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Pit Stops

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 26, 2007

PIT STOPS

BULL VERSUS THE HARE?

The full exchange from young gun Denny Hamlin and old stalwart Kyle Petty about their wreck at Dover didn't run with Monday's coverage in the Tribune. Here were the most biting remarks:

Petty: 'I watched the Busch race Saturday and I knew Denny was sick. I just didn't know he was hallucinating and needed three lanes to get up off the corner, because he ran all over us.'

And Hamlin: 'I know Kyle gets run over a lot, and the reason is he is so far off the pace. I firmly believe in my heart he was trying to get out of the way.'

Hamlin, running sixth halfway through what turned out to be a wreck-filled race, ran into the back of Petty while trying to lap him. Hamlin and Clint Bowyer, who are both in the Chase, took major damage to their cars.

FIRST ONE'S BEST

Every driver remembers his first victory in any form of motor racing. Bowyer's story is one of the better ones.

'I'll give you the short version, because it was awesome,' he said. 'It was in the street stock class, I was driving a '78 Camaro, in Junction City, Kan. I was like 16 years old, and I was small when I was 16. A guy had crashed me - he ran into me under caution and knocked my left-rear tire down, and they black-flagged him. They let me go in and change my left rear tire and put me back out front, which was not supposed to happen.

'Nonetheless, we went back out and won the race. The old boy wasn't too happy about it. There was a huge fight. He went out and got in a fight with the flagman, and the flagman was hiding in the concession stand, and it was awesome, quite a show. I will never forget pulling onto the scales in that car and the guy comes up to me - a big, ol' burly guy - and here I was looking for a place to hide. I didn't take my helmet off, I can promise you that.'

HOT LAPS

Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti still doesn't have a contract with Chip Ganassi to race in Nextel Cup next year, but both are working toward that goal. Franchitti, who also won the 2007 Indy Racing League title, is expected to make his NASCAR-style debut in the ARCA race at Talladega next week. ... Darrell Waltrip is sticking with his pre-Chase pick of Carl Edwards to win the championship. 'I've been surprised at the great turnaround of the Roush cars,' he said on Speed Channel's 'Wind Tunnel.' ... In case you missed it, Coors is replacing longtime sponsor Anheuser-Busch as NASCAR's official beer. The pole award will officially be called the Coors Light Pole.

HE SAID IT

'I've been on fire from here to Australia. I've had some burns, but I've gotten out of every crash and never had a scratch. I've never had a broken bone before, so this is all new to me.' - Drag racing legend John Force, 58, on his horrific Funny Car crash Sunday at the Texas Motorplex. Force has already begun rehab at Baylor University Medical Center after undergoing six hours of reconstructive surgery on his feet, legs and hands.

Tony Fabrizio

ONLINE POLL

How should Chase teams be penalized for car infractions during the Chase: The same as during the regular season for consistency, or less because points in the Chase are more important? Vote at TBO.com, Keyword: Auto Racing, and see the results in Sunday's Tribune.

PIT STOPS

ONLINE POLL

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