Joliet: Dave Connolly final report

Car Trouble Sends Connolly Out Early at Route 66 Raceway

The handling problems  bugging Dave Connolly's Charter
Communications/LifeLock Chevy Cobalt a week ago  at Topeka rose up again Sunday, taking Connolly out
of competition in the  opening round of the Torco Racing Fuels Route 66
Nationals at Route 66  Raceway.

Connolly left the starting line first against Greg  Stanfield but the
advantage didn't last long.  The Cobalt's tires spun hard  and Stanfield was en
route to an easy win -- 6.751 seconds at 203.74 mph to  11.945 at 72.90 mph.

"It wasn't quite the kind of day we were looking for," said a dejected Connolly. "We have some serious issues with our car and we have a lot of work to. We're not going to get into the top 10 running like we are. It is very disappointing.

"The car just blew the tires off for no reason."

This was Connolly's fifth Pro  Stock race of 2008.  He already has a win and
runner-up and was 12th in  POWERade points when racing began Sunday.  He has
eight more events to  climb into the top 10 and secure a berth for the six
Countdown to 1 races that  begin in Charlotte, N.C., Sept. 11-14.

Severe thunderstorms played  havoc with the race-day schedule, interrupting
eliminations for about three  hours.

The Cagnazzi Racing team has time to work on the car's  problems.  Their next
race, the Lucas Oil Nationals, unfolds at  Englishtown, N.J., June 20-22.

-credit: cr