Mears and the Texaco/Havoline Team Come Up Short at Dover, Finish 22nd
DOVER, Del. (September 24, 2006) --- Casey Mears and the Texaco/Havoline Team were on course to finish in the top 15 at Dover International Speedway, but the No. 42 Dodge Charger ran out of fuel with less than three laps remaining in the race while running 14th. After coming down pit road for a splash of gas, Mears took the checkered flag in the 22nd position. The weekend started out tough for the Texaco/Havoline team. With less than 15 minutes remaining in the first practice, Mears tagged the outside wall coming off Turn 2. The team was forced to roll out the back-up car, while Mears had to qualify the car without turning in a single lap. Mears was able to solidify a 24th-place starting spot for Sunday's 400-lap race. The green flag waved and Mears reported the car had no rear grip. The No. 32 car had the same problem when it brought out the first caution on lap 3. Racing resumed on lap 7 with the No. 42 Dodge Charger in 22nd. Crew chief Donnie Wingo called Mears down pit road on lap 24 following the third caution for a trackbar adjustment, four tires and fuel to try and find more rear grip for Mears. Several of the leaders remained on the track, and Mears took the green flag in 29th. Mears would gain a few spots early, but fall back again as the run continued. When the caution flag waved at lap 98, Mears was up to the 22nd position. He pitted on lap 100 for tires, an air pressure adjustment and another chassis adjustment. Racing resumed on lap 104 with Mears in 21st. By lap 136, Mears reported the car was much tighter this run for some reason but had maneuvered up to 19th. He passed teammate David Stremme on lap 144 to take over 18th, and the No. 10 car on lap 148 for 17th. The caution flag waved on lap 164 for debris with just 25 cars remaining on the lead lap. Mears pitted for air pressure adjustments in three out of the four fresh tires and fuel. When the green flag waved on lap 169, the Texaco/Havoline crew's quick stop boosted him up to 14th. He slipped back to 15th on lap 182 while trying to maneuver around lapped traffic. He told Wingo he still didn't have any rear grip, so when the No. 49 car hit the wall on lap 184 Mears came down pit road to have a spring rubber removed from the right rear, four tires and fuel. Despite the extra time it takes to remove a spring rubber, the crew only lost two spots on pit road. The Texaco/Havoline Dodge was sitting 21st at the midpoint of the 400-lap race. Mears was struggling with the handling of the car, and found the race leader in his rear view mirror on lap 259. He fought off the No. 16 car for several laps, before getting passed on lap 263. Fortunately for the team, the leader pitted on lap 264 putting Mears back on the lead lap. He went a lap down again on lap 272 when the No. 17 car got around him. On lap 283, green-flag pit stops began and Mears was climbing up the score board. After just laps, Mears was now 15th. When the caution flag waved on lap 297, the team was sitting 12th one lap down and running low on fuel. Mears brought the Texaco/Havoline Dodge down pit road for service on lap 300. The team changed four tires, added fuel and air in the right-rear tire. Mears was the first car a lap down in 15th place on lap 305 for the restart. However there were five cars on the tail end of the lead lap. By the time the caution waved again on lap 322, Mears was still in 15th but now the third car in line for NASCAR's free pass back on the lead lap. Wingo told Mears to remain on the track and try and gain track position to put them in position to get their lap back. He lined up 15th on lap 327, the second car back. A long green-flag run proceeded and Mears was still 15th on lap 367. Unfortunately, the Texaco/Havoline team saw its top-15 finish disappear when Mears radioed he was out of gas with less than three laps to go. Mears brought the Texaco/Havoline Dodge to pit road for a shot of ether to get the car re-fired and a splash of fuel. He crossed the finish line in the 22nd position, two laps down. Mears remains 15th in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings with eight races remaining in the 2006 season. His teammates Reed Sorenson and Stremme finished 11th and 18th respectively. The Texaco/Havoline team leaves for Kansas City on Thursday to compete in Sunday's Banquet 400.
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