J.J. Yeley had hoped a return to his native Phoenix International Raceway would have turned out better but a disastrous night in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 dropped the DLP Toyota driver three spots out of the Top 35.
The troubles began for Yeley in Friday's practice when the team changed engines, forcing the No. 96 Toyota to the back of the field after Yeley qualified 22nd.
Then things went from bad to worse.
Yeley got caught up in the multi-car acident triggered when Ryan Newman's engine blew, sending fluid all around the track and several drivers spinning.
Yeley had thought he was clear of the mess but was tagged by Reed Sorenson, severaly damaging his car.
"It looked like the 12 (Newman) blew up right about the dogleg, and I'm surprised that NASCAR took so long to throw the caution," Yeley said. "I think if they could have got the caution out quicker, maybe everybody would have slowed down before we drove into three there at speed and went into an ice-skating rink."
"I saw it and went to the outside where I'd been running. I was clear and then I think it was the 41 (Sorenson) that dove below me. He must have got in the oil and slipped, hit me in the left-rear corner and and got me into the fence. It's definitely not the day we were looking for coming back here to Phoenix. We caught a break there with the caution and we were up to about the 15th or 16th spot and had a pretty good race car. It's disappointing."
The damaged car was repaired and Yeley was able to return but handed a dismal 39th place finish on the night.
"The DLP guys did a good job," Yeley said. "They worked their tails off to get us back out there and pick up some points."
The finish dropped Yeley two spots to 35th in the championship driver standings, with a post-Phoenix total of 551 points.
But the No. 96 Hall of Fame Racing entry is 36th in the series' owner standings, three points behind the 35th-place No. 01 car driven by Regan Smith.
That means Yeley will be forced to qualify his way into the next race in Talladega, a weekend he hopes will turn out much better than the rough trip back home last week.
