May 2, 2004
- Jeff Gordon wins at California: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway, in a fuel mileage race. #48-Jimmie Johnson ended up 2nd. #18-Bobby Labonte was running 2nd and ran out of gas with a 1/2 lap to go. #24-Jeff Gordon made it back-to-back Nextel Cup victories Sunday, parlaying fast pit stops and a strong car into a win in the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway. #18-Bobby Labonte had moved up to second in the late stages of the race and had closed to within a second of Gordon with two laps to go. On the final lap, however, Labonte ran out of fuel and sputtered home in fifth. Gordon, meanwhile, had just enough gas to complete a victory lap and a celebratory pass through the infield grass. His crew pushed the #24 to victory lane. #48-Jimmie Johnson made it to the end and grabbed second on the final lap. That, combined with a lackluster 19th-place run by #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., moved Johnson to within 25 points of the lead in the Nextel Cup standings. Gordon remains third in the standings. #12-Ryan Newman and #17-Matt Kenseth also passed Labonte on the final lap. #9-Kasey Kahne, #19-Jeremy Mayfield and #0-Ward Burton were among the others that ran out in the waning moments of the 500-mile event.(full story at ThatsRacin.com)
For more on some detail of the race, see my Jayski’s Race Rundown page.
For Results see
Jayski’s California Race Results/Awards Standings Page
ThatsRacin.com
MotorsportsOne
NASCAR.com.(5-2-2004) - Top Five Drivers Points after California:
#8-Earnhardt Jr., 1453
#48-Johnson, 1428, -25
#24-Gordon, 1426, -27
#17-Kenseth, 1357, -96
#97-Busch, 1316, -137
#29-Harvick, 1316, -137
For drivers points see:
Jayski’s Driver/Owners Points after California page
NASCAR.com.(5-2-2004) - Cool down lap ‘NOT’ optional: NASCAR announced a clarification to post-race procedures Sunday, reminding drivers that once the take the checkered flag they must complete the “cool down” lap. Event director David Hoots told the drivers assembled in Sunday’s pre-race meeting they were not allowed to turn into the exit of pit road and travel up the wrong direction toward pit road. Last week at Talladega, Ala., after taking the checkered flag, Tony Stewart made a sharp left turn into the exit of pit road, electing not to take the “cool down” lap. Instead, he turned into an approaching Terry Labonte and damaged both cars. He then traveled up pit road the wrong way at a high rate of speed to the entrance of the garage area.(ThatsRacin.com)(5-2-2004)
- Best Western to Partner with Victory Junction Gang Camp: Best Western, the Official Hotel of NASCAR, is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a year-round camp for children with chronic and life threatening illnesses located in Randleman, NC. As part of the relationship, Best Western will donate more than $150,000 to the Victory Junction Gang Camp over the next three years to name the staff lodging facility. Best Western will also provide staff and campers with Best Western amenities and recruit volunteers to work onsite with campers. “We’re looking forward to working hand in hand with the Victory Junction Gang Camp, one of NASCAR’s favorite charities,” said Tom Higgins, Best Western president and CEO. “We know this is a great way for us to make an impact in the lives of these children.” Best Western will provide additional funding for camperships for children to attend the Victory Junction Gang Camp. The World’s Largest Hotel Chain will also invite a number of children from all over the nation