QUALIFYING RESULTS:
POLE POSITION: Bobby Hamilton, Jr. (27.003 seconds / 133.319 m.p.h.)
SCOTT WIMMER STARTING POSITION: 16th (27.474 seconds / 131.033 m.p.h.)
RACE INFORMATION:
DAY/DATE: Saturday, July 26, 2003
RACE TIME: 3:30 p.m. ET
RACE: Pikes Peak 250
TELEVISION/RADIO COVERAGE: Live on NBC / Live on MRN Radio
RACE LAPS/MILES: 250 laps / 250 miles
RACE WINNER:Scott Wimmer
FINISHING POSITION: 1st
DRIVER POINTS POSITION:th (306 behind leader, Scott Riggs)
RACERECAP: Scott Wimmer started the Pikes Peak 250 at Pikes Peak International Raceway from the 16th position. Wimmer fought his way up to the 11th position by lap 23, but commented to the team that his Stacker 2/YJ Stinger car was sliding the nose off the corners. The first caution of the event fell on lap 30 when Larry Gunselman spun off turn four and Brian Vickers, who was running in the top-five, slammed into Gunselman. Wimmer pitted on lap 31 for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. Green flag racing resumed on lap 45 with Wimmer still in the 11th position. Wimmer picked up positions consistently, taking over the seventh position by lap 60. The next caution flag waved on lap 62 after Mike Bliss turned Bobby Hamilton, Jr. around sending him into outside wall. This incident moved Wimmer to the sixth position, as Hamilton, Jr. was running ahead of him. The Stacker 2/YJ Stinger team chose not to pit and the race restarted on lap 67. Wimmer passed Johnny Sauter on lap 73 for the fifth position, and six laps later passed Mike Bliss for the fourth position. On lap 79, Stacy Compton and Kasey Khane made contact, bringing out the third caution flag of the day on lap 80. Wimmer pitted on lap 82 for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. He exited the pits in the eighth position, as a few cars chose to take fuel only or two tires. Green flag racing resumed on lap 85 and although Wimmer reported that the car was tight, he was able to make a charge through the field, taking over the third position by lap 97. Wimmer took over the second position on lap 126, and battled Jason Keller for the top spot over the next several laps, finally passing him on lap 130. Wimmer retained the lead until he pitted under green flag conditions on lap 177 for four tires and fuel. Once the pit stops had cycled through the field by lap 187, Wimmer was 2.2 seconds behind leader, Keller. Wimmer ran down Keller, closing the gap steadily over the next 40 laps, finally passing Keller for the lead on lap 228. Wimmer led the remainder of the race marking a 1.045 second lead over Keller when the checkered flag flew on lap 250. This was Wimmers first win of the 2003 season and fifth of his NASCAR Busch Series career. He now sits seventh in the driver point standings, 306 points behind leader, Scott Riggs.
DRIVER QUOTE: It was a great day for the Stacker 2/YJ Stinger team. This is one of the most exciting racetracks we come to. You can race from top to bottom, anywhere you want to race. For a driver, thats great. For a crew chief, its not. Its hard to set up a car for this place. The drivers tend to whine quite a bit on the radio. I know that at about 40 laps I was whining about my car, but we kept getting better and better. With about 25 to go in the race, the car just came to life and Im just real proud of my guys. Its been a little while since weve been in victory lane. After that last pit stop I didnt think we were going to be able to catch (Keller) because he was quite a ways in front of us. His car dropped off and we got a little bit faster. Im really proud of my guys. They really gave me great pit stops and some great adjustments.
NEXT RACE:
EVENT LOCATION: Indianapolis Raceway Park (Indianapolis, IN)
DATE: Saturday, August 2, 2003
TELEVISION: Live on TNT at 7:00 p.m. ET
RADIO: Live on MRN at 7:00 p.m. ET