Early Wreck Ends Darnell’s Night at Charlotte Finishing 34th
October 17, 20094:04 PM
CONCORD, NC (October 16, 2009) – Erik Darnell was hoping tonight’s Dollar General 300 would be the race when things would begin to turn around for the No. 6 Northern Tool + Equipment team. The team has struggled the last several races, and they were looking for some momentum heading into the final stretch of the season. However, a wreck on lap 68 involving Darnell ended his night early; crushing any hopes of a finish that would get the team moving in the right direction.
Darnell lined up for tonight’s race on the outside of row three (sixth) beside the No. 18 of Kyle Busch. Immediately following the green flag Darnell dropped down to the inside line hoping to gain a few spots on the opening lap. By lap eight though Darnell had fallen back to the eighth spot with the No. 6 NT+E Ford machine fighting tightness through the center groove when exiting. A wreck four laps later brought out the first caution with Darnell ready for some changes. Crew Chief Mike Kelley elected to bring Darnell in while the leaders stayed out. The car received both track bar and air pressure adjustments, right-sided tires, a rubber in the right rear tire and fuel. Darnell restarted back in the pack in the 16th position on lap 21.
Now 15 laps into the two-tire stop, Darnell still was not pleased with the progress he was making on the track. He had only moved up one spot since the restart telling Kelley that more work still needed to be done on the car. Darnell’s report on the car held true as he dropped two spots to the No.88 of Brad Keselowski and the No. 87 of Dave Blaney. His lap times though were getting better as the laps ticked away, but Darnell still wasn’t making much ground on the field.
Green flag pit stops began by lap 57, but Darnell stayed out since it was just 35 laps ago that he had pitted under yellow. So as the leaders made their stops, the No.6 made its way up the leader board grabbing ninth place at lap 59 and climbing up to the seventh spot by lap 60 A caution two laps later gave way to wedge and air pressure adjustments, four tires and fuel. The 14.15 second stop by the NT+E pit crew allowed Darnell to restart from the same position he was in when he entered the pits.
Just as Darnell was beginning to get adjusted to the changes made to the car, he was hit from the inside by the No. 38 of Jason Leffler on lap 68 when exiting out of turn one. It appeared Leffler got loose which sent his car up the track hitting the No. 6 and sending it into the wall. The car then slid down the track getting hit a second time. Darnell was okay, but his night was over. The damage to the car was beyond repair. The result was a very frustrating 34th-place finish.
“From the footage it just looked like the 38 got up the track and had no where to go. We just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I really hate it for our team. The car wasn’t great, but we continued making adjustments to get it back up front. I’m just really frustrated right now. We had a top 10 car tonight. I just want to thank Mike [Kelley] and the crew for all their hard work over the last couple of days,” explained Darnell.
Darnell and the No. 6 NT+E team are back in action next week at Memphis Motorsports Park for the Kroger on Track for the Cure 250. Coverage begins at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN 2.
About Northern Tool + Equipment
Northern Tool + Equipment has been a supplier of high-quality tools and equipment for more than 27 years, selling products through direct mail, the Internet and at nearly 70 retail locations in 11 states. Along with a deep selection of hand, power and air tools, Northern Tool + Equipment carries a wide variety of products, including generators, pressure washers, air compressors, hydraulics, small engines, trailers, water pumps, tractors, welding equipment and much more. Northern Tool + Equipment also serves as the exclusive distributor of NorthStarTM brand equipment, which is fabricated and assembled at the company’s 250,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility. For more information, visit www.northerntool.com.
About Roush Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR’s largest team operating nine motorsports teams. Five in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; three in the Nationwide Series with Kenseth, Biffle, Edwards, Ragan, Erik Darnell, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Colin Braun; and one in the Camping World Truck Series with Braun.
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