Strong Showing for Texaco/Havoline Team, Despite Late-Race Spin
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (August 13, 2006) --- Casey Mears and the Texaco/Havoline team were running well at Watkins Glen International and executing their race strategy perfectly when an untimely caution and a late-race spin dropped them back to 35th. Mears and the team slipped four spots in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings to 19th with 14 races remaining in 2006.
“We had a great car today capable of finishing in the top five at least,” said Mears. “The entire weekend was going great for the Texaco/Havoline team. The road course car the team built was so much better than the car we ran in Sonoma. I don’t really know what happened when I spun out, but I just feel bad because the guys deserved a good finish today.”
Mears started the final road course race of the season from the 17th position on Sunday. He was 15th after the first lap. On lap 4, the cars checked up in front of Mears and he got into the back of the No. 38 car bringing out the caution. Racing resumed on lap 6 and Mears began to maneuver the Texaco/Havoline Dodge through the field.
Mears passed the No. 8 car on lap 11 and the No. 60 car on lap 15 to take over the 12th spot. Two cars pitted on laps 16 and 17 before Wingo called Mears down pit road for four tires and fuel. It was a scheduled stop for the team and set them up for one final pit stop before the end of the race. As green-flag pit stops continued, Mears was sitting 18th on lap 23.
The caution flag finally waved on lap 28 when the No. 5 car blew a tire, and Mears was in the top 10 and sitting ninth. NASCAR threw the green flag on lap 30 and Mears made an impressive move to get around the No. 48 and No. 29 cars. He got around the No. 21 car on lap 31 for sixth when the yellow flag waved again on lap 32.
Mears told Wingo the weakest spot on the track was the long right-hander in Turn 5. Wingo told Mears to stay on the track. Racing resumed on lap 35 with the No. 42 Dodge Charger in fifth. Green-flag racing lasted just four laps when a car spun into the sand. Mears slipped to sixth following the restart on lap 41 and when the caution waved again on lap 43, he told Wingo the car was wheel hopping. Wingo had Mears turn off his rear fans to heat up the tires.
Mears took back the fifth spot on lap 47 when he passed the No. 12 car. Green-flag pit stops began on lap 52, and as Mears came by the pits Wingo told him to pit the next time for tires and fuel. As Mears was slowing on the track to pit, the caution flag was displayed. Now the team had to pit with the rest of the field, after several cars had already made their final stops. Mears brought the Texaco/Havoline Dodge down pit road on lap 55. Several mid-pack teams elected to take two tires or fuel only. Wingo knew he had a top-five car and didn’t want to do anything to upset the balance.
When racing resumed on lap 56, Mears was marred back in 23rd. Over the next 20 laps Mears began to pick off his competitors one-by-one. He was up to the 17th position on lap 74 after passing the No. 19 car. Unfortunately, the Texaco/Havoline Dodge spun out on lap 77 and stalled. Mears was unable to get the car re-fired, and NASCAR didn’t throw the caution flag until the leaders came upon him on the track.
He was finally able to get the car started, but he was now a lap down in the 36th position and within 10 laps of the checkered flag. NASCAR rules state that the free pass back on the lead lap is no longer an option inside 10 to go. Mears brought the car in for fresh tires and fuel, but was the only car a lap down for the restart on lap 81.
Mears and the Texaco/Havoline team finished the race in 35th. His Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates teammates Scott Pruett, subbing for David Stremme, and Reed Sorenson finished sixth and 12th respectively. The Texaco/Havoline team heads to Michigan next week where Mears will compete in both the NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series races.
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