MBNA Platinum 400 Live Report by Patty Leizear

Too much traffic; $20 parking; ran out of cups and ice; not a good start. Weather decent though. Scanner lingo: During the pace laps - checking the radio - everything is clear (good thing, after the trouble they had in Charlotte with communication via the radios!).

• Lap 3- got around slower cars - good job!
• Lap 10 - wreck - got through - good job! Made the decision to stay out. DC: Car is not bad - just a tick tight off.
• Lap 14 - 22nd place. Lookin' good!
• Lap 26 - 21st place. Lookin' even better!
• Lap 33 - caution - 4 tires and gas - DC says everything else is okay. The pit stop sounded okay, but he came out behind the #3 car, which tells me that their pit stop was slower than Earnhardt's. Went in 21st - came out 26th - Lost 5 spots.
• Lap 62 - losing a few spots - maybe bad set of tires? No one is talking.
• Lap 82 - passed #3 car - DC: something is happening with the motor - tightening up.
• Lap 86 - 1 lap down. Bummer.
• Lap 100 - Caution for debris. 4 tires, gas, take bite out - tight in the middle and off. ½ lb. in right rear. Timing on that pit stop looked a lot faster/better. DC: Car is making funny noises in the rear.
• Lap 112 - Caution for debris - tailpipe off the #41 car - DC stays out - car seems to be okay.
• Lap 135 - DC: car is getting loose.
• Lap 150 - A lot of cars going around #30. DC: Car is loose everywhere!
• Lap 155 - DC: Racetrack has gone away from us - pretty bad. Doug Hewitt tells DC to hang in there - we'll work on it, we'll make it better. (BTW, the spotter is doing an excellent job today) DH: you're about 1.5 seconds behind everyone else - you're going to have to come in. Dropping track bar and put in bit. DC reports the car is really loose.
• Lap 164 - 4 tires and drop track bar. Back in for a stop and go. Why? Never said on the scanner. Had to wait and find out when I got home and watched the tape to know that it was speeding on pit road. DC did seem to speed up a little once he got to about the next to last pit stall, but then again, so did everyone else. Guess he was the only one to get caught. DC: Check tires for vibration.
• Lap 170 - DC: vibration still there. Back in for 4 new tires, gas, round of bite. DC: take your time, guys and get them tight.
• Lap 190 - Caution. DC reports still loose. Came in - took 4 tires, put 1 lb. air in front tire. DH: We've got nothing to lose - we've got you so far behind, we just need to finish the race. DH: Keep 4 tires on the wall in case the vibration come back.
• Lap 196 - 36th place - 3 laps down. I stopped watching.

At least the weather was good. Wish I could have had better news to report, but, we'll go on to Richmond! Keep those chins up, guys!!