Yeley Leads 86 Laps, Vigoro/Home Depot Team Finishes Fifth at Pikes Peak

Fountain, CO (July 25, 2005) - J.J. Yeley led 86 laps in his Vigoro/Home Depot Chevrolet and scored a fifth-place finish in Saturday's NASCAR Busch Series race at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Yeley spent 242 of the race's 250 laps in the top five, and the result was his fifth top-10 finish in his last seven races. "I thought that race was ours," said Yeley. "We were leading and pulling away from everyone, and our pit stops were awesome once again. The handling of the car just went away on us at the end. But we were certainly a force, and it's obvious to everyone that we're knocking on the door for that first win."

Yeley started the race in seventh and moved into the top five after just two laps. He remained in fifth until the race's first caution flag was displayed at Lap 24. Most of the lead-lap machines pitted during this caution flag period, including Yeley. The Vigoro/Home Depot team changed all four tires with an air pressure adjustment and added fuel. Yeley left the pits in eighth, but he would not stay there for long.

The green flag was displayed on Lap 29, and Yeley passed Martin Truex for seventh on Lap 31. One lap later he powered around David Stremme for sixth. On Lap 34 Yeley passed Aaron Fike to get back inside the top five. But Yeley wasn't finished there. He passed Paul Menard for fourth on Lap 49. Then 13 laps later, Yeley got by NASCAR legend Bill Elliott for third. Johnny Sauter was next, and Yeley took second from him on Lap 76. Yeley was running down leader Clint Bowyer when the caution flag came back out on Lap 94.

Yeley and the rest of the lead lap cars pitted for fresh tires and fuel. The team got Yeley back on the track in second right behind Bowyer. The green flag was back on Lap 100, and Yeley went to work on the leader. Coming out of Turn 4 on Lap 101, Yeley took the lead. He built a lead of over two seconds on Bowyer over the next 50 laps. "The car is really good, but it's just getting a little tight on exit," said Yeley.

NASCAR brought out the caution flag on Lap 161 when the #78 car spun. Yeley led the field down pit lane for routine service. The Vigoro/Home Depot team changed all four tires with another air pressure adjustment, and they made a slight wedge adjustment. Yeley left the pits with the lead.

Green-flag racing resumed on Lap 164. Yeley's car gradually got too tight in the center of the corners, and he relinquished the lead to Kenny Wallace on Lap 186. Two laps later NASCAR displayed the caution flag for an accident involving the #5 and #78 cars. Yeley came back to the pits for four new tires and another wedge adjustment. He left the pits in third.

When the race got back underway, Yeley passed Kevin Hamlin for second on Lap 197 and went back to work on Bowyer for the lead. The two drivers put on a great show for the lead, but as the battle continued, the handling on Yeley's machine went away. In the closing laps, he faded to fifth. "We just needed a little bit more there at the end, but overall we're pleased. We are so close to a win, everyone on our Vigoro/Home Depot team can sense it. Hopefully we will break through next week at Gateway."

Yeley will join the rest of the NASCAR Busch Series competitors in St. Louis on Saturday night, July 30th, for the Wallace Family Tribute 250. The race will be televised live on TNT at 8:00 PM EST.