Ford Fusion finished
the Best Buy 400 on Sunday, June 1st in the 33rd position.
The “Monster Mile” brought out its claws
on lap 17 when the Wood Brothers Racing machine was involved
in a multi car wreck that left the car with left side
damage. Nevertheless, there was not enough damage to
hinder a finish.
Bill Elliott started the race in 24th
position after a good qualifying attempt on Friday,
May 30th that put the Wood Brothers Ford Fusion into
the race on speed. On lap 17, as Bill radioed the
team with feedback on the conditions of the car,
spotter Eddie Thrap broke into the conversation
to announce a wreck ahead.
It was too late. As Bill hit the brakes, the car broke
loose and grazed its left rear against the
outside wall. This turned the whole car around as other
cars kept coming. He went through the pile-up backwards
but was able to regain control and turn back around.
The wreck left the Fusion with left
front and rear damage, yet Elliott was able to drive
away.
As soon as he could, Bill brought the No. 21 down
pit road to fix the fenders on the front and the rear.
Taped up with bare-bond, the crew sent the No. 21 back
out on the track to keep the team on the lead lap.
Crew Chief, Mike “Andretti” Smith,
radioed Elliott to come back down pit road as soon
as possible for new tires and to fix more of the damage.
As he entered the pit on lap 22, NASCAR threw the red
flag. According to NASCAR rules, teams are not allowed
to make any changes or repairs to the race car under
the red flag conditions. This is when the team assessed
the damage and put a plan in place to fix the major
spots.
After the 15 minute red flag period came to an end
and the yellow flag was once again waved, the No. 21
pit crew
jumped into action to make the planned adjustments
and repairs. The team made as many repairs as possible
before the pace car would pass them. They sent Bill
out on the track before that happened to keep him
on the lead lap. The team asked that the No. 21 come
back down pit road once more. However when the race
restarted on lap 26, pit road closed. Bill had to
remain on the track stuck in the 34th position.
After several laps went by, Elliott
reported that the car was “super
tight”.
Lap leader Greg Biffle passed by which caused the No.
21 to fall one lap down from the leader. Fortunately,
the yellow flag flew on lap 66. This enabled
Bill to pit again allowing the team to make several
adjustments to help with the tight condition. The race
started again on lap 71, and the Wood Brothers Ford
was back out on the track in 35th position.
By lap 100, the adjustments seemed to help the car
as Bill commented, “The
car is a lot better, the adjustments really helped.” Several
green flag laps ticked by when the team decided to
pit for fuel and tires on lap 150. As Bill returned
to the track, he radioed to the crew that he felt a
wheel loose. The No. 21 team decided to make
an unscheduled pit stop on the next lap to get new
tires. Thankfully,
the caution flag flew and Elliott was able to take
advantage of it. The team decided to get four tires,
fuel and add more bare-bond tape to the rear. The race
restarted on lap 160, and Elliott was listed in
34th position.
After a long green flag run, the No. 21 team went
back to their pit stop schedule on lap 240. The
crew changed four tires but couldn't
put fuel in the tank since the dry mount broke. They
sent the Ford Fusion back onto the track
but needed for the car to immediately come back in
again to fix the mount so they could put fuel in the
tank. On lap 246, the swift work of the crew fixed
the problem enabling Bill to get back onto the
track without losing a lap.
Several green flag laps continued, and on lap 327
another caution flag flew. Bill reported that the
handling of the car was once again very tight. The
team decided to pit to make several more adjustments
and sent the No. 21 back to the track in the 34th position.
Despite the damage from the early race accident, Bill
Elliott and the Wood Brothers Ford Fusion were able
to move up to 33rd position where he took the checkered
flag and gained more points for the team. Contributed
by Christina Cicci, Wood Brothers Racing
Best Buy 400 for Autism
Speaks Results:
1. Kyle Busch
2. Carl Edwards
3. Greg Biffle
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Jeff Gordon
6. Martin Truex, Jr.
7. Jimmie Johnson
8. Jeff Burton
9. Dave Blaney
10. Jamie McMurray
33. Bill Elliott
Next Race — Pocono
500:
Where: Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, PA
Time: Sunday, June 8, 2008
Network: TNT, 12:30 P.M. / MRN Radio, 1:15 P.M.
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Previous Reports:
2/17 Daytona
2/24 Fontana
3/2 Las
Vegas
3/9 Atlanta
3/16 Bristol
3/30 Martinsville
4/6 Fort
Worth
4/12 Phoenix
4/27 Talladega
5/3 Richmond
5/10 Darlington
5/17 Charlotte
5/25 Charlotte
6/1 Dover
6/8 Pocono
6/15 Michigan
6/22 Sonoma
6/29 Loudon
7/5 Daytona
7/12 Chicago
7/27 Indianapolis
8/3 Pocono
8/10 Watkins
Glen
8/17 Michigan
8/23 Bristol
8/30 Fontana
9/7 Richmond
9/14 Loudon
9/21 Dover
9/28 Kansas
10/5 Talladega
10/12 Charlotte
10/19 Martinsville
10/26 Atlanta
11/2 Fort
Worth
11/9 Phoenix
11/16 Miami
2008 Final
Point Standings:
1. Jimmie Johnson — 6684
2. Carl Edwards — 6615
3. Greg Biffle — 6467
4. Kevin Harvick — 6408
5. Clint Bowyer — 6381
6. Jeff Burton — 6335
7. Jeff Gordon — 6316
8. Denny Hamlin — 6214
9. Tony Stewart — 6202
10. Kyle Busch — 6186
11. Matt Kensteh — 6184
12. D. Earnhardt, Jr. — 6127
36. M. Ambrose* — 2655
*Listed by Owner Points for Michael Waltrip Racing/
JTG Daugherty Racing
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