Fuente: © PPI Motorsports
http://www.ppi-racing.com/

NASCAR: PPI MOTORSPORTS: Tide Racing Leaves Phoenix in 30th Place

/noticias.info/ AVONDALE, Ariz. (November 12, 2006) – Travis Kvapil and the Tide Racing team crossed the finish line during Sunday’s Checker Auto Parts 500 in 30th place. A temperamental-handling race car was the culprit but the team persevered and Kvapil was able to dodge some late race crashes to make it to the end. Meanwhile, winning the 312-lap event was Chase contender Kevin Harvick.

On Friday, the Tide team participated in a practice session and Bud Pole qualifying. In practice, Kvapil was 40th fastest with a time of 27.641 seconds or 130.241 miles per hour. Then in Bud Pole qualifying, he improved on his practice effort by recording a lap of 27.382 seconds or 131.473 miles per hour. The driver’s time was good for the 33rd starting spot in Sunday’s Checkers Auto Parts 500. Winning the pole was Jeff Gordon with a speed of 134.464 miles per hour (26.773 seconds). Failing to make the main event were drivers Jason Leffler, Todd Kluever, Morgan Shepherd, Brandon Ash, Kevin Lepage, Kenny Wallace, Derricke Cope and Jeremy Mayfield.

Then on Saturday, the Tide crew took part in two practice rounds. In the first practice, Kvapil ran a 27.996 second lap or a speed of 128.590 miles per hour. It was 32nd quickest. Then in Happy Hour, the team moved up the speed chart by turning in the 28th fastest lap of 28.053 seconds or 128.329 miles per hour.

When the green-flag waved, Kevin Harvick showed the 43-car field that he was the man to beat. That’s because it took just four circuits for him to pass the pole sitter Jeff Gordon and remain in the top spot for a total of 252 laps. As for the Tide Racing team, a loose-handling Tide Ride dictated Kvapil’s 39th-place running spot for the first 100 laps. Crew chief Gary Putnam had his pit crew work on the Tide Ride on laps 73 and 74. An air pressure change was the main course of action and it worked to alleviate the loose condition. Unfortunately the car still was not to the driver’s liking when the second caution for debris was thrown on lap 150. This time, the car was too tight so on lap 153, the pit crew went back to work to make a wedge change and add a spring rubber.

Good news came on lap 187 after another yellow flag waved. Kvapil came over the radio to say the car was handling better and he wanted more spring rubber and wedge changes. The pit crew completed a fast stop on lap 190 to allow the Tide Ride to go from 38th to 36th place. The only other driver on the same lap as Kvapil was Reed Sorenson.

Meanwhile, the fourth caution of the day came out on lap 226 after Robby Gordon and Chad Chaffin got together. Kvapil came over the radio to say his No. 32 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS started out good but would get tighter the longer the run. So on lap 229, air pressure, wedge and track bar changes were completed. Kvapil retook the green flag two laps later in 37th.

On lap 273, the Tide Ride finally was able to break into the Top 35 and shortly thereafter, Kvapil made his final visit onto pit road on lap 294 for fuel and four fresh Goodyears. He entered and exited the pits in 32nd place. Fortunately, the Tide team was able to pick up two more spots before a red flag waved on lap 308 after the No. 07 dumped oil onto the track with just three circuits remaining. NASCAR was able to clean it up in time for a final shootout involving Harvick and Jimmie Johnson. Harvick prevailed to go to win his fifth race of the season as well as sweeping the Cup events at PIR for the year.

Following Harvick and Johnson to the line to round out the Top-10 were, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Mark Martin, Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth.

With one race to go, the Top-10 Chase Contenders now look like this:
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Matt Kenseth (-- position/-63 points)
3. Kevin Harvick (+2 pos/-90 pts)
4. Denny Hamlin (-- pos/-90 pts)
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (-2/-115 pts)
6. Jeff Gordon (-- pos/-167 pts)
7. Jeff Burton (--/-225 pts)
8. Mark Martin (+1/-273 pts)
9. Kasey Kahne (+1 pos/-319 pts)
10. Kyle Busch (-2 pos/-359 pts)

Next Sunday, the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series comes to a close and a champion is crowned with the running of the Ford 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Unofficial Race Results:
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2006/35/data/results_official.html

Unofficial Owners Points Position: The Tide/Downy team remains in 37th place

COMING UP NEXT:
Event: Ford 400
Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Date: November 19, 2006
Television: NBC at 2:00 p.m.
Radio: MRN & XM Satellite radio networks
Defending Polesitter: Carl Edwards
Race Champion: Greg Biffle


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