Rookie driver Sorenson, 19, wins Busch race in romp at Nashville track
GLADEVILLE, Tenn. – Rookie Reed Sorenson raced to his first NASCAR Busch Series victory Saturday, beating Kenny Wallace by a whopping 14.417 seconds in the Pepsi 300 at Nashville Superspeedway.
“I didn’t really know what to expect this weekend,” Sorenson said. “I never had run on a concrete track before so I just tried to keep an open mind. We had a good car and I thought we could run the same lap, lap after lap, but I had no idea we’d be this dominant. Now we need to come back here in June and defend the title.”
The 19-year-old Georgia driver, making only the 11th start of his Busch career, started from the pole after topping qualifying for the first time.
About the only problem he had was with his rearview mirror.
“I really can’t see out the rearview mirror,” Sorenson said. “I think I have to adjust that. All I can see is the spoiler.”
Shane Hmiel was third, followed by series leader Carl Edwards, Boston Reid, Truck series star Bobby Hamilton, Tony Raines, Jason Keller, Denny Hamlin and Stacy Compton.
Sorenson broke through a week after failing to qualify his Chip Ganassi Dodge for his hometown race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He got into the race in a car borrowed from Nextel Cup driver Sterling Marlin and ended up 19th.
“We redeemed ourselves,” Sorenson said. “We came into this weekend going after a top five, but when we unloaded we knew we were fast and our goals changed. My crew chief, Brian Pattie, was a little nervous, but I was just running smooth laps every time and tried to make my marks. But when you’re out ahead you don’t have to push the issue. They didn’t want me to abuse the car or the tires.”
Sorenson led three times for 197 laps in the 225-lap event on the 1.33-mile track. He also became the first Busch Series driver to win from the pole at NSS.
Wallace, driving a Ford, had his first top-five finish since the 2002 season.
“I had a great racecar and I could not ask for it to be any faster,” Wallace said. “I was just stunned how fast Sorenson was. I can’t remember the last time the field got beat that bad. But it was a good shot in the arm. It’s fitting because this is where this team should be.”
Hmiel had his third top-five finish in six races.
“Reed Sorenson must be one heck of a driver,” Hmiel said. “If I was 19 I’d probably run over somebody. It’s hard to keep up with somebody that fast. It’s tough because my car was not that bad. There was nothing mechanically I could have done to make my car go faster, so my hats off to those guys.”
Sorenson jumped from fourth to second in the standings, 95 points behind Edwards.
The Busch Series will remain in Tennessee next week for the Sharpie Professional 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway.