Tony Raines Phoenix Race Report

Phoenix, AZ-Tony Raines drove the Bayer Consumer Care Racing Monte Carlo #33 to a 16^th place finish in the Outback Steakhouse 200 Saturday afternoon.

Raines, who qualified 14^th after having the ninth fastest morning practice speed on Friday, was excited to be in the race on Saturday. "We have a good car," Raines said. "This is a new car that we have only tested in Miami. If it does well this weekend, we would like to take it to the Miami race in a couple of weeks."

Before the race started on Saturday, Raines was moved up to the 13^th starting position due to a car ahead of him being disqualified. When the green flag fell, Raines was off to a great start, and by lap 20, Raines was in the 11^th spot.

Raines radioed into the crew that the car was "loose" on lap 25 and was starting to lose positions. Raines had fallen back a few spots and was in 13^th when crew chief, Michael Kadlecik, thought it was time for Raines to come in for his pit stop. On lap 91, while the race was under green flag racing, Raines came in took on four new tires, refueled, and made adjustments to the car for it to handle better.

Raines returned to the race in the 26^th spot and one lap down. Raines had gained a few positions and was running in the 22^nd place when the caution came out again on lap 130. Raines made a pit stop and returned to the race in the 21^st place. Raines radioed in that the car was starting to adapt to the track and was handling much better in the latter stages of the race. Raines had moved up to the 16^th place, still one lap down, but had ran out of time to gain any more positions when the checkered flag was thrown.

However, Raines closed the gap in the point's standings and is only 34 points out of the fifth place spot.

"Well, the positive thing about this race is that we have narrowed in on fifth place in the driver's point standings," crew chief Michael Kadlecik said. "We had a good run today. We struggled with a loose racecar, and the track didn't tighten up until the closing laps of the race. It's hard to make changes when the race goes green for as long as it did and when you are trying to get your lap back. We are taking this car to Miami in two weeks and I am confident that we will have good luck with it."

With only two races remaining on the NASCAR Busch Grand National schedule, Tony Raines and the Bayer Consumer Care Racing team will head to Rockingham, North Carolina this upcoming weekend to compete in the Sam's Club 200.