Doug Stewart changing tires during practice

Cole Powell, didn't run his usual best today. Sounds like he and tech aren't ever gonna see eye to eye.

Jeremy Reid

Steven Matthews, another frontrunner who had an off day today, spending good chunks of the race up on jacks in the pits.

Tyler Hendricks....pretty respectable showing, however started his race by getting hammered from behind going into 1 by the 96 car on lap 13. (To Prudhomme's credit, from the stands it appeared more mechanical than deliberate.)

Brandon Watson. Good showing by Brandon averaging 3rd place for the most of the race, but ending his day in 5th.

Justin Demelo in the 99 car. I like Justin, but was real sorry Barry Newman wasn't behind the wheel today.

One of the good guys. Lloyd Rawlings ("from sunny Windsor Ontario!", as Announcer John sez.) Lloyd had a rough day, going around once with help, and later once without.

Andrew Gresel, another top dog that wasn't as "in the hunt" as he normally is.

David Elliott

Jesse Kennedy. Not his best day for sure. When was the last time you saw that name with a DNF beside it? The car just wasn't running right for him today, and he ended up pulling it off about 3/4 thru the race.

Smiling Stephen Richmond heading up Delaware Hill. Stephen ran a good consistent race, spending most of the day around 9th where he finished. They were quite pleased with being 6th fastest in qualifying.

In all this, the only competitor I didn't get a photo of is Mat Box number 27. He ran a good race too and ended up 7th. Give him a few more years and he's the guy the announcers will start calling the Iron Man...or some such.

maybe the format has to be rethought-the crowd was small-more like a Friday night show-look at the Free Press photos. With our incredibly hot summer continuing, could starting time have been put off until 6pm or 7pm especially with the next day being a holiday? Older fans can't take the heat and look around, the fan base is getting older. Car counts are a head scratcher-25 starters and only 4 outsiders-Mathews, Powell, Lancaster & B Watson. Also, why torture the crews making them be there at 8am for tech???
-new time trial format: for some, it was like trying to get a clean lap in rush hr traffic
-lucky dog: still don't like it although it was almost comical how Cole Powell, at the start, was being held for a lap in the pits for some changes he had to make to his car and then almost immediately got a lucky dog.
-yellow flags: Justin Demellow (sp) limped around the track on a flat early in the race trying to get off with no yellow yet late in the race Jesse Kennedy spun off 4, clear of the track, onto the pit road entrance, and a yellow was thrown. The restart might have changed the finish of the race.
-lack of black flags: pretty obvious that a suicide move by the 72 on the 37 late caused a flat on the 37 and a subsuquent 5th place finish
-payoff:ten thousand to win sound great but mid pack on back is poor.