JEFF GREEN
NO. 66 BEST BUY RACING CHEVROLET
RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY PREVIEW

THERE’S GOLD ON THAT THERE RACE CAR: This weekend, the No. 66 Best Buy Racing Chevrolet will carry logos promoting Gold Rush, a groundbreaking interactive reality game from Mark Burnett and AOL.com - where players literally can turn their entertainment and pop culture knowledge into gold.

Gold Rush launches online at www.aol.com/goldrush Wednesday, Sept. 13. With more than $2 million in gold at stake, the game combines the excitement of online play, with offline integrations and reality competitions, creating an entirely new interactive experience.

Best Buy, primary sponsor of driver Jeff Green and the No. 66 Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet, is a sponsor of the game, and the Best Buy brand will be integrated throughout game clues and challenges. Chevrolet, Coca-Cola Zero, T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Washington Mutual are also Gold Rush sponsors.

The hood of the yellow and blue No. 66 entry will be emblazoned with the game’s logo, a bar of gold, surrounded by Best Buy’s signature yellow price tags and the tagline, “Yellow leads to gold.” The game’s website address, AOL.com/Goldrush, will be displayed on the car’s quarter panels, along with the Best Buy logo.

For eligibility requirements and more details, visit www.aol.com/goldrush.

RECAP OF THE MAY RICHMOND NEXTEL CUP RACE: Starting 25th in the May 6 Nextel Cup Series race at RIR, Jeff Green drove his No. 66 Best Buy Racing Chevrolet into the top-15 before spinning out on lap 79 in oil from Matt Kenseth’s car. Green avoided the wall, but contact from another competitor damaged the No. 66’s front valance.

Green’s team tried to repair the damage, but not much could be done without taking the car to the garage. Instead, he stayed on the lead lap and returned to the track in 35th position.

The damage negatively affected his car’s handling, and Green went a lap down. The ductwork running to the brake rotors had been damaged in the earlier incident, causing the brakes to overheat and temporarily fail.

In spite of the problems, Green and his Haas Automation team showed their resilience, working their way back up the leader board to finish 18th.

Q&A WITH DRIVER JEFF GREEN:

Richmond is a favorite track of yours, isn’t it? “I love the place. Instead of just racing there two times a year, I think we ought to race there something like 15 times a year. You can race hard and move around, you can get side by side here. It’s just a very fun track for a driver.”

Q&A WITH CREW CHIEF “BOOTIE” BARKER:

Being from Virginia, Richmond International Raceway must be a favorite of yours, right? “Richmond is probably my favorite track, but I’d say that no matter where I’m from. I just think it’s the perfect size for a track. Bristol (Motor Speedway) and Martinsville (Speedway) are a little too small, so there’s a better chance of your car getting banged up. With Richmond, it’s the best of both worlds. It’s still a short track, so you get the tight, side-by-side racing that the fans and competitors enjoy so much, but it’s big enough to where the cars get some real speed going.

“Plus, the atmosphere of all those fans being so close to the racing and seeing the cars under the lights just makes it an amazing race to be a part of. Even if I didn’t work in the sport, this is one race I’d pay to come see.”

You graduated from Old Dominion University, but you’re a big Virginia Tech fan. What do you think of their chances this year? “I think they’re going to struggle a little this year, with them having a new quarterback and all. I think they had a tough year, recruiting-wise, because of all of that Marcus Vick stuff, but with their weight program and their coaching, I think they’ll do just fine. They’re a young team, so they’ve got several good years ahead of them. I think their record will probably be somewhere around 10-3. Their biggest obstacles will probably be (University of) Miami, and whoever they meet up with in the ACC Championship game.”

BARKER OFFICIALLY “OFF THE MARKET” – Haas CNC Racing Crew Chief, Robert “Bootie” Barker, is officially “off the market,” after his marriage proposal to longtime girlfriend, Donna Peele, last week.

BARKER: “Yeah, I did it up right. She and I went to one of our favorite restaurants. I had gone in ahead of time and talked to the manager and brought in flowers, some wine and some champagne, and planned out our menu. Before dessert, the waiter brought out a tray with some dessert napkins on it, and buried in the napkins was the ring. It was pretty romantic, if I do say so myself.”

The couple first met at Darlington Raceway three years ago, when Peele was visiting the track with one of her girlfriends.

Peele, who is currently studying Psychology at the University of North Carolina, and Barker have not yet decided on an exact wedding date.

BIRTHDAY BOY – Jeff Green celebrated his 43rd birthday on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Green spent the day deer hunting with friends at a farm he owns in his home state of Kentucky.

JEFF GREEN’S HISTORY AT RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY: In 13 Nextel Cup Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Jeff Green’s best finish was a third-place result in the September, 2002, event, while driving for Richard Childress Racing. His best starting spot was also a third-place effort, which came in the May, 2004, event, while driving for Petty Enterprises.

In 18 Busch Series starts at Richmond, Green has one win (May 5, 2000), four top-five and six top-10 finishes, and two pole positions. Green’s first pole at Richmond came in the May 5, 2000, event, the race he eventually won. His second pole position came in September, 2001.

HAAS CNC RACING’S HISTORY AT RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY: In six Nextel Cup Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Haas CNC Racing’s best starting spot was a 15th-place starting spot, which was scored by driver Ward Burton in May, 2004. The team’s best finish came in the September, 2005, event, where driver Mike Bliss finished 15th.