Benson On Today's Homestead Test/Phoenix
#10 Pontiac driver Johnny Benson today became one of the first NASCAR Winston Cup drivers to take laps on the $10 million reconfiguration of the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Benson and two others participated in a Goodyear tire test on the 1.5-mile oval. The Series will conclude its 2003 season at Homestead on Nov. 16. According to the track, the banking was increased from six degrees to a maximum of 20 degrees. In each turn the degree of banking is increased progressively from the bottom to the top of each turn. At the midpoint of each turn, there is 18 degrees banking at the bottom, 19 degrees in the middle, and 20 degrees at the top. The variable banking system is designed to create three competitive racing grooves around the track. It's a busy week for the Valvoline team. Benson and his crew raced on Monday in Atlanta, then flew home to Charlotte that afternoon. Early Monday evening they flew to Homestead where they will test Tuesday and Wednesday when they will return to Charlotte before going to Phoenix on Thursday for this weekend's race. Johnny Benson on Homestead Reconfiguration: "I think this one is going to be a keeper. You drive through the tunnel here and look up and say 'oh my gosh this thing is banked' but once you get on the track it's not as banked as you think it is. I think the track is going to provide some great racing. Only time will tell but so far I have been pleased." How Do You Feel About The Variable Degree Banking? "I have run on some short tracks with that type of (variable) banking and they have seemed to work fine. But, those were at about 100 mph and you wonder what it would be like at 170 mph. It isn't too bad. I don't think any of the drivers here today have ventured up to the third groove but we have run the lower and middle grooves without problems. That will give us an opportunity in the race to pass and that will make it better for the fans." Times: "Well, we have been in race trim all day, but the best we have been able to do today is a 31.15 sec. and that's down from the 33.50s that we started from today. As the track got cleaned off and we learned the track the times have been coming down. Again, that was in race trim. I don't foresee us doing anything besides race trim tomorrow. We are just trying to help Goodyear get a tire to bring down here in a couple weeks. So far what we have seen is they have a good tire. The wear might be a little more than what they have wanted but that is typical for a new track." Any Paving Concerns? "I haven't seen anything that would make me concerned about the paving. Sometimes when you come to new tracks you think to yourself 'boy, this is going to be interesting.' But, all in all it is really good. There is a little bump going over the tunnel but it is early enough in the corner that it won't upset the car. I think all in all the racers will be pleased when they come down here." Will It Be A Better Race? "I believe so. But, it will be unfair to expect side-by-side racing right off the bat. No new track has had that immediately. Some of the NASCAR people are down here and they are looking at different ideas to make it a two-groove track. I think we should put pylons down on the bottom and make everyone practice in the second groove. I think that will help develop that other groove and make the side-by-side racing come quicker. It's just going to take time but if we speed up the process it will be even better." Does Homestead Now Compare To Another Track? "Each track has its own characteristics and this track is no different. You are in the gas pedal for an awful long time. It gives you the sensation of the old Atlanta track. I think everyone liked the old Atlanta track so they will probably like this as well." How Tiring Is A Week Like This For You And Crew? "It's been busy. But you know, we are getting to do what we love to do. I haven't heard any complaints. I hope all this work pays off for us here pretty soon. We really want to cap this season off with a good run." Phoenix: "With the luck we have had of late, I would hope it will all even out at Phoenix. We've run pretty good over the years at that place. Since (Crew Chief) Jay Guy has come on board we have been fast everywhere we have raced but something has happened. We damaged the car at Kansas and Charlotte, brakes