These pictures were taken 02/23/07 through 02/25/07 at the 2007 Auto CLub 500 at California Speedway. Click on any thumbnail and a new window will open with a larger version so you can see the details.
I took some with my little Casio Exilim Digital Camera but Michael took most of them with his Nikon D2H Digital Camera with a 70 MM to 200 MM Optical Zoom.
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Friday our pit passes gave us access to the Craftsman Truck garage. We saw Todd Bodine on his way out and I got his autograph. {See below for a picture of the card I got signed} |
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The Truck guys don't actually have garages - they are all taken up by the Nextel & Busch guys - so they work out in the open. |
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These are the front end templates. Note the BLUE one is for a Ford. |
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We caught this inspector trying to fit the CHEVY template on a Ford! |
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Here he has the correct template - LOL |
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Mark Martin's truck waiting it's turn in the inspection line. |
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Now we are back out on pit road for Cup practice. It's only the 2nd race of the season so we better review some of the car & driver combos. This is NOT Mark Martin! This is rookie driver David Ragan. |
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This is NOT Joe Nemechek. This is Mark Martin. Mark will drive the 01 Army Chevy a partial season in 2007 sharing the ride with Regan Smith. |
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Joe Nemechek moves over to a third Ginn Racing car - the #13 Certainteed Chevy |
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This is NOT Dale Jarrett. Ricky Rudd returns to Nextel Cup in the #88 Snickers Ford for Yates Racing. |
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88 divided by 2 = 44! Dale Jarrett took the UPS sponsorship with him when he moved to the #44 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing. |
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NOT Brian Vickers & NOT Greg Biffle. It's Casey Mears in the #25 GMAC/National Guard Chevy. |
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Brian Vickers moves to the #83 Red Bull Toyota |
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Juan Pablo Montoya will run for R.O.Y. {Rookie Of the Year} in the #42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge. |
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Are you confused yet? Cause there are brand new teams for 2007! The #72 Dutch Quality Stone Chevy is driven by Brandon Whitt. CJM Racing is going to run a partial season but so far hasn't made a race. |
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Paul Menard will run for R.O.Y. in the #15 Menards/Quaker State Chevy for DEI |
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2007 sees Toyota enter Nextel Cup - here are some of the new teams. David Reutiman will run for R.O.Y. in the Domino's Pizza Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing. |
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Dave Blaney stays with the #22 and keeps Caterpillar as a sponsor driving for Bill Davis, but they have changed to Toyota. |
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Jeremy Mayfield is in the #36 Toyota for Bill Davis Racing sponsored by 360 OTC. They are a new team without points and have failed to make the first two races this year. |
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Same car number and same sponsor but Michael Waltrip is in a Toyota this year for Michael Waltrip Racing. |
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A. J. Allmendinger is in the #84 Red Bull Toyota running for R.O.Y.. As a new team they have no points and haven't made either race so far this year. |
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Kenny Wallace is in the #78 Furniture Row Chevy for the full 2007 season. But with no points to fall back on, they haven't made either race this year. |
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This week it's John Andretti in the #37 Camping World Ford. I think he is splitting the ride will Bill Elliott and Chad Chaffin. |
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Greg Biffle's #16 is sporting the Ameriquest Mortgage Company colors this week. One of three primary sponsors who will rotate on his car this year. |
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Kevin Harvick's #29 has Shell/Pennzoil as a new sponsor for 2007 |
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Ward Burton takes over the #4 for Morgan McClure Motorsports with State Water Heaters as a sponsor. They haven't made either race this year. |
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Kyle Busch's #5 has CarQuest on the hood this week. |
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Scott Rigg's #10 has Stanley Tools on the car this week |
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Ryan Newman's #12 carries Mobil 1 for the first of five races. |
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Sterling Marlin's #14 is Panassonic this week |
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Matt Kenseth carries Carhartt on the #17 this week. That's one of FIVE different primary sponsor who will rotate on his car in 2007. |
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Ken Schrader pilots the #21 Air Force Ford this week. One of FIVE sponsors and TWO drivers who sill share the car in 2007. |
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Reed Sorenson's #41 has Energizer on the hood rather than Target this week. |
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Jeff Green still pilots the #66 but has "flip-flopped" sponsors with the #70. The teams will do this several times in 2007. |
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See - teammate Johnny Sauter in the #70 carries Best Buys this week. |
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Thankfully there are some drivers that stayed put with the same card number and sponsor! Martin Turex, Jr |
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Robby Gordon |
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Dale Earnhardt, Jr. |
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Kasey Kahne |
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Denny Hamlin |
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J. J. Yeley Although I still look at this car and think Bobby Labonte. |
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After a mid-season switch last year Elliott Sadler continues on the #19 for 2007 |
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Tony Stewart |
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Jeff Gordon |
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Jamie McMurray |
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Jeff Burton |
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David Gilliland took over the #38 after Race #22 in 2006. He's not eligible for R.O.Y. in 2007. |