to attend various NASCAR races as Best Western guests. “We’re very grateful for all of the support we have received from Best Western,” said Richard Petty, founding family member of the Victory Junction Gang Camp. “This is going to be a wonderful partnership. And the Victory Junction staff is looking forward to the inaugural summer in the Best Western Staff Lodge at camp.” Best Western is in the first year of a three-year agreement as NASCAR’s Official Hotel, and is also serving as an associate sponsor of Waltrip and the Dale Earnhardt Inc.-owned #15 NAPA Chevrolet on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. The company will serve as primary sponsor for Michael Waltrip’s #99 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Busch Series race on November 6. More information on all Best Western / NASCAR activities, including Speed Rewards, a customized frequent guest program designed specifically for race fans, is available at www.bestwestern.com/racing. For more information about the camp, visit their website at www.victoryjunction.org.(Alan Taylor Communications PR)(5-2-2004)
- StockCarFans.com – Rumblings – California: #24-Jeff Gordon went back-to-back today….and did it with all of about a gallon of gas to spare. In what turned into a “fuelish” event (don’t they so often do both here and at Michigan), Jeff Gordon won today’s Auto Club 500 at California Speedway by 12.871 seconds….but it was actually much closer than that. #18-Bobby Labonte got to within a couple seconds late, but ran out of gas on the final lap. For Gordon, this was his 3rd win at Fontana (he won the inaugural event in 1997 and again in 1999) and his second win of 2004. This was win #66 for his career, and the 120th for Hendrick Motorsports (made even sweeter since they ran 1/2). The victory was worth $318,628 for Gordon from the over $5.7M in posted awards. Ah, Rusty!!! In a sport rapidly becoming colorless, it’s like a breath of fresh air to hear a driver say what _he_ thinks instead of what he’s been told to say. Hot? You think today was hot? How quickly we forget those July races in Talladega….
#77-Brendan Gaughan (6th) had his career-best finish today. His previous best was last week at Talladega when he was 13th.
#5-Terry Labonte (7th) had his best finish since he was 6th at Martinsville last October.
Labonte & Gaughan’s Top-10 finishes give us 28 drivers to score a Top-10 this season…..last year’s number was 42.
#0-Ward Burton (10th) had his best finish since he was 9th at Rockingham in February.
#98-Todd Bodine (34th) had his best finish since he was 11th at Homestead last November (only 5 races).
STREAKIN….Jeff Gordon has 5 Top-10’s in a row. Jimmie Johnson has 6 Top-10’s in the last 7 races.
The Rookie Report: For the second week in a row Brendan Gaughan (6th) is the top-finishing first year driver. He was followed by: Kasey Kahne (13th), Johnny Sauter (21st), Scott Riggs (25th), Brian Vickers (29th) and Scott Wimmer (30th).
This Week’s Elevator….UP: Operator of the week is a tie….and it stays in the family! Bobby Labonte (+22) and brother Terry Labonte (+22) grab the title, followed by Matt Kenseth (+21). DOWN: The Big Dropper was Jeff Green (-34), followed by Joe Nemechek (-26), Rusty Wallace (-26), Brian Vickers (-23), and Scott Riggs (-21).
Brendan Gaughan led once today for one lap….the first time he’s led in his Nextel Cup career. Ken Schrader led one lap today….it’s the first time he’s led since he led twice for 46 laps at the Daytona 500 of 2002! We’ve had 38 different leaders this season….last year’s number was 48.
