Monster Mile

Once again the tour rolls into Dover this weekend. As I have been for the past 18 years, I will be there this sunday. Now Dover was hands down the worst track for Smoke last year. I would think that he will be better this time around, as he possibly couldn't get any worse. I will be at work today and both practices are during the daytime. Could anyone post any updates regarding how Tony is running? Thanks

Well do you want the truth or would you rather a little white lie?? .............
Truth: He is 41 st in speed first practice and was following Ryan around the track. Not a happy driver and not doing well. Did a qualifying run: 21st. I would say back to the drawing board. Hope you can bring him some good luck, he is going to need it.

White Lie: New track record, first in practice. Dancing in the garage!



Have a great time, hope it doesn't rain.

Thanks Annalee. Yeah, it's been brutal the last few trips to Dover watching Smoke just waiting for the flag to end the race. Was hoping having Addington would change his fortune there, especially since this is a chase track come fall. Not really excited by those 1st practice numbers either.

I'm hoping Smoke sandbagged the 1st practice, but I don't think so. Unless his team can find something quickly with that car, it will be another long, disappointing monster mile for Tony.

I'm hoping Smoke sandbagged the 1st practice, but I don't think so. Unless his team can find something quickly with that car, it will be another long, disappointing monster mile for Tony.

I was too! But his face tell's the whole picture and it wasn't happy! Usually if he is sandbagging he is at least joking around...........when he started following Ryan around the track,that is not good news. He never does that.

We'll have to see how he does in the 2nd practice. The broadcast guys were talking about sandbagging in the 1st practice cause it's supposed to be hotter when they qualify tomorrow so some would probably want to go out early. I don't know if that's something that Tony does, but here's hoping he did today. Otherwise they're in trouble...

But he's not going out early to qualify - he's mid-pack with his final speed in practice. If he wanted to qualify early, he should have stayed around 41st and not bothered with that last mock qualifying run. cheez

Please stop the insanity. The definition of insanity is to do something over and over again with no results. There is failure to communicate! I think it's the way Tony sits in the car. I think they should build the car around him. I come from 18 engineers. I think the solution is something that is simple that you're over looking. Tony can't adjust to the setup. You're a championship team.
Please go back to basics. Build the car around him.

GOOD NEWS!!! Matt Yocum just said they have worked out the kinks and Tony is really happy with it, just a few more tweaks. They interviewed Ryan too, and he said they took something from their Bristol setup and he likes his set up too! Yeah, Happy Dance time!! I was getting worried, "me of little faith". I hope all goes well for the rest of practice.

Still only 37th fastest in the 2nd practice. I'm not sure that is anything to get excited about.

what do you mean it is bad news when he follows Ryan?
What were they doing?
Elaborate plz

During practice Tony pulled over and let Ryan come around to follow him. I think maybe he was trying Ryan's line, to see if there was something he could learn from that. Ryan is so good at Dover and Tony is so bad that I think Ryan offered to take Tony to school?!?! Tony was that bad. Don't know that for sure but that is what it looked like. Ryan and TG found something in his car from a Bristol set up and he seemed to really like what they found. I think they will be very good for Sunday.
Matt Yocum seems to think they both will be good!! Sure hope so! .

HH I looking for any glimmer of hope, kinda grasping at straws! Plus I am taking Mattie on his word, he knows Tony!

First off, Tony isn't bad anywhere. He has won two races at Dover, has lead over 1000 laps here and from his rookie season to 2004, never finished worse then 11th. Came back from being a lap down due to a penalty to finish third once, Ryan Newman won that race.

It's Tony's setups here that have been bad as of late. A shame too his average finish at Dover while driving at SHR is pretty good at 15.8. He has a top five and three top tens in six starts. So he is either good or outside the top 20.

Ryan said that Gibson and him put something together mixing his Bristol setup in with his Dover setup and seemed rather happy with his car. So maybe Tony was trying to see where Ryan was making gains.

Yocum said that the 14 team were gaining on it. We'll have to see. I have no expectations for this race. He could win or finished 25th two laps down AGAIN.