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David Stremme Be honest - how many people still thought Sterling Marlin when they first saw this picture. |
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Bobby Labonte |
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Kyle Petty |
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Jimmie Johnson |
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Carl Edwards |
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Clint Bowyer pulled off track in his #07 Jack Daniels Chevy rather early in practice. The crew went to work checking under the hood. |
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Maybe he was kinda sore from his wild Daytona 500 ride, he climbed out of the car |
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And headed to the garage. |
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The crew pushed the car in and we didn't see it back on tack the rest of the practice session. |
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For qualifying I took up my usual position along the wall by pit out. That's where we get our best photos & I snag some autographs. Here's "the cat in the hat" Jack Roush on his way out to watch his cars make qualifying runs. He signed autographs on his way back and I got one. {see below} |
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Robin Pemberton the NASCAR VIP of Competition even signed a few autographs. |
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Dale Jarrett sits on the pit wall watching somebody's qualifying run. |
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Winning the pole must be old hat for Jeff Gordon cause he didn't even wait on pit road for qualifying to finish. He walked back to the garage waving to the crowd - but didn't stop to sign any autographs. |
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David Stremme stopped to sign autographs on his way back to the garage after his qualifying run. I got a trading card signed - bee selow! |
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Casey Mears also signed autographs. |
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Joe Nemechek signed a lot of autographs |
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And Martin Truex, Jr. |
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Paul Menard worked his way down to where I was and I got a trading card signed. It's pictured below. |
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David Gilliland signed autographs on the opposite side of the road. He turned and when we yelled his name but didn't come over. |
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Kurt Busch signed a few autographs while still inside the garage fence. He didn't sign any along where I was. |
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Sterling Marlin was sneaky. He walked out of the garage pushing the car! But he did come back later and signed up and down both sides. |
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Matt Kenseth also walked out helping push the car. But I didn't see him come back. |
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Kyle Petty didn't sign any autographs as he walked out to qualify. That's pretty unusual for him, he's usually real good about signing. |
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Here comes Ryan Newman with wife Krissie strolled by. He waved - but nothing more. |
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Elliott Sadler on his way back to the garage after his qualifying run just walked by without stopping. |
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You can tell it was pretty chilly. Mark Martin has on a coat! He didn't stop on his way out to qualify but he did come back later and signed a whole bunch of autographs. |
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David Ragan started signing autographs on the other side. When we yelled to him he turned and said wait a minute. He signed all along the other wall then came over and signed along my side. |
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Michael Waltrip signed a few autographs inside the garage fence but none along where I was. |
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Here comes Sterling back to sign autographs. He went up one side and down the other. I got my card signed! |
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Kyle Busch worked his way along signing autographs. I got one for my collection |
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After his run John Andretti came back through signing autographs. You can see mine below |
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Juan Pablo Montoya got MOBBED as he came back from qualifying. But he was really good about signing autographs. He went up & down both sides. I got my card signed. |
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Saturday morning we were wandering around the midway and spotted Larry McReynolds in the Speed souvenir trailer and got his autograph. |
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Sunday morning I raced up and down the midway to see who might be signing at their souvenir trailer. Most of the guys were up in the front half and you needed a ticket to get in line. Tickets were long gone. But near the end of a row was Reed Sorenson. No ticket needed and no line! |
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Casey Mears was signing at his trailer. But I got his autograph Friday in the pits |
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Here's Sterling at his trailer. Already got him Friday. |
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David Gilliland was signing but all the tickets were gone. I'll have to try to get his autograph in September. |
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Our pit passes also gave us access on Sunday. So after settling Michael in the grandstand I went through the crossover gate and across the track. MUCH shorter than going all the way around through the tunnel! That's me standing in the grass waving. Michael took the picture from our seats. |
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I got some pretty good pictures of the cars as they were pushed out to the starting grid. |
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Tony's crewmen check the tire pressure and tape down the hood pins. |
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Here's Bobby's pit. I wanted Michael to take my picture standing here - but I forgot to take my cell phone with me and couldn't get his attention |
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The crew does their last minute checks to make sure everything is in order. |
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See the orange hammer under the wheel of the generator cart? Unfortunately that will be used on the car later in the afternoon. |
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Here I come on my way back. You can really feel the 11 degree front stretch banking when you walk up the track. |
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I stopped for snacks before climbing the steps to our seats. It's a long climb and I get a little winded. I'm telling Michael "Don't you dare take my picture" - but he did it anyway. |
