Tony Raines Struggles Through a
Tough Day in California
Fontana, CA: Unusual. That is the only word that
comes to mind when trying to describe Tony Raines' weekend at the California
Speedway. Rainy weather in sunny Los Angeles, an ill-handling racecar, and a
piece of trash ruined Raines' efforts to improve on last season's eighth place
finish at the California Speedway. Raines' troubles regulated him and the Bayer
Consumer Care team to a 25th place showing in the Auto Club 300.
Heading into qualifying on Friday, Raines felt
confident that he could notch a solid starting spot for the race. The Bayer
Consumer Care team had brought the same car and set-up that was used to capture
the outside pole for the 2001 Auto Club 300. However, the first practice
session didn't produce the results that Raines was looking for as he searched to
improve on the car's 22nd place practice speed. "We brought the same
set-up package that we had so much success with last year," replied Raines
following the first practice. "We are running the same speed as last year but
it seems a lot of other teams have found a little something since the last time
we were here. We will just have to adjust to find the speed we need." Raines
would not get the chance to see if the changes to the car would pay off as
qualifying for Saturday's event was canceled due to rain. Raines and the rest
of the field were set based on their current point standing position. Raines
started the day in the 17th place spot.
On Saturday, the clouds parted to reveal a bright
blue sky as the field roared to the green flag. Raines began the 150-lap event
by charging through the field in an effort to latch onto the lead pack of cars.
In just 15 laps, Raines had jumped from 17th to 9th while
running lap times similar to those cars running in the top-five. However,
Raines would quickly find trouble on lap 18 as the engine's temperature began to
rise to a dangerous level. "The motor is running really hot," radioed Raines to
Crew Chief Michael Kadlecik. "It's running close to 250 degrees." It was
quickly observed by the crew that Raines had a piece of trash from the stands
stuck to the grill of the racecar and was starving the engine of cool air.
Kadlecik instructed Raines to try and remove the paper from the car by riding
closely behind another car. After two laps of failed attempts, Raines was
forced to pit road to remove the trash before the engine expired. The
unscheduled visit to pit road dropped Raines to 37th and placed him
one lap down. However, if the race could run green until lap 47, Raines would
have the chance to gain his lap back when the leaders would be forced to pit for
fuel. Unfortunately, the caution flag flew for Andy Kirby's spin on the
backstretch just three laps shy of lap 47. This untimely caution caught Raines
one lap down.
"How's the car Raines?," replied Kadlecik to
Raines as the team prepared for a stop under the caution flag. "I would like it
to turn a little better in the center and be a little tighter up off the
corner," Raines responded. "That would be at the top of my wish list right
now." With the pressure of trying to get back on the lead lap, the Bayer
Consumer Care crew delivered in the clutch by ripping off a 15.0 second stop.
This great stop allowed Raines to pass numerous cars on pit road and be the
first car to the inside of the leader in an attempt to get his lap back.
The restart would bring even further
disappointment. Raines, who battled with the first two cars in an effort to get
his lap back, found the right break at the wrong time. Raines was running close
behind leader Jeff Burton when the No.2 car of Johnny Sauter lost control and
hit the wall in turn 4. The caution was what Raines needed; however, the
leaders took the caution flag before he could pass them to return to the lead
lap. The restart on lap 54 found Raines running in 28th with a
chance to once again make a run at returning to the lead lap. Raines battled to
stay with leaders over the next 28 laps. It was during this first long green
flag run that the car began to develop a strong tight handling condition. "This
thing is way too tight," replied Raines as he completed laps around the two-mile
speedway. "I just can't get it to turn like I need it to." A caution for
debris on lap 80 allowed Raines to hit pit road in an effort to correct the cars
ill-handling characteristics. The Bayer Consumer Care crew made a slight air
pressure adjustment and raised the track bar in addition to slapping on four
fresh Goodyear tires. After another quick pit stop, Raines would line up to the
inside of the leaders for yet another chance to get back on the lead lap.
Raines' attempt would once again prove futile as the No.33 Aleve car was unable
to catch a caution at the right time. The team pitted for tires and made a few
other chassis adjustments (two turns up on the left side wedge and another round
up on the track bar).
The final laps of the event would not get any
better for Raines and his Bayer Consumer Care crew. Raines would once again be
snake bit as a loose wheel from the previous pit stop was causing the car to
severely vibrate. "At first I thought we had a tire equalizing," said Raines
following the race. "I guess it turned out to be a loose wheel. A perfect
ending to a terrible day."
After a rash of cautions in the final 20 laps,
Raines brought the car home in the 25th place spot. The finish was a
disappointment to both Raines and his crew. "We just can't buy a break," stated
Raines. "We have the worst luck. We worked hard to get the car handling better
from the practice sessions and it looked to be working in our favor during the
first 20 laps until we had a problem with the piece of paper on the grill. The
car wasn't perfect, but it was good enough to bring home a good finish for us.
Of all the other 42 cars running out there with me on the track and that paper
had to find the front of my race car. It's just disappointing for this team and
me. We were looking to have a really strong run here this weekend, but I guess
it just wasn't meant to be. We will go back to work and head to Richmond."
Crew Chief Michael Kadlecik had this to add about
the incident with the piece of paper and the latest experience of bad luck for
his team. "The paper was only 4' x 6', but was perfectly placed to block the
air flow to the radiator. The water temperature was running 260 degrees compared
to a normal temperature of 210 degrees. Everybody has just got to dig down and
look within themselves and believe that it is still a good race team. We have
been unfortunate. These type problems are hard to fix. It isn't about
tightening up the track bar or making sure the side windows don't fall out. A
piece of paper on the grill, a piece of debris in Nashville, two huge wrecks at
the superspeedway tracks. You can't do anything but keep going."
Raines' finish in the Auto Club 300 allowed him
to remain in the 16th place spot in the NASCAR Busch Series point
standings. He is credited with 907 points.
The next race is Friday night, May 3rd,
in Richmond, Virginia.
The next Bayer Consumer Care sponsored race event
will be the Mother's Day weekend race taking place in Louden, New Hampshire on
May 11th.
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