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Moving Through the Pack

Once again David Green comes from the back of the field for a top 15

 

Richmond, VA (May 13, 2005) – Slowly becoming a common trend amongst the NASCAR Busch Series, all of it’s race weekend activities were packed into this past Friday including practice, qualifying, and of course the race.  A favored track for many of the NASCAR regulars however was just one factor that helped create a legendary feel as Busch Series veteran David Green boarded the #27 Kleenex®/Dollar Tree Ford Taurus just before the start of the “Funai 250” under the lights.  Despite a disappointing qualifying time for the #27, and set back to 33^rd in the field for the start of the race, Green made up a total of 19 positions during a race packed full of short track action leading up to another top 15 finish for the Kleenex®/Scott® products team, finishing 14^th.

 

Once again focusing on the #27’s race set-up, the team was faced with a disappointing qualifying time that set them back to 33^rd place for the drop of the green flag.  “Any day of the week I’d rather have a great set-up for race as oppose qualifying,” said Green.  “So far, we’ve been able to comeback for a good finishes, but I can’t help to think what we could have if we started further up in the pack.  Our qualifying package is definitely something that we’re going to switch some of our focus over too.”

 

Quickly earning two spots on the first lap to 31^st, it was clear that the team’s race set-up was in no way neglected.  By lap 26, the #27 had already gained a total of 9 laps to 24^th.  On lap 30, the caution came out and Green quickly mentioned that the car was pushing in the center on turns and needed to come in for a pit.  Receiving fuel, 4 new tires, an air pressure adjustment, and coming down 2 turns on the track bar put the #27 back on the track in 24^th place for the green flag on lap 41.  By lap 59, Green had already broken into the top-20 to 19^th and was still gaining speed.  Just 3 laps later he made another pass and was in 18^th place when the caution suddenly came out.  After a few yellow flag laps, there was too much oil on the track to clean up quickly, and the red flag came out.  After sitting still for a little while, the green flag finally came back out on lap 64, and the #27 was in 16^th place, and then passed two more cars to 14^th just two laps later.

 

Lap 78, the caution was out once more and crew chief Stewart Cooper in collaboration with team manager/spotter Todd Wilkerson, made the call to stay out on the track while most of the leading cars came into pit road.  When the green flag dropped on lap 83 the #27 had now come all the way back from a 33^rd position start to the top-5, in 4^th place.  Able to preserve his front running position on old tires, Green had moved up to 3^rd by lap 110, and the time for adjustments was approaching quickly.  Fortunately, the caution came out on the next lap, and the #27 came into pit road.  Receiving 4 tires, fuel, and coming up one turn on the track bar, all while none of the leaders took a pit put the Kleenex®/Dollar Tree Ford in 17^th place for the restart on lap 117.  Quickly regaining positions Green was in 13^th on lap 141 and the yellow flag was out again.  Making the call to pit, the #27 Taurus received 4 fresh tires and a refuel, and by lap 147, was in 17^th place for the restart.

 

As a couple of cautions went by with no trips to pit road, the #27 was in 11^th place by lap 192.  Unfortunately, with the “staying out” strategy the team was implementing, Green’s tires had gotten old and he was on the edge of disaster on lap 197.  After a quick trip to pit road, and receiving four new tires, the #27 was back out in 22^nd and newly rejuvenated.  Staying out for the rest of the race, and now on a fresh set of tires, David Green and the #27 Kleenex®/Scott® Products team were able to gain a total of 8 more positions for yet another comeback to 14^th place.