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Aaron Fike Hangs on for 19th Place Finish

 

CLERMONT, IN (August 6, 2005) - Aaron Fike, driver of the #66 Duraflame Ford, started 10^th and finished 19^th in the Kroger 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park.  Fike, who was making his sixth start of the season for Brewco Motorsports, battled handling problems for the majority of the rain delayed race.  Team Brewco remains eighth in NASCAR Busch Series owner's standings.

 

Having tested at Indianapolis Raceway Park a week ago, expectations were high upon entering Saturday night's Kroger 200.  "I've had my share of success at IRP, and really look forward to racing the Busch car there Saturday night.  This place can be pretty tough to get around though.  You've got to drive deep into the corner, get on the brakes, get the car to rotate, and mash the gas.  That's a lot easier said than done, but we should be just fine," Fike said before Saturday morning's first practice session.

 

Despite participating in the two-day test session, Aaron Fike and his Brewco Motorsports teammates struggled through both morning practice sessions.  "The car is handling fine- in fact it feels really good, but we just don't have the speed we need," Fike added.  With practice behind them and a lengthy list of changes made to the #66 Duraflame Ford, Aaron Fike anxiously awaited the start of Busch Pole qualifying.  "I'm pretty pleased with our lap.  I wasn't sure what the car was going to do because we made so many changes, but all-in-all that was a good effort," Fike said after qualifying 10^th, his career best qualifying effort.

 

At the drop of the green flag, Aaron Fike had his hands full with an ill-handling racecar.  When asked how his car was handling after only five laps, Fike radioed, "I'm really loose getting into the corners."  Despite the loose condition, Fike soldiered on and held onto 15^th place for several laps.  Unfortunately, the handling conditions worsened and Fike slipped to 19^th before the skies began to open up on lap 52.  After looking at the weather radar, crew chief Newt Moore made the call to pit for four tires before the red flag was waved.  "The radar looks pretty good.  I'm sure we will be back racing in no time, so I wanted to make the necessary changes before we go back," Moore added.  Five minutes until 10:00pm, after an hour and a half rain delay, competitors were called back to their cars.  After running several caution laps to help dry the track, Fike took the green flag running in 18^th place.

 

As the race progressed, Fike held his own in 18^th place.  When asked about the loose condition, Fike radioed, "It's still too loose.  I can't drive it in as deep as I want to."  In an effort to combat the handling problems, Fike headed to pit road on lap 105.  After taking on two tires and a track bar adjustment, Fike returned to racing action in 14^th place.  Unfortunately, the adjustments helped too much.  For much of the rest of the race, Fike battled a tight handling racecar.  "I had no idea those changes would effect the car that much.  This thing is plowing in the corners, I can't get it to turn down," Fike added after falling back to 26^th place. 

 

Disappointed but not discouraged, Team Brewco #66 made one final pit stop late in the race.  With only a handful of laps remaining, Fike, with the help of four fresh tires and "freed up" race car, managed to knock off several valuable positions.  Fike would take the checkered flag in 19^th place.

 

"That was the hardest 19^th place finish I've ever raced for.  This car was a handful all day long.  The guys did a great job adjusting on it, and in the end we were pretty decent.  Unfortunately, this is one of the shortest races of the year, and we just ran out of time," Fike said after finishing 19^th in the Kroger 200.

 

Next up, Team Brewco #66 heads to Watkins Glen International for the Zippo 200 on Saturday, August 13^th.  NBC and MRN will provide live coverage of the event beginning at 2:00pm ET.