Andy Lally: “Just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time”
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Avondale, Arizona
Nov 11, 2007
Late Race Incident Ends Lally’s Hopes of a Strong Finish at Phoenix
Andy Lally drove the No. 00 Docupak/TRG/Toyota Tundra to a 31st place finish last night in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) Casino Arizona 150 run at Phoenix International Raceway. Lally was collected in a late race incident and was transported to a local hospital and released.
Starting from his 14th row qualifying position, Lally drove a calculated race. The race was marred by 13 yellows, including two race stopping red flag periods. Lally was running in the 22nd position when the No. 09 truck, trying to recover from contact, came across Lally and forced him into the inside wall at the exit of turn four. The result was an early end to his evening just 14 laps short of the finish. The impact broke the cement wall on the inside of the track and caused the second red flag of the night. Lally put the driver’s side window net down indicating he was alright. He was transported to a local hospital and released later in the evening.
Earlier in the race the crew had Lally running as high as fourth. The truck newbie had the opportunity to run his Toyota Tundra toward the front of the field for additional valuable knowledge as the team prepares for a full season in 2008.
“We were running fourth on about lap 75, ” Lally said. “Kevin made the call and we pitted on the previous yellow a few laps later another yellow came out again and nearly everyone in front of us pitted. We got shuffled back a little and were running in about 18th. Then the 27 got into the 09 for the second time. I missed them the first time and then they felt it necessary to do it again and I got collected when the 09 came across the track. I am not sure if he over-corrected or what. I was in the line of trucks going low, just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I went to the hospital. I had a puncture wound which took about 20-stitches around my elbow. ”
“Andy did another good job, ” Kevin Buckler, team owner said. “The 09 was hit by the 27 and then came right across Andy who was all of the way down on the bottom of the track, just now where for Andy to go. We saw several drivers avoid catastrophe on the front straight by using their brakes properly in an instance like this. I am not sure what was going with the driver of the 09. We were looking good for a top 20 finish and increasing our learning curve when we got taken out. I guess this is another lesson learned in this type of racing. ”
