Tony Raines No. 33 RoadLoans.com Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Arizona. Travel 200 Race Recap

Raines Strong Run Ends With 18th-Place Finish

Avondale, Ariz. (November 12, 2007) — Tony Raines was once again in action behind the wheel of the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) No. 33 RoadLoans.com Chevrolet Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR), bringing home a solid 18th-place finish.

The NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) unloaded at PIR on Thursday and prepared for two practice sessions on Friday followed by qualifying and 200 laps of action around the one-mile track for the Arizona. Travel 200 on Saturday.

Raines and the No. 33 RoadLoans.com team buckled down Friday and placed the No. 33 RoadLoans.com Chevrolet 18th on the leader board during the first practice session with a lap time of 27.936 (128.866 mph). For final practice, Raines was 12th fastest with a lap time of 27.855 (129.241 mph). The teams returned to the track Saturday morning, with Raines qualifying the No. 33 RoadLoans.com Chevrolet 13th with a lap time of 27.454 (131.128 mph). Following qualifying, the team had to make unapproved adjustments to the valance of the car after it came loose during Raines qualifying run, and as a result Raines had to move to the back of the field for the start of the Arizona. Travel 200.

Prepared for 200 laps of excitement, Raines wasted no time moving forward through the field when the green flag waved signaling the start of the race. By the end of lap one, Raines was scored in the 38th position.

The first caution of the day came on lap eight, with the No. 33 RoadLoans.com Chevrolet in the 32nd position. Crew chief Dan Stillman made the call to stay out and the team gained one spot, restarting on lap 15 in the 31st position.

Continuing to move through the field, Raines was in the 26th position when the caution flag waved for the third time on lap 22. Stillman opted to make the first pit stop of the day taking on four tires and fuel on lap 24. Raines commented that the car was “not bad, better than it has been.” With only a few other teams choosing to pit early in the race, Raines restarted on lap 30 in the 36th position. 

During the fourth caution of the day, Stillman made the call for Raines to stay out to gain positions as other teams made pit stops on lap 43. The team gained 25 positions, restarting on lap 48 in the second position. “Good job,” said Stillman. “Keep doing what you’re doing,” continued Stillman.

Continuing to run under green-flag conditions, Raines, who did not have fresh tires, fell several positions, but remained in the top-15. On lap 104, Raines voiced his concern about the handling of the car. “Dan the car is real loose here,” radioed Raines. “10-4. Pit in about ten laps,” replied Stillman. Without a caution, the team planned to pit on lap 114 for a scheduled stop for tires and fuel. Just as Stillman made the call for Raines to stop on lap 115, the fifth caution of the day came out for debris. Stillman quickly changed the call, telling Raines “That’s good. Watch your fuel, we are really close but should be okay until pit road opens.” The team pitted on lap 117 from the 13th position, taking on fuel, four tires and making air pressure and track bar adjustments. Raines restarted on lap 122 in the 13th position.

Ten laps later on lap 132, the sixth caution flag waved for a single car accident. Stillman opted to stay out, asking Raines about the condition of the car. “The car is a little better,” replied Raines. “10-4. Keep it up, you’re doing a good job. We are good on tires and fuel, so let’s see what we can get,” said Stillman. The race restarted on lap 137 with the No. 33 RoadLoans.com Chevrolet in the 13th position. Before the completion of lap 117, a multi-car accident brought out the seventh caution and the first red flag of the day. Once the track was cleared of debris and fluids, the race again restarted on lap 141 with Raines in the 11th position.

Raines gained several spots over the remaining laps, moving into the top ten before falling back to the 15th position when the 11th and final caution of the race came out on lap 197 following a multi-car accident. The race was red flagged for the second time on lap 198. Following the red flag, Raines opted to come down pit road for fresh tires and restarted the race in the 21st position on lap 200. With the restart coming on the last lap, the race was completed with one attempt at a green-white-checkered finish. Raines gained three positions following the restart, crossing the finish line on lap 203 with the No. 33 RoadLoans.com Chevrolet in the 18th position.

With one race remaining in the 2007 season, the No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) Chevrolet sits sixth in NASCAR Busch Series Owner’s Point Standings following the Arizona. Travel 200 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Next up for the No. 33 KHI Chevrolet: Tony Raines will be behind the wheel of the No. 33 RoadLoans.com Chevrolet for the Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Saturday, November 17, 2007. Live coverage of the event will begin at 4:00 p.m., ET on ESPN2 and live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) at 4:00 p.m., ET and on Sirius Satellite Radio at 4:00 p.m., ET.

STATS RECAP

Date: November 10, 2007
Track: Phoenix International Raceway
Event Name: Arizona. Travel 200
Race: 34 of 35
Driver: Tony Raines
Started: 13th
Finished: 18th
Owner’s Point Standings: 6th

Next on Schedule

Date: November 17, 2007
Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Event Name: Ford 300
Driver: Tony Raines

Broadcast Time: 4:00 p.m., ET ESPN2 and MRN Radio