The 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series ended at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a new champion. It also ended the 12-year relationship between Dale Jarrett and Robert Yates Racing. Unfortunately, it was not a finish befitting a champion as the team struggled throughout the running of the Ford 400, and the day ended with a 31st-place finish for Jarrett and the #88 UPS Team.
Jarrett was forced to use a provisional for the start of Sunday's race, running in the backup car after wrecking the primary car during Friday's practice session. Unable to qualify on speed, Jarrett started the race in 41st place. The team struggled with the handling on the UPS Ford all day Saturday, and it didn't improve much for the start of Sunday's race.
Jarrett explained that the car completely lacked grip, so the team made extensive adjustments during the second caution period on lap 15. With the car jacked up the team was internally adjusting the track bar and as they struggled with tightening up the track bar, Jarrett lost a lap during the caution period. When green flag racing resumed, he was one lap down in 41st place.
The third caution of the race waved on lap 44 and Jarrett secured the "lucky dog" award, and was placed back on the lead lap. With the handling on the race car unimproved, he was never able to make any progress on the track, and he lost one lap to the leaders during green-flag race conditions on lap 88.
In what was his last race as a driver for Robert Yates Racing, Jarrett said it was not the way he wanted to go out.
"This certainly isn't how I wanted this day to go," Jarrett said. "We got behind when I wrecked on Friday and I should have known better trying to go that hard when the track lacks as much grip as it has this weekend. The backup car probably wasn't the best choice, but we tried to make the most of it. We made a lot of good memories here at Robert Yates Racing, and those are the ones we'll remember."
Jarrett's rookie teammate David Gilliland started the Ford 400 in the 13th position, and he quickly raced his way into the top five, where he competed well past the halfway point of the event. On lap 173, he made hard contact with the outside retaining wall, bringing out the sixth caution of the race. He sustained damage to the #38 M&M'S® Ford that forced him to lose a couple of laps while the team made repairs. The damage hindered the handling on his car, and he finished the event in 33rd place.
Greg Biffle won the Ford 400 to give the manufacturer a sweep of the weekend's three racing events. While Biffle celebrated in victory lane, Jimmie Johnson celebrated a bigger prize-the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series championship. Johnson finished the race in ninth position, allowing him to capture his first championship by a margin of 56 points over Matt Kenseth.
With the season at an end, the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series turns its attention to New York City, where on December 1st the celebration for the championship will take place. The racing action returns on February 10 with the running of the Budweiser Shootout, and the Daytona 500 will kick off the 2007 season one week later on February 18 at Daytona International Speedway. Racing returns to FOX for the new season of action.
