Gordon to backup after crashing in Happy Hour

RICHMOND, Va. -- Jeff Gordon and Bill Elliott both experienced problems during the final practices at Richmond International Raceway.

	Jeff Gordon will have to start at the rear of the field. Credit: Autostock

Gordon, currently second in points, shot up the track into the Turn 2 wall of the .750-mile oval and crunched up the right side of his No. 24 Chevrolet.

Elliott, seventh in points, lost the motor in his No. 9 Dodge and the crew was changing engines during the final session.

Both drivers will be relegated to the back of the pack for Saturday night's Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 with Looney Tunes. Gordon qualified 10th and Elliott was scheduled to roll off 19th.

"I thought we had a good car, but we really have a good backup car, too," Gordon said. "I really hate to give up that good starting position. It's going to be a fight to come from that far back and see what we're made of.

"Both the primary and the backup cars are brand spanking new. The throttle just hung up a little, tiny bit on the floor. It could have been a lot worse. But, the throttle was all the way back when I hit the wall.

Gordon is part of the Looney Tunes promotion and has, or had, Bugs Bunny on his Chevy. The backup car was decaled in the familiar flame design that Gordon normally runs as there won't be enough time to make the change.

"We're going to go with the flames," Gordon said. "This is about all that is left of Bugs for the day," as he pointed to his special Looney Tunes uniform.

During the morning practice, Dave Blaney lost control of his No. 77 Ford and contact with the wall resulted in him going to a backup car. But, because he used the primary engine in his backup, he gets to keep his qualifying spot of third.

Ryan Newman brushed the wall in the No. 12 Ford during the same practice, but the crew repaired the right-rear quarter panel.