Unavoidable Accident Relegates Target Team to 40th-Place Finish at Phoenix

As the sun set in the desert, so did Reed Sorenson and the No. 41 Target team’s chances for a good finish at Phoenix International Raceway.  Just 99 laps into the 312-lap event, Sorenson got swept up in a multi-car accident that was set into motion just in front of him coming out of Turn 4.  The track was completely blocked with spinning cars, and as a result Sorenson made heavy contact and sustained significant damage that sent him to the garage for major repairs. 

The team worked feverishly to mend the Target Dodge and after approximately 100 laps Sorenson was able to return to competition in 41s t.  He gave it all he had during the remaining laps and was able to gain one position before taking the checkered flag at the 1-mile raceway.

“I’m not sure what happened,” remarked Sorenson while patiently waiting in the garage area for repairs to be made to his car.  “You can’t really see that far in front of you at that point of the corner and before I had a chance to react I was in the wreck.  I have no idea what started it.

“The car wasn’t that good at the beginning.  It was loose in and had absolutely no grip in the center of the corner or on the throttle. We made big changes with each stop and it was actually much better before we got in the wreck.  The guys will fix it and we’ll go out there and try to gain as many positions and points as we can.”

The initial laps of the event were somewhat challenging for Sorenson as he battled an extremely tight race car.  After starting 34th, he commented early in the race the car had no 

grip whatsoever.  His first opportunity to pit for changes came during the first caution on lap 25.  He entered pit road running 38th and after a four-tire stop that included air pressure, track bar and wedge adjustments, he returned to competition in 37th.

The #41 Target Dodge didn't look this pretty at the end of the night. (Getty Images Photo)

Racing resumed on lap 28 and shortly thereafter Sorenson radioed in that the changes hadn’t helped the chassis’ handling.  He rode it out until pitting during the next caution on lap 53.  The crew, once again, made wholesale changes to the car and sent Sorenson out in 33rd.

The handling continued to plague Sorenson during the next run of the race that lasted from lap 57 to 86.  After another pit stop for tires, fuel, air pressure and track bar adjustments, the Target Dodge began to come around in the handling department.  When the green flag unfurled on lap 92, Sorenson began picking off competitors as he approached them.  Unfortunately, what potentially could have been a good run came to a screeching halt on lap 99.

The Target team dropped 5 positions to 24th in the overall standings at the conclusion of the Phoenix event.  They are 52 points out of 20th and 97 out of 15th heading into the next event at Talladega Superspeedway on Apr. 30.  Sorenson is currently fifth in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings with 66 points.  He trails leader Clint Boyer by 19 points.