Race Report

track reporting by Speed


Bob wins Loudon in a neck to neck shoot out.

New Hampshire International Speedway - (8/24/2001) - The race started with Bob in   3rd place but not for long as he would lead the first lap.   Then on lap 2   Stenzo hits the #31 car and spins out.   As they slid back down the track in turn one, he would get hit by the #36 car and the #25 car.   This would bring out the first of   7 cautions in this race.   After pitting Stenzo gets all of his damage fixed but gets black flagged for speeding on pit row.   So as the field go's green on lap 5,   Stenzo comes in to serve his black flag.   Then stenzo gets lucky as the yellow flag comes out on lap 7.

Speed hits the #2 car bring out caution #2.   Coyote did not make it threw out some damage to his car.   They go green again on lap 10 with Bob still in the lead, Speed in 6th, Stenzo in 26th and Coyote in 29th place.   The next caution come out when Coyote clips the #10 car on lap 23.   The race go's green from lap 25 to lap 68 before the next yellow.   Unfortunately on lap 45 Stenzo would cut a tire after rubbing the outside wall.   He had to pit under green and would go down two laps.   The caution brought out on lap 68 involved the #10 car hitting the #2 car which then hit the #20 car.   The #18 car came to a stop right in front of Coyote who hits him and the #40 car damaging his car again.

Everyone pits under this yellow on lap 71.   Bob who was the leader has a problem hearing his spotter on the radio and stays out thinking pit row was still closed and has to pit the next time around on lap 72.   This causes Bob to re-start in 22nd place right behind Coyote.   On the re-start Speed wastes no time getting to the front and takes over the lead on lap 75.   Then on lap 85 Bob hits the #20 car bring out a caution.   Bob had worked his way back up to 5th place when he hits the #43 car on lap 89 and spun out falling back to 24th place.   Bob's (crew chief) told him to come in under this yellow and get some new tires.   Hoping that Bob could work his way back up to the front with only 12 laps to go.

On the re-start Stenzo ran into the #31 car turning him into the outside lane slowing up the field from 7th place back.   This allowed Bob to cut down to the left lane and avoid hitting anyone and moved from 22nd to 7th place.   On the same lap Speed was being passed by Coyote in turn three.  Until Speed hit the #24 car and spun down into Coyote's car turning him up into the outside wall.   This brings out the last caution of the day.   Coyote would have to pit to fix his damage and rejoins the pack in 23rd position.   Stenzo also having problems on this lap as he runs into the #22 car and blows his motor.   Stenzo was running in 26th position one lap down when his happened.

The race went green again on lap 99 with six laps to go.   Speed was leading and Bob was in 6th place with new tires on his car.   Bob was hoping he could run down the leaders in six laps.   Coyote was now in 23rd position with new rubber on his car too.   Coyote would manger to finish in 4th place.   As Speed and Bob drag raced to the finish with Bob diving low in turn 4 and getting under Speed as they raced to the line.(as seen above)   This would be the closes race to the finish line in a long time at Speedlan.   Bob now has 7 WINs this year.