Team press release March 31, 2004
10:28 AM EST (1528 GMT)
JEREMY MAYFIELD QUOTES

Racing at Texas

"I love to race at Texas. It's a great track. Bill Elliott tested out there, so that should help us. The way things have been going for us, we should be in pretty good shape. I can't wait to get out there. It's pretty much like the other mile-and-a-half tracks, but it has some of its own characteristics. It's a smooth, fast racetrack. It's important to qualify well there, but it's important everywhere now. It's easier to pass cars on Friday than it is on Sunday. You've got to get all you can get all the time, but qualifying well at Texas will be important."

Comment on points position

"In 1999 I was in the top 10 for awhile and ended up 11th. It feels good to be solid. A lot of benefits go with being in the top 10. We're going to work hard to stay here. That's what we're really trying to do. It matters that we're there now, but when it's really going to matter is after that 26th race."

Do you think you've convinced critics that you're for real?

"Probably not, and they probably shouldn't be convinced yet. We haven't been there long enough, but I don't think they should bet against us staying in the top 10."

STATS & FACTS

Career at Texas

ยท This weekend's race marks Mayfield's 316th career start in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and eighth career visit to Texas Motor Speedway. He has one pole, one top-five, two top-10s and has led three races for a total of 125 laps at the track. Mayfield's first start at the track came in April of 1997, where he started 20th (qualifying was set due to rain) and finished 32nd.

Ridin' high in Texas

ยท Mayfield earned the very first Winston Cup pole position at Texas Motor Speedway in April of 1998. (Qualifying was rained out for the first Winston Cup race at Texas in 1997, and no Bud Pole was awarded.) Mayfield's best finish at the track came in 1998 when he started 27th and finished fifth.

Most recent run at Texas

ยท In last year's Samsung/Radio Shack at Texas, Mayfield started in 27th place and reported tight conditions with his No. 19 Dodge early on. Kenny Francis and the Dew Crew made adjustments in the early part of the race to keep Mayfield from losing track position. Mayfield lost a lap when his Dodge was out of the pit box during an early stop. He lost another one when a caution on lap 222 cost much of the field a lap as several cars, including Mayfield's Dodge, had pitted several laps before under green flag conditions. Mayfield spent the rest of the race trying to get his laps back. He posted quick lap times in his No. 19 Dodge after several more adjustments by the Dew Crew and was able to maneuver back from 30th place to finish in 25th place

LAST WEEKEND...

ยท Last Sunday at Bristol, Mayfield started 16th, and began experiencing handling problems early in the race. The caution flag flew three times in the first 102 laps, and Mayfield was able to navigate his way around the trouble and protect the Dodge each time. Mid-way through the race, the Dew Crew had improved the car and Mayfield moved into the top 15. He radioed in that the car was the best it had been all day, and set his sights on the top 10. He worked his way up to 12th by lap 325. On lap 380, he came in for a pit stop under caution, but a loose lug nut forced him to return to the pits on lap 384. He returned to the field in the 15th position. Mayfield moved up to 12th by lap 462, and came to the pits under another caution. The Dew Crew gambled on two tires to gain track position. He returned for four tires on the next caution, and was ready to run for the top 10 again when a caution with just six laps to go brought out the red flag. They returned to green flag racing with two laps to go, and Mayfield ended the day 17th.

ADDING UP THE POINTS

ยท Mayfield moved to eighth place in the NASCAR Nextel Series point standings after Bristol. He is just 24 points out of fifth place and trails leader, Matt Kenseth, by 134 points.

 

The Headlight stickers look like eyes.

 

Yeah, they do![sm=smiley4.gif]