After Winning Pole, J.J. Yeley Gets Collected in Accident at Talladega

Event: Aaron’s 312
Date: April 28, 2006
Start: 1st
Finish: 34th
Laps completed/Total: 110 / 117

Race Review

Talladega, AL (April 29, 2006) – J.J. Yeley’s weekend of NASCAR Busch Series racing was going perfectly to plan. He won his second Busch Pole Award of the year in his Vigoro / Home Depot Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, he had led laps during the race, and he was biding his time while riding around the top 10 in the closing stages of the 312-mile event. But all of those plans were dashed just six laps from the finish when Michael Waltrip ran Yeley over coming out of Turn 4, triggering a single-car crash and ending Yeley’s day. “I’m not really sure what happened there,” said Yeley. “I was running in the high line and I got off the corner just like I had all day. The next thing I knew, I was headed straight right and into the wall. I think the 99 car (Waltrip) was behind me, and I’d love to know his side of the story.”

The damage to Yeley’s machine was too significant to return, and Yeley was scored in the 34th position. That finish was Yeley’s second worst finish of the year, and his second DNF.

The early stages of the race went incident-free as Yeley led several early laps and just rode around in the top 10. “My plan was to make sure that I led at least one lap, and got those precious five bonus points,” Yeley explained. “We got that accomplished very early, and then I just wanted to ride around in the lead pack, get some drafting experience, and then be there at the end.”

Yeley’s Chevrolet drafted the best in the top groove, so as the closing laps ticked away, Yeley put his Vigoro / Home Depot ride in that line and started his march to the front. After climbing back inside the top 10 with just eight laps to go, Yeley appeared to be marching back to the lead. Once Yeley saw Kevin Harvick slide by in the middle groove on Lap 110, Yeley tucked in behind him and readied his car for one last surge forward. But Waltrip’s bumper got in the way, and Yeley’s day was finished.

The Vigoro / Home Depot team left Talladega in fifth in the owner’s and driver’s standings, and they will attempt to regroup on Friday night at Richmond International Raceway. The race will be televised live on FX at 7:30 PM EST.