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Aaron Fike Takes 20th at The Milwaukee Mile Saturday

 

WEST ALLIS, WI (June 25, 2005) - Aaron Fike, driver of the #66 SCOTT® Extra Soft Ford Taurus, started 17^th in the SBC 250 at the Milwaukee Mile.  Fike, who was making his third start of the season for Brewco Motorsports, Inc., was patiently working his way through the field when the skies opened up on lap 199.  Ultimately, the 22 year old, Galesburg, IL native would have to settle for a 20^th place finish, his second top-20 finish of the season.  As a result of the finish, Team Brewco #66 fell from eighth to ninth in NASCAR Busch Series owner's standings.

 

Having never raced a stock car at the historic Milwaukee Mile, Aaron Fike took all of the advice he could get.  "I've been on the phone all week talking to anyone and everyone who might be able to help me out.  David (teammate Green) has been a huge help.  He's had a lot of success here.  I raced a midget car here last year, so I'm familiar with the track, but it's a whole different ball game with these cars.  I'm going to take it easy during the first practice and just try to feel everything out.  We should be able to adapt pretty quickly," Aaron Fike said before Saturday morning's first practice session.

 

With two practice sessions, Busch Pole qualifying, and a 250 lap race all scheduled for Saturday, Team Brewco had more than their fair share of work cut out for them.  Despite having never run a stock car at the famed one-mile track, Aaron Fike adapted quickly and found himself comfortably in the top-ten for the majority of morning practice.  With a five hour break scheduled between practice and qualifying, Fike had plenty of time to get his head straight in preparation for afternoon time trials.

 

Unfortunately, due to "luck of the draw," Fike was forced to qualify his #66 SCOTT Extra Soft Ford ninth in the lineup.  With qualifying scheduled for 5:00pm, track temperature would play a major role in the outcome of Busch Pole qualifying.  Fike, who held the provisional pole early stated, "Our lap was perfect.  Newt (crew chief Moore) and the guys did a good job preparing this car.  Unfortunately, the track temperature is dropping fast and I don't think that time is going to hold up.  If we drew a later number, we might have had a shot at the pole."

 

Having secured a solid 17^th place starting position, Fike and his Brewco Motorsports, Inc. teammates switched their focus to the evening's 250-mile race.  With the cars impounded and the track temperature dropping, crew chief Newt Moore crossed his fingers hoping he had made the proper adjustments.  "In a lot of ways it is a guessing game.  We practice in the middle of the day, when the track is hot and slick and then race at night.  You have to build in a lot of adjustability, so that you are prepared for anything," Moore added before the 8:00pm start of the SBC 250.

 

At the drop of the green flag, Moore and spotter Ken Christerson encouraged their young driver to find his rhythm and keep his "nose" clean.  Citing a "loose" condition, Fike lost some ground to race leader Johnny Sauter.  On lap 21, Ashton Lewis, driver of the #25 Ford, made contact with Fike, sending him spinning.  Fortunately, no contact was made and Fike was able to drive back to pit road, where he received four fresh tires and fuel.  Disappointed but not discouraged, Fike patiently worked his back to the front of the field.  By lap 84, he found himself in 17^th place.  When asked how his car was handling he radioed, "I'm tight in the center and loose off.  I need it to rotate a little better."

 

In what came to be the turning point of the race, Johnny Sauter brought out the caution on lap 112 when he spun Tony Raines.  While most of the field had pitted under green flag conditions, Sauter headed to pit road under yellow.  When the race restarted, Sauter and "lucky dog" recipient Randy LaJoie where the only two drivers on the lead lap.  Fike would restart the race in 23^rd, two laps down to the race leader.  Never one to give up, Fike quickly regained his rhythm and raced his way back inside the top-20.  After a lighting fast pit stop on lap 148, Fike found himself in 18^th spot.  Poised to go the rest of the way, Fike settled in and began making his charge to the front.  Several laps later, veteran racer Ron Hornaday dove to the inside of Fike, sending the young driver up the track.  While no contact was made, several positions were lost.  Nevertheless, Fike regained his composure and worked his way back to the 20^th spot.  With only fifty laps remaining, the skies opened up forcing the field to head to pit road.  Within an hour, NASCAR officially called the race.  While we will never know what would have happened in those final fifty laps, Team Brewco and Aaron Fike can leave with their heads held high.

 

"I'm pretty pleased with that effort.  We lost some track position early but were able to work our way back.  This was one of the strangest races I've ever been in- there were so few cars on the lead lap.  Nevertheless, the pit stops were good, the car was good, and we brought it home in one piece," Fike added after posting his second consecutive top-20 finish.

 

Next up, Team Brewco #66 heads to Daytona International Speedway for the Winn-Dixie 250 on Friday, July 1^st.  Greg Biffle will return to the driver's seat of the #66 SUBWAY® Ford.  TNT and MRN will provide live coverage of the event beginning at 7:30pm ET.