Boris Said leads Ron Fellows shortly after the green flag. Credit: Autostock
By Mark Aumann, Turner Sports Interactive
June 23, 2003
10:37 AM EDT (1437 GMT)
Late-race pit decision proves costly for Fellows, Said
SONOMA, Calif. -- The "hired guns" found themselves out of bullets at the wrong time during Sunday's Dodge/SaveMart 350.
On the 12-turn, 1.99-mile Infineon Raceway road course, Boris Said and Ron Fellows saw their chances at victory slip away because of track position.
On an oval, pitting under caution is critical because you can remain in contact with the leader.
But on Sunday, when Said and Fellows did that, they wound up behind the cars that had pitted earlier under green.
Said led the first lap before giving way to Robby Gordon and ran in the top five for the next 71 laps. But when Christian Fittipaldi spun into the tire barrier, bringing out the caution, Said and Fellows had no other option but the pit for the final time.
"We were really good, but we lost track position when that yellow came out (on lap 73) and that killed us," Said said. "I just burned my tires coming through the field."
Said rallied to finish sixth in the No. 01 U.S. Army Pontiac, which bettered his previous career-best of eighth at Watkins Glen in 2001.
But it didn't ease the disappointment for the Bud Pole winner, who clearly had a contending car.
"Our goal coming in was to get a top 10, but this car was better than that today. It was an easy top-three car," Said said. "We just got caught up with the yellow on the second pit stop.
 | Dodge/Save Mart 350 | | | | | | | |
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"It came the lap we were going to pit and that knocked us back to 26th place instead of fourth or fifth.
"From a driving and finishing standpoint, it was the best Winston Cup race for me. Today was a blast, the most fun I've ever had racing. I wish I could do this every week."
It was a similar situation for Fellows, a three-time winner in the NASCAR Busch Series. He led twice for 21 laps, acquiring the lead on a daring three-wide pass for the lead in Turn 11.
But once he relinquished it on lap 73, Fellows was forced to play a frustrating game of catch-up.
 | VIDEO CLIPS |  | Robby Gordon celebrates his second career win
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|  | Jeff Gordon was cautious in the closing laps
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|  | The Gordons battle in the final laps at Infineon
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Things went from bad to worse on lap 90, when Fellows was tapped and turned around by Jeremy Mayfield in Turn 11 as the cars slowed for the final caution of the day.
Still, Fellows finished seventh.
"I don't know what happened to Ron Fellows today, but I thought he was going to be the guy to beat when he got that lead," Jeff Gordon said. "His car looked good.
"All I do know is one time that he got out of sync with the pit stops. The rest of us came in before that caution came out and we were sitting perfect. He was way in the back because he came in under caution. ... Prior to that, he was the guy."
Trans-Am points leader Johnny Miller wound up 24th in the No. 4 Kodak Pontiac in his Winston Cup debut.
After starting 18th, Scott Pruett was challenging for third place when he was caught up in a synchronized three-car spin in Turn 7 on lap 65.
His damaged No. 09 Target Dodge limped home in 34th.
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