NGND Again Proves to be a Springboard
By Robert Elliott
Source: nascarregionalracing.com
September 23, 2006
 

DOVER, Del. -- The list of alumni that have graduated from the Grand National Division to Cup, Busch or Truck racing is indeed long. A new name, Sean Caisse of Pelham, N.H., was added to the list, albeit maybe for a day. Twenty-year-old Caisse -- the '05 Busch East Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year -- made his NASCAR Busch Series debut Saturday at the Dover (Del.) International Speedway, driving the No. 33 Outdoor Channel Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick, himself a graduate from the NASCAR AutoZone West Series.

Caisse started racing in the street stock division at the Lee (N.H.) USA Speedway, then switched to the NEMA Midget Series in '03. He ran a partial season with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in '04, and then teamed with Andy Santerre Motorsports to drive the No. 44 Casella Waste Systems Chevrolet.

Double Duty at Dover

In Friday's Busch East qualifying for the Sunoco 150, Caisse secured his fifth Bud Pole this season by shattering the Dover NASCAR Busch East Series track record with a lap of 152.782 m.p.h. Ryan Moore set the record of 149.800 last year.

But Caisse's day dwindled from there. After leading the majority of the race, apparently an internal problem put the No. 44 into the wall in turn 3, causing major damage. He did not return, ending the evening with a 22nd-place finish.

Although still second in points, Caisse now stands 109 points out of the lead held by Mike Olsen.

Tim Andrews went on to win the race.

Last weekend we spoke with Caisse at New Hampshire International Speedway (NHIS), about his Busch opportunity with Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), and what it's like to go from Busch East to the big leagues.

"Great ... but next week I do need to keep focused. I'll be driving Friday night in Busch East, then Saturday afternoon in Busch. It'll be one eventful weekend that I'm looking forward to. I'm really excited, and Kevin Harvick has given me the opportunity of a lifetime," Caisse said.

Caisse spent time with Harvick and the No. 33 team last month at the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, and replaced struggling KHI driver Aaron Fike with this one-race deal. However, hopes were that if he showed well at Dover he might again drive for KHI at Memphis Motorsports Park on Oct. 28.

Responding to his 14th-place finish at NHIS --  an accident caused severe damage to the No. 44 -- Caisse stated, "I'm really proud of my guys. I'm not going to give up. I don't know if that (NHIS race) is the breaker between the championship or not. If it is, so be it. Things that happen on the racetrack are out of my hands. There is nothing that I can do about it nor is there anything I can say that will change it."

Regarding his look ahead to Dover, Caisse was optimistic.

"Dover is the place where I got my first top-three finish of my career last year. The place means a lot to me, that's for sure," he said. "Not surprisingly, it's one of the places that I really want to win on this series [Busch East], but I think winning there would be more special than anyplace else.

"There is sun on the horizon for me and this team. I'm working with a great guy in Andy Santerre. I've got a great deal with Harvick. We just have to look at Dover as another opportunity to close the gap on Mike [Olsen] and get back to victory lane."

It wouldn't be so, however.

Saturday Morning Started Rough

Caisse was first out for Busch qualifying. After a few "motivating" words from his new boss, Kevin Harvick, on the track went the No. 33. As he rolled out of turn 1 for the green, the rear broke and Caisse found the wall. The car was garage bound and out came the backup. He started 41st.

Interviewed after the qualifying incident, Harvick stated, "It's a learning experience for him. Let him take his lumps now. It's OK. I'd rather have someone that's aggressive and can stand on it. That's why he's here -- not to just do 200 laps, but to win."

If there was an upside though it might have been SPEED Channel's replay of the incident -- over and over and over. The Outdoor Channel, the car's sponsor, received a boatload of airtime.

The Beginning, and the Quick End to a Promising Day

It seems the wall and Caisse shall not part. Just seven laps in and the No. 33 found it again, almost the same spot as he did in qualifying. It was a race-ending event. He finished officially 42nd. Observers related the incident, as with qualifying, that the Radial tires run in the Busch Series, as opposed to the bias ply utilized in the Busch East, take some getting used to. Radials lack the "grip," they say. With bias ply tires there's more side bite -- you can lean on them more. It looks as if Caisse, skilled on bias ply tires, was leaning a bit too hard.

High hopes and opportunity were on his mind when we spoke at NHIS. As he stated, Dover was a great opportunity. The question now is whether he'll continue on with KHI -- at Memphis or otherwise. Given the day's unfortunate turnout, one would doubt it, but if Harvick was accurate when he stated 'It's a learning experience' then who knows, we just might see Sean Caisse behind the wheel of a Busch Series racecar. If not, the only place we'll see him in '07 is running Busch East, clearly a disappointment to him and his entire organization and, quite frankly, to our tens-of-thousands of readers. We have followed Sean this past season and it's always encouraging to see someone in the series move up and advance their career, as have others before him.

Clint Bowyer went on for the win, Kevin Harvick finished third in the No. 21 Coast Guard Chevrolet of Richard Childress Racing. For KHI's other Busch team --  the No. 77 Dollar General stores Chevrolet with Burney Lamar behind the wheel -- contact from a competitor on lap 138 put Lamar into the wall and to the garage for repairs. He would finish 39th. Not a great day for KHI.