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Speed Hinders Good Finish

Loudon, NH (July 16, 2005)- A new week, the same challenge.  David Green and the Scott® NASCAR Prints team have battled to get in the top-10 all season.   The New Hampshire International Speedway is a low bank track, which has been one of Green’s specialties over the years.  Crew chief, Stewart Cooper and the #27 team worked all week putting together one of the best cars all year.  Green practiced in the top-10 all weekend, but had a disappointing qualifying.  Green started the race 26^th.  Green worked his way into the top-10, but due to speeding on pit lane, Green was only able to battle his way up to 20^th by the end of the race.

The Kleenex® team brought a car that was perfect for the low bank, one mile tracks.  The team was the fastest car on the track during the beginning of the first practice, so crew chief, Stewart Cooper, thought it would be a great opportunity to try some different setups with the car.  Cooper said, “We came out of the gates running great.  I was really pleased with the work my team did this week.  I hope their efforts are going to be shown off this weekend.”  By the end of the practices, Green was running in the top-10.

Qualifying was a little disappointing for a team that had a top-10 car.  Green qualified 26^th but was confident he could make up for lost ground.  Green said, “We were really planning on the sun being out during qualifying. Since the clouds covered up the sun, our car handled dramatically different.  Our car was setup perfectly for a hot sunny day.”  As it turned out, the Scott® NASCAR Prints/Shaw’s car was going to be in the sun for the rest of the day.

Two laps after the start of the race, Green said to Stewart, “This is the best any of our cars have handled all year.  Lets try to get some track position, because we have a car that can win.  Good work this week!”  The New Hampshire International Speedway is not known for drivers making their way through the field quickly.  Green was moving his way to the front of the field, picking off one driver at a time.  Green battled his way up to 18^th by lap 49, when the race had its 3^rd caution.  When Green entered the pits, he said, “Stew the car is still perfect, don’t change a thing.”  Green exited the pits with four new tires, a full tank of gas and in 15^th, three positions better than he entered.

The green flag came out on lap 56.  Green struggled to gain more ground on the leaders due to lap traffic and caution flags.  On lap 83, the yellow flag came out again.  Green came into the pits 15^th, ready to make another 15-second pit stop.  Green said to Cooper, “I’m not really sure if you can do anything to make the car better.  It’s handling great all over the track.”  The crew made another great stop, getting Green back on the track with four tires and fuel.  Green exited the pits 19^th due to the fact that many teams in the back of the field didn’t pit. 

The green flag came out again on lap 87; Green saw this as his chance to gain some ground on the leaders due to the fact that he had newer tires.  He worked his way up to 17^th before another caution came out on lap 90.  Cooper got on the radio and said to Green, “Hey this is our chance to gain some track position.  Come in and lets top off with gas.” The strategy worked, Green exited the pits 13^th.  Green was knocking on the door of the leaders.

The race restarted on lap 104 and Green was making his move. After battling through lap traffic, he started working on the lead lap cars.  Green battled his way up to 11^th by lap 109.  Green started gaining ground on the 10^th place car, when another caution came out on lap 119.  Most of the lead pack came into the pits on lap 122.  The Scott® NASCAR Prints crew made another 15-second pit stop, getting Green out of the pits in front of one more car, putting him in the top-10.  When Green was on the back straightaway, a NASCAR official came into the pits and told Cooper that Green went too fast down pit row.  Green had to go to the end of the longest line, putting him 31^st.

The green flag came out on lap 125.  Green told Cooper, “I really don’t think I was speeding back there.  Lets keep working and see if we can gain some more track positions.”  Green battled his way up to 26^th by lap 165, when another driver put Green into the wall on the front straightaway.  Green was able to keep the car from wrecking but the car had substantial damage to the right front fender.  As luck would have it, another caution came out a lap later, giving the Scott® NASCAR Prints/ Shaw’s team time to get Green back on the track without losing track position.  Green came into the pits on lap 173 and the crew went to work on the front right fender.  Green exited the pits 29^th and said to the team, “Great work guys!  I’m glad ya’ll are on my team.” 

When the green flag came out on lap 175, Green was ready to battle for position.  On lap 181, Green was able to avoid a large wreck, putting him 24^th in the field.  NASCAR pulled out the red flag, stopping the race for over 10 minutes.  When the race restarted on lap 185, Green was in line with his teammates, Greg Biffle and Aaron Fike.  Aaron was driving the Kleenex® #43 car.  Green battled his way up to 20^th by the end of the race.

Green said, “I feel so bad for the team.  They gave me a car that could win.  I don’t think I was speeding down pit lane, but the NASCAR doesn’t lie.  I’m just sorry I could get my guys the good finish they deserve.  It seems like every week my team gets better and better.  A lot of people say that we have a young team, but if you ask me, I have a brilliant and mature team.  They might be younger in age but they are smarter and better than many other teams out there.  I’m positive they are going to give me another car next week that can win.  It seems like every week there is something that has gone wrong.  Hopefully next week will be different.”

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Bill Virtue

SMC 500

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