at Martinsville, and then we cut a tire at Atlanta. If we can take all that bad luck and make it even out at Phoenix then we would probably have a great day." Benson Phoenix Record Race S F 2002 23 16 2001 13 10 2000 4 16 1999 19 31 1998 15 9 1997 8 7 1996 23 32 Benson 2003 Record S F Daytona 40 19 Rockingham 2 13 Las Vegas 16 12 Atlanta 23 11 Darlington 22 25 Bristol 20 19 Texas 13 32 Talladega 17 41 Martinsville 28 32 California 32 36 Richmond 13 15 Charlotte 10 24 Dover 30 5 Pocono 25 24 Michigan 26 25 Infineon 25 30 Daytona 22 27 Chicago 36 18 Loudon 26 26 Pocono 29 20 Indianapolis 40 13 Watkins Glen 27 27 Michigan 35 10 Bristol 32 14 Darlington 11 40 Richmond 9 9 Loudon 22 25 Dover 26 21 Talladega 42 41 Kansas 20 35 Charlotte 23 16 Martinsville 29 34 Atlanta 30 24 THE RACE: Checker Auto Parts 500 Winston Cup Race #34 of 36 for the 2003 Winston Cup season Race: Sunday, November 2, 2003 in Avondale/Phoenix, AZ TV: NBC - 3:30pm/et Pre-Race Show: NBC - 3:00pm/et - hosted by Bill Weber Scheduled Race Re-Air: on Speed Channel a one-hour recap of the race scheduled for: Wednesday, November 5th at 7:00pm/et and again on November 6th at 1:00am/et; and a full three-hour race show will re-air at 3:00pm/et on Thursday, November 6th Announcers: Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons, Wally Dallenbach Pit Reporters: Bill Weber, Matt Yocum, Marty Snider, Dave Burns War Wagon: Bill Weber and many guests NASCAR on TV Purse/Race Awards: $4,436,424 (was $3,881,518 in 2002) 2002 Race Winner: Matt Kenseth, 113.857mph, started 28th Race Record: Tony Stewart, Nov 1999, 118.132mph Track/Race Length: 1.0 mile oval, 312 laps, 312 miles/500km Pit Road Speed: 45mph Most Wins - Active Driver: Jeff Burton, 2 Most Wins - All Time: Jeff Burton and Davey Allison, 2 Most Poles - Active Driver/All-Time: Rusty Wallace, 3 Slowest Race Record: Al Kulwicki, 1988, 90.457mph Oldest Winner: Rusty Wallace, 42 years, 2 months, 11 days, 10/25/98 Youngest Winner: Tony Stewart, 28 years, 5 months, 18 days, 11/7/99 Most Cautions: 10 - 11/1991 Most Caution Laps: 55, 11/3/1991 Fewest Cautions: 2 - 11/7/1999 Fewest Caution Laps: 10, 11/7/1999 Most on the Lead Lap: 28 - 10/28/2001 Fewest on the Lead Lap: 3 - 10/30/1994 Most Running at the Finish: 41 - twice, 11/7/99 Fewest Running at the Finish: 27 - 11/5/89 Worst Starting Spot to Win: Ricky Rudd, 1995, started 29th Most Lead Changes: 23 - 11/5/2000 Fewest Lead Changes: 1 - 11/4/1990 Most Laps Led by a Race Winner: 262 - Dale Earnhardt, 11/4/1990 Fewest Laps Led by a Race Winner: 30 - Davey Allison 11/1/1992 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Practice Practice: Friday, October 31, 12:20 - 2:20pm/et; and Saturday, November 1st, 11:30am - 12:15pm/et Happy Hour Practice: Saturday, November 1st, 1:10 - 1:55pm/et on TV-TNT tape delay at 2:00pm/et. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Qualifying Qualifying Draw: Friday, October 31st, 11:20am/et First Round Qualifying: 2 laps for positions 1-36, Friday, October 31st at 4:05pm/et, TV-Speed Channel live, re-air at 9:00pm/et and on Nov 1st at 1:00am/et. Track Qualifying Record: Rusty Wallace, Nov 2000, 134.178mph Last Year's Pole Sitter: Ryan Newman, 132.655, finished 18th ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Track Specs: Degree of Banking: Turns 1-2: 11 degrees; Turns 3-4: 9 degrees Frontstretch: Length: 1,179 feet, Banking: None Backstretch: Length: 1,551 feet, Banking: None Pit Road: Length: 1,140 Grandstand seating: 76,812 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - #10 Valvoline Pontiac Team Television Information Pit Contact: Jay Guy or Drew Brown Owners: Valvoline (Jim Rocco)/MB2 Motorsports (Tom Beard, Nelson Bowers, Read Morton) Crew Chief/Car Chief: Jay Guy Engine Builder: Hendrick Motorsports Spotter (Race Day) Mark Green Spotter (Practice Only) Russell Hoekwater Engine Tuner John Kendrach Over The Wall Pit Crew Front Tire Changer Rick (Fuzz) Burgdoff Front Tire Carrier Shane Cooke Rear Tire Changer Greg Burkhart Rear Tire Carrier Steve Genenbacher Gasman Jimmy Watts Tire Specialist Skippy Johnson Catch Can Steve Mann Jackman Brian Perry Other Crew Members Truck Driver: Jerry Hess Mechanic: David Baum Shocks: Mike Cluka Tires: Jeff (Skippy) Johnson Engineer: Tim Turner Computers & Gas Runner: John Hayes Scorer: Terry Lane Pit Stop Coach: Gary Smith PR Rep: Drew Brown