Eyes in the Sky: Broken Stride
by MIKE CALINOFF, Special to FOXSports.com
We immediately began dancing in the draft. Switching from lane to lane in an effort to just cruise for the first part of the race. Survival is the popular fare at Talladega; avoiding the "Big One" is everyone's primary objective. I believe we were on our way to accomplishing that — at least for the first 10 laps!
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Going into Turn 3, the right rear tire on our Fastenal Dodge exploded. Dario did minimal damage to the right side of the car by masterfully keeping it under control and grazing the wall. NASCAR immediately displayed the yellow flag, which is the instruction for everyone to slow down. Yellow lights are displayed around the racetrack and spotters are barking orders. Dario slid down the banking as at least 12 cars avoided him. At that point we probably could have done some cosmetic work to get us back on the track. But that theory was quickly thwarted.
As the car was about to come to rest on the apron the No. 91 of Larry Gunselman plowed into the drivers door at full speed — never slowing or heeding the NASCAR directive.
I called to Dario to ask if he were okay, but there was no reciprocal communication. That's a scary moment for the spotter and crew. On Sunday morning Dario said, "I assume you were trying to talk to me, but the radio had been cut in half!" That's how hard the impact was.
With my binoculars I was able to see the safety crew extract Dario from the car. He looked to be okay, which was a great relief to all of us.
Gunselman's spotter came to me wide-eyed and said, "I told him to go low!" I used as much restraint as physically possible to just walk away. Believe me, it was a difficult task — but I needed to maintain a professional decorum.
As a sidebar, Gunselman has been racing for ten years and boasts an average starting position of 35.66 and average finish of 29.37. You can draw your own conclusions.
The result: Dario suffered a fractured left ankle, which will sideline him for the next two events. Hopefully, famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. Terry Trammell of Indianapolis will be able to work his magic and get Dario back behind the wheel in short order.
At Talladega most wrecks are unavoidable. In my opinion, this one was. It is very disappointing to have been put in this situation as Dario has made marked progress each and every week.
Thanks Stremme!
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| David Stremme was a super-sub for Dario Franchitti, leading laps and finishing 28th at Talladega. (Matthew Stockman / Getty Images) |
David Stremme was tabbed to run our Tums QuikPak Dodge for the Aaron's 499 Sprint Cup race on Sunday. It was a natural choice since he obviously worked with our team for the two previous years — and, he had just come off a great second-place run in the Nationwide race.
Changing a driver before the race forces you to start at the rear of the field, but this would prove to be no chore for David as he methodically drove to the front, led several laps and ran in the top 10 for most of the day.
We didn't get the finish we deserved as we fell into the clutches of a late-race Talladega demon. What was easily a top-10 performance turned into a 28th place finish and kept us out of the top-35 in the owner's standings.
It was great working with David again — particularly at Talladega where we always seemed to have a lot of fun together. And thanks to Roger Penske and Rusty Wallace for allowing David to take the controls and pilot our car for this one race.
Thanks Schrader!
Ken Schrader, known for his versatility and adaptability in any form of racing, will strap into the Kennametal Dodge at Richmond this weekend for the Crown Royal Presents the Ken Lowry 400. The veteran shoe is poised to get our car solidly in the show and bring home a good finish. We're pleased to have him on board.
Thanks Clauson!
Our crack Development Driver, Bryan Clauson, will join crew chief Brad Parrott and his boys for the Lipton Tea 250 Nationwide Series event on Friday night in the Fastenal Dodge. Bryan came out of the box strong in Daytona with a fifth-place finish. He showed the poise of a veteran and proved he is ready to win at this level. I am personally excited that he will have another opportunity to strut his stuff.
And now, a word from Franchitti...
Dario (the undisputed fastest Scot in NASCAR) and I were talking today about the specifics of the Nationwide Series wreck. He was quick to point out that although he did suffer an injury, it could have been much, much more severe.
"NASCAR should be applauded for all of the safety initiatives that they have embraced. As a driver it gives me a great level of comfort that I am well protected in the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series cars. That combined with the response time of the safety crew and the manner in which my transport was handled speaks volumes for the entire sanctioning body. I truly appreciate everyone's efforts."
Now what?
As far as this column is concerned, I will continue to keep you posted on Dario's progress. He will still be attending the races and to watch, listen and learn. More likely sooner than later, we'll be back on track and continue with our quest to succeed at NASCAR'S highest levels.
Mike Calinoff is a championship-winning NASCAR spotter and an independent Driver Development Specialist who will be working with Dario Franchitti and the No. 40 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Dodge team this season. He will be contributing his experiences with the team throughout the NASCAR season with FOXSports.com.
To learn more about Mike, visit his website mikecalinoff.com.
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