 | | Shane Hmiel's wrecked Dodge sits outside the garage area at Fontana. Hmiel will start the Pop Secret 500 from the rear. Credit: Autostock |
By Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
September 4, 2004
03:47 PM EDT (19:47 GMT)
FONTANA, Calif. -- In the two incidents during Saturday's Nextel Cup practices at California Speedway, Elliott Sadler got away without a scratch. But Shane Hmiel wasn't as lucky. Sadler lost control of his No. 38 Ford exiting Turn 2 during Happy Hour, doing two complete revolutions down the backstretch before getting the car under control.  |  | Pop Secret 500 | |
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Sadler put up a huge cloud of tire smoke, but the rest of the competition was able to slow down without incident. Sadler was able to return to the track and ran a total of 15 laps, putting him 23rd on the speed chart. Hmiel was forced to go to his backup No. 23 Dodge after hitting the wall entering Turn 3 during the first of Saturday's two 45-minute practices. The entire right side and rear of the car was damaged when Hmiel spun around and collected the outside barrier. "It was just a little loose," Hmiel said. "I was catching some good cars and it just got out from under me." Hmiel made 16 laps during Happy Hour, finishing 38th. |  | VIDEO | |
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"The backup's OK but there are things that are a little different on this one," Hmiel said. "We've just got to get it better driving for me." Brian Vickers, who will lead the field down for the green in Sunday's Pop Secret 500, showed that his car lost little speed from the previous day. Vickers topped Happy Hour with a speed of 182.607 mph. Jeff Burton and Mark Martin tied for second, followed by Kasey Kahne and Dale Jarrett. Kevin Harvick, eighth in the point standings, was pleased after setting fastest time in the first practice. But Bobby Labonte, currently ninth, was 30th in both sessions. All 43 cars practiced during the morning, but Derrike Cope's No. 96 Ford sat out the first practice and Jeff Fuller's No. 50 Dodge missed the second. | 
