Dover, Del. — The single most important break for the Blue Oval Boys in qualifying at Dover International Speedway Friday came when Dave Blaney, Did Not Qualify in his Bill Davis Racing entry.
Heading into Dover, BDR was just 39 points behind the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Fusion Car of Tomorrow for 35th place in owner points, the final guaranteed qualifying spot in the field each week. With Ken Schrader safely in the Dover field after qualifying 26th in the No. 21, he’s guaranteed to pad the owner points lead ahead of BDR, perhaps by a wide margin.
And with the races dwindling down, that could prove to be a huge advantage: Remember, any car in the top 35 in owner points at year’s end is guaranteed to have a starting spot in the first five races of 2008.
For the Woods, it also means third-generation driver Jon Wood will be behind the wheel of the No. 21 at Kansas next week, where he’ll make his NASCAR Nextel Cup points race debut. And regardless of how Schrader fares Sunday at Dover, the team cannot fall out of the top 35.
Turning the wrenches for Wood next weekend will be Gene Nead, who recently separated from Robby Gordon Motorsports, and is expected to replace Michael Fatback McSwain next season. At Kansas, the team will run a second car for Bill Elliott, who also should make the race based on his past-champion’s provisional.
Robby Gordon, meanwhile, is said to be pursuing Peter Sospenzo, a long-time Nextel Cup crew chief, who was let go in the purge at Ginn Motorsports earlier this year. Sospenzo has a wealth of experience, having led teams for drivers Terry Labonte, Jeremy Mayfield, Joe Nemechek and Brian Vickers, among others.
