I hope everyone is having a good week so far!  Sorry for the delay this week.  We were the “random” finisher after the race chosen by NASCAR for a complete teardown.  We were at the track for an additional three hours then had to drive home, so it was a pretty late night.  We had a good day at the shop today preparing a speedway car for the wind tunnel to get ready for Talladega in a few weeks.  I spent most of the day on it making sure the radiator pans and a few other things are just like they will be in race conditions so we can get some good info. 

As far as Bristol goes, it was once again a pretty good race.  As many of you know Bristol is my favorite track on the circuit.  It is tremendously action packed.  It can test the nerves and patients of even the calmest person.  At sub-16 second laps there is not much time to mess around.  If you are off just a little you can get lapped in no time.  Qualifying was rained out and we started by points.  I really wish we could have qualified, I feel that Juan could have put in a really good lap and started closer to the front.  We were in the top 15 in every practice that we had.  Even starting in the middle of the pack, Juan made great time passing quite a few cars during the first run and after a great pit stop under a competition caution; we got to restart in the 11th position.  The car was a little off to Juan’s liking, but not bad.  After mixing it up for a while we were around 18th position and on the lead lap.  On restarts, as you know the lapped cars are allowed to double up.  So it means in a way you are starting 36th because the lapped cars are occupying valuable track space.  Basically when the leader takes the green flag, you are still marred in heavy traffic and you are basically a half lap behind before you get going!   In a case like this you really have to hustle and get “mean” with the other cars to keep yourself on the lead lap.  Juan did an excellent job doing that and remained in good position. 

I think the track kept changing a little with weather and a lot with the amount of rubber being built up.  We were in extremely heavy traffic most of the day and then when we got some running room the car seemed to handle different.  Then after a change we would be in heavy traffic again and circumstances like this made it very difficult for Donnie to adjust the car so that was comfortable to Juan.  It is so hard to predict what is going to happen. 

We were fighting to stay on the lead lap while the 11 car was leading and Juan was in a battle with the 5 car for the “Lucky Dog” position.  I wasn’t 100% sure we were racing the 5 car for it and Juan came on the radio to ask if we were racing him.  At the same time while Juan was talking, a car spun right in front of him and the leader (who was in front of us at this time).  I came on the radio and said with urgency, “check up…CHECK UP!!!”  Juan couldn’t hear me because he was talking too!  It was a very close call, the 11 and the 5 cars got in a tangle but we made it through and got our lap back!  We remained around 14th to 18th for the rest of the afternoon and in the closing laps lost a lap to the leader coming home in 15th position on a lap of our own.  I really wanted to finish on the lead lap but the fact that we finished with all of the close calls and hard battles that we had is pretty good.  There were so many chances for disaster.

 We will have a week off this weekend so I will talk to you after Martinsville.  I know that many of you have questions when you write in on the “comments” section.  I am going to try to answer them in the “comments” section also.  I will put something there so you will recognize it.  There will probably be a few answers in one section so check back often!  Have a great day and I will talk to you soon!

-Tab