Samsung/Radio Shack 500 - Jeff Green Notes

Jeff Green
America Online Racing
Event Preview Fact Sheet

Event/Date: Samsung/Radio Shack 500, March 30, 2003
Venue: Texas Motor Speedway

NASCAR Winston Cup Points Position: 33rd

Notes:

Jeff Green, driver of the #30 America Online Chevrolet, will start in his 101st Winston Cup race this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway as the Winston Cup teams compete in the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 on Sunday, March 30. Live broadcast is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. EST on FOX.

This weekend will mark Green's second Winston Cup start on the 1.5-mile track of Texas Motor Speedway. Last year, he finished 16th for the AOL team during the 334-lap race that was delayed a day due to rain.

While the AOL team may seem off its potential this year, it's actually right on track when compared to last season. After six races in the 2002 season, Green had accumulated 497 points, which is only two more than the 495 he's earned this year. In the point standings though, the 497 points placed him 29th in the points with Green 33rd in the standings right now. While the road ahead may seem challenging, Green and the AOL can easily obtain their season-ending spot of 17th and surpass that effort with consistent top finishes.

Crew chief Mike Beam had led his drivers to decent finishes during five starts at Texas Motor Speedway. In the track's inaugural race, Beam guided driver Bill Elliott to an 11th-place finish and then followed that up two years later with a top 10 for Elliott Sadler.

2002 Race Recap:

After starting 17th in last year's competition, Green fell back as far as 35th early in the race but benefited from a caution on lap 170 and rallied to get back on the lead lap. Taking on four tires and making adjustments, Green had an advantage over those who elected not to stop and, on the restart, he lined up 14th as the final car on the lead lap. When the caution fell quickly again, Green returned to pit road for four more tires and fuel while many chose to stay on the track. When it came time for green-flag stops about 60 laps later, Green, who had held onto his position in the top 15, remained on the track as the leaders began to pit for service, inching him closer to the top of the leader board. Pitting later than others proved to be the perfect strategy when a caution flag on lap 241left Green as one of six drivers on the lead lap. Running behind eventual race winner Matt Kenseth, Green kept the AOL Chevy close but was challenged for the runner-up spot by Tony Stewart from lap 258 to 277. As the two exchanged positions for approximately 20 laps, Green was running third when he approached pit road for his final stop of the day. Coming in on lap 302, Green returned to competition in the 15th position, waiting for the remainder of the field to stop for tires and fuel. That wouldn't happen, as the a caution flag fell just a couple of laps later and put Green a lap down. A restart with 22 laps remaining in the 334-lap race didn't provide Green with enough time to maneuver his way back around the leaders and he ended his day in the 16th spot as only 12 drivers completed the 3-hour and 31-minute race on the lead lap.

Quotes:

"We're getting there," said Green, who climbed two positions to 33rd in Winston Cup point standings after finishing 20th last Sunday at Bristol. "The breaks just aren't going our way right now but everybody has maintained a positive attitude. At the beginning of the season, we had all those tire problems and then the past two races we've pitted two laps too soon and got caught by a caution. These things are going to happen and it's not reflection of what we are capable of doing. We've just got to maintain our focus and things will start turning around.

"I like racing at Texas and with my Busch Series experience there, we should wind up with a pretty good finish," said Green, who has two poles and three top-five finishes in the Busch Series at Texas. "This is a handling track where a driver needs lots of grip and horsepower. The car has to be strong coming off the corners since that is the best place to pass."

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