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NASCAR WCUP: Burton Ends Benson's Southern 500 Chances

5 September 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

#10 Aaron's Pontiac driver Johnny Benson's Southern 500 came to an abrupt end only 50 laps into the 367-lap race on Sunday.

And the MB2 Motorsports team wasn't very happy.

Benson started second and slid back in the early going. After a pit stop and a two-hour rain delay, the crew felt it had fixed the tight condition on the car.

Benson's radio had malfunctioned on the caution laps as the cars restarted after the delay. But Benson never lost the ability to hear his spotter Vic Maguire.

On the lap 50 restart Benson was 12th as he led Ward Burton into the first corner.

Burton hit Benson in the quarter panel sending him spinning into the wall severely damaging the Aaron's Pontiac.

"I guess the '22' (Ward Burton) decided it was easier to spin somebody out than to pass them," said Benson "I don't know what else to say."

An angry team was highly motivated to make repairs.

Benson spent about 120 laps in the pits then returned to the track. As the laps wound down, he even got to race then-leader Burton near the end of the race. Burton lost several seconds off his lead as he struggled to pass Benson who was on fresher tires.

"Don't crash him Johnny. I don't want to race like they do," ordered Crew Chief James Ince.

A few laps after Burton passed, Benson moved into 38th and could mathematically gain no more positions so the team decided to end the day.

A caution with 60 laps left forced all the cars into the pits. Bobby Labonte came out in the lead, Burton sixth, but rain returned and the race came to an end with Labonte .declared the winner.

Benson and his teammates return to action Saturday night on the Richmond short track.

Text provided by Drew Brown

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