Bass Pro Shops 500 * Atlanta Motor Speedway * Sunday, October 26, 2003
Jeff Burton
Team: No.99 CITGO Racing Ford Taurus
Sponsors: CITGO
Owner: Jack Roush
Driver: Jeff Burton
Crew Chief: Paul Andrews
Chassis Number: #45 * ran at both Charlotte races and won the Winston
Open with it in May
Jeff Burton on racing at Atlanta:
"Atlanta is a track that we have not run well at in a couple years.
We've tested at other tracks in preparation for Atlanta and I think
we've figured some things out. It's a big, fast track and anything
can happen. Qualifying will be at night this year so the preparation
will be a little different. I don't think anyone knows what will
happen as far as qualifying goes, we'll just have to wait and see.
I'm excited to go there and race and get back to where we used to
run there. Our pit stops have been awesome the last few weeks and I
think the guys will continue to improve in that area which will help us
tremendously."
Crew Chief Paul Andrews on racing at Atlanta:
"Atlanta is definitely a fast track. We will be qualifying at night
for the first time so we're anxious to see what will come of it. The
CITGO team had a decent run in Martinsville and we're certainly hoping
to continue that into Atlanta. Our pit stops have been really good the
last several weeks and that could really help us in Atlanta. If we have
a fast car on the track and can pick up positions in the pits, we'll
be in good shape."
ROUSH RACING FAST FACTS:
· Mark Martin posted a pair of eighth-place finishes at Atlanta in
2002, but finished 42nd there in the spring after early mechanical
problems.
· Martin has scored 17 top-10 and nine top-five finishes in 35
starts at Atlanta.
· Martin has won twice at Atlanta, with both wins coming in the
fall ('91 and '94).
· Martin's lone pole at Atlanta came in 1992, but he has started
in the top four in three of the last five races there.
· Martin has started inside the top 10 in Atlanta in 22 of 35
races and inside the top five 16 times.
· Matt Kenseth now has 23 top-10 finishes in 32 starts, a
league-leading statistic. He also has 10 top-five finishes.
· Kenseth's 2003 Winston Cup point lead is now 240 points over
second place Kevin Harvick with just four races to go.
· If Kenseth wins the Aaron's 500 event, his Winston-leader
bonus payout would be a record $330,000.
· Kenseth took the point lead on his last trip to Atlanta Motor
Speedway. He has held it ever since.
· Kurt Busch sits 11th in the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series point
standings after 32 events, 576 points out of the fifth place and 882
points out of first.
· Busch is running his final special paint scheme of the year for
Rubbermaid Commercial Products.
· Busch is the defending champion of the event, winning the 2002
NAPA 500.
· Busch's crew chief Jimmy Fennig is tied for winningest active
crew chief in the Winston Cup Series with 24 wins.
· Jeff Burton has five top-five and eight top-10 finishes at
Atlanta Motor Speedway.
· Burton scored six top-10 finishes in the seven races at Atlanta
between November 1996 and March 2000.
· Jon Wood and Carl Edwards combined have five wins, three poles,
22 top-five and 32 top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck
Series.
