(Author’s Note: On this date eleven years ago, NASCAR lost a beloved championship winning driver and owner: Bobby Hamilton Sr. Hamilton, a native of Tennessee, burst onto the NASCAR scene in 1989 with a championship run in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series, which is now the Xfinity Series. The Tennessee driver grabbed a win at Richmond and finished 11th in the points in his first full season in the series. He returned to the NBGNS in 1990 and ran consistently in the Top 15 all season to grab another 11th place points finish. His consistency and strong runs in NASCAR’s secondary series caught the attention of Mark Smith, the owner of Tri-Star Motorsports in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, and he decided to put Hamilton in his #68 full-time starting in 1991. For the next 11 years, Hamilton competed full-time in the NWCS, except for 1993 where he only made 15 starts for several teams and 2002 where he made 31 starts. During those 11 total years, he made 368 starts, captured four wins, finished in the Top 5 20 times, grabbed 67 Top 10’s, started on the pole five times, earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1991, and finished in the Top 10 in the points standings on two occasions. He also competed for several teams including SABCO, Petty Enterprises, Morgan-McClure Motorsports, and Andy Petree Racing. However, after the 2002 season with APR, Hamilton decided to leave the team due to its financial difficulties. Instead of searching for another Cup ride, Hamilton decided to own his race team in what was then the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. For three seasons, the veteran driver was one of the best drivers in the series as he won eight races, picked up 46 Top 10’s, and grabbed the championship in 2004 after a spectacular season. In 2006, he ran the first two events of the season and finished average in both before the series headed to Atlanta Motor Speedway. Hamilton hoped the race would launch his season into another championship, but the week leading up to the race proved to be life changing. Just a few days before the race, the 2004 NCTS champion was diagnosed with head and neck cancer, a cancer that affects the throat and sinuses. He decided to run the Atlanta truck race even after the diagnosis and begin chemotherapy and radiation the Monday after the race weekend. Hamilton finished 14th in what would be his last career NASCAR race. Throughout the rest of 2006, the NASCAR champion fought valiantly against the dreaded disease and even visited Kentucky Speedway for a race weekend during the summer. However, on January 7, 2007, he succumbed to head and neck cancer after nearly a year of fighting. The NASCAR community was left saddened by the loss of such a respected competitor and drivers and teams honored Hamilton throughout the season. His Bobby Hamilton Racing team raced through 2008, but the team closed at the conclusion of the year. Since his tragic passing, Hamilton has been remembered for his generosity and his intense love for racing. In fact, just earlier today, Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared a story where Hamilton lent him a racecar at the Nashville Fairgrounds so Junior could race that night after his car burnt up in a practice crash. Today, we are going to honor the late Hamilton by analyzing his first career NWCS win in the 1996 Dura Lube 500k at Phoenix International Raceway. After leading 40 laps throughout the afternoon, Hamilton grabbed the checkered flag for the first time and returned the #43 to victory lane after a 12 year winless drought. In addition to Hamilton’s win, the penultimate race of the 1996 season featured an injured Terry Labonte finishing third as he tried to win his second championship and an action-packed 312-lap race. Let’s honor Bobby Hamilton today as we analyze his first career win as if the checkered flag just waved on a Sunday afternoon in the Arizona desert.)
After taking the lead from Geoff Bodine entering turn 3 on lap 283, Bobby Hamilton negotiated the one-mile Phoenix International Raceway to capture his first NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory in today’s Dura Lube 500k. Hamilton started the day in 17th and progressively made his way through the field thanks to a fast Pontiac. On the final restart of the day, he moved from fourth to first in a terrific run and cruised to the checkered flag. In addition to the victory being historic for Hamilton, the win also marked a historic day for Petty Enterprises and the #43. For the first time since October of 1983 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Petty Enterprises, the family owned team started by Lee Petty, pushed a racecar to victory lane and celebrated a win. Also, for the first time since July of 1984 at Daytona, a car with the #43, a number made famous by Richard Petty, sat in victory lane after a NWCS race. Now, just a few hours after the checkered flag waved, the victory has already established itself as a popular one in the NWCS due to the history and legacy associated with Petty and the #43 in addition to the amount of respect Hamilton himself has in the garage. However, the variety of twists and turns throughout today’s 312-lap race made it anything but an easy win for Hamilton and his team. Strategy calls, a leader bumping into a lapped car, and two rounds of green flag pit stops made today’s race unpredictable and interesting. Bobby Labonte started on the pole for the third time this season. On the initial start, he held onto the lead until the first caution waved on lap 5. The field quickly lined back up after a short clean-up and the green flag waved for a second time. The #18 of Labonte remained the leader as the race entered what would be the longest green flag run of the event. As the Texas driver looked to lead the early portion of the race, Mark Martin quickly began to pressure