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Start - 15th | Competitors - 23 | High - 3rd | Low - 19th | Finish - 7th | analyzer report
Race Report - July 26th, 2005 - Race 20 of 36
Heart shaped tubs and images of Dirty Dancing come to mind when one thinks of the Poconos and the grandeur of the former vacation get away. For the race hauler, it only means long runs up a hilly country that is dotted with small shack like houses off of Interstate 80. Pocono is picturesque however and there's lots to see at the race track. The NASS Lightning contingent of drivers pulled into Long Pond Pennsylvania for the second and last stint of the season on Tuesday.
Driver Kevin Inglin was prepped to do battle at the 'triangle' but hustled the car a bit too much in qualifying and found himself having to dig out of a hole after qualifying fifteenth. Undaunted he charged ferociously on the start and was knocking on a top ten slot when uncharacteristically the big one happened on lap five. Somewhere up front two cars came together and ever car charging off the exit of turn one found the pavement completely blocked. Stacking up like Dominos several cars careened off themselves and the outside barrier. The AMSOIL ECI Express cleared the wreck with no damaged despite a long spin and slight contact with several cars. Unfortunately for Kevin however he was sitting backward in the grass when all was said and done and after getting the car righted had dropped all the way to nineteenth in the standings.
A short green flag segment and then two quick yellows brought the field back to pit road on laps ten and eighteen respectively. The team opted to change two tires for track position on the later stop and it was a good call as Kevin restarted in third and was able to hang in the top five for much of the next ensuing segment. Two tires started to take it's toll however as Kevin slipped back from the lead group and was in seventh place when the team made it's first green flag pitstop on lap fifty-five.
With four fresh tires and enough fuel to make it to the finish, Kevin held his own and continued a torrid battle with the sixth place Miles Hammrick.
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Francios Bergeron was having a strong run and ran down this duo when they weren't looking. The pass was clean but Kevin slipped and bounced hard of the wall with considerable damage to the right side on lap sixty-eight. Fortunately a caution waived and everyone was able to duck in and make final adjustments. With damaged repaired, Kevin restarted in eleventh with fourteen to go and charged to eighth in short order. One more car was in sight and Kevin made chase for Bart Hoyle. Drawing underneath off turn four both drivers ran side-by-side down the frontstretch with two to go. Contact was made on the entry of turn one and Hoyle's Captain D's Dodge ricocheted to the high groove and out of contention. Inglin held off a fast charging Nickle to the line and finished up seventh on the night.
Kevin Inglin, the pilot of the AMSOIL Chevy had this to say after the run:
"It was a solid run but I gotta say that I just don't like this track much - or should I say that I don't think this track likes me... I can run pretty hard here but just can't find speed. I was up on the wheel a lot tonight and the bright spot of the night had to be the back and forth battle with Miles there in the middle segment. I feel just terrible about the contact with Bart. It was one of those racin deals and I was really concentrating on holding the car down but we still made contact. I drew up from a couple of seconds and couldn't pass up the opportunity to try and get the spot but that's certainly not the way we wanted it. I haven't seen the replay so I really don't know what happened. I'm going to have to go back and look at it.
We're getting beat after going through turn three. We'll have to work on that corner for next time that's for sure. Truthfully, I just couldn't wait for the race to be over. I'm not sure I've ever felt that way while actively in contention for a race.
We get a week off this week and I'll be enjoying the reprieve. We'll gear up for Indy and hope for a good run. We had some wheel problems there last year so we have no notes to go by. Hopefully we'll get a practice in and get a solid finish come race day.
Until Indy... "
