Archives
12:32:00 PM EDT
Brickyard 400 - the race
Racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is pretty cool. You can see by the pictures there are so many people there and the grandstands line both sides of the track. You almost feel like you are driving off into a tunnel when you come off turn four and head down the frontstretch.
After figuring out some things in happy hour practice we were really looking forward to the Brickyard 400. We knew the AOL Chevy was going to be good, especially on the long runs, so I was excited about the race.
The car was really good, right from the start. The race is 160 laps, so I had time to race my way up from my starting spot of 38th. I moved quickly up through the field into the top 15 by lap 35. We knew we had something for them and we were just biding our time. Shortly after that the caution came out and we pitted. When the pit crew was done with the stop, a NASCAR official stood in front of my car to hold me for a pit road penalty of one lap. They said we pitted out of the box. (One of my guys took a picture of it I included here in my journal.) The call dropped me from 13th to 38th, one lap down to the leaders. Needless to say we were very upset with the call.
Luckily, I got the lap back on the next caution just a few laps later. We were really good, so I knew we could over come the incident and move back up through the field.
Well, the runs didn't seem to stay green as long as what we needed to have the race turn out the way we had hoped. Especially after the left front tire blew and I lost another lap, only to get the Lucky Dog pass again later. We just ran out of time from that first mishap and couldn't regain the positions.
It's frustrating. I know we are a good team, we've proven it by how well we have run. I just wish one of these races the results will finally prove it.
Written by dave30blaney Blog about this entry |
Add to del.icio.us | 
digg this
-
It was so cool to find your journal...my husband and I are huge NASCAR fans. Getting to hear things from a driver's perspective is very special...please keep blogging. I know that your luck has since changed...please don't stop writing...from my own experience, I find that writing can really be a help mentally and emotionally in those down times. I know you will bounce back...you are a good driver and a good man...things will work out...keep the faith. If you would like to read a sometimes comical, sometimes profound, sometimes just downright wacky version of my everyday life from my crazy, redheaded, irish lady perspective...check out my blogging at http://journals.aol.com/WhenI
rishEyesAreSmiling -
WELL DAVE ANOTHER WEEK & ANOTHER HEARTBREAK BUT IF I THOUGHT WEEKS LIKE THIS WAS A PROBLEM I WOULD HAVE GIVEN UP ON YOU A LONG TIME AGO.
IT AIN'T LIKE WE HAVEN'T BEEN HERE BEFORE. I REMEMBER YOU RUNNING A ROAD COURSE A WHILE BACK AND YOU HAD TO DUCT TAPE YOUR GLOVE TO THE SHIFTER CAUSE YOU BROKE IT OFF. YOU STILL FINISHED 14TH. JUST THINK WHAT IT IS GOING TO BE LIKE WHEN YOUR DOWN TO THE WHITE FLAG, NO ONE IS IN FRONT OF YOU AND YOU STILL HAVE ALL 4 TIRES ON THE CAR. I HAVE FAITH YOUR DAY WILL COME. beagle717@yahoo.com -
Dave, great job on Sunday. I was there, and it was amazing to see you move up the field as quickly as you did from 38th to 13th! I don't think any one else had gained 25 positions like you did. Though things didn't turn out like we all had hoped they could have, you are truely a talented driver, and it appears that your abilities are bringing the RCR 30 team to the next level. Of course, this is not surprising given that you have proven the same in the past with BDR, and the 77 team. Keep up the good work, and show 'em how its done!
8/18/04 10:01 PM