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Mediocre Michigan Part II ... | More >> | Recap Archives: 2005 | 2004 | 2003

Start - 13th | Competitors - 25 | High - 1st | Low - 18th | Finish - 9th | analyzer report
Race Report - June 21st, 2005 - Race 15 of 36

Fans rave about Richmond, Bristol, and Daytona. Compelling arguments can be made for all three of these venues but almost every driver would tell you that Michigan sets the high water mark for competitiveness, driveability, and sheer excitement. With multiple distinct grooves, wide pit boxes and enough strategy components to challenge even the best a crew chief has to offer, it's no wonder that drivers love to pull into the Irish Hills of Michigan.

The ECI Express AMSOIL, Easter Outerwear Chevy team was thrilled to unload the car off the hauler as every time they visit they know that with a little luck the circumstances can mean favorable results. Even the driver was cautiously optimistic even though he qualified in the thirteenth position. Pacing himself at the drop of the green flag Kevin found his way into the top ten early and by the lap twenty five was riding in the midst of the lead pack. Racing, even at early stages, was fast paced and harried as drivers were competing at a fervor that to the casual observer would have looked as if there were two to go.

A caution at lap twenty saw many of the top runners duck in for fuel. Kevin had been easy on his tires and was hanging tough. The team was running it's own agenda and looking to minimize the stops on pit road. The team planned to maximize the fuel window and not let the competition dictate the strategy. The goal was to get farther then everyone else and negate a pitstop in the closing laps. As planned Kevin kept it in fourth gear eased off early and stretched the fuel run farther then everyone else. Right on cue all of the other competitors ducked in for fuel and tires and the AMSOIL Chevy eventually made it's way to the lead for laps forty-nine and fifty. Having run as far as needed, Kevin ducked in for tires, fuel and a cold drink. Returning to the track in eight place the team was the only car set to go the distance should the race run green to the finish.

Luck is a fickle thing and odds were that the race would most likely have one more caution. Sitting pretty the caution that the team didn't want to see happened on lap sixty when teammate Dan Bailey and Brett Molzohn came together while competing for the lead.

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Mediocre Michigan Part II... | << back | 2004 Race Archive | 2003 Race Archive

The strategy had to be adjusted and Kevin would have to take a more proactive approach to the finish to the race. In many respects this is what a driver likes but sometimes aggression leads to undesireable results. On the restart, with cold tires and over eagerness, Kevin buzzed the tires, wobbled, and then brushed the wall. The brush didn't look bad but it had considerable impact on the aero of the car and Kevin was no longer able to keep pace with the front pack. The best he could do is charge with the second pack and get the best finish possible - That's exactly what happened. The yellow flag waived on lap seventy-six and the entire pack had to settle for a yellow-checkered finish. Kevin crossed the line in ninth which when all was said and done was a respectable finish.

Kevin Inglin, the pilot of the AMSOIL Chevy had this to say after the run:

"I'm not satisfied with ninth but in the end what can you do. We had our own strategy today and if things would have played out we would have beat everyone on fuel mileage. We conceded a top run to try the strategy and that late race caution put us at a minor disadvantage but the risk was acceptable. I guess I'm to blame for that last restart. The car jumped sideways and I was afraid to loose the draft so I kept my foot in it. The car wobbled right, then left, then right again. It was that last wobble where I smacked the wall. I thought to myself, that wasn't so bad but when we got to the backstretch I knew I was in trouble.

I was racing for a top five and a shot at the win today. I ran pretty aggressively and sometimes that can cost you. It did here but I'll trade a bit of risk any day for a shot at a potential win. I've won at Michigan before and when you do that you just carry some confidence so I look forward to coming back here.

Speaking of looking forward, we race Milwaukee on Thursday night. It's like my favorite track Loudon and I'm feeling good about our potential for a top finish and maybe even competing for a win. We'll see how things turn out there and for Sears Point (Infineon for the modernists) next Tuesday.

Until next week... "