Sharpie 500 * Bristol Motor Speedway * Saturday, August 23, 2003
Jeff Burton
Team: No.99 CITGO Racing Ford Taurus
Sponsors: CITGO
Owner: Jack Roush
Driver: Jeff Burton
Crew Chief: Paul Andrews
Chassis Number: #41 * same car as Bristol in the spring
Jeff Burton on racing at Bristol:
"Bristol is a tough track. There will be a lot of paint trading and
probably several cautions. I like running there because of the history
and excitement that centers around the track and there's just
something about a night race that makes it a little more special. Track
position will be important, you don't want to go a lap down so it will
be important to qualify well. We had a decent run in the spring and we
are certainly hoping to improve on that this Saturday."
Crew Chief Paul Andrews on racing at Bristol:
"Track position is really important so it's important to qualify
well and have good pit stops. The CITGO team has been really working
hard in those two areas and I think it will pay off this weekend.
Bristol is a tough track but I think we have a shot at a good
finish."
ROUSH RACING FAST FACTS:
Mark Martin scored four consecutive poles at Bristol (1995-96).
Martin's seven poles at Bristol is a tie for the most ever.
Martin has won five of the last 17 poles at Bristol.
Martin has posted two victories at Bristol, in 1993 from the
pole and in the 1998 fall race.
Martin has posted 20 top-10 and 15 top-five finishes in 33 races
at Bristol.
Martin's last top-10 finish at Bristol came in 2000.
Martin scored 10 straight top-10 finishes from 1995-2000.
Greg Biffle earned his first top-five finish of the season at
Bristol in the spring.
Matt Kenseth now has 18 top-10 finishes in 23 starts, a
league-leading statistic. He also has nine top-five finishes; second
only to Bobby Labonte's 10 top-five finishes.
Kenseth's 2003 Winston Cup point lead is now 329 points over
second place Dale Earnhardt, Jr. It is the widest margin of the entire
year for Kenseth.
If Kenseth wins the Sharpie 500 event, his Winston-leader bonus
payout would be a record $240,000.
Kenseth has completed all but two laps of competition in the
2003 season.
Kurt Busch won the Food City 500 at Bristol in March this year.
Busch's crew chief Jimmy Fennig is the winningest active crew
chief in the Winston Cup Series with 23 wins.
Jeff Burton has four top-five and seven top-10 finishes at
Bristol.
Jon Wood and Carl Edwards will compete in Wednesday night's
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event. Edwards has won the past two races
and the Roush teams have won four of the last six races.
