Pennsylvania 500 Live Report by Adam Jablonski, Jr.

My wife Shelly and I were at qualifying Friday. On Friday Derrike was 23rd in practice and made a good lap in qualifying. As Bob Pristash said in his report a bad storm hit just about 10 minutes after qualifying. However before the storm the clouds came and cooled the track it seemed (as confirmed by Ernie Irvan after his run) and cars that were running much slower than Derrike in practice made huge gains in their times. So Derrike and the team really had a good shot at a better starting spot if the sun would have remained shining.

Sunday
We arrived early on Sunday. We headed over to the pits to look around and see the pit get set up. Just as we came on pit road Shelly said, "Isn't that Bobby Allison?" I turned to look and sure enough it was. I was fortunate enough to get his autogragh. We walked along pit road for awhile and saw the SKITTLES® team preparing for the race (Ryan was there checking things out).

We left the pits and made another trip to the SKITTLES® trailer (on Fri. we spent lots of money) and purchaesd more STUFF!! We went to our seats and waited for the race.

On the first lap I was anxious as I saw D.W. spinning in the tunnel turn (worried about chain reaction). Derrike made it through OK (WHEW). In the early stages Derrike didn't say too much about the car other than it was OK. Before the first pit stop Derrike said the car was great running by himself but was getting really tight as he was behind someone (Derrike said it was taking the air off the front of the car). Ryan said they would make an air pressure adjustment and take a round out. The SKITTLES® team made a good pit stop. Derrike was running well alone (Ryan was encouraging Derrike a lot because he was really fast when by himself). Derrike said the changes made the car better but was still a little tight.

Second pit stop they made just air pressure adjustment (another good stop by the SKITTLES® team). I couldn't believe how many caution free laps they were running. On the 3rd stop (I think around lap 111) Ryan made the call for 2 tires and 2 cans of fuel for track position. As they came in the pits it was to be a good stop but when they dropped the jack Derrike took off. They were not done putting all the fuel in (oh no I thought). Ryan told Derrike, "We're OK buddy just race hard." Derrike had gone a lap down but managed to make it up.

Then on the 2nd caution I watched as Derrike drove through the grass. Ryan asked if Derrike hit anything. Derrike replied, "No, I don't think so but I was mud boggin'. We bettter check the front air dam." As Derrike raced to the Yellow the car looked OK to me and Ryan as he told Derrike we looked OK. When Derrike came into the pits, Ryan said, "Nope you're right, we got the air dam." They worked on it and stayed on the lead lap. Derrike made the comment that it was a great time for a caution and Ryan agreed. At this time there was confusion as to Derrike's position on the track. NASCAR said to go behind the #18; Derrike said they can't be right because he would have gone around cars that got out of the pits ahead of him. Well they sorted it out and Derrike was right as to where he was.

After the Green flag Derrike seemed to move a few spots. On the caution in turn 1, Derrike was in the grass and just avoided Ernie. Shelly said that on MRN's scanner frequency, someone said that Derrike made a hell of a move to avoid that. But Derrike bent up the air dam again and the SKITTLES® team needed to repair it.

Back to Green flag racing. Ryan told Derrike next pit stop around 26 to go. They made the decision to do 2 tires. Ryan said we were OK on 2 earlier, we should be OK now. Green flag pit stops were happening and Ryan told Derrike to stay out and get 5 bonus points. They stayed out one extra lap as the spotter said, "Ryan, you see there are 2 cars smoking." Boy was I praying for a caution! But no luck.

Final pit stop was good as the SKITTLES® team took on 2 tires and this time Ryan said, "Derrike, leave on me not the jack." Ryan repeated it a few times. After that stop the SKITTLES® car moved and I anticapated a top 10 maybe, but as Derrike fell back he came on the radio and said "left rear tire is giving up." Ryan said race hard, only a few laps remaining. The final 2 laps were spent fighting to hold off Geoff Bodine.

As the checkered flag waved for Jarrett, my eyes were still on Derrike as he raced to hold off Bodine and Derrike did! Derrike came on the radio and asked where they finished. 16th was Ryan's reply. Derrike said, "Sorry guys, but that's all it had left." Ryan said great job on the last few laps. Derrike's spotter said "GREAT job D.C." I can only say the same, GREAT JOB DERRIKE AND THE WHOLE TEAM!