Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 - Jeff Green Notes

Jeff Green Notes, Quotes: Pop Secret 400
‘The art of the perfect slide at Rockingham’

Driving the special-painted #43 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn Dodge, Jeff Green heads to the 1.017-mile Rockingham (N.C.) Motor Speedway for Sunday’s Pop Secret 400. Green has had many strong runs in the NASCAR Busch Series at the track, and last year at this race, in Winston Cup competition, started sixth and finished 10th. Green will be looking for another strong weekend driving the race sponsor’s #43 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn Dodge.

The 2000 NASCAR Busch Grand National champion, Green is known for a winning driving style and a true ability to “bring the car home.” In his first full season of NASCAR Winston Cup racing last season, he failed to finish just two races, and both of those due to engine problems. He won the pole for the season-opening Daytona 500 this year, and has won over $2 million.

The thoughts of #43 Pop Secret Popcorn Dodge driver Jeff Green heading into Rockingham:

“It’s a pretty big weekend for everyone involved with Petty Enterprises. We’ve got Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn just bursting all over the hood and sides of this Dodge this weekend. It’s a pretty cool car and we’re looking to have a good race. I don’t try any differently than any other week because we have a special paint scheme. I try just as hard every week, but to run well this weekend would be pretty special.

“I know we’ll have a lot of people from General Mills and Pop Secret watching us closely. It would be really nice to give them some bragging rights after the weekend is over. I think everyone knows that if it wasn’t for our partners and sponsors, we wouldn’t be able to make all this happen. In fact, none of us could make this happen without sponsor support. Hopefully we can put a smile on their faces by having a good run on Sunday.

“A win would be awesome on Sunday. Victory Lane is pretty cool anywhere you go, but especially at Rockingham. You’ve got popcorn being thrown from everywhere. It’s hitting the car, hitting you, the crew, the cameras. . . it’s just everywhere. It’s a really fun scene. I’ve always wanted to have someone throw popcorn at me. It sounds strange, but if you’ve ever tried some of that stuff, you know what I am talking about. I’ve never won a Winston Cup race, but I know that Rockingham would be an awesome place to get my first win.

“It would just be great to have a good day there. Last year we led both of the races in the Spring and Fall in the Winston Cup car. I actually had a chance of winning both the races. We had a bad pit stop in one of the races, and ran out of gas in the other. That was about the only thing that kept us from winning both.

“Rockingham has always been pretty good for me. I have had some wins in the Busch Series and have been really close in Winston Cup. Anytime I race there, no matter what I am driving, I have always had some pretty good runs. The track really seems to fit my style more than some of the others. It’s an older track that really wears down the tires. It gets really, really slick and it gets that way fast. You might have some grip on new tires for 10 laps, but after that you are just sliding around everywhere. It just comes down to who can slide the best. I’ve been pretty good with that and that plays into my favor at Rockingham.

“Rockingham has always produced good racing. It’s a different track and it’s one that is pretty challenging because it is so slick on older tires. It’s just one of those tracks that I like. I have always been able to slide the car around it pretty well and have had good finishes. Petty Enterprises has a tremendous history there and we’re all looking to finish the season strong. Nothing would be better than to put this #43 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn Dodge in victory lane on Sunday.”

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