Major pileup slows racing early, jumbles standings at the top
By SceneDaily Staff
Monday, June 02, 2008
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Nick Laham / Getty Images
Elliott Sadler came down on David Gilliland, sparking this 10-car crash.
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DOVER, Del. – It didn't take long for things to spin out of control at Dover International Speedway, not when six of the top 12 drivers Sprint Cup points standings were among those caught up in a crash less than 20 laps into Sunday's race.
The field was still packed together in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Best Buy 400 when Elliott Sadler came down the track and made contact with David Gilliland. The Gillett Evernham Motorsports driver's car began to spin off Turn 2, and drivers began to pile in to the crash. Joe Gibbs Racing's Tony Stewart hit Sadler, then others followed. Each time the accident seemed to be ending, someone else would pile into it. Finally, Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin slammed into the pile of cars, with Richard Childress Racing's Kevin Harvick close behind. In the end, 11 cars would be involved in the incident.
Richard Childress Racing's Clint Bowyer, Gillett Evernham Motorsports' Kasey Kahne, Joe Gibbs Racing's Hamlin, Stewart, RCR's Harvick, Hendrick Motorsports' Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s Paul Menard, Wood Brothers Racing's Bill Elliott, Petty Enterprises' Bobby Labonte and Haas CNC Racing's Scott Riggs were also involved in the accident.
Afterward, Stewart calmly laid blame for the accident.
"I take 100 percent responsibility," he said. "It's my fault for being even anywhere close to Elliott. If I'm within a half a lap of him, I expect that to happen. It's my fault - I'm the one that hit him. When I hit him it caused all the guys behind us to wreck. So it's my fault."
Sadler, who had not seen a replay, said that he wasn't sure how the wreck evolved.
"I was trying to go under [Jeremy Mayfield] to pass him and then [Gilliland] I guess was coming in under me," Sadler said. "We made it three wide and I think he just got into the back of me a little bit. All of a sudden I got loose … I was concentrating on [Mayfield] and trying to give him plenty of room and I didn't know that David was going to make it three wide. I didn't know he was there."
Sadler went on to finish 42nd with Hamlin 43rd and Stewart 41st.
As to Hamlin, a late entrant into the crash, he said that he was slowing down from the moment his spotter called the crash. He just couldn't get stopped in time.
"I came piling in there way late," Hamlin said. "I had [Bobby Labonte] right on my bumper, trying not to get hit from him. When I heard, 'Wreck off Turn 2,' I immediately was on the brakes. It's just these cars don't stop as well as they had in the past."
Harvick, meanwhile, says he had actually stopped before he got hit in the rear and slammed into Hamlin. He did complete more laps, but settled for a 38th-place finish. The accident jumbled the standings a bit, though it didn't drop anyone out of the top 12. Bowyer fell three spots to eighth in the standings, with Hamlin losing five spots (now ninth), Harvick three (now 10th) and Stewart three (now 11th).
- Mentioned Drivers:
- Bill Elliott
Comments
4 responses to "Major pileup slows racing early, jumbles standings at the top "
Kris Leonia said:
Jun 2, 2008 at 6:19 AMSeemed like everything went wrong on this deal. Gilliland taps Sadlers rear and spins him into the fence. Stewart collects all of Sadler due to his car not rolling to the bottom of the track which they normally do. After that its on. Hamlin flies in like a bat outta hell way after the caution was thrown and they had been wrecking (not sure if his spotter fell asleep or what as to not make you react to that melee happening). That adds to the carnage and after all said and done, 6 of the top 12 are done for the day. Hopefully things go better for these guys next week. On a downside, Fox did a good job on their coverage this year, hopefully ESPN/ABC can continue that trend.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportMark O'Brien said:
Jun 2, 2008 at 8:14 AMGilliland is a weapon, can anyone tell me why he has a ride? I know he is not the only one at falut with this, But he is the one that started with 20 laps on the board. I really can't see why he stays at yates he is a one race wonder. Somebody with connetions to Yates tell him to get rid of him, I think he would maybe be a great replacement for Brett Bodine in the Pace car that might go slow enough for him.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportAnonymous said:
Jun 2, 2008 at 12:30 PMLMAO @ Tony's interview !! Right on Smoke !
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» Confirm Abuse ReportTimothy Schultze said:
Jun 3, 2008 at 8:38 PMYea its to bad that Elliott Sadler had to come down on the David Gilliland but maybe Gillette can find somebody to fill that ride as we know contracts are made to be broken HOW does Elliott Sadler keep a ride he does NO better then David Gilliland it all depends on who ya like and how ya want to look at it. Ray Evernham will be moving on real quick he's only got 20% stake in that show any more anyway. Tell it like it is Tony Stewart !!!!!!!!!!!
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