Dave Blaney and the Caterpillar Racing team posted their best qualifying effort of the season and lined up in the 11th spot for the start of the Coca-Cola 600.  After spending the majority of the evening racing within the top 10, Blaney finished in 17th place.

The No. 22 Bill Davis Racing team was the seventh of 48 teams to take to the track for qualifying Thursday evening.  Blaney posted a speed of 183.842 mph around the 1.5-mile oval, which was fast enough to earn the team its best starting spot of the season.  Blaney was set to start the longest race of the year in the 11th spot.

The green flag waved for the start of the event, and Blaney immediately drove his Cat Toyota Camry into the top 10 before communicating to crew chief Tommy Baldwin that the handling of the car was tight through the center of the corner.  The first pit stop of the evening came on lap 64, and Baldwin opted to have Blaney stop for fuel only.  The abbreviated stop returned the veteran driver to the track in ninth place for the lap 66 restart, and he remained in that position through lap 100.

There were several long green flag periods throughout the 600-mile event, and the Cat crew executed its first green flag stop perfectly.  After Baldwin called for air pressure adjustments to help the tight handling condition of the car, Blaney drove into the pits for four tires and fuel on lap 119.  He remained in the top 10 for the first half of the event before gaining the fifth position after a stop for fuel only under caution on lap 187.  After the lap 196 restart, Blaney fell a bit through the pack as he continued to work through the tight handling condition.

Baldwin and his Bill Davis Racing crew made adjustments to the car during every pit stop, but it was never quite enough to get the car to turn as well as Blaney needed.  Baldwin made several good calls in the pits to gain track position, and with 100 laps to go in the event, Blaney held the 11th position.  The team narrowly avoided misfortune when the 43-car field lined up for restart just past the 300-lap mark.  As the green flag waved, several cars got together, and with nowhere to go, Blaney made slight contact with the No. 11 machine.  Assured by spotter Mike Brown that the car had only minor right front fender damage, Baldwin had Blaney keep the car on the track.

The Cat car held the 13th place with 50 laps to go, but Blaney was busy wrestling his tight race car.  Knowing the car was several laps short of being able make the rest of the race without stopping for fuel, Baldwin had to decide to gamble and hope for the best or make a quick stop for a splash of fuel just prior to the checkered flag.  Luckily, it was a dilemma every crew chief faced, and most of them opted for the safe route.  After leading laps 391 and 392, Blaney ducked onto pit road for several seconds worth of fuel.  The team was able to stay on the lead lap and finally took the checkered flag in the 17th spot.

The team’s three consecutive finishes of 18th or better have resulted in a move into the 33rd position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Owners’ points standings.  The Caterpillar Racing team now stands only 39 points outside of the 30th place and a mere 178 outside of the top 25.

The Caterpillar Racing team will travel to Dover (Del.) International Speedway next weekend for the running of the Best Buy 400.  Qualifying for the event is scheduled for Friday, May 30.  Coverage of the event is scheduled for a 2 p.m. ET start and will broadcast on FOX (television), MRN (radio) and Sirius Satellite Radio.  Before heading to Dover, the crew will test at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway Tuesday and Wednesday in preparation for the upcoming event there.