Notebook: Compton's luck takes a turn

FONTANA, Calif. -- Stacy Compton couldn't get anything but bad breaks in the season's first eight races, so he made his own luck at Fontana.

Compton ran the final 60 laps at Fontana -- 120 miles -- without a pit stop in the Stater Brothers 300. The gamble worked, and his third-place finish was his first top-five run in 21 races.

STATER BROS. 300  •  Results  •  Standings

He says he nearly didn't make it.

"The last lap down the backstretch, it was running out," Compton said. "Fuel pressure gauge was fluctuating. We figured we would be a lap short."

Compton ran the second half of the event on a strict fuel mileage strategy. After he pitted for the final time on lap 90, he immediately went to work saving fuel.

"If we didn't conserve, we would be four laps short," Compton said.

Pressley races with heavy heart

Compton's teammate, Robert Pressley, surprised some by driving on Saturday. He finished 27th, two laps down.

VIDEO CLIPS Greg Biffle clebrates his victory at California Play video Top finishers react to the race Play video Fuel mileage comes into play in the final laps Play video Pit road accident injures two Play video Hermie Sadler brings out the first caution Play video

Pressley's father, Bob, passed away from cancer on Tuesday.

Tony Raines qualified the No. 47 Ford car and some expected him to drive the race, but Pressley got into the car at the last minute.

"Awful proud of these guys, it's been a tough week," Compton said.

Kahne finishes fifth after rough start

Kasey Kahne gave up tons of track position with repeated trips to pit road early in the event, but he made it up thanks to adjustments and quick green-flag pit stops.

Kahne started seventh but immediately complained that the car was too tight. He brought the car in for adjustments during two lengthy yellow flag periods in the opening laps.

"It was so tight it would not turn one bit. The guys did a good job fixing it," Kahne said. "It was not driving perfect (at the end) but it was better than early on in the race."

Kahne is in his second race with crew chief Paul Andrews, who left as Jeff Burton's Nextel Cup crew chief earlier this season.

"He turned our car around from a pile of junk at the start of the race to a fifth-place car at the end, maybe even better," Kahne said "He's going to be really good for our team."

Boyd, crew members OK after pit road incident

Finding pit road at Fontana can be tricky, especially with the tremendous speeds the cars are carrying coming off Turn 4.

Stan Boyd found that out on Lap 65, when he spun his No. 51 Dodge onto pit road, hitting crew members Dan Kolanda and Eric Sainer.

Boyd and Kolanda were checked out at the infield care center and were released. Sainer was not seriously injured, but he was transported to Loma Linda Medical Center for evaluation.

"I guess I am not used to the speed the cars carry into the corner compared to the trucks," said Boyd, who made 12 Craftsman Truck Series starts in 2003. "You have to use a lot more brake here."