Las Vegas - UAW Daimler Chrysler 400
Science has its big bang theory. So does racing.
When you hear a big bang it makes sense to get to the
pits. That's what #09 Miccosukee Dodge Driver Johnny
Benson did at Las Vegas Sunday in the NASCAR Nextel Cup
race.
Late in the race
coming off turn two Benson heard a huge bang and figured
it
meant serious trouble.
"I heard a big bang and thought it was a
tire problem," he said. "At these speeds I didn't want to
go down into turn three and wreck our car so I came to the
pits."
Benson's Phoenix
Racing crew told him the tires were fine. "I
couldn't believe that. I thought there were major
problems." It took until a post race inspection for
Benson to learn that he indeed had run over something on
the track. "The crush panels were knocked out of the
left rear," he said. "So, even though we don't know what
it was, it was something pretty major."
The incident on the
track combined with losing two laps earlier in the race
relegated him to a 31st-place finish.
"We just struggled from the time we unloaded. We only got
six laps of practice and we were off a little bit in
qualifying," Benson said. "We have some figuring out to do
."
Benson who has
several top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile oval just north of
the famous Las Vegas strip struggled in the
early going on Sunday. Benson started 36th and held
his position in the early going even benefiting from the
"Lucky Dog" rule on lap 46 when he was in 33rd place. He
gained another spot by lap 82 when Ryan Newman spun in
turn four.
Benson fell down a second lap to leader Matt Kenseth who
was setting a
blistering pace on lap 127. On lap
183 Benson narrowly missed Kevin Lepage whose engine blew
in front of Benson. The good luck didn't hold too
long. The debris incident brought him to the pits costing
him several spots and he finished four laps behind winner
Kenseth.
Benson's Nextel Cup season
resumes April 4 in Texas.
Matt Kenseth won followed
by Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray and Mark
Martin.
|
