NASCAR WCUP: Jarrett ready for first 2001 road course test

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

June 24, 2001

UPS DRIVER TRIES TO CONTINUE TOP-10 WAYS IN SONOMA

SONOMA, Calif - Historically, Dale Jarrett has been known more for his prowess on intermediate tracks and superspeedways instead of road courses. That being said, Jarrett has pieced together some impressive finishes on the left- and right-hand turn circuit recently. And the #88 UPS driver will look to continue that trend in Sunday's Dodge/Save Mart 350 (FOX; 12:30 EDT) at Sears Point Raceway.

Items to consider:

Jarrett has two top-10 finishes in his last two tries at the 2-mile, 10-turn road course in Sonoma. Last year, he finished 7th in this event and that came on top of a 6th-place effort in 1999, the year of his first Winston Cup Championship.

His career-best finish at Sears Point came in 1997, a 4th-place run that triggered his present three-of-four, top-10 skein (see overall record below).

If his last five road course events, including competition at Watkins Glen, Jarrett sports some nice numbers: all five races (dating back to the '98 race at The Glen) ended in the top 10. His average finish during that span: 5.8! Jarrett on the challenge ahead:

"I'm still not what you'd call 100% healthy, but Pocono was pretty encouraging because