him for the lead around lap 30. On lap 33, Martin moved to Labonte’s inside in turn 4 and powered to the lead. From there, the Arkansas driver pulled away from his fellow competitors and began to lap drivers. About 40 laps after the #6 Ford moved into the lead, the first round of green flag pit stops commenced. Drivers started to hit pit road while Martin experienced some pressure from the #18 Pontiac for the lead. On lap 77, Labonte moved back into the lead in turn 4 as his stop neared. Martin quickly pitted on the next lap, hoping to gain an advantage and move back into the lead. Labonte pitted on lap 80 as several drivers remained on the one-mile track. Bobby Hamilton completed the cycle of stops on lap 82 and Martin returned to the lead thanks to pitting a lap earlier than most of the leaders. Martin held the top spot until lap 116 when his race nearly ended after a dominating first stint. As he drove into turn 1, Derrike Cope, who was about to get lapped, moved down on his #6 Ford. The contact caused Cope to spin up the track and Martin to slide towards the outside wall. Cope ended up slamming into the outside wall hard while Martin managed to save his car as the second caution waved. In the chaos of the accident, Hamilton moved into the lead for the first time while Martin slipped to second. During the caution flag pit stops, though, the #6 moved back into the top spot while the #43 of Hamilton fell to sixth as the Top 5 took only two tires. On the subsequent restart, Martin maintained his lead, but he quickly faced a challenge from Dale Jarrett. A lap after the restart, Jarrett moved to the outside of his fellow Ford driver in turn 3 and blasted to the top spot for the first time in the race. As Jarrett looked to establish himself up front, the third caution waved on lap 135 and allowed the field to move back to his rear bumper. When the green flag waved, though, the #88 Ford of Jarrett powered away from the rest of the lead lap drivers. Jarrett seemed to be in control of the top spot, but a challenger emerged around lap 150 for the lead. Hamilton had chased the leader down and they began to battle for the lead as the race neared halfway. On lap 152, the #43 moved to the inside of the #88 entering turn 4 and Hamilton emerged as the leader for the second time in the event. Just four laps later, the fourth caution waved on lap 156 as several drivers spun and crashed in oil in turn 3. The yellow flag brought pit stops for the entire field and several teams opted for strategy moves during their stops. Jimmy Spencer and five other teams only added two fresh tires to their racecars while Jarrett and Hamilton put on four fresh tires, which dropped them to seventh and ninth, respectively. For the first time all race, a shake-up in the running order put several fast cars outside of the Top 5, which meant the subsequent run would be an action-packed portion of the event. When the green flag waved, Spencer jumped out to the lead, but he wouldn’t be there long. Bobby Labonte, who restarted in second on two fresh tires, moved past the #23 of Spencer in turn 3 and returned to the lead. 18 laps later, Geoff Bodine, who had restarted in third, slipped past the #18 and moved into the lead for the first time in the race. On lap 195, Terry Labonte, who had restarted fifth with an injured wrist, powered past Bodine to take the top spot and add points to his championship points lead. The lead changes stopped for the moment and the #5 of Labonte stayed consistent as he managed the race lead. The 1984 NWCS champion led all the way until the second and final green flag stops of the race began on lap 233. Labonte hit the pit lane on lap 236 as a variety of drivers entered and exited pit road at the same time. The cycle of stops ended on lap 238 and Labonte returned to the lead with Hamilton and Bodine in the podium positions behind him. The laps clicked by with the #5 out front until the fifth and final caution waved on lap 259 for a turn 3 incident. For the final time, teams made the move to pit road for fresh tires to conclude the 312-lap race. Only Geoff Bodine pulled a strategy move as he stayed on track with the rest of the field pitting for four tires. For the final 47 laps, Bodine would need his older Goodyear rubber to outlast the Labonte brothers, Hamilton, and Martin. The green flag waved for the final time and the #7 Ford quickly put some distance between himself and the drivers on fresher tires. As the laps began to click away, the three drivers behind him started to battle hard for positions. Hamilton managed to pass Terry Labonte and Martin by lap 274, which allowed him to set his sights on Bodine for his first career win. The #43 needed only a few laps before he was right on the leader’s back bumper with 32 laps to go. After stalking Bodine for a couple of circuits, Hamilton moved to the #7’s inside entering turn 3 and powered to the lead. Quickly, Hamilton gained a nice advantage on the drivers behind him and coasted around the one-mile race track. With ten laps to go, only a caution could steal the win away from the Tennessee driver. He negotiated the four treacherous turns of Phoenix and took the white flag with no drivers close to his rear bumper. After a tense final lap, the #43 Pontiac crossed the finish line to the cheers of fans in the grandstands, the Petty Enterprises crew, and Richard Petty himself. The team celebrated the end of a winless drought as Hamilton enjoyed victory lane for the first time in his NWCS career. The penultimate race of the 1996 NWCS season proved to be a memorable event. Drivers battling for points, competitors fighting for the first victories of their careers and season, and strategy calls made today’s race an action-packed one from the green flag to the checkered flag. As these 5 stages of analysis show, Bobby Hamilton’s first career NWCS win came in an excellent 312-lap race in the Arizona desert.
