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RACE REPORT BASHAS’ SUPERMARKETS 200

Posted by Zeos on 4/22/2006, 10:31 am
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RACE REPORT BASHAS’ SUPERMARKETS 200 ONE-MILE, PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
Moore Consulting Group - Apr 22, 2006
Luck was just not on the side of David Gilliland and the #84 Hype Manufacturing Chevrolet team Friday night. Gilliland, on various occasions, fell on the wrong side of good fortune during Friday night’s Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 at the flat one-mile Phoenix International Raceway.
Gilliland, making his fifth career NASCAR Busch Series start, qualified 31st earlier in the afternoon. The team, however, proved once again to be strong during the race. It wasn’t the competition, but luck their worst enemy. It started early when overheating issues made Gilliland race conservative. That problem overcome, Gilliland had to fight to get back on the lead lap.
Time-after-time, Gilliland was always on the cusp of getting back on the lead lap before another car took the “lucky dog” award. Gilliland’s break did finally come at the very last possible opportunity. On the 190th circuit, and last lap to be awarded the free pass, Gilliland raced to the beneficiary position. He took advantage, and was racing for a top-20 finish before the car slid into the Turn Four wall with only three laps remaining. It was another strong performance taken away by Lady Luck. Gilliland finished 33rd.
“These things happen,” said Gilliland after the race. “It’s just one of those deals. There were three laps to go and we were on new tires. We were digging hard all night to get back on the lead lap. We weren’t great at the start, but we were getting a lot better at the end. It just wasn’t our night at the end, but we have a lot to take away from tonight. We were fast at the end. We’ll get to Richmond and go from there.”
Kevin Harvick took the win. He beat fellow Nextel Cup competitor Reed Sorenson to the line who was followed by Carl Edwards. The top eight finishers were Nextel Cup regulars. Harvick dominated the late stages of the race leading the final 50 laps.
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