Miller 400

June 15, 1997
Brooklyn, MI

"So far this year the focus for the SKITTLES® Race Team has been to finish races and move up in the points," said Derrike, who is currently 29th in the Winston Cup points standings. "Now that we are on the right track, we'll start concentrating on qualifying during the first day."

The SKITTLES® Pontiac was the 21st car on the track in first round qualifying and produced a time of 40.389 with a speed of 178.266. At the end of the first round they were left in 46th position out of 48 cars. In second round qualifying, the team actually ended up in 40th position but since only 38 cars were taken without having to take provisionals, the team had to take a provisional in order to make the 43 car field. Derrike will start the race in 42nd position.

Due to accidents during practice, four drivers had to start from the back of the field. Thus, Derrike started 38th among the 43 cars. This is where Derrike was during the race:

• 25th position - lap 15 of 200 (1st caution is over, Derrike moving up quickly through the field. CBS showed a graphic with three drivers, including Derrike, moving fast through the field)
• 20th - lap 38 (seemed to be moving up one spot every lap)
• 16th - lap 42 (green flag pit stops started, was 11th at one point)
• 26th - lap 57
• 18th - lap 61 (yellow out)
• 26th - lap 64 (some teams that had recently pitted came in and took two tires so the SKITTLES® team probably did likewise)
• 16th - lap 88
• 13th - lap 100
• 1st - lap 112 (green flag pit stops were occurring and Derrike stayed out longer)
• 16th - lap 116
• 13th - lap 127 (caution out before this)
• 5th - lap 138 (Derrike passed a number of big name drivers. The announcers kept talking about those drivers, but never a word about Derrike who had just passed them.)
• 9th - lap 142
• 8th - lap 170 (The last green flag pit stops occurred. Most of the other leaders were taking two tires, and Derrike also took two tires and one can of gas.)

Derrike finished the race in 8th position for the team's first top 10 finish of the year. The great finish, along with the unfortunate circumstances of some other drivers, let Derrike move up 4 spots in the point standings to 25th position. In the last 8 races, Derrike has moved up 13 positions from 38th to 25th.

Derrike won $2,000 for the Exide All Charged Up award for climbing the most spots in the race. In addition, crew chief Ryan Pemberton won $5,000 for the RCA Pit Strategy Award for the decision to put on only two new tires and fill up with just one can of gas on the last pit stop.

The SKITTLES® Racing Team seems to be performing well now in the races. However, as Derrike stated before the race, the team now has to concentrate on qualifying as they cannot expect to move to the front as reliably as they have the past couple races.

Note: Thanks to Mike Steele for the quick race award update.