Winn-Dixie 200 - Mike Bliss Notes

MIKE BLISS
NO. 20 ROCKWELL AUTOMATION CHEVROLET
DARLINGTON QUOTES AND NOTES

Event: Winn-Dixie 200 Date: August 30, 2003
Track: Darlington Raceway TV: TNT 12:30 PM ET
Laps/Miles: 147/200 Radio: MRN 12:30 PM ET

QUOTES Driver Mike Bliss on driving at Darlington Raceway…
“I have been looking forward to returning to Darlington for a while now. I thought we had a really good car here in the spring & just never got a chance to use it. I really enjoy racing here. Your tires get all used up in the first five laps & then you are just trying to hang on.

During the last four months, I have had the opportunity to travel to the different manufacturing facilities and meet the Rockwell Automation employees who make their products. This weekend I get to drive a car that was designed by one of their employee’s children in their annual paintshop contest. This new design may be the change that we need to improve our luck.”

Crew chief Tim Shutt on the Lady in Black…
“This is a track that really fits Mike’s driving style. Mike seems to be a finesse driver who can save his tires and run really good on the long green flag runs. As difficult as it is to pass at Darlington, we have to take advantage of every chance to make up positions. The crew will have a lot of responsibility to make solid stops and pick up as many positions as we can on pit road. Darlington can be a frustrating track to set a car up for, but with Mike behind the wheel, I think we have a solid shot at a good finish.”

NOTES

Paint Scheme…The wild and zany art decorating the #20 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet this weekend was designed by 11 year old Teri Lin Smith of Belton, SC. Part of the 4th annual Rockwell Automation Paintshop Contest, over 1000 entries was received from children and grandchildren of Rockwell Automation employees. The grand prize includes a trip for four to the Darlingotn Raceway to watch #20 car compete on the track. Also included in this exciting weekend is dinner with the race team and day at Myrtle Beach that includes lunch at NASCAR Café & day a Myrtle Beach Waves.

Last visit to Darlington…Mike Bliss & the #20 team had a car that was constantly at the top of the speed chart during both practice sessions. With qualifying rained out, Bliss would start the race in the fifth position. Bliss continued to run in the top five until lap 41 when eventual race runner-up, Jamie McMurray, drove into the rear of the #20 Chevrolet sending it hard into the turn three wall. Bliss would finish 32nd , 106 laps down to the leader.

Racing for the Home Crowd… The primary sponsor of the #20 JGR car, Rockwell Automation, is headquartered in Greenville, SC. In addition to their headquarters, Rockwell Automation has three manufacturing locations in South Carolina, the closest just 35 miles from the track in Clio, SC.

Chassis Info… This week the #20 team is bringing Chassis #1824. This will be the third race of the season for the #20 team. The first race was at Pike’s Peak where it was running in the top five until it was involved in an incident and finished 16th. The second race of the season for #1824 was IRP where it started 19th and finished 10th.

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