The objective of Jeremy Mayfield before the race was clear: To gain the competition without worrying to enter to Top 10 that will compete by the Nextel glass. The result: Fulfilled mission.
Mayfield obtained his first victory of the year after 4 years of drought, when the leader Kurt Busch remained without fuel to 8 turns of the end. Thus Mayfield took to the disputed Chevy Rock and roll 400 in the dusk of the Richmond International Raceway.
This triumph allowed Mayfield to enter to the fight by the Nextel glass, that already started from this same competition. Jeremy advanced 5 squares in the championship thanks to this victory.
“There was no another alternative that to gain the race and to try to lead the greater amount of possible returns”, the pilot of Dodge said. “All the equipment was focused in the triumph from the previous days.”
The joy of Mayfield was transformed into the bitterness of the rookie, and teammate, Kasey Kahne, that after culminating 12º, was without chances in the championship of pilots.
“My car was pathetic”, said Kahne. “It has been a bad day.”
Jamie McMurray suffered an equal fate arriving 9º without chances to fight by crown 2004. Jamie now is 11º in the table.
The equipment of McMurray made all the possible attempts so that Jamie enters to Top 10, to the point to request aid to other equipment. But when the Dodge Intrepid remained no longer without power there was more nothing to do.
“The motor to 25 turns of the end was broken, obvious the luck did not accompany
to me”, expressed a heartbroken McMurray.
Other mathematical pilots with chances, like Bobby Labonte, Kevin Harvick and Dale Jarrett, had activities pobrísimas in the track of 0,75 miles.
The fight by crown 2004 will begin with Jeff Gordon to the front, followed by Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Tony Stewart, Elliott Sadler, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Jeremy Mayfield and Ryan Newman, all distanced of 5 in 5 points to each other.
Altogether Chevrolet will be 4, 4 Ford and 2 Dodge in search of crown 2004.
The 4 times candidate to the championship but never champion, Mark Martin, will try to look for his first title after a series of solid results in the last races.
“I pressed as hard as it was possible”, said Martin to me. “We delivered a great attack in these last races and will continue working to obtain the title.”
Jimmie Johnson, who arrived at the circuit like leader of the points, suffered an accident in the middle of race delayed that it until 36º put. The leadership of the match happened at the hands of his coequiper Jeff Gordon.
The accident that moved away chances of Johnson produced after a contact between Jimmy Spencer and Casey Mears. Several cars were piled up in the incident.
“Thus it is as the system works”, ofuscado Jimmie said. “Several pilots make any stupidity to try to classify itself without anticipating severe risks for other competitors. He is why I am not in agreement with this closing of year type playoff…”
