Tony Raines Atlanta Race Report
Atlanta, GA-If Tony Raines and the Bayer Consumer
Care Racing team keep running like they have been the last three races, a win is
surely around the corner. It looked as though Raines had turned that corner in
the Aaron's 312 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway this past weekend, by giving the
Bayer Consumer Care Racing Chevy Monte Carlo all she had.
Once again, the Bayer Consumer Care Racing team unloaded
the car from the hauler with it being nearly perfect from the word go. The only
thing different this weekend was a crew chief change. NASCAR suspended the Bayer
Consumer Care racing crew chief, Michael Kadlecik, for two weeks due to the lead
falling out of the car while in Daytona, an infraction that could cause an
accident on the track. Terry Wooten, who is the Shop Foreman at BACE
Motorsports, has temporarily replaced Michael Kadlecik, in the interim.
Raines clocked the fastest time in the morning practice
session on Friday. His qualifying run at a speed of 189.002 mph enabled him to
start Saturday's race in the 6th position, while rookie, Ryan
Newman, captured the pole.
In the final practice on Friday, "Happy Hour", Raines
posted the 2nd fastest speed. After the practice the team was going
through the car to make minuet changes for Saturday's race and found that the
car had a burnt piston.
On race day morning, the Bayer Consumer Care Racing team
made a quick motor change due to the piston problem. The team was allowed by
NASCAR to remain in the 6th starting spot rather than start at the
rear of the field, a major coup to the Bayer Consumer Care team.
The race began shortly after 1:00pm. It didn't take long
for the field to start battling for positions. The first of five cautions flew
on lap 2 when Larry Foyt spun in turn 2. After the restart, Tony started loosing
positions. He radioed into the crew that the car was loose.
Tony pitted under the 2nd caution on lap 11 so
the crew could go to work making air pressure adjustments and to fix the left
rear of the car where Todd Bodine tapped him.
Tony returned to the field to be in 39th.
Raines was pleased with the handling of the car for the
most part, and started making his way towards the front. By lap 42, Tony was 25th,
but it didn't take long for race leader, Michael Waltrip, to put the Bayer
Consumer Care Racing machine a lap down.
Tony was called in for four tires, fuel, and some more air
pressure adjustments, when Tim Fedewa, Hank Parker, Jr., and Ashton Lewis got
together on the backstretch bringing out the 4th caution of the day.
Tony returned to the race in the 20th spot.
Tony Raines was very fast and was quickly moving towards
the front when Crew Chief, Terry Wooten, called Raines in for another pit stop
on lap 104. After adding new tires and refueling, Tony was in the 11th
position and still one lap down.
After the cycle of green flag stops, Tony was called in for
his last pit stop on lap 162. He returned to the race to be in the 15th
position. With Joe Nemechek leading, Tony showed he had a very strong car as he
was knocking off those in front of him heading to the front. With minimal laps
remaining, Tony Raines ran out of time and finished the race in the 10th
spot.
"I'm a little disappointed. We had such an unbeatable
car in "Happy Hour," Raines commented. "The track conditions changed and
we had to make some adjustments throughout the race, and Todd Bodine hitting us
on lap 6 didn't help the situation. I
am very happy we finished 10th, but I think if we did not have those
problems we would have had at least a top 5 car. I hope that we can finish tenth or better every race,"
continued Raines. "Overall we had a good day. The team got us the top ten
finish."
Tony Raines has moved up nine places in the NASCAR point
standings to be tied in the 16th spot with race winner, Joe Nemechek.
The Bayer Consumer Care Racing crew will be at the
Darlington Raceway next Saturday, March 17, to compete in the SunCom 200.
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