Stage 1:
Historic Occurrence: Hamilton Grabs First Career Win and Returns the #43 to Victory Lane for the First Time Since 1984
From 1960 to 1984, Richard Petty, driving his family owned #43 for several manufacturers, dominated NASCAR’s highest series and established himself as a legend. On July 4, 1984, at Daytona International Speedway, he won his 200th career race and earned his 193rd victory behind the wheel of the famous #43. In addition to all the wins, the North Carolina driver earned seven championships over his illustrious career. The success of Petty established the #43 as the most famous number in the history of NASCAR. However, in the years since Petty’s last win in 1984, the #43 has lost its winning form and disappeared from victory lane. Petty went winless in his final eight full-time seasons in the NWCS from 1985 to 1992 before retiring from NASCAR competition. The #43 didn’t run in 1993, but it returned to the NWCS for 1994 with Wally Dallenbach Jr. behind the wheel. Dallenbach Jr. only lasted 14 races before John Andretti replaced him. Andretti ended 1994 winless and Petty Enterprises decided to move in a different direction. For 1995, the team signed Bobby Hamilton, a Tennessee journeyman driver who had never won a NWCS race, to pilot the #43 and return it to greatness. In his 60 starts in the #43 prior to today’s race, Hamilton had earned 6 Top 5’s, 19 Top 10’s, and two pole positions. Yet, the Tennessee driver remained winless for his career and in the #43 entering the Arizona desert this weekend. When the checkered flag waved after 312 miles today, though, the #43 was back in victory lane for the first time since 1984 and Hamilton was enjoying his first win after a historic day for the entire team. The Tennessee driver started the race in 17th after a decent qualifying run for his Pontiac. On the initial start, he made a move to slide into 16th place as the first caution waved on lap 5. On the subsequent restart, Hamilton powered into 15th and it appeared the STP Pontiac would be in the Top 10 before long. However, he dropped a few spots after the restart and by lap 23, the #43 was in 18th spot with some minor handling issues. Yet, the 1991 NWCS Rookie of the Year continued to fight for spots. His hard work paid off as he began to move up the running order again. By lap 41, he was in 12th with several drivers near him to race with. Nine laps later, Hamilton had moved into 9th with an extremely fast #43. On lap 60, he had gained two more positions and sat in 7th as green flag pit stops neared. On lap 70, he had advanced two more spots and sat in the Top 5 after an incredible charge from outside the Top 15 in the first run of the race. As drivers started to pit on lap 75, Hamilton and his team decided to stay out a few extra laps. He pitted on lap 82 after leading two laps and returned to the track after a smooth pit stop. When the field cycled back around, he was in third spot with a legitimate shot at grabbing his first victory. He maintained his podium spot until lap 105 when he powered past Bobby Labonte in turn 3 to grab the runner-up spot. Hamilton continued to run blistering laps and he chased down Mark Martin, the leader, on lap 115. He raced behind him until turn 1 on lap 116 when the #6 of Martin bumped into Derrike Cope. As those two shot up the track trying to save their racecars, Hamilton stepped on the throttle and blasted to the lead as the second caution waved. Taking the lead was a fortunate break for the #43, but strategy moves by several teams during the yellow flag stops dropped Hamilton to sixth for the restart. Despite losing a few positions, the Tennessee driver was unfazed when the green flag waved and he quickly surpassed drivers on his fresh tires. When the third yellow flag waved on lap 135 after a 16-lap run, Hamilton had already moved into second with a desire to retake the lead. The race quickly restarted after the accident and the #43 began to pressure the leader, Dale Jarrett. After several laps following the #88 of Jarrett, Hamilton powered to his inside in turn 4 on lap 152 and captured the top spot for the third time in the race. Just as he grabbed the top spot, the fourth caution waved on lap 156. Again, strategy during pit stops moved the #43 back as the Top 6 took only two tires and Hamilton fell to ninth spot. However, the fresher tires on his car and the speed he had shown all race left the team confident they could rebound from losing so many spots. In just 28 laps after the lap 162 restart, Hamilton had erased most of the loss as he moved into fifth spot with several drivers on older tires in front of him. On lap 215, the #43 moved into third in turn 3 as the final round of green flag pit stops neared. The cycle of stops began on lap 233 and the Petty team decided to stay out a few more circuits. On lap 237, Hamilton hit pit road and his team executed a flawless stop. He returned to the race in second with only one competitor left to pass to move into the lead. However, he was unable to do so and the laps clicked by until the fifth and final caution on lap 259. Teams came down pit road during the yellow flag for the final time and the Tennessee driver dropped from second to fourth after an average stop from his team. For the final time, Hamilton would need to rebound from a rough pit stop and attempt to take the checkered flag. As the green flag waved, he began his charge to the front of the field. On lap 270, he powered into third spot after passing Martin. 4 laps later, he surpassed Terry Labonte to move into the runner-up position with 38 laps to go. Hamilton moved to Geoff Bodine’s back bumper around lap 280 and he started to pressure him for the lead. On lap 283, the #43 gained some momentum and shot to Bodine’s inside entering turn 3. He accelerated out of the turn and grabbed the lead. The Tennessee driver began to build up a large gap back to his fellow competitors as he chased his first NWCS checkered flag. The laps clicked by slowly as Hamilton’s family, his team, and his owner tensely hoped for a victory. Fortunately, the rest of the Top 5 couldn’t muster the speed to even catch the #43. With 5 laps to go, only a caution and a restart could potentially steal the win away from the determined driver. He took the white flag with over a second lead and plenty of fuel to finish the race. He powered through the final four corners and cruised across the finish line to earn his first career NWCS and return the #43 to victory lane. Bobby Hamilton’s win today turned out to be a historic moment of his career as he celebrated in victory lane for the first time in NASCAR’s premier series and returned the #43 to victory lane.
Stage 2:
Comeback of the Race/Driver of the Day/Memorable Moment: Labonte Overcomes Injured Wrist and 30th Place Starting Spot to Grab Third Place Finish and Maintain Points Lead
At around 9:00 A.M. local time in the Phoenix International Raceway garage on Friday, Terry Labonte had the most momentum of all the drivers in the NWCS. The Texas driver entered Phoenix fresh off a race in Rockingham, North Carolina, where he finished third and retook the points lead with just two events left in the championship fight. The entire #5 Hendrick Motorsports team seemed ready to deliver their driver his second title in NASCAR’s highest series. However, at about 10:20 A.M. on Friday, Labonte and his team’s chances to win a championship nearly disappeared before the penultimate race of the season began. As the #5 Chevrolet drove through turn 4 during the first practice of the weekend, the throttle stuck with Labonte traveling at over 110 mph. He shot straight up the track and slammed into the outside wall exceptionally hard before sliding to the inside of the track. He slid to a stop along the inside wall as rescue crews and safety workers quickly arrived on the scene. A small fire billowed from underneath Labonte’s Chevrolet, but it was quickly put out as he was helped out of his extremely damaged racecar to safety. While the Texas champion seemed okay walking, he had several bruises and his left wrist was injured as well. Shortly after his crash, he was spotted in the garage carrying a bag of ice in his left hand. Later in the afternoon, as his team thrashed to prepare the back-up car, Labonte went to a local hospital and ended up staying throughout the night as doctors treated his wrist, hoping to fix it enough so he could wheel his racecar on Sunday. In the first Saturday practice, Ken Schrader, Labonte’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, climbed in the #5 to get some practice in the back-up car. Despite all his soreness and pain, Labonte, using a specially crafted steering wheel for wrist injuries borrowed from Joe Gibbs Racing, practiced for a few laps in the first session after Schrader, qualified his racecar, and competed in the final practice session of the weekend. Yet, even though he was strong enough to climb back in the car, the Texas driver only mustered a 30th place starting spot with his championship contenders well in front of him. Today’s race, though, turned out to be one of the most memorable gutsy performances in recent years as the championship contender staged an amazing comeback from his dismal starting spot and his hurt wrist to not only finish in the Top 5, but increase his points lead heading into the season finale. Labonte took the green flag from the 15th row and he immediately attempted to find a comfortable groove in the race with his injured wrist. He remained in 30th as the first caution of the race waved on lap 5. The #5 Chevrolet lined up in the same spot as the initial start and prepared for the first restart of the race. When the green flag waved, Labonte started passing drivers as he battled with his injured wrist. By lap 25, he was in 24th position with an intense desire to move towards the front of the pack. 25 laps later, the Texas driver was in 18th as he valiantly raced through injury. On lap 74, just as his green flag pit stop neared, Labonte found himself in 14th, which meant he had passed 16 cars in the first stint of the race. The team and driver had started the race just hoping to maintain their points lead with Labonte’s injuries, but the #5 was in contention for a solid finish. He pitted on lap 82 and returned to the track after a flawless stop from his pit crew. When the cycle of stops concluded, the 1984 champion sat in 9th with a blistering fast racecar. He maintained his position just inside the Top 10 until the second caution waved on lap 116 for an incident involving Mark Martin and Derrike Cope. The yellow flag brought pit stops for the lead lap drivers and several teams utilized strategy calls. Labonte’s team decided to put on four fresh tires and he prepared to restart 12th as the Top 5 only had two fresh tires. When the green flag waved, Labonte held onto his position as he battled on the restart. He maintained his 12th place spot until the third caution waved on lap 135. The entire field remained on track, leaving the #5 just two spots outside of the Top 10. The race restarted again and Labonte’s success in the first half of the race seemed to disappear. He started losing spots and he sat in 14th at lap 150. He maintained the position until the fourth caution flew on lap 156. Due to the struggles on that run, Labonte’s team decided to employ some strategy and see if they could get some track position for their wounded driver. As most of the field took four tires, the Texas driver received only two tires and prepared to restart fifth. With a large group of drivers on fresh tires behind him, the Texas champion would need a near miracle to outlast his fellow competitors with his injuries. Yet, Labonte turned in an incredible performance in the next run. When the green flag waved after the fourth caution, he immediately started to run much faster than the drivers behind him. As the run progressed, he held off drivers on fresh tires and moved into second around lap 190 with his older tires. On lap 195, he powered past Geoff Bodine, who was also on older tires, in turn 3 and grabbed the lead for the first time in the race. Despite all the problems the #5 driver had faced during the weekend, he was in the lead at lap 200 and earning points towards his championship lead. Labonte held the top spot until green flag pit stops began on lap 233. He came down pit road on lap 236 and his team executed another perfect stop before returning the #5 back to the track. When the cycle of stops ended, Labonte remained the leader with a healthy margin back to second place. The laps continued to click by for the Texas driver until the fifth and final caution waved on lap 259. For the final time, teams pitted for tires and fuel to end the event. Only Bodine used strategy as he stayed out, which handed him the lead. Labonte received four tires and returned to the track in second, the first driver on fresh tires. It appeared the championship leader was in perfect position to take an unbelievable win with his injuries. On the final run, though, his chances for a win slipped away. Hamilton and Martin surpassed him early on in the final run, but he moved past Bodine as the #7 Ford dropped back on his older tires. With 10 laps to go, the #5 was in third position with a comfortable Top 5 finish in hand. He negotiated the final ten circuits and crossed the finish line in third for an impressive finish for his Hendrick Motorsports team. After starting 30th with bruises and an injured wrist, Terry Labonte staged the most impressive comeback of the season as he powered to a Top 5 finish, increased his points lead, and turned in a memorable drive in the penultimate race of the 1996 season.
Stage 3:
Clutch Closer: Musgrave Powers to Fourth Place Finish After a Terrific Final Run at Phoenix
Through the first 14 races of this season, Ted Musgrave and his #16 team for Roush Racing appeared to be riding the string of momentum they built up in 1995. Last year, the Illinois driver grabbed seven Top 5’s, 13 Top 10’s, and a pole position after his best season ever in the NWCS. In addition to that, he earned a seventh-place points finish, a career best. However, Musgrave was on pace to break those records earlier this year when he had a Top 5 and 7 Top 10’s in just 14 races as well as a ninth-place spot in the standings. Since Daytona in July, though, the entire team has been struggling to finish in the Top 10. In the past 15 races of the year prior to today’s event, Musgrave had only mustered a best finish of 11th and he had fallen to 16th in the championship fight with just two races left in the season. Because of the team’s recent struggles, the #16 crew came to the Arizona desert with the hopes of ending their season on a positive note to launch into 1997. Thanks to a clutch final run at Phoenix, Musgrave earned his first Top 5 since Richmond in March and gave the entire organization some momentum. The Illinois driver started today’s race in 25th, needing some speed and strategy to move towards the front of the field. In the first 65 laps, though, Musgrave was impressive as he worked through the field and passed many of his competitors. On lap 70, he was sitting in 13th with a fast Ford Thunderbird as his green flag pit stop neared. He pitted around lap 80 as the rest of the field made green flag pit stops. He returned to the track in 12th following a good stop from his #16 team. Musgrave remained there until the second caution of the race waved on lap 116 for an incident involving his teammate, Mark Martin. He pitted with the rest of the field during the caution and he dropped to 14th spot as several drivers used strategy calls to move up the running order. Despite losing a couple of spots, Musgrave prepared to continue his drive to the front. Unfortunately, he couldn’t gain any spots during the next run and he stayed in 14th as the third caution waved on lap 135. On the subsequent restart, though, the