LAS VEGAS – While the new Windward Racing Team didn’t crack into the top-10 in the Smith’s Las Vegas 350 the mood of the team following the race was decidedly upbeat. Why? Because in the team’s third only outing they were able to overcome the impossible and go on to finish 19th.
The #29 Jasper Engines Dodge fought a tight condition the entire race day, right from the time the team unloaded for practice until the checkers ended the event. With the help of Dodge engineering the truck got better, but it never got to where driver, Scott Lynch could fight his way into the top-10.
“We were just so tight the entire race, especially when we were racing with other people,” noted Lynch after the race. “Once we got single file and spread out a little we were able to run fine. We’ll work on it and get it better.”
Dodge engineer, Ryan Isabelle supported what his driver noticed. “At times the truck was great, late in the run it was at its best. At times we were faster than the leaders,” said Isabelle. “It was almost always tight in traffic. We made a lot of tweaks, and a lot of them helped. It took a while for the truck to come in but the biggest problem was tight in traffic. It’s a combination of aero and mechanical --- and it’s a problem that we’ll address.”
Another problem that the team faced was confusion --- and lots of it. During a lap 86 caution period NASCAR officials were telling the #29 team two different things regarding Lynch’s position concerning the “Lucky Dog” pass. Lynch, who was clearly in position to receive the free pass onto the lead lap, was being told by his spotter to pit with the lead lap trucks while the crew chief told him to pit with the lapped down cars. The stories Lynch was getting came from two differing orders from NASCAR – or that the tower official told the spotter to pit with the leaders while the pit official told the crew chief to pit with the lapped cars. Crew chief, Aaron Brown, went with the call the official he was speaking to was ordering. The decision cost Lynch his shot at being scored on the lead lap and put him as the last truck of those running one lap down to the leaders. The gaffe cost Lynch valuable track position, but the team fought back to finish 19th.
“We need to play our cards a little better the next time,” noted Lynch after the event. “With a little bit of damage on the left front we were still able to bring our Jasper Engines Dodge home 19th.
“Everything went a lot smoother. Each race this team will get smoother --- in the pits and in the garage everything is going smoother. We’re gaining by leaps and bounds.”
Aaron Brown couldn’t have been more pleased with the result. “It was an awesome evening,” announce Brown after the event. “With Jasper Engines onboard and support from Dodge and with everybody working hard at the shop we got our best finish of the year. I knew we could do it – I believe in my guys and in Scott.”
The next race for the #29 Windward Racing team will be the October 20th Martinsville event. The team is seeking both primary and associate sponsorship for the balance of the 2007 season as well as the entire 2008 season.
Statement Regarding NASCAR Penalty on an Intake Found in Pre-Practice Inspection.
Larry Pryor – “The intake that NASCAR found on the #29 was mistakenly
installed prior to our reporting for inspection in Las Vegas. The piece,
which was a fully legal Busch Series intake, found its way onto our
motor through simple oversight. We at no time sought a competitive
advantage and it was obvious the intake had never been run. We replaced
the intake prior to running a single lap on the track. We accept
NASCAR’s penalty and will strive to ensure there is no repeat in future
events.”
