ORCA Champ Series: Sheetz Survives "The Rock"
- NR4
- Published ()
- Online Racing Championship Association
Twenty-eight of the ORCA Champ Series teams traveled to Rockingham, NC for the Pennzoil Racing 200 at North Carolina Speedway. The last time these drivers raced at "The Rock" the twenty-car field only brought out the caution twice for eight laps. Consequently, the teams set their cars up for long green-flag runs concentrating on tire wear and fuel mileage. Unfortunately, the ORCA Champ Series veterans did not count on the fact that the 28-car field would consist of 17 rookies and only a single 64-lap green-flag run would result.
The qualifying was very tight up front with Jason Garrett, in the #71 MikeHollis.com Monte Carlo, capturing the pole with a 23.526-second lap. Chris Laha, in the #122 unsponsored Chevy, took the outside pole position with a 23.6-second lap. Thomas Trout, driving the #83 unsponsored Ford, and David Barrett, in the #24 AllOfficeSports.com Chevrolet, filled out the second row.
The caution flag flew 21 times during the race, putting 81 laps of the 197 lap race behind the pace car. That left less than 59% of the race to run under the green flag. Eleven drivers managed to lead at least one lap, earning then 5 bonus points for leading a lap. Leading 63 laps, Chris Laha managed to earn an extra 5 bonus points for leading the most laps.
The race was littered with cautions during the first half of the race until the field finally managed to put together a 64-lap green-flag run from laps 127 through lap 190. Only two lead-lap cars stayed out instead of pitting to get fresh tires, Bill Campbell and James Sheetz. Only two of the remaining 3 laps were under the green flag as the caution came out and forced the race to finish under yellow. In those two laps Campbell fell to seventh and Sheetz took home the gold.
Jason Garrett, in the #71 MikeHollis.com Chevrolet, came home in 5th. He was 6th when the caution waved on lap 190 and, after taking on 4 tires, he managed to get by Campbell and secure a top 5 finish.
David Barrett, driving the #24 AllOfficeSports.com Monte Carlo was running in 3rd place when the caution waved on lap 190. Pitting for 4 tires, he fell to 5th as Sheetz and Campbell stayed out on the track. He got by Campbell in time to take secure 4th place. Chris Laha, in the #122 unsponsored Chevy, was leading when the caution waved on lap 190. In a fateful decision he decided to pit and take on 4 tires. He came out of the pits in 4th place behind Sheetz, Campbell, and Reed. When Campbell faded Laha captured 3rd place.
Ray Reed, driving the #23 U.S. Navy Monte Carlo was in 2nd place when the lap 190 caution waved. He decided to pit but only took on right-side tires. He beat Chris Laha out of the pits, putting him in 3rd behind Sheetz and Campbell. Slipping past Campbell he was unable to catch Sheetz before the final caution waved, leaving him with a second place finish.
James Sheetz, in the #57 Sheetz Inc. Chevrolet was in 4th place when the caution waved on lap 190. Decided to roll the dice he stayed out, taking over the lead, as most of the field pitted. On old tires he rocketed away from the pack and managed to stay out front of Ray Reed as they raced to the final caution flag. He took the checkered flag from behind the pace car.
The ORCA officials have pledged to remedy the high number of cautions in future races. Last year they showed that it could be done. With new drivers filling over half of the field, growing pains are to be expected.
Post Race Winners Interview:
For the ORCA Champ Series, this is Wayne Daigle, reporting from the garage at "The Rock" in Rockingham, North Carolina.
Wayne: Congratulations on winning the Pennzoil Racing 200. How does it feel?
James Sheetz: It feels good to win the 1st official race of the ORCA season. I have to say though it was handed to me by the pit crew on tire wear, where I didn't have to pit in the end.
Wayne: Your car was a little crumpled at the end. Did you have to make any adjustments to your setup during the race?
James: Actually no, with the damage I had it actually made the car work better.
Wayne: How did you manage to survive the race well enough to stay on the lead lap and have a shot at the win?
James: Tire wear was the most part of it. I could run a full tank of gas on the same tires. The setup was good enough to be able to run the long green flag run near the end and when the caution came out I didn't have to pit which put me in the lead.
Wayne: What was going through your mind when the caution came out on lap 190 after that long green-flag run?
James: LOL... I knew I didn't have to pit and was hoping leaders had to.
Wayne: Is there anyone you would like to thank?
James: I would like to thank my sponsor Sheetz Inc. and to Lee Kirk for allowing me to join such a good league.