Illinois driver picked up some speed in his Ford. He slipped past many drivers pretty easily and when the fourth caution waved on lap 156, Musgrave found himself in 9th with an excellent shot at grabbing a good finish. Again, during the caution flag pit stops, several teams opted to take only two tires while the #16 team added four tires to their racecar. The move dropped Musgrave to 11th for the restart, but he would have a few drivers to pass on the subsequent run on older tires. As the green flag waved, the fresh tires for Musgrave proved to be a distinct advantage. Over the next 40 laps, he powered past three of his fellow competitors and sat in 8th at lap 200. He remained there for the next 35 laps until his second and final green flag stop of the race occurred. He hit the pit lane and his crew added four fresh tires before sending him back on track. He returned to the race and remained in 8th after the cycle of stops concluded. He held station there until the fifth and final caution waved on lap 259. For the final time, Musgrave and the field hit pit road for fresh tires and fuel. Unfortunately, Musgrave’s team struggled on their stop and the #16 dropped to 11th for the restart. The Illinois driver would have to channel his success in previous runs to try and move back into the Top 10. Thanks to a clutch final run, he did more than just move back into the Top 10. When the green flag waved for the final time, Musgrave immediately started to make incredible moves. In about 30 laps, he had moved past Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte, Ernie Irvan, and a few other drivers. He started to catch the attention of fans and teams as he slid into fifth with about 10 laps to go. The run had been impressive, but he still needed to survive 10 final laps to bring home an excellent Top 5. With about three laps to go, he moved around Geoff Bodine and moved into fourth spot. He remained there and crossed the finish line with a fourth-place finish, his second Top 5 of the season. After a clutch performance in the final 47 laps of today’s race, Ted Musgrave delivered his Roush Racing team an impressive Top 5 and gave the entire organization some needed momentum heading into the season finale.
Stage 4:
Moves of the Race: Bodine and His Team Make Critical Pit Road Strategy Calls to Finish in Sixth
Strategy moves on pit road have become a common part of NWCS racing. Teams and drivers are willing to stay on track during stops or even take two tires to gain track position throughout the race, especially near the end. This season, Geoff Bodine and his crew chief, Paul Andrews, have been willing to roll the dice more than any other team and they have experienced incredible success when they have attempted to utilize strategy on pit road. Earlier this year at Watkins Glen, Bodine’s home track, a timely caution on lap 63 just after Bodine pitted under green allowed him to stay out during the yellow flag. He restarted in the tenth spot with fresh tires on his racecar and a nice opportunity to take the lead. He took the top spot on lap 83 from Ken Schrader and powered to his first victory since his 1994 triumph at North Wilkesboro. Today at Phoenix, the duo of Bodine and Andrews used three crucial pit road strategy moves to earn a valiant Top 10 after their disappointing qualifying effort. The 1986 Daytona 500 winner started in 28th with a good many positions to gain over the 312-lap race. When the green flag waved, he looked to make some early moves, but the first caution quickly waved on lap 5. The field lined up once more and the race restarted with Bodine still in 28th. The laps clicked by early and his #7 Ford was making minimal progress through the field. At lap 38, he was only one spot ahead of his qualifying position with Mark Martin setting a torrid pace out front. However, after struggling slightly in the first 40 laps, Bodine began to pick up the pace. By lap 76, when he made his first green flag pit stop, he was in 19th spot, but he still needed to avoid losing a lap. He returned to the 19th position following his stop and looked to gain spots. He had only gained one when the second caution waved on lap 116, putting him in 18th for the yellow flag stops. Since the team was deeper in the running order, Bodine and Andrews decided to use their first strategy move of the day. Like several drivers in front of him, Bodine took only two fresh tires and jumped to ninth in the running order for the restart. With many drivers on new rubber behind him, the New York driver would have to fight to remain in the Top 10. Ultimately, he did just that. Through the third caution on lap 135 and subsequent restart, Bodine gained a couple of positions and sat in sixth when the fourth caution waved on lap 156. Despite being solidly in the Top 10, his team decided to execute a second strategy move during the yellow flag stops. Bodine received two fresh tires again and returned to the race in third, his highest running position of the day. Again, the team hoped the move would work and propel them towards the top spot. When the green flag waved, it appeared the strategy call would work for the #7 Ford. Around lap 170, he slid into second as he passed Jimmy Spencer, who had also taken two tires during the previous stop. Bodine began to chase down Bobby