Race Report for the Pop Secret 500

Kyle Petty, #45 Georgia-Pacific/Brawny Dodge Finished: 35; Started: 28

ATLANTA, GA. September 07, 2004 -- Kyle Petty and the #45 Georgia-Pacific/Brawny
Dodge team had a great turn-around go sour when an engine failure with 25 laps
to go left him behind the wall at the end of the race. Kyle Petty and the team
fought feverishly with track conditions throughout the first half of the race.
Kyle Petty fought the car and track, but changes were in order. New crew chief
Bill Henderson made the best adjustments, and Kyle Petty started moving back to
the front. His charge was halted when the engine expired on lap 225, and he
finished 35th.

"We just lost the engine right there at the end," said Kyle Petty. "We were
getting ready to get into the top 20, and the car was the best it had been all
race. The Georgia-Pacific guys did a good job of getting us back in the game,
but we just couldn't get the finish."



OVERVIEW:

In the first NASCAR Nextel Cup race held outside the city limits of Darlington,
S.C., on Labor Day weekend, Elliott Sadler won Sunday night's running of the
first-ever Pop Secret 500 at the two-mile California Speedway. General Mills and
its Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn brand helped kick off the new Labor Day weekend
tradition by sponsoring Sunday's twilight event. The race started in the heat of
the day, but ended "under the lights" of the speedway.

Sunday's Pop Secret 500 didn't disappoint the Southern California fans who, for
the second time this season, packed into the two-mile California Speedway. The
race was already being billed as a new Labor Day tradition, and one with the
excitement of the 500-mile race starting in the late afternoon and finishing
well into the night. The twist of the transition from day to night had many
teams chasing the track and producing new contenders as the race evolved.
Thirteen leaders held the top spot throughout the night without one single
driver dominating. Instead it was the team of Elliott Sadler who best had the
right combination once the sun set and the checkered flag flew to capture the
win. Sadler had the company of rookie Kasey Kahne and Mark Martin on his heels
at the end of the night. It was actually Martin who led most of the laps Sunday
night. Sadler led the second-most and Kahne led over 35. Sadler took the lead on
lap 224, but after 29 lead changes throughout the night, he knew
that didn't guarantee him the victory. Sadler, however, was able to hold of the
challenges of Kahne and Martin for the win. It was his second victory this
season and the third of his career.

1. Elliott Sadler, Ford
2. Kasey Kahne, Dodge
3. Mark Martin, Ford
4. Jamie McMurray, Dodge
5. Ryan Newman, Dodge
27. Jeff Green, Pop Secret Dodge
35. Kyle Petty, Georgia-Pacific/Brawny Dodge



Jeff Green, #43 Pop Secret Dodge Finished: 27; Started: 13

Green and the #43 Pop Secret Dodge team battled to the very end Sunday night on
its way to a 27th place finish. Green and the team had a lot on its plate at the
start of Sunday's race. A very slick track caused the Pop Secret Dodge to slip
and slide around the California Speedway early. As the night progressed the
track cooled and became gradually "tighter." The "Helping Hands" crew led by
crew chief Greg Steadman made all the necessary changes to keep Green
competitive and on the lead lap. On the track, he wheeled the specialty-schemed
#43 Pop Secret Dodge for all its worth. Green made major advancement over the
last 50 laps to grab a solid 27th place finish.

"This Pop Secret Dodge was getting better at the end of the night," said Green.
"We were sliding around, but so were a lot of other guys tonight. We just
couldn't get up off the corners like the other guys. I'm still proud of this
Cheerios team for getting us a decent finish at the end. We'll continue to
improve next week at Richmond."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























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