Full Throttle

Roger Stauback:

We were up there with our sponsor DLP, and I’ve never experienced such excitement. We’ve got such a class human being that’s running up front. It was such an amazing race. Phillipe is not here, but between Phillipe and what Terry did and the team, earlier we talked about this today, and we wouldn’t have dreamed we could do this this quickly, but we have just a great driver and a great person. He had the right equipment today, and Phillipe was our coach. He did a great job.

I don’t know why I’m here. I don’t deserve to be here, but I’ll tell you, I’m involved with this team and we’ve committed to it, and it’s been a lot of fun today. I’m really proud of you, Terry. Thanks a lot.

Yes the Iceman is THE Cup story this week. Ho-Hum so Gordon won another road race, like that isn’t expected.

You have to wonder if Stauback and co-owner Troy Aikman had any flashbacks in the last 30 laps. Stauback thinking of Bart Star and Aikmen haunted by visions of John Elway as their respective Cowboy teams saw yet another victory snatched from them in the last two minutes of a game they led till then.

As it turned out the #96 didn’t get the trophy, but to a fledgling single car team a fuel mileage, caution aided third place is definitely a win. The crew chief made the right calls, Terry kept the car in the top fifteen for 44 of the 110 laps, placed an “egg shell” on the go peddle and got a much deserved finish.

Others of note are Greg Biffle who was steady all day, drove to a 4^th and moved up to 9^th in the standings. Elliott Sadler pulled out an 6^th place finish by using a little bit of F1 style pit strategy, and Ryan Newman for want of a few more laps may have had something for Gordon. His second is his best finish of the year but he gained next to nothing on tenth place.

Also in the “not so surprising” category along with Gordon was Johnson who continues to defy being derailed by mechanical ills or just plain stupd luck. I’m sure he’d be happy to take a tenth place effort from now til the Chase.

Tony Stewart looked like he would salvage a decent day after some bumpin’ and bangin’ plus a speeding penalty but Smoke, went up in smoke with an apparent swallowed valve that dropped him to 28^th.

The road race ringers all crapped out except for Boris Said who finished 9^th in his special built Roush Ford. He also provided one of the two “images of the day.” The shot of his young son with platnum blonde curly locks were classic. The other shot were of the kids sliding down a hillside on their cadboard “sleds.”

NASCAR, NEXTEL Cup, Terry Labonte, Hall of Fame Racing, Infineon Raceway, Auto Racing, Motorsports, Full Throttle