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Kleenex® Comes Back for Strong Finish

Ft. Worth, Texas (April 16, 2005) – The excitement was everywhere this weekend at the Texas Motor Speedway.  After an extra week of built up anticipation from a week off for the Busch Series, there was no better time or place to kick off the series comeback than with some of the world’s biggest race fans in Texas.  Helping start the weekend, and showing off its new Scott® Extra Soft paint scheme, David Green’s Ford Taurus started the O’Reilly 300 in the 24^th position.  After struggling with adjustment issues, and coming back from a lap down, the #27 Kleenex® team overcame many obstacles with an impressive performance, finishing 11^th.

Qualifying on Thursday afternoon, a lap time of 29.047 put David Green in the 24^th position for the start of the race.  “We ran into some of the same problems we ran into during practice,” said Green.  “The car was just loose on that run and we probably needed to take a little tape off the front.  Whatever it was, we’ll get it straightened out by Saturday and we’ll be ready to take on this track.”

Just before the start of the race, crew chief Stewart Cooper took a moment on the radio to motivate his team after a discouraging qualifying run.  “Well guys, you have all done a great job this week, we had a rough qualifying run, but we’ve all worked hard,” said Stewart.  “Now, we have a great car, a great crew, and the best racecar driver out there.  So let’s go out there, and let’s get it.”  Invigorated with energy and excitement, the #27 team was ready to gain positions right from the start of the race.  When the green flag dropped, David Green gained five positions in only four laps.  Unfortunately, the car began running loose right away.  The Scott® Extra Soft/Brookshires® Ford was now loosing positions.  By lap 17, the car was in 28^th and adjustments needed to be made right away. 

Lap 28, and still in the 28^th position, the caution flag came up and the opportunity for a pit stop arose.  Receiving four new tires, wedge, track bar, and air adjustments; Stewart Cooper was trying to jack up the back end of the car in order to create more down force on the vehicles nose, in turn giving more traction to the #27.  Thanks to a quick pit, the team was back out in 24^th place for the green flag, and David Green was equipped with a better handling vehicle.  By lap 77, it seemed that Stewart’s plan worked as the Scott® Extra Soft Ford Taurus was in 22^nd and most of the other cars on the track needed to pit.  As the leaders came onto pit road on lap 96, the #27 Taurus stayed out, and was now in 3^rd place with good track position.  Two laps later, the other leaders on the track took a pit and David Green was leading the race for a few laps until he also had to come in for some fuel, tires, and adjustments on lap 104.  David returned to the track one lap down, and in 21^st place.

Regaining positions one at a time, David was in 19^th by lap 128 when the caution came out.  Fortunately, being the first car one lap down, the Kleenex® Ford Taurus was the “Lucky Dog.”  Pitting for fuel only, the team was now back on the track in 19^th place, but no longer a lap down.  On lap 146 the #27 was in 18^th place and the yellow flag was out again.  While most cars needed to pit for fuel, the Kleenex® team was all set from the previous stop, and stayed on the track.  Just the strategy they needed, the team now had good track position and was in 3^rd place once again. 

Battling it out with yellow flags and old tires, David Green and the #27 team fought to keep their position.  Losing some spots to fresher tires and still fighting a tight condition, the Scott® Extra Soft/Brookshires® Ford finished the race 11^th. 

“That was a great effort by Stewart on his calls throughout the race,” said Green.  “I personally think it was his best called race to date. Also, the team made great pit stops with a ton of adjustments all day long.  The track just changed so much from what we saw on Thursday.  We really had to throw a ton of stuff at it, and it really made the last part of the race really fun for me.  Once we got track position, our car really responded well even though we were on older tires than the competition.  All in all, it was a good day to get back on track with a solid effort.  We are learning each and every weekend what our Ford Taurus wants and needs.  Plus, we moved up a spot in the standings.”

David Green is now in 11^th place in the Championship standings.

  Media Contact: Stephen Kirby

                        SMC 500

                        910-692-4600

                        skirby@smc500.com