Jeremy Mayfield -- Chicago Preview
JEREMY MAYFIELD NO. 19 DODGE DEALERS INTREPID R/T CHICAGO PREVIEW SECOND RUN AT CHICAGOLAND "I'm looking forward to going back to Chicago. I liked the track the first time we were there. It's a little different than Kansas, but they kind of have the same feel. I think the track will be a little different than last time. There will be a lot more grip because of the new pavement. You have to take into account that there are certain factors that have happened over the last year that will make the track surface a little different to race on this time around." RACING IN CHICAGO "How can you not like Chicago? I think it's good we're going to places like this. There are a lot of race fans in the Midwest. The stands were packed last year. They are hungry for it out here. I like it too because it's some place that we haven't raced a lot. Plus, there's a lot to do in the city - shopping and a lot of good restaurants. I'm sure Shana (fiancé) will have us shopping one of the days we're there." RACE NOTES Jeremy Mayfield will use his own formula for success at this weekend's race, but he'll get a little help from Muppets characters Dr. Honeydew and his assistant, Beaker. The two characters will ride along with Mayfield on the No. 19 Dodge Intrepid R/T this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. The special paint scheme is a partnership between Action Performance Group, Jim Henson Studios and various race teams including Evernham Motorsports. STATS & FACTS * This weekend's race marks Mayfield's 255th career start in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. In last year's inaugural race at Chicagoland Speedway, Mayfield started in the 38th position. Throughout the race he made steady progress, finishing in the 32nd spot. * Last weekend at Daytona, Jeremy Mayfield kept his No. 19 Dodge Intrepid R/T out of trouble. Mayfield used a provisional to start in 42nd place, and spent much of the first half of the 160-lap race moving with the draft to various positions on the track. Throughout the race, Mayfield effectively avoided any substantial damage to the No. 19 Dodge Intrepid R/T, even though there were nine cautions totaling 39 laps. With less than two laps to go, NASCAR elected to finish the race under caution. After the maneuver to avoid debris on the track from the accident, Mayfield was in the 13th position. That was where he ended up to collect his fourth best finish of the season. * After last weekend's finish at Daytona, Mayfield moved to 25th place in points. Mayfield is just 166 points out of 20th place. His season-high ranking this year was 16th, which he reached after an 11th place finish at Martinsville. Mayfield's best overall finish in the Winston Cup points race came in 1998 when he ranked seventh at the season's end. * Mayfield's second-place run this year at Las Vegas was his best run at the track and his best overall finish since the 2000 Pennzoil 400 at Homestead-Miami where he finished second. The finish also qualified Mayfield for the Winston No Bull 5 $1 million bonus during the May race in Charlotte. * Coming into the 2002 season, Mayfield had 237 starts, with six poles (two at Talladega and one at Darlington, Dover, Rockingham, and Texas), three wins (two at Pocono, and one at California), 33 top-fives and 58 top-10s. His most recent win came at Pocono in June of 2000.