Clermont, Ind. (August 7, 2006) – O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Ind. is one of the toughest tracks on the NASCAR Busch Series circuit. This held true when Auggie Vidovich and the No. 4 GEICO Racing team hit the 0.686-mile short-track for the series’ first practice session in preparation for the Kroger “200” benefiting Riley Hospital for Children on Saturday.
The GEICO team benefited from multiple changes during the first session after struggling with an ill-handling car. “We changed shocks, springs, and sway bars,” said interim Crew Chief, Joe Dan Bailey. “Toward the end of practice, we threw everything at it but the kitchen sink!”
After qualifying 33rd, Vidovich strapped into the GEICO Dodge for 200 laps of bumper-to-bumper action under the lights at the newly-renamed short track. At the drop of the green flag, Vidovich worked his way into the top-25 while dodging the event’s first four cautions. On lap 55, NASCAR displayed the caution flag for debris, which brought the leaders to pit road.
Bailey had a one pit stop strategy in mind and would keep Vidovich on-track while the leaders hit pit road. When the race returned to green flag action, Vidovich was 4th on the scoring sheets and he would remain in the top-ten until lap 70. Sticking to his plan for a one pit stop race, Bailey held off on bringing Vidovich to pit road until the next caution which was displayed after Burney Lamar spun on lap 78.
Vidovich brought the GEICO Dodge to pit road for four tires
and fuel but on the ensuing restart the ill-handling condition
that the team fought in practice reemerged Without
another opportunity to hit pit road, Vidovich was forced to fight
an ultra tight race car in the closing laps, ultimately finishing
34th.
The next NASCAR Busch Series race for the GEICO team is
Saturday, August 12th, at the historic Watkins Glen road course
in upstate New York. Live television coverage can
be seen on NBC starting at 2 p.m. EDT, while radio coverage will
be provided by the MRN radio network.