Space
Provided By
The Auto Channel

Credits
Contact Us
Back Home

NASCAR
Image Gallery

Callahan's
Racing Art

---

Motivation No Problem for Raines at Phoenix

Tony Raines

But, the Hoosier-rookie knew he was better than that showing, which he proved a month later when he captured a win at I-70 Speedway in just his seventh series start. Now with only two 1997 events left, Raines finds himself 15th in series points and fourth in the battle for Cintas Rookie of the Year.

Raines on... ...his goals for this trip to Phoenix: "I definitely want to redeem myself by putting up a good qualifying run and having a competitive race. We want to finish this thing as far up front as we can, and if we can get our second win here, I'd be tickled to death.

"My goal is not just to make the race. I'm not looking at the first obstacle, I'm looking at the big one, and that's the race itself. When I came here in the spring, we had a good truck and had practiced real well and I might have let my guard down in qualifying. That won't be a problem this time."

...finding a good set-up at Phoenix: "It's really a fairly easy track to run. It's a lot of fun to drive. It's big, it's fast and it has long corners. It's a little tricky to get it `really hauling the mail,' but that's what we're going to try to do with the Pennzoil Dodge this weekend."

...what he has learned since the fourth race of the season: "I'm certainly a lot more comfortable in the Pennzoil truck now than I was this spring. I've learned a lot about how to help the crew set the truck up and how to adjust it to make it better. I think with what I've learned, plus the laps I have run here over the years, I think we'll have a good weekend. I've got a ways to go as far as learning in the truck, but that goes for everybody, because you never stop learning."

Editor's Note: Images displayed in this article (plus many more) can be viewed in The Nascar Image Gallery from The Callahan Racing Page.

Member of the Internet Link Exchange