Dale Earnhardt Jr maintains the points lead, but his margin is down to 25 over Jimmie Johnson with Jeff Gordon just another two points back. Brendan Gaughan (27th to 22nd) made the best move forward today, while Scott Wimmer (21st to 25th) fell the most positions.(StockCarFans.Com Nextelcup Newsletter)(5-2-2004) - NOTES and FACTS: Jeff Gordon won the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway, scoring his 66th career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in his 375th career start. His last victory came at Talladega just one race ago. Gordon, who won last week at Talladega, posted back-to-back victories for the 19th time in his career. This includes one streak of three races and one of four. The most recent driver to post back-to-back victories was Matt Kenseth who did so earlier this season when he won at Rockingham and Las Vegas. This is Gordon’s sixth NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in the state of California.Gordon also has three victories at Infineon Raceway
Eighteen drivers are within 400 points of current point leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. as we continue to monitor the countdown to the Chase for the 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Championship. The 15 leaders in the 2004 Auto Club 500 ties the record at California Speedway set in 2000. Kevin Harvick (ninth) extended his streak of running at the finish in 49 straight races, a streak that began at Rockingham in November 2002.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(5-2-2004) - Busy Weekend Coming up for Robby: After driving in Friday [May 14th] night’s Busch race at Richmond, Va., Robby Gordon will fly to Indianapolis to qualify on Saturday [and go for the pole], then return to Richmond to drive that night in the American Revolution 500 Nextel Cup race.(Los Angeles Times)(5-2-2004)
- Nice Gesture by a sponsor: #38-Elliott Sadler’s sponsor, M&M’s, flew Sadler’s parents to California this weekend to help celebrate Sadler’s birthday. He turned 29 Friday. “It was the first time I got to spend my birthday with my parents in probably six or seven years,” said Sadler, who starts 14th. “That was a great surprise.”(Roanoke Times)(5-2-2004)
- Harsh [but correct] words by Kyle: Kyle Petty says NASCAR should boycott Talladega Superspeedway after fans littered the track last weekend with trash and debris because that race finished under caution. “They should not allow a race back at Talladega for throwing beer cans on the race track,” Petty said. “When we’ve got guys riding around [under caution] at 70, 80 mph, throwing beer cans on the race track, it’s dangerous. We should not go back to that race track. That’s pitiful that those people call themselves fans. That’s Kyle Petty’s opinion and I’ll stand by that forever. I don’t care how disgruntled you are, that’s crap. I’ve been to football games and didn’t like the endings. Did I pick up crap and throw it down on the field and hit the guys in the back of the head or throw stuff at the coaches. No.”(Roanoke Times)(5-2-2004)
- Next Time They’ll Stop the race: NASCAR president Mike Helton said that if they’re unable to finish a race under green and fans litter the track again, series officials will end the race immediately without completing the full distance.(Roanoke Times)
AND …..Yet, the deluge of debris symbolizes NASCAR’s dilemma: The balance between entertaining fans and creating a safe and competitive race. The line has blurred in recent years as NASCAR changed rules and its way of thinking to appease fans. Series officials altered the points system this season. They’ve stopped races late to get a green-flag finish for more than five years. They asked Goodyear to construct a tire that wears more to create more passing and reduce the number of ho-hum, fuel-mileage finishes that occurred last year. “There’s a lot of influence in our decision-making process by fans and their reaction to things, but there are limitations,” NASCAR president Mike Helton said Saturday at California Speedway, site of today’s Auto Club 500. “We can’t please them completely, but we strive to. The sport doesn’t work without them. Period.”(in part from the Roanoke Times)(5-2-2004) - Spike 52: Greatest Drivers Ranks The Top 52 Drivers Of All Time: Spike TV will rank the 52 greatest stock-car drivers of all-time over five one-hour episodes premiering Sunday, May 2 (9:00-10:00pm ET/PT). This original series, Spike 52: Greatest Drivers, will profile the legends of stock-car racing – from the sports’ earliest pioneers to today’s mega-superstars. The series includes new and archived interviews with stock car’s biggest names including Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Matt Kenseth. See full PR and info on each episode on my TV Listings Page.(Spike TV PR), the shoow re-airs Tuesday at 11:00pm/et.(5-2-2004)
- Crewman Injured: NASCAR Busch Series driver #51-Stan Boyd, his crew chief and another crew member were involved in a pit road accident in Saturday’s Stater Bros. 300 at California Speedway. Boyd was attempting to pit on Lap 64 of 150 when he lost control entering pit road, spun backwards, and slammed into the pit wall, where his crew was waiting to perform a pit stop. Boyd and his crew chief, Daniel Kolanda, went to the infield care center and were treated and released. Crew member Eric Sainer was transported to Loma Linda Medical Center for further evaluation. “I guess I’m not used to the speed the cars carry in the corner compared to the trucks and you have to use a lot more brake here than you do on the trucks,” Boyd said. “When I came into the pit to make a stop, I hit the brakes, and I locked up the back tires. It spun be around and that was it.”(ThatsRacin.com)(5-2-2004)
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