Dale Jarrett and the #88 UPS Racing Team started the 3M Performance 400 presented by Post-it Picture Paper from the 40th position. Pit strategy allowed the team to leave the rain-shortened event in Michigan International Speedway with a 20th place finish.
Bad weather threatened throughout the afternoon as thunderstorms took place in areas surrounding the track. A light shower delayed the start of the event by nearly 40 minutes.
Jarrett and the team started the race with a car that was loose enough at the entry of the turns to where Jarrett was not able to get in the gas the way he needed to at the exit. The car varied from this loose condition to handling tight throughout most of the race, and a lack of grip occasionally exacerbated those problems.
Crew chief Slugger Labbe made the call to pit for two tires during the seventh caution on lap 80, which placed Jarrett 13th in the running order after spending the first 80 laps in the 30s. Jarrett competed in the top 20 throughout the rest of the event, which ended up concluding more than 70 laps from the finish as rain permeated the two-mile track in the late afternoon, forcing NASCAR to call the event short.
"That was a pretty good call on Slugger's part there for two tires," Jarrett said. "We didn't lose a whole lot with the car on the two tires and it did help get us some track position we probably wouldn't have had otherwise. It's been very frustrating for everybody involved but after starting 40th, a 20th-place finish isn't too bad."
Elliott Sadler and the #38 M&M'S® Team battled handling problems during the final practice sessions on Saturday morning. The team cautiously started the event and Sadler battled handling problems throughout. Despite the handling issues Sadler improved from his 32nd starting spot to finish the rain-shortened event in 22nd.
Kasey Kahne emerged the winner of the Nextel Cup Series event after starting from the pole. It is the fourth time in 2006 that Kahne has won, as well as the fourth time he has won from the pole this season.
Jimmie Johnson maintained the point lead in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series point standings, and extended it to 74 points over Matt Kenseth. Jarrett and Sadler now sit 19th and 21st, respectively, following the conclusion of the 3M Performance 400.
The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series travels to the wine valley of Sonoma, Calif., for next weekend's Dodge Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. The race starts at 12:30 p.m. PDT with Fox starting the racing action with a live broadcast that starts at 12 noon PDT.
