R&J Racing looks to get even at Dover's
MBNA RacePoints 400
DOVER, Del. - Time has taught Tony Raines, driver of
the BoSPOKER.net Dodge, one thing: Redemption is best
served at the finish line.
A month of on-track crashes and retaliation resulted
in a long list of fines and penalties for several teams
this week, and it served as a reminder for R&J Racing
the best way to get even is to beat a competitor on the
racetrack.
"There's no better satisfaction than beating someone,
especially someone who's been trying to knock you in the
wall all day," Raines said as he prepared for this Sunday's
MBNA RacePoints 400 at the Dover International Speedway.
"There's a line where if someone keeps hitting you,
you have to make a stand. At the time, you want your share
of justice. A day or two later, you look back and realize
you probably shouldn't have done that. It's something
NASCAR can't condone."
Raines said he doesn't expect a continuation of the
problems that started at the Bristol Motor Speedway, escalated
at the Richmond International Raceway and reached a boiling
point last week at New Hampshire. The promise of severe
penalties during the rest of the year should help keep
the drivers under control.
"You're probably going to have some guys who are going
to be afraid to put a wheel mark on somebody else's car,"
he said. "The problem is it's a lot like the NBA. You
never see the first elbow that starts the fight; you see
the second one in retaliation. If you go out there and
clearly and obviously take somebody out of the race for
no reason, you should be parked.
"At most of the little short tracks we're all from,
there used to be a rule where if you spun a guy out you
went to the tail-end of the restart with him. Maybe they
should do that again. If you knock a guy out, maybe NASCAR
should consider parking him for as long as the other car
is out. That would stop it."
Crew chief Glenn Darrow isn't thinking about retaliation.
He's thinking about slowing down the BoSPOKER.net Dodge
to make it go fast.
"The brakes are key," he said. "The cars have to travel
in the front end quite a bit, and braking is the key to
the whole thing. Handling is everything. It's like a big
Bristol.
"You have to go fast there, but you have to go easy
to go fast. It's one of those kinds of places where you
have to slow down to go fast. If you roll off the throttle
getting into the turn, it's easier to jump back on the
throttle getting off the corner. That's how you go fast."
Raines said the MNBA RacePoints 400 presents some unique
challenges to the BoSPOKER.net race team. The engine is
critical for a good lap during qualifying; the chassis
is paramount during the race.
"Dover is where I ran my first Nextel Cup Series race,"
Raines said. "I love the place. You have to qualify well
there because track position is so important. In the race,
however, the car is more important than the motor. You
have to get your car driving well and stay out of trouble
if you're going to have a good race there.
"We're looking to break through and make something happen."
BoSPOKER.net Fast Facts
- The MBNA RacePoints 400 at the Dover International
Speedway will be Tony Raines' fourth race since joining
R&J Racing in August.
- In three starts with R&J Racing this year, Raines
has won $280,025.
- Pole qualifying for the MBNA RacePoints 400 is Friday
at 3 p.m. It will air delayed at 3:30 p.m. on Speed
and live on MRN radio at 3 p.m.
- The MBNA RacePoints 400 will start at 1:10 p.m. It
will air live on TNT at 12:30 p.m. and on MRN radio
at 12:45 p.m.
|