Labonte, who was leading, and he gained on him as the laps clicked by. By lap 185, the #7 Ford was right next to the rear bumper of the #18 Pontiac. A lap later, Bodine maneuvered past Labonte entering turn 3 and found himself in the lead for the first time in the race. The two strategy moves had worked to perfection for the team and they were hoping to hold onto the lead. However, on lap 195, Terry Labonte powered to the top spot in turn 3 and dropped Bodine back to second. Despite losing the top spot, Bodine held strong in the runner-up position until green flag stops started on lap 233. The #7 Ford pitted on lap 235 and he returned to the track after a routine stop. When the stops concluded three laps later, Bodine found himself in third with a legitimate shot at returning to the lead and capturing his second win of the season. The #7 Ford held station in third until the fifth and final caution waved on lap 259. For the third time in the race, the #7 team tried a little more strategy to try and win the event. As every lead lap driver pitted, Bodine stayed on track and attempted to run the final 47 laps on older tires. For the final time, the team’s strategy calls would be tested to see if they could capture the win. On the final restart, Bodine jumped out to an early lead and established a gap back to the drivers on fresh tires. However, on lap 283, Bobby Hamilton powered past the #7 Ford entering turn 3, which dropped Bodine to the runner-up position. From there, he continued to lose spots to drivers on fresh tires as they quickly surpassed him. He took the white flag to complete lap 311 in the fifth position, but Jeff Gordon passed him on the final circuit. The #7 Ford crossed the finish line in sixth after his strategy move failed in the final stint of the race. Despite missing out on the win, Geoff Bodine and his team’s three strategy calls throughout the race helped them move from the Top 20 in the early part of the race to a sixth-place finish at Phoenix.
Stage 5:
Terrible Luck: Mayfield’s Top 10 Qualifying Effort Turns into a Last Place Finish Thanks to a Mechanical Issue
1996 has been an interesting year for Jeremy Mayfield in the NWCS. The Kentucky driver began the year driving for three-time championship driver turned owner, Cale Yarborough. Two Top 5 finishes and a pole position highlighted an average first 23 races of the season for the #98 Ford team. After race #23, though, Mayfield’s season and career direction completely changed. Yarborough decided to release him from his ride and put John Andretti in the car, who had previously driven for Michael Kranefuss’ #37 Ford team. Kranefuss decided to put Mayfield in his car after Andretti’s departure and the two teams completed a late season ride swap as the series headed to Richmond, Virginia. For Mayfield, the move has been rather disappointing. In his six races prior to today’s event in the #37, his best finish was a 15th with the rest of his finishes being outside the Top 25. Despite the lack of recent momentum and confidence, the #37 team came to Phoenix today with a desire to build some momentum heading into the offseason. The team’s pursuit of an excellent finish had a promising start as Mayfield qualified in tenth with a fast racecar. However, an unfortunate mechanical problem ended up derailing the team’s chances for a Top 10 finish and brought them home in last for the second time in three races. Before the bad luck happened, though, everything seemed to be perfect for Mayfield. As soon as the green flag waved, he attempted to make a few passes before the first caution waved on lap 5. However, he remained in tenth as the yellow flag waved and the field was lined up for a second time. When the race restarted, Mayfield slipped past Rusty Wallace and Rick Mast to move into the eighth spot. The young driver wasn’t finished as he moved past Rusty’s brother, Kenny Wallace, around lap 20 and moved into the seventh spot with a long green flag run starting to take shape. After making the pass, Mayfield’s progress seemed to slow. He dropped back to eighth around lap 47 after Ernie Irvan passed him. Around lap 55, Bobby Hamilton moved past him, which dropped the #37 to ninth. Despite losing positions later in the run, Mayfield was still in the Top 10 as green flag pit stops approached. The team hoped to give their driver some fresh tires and advance positions, but that opportunity didn’t come. During his green flag stop, Mayfield reported to his team that he was experiencing power steering problems. He returned to the track for a few laps after his stop, but he returned to the pit lane and went to the garage for his team to investigate the issue. Somehow, parts within the engine had broken the power steering line and several other important lines within the engine compartment. Because of all the damage, the team couldn’t repair the #37 Ford and decided to retire to from the event. After nearly 70 laps of competitive racing in the Top 10, Mayfield’s day was done and a promising run disappeared. When the checkered flag waved, the #37 was scored in 44th, bringing the team another disappointing last place finish. Unfortunately, after qualifying in tenth, Jeremy Mayfield was unable to capitalize on the excellent starting position due to bad luck with the mechanical aspects of his racecar.
