Wimmer Wins Nashville, First Trip To Victory Lane in Five Years
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by Thomas Chemris ~ March 24th, 2008 @ 6:12 am. Filed under: Nationwide Series. 390 reads |
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Scott Wimmer won the fuel battle, and the race as the Richard Childress driver took home the checkers in the Nationwide series Pepsi 300 at the Nashville Superspeedway.
Wimmer, who battled up front during a record setting pace at the 1.33 mile facility, passed his teammate Clint Bowyer with twenty circuits remaining.
As Wimmer was out in clean air the gamble of trying to make the last sixty-six laps on fuel was a bet they won as the series veteran won for the first time since 2002.
Wimmer’s crew chief Pat Smith credited Wimmer with saving the fuel that brought them to victory lane. “We knew when that last caution came out, I told Scott to start saving fuel”, noted Smith. “We were three laps short.”
Wimmer, who drives part time in the series splitting driving duties with Jeff Burton teamed to take the 2007 owners championship, but Wimmer did so with out winning a race. Wimmer, who was a hot shoe on the circuit in 2002 won four races and landed a cup ride with Bill Davis Racing. The Ill fated Cup deal eventually left Wimmer without a ride taking the part time position with Childress.
“Stepping down and running a partial schedule in the Nationwide Series is not what I want to be doing, but those are the cards that are dealt to me right now,” Wimmer said. “I’m with a great team with Richard Childress Racing and have great teammates. You can struggle in a single-car operation or a lower-budget team, but that’s not where any driver wants to be.”
Wimmer becomes the first non Sprint Cup driver to win a Nationwide event since Jason Leffler won in August of 2007.
The win marked the second week in a row that a Childress car won, made even more impressive by the one-two finish with teammate Bowyer coming in second.
Carl Edwards, who has won the last three consecutive races at Nashville was third. “We did our very best in that Miracle-Gro Fusion and we just were not as fast the whole weekend as we have been here in the past: Edwards said.
Brad Kelelowski was fourth followed by a career best run for Kelly Bires in fifth. “It’s our first top-five finish.”, said an elated Bires. “The guys did a great job preparing this car and getting it here. It’s been fast ever since we got on the track.”
In what seems to becoming a regular pattern, once again Pole sitter Kyle Busch saw a dominant day go south as the Joe Gibbs driver was well on pace to lap the field . Busch led four times for 125 laps only to fall back after loosing the car off turn four on lap 162 of the 225 lap event. “It was just driver error”. Said Busch. “ I just messed up and lost it. I’m sure it’s going to bother me all week.” Busch was forced to pit for tires under the green flag, falling two laps back and finishing sixteenth. Busch has led a total of 345 laps this season and has nothing to show for it, after crashing n Las Vegas, Atlanta and Bristol.
Several developmental drivers got behind the wheel for many of the top teams.
Chase Miller made his debut for Gillett/Evernham Motorsports finishing fourteenth.
Colin Braun drove the number sixteen Roush/Fenway Fusion, a seat normally reserved for Greg Biffle to a top fifteen finish. Braun, who races in the Craftsman truck series enjoyed his rookie run. “These guys definitely race at a little higher level than some of the truck guys do. Instead of ten guys that were racing pretty aggressively, you have twenty guys that race aggressively. It makes it a lot of fun. I learned a lot. I think I can go back to racing my truck and it might not seem as aggressive .”
Landon Cassill made his long awaited start with Hendrick/Jr Motorsports coming home sixteenth
The event saw ten lead changes among five drivers. It was only slowed three times for caution, setting a new race record of 134.095 MPH, shattering the old record of 129.949 MPH set by Carl Edwards in 2007.
Leaving Nashville Clint Bowyer takes the top spot in the championship standing, eleven markers ahead of Carl Edwards. Mike Bliss is the highest places Nationwide regular in fifth, 120 points back.
Next week the series has a scheduled teat at Richmond International Raceway before heading to Texas for the O’Reilly 300 on April fifth. Matt Kenseth is the defending race winner.
Race Notes
Silly season has come early to the Nationwide series.
Kenny Wallace, who signed a last minute deal with Fitz Racing found himself without a ride as the team abruptly shut down the team to focus its full effort on the twenty-two car. Wallace immediately landed a ride with Jay Robinson Racing, displacing Brian Keselowski. Wallace in his first race for the team finished thirty second, eight laps down.
Johnny Sauter found himself on the outside looking in as he was replaced at Phoenix Racing by Sterling Marlin. Marlin indicated that he would not return full time to the team, but is committed to several races on the Nationwide and Cup side for team owner James Finch. Marlin finished twenty second at Nashville.
Developmental driver Chase Austin had his debut for Rusty Wallace racing put on hold as David Stremme drove the car. Austin remains employed by the team, and will compete in the series later this year. Stremme finished sixth.
In related news, Rusty Wallace Racing has secured the services of Shane Huffman. Huffman who drove for Jr Motorsports before being released was at Nashville serving as spotter for sophomore driver Stephen Wallace.
Team Rensi announced the Boris Said will drive for the team in the Mexico and Canadian road course events.
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