Race Report - Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway
Results from Daytona International Speedway
1. Ryan Newman, No. 12 Dodge
5. Reed Sorenson, No. 41 Target Dodge
32. Juan Pablo Montoya, No.42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge
33. Dario Franchitti, No.40 Dodge Journey Dodge
LATE-RACE DAMAGE DROPS MONTOYA TO 32ND IN DAYTONA 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 17, 2008) --- With 12 laps remaining in the 50th running of the Daytona 500, it appeared Juan Pablo Montoya and the Texaco/Havoline team were poised for a top-five finish. Unfortunately, Montoya was clipped in the left rear and forced to pit with just eight laps remaining. He completed the 200-lap “Great American Race” in the 32nd position.
Montoya started the race from the 15th position after finishing seventh in his Duel Race on Thursday. Shortly after the green flag waved he told Crew Chief Donnie Wingo the car was really loose off the corners. It would be a condition he would battle for most of the race. On lap 34, green flag pit stops began. Montoya brought his No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge down pit road on lap 37 for four tires and fuel. The crew noticed excessive wear on the right-front tire.
Montoya told Wingo on lap 60 he was still extremely loose. He brought the No. 42 Dodge down pit road for the second green-flag stop of the night on lap 73. The Texaco/Havoline crew made an air pressure adjustment and lowered the trackbar. The caution flag waved for the first time on lap 79, so the team elected to pit for tires and fuel. When racing resumed on lap 84, Montoya was running 38th.
At the midway point of the race, the Texaco/Havoline car was running 31st and still too loose. Wingo called for another trackbar adjustment during the team’s pit stop on lap 121. He drafted up into the top 25 when the caution waved on lap 150. The over-the-wall crew again changed four tires, lowered the trackbar and also made a wedge adjustment to tighten the car up for Montoya. He was able to maneuver his way up to 21st before the caution waved on lap 161. He brought the car in for service on lap 162, including four fresh tires and fuel.
Racing resumed on lap 165, but only stayed green for 11 laps as four cars were collected in an incident in front of the No. 42. Wingo knew it would take some strategy to gain some ground, so he told Montoya to remain on the track while several cars elected to pit. As a result, Montoya restarted the race in sixth place on lap 180. Just three laps later, Montoya was drafting behind the leader when he tried to block the No. 42 as he went for the lead. Montoya made contact with the leader and he spun into the infield. The caution waved and Montoya was now sitting second behind eventual race winner Ryan Newman.
The green flag waved on lap 187 and Montoya soon found himself in the middle of three-wide racing. The No. 29 and No. 22 made contact and clipped the right rear of the Texaco/Havoline Dodge. The right rear fender was rubbing on the tire, so the team was forced to pit with just 10 laps remaining in the race. Montoya finished in the 32nd position.
The team heads to California Speedway next weekend for the second race of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.
CGRFS Quoteboard
DONNIE WINGO: "Well, with about 12 to go it looked like it was going to be pretty good day for the Texaco/Havoline team. We fought being loose all day. We finally got it pretty good and got the opportunity to get wedged up in there with the leaders. Then, we got shuffled out and somebody got in the left rear of us and knocked us out. It knocked the left-rear corner panel down on top of the tire and we had to come in and get it off or it was going to smoke the rest of the race and probably blow a tire out."
"We’re tickled to death for Reed (Sorenson) and the Target team. Anytime one of our cars can run well, that’s good for the whole organization. We are all here to work together and get the organization to the top."
Back to Race Results
|
