Ward Burton 2007 Event Preview
No. 4 State Water Heaters Chevrolet Impala SS
Race 8 of 36 – Subway Fresh Fit 500 (312 laps/500k)
Phoenix International Raceway
State Water Heaters Racing Notes of Interest:
Driver: Ward Burton
Ward Burton will be attempting to qualify for his 362nd NASCAR Nextel Cup start when the green flag drops at Phoenix International Raceway on April 21, 2007
Burton will be returning to the track where he made his third race with Morgan-McClure Motorsports in 2006 after nearly two years out of the sport
In his last outing at Phoenix, Burton qualified on time, started 24th and finished 28th
He will be attempting to start in his 13th NASCAR Nextel Cup event at Phoenix International Raceway.
His career-best start at the 1-mile raceway is 14th (1998) and his best finish is 12th (2000)
Burton’s average start is 28th and average finish is 25th
Burton will have to qualify on time for the Subway Fresh Fit 500, as Morgan-McClure Motorsports is 43rd in championship owner’s points in the 2007 season.
Morgan-McClure Motorsports Racing (MMM)
Morgan-McClure Motorsports marks its 25th year of participation in NASCAR’s elite Nextel Cup Division in 2007. There are only three active teams who have been in the sport longer than Morgan-McClure.
Morgan-McClure Motorsports has started 20 races at Phoenix International Raceway
MMM has one pole (Sterling Marlin 1994), one top five (Sterling Marlin 1994) and three top 10’s at Phoenix International Raceway
Their average start is 24th and average finish is 25th
State Water Heaters “Hot Water” Ride
Chassis No.: Primary: 91 Back-Up: 94
Chassis 91 was used at Bristol Motor Speedway where it posted an 18th place finish. It was also used in the recent NASCAR COT test at Richmond International raceway.
Morgan-McClure Motorsports also tested chassis 94 at RIR in the recent NASCAR COT test. Chassis 94 has not been used in competition in 2007.
Ward on returning to Phoenix …
“Phoenix was the third race we made last year with Morgan-McClure. Our COT car from Bristol was pretty good, we had an 18th place finish there and we expect it to be good at Phoenix as well. Hopefully, the weather will hold up this weekend and we will have a good practice, get as good a draw as we had in Texas [46th] for qualifying and have a chance to get our State Water Heaters Chevy Impala in the race. The guys gave me a really good car for Texas but unfortunately we never had the chance to show that by qualifying. Now, we will go to Phoenix and focus on making the show on Thursday.”
