Ford 400 - Dale Jarrett Notes

Dale Jarrett
No. 88 UPS Ford
Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway

CHARLOTTE, N.C., (November 16, 2004) ----- Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway (HMS) officially closes out the 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season. The final race of the season leaves teams reflecting on the past year, and looking ahead to 2005. For Dale Jarrett and the #88 UPS Racing Team, there is still one race left which is one more opportunity to try and pick up a win. The Homestead-Miami Speedway underwent a facelift in 2003 making last year’s race at the 1.5-mile intermediate track much like visiting a new facility. While it was a brand new HMS for NEXTEL Cup Series drivers in 2003, the changes to the track suited the cars and drivers well.

“I think the changes made to Homestead certainly made it more conducive to our type of racing,” Jarrett said. “It was a definite improvement over what we used to contend with there. It will be interesting to see what a year of weather and wear does to the track surface because it was very fast when we were there last year. But I think it definitely improved the racing and made it possible for better side-by-side racing than we had in the past at Homestead.”

This weekend’s Ford 400 marks the sixth event at HMS for the NEXTEL Cup Series drivers, and it marks the second year the series will crown its champion in south Florida.

Dale Jarrett Discusses Racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway

After the first year, do you feel more comfortable going back to Homestead?
“We certainly know a lot better how the track is going to change and adapt to weather changes after last year. But that isn’t an advantage because everyone is in the same position as far as that is concerned. We struggled as a team there last year, but Mike (Ford, crew chief) ran well there last year with Bill Elliott and was in position to win before they had problems on the last lap. I think with the improvements we’ve made in our intermediate track program, and Mike’s knowledge of what works at Homestead, we’ll be in good shape for this weekend’s race.”

Can you explain just how different the track is now compared to the old configuration?
“For starters, turn one is definitely different. It took some getting used to because I found myself overdriving into turn one. I had a hard time getting used to the entrance there and I think it was because it looks like you’ve got a lot more real estate there and I don’t think you realize how much speed you’re carrying down the front straightaway as you get ready to enter that turn. It’s almost like the transition from the straightaway into the banking, there’s not as much banking right there so you find yourself up the race track a little bit more. Then turn three seemed to be pretty normal because you could get into the turn and get back to the gas pretty quick, but that's just something you have to learn and find out. There weren't a lot of markings out there to go by when we were there last year. There was nothing on the wall and nothing on the race track, so that made it a little bit more difficult to be precise each and every lap, but again, I think having completed one race there is going to help tremendously this time around.”

Regardless of how the Ford 400 finishes, you must feel a lot better about the way you’re ending this season compared to last year.
“Yeah, because when we got to Homestead last year and the checkered flag waved on that race I think we were all just relieved the year was over. This year, we are ending the year with something to build on and look forward to as we go into the off season and continue getting ready for 2005. We’ve made a lot of progress as a team in 2004 and it really makes me optimistic about where we’re headed and I believe we will be a championship contender in 2005.”

Notes of Interest