Special from Schoenfeld Racing
DENNIS RUNS IN TOP 3 WITH KYLE BUSCH UNTIL
LATE-RACE HUB FAILURE
(Van Buren,
AR) - Schoenfeld Racing took a new sponsor, Frost Oil Company
and a new chassis setup to Winchester, Indiana for the CRA
Winchester 400 this past weekend and had their best run of the
season until component failure left them on the sideline.
“We unloaded off
the trailer with a different setup than we’ve used in years past
just to try something different and man did it pay off,” Dennis
said. “During the first practice session we were 12th
quick and the car really felt good. I think we only changed one
spring and shock during the entire practice sessions, concentrating
on front end camber/caster settings for the extreme banking at
Winchester. I’ve never been
the greatest
qualifier and once again I had a better car than our 21st
qualifying results showed,” Dennis continued.
As the race
unfolded, Dennis took his typical methodical approach to “position
racing” but with a race car that was handling better than
ever. “The banking on this place is crazy and you see drivers using
a variety of lines through the corners. The fastest way around this
place is definitely right up next to the wall. I began working the
middle of the track and sometimes I would diamond the corner getting
a great run off. A lot of guys get themselves in trouble because
they don’t realize the closure speeds in the corners and come up on
someone too fast,” Dennis commented.
Within the first
100 laps Dennis had maneuvered into the top ten, racing with the
likes of Jeff Fultz and Kyle Busch. Coming out of the pits after his
first stop for right-side tires Dennis was quickly back in the top
ten. Dennis, Busch and Fultz made their way back to the front and
looked to be the class of the 35-car field. Dennis pitted again on
lap 165 for left-side tires and by the halfway point had raced his
way back to 2nd. Dennis once again pitted for left-side
tires with 120 laps remaining and was prepared for a run back to the
front with a fresh set of right-side tires waiting in the pits for
the battle at the end. Racing with Busch almost the entire race was
a clear indication that Dennis had a potential top three car for the
finish. Unfortunately, with 87 laps to go Dennis’s car developed a
vibration as he was working his way around the 5th place
car. After returning to the pits, he was diagnosed with a broken
hub; his race was over at lap 313. Even with his early exit Dennis
was scored with a 13th place finish. Kyle Busch won.
“This car was as
good if not better than the car we had at the Snowball Derby last
year in Pensacola, Florida,” Dennis said in his post race interview.
“I think we really discovered something here that we can use for
these longer races and be very competitive at Nashville in two weeks
and then at Five Flags Speedway for the Snowball Derby in December.
We would like
to thank all of our sponsors and fans especially Five Star Bodies,
Kluhsman Racing Components, Rick’s Used Auto Parts, Frost Oil Company
and Schoenfeld Headers. Come join the Schoenfeld Racing Team at these
exciting races or follow Dennis’s race season at
www.dennisschoenfeld.com.
