Reed Sorenson led for 49 laps on three different occasions in the No. 41 Discount Tire Dodge at Atlanta Motor Speedway before a late-race incident relegated him to a 29th-place finish.
The 18-year-old driver started the Aaron’s 312 in the sixth position after just his third qualifying attempt in the NASCAR Busch Series. Sorenson’s spotter maneuvered him through an early multi-car wreck on lap two of the 208-lap race. Racing resumed on lap nine with the No. 41 Dodge in sixth.
Sorenson slipped back to 11th on lap 12, but as the tires began to come in he made a charge up through the field. He took over the fifth spot from the current Busch Series points’ leader on lap 59 and was sitting fourth when green-flag pit stops began on lap 60. Sorenson brought the Discount Tire Dodge
down pit road for four fresh Goodyears, an air pressure adjustment and fuel. When pit stops were complete, the No. 41 Dodge was second behind former NEXTEL Cup champion Matt Kenseth.
The caution flag waved on lap 95 with Sorenson in second. He brought the Discount Tire Dodge down pit road for four tires and fuel. The crew’s quick stop boosted Sorenson to the lead when racing resumed on lap 101. He held onto the top spot until Kenseth passed him on lap 122. Sorenson told crew chief Brian Pattie the car was too loose. He slipped to third when the caution flag waved on lap 135.
The team changed four tires and added fuel during the pit stop on lap 138. The team performed the stop in less than 15 seconds beating everyone out of the pits to retake the lead. Sorenson held onto the lead for three laps before falling to third on lap 143. When the tires warmed up, Sorenson again charged to the front regaining the lead on lap 150. He would lead for the next 20 laps when the No. 38 Dodge passed him on lap 170. The caution fell on lap 186 and Pattie called Sorenson into the pits for tires and fuel.
The green flag waved with Sorenson in sixth, but another caution came out on lap 194. Racing resumed on lap 198 and Sorenson dropped back to 10th. He dove into the corner on lap 201 getting into the back of the No. 21 car that had slowed up. The damaged Discount Tire Dodge was forced behind the wall and relegated to a 29th-place finish.
“It was a lot of fun running up front in the Discount Tire Dodge,” said Sorenson. “We proved how good this team is and will be for the remaining three races on the schedule. I didn’t mean to get into the back of the No. 21 car. It was unfortunate because the car was so good all day.”
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver Jamie McMurray takes over the No. 41 Discount Tire Dodge next Saturday for the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway.
