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1997

Save Mart Supermarkets 300

May 4, 1997
Sonoma, CA

 Save Mart 300
Derrike heads back to the West Coast where he started his NASCAR career 17 years ago. It was while competing in the Winston West Series that Derrike got his first taste of Sears Point Raceway. "Sears Point is a tough race track and my experience from the Winston West helped me adjust quicker," said Derrike, who just missed winning the Winston West championship title in 1984. "The track is challenging with its changing elevations and blind corners. You have to have a lot of trust in the car. It's one of the most demanding road courses that we go to because of the changes and the numerous left and right-hand turns."

"Competing on the road course at Sears Point is a welcome change, something a little bit different," said Derrike, whose best finish came in 1995 when he finished 12th. "I usually qualify in the top 20 and finish well. Last year, I had a good run before getting tapped from behind. I've had some decent runs and feel we can get the SKITTLES® Pontiac a top-10 finish."

On the first road course of the season, the SKITTLES® Racing team brought the car that Jeff Gordon used in Japan last year. Derrike had a first round qualifying run that at that moment put him in 15th position. At the end of qualifying, the starting position had dropped to 21st.

On a beautiful day in California, this is where Derrike was during the race among the 44 drivers:

  • 24th position - lap 8 of 74
  • 19th - lap 17
  • 16th - lap 39
  • 27th - lap 52 (Pit stops occurred before this during a caution. The team took an extra pit stop before the caution to top the fuel tank which ended up putting the SKITTLES® Pontiac as the last car on the lead lap.)
  • 20th - lap 55 (Some cars pitted after Kenny Wallace brought out a caution, but Derrike did not, which let him move up in the field.)
  • 19th - lap 59
  • 24th - lap 61 (Ernie Irvan hit the SKITTLES® Pontiac in the rear causing Derrike to do a 360. Fortunately, Derrike was able to hold the car mostly on the track and continue, but he ended up losing five positions.)
  • 22nd - lap 66
  • 20th - lap 71

Derrike ended the race in 18th position. One wonders what might have happened without the Irvan incident.

Start Finish Status Winston
Cup
Points		 Money
Won		 Standing
21 18 Running 109 $21,705 36
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