Texaco/Havoline Team Finishes 21st, Remain in Top Five in Points
HAMPTON, Ga., (March 20, 2006)
--- Rain postponed the Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, so Casey Mears and the Texaco/Havoline team took to the track on Monday for the 325-lap race. Despite having an ill-handling No. 42 Dodge Charger, Mears piloted the car to a 21st-place finish and moved to fifth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings.
Mears started the race from the 10th position after his qualifying effort on Friday night. Shortly after the green flag waved, Mears told crew chief Donnie Wingo that the car had no rear grip, a condition the team would battle throughout the race. He faded back to 15th when the caution flag waved for a single-car incident. Mears brought the No. 42 Dodge Charger down pit road for an air pressure adjustment, a wedge adjustment, fresh tires and fuel. Despite a solid pit stop, the No. 22 car blocked the Texaco/Havoline Dodge in its pit box and the team lost nine spots for the restart.
Racing resumed on lap 19 and the car had tightened up significantly, but still had no grip. The No. 42 crew continued to adjust on the car through the next two stops, but Mears couldn't drive the car up any further than 19th. The caution flag waved on lap 66, and the team's day worsened. After the team changed four tires, made an air pressure adjustment and added fuel, the car's handling changed dramatically.
Mears struggled with the car and was sideways through the corners. By lap 100, the No. 42 Dodge had fallen back to the 37th position. Mears fell a lap down to the leader on lap 108. The caution flag waved on lap 117, and Wingo called Mears down pit road to go back on the air pressure adjustment to see if the team had been on a bad set of tires.
The green flag dropped again on lap 125 with Mears in 36th. He was racing with four other cars to get in position to receive NASCAR's free pass back onto the lead lap. Despite the changes, Mears told Wingo that the car wouldn't turn now but it seemed like they indeed had a bad set of tires on the last run. He maneuvered his way up to 31st and was the second car a lap down. The No. 17 car, also a lap down, was able to race around the leader just two laps before the caution waved, putting the No. 42 in position to receive the free pass on lap 164.
Mears drove around the pace car and down pit road for a round of wedge, an air pressure adjustment, four tires and fuel. Racing resumed again on lap 169 with Mears in the 31st position. Mears told Wingo that there was still no grip in the car despite all the changes the team made. It appeared after the team's pit stop on lap 197 that it had finally hit on something. Mears was able to work his way through traffic and was 18th by lap 208. He radioed in on lap 216 that the car suddenly snapped loose and he fell back to 24th when the yellow flag was displayed on lap 221.
The Texaco/Havoline crew continued to adjust on the car during two caution periods, but Mears was still running in the middle of the pack. The car had also picked up a vibration over the final 100 laps of the race. With 25 laps to go, Mears was sitting in the 26th position. He fell a lap down again on lap 310, but several teams had to pit for fuel or were having trouble with their cars. Mears was able to gain five spots before the checkered flag waved on lap 325.
"We just struggled all day," said Mears. "The guys tried everything to make the car handle better, we just couldn't get it right. It was a frustrating day for all of us, but we made the most of it and brought the car home 21st. We're still in the top five in points, but we need to perform better to stay there."
Mears' teammates Reed Sorenson and David Stremme finished 10th and 33rd respectively. Sorenson sits 25th in points, Stremme is 35th and Mears is fifth just 136 points behind the leader.
Mears and the Texaco/Havoline team take the No. 42 Dodge to Bristol this weekend for the Food City 500 on Mar. 26.
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Media Relations Contact Information
Heather Kincel
Chip Ganassi Racing
with Felix Sabates
8500 Westmoreland Drive
Concord, NC 28027
Ph: (704) 662-9642
Fax: (704) 662-9643
Email: Heather Kincel
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