rpm.espn.com: Back-up cars allowed to race

ESPN Network: ESPN.com \| RPM \| NFL.com \| NBA.com \| NHL.com \| ESPNdeportes \| ABCSports \| EXPN \| FANTASY

Start your engines!
Play RPM.ESPN Stock Car Challenge!

Win a Honda S2000!
Play The CART Challenge powered by Honda!

Sunday, May 20
Back-up cars allowed to race
By Bill Frederickson
ESPN.com

CONCORD, N.C. -- The format for The Winston has changed over the years. But nothing like this. Saturday night's edition of NASCAR's annual all-star event at Lowe's Motor Speedway was long on excitement and short on rules.

The 70-lap event -- made up of two 30-lap segments followed by a 10-lap shootout -- was started during a slight drizzle. Unfortunately, the wet weather wreaked havoc on the race's first lap.

Rookie Kevin Harvick crashed, collecting Michael Waltrip, Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton in the process.

"In NASCAR's haste to put on the show, it seems as if we perhaps started the race on a wet track," Waltrip said. "My prized Chevrolet is torn all to pieces and I'm not too pleased about that."

Since a single lap hadn't been completed, NASCAR ruled the drivers were allowed to pull out their back-up cars.

As the rain continued to fall and delay the re-start of the event, the garage came alive as teams busily prepared their back-up rides for the race.

"This is why I love where I race," said Burton, whose Roush Racing team united to help swap the motor from his wrecked primary car into his back-up car. "We had four crew chiefs, every crew member from every team that could help was over here and did all of that in something like 30 minutes. That's awesome. It's a total team effort."

Once the cars were prepared they passed through inspection and were back on the grid. Little did anyone know, however, Gordon would race his way to Victory Lane.

Whether or not Gordon, and his fellow back-up brethren, should have even been competing was a hot topic following the race.

"That's the way the rules are," said Rusty Wallace, who finished 15th. "That's not normal, but hey, you've got to commend them. To be able to come off the truck with a car that is that prepared and go out there and run ..."

Winston Cup points leader Dale Jarrett followed Gordon to the checkered flag. But even he didn't see a problem with NASCAR's decision.

"Yeah, why not?" said Jarrett, who is still searching for his first win in The Winston. "These people came out here to see all the winners compete and that's what they got to see."

Burton agreed.

"This is a crazy night, that's for sure," he said. "I don't think I have every hand an experience like this where they change the rules midstream or make the rules as they go. I'm not complaining, because this is The Winston."

The unique format run at The Winston breeds the unusual. Historically, the race has been noted for hard driving and fantastic finishes. But this year's running will be remembered for a wreck, rain and rules.

"I've never seen anybody bring out a damn back-up car and put in motors, but this is a crazy deal we're doing here anyway," said Ward Burton, who finished sixth and led 14 laps. "To make up rules as we go is fine with me,"

Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories

	Gordon overcomes rain, wreck to win The Winston Rain delays The Winston Benson, Bodine advance to The Winston The Winston results Winston Open results No Bull Sprint results