tool name
closeTeam effort helps Jarrett work his way in
DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – When Kurt Busch dropped out early in Thursday’s first Gatorade Duel, it became certain that he would be using the former champion’s provisional to make the field for the Daytona 500.
It also closed that door to Dale Jarrett.
Busch needed the provisional since the car owner points he earned last year were given to new teammate Sam Hornish Jr. That move, perfectly legal and permitted by NASCAR, effectively gave Penske Racing three guaranteed spots in Sunday’s race despite the fact it ran only two cars last year.
If that had been what kept Jarrett from racing in what will be his final Daytona 500, it would have been shame on NASCAR for letting that happen.
But Hornish took care of any righteous indignation by finishing ninth in that first Duel. Even had he been in a go-or-go-home car, he would have been the No. 2 finisher among that group and would have put himself in the 500.
That left Jarrett to his own devices.
Earlier Thursday, Jarrett had talked about how much he wanted to make a race he’s won three times as he begins what was scheduled to be a five-race farewell tour.
“I have a lot of emotions,” Jarrett said before the day’s racing began. “I really want to race in the 50th Daytona 500. The last 10 laps could be some of the most exciting I have been a part of for a long time. I am ready for that.”
Michael Waltrip, Jarrett’s teammate and car owner, was ready, too.
About midway through the race, Waltrip dropped back and found Jarrett’s Toyota in the pack. Waltrip had the second-best lap in qualifying and will start on the outside of Row 1 on Sunday. He couldn’t help himself in the Duel, but he could help Jarrett.
With 20 laps left, the plan was working. Jarrett was up to sixth overall and first among the go-or-go-homers. With 15 laps to go, Jarrett was third. So far, so good.
With 10 to go, Jarrett was eighth overall but still ahead of everybody he needed to be. He had Waltrip and his other teammate, David Reutimann, behind him.
Then Patrick Carpentier’s car lost a right-front tire, sending him into the outside wall. He was done, but that brought out the second red flag of the race and set up a green-white-checkered finish with everything on the line for Jarrett.
Schrader and John Andretti pitted for tires. Jarrett and Reutimann stayed out. Jarrett was sixth, Waltrip ninth and Reutimann 10th. Andretti was 14th and Schrader was 18th.
It fell to Andretti to make the late dramatic move. He used his fresh tires to surge to 10th, passing Reutimann and nearly getting by Jarrett at the finish.
Andretti’s joy wound up being Boris Said’s pain – it was Said who would stand as the last man knocked out of this year’s field.
Jarrett was in.
“When you go out there and know what you have to do ... when it comes time to get it done, I enjoy that challenge,” Jarrett said. “I feel very good what we were able to accomplish.
“Now we’ve got the hard part over with.”
