The Highs and the Lowes...

Start - 8th | Competitors - 16| High - 1st| Low - 13th | Finish - 11th

Ask many a driver which track is there favorite and they'll tell you the Lowes Motor Speedway. From the first lap of practice to the last hundred yards of pavement leading to the finish of the race, there something comfortable about the Charlotte Motor Speedway. It's like a worn in pair of jeans that fits just right. The atmosphere is electric, even for a simulation. The track under the lights gives off an aura that is frenzied and energetic.

The NASS Lightning drivers have been on a tear lately. Perhaps its due to the fact that Lowes is the 16th race in a stretch of 21 races. Or just maybe, its because some drivers are hungry to finish the season on a strong note. Who knows? What one does know is a lot of equipment got torn up this week and Scott Olson emerged victorious once the dust had settled.

Following the strategy that had propelled the team to good finishes in the past couple of weeks, the AMSOIL Pontiac team drove a patient and conservative race. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough as three separate incidents during the course of the evening brought the team from the Highs to the Lowes.

Starting mid pack, Inglin stayed near the tail end of the lead group as several early race cautions clicked off in quick order. During a caution on lap 27 the team came down pit road for fresh rubber and a full tank of 76 racing gasoline. Unfortunately contact between two competitors resulted in one careening off the ECI Express and shoving it into the pit wall. It was a scary incident as the gas man and rear tire carrier had to jump back over the pit wall to safety. Luckily for the crew members, no one was injured but the same couldn't be said for the car. Hard to believe that damage so severe could come from pit wall contact. The team fixed the car as best they could and sent Inglin back out to the fray.

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Lowes continued.

Restarting in ninth, Inglin continued the cruise control mode until lap 77. Clipping the apron in turn three, Inglin had to ease out of the gas as the car picked up a push exiting turn four. Greg Sinclear who was following closely chose the low line out of turn four to pass Inglin. Unfortunately for Inglin, Sinclear cut the car too hard, clipped the grass, and spun across the track into the outside lane where Inglin was. Both cars piled into the wall resulting in severe damage to the back of the ASMOIL ride.

There was no choice but to pit and patch the back of the car as well as possible. Sent back out, Inglin did all he could to hold on to a car that had no rear spoiler to speak of. That was until Sinclear did it again on lap 104. Sinclear, also suffering from a rear spoiler deficit, lost the car out of turn two this time. Who was on the outside as Sinclear's Dodge careened across the track? You guessed it! The ECI Express went head on into the backstretch wall and that was all she wrote. Inglin nursed the car around for a couple of laps but enough was enough. The final tally; damaged right front suspension, the rear deck pushed to the back window, two flat tires, and a motor that wasn't up to full song.

Kevin Inglin - "Well, I think we had a top five car tonight. It's really a shame but these things happen. It was just one of those racin deals. I saw Greg in the grass and figured I was a goner. That second one I didn't expect. With out a doubt, that had to be one of the hardest hits of the year. I think my eyes about popped out of their sockets! Again, I know Greg didn't mean it, and he was over as soon as the race was over to apologize. It sure was a mess out there tonight. Everyone was super aggressive again this week. If we could have kept clean, I know we woulda been a contender for the win at the end. Where are we again? Martinsville? Oh yeah, that's right, this is Lowes... Martinsville is next week!".

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