After 312 laps around Phoenix International Raceway this afternoon, the NWCS takes a week off before heading to Atlanta, Georgia, for the 1996 season finale at the 1.5-mile track. Since 1987, AMS has hosted the season finale for NASCAR’s highest series. Each of those races have been filled with memorable moments and incredible action as the season ended on a November afternoon. Next Sunday’s race will be no different thanks to a variety of storylines. Three drivers mathematically will enter the 500-mile race and attempt to win the championship: Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Jarrett. Labonte, who hasn’t won a championship in 12 years, enters Atlanta with a 47-point lead, hoping to win a championship with Hendrick Motorsports and add to the legacy of his career. However, the status of his wrist injury could cause him to struggle at AMS allow his other two contenders to grab the title. Gordon, the reigning and defending NWCS champion, enters Atlanta just 47 points away from his second consecutive title in only his fourth full-time Cup season. Jarrett, who has never won a NWCS title, heads to the heart of Georgia with an outside chance of winning the championship and etching his name in NASCAR history. However, they won’t be the only three drivers on track. 40 other competitors will take the green flag hoping to earn the win and launch into the offseason with momentum. Bobby Hamilton just won his first career Cup race today, but the #43 team will head to Georgia in two weeks hoping to add another win to end the year. Both Mark Martin and Bobby Labonte are winless this season, but the two fan favorite drivers will be contenders to win at AMS. Dale Earnhardt hasn’t won since March, but the seven-time champion heads to the same track where he won eight months ago and hopes to end a long winless streak. Ted Musgrave and Geoff Bodine finished strongly today after tough years, which could help them grab good finishes at the 1.5-mile AMS in the season finale. Finally, the 43 drivers in the 500-mile race will have to contend with the difficult Atlanta oval. It will be a battle of strategy and tough track conditions as they try to outlast the treacherous traditional oval. Today’s 312-lap event at Phoenix featured a historic win for Bobby Hamilton and his Petty Enterprises team, an incredible save from Ken Schrader on lap 156, two sets of green flag pit stops, Mark Martin nearly wrecking from the lead with a lapped car, and several interesting strategy calls throughout the event.
(More Stats Down Below!)
Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 5- Sterling Marlin broke loose underneath John Andretti entering turn 3, which caused Marlin to spin up the track and back into the outside wall with his rear end. As he slid to a stop, Brett Bodine slammed into his front end and added more damage to the #4. Both competitors drove away from the accident, but they would need repairs to continue.
2nd Caution: Lap 116- Mark Martin and Derrike Cope made contact entering turn 1, which caused Cope to spin up the track and back into the outside wall with his #12 Ford. He came to a stop at the top of the turn with race ending damage.
3rd Caution: Lap 135- Jack Sprague bumped Robby Gordon slightly entering turn 1, which caused the #40 of Gordon to shoot straight up the track towards the outside wall. He slammed hard into the wall with his left side at nearly full speed and slid to a stop in the outside groove as the field powered by. Gordon climbed out safely, but his race was over due to the significant damage.
4th Caution: Lap 156- Oil from Rusty Wallace’s engine littered turn 3, which caused several drivers to break loose and spin. Ken Schrader had a huge slide in the turn, but he saved his car and continued. Bobby Hillin slid up the track and piled into the outside wall hard with his rear end and his left side, which ended his race. John Andretti and Jeff Burton broke loose in the oil, which caused Andretti to ramp Burton’s left front, which caused damage to both of their racecars and brought them to pit road. Lake Speed also spun and received some damage to his #9 Ford, but he would continue.
5th Caution: Lap 259- Todd Bodine broke loose in turn 3 and bumped into Jeff Krogh, which caused Krogh to spin up the track and slam into the outside wall with his Chevrolet. Bodine drove away after saving his Chevrolet and Krogh ended up stopped in the turn with race ending damage.
Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Bobby Hamilton
2nd: Mark Martin
3rd: Terry Labonte
4th: Ted Musgrave
5th: Jeff Gordon
Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Geoff Bodine
7th: Ernie Irvan
8th: Dale Jarrett
9th: Bobby Labonte
10th: Darrell Waltrip
12th: Dale Earnhardt
14th: Ricky Rudd
16th: Michael Waltrip
20th: Dick Trickle
21st: Bill Elliott
25th: Joe Nemechek
29th: Kyle Petty
31st: Jeff Burton
40th: Rusty Wallace
44th: Jeremy Mayfield
Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/1996_Dura_Lube_500/W
-Bobby Hamilton Information:
https://web.archive.org/web/20060319181238/http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/headlines/truck/03/17/bhamilton_cancer/index.html
-Image:
http://rubbingsracing.com/rubbingsracingWP/2015/03/12/nscs-throwback-thursday-1996-dura-lube-500-at-phoenix/
-Full Race:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOgcDnKckP0&t=2006s
