Reed Sorenson and the Discount Tire team worked the winding course of Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International Saturday, but untimely cautions seemed to throw off the team’s rhythm and when the final 83rd lap of the day was completed Sorenson and team were just shy of a top 25 in 28th place.
Sorenson took the green flag from the 35th position for the final road course race of the season at Watkins Glen International. After the third lap of the race, the No. 41 Discount Tire Dodge was sitting 31st and needing more grip.
The tight racing began to settle down on lap six, and Sorenson fell back to 33rd. He continued to slip back in the field when several teams began to execute different pit strategies. Teams that were running mid-pack began to pit around lap eight, setting them up for one last stop to the end of the race. Pattie told Sorenson they were back to far behind the leader, and would fall a lap down if they pitted.
Pattie did call Sorenson down pit road on lap 18 under green-flag conditions. The Discount Tire crew made an air pressure adjustment in the left-rear tire before making just a two-tire stop. Pattie was hoping the quick stop would help the team with track position. Unfortunately, the leaders did not pit before the caution waved on lap 30 and Sorenson was now one lap down to the leader in the 33rd position.
Pattie made the call to remain on the track and hope for a
few quick cautions to earn NASCAR’s free pass back onto the lead lap. When racing resumed on lap 33 there was only 29 cars on the lead lap and Sorenson was 32nd, the third car one lap down. He was racing the No. 22 and No. 35 cars for the free pass. The two cars elected to pit on lap 49 and Sorenson was in position to get back on the lead lap if the caution fell.
After some discussion on the radio, Sorenson brought the Discount Tire Dodge down pit road on lap 56 for four tires and fuel. The caution flag waved while Sorenson was in the pits for service, missing the free pass by one green-flag lap. NASCAR waved the green flag on lap 60 with No. 41 Dodge Charger in 31st.
Sorenson told Pattie and the team he was racing as hard as he could, but the team couldn’t get the track position they needed. Despite three additional cautions, Sorenson was unable to get back on the lead lap. He finished the Zippo 200 in the 28th position.
Sorenson slipped one spot in the NASCAR Busch Series driver point standings, to 12th place with 2,487 points. He is 88 points outside the top-10 drivers. The Discount Tire maintained its 11th-place stance with 2,572 points which puts the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates team just three points outside the top 10 with 11 races remaining in the 2006 schedule. Busch Series racing action resumes next Saturday, August 19 at Michigan International Speedway for the Carfax 250. The race is scheduled to start at 2:55 p.m. ET and will broadcast live on TNT (TV) and MRN (Radio).
