Lack of rear grip, or no forward bite, was Reed Sorenson and the Target team’s nemesis in the final NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race of the 2007 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway. After starting 27th, Sorenson battled a loose condition at the start of the first green-flag run, but as the field drew close to the first caution of the race on lap 50, the Target Dodge began to develop a slight tight condition.
Many teams had made green-flag stops prior to the caution, so when the field lined up behind the pace car, the No. 41 Dodge was scored in fourth place. Sorenson brought the car in for tires, fuel and adjustments, but had to return for left-side tires after running over the jack – that wasn’t quite pulled out from under the car in time – exiting pit road. Sorenson lined up 13th for the next green flag on lap 57.
The car was “better” according to Sorenson during the next run, but it still lacked the rear grip he needed to make a run towards the front. Sorenson fell to 21st before pitting under green on lap 132 for tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments. The Target Dodge cycled out in 23rd and just prior to the fourth caution on lap 149 Sorenson commented the car was “all over the place.” He brought the car down pit road for a major chassis adjustment that included the removal of two spring rubbers from the rear of the car.
Sorenson took the next green flag on lap 153 in 28th and was able to race up to as high as 21st before settling for a 22nd-place finish in the 267-lap event. The car was better over the final segment of the race, but the team was never quite able to put a finger on the rear grip issue.
Sorenson and the Target team finished the season 22nd in the overall driver standings with one pole (Indianapolis), three top-five finishes and six top-10 finishes. Jimmie Johnson took the series title for the second-consecutive season. There were seven caution flags for a total of 32 laps, the average speed was 131.888 mph and the time of race was 3 hrs, 02 mins and 12 secs.
The 2008 inaugural SPRINT Cup Series season will begin with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17.
CGRFS Driver Quoteboard
REED SORENSON: “This wasn’t quite the way we wanted to finish out the season, but we brought the Target Dodge home in one piece. I really thought we’d be stronger here today, but we just couldn’t find the forward bite we needed.
“We’re all looking forward to a little break and then getting back after it again in January to get ready for next season. We’ve got some work to do over the off season to make sure we come out of the gates strong in 2008.”