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We were "treated" to a Sammy Hagar concert. The stage was right below our seats & the speakers were pointed right at us. IT WAS LOUD. We had to put on our scanner headphones just to stand it. All those people down by the stage must be deaf. |
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After driver introductions and a ride around the track Bobby stands by the car talking to some of his crew and a couple guys from his old Interstate Battery team. |
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Everybody is smiling - they must be swapping stories. |
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During driver introductions, Kevin Harvick got an award. You can see the cool surf board trophy on stage. |
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Triple deck skydivers - pretty cool. |
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This wind caught one skydiver and he/she landed on the wrong side of the catch fence. |
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The fly over was two F16s and two F18s |
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With a 70 to 200 MM zoom lens Michael got this cool shot where you can see the F16 pilots! |
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The scoring tower shows the starting lineup. |
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Lap 8 - Scott Riggs got loose in Turn 2, hit the wall collecting Jamie McMuray and Reed Sorenson. Jamie brings his crumpled car down pit road. |
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Reed Sorenson heads towards the garage for repairs. |
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Scott Riggs went to the Care Center and his car went to the garage on a flat back. Riggs was treated and released. |
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Lap 13 saw the Green Flag but caution was back out on Lap 15 when Martin Truex , Jr blew an engine. He coasted down pit road and members of Dale Jr's crew helped push him to the garage. |
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Green Flag flew on Lap 19 and immediately Dale Jr was forced to pit with a flat right side tire. Bad luck for Dale Jr as on Lap 20 David Ragan spins in Turn 2 bring out the caution AGAIN and trapping him a lap down. |
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Pit stop of Elliott Sadler. His was one of the pits right across from us. |
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Bobby Labonte's crew swings into action. He's having a good day running in the Top 10! |
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Lap 55 see caution for the 4th time. Sterling Marlin spun and hit the wall on the backstretch. |
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Lap 66 Dale Jr started reporting engine problems and on Lap 70 the crew pushes him to the garage. |
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Lap 111 Dale Jr returned to the track after some engine repairs. But on lap 121 the engine lets go and he spins coming out of Turn 3. |
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He looped it a couple times and slid down the track. Once the car came to rest in the grass Dale Jr climbed out and bowed to the crowd. |
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The car went to the garage - done for for the day. |
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Ken Schrader on pit road with the hood up. Something went wrong with the engine and he was done for the day. |
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Jimmie Johnson's crew swings into action during green flag pit stops. |
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After a great 1st half of the race, Bobby started dropping through the field. At some point he had gotten into the wall. You can see scrapes on the car and the lettering is off the front tire. |
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Make it a fast pit stop! |
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Pits are busy. Everybody wants tires and fuel. |
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Juan Pablo Montoya was down 2 laps but running pretty well. |
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Poor Scott Riggs, after wrecking on Lap 8 there wasn't much left of the front of his car. He came back out near the end of the race and ran eight more laps. |
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Bobby Labonte's day just went from bad to worse as on Lap 244 Ricky Rudd spins right in front of him. |
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I was so busy cussing Bobby's luck I didn't even notice the chaos coming into Turn 4. |
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Between Turn 3 and 4 David Reutimann hit the wall really hard when Greg Biffle tapped his bumper. His car had some fire under the hood and he was really slow getting out. David was OK. |
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Bobby brings his battered car to the pits |
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The RED Flag is out due to the need for extensive cleanup. The crew can only look at the car and plan on what needs to be done. You can see a crewmen with that orange hammer standing by the front wheel. |
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David Reutimann's car heads to the garage. |
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The crew did the best they could to repair Bobby's car. He takes the "modified" #43 back on track. He'll end up finishing 28th. |
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Everybody was expecting Kevin Harvick to contend for the win. But on Lap 248 of 250, as the green flag flew Kevin pulled onto pit road with the Pace Car. He had a flat tire and ended up finishing 17th. |
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Matt Kenseth does victory donuts through the grass. |
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Matt broke the transmission and had to coast to Victory Lane. |
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The crew come running to push him along. |
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You can just make out Matt in the confetti standing on the door of the car, looking back at the crew. |
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And the scoring tower shows the final standings.
RACE FACTS |
Friday afternoon during Nextel Cup qualifying I hung out in the pits along the wall by pit out. That's where the drivers walk out to their cars and some walk back after their qualifying run. I missed a few autographs cause the driver only signed along the opposite wall. But I did get 14 autographs.
Saturday I spotted Larry McReynolds in the Speed souvenir trailer and got his autograph
Sunday morning I toured souvenir to see who was signing. There were several drivers in the front section but you needed a ticket. Tickets were given out at 7 AM and we didn't arrive until 8:30. But in the back section I found Reed Sorenson - no ticket needed and no line!
That's it! Pretty good autograph weekend
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