Teamwork Leads #27 Viva / Breast Cancer Research Foundation Ford Fusion to 22nd in Dollar General 300

Atwood survives caution-filled race in backup car

Concord, NC (October 12, 2007) … The official NASCAR Busch Series race report will show that Casey Atwood and the #27 Viva / Breast Cancer Research Foundation Racing Team finished 22nd in the Dollar General 300 at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Friday night. However, there’s certainly more to this race story than mere numbers.

Casey Atwood, making his second consecutive start in the #27 Viva / Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) Ford Fusion, posted the 7th –fastest speed in the first practice session for the Busch Series cars on Thursday afternoon. Then, in final practice, Atwood “busted off” a fast lap that placed him atop the speed chart until late in the session The Viva / BCRF Team closed the garage doors on Thursday with high hopes for qualifying and the 200-lap, 300-mile race on Friday.

Atwood would be the 32nd driver to make his qualifying attempt on Friday afternoon. After taking the green flag to begin his “race against the clock”, Atwood spun in turn four and backed into the outside safer barrier. Atwood drove his battered Ford Fusion to the garage, and the Viva / BCRF Team quickly evaluated the damage. With heavy left rear damage, the team unloaded their backup car.

With less than three hours till the green flag waved, the Viva / BCRF Team, under the direction of Crew Chief Newt Moore, quickly began to make the adjustments to the backup car to prepare it for the race. With assistance from their teammates on the #37 Brewco team, car was prepared, decaled, went through NASCAR inspection, and placed on the starting grid.

Having to start at the rear of the field in a car with no practice laps in this car, Atwood and the Viva / BCRF Team knew that they were in for a long night. However, their positive attitude kept hopes high for a strong performance.

In the first 25 laps, Atwood gained eight positions as he was turning smooth, consistent laps. The Nashville, Tennessee driver reported that his Ford Fusion was “loose under throttle off the corners” in the early stages. After a pit stop under caution on lap 28, Atwood restarted 31st. Still experiencing handling issues, Atwood went a lap down to the leaders on lap 64. Atwood told Crew Chief Newt Moore that his car was now “tight in, but when he touched the gas, it wants to jump sideways”. After another pit stop for major adjustments to the track bar and air pressure, Atwood said that the adjustments made huge improvements, but his car still handled terrible around other cars. At the midway point of the race, Atwood was running in the 32nd position.

Atwood gained four positions in the next thirty laps before disaster nearly struck again. On lap 132, several cars wrecked directly in front of the Viva / BCRF Ford Fusion in turn two, and Atwood had to basically stop on the track to avoid the accident. During this caution, Atwood pitted for fuel only and restarted 26th. Two laps after the restart, another multi-car accident occurred on the frontstretch that enabled Atwood to gain four additional positions. During the final fifty laps, Atwood would battle several cars for position to earn the “lucky dog”, but each time the caution would wave, Atwood would be just short of receiving the “free pass” and return to racing on the lead lap. A determined effort would end with Atwood and the Viva / BCRF Ford Fusion in the 22nd position.

“Newt (Crew Chief Moore) and the Viva / BCRF guys gave me a really good car for this race,” Atwood stated. “It’s without question the best car I’ve ever had at this track. It was a top-five car. I really hate that I wrecked it during qualifying. This team never quit, and kept making adjustments during the race. I had a couple of close calls during the race dodging wrecks, but it was that kind of race.”

The Busch Series will take next weekend off before heading to the Memphis Motorsports Park for the Sam’s Town 250 on Saturday, October 27th. Practice begins on Friday, October 26th, with qualifying set for 10:35 a.m. ET on Saturday the 27th. The 250-lap, 187.5-mile race is set for a 3:30 p.m. ET start. ESPN2 will begin their live television coverage beginning at 3 p.m. ET.