Subway 500 * Martinsville Speedway * Sunday, October 19, 2003
Jeff Burton
Team: No.99 CITGO Racing Ford Taurus
Sponsors: CITGO
Owner: Jack Roush
Driver: Jeff Burton
Crew Chief: Paul Andrews
Chassis Number: #48 *raced at Martinsville in April
Jeff Burton on racing at Martinsville:
"I really like going to Martinsville. I think from a fan's
perspective, it's one of those places that you will always see a good
race. Forty-three cars can race side by side without huge consequences
and I think that's cool. At the same time, it's one of the more
difficult tracks for teams to conquer. Pit strategy is huge and of
course tire management. The CITGO team had a good run there in the
spring so hopefully that will carry over into the fall."
Crew Chief Paul Andrews on racing at Martinsville:
"Martinsville can be tough. Pit strategy is very important as far as
where you pit, when you come in, etc. It's easy to go a lap down
while you are in the pits if you aren't careful. The CITGO Ford ran
fairly strong in the spring at Martinsville so we are doing everything
we can to try and replicate that performance and then improve upon
it."
ROUSH RACING FAST FACTS:
Mark Martin posted three straight poles at Martinsville
beginning in the fall of 1990 and sweeping 1991.
Martin has scored four top-10 finishes, including one victory,
in his last seven races at Martinsville.
Martin's first ever Winston Cup top-five finish came at
Martinsville on Sept. 27, 1981 in the Old Dominion 500.
Martin has won twice at Martinsville, during the spring of 1992
and the spring of 2000.
Martin has finished in the top-10 in five of the last eight
races at Martinsville and seven of the last 12.
Matt Kenseth now has 23 top-10 finishes in 31 starts, a
league-leading statistic. He also has 10 top-five finishes.
Kenseth's 2003 Winston Cup point lead is now 267 points over
second place Kevin Harvick with just five races to go.
If Kenseth wins the Subway 500 event, his Winston-leader bonus
payout would be a record $320,000.
Kurt Busch sits 10th in the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series point
standings after 31 events, 457 points out of the fifth place and 809
points out of first.
Busch is the defending champion of this event, winning the 2002
Old Dominion 500 after starting 36th.
Busch's crew chief Jimmy Fennig is tied for winningest active
crew chief in the Winston Cup Series with 24 wins.
Jeff Burton has one victory at Martinsville (Fall 1997).
In 18 races at Martinsville, Burton has eight top-five and 10
top-10 finishes.
Jon Wood and Carl Edwards will compete in Saturday's Craftsman
Truck Series race at Martinsville. Combined the two drivers have four
wins, two poles, 20 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes.
