DESPITE ACCIDENTS, FREEMAN COMES HOME 4TH AT CONCORD

John Freeman’s Asphalt World Championship 150-lap feature at Concord Motorsport Park on Saturday can be best described in two words: survival and dedication.  In a race that saw nearly as many caution laps run on the track as green, Freeman was able to bounce back from spins, other drivers’ impatience, and body panels flapping in the wind to close out his 2005 season with a fourth place finish!

“We ended up fourth in a race of survival,” said Freeman.  “We had a lot of damage and we just kind of rode around there for a while.  Some guys who have never run here before just got to racing a little too hot and we had a lot of cautions tonight.

“We started out real bad from lap one and we just got worse.  I kept bending and breaking stuff.  The rear end is held on by the chain, so we barely finished.  We’re happy to finish fourth.”

Freeman was bounced around often in the feature and his car was pretty badly beaten at the fall of the checkers.   

“We went through six tires in this race and we weren’t even supposed to change tires,” said Freeman.  “I knocked the left front off twice.  The first time there was a big wreck and everyone whoa'ed up but I guess somebody doesn’t have a spotter and just

John at speed before a few accidents made his car look more like a demo derby car instead of a Late Model Stock.

sideswiped us and took that wheel out.  The second time everyone checked up for a wreck and I got run into from behind.  I’m just glad to get out of this race.”

With cars going every which-way throughout the 150-lap race, Freeman was able to maneuver through many incidents to work his way into the top five late in the race.  With only a few laps to go, the first and second place cars of Ross Furr and Roger Lee Newton made contact, destroying both of their machines and collecting several other leaders including Freeman.  The of the Freeman’s Stereo No. 57 hurried to get the car back together for the final laps, allowing the young driver to secure his ninth top-5 and 18th top-10 finish of the 2005 season.

“The second wreck we were involved with was a huge one on the front stretch (the Furr/Newton incident) and it demolished the car,” said Freeman.  The crew did a great job getting us back out there every time I came in,” said Freeman.  “We always stayed on the lead lap and we were able to leave with a decent finish.”