48th Carolina Dodge Dealers 400:Welcome to Darlington Raceway, or the track that's "Too Tough To Tame". Let us now for another edition of the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400. Qualifying was calm, and with the lowest entry list since 2002 New Hampshire 300 few cars did not qualify. In the first row, we had two mythical figures: the #43 of "The King" Richard Petty and #21 of the Wood Brothers.
However, nothing is perfect and Andretti already lost the lead at the first corner. Worse was falling so that came to be in 10th with less than 15 laps played.
Darlington is a track that separates the men from the boys. Not as easy as it can be some other oval, is a highly technical oval where you need to be one of the best positions to get up quietly. The start of the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 indicated that: the cars were moving away more and more, especially the leaders. Rudd came to lead with 4 seconds ahead.
The first yellow flag came on lap 31 for debris on the track. Along with it came the first round of pit stops. After a magnificent job of the Wood Brothers pit crew, Ricky Rudd
went ahead of Dale Earnhardt Junior by centimeters. Andretti came not having a good day: exited the pit lane below the 30th position.
The restart came and the 42 cars that started the race, one was as laggard and other had abandoned. The others were on the same lap of the leader.
But that #54 helped change the course of the race:
Tony Stewart just pulling into the lead. This was the first lap in green since the restart, and with the help of Todd Bodine, Smoke could race ahead.
The race had been quiet until Ward Burton and Jeremy Mayfield beat each other on the backstretch. The two leaders, Stewart and Dale Jarrett, joined. This generated a yellow flag, and the four left the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400.
The green flag came back, and Matt Kenseth restarted in front. He and Ryan Newman had been
taking turns in first position. On lap 173, Kevin Harvick and Brett Bodine caused another yellow flag, joining all the field again. After another yellow flag few laps later by debris, a domain of Roush Racing began. Kenseth and Kurt Busch began to dispute the lead.
Another pit window began, and there was a yellow flag for debris. This contributed to totally change the race to its end on lap 294.
The
restart came, and gradually Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson were distancing themselves from everyone. JJ had been trying to pass all errors and probable errors that Busch had committed. It was a huge pressure, which led to the
change of definitive leader on lap 269. From there, it was just maintain and run to victory lane, right? Wrong! Jimmie had no control of what was happening on the track behind him.
Jack Sprague and Michael Waltrip, who came in 6th and 7th respectively, beat strong and caused a yellow flag missing seven laps to the end of the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400. Much apprehension at Hendrick Motorsports, in the #48 pit crew, in Darlington, in the stands, behind the TV. Could we have another winner?
The restart came missing two laps to the end, in a real green-white-checker finish. Johnson came under pressure of eight drivers behind him. With great skill, JJ took the #48 to victory at Darlington.
DNQs: Tony Raines (#74), Christian Fittipaldi (#44), Derrike Cope (#37)
Margin of victory: 3.002 sec
Cautions: 5 for 20 laps
Lead changes: 15 (10 drivers)
Weather: Clear, 71 °F, South 6 mph
