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13-gallon fuel cell that NASCAR mandated for
this race, all teams had to pit every 30-36
laps. The Schneider Electric Racing team
called Hornaday into the pits on lap 34 for
right side tires and fuel.
But because
of a miscommunication in the pits before the
stop, the gas tank did not get filled
completely. The gasman, Darwin
Schimmelpfenning, thought the team was going
to take on four tires and backed up away
from the No. 55 Chevy to allow the rear tire
changer to get to the left side tires. Once
the jack dropped, Hornaday thought the pit
stop was over and sped off with a partially
filled fuel cell.
The team
regrouped before the next stop. This time on
lap 65, four laps before the rest of the
field, Hornaday drove on to pit road for
more fuel and left side tires. When
Schimmelpfenning turned to get the second
can of fuel he tripped over the tire that
was lying on the ground behind him and fell.
Then the jack dropped and Hornaday sped off
placing him on the race track off the pace
with the leaders without a full tank of gas.
Schimmelpfenning,
who twisted his knee and was in pain, was
taken to the infield care center and
diagnosed with a torn ACL. Once the news got
back to the pit box, crew chief Jimmy
Elledge scrambled around the pit area to
find a temporary replacement. Larry Hartle
from AC Delco Busch Series team was kind
enough to fill in as the gas man.
On lap 95
Hornaday pitted under green. As he drove
into the pit box, he missed the pit stall.
The team had to push him back into the pit
box before they could change right side
tires on the car. This time the car was
filled full of gas and Hornaday was sent
back out on the race track off the pace from
the lead pack, but behind his teammate Kenny
Wallace.
The duo did its best to draft together and
stay in front of the leaders, but the
freight train that followed them quickly
caught up. Hornaday preferred to race in the
inside groove and did his best to stay up
front hoping for a caution. On lap 166 the
team pitted for the last time for gas only
before they went on to finish the
caution-less EA Sports 500 in 32nd position.
Elledge apologized to Hornaday as he climbed
from the car.
“Thanks for filling in for us Ron,”
Elledge said. “I’m sorry we couldn’t
get it together for you out there. I feel
really bad about this race. You did a great
job behind the wheel and held your own out
there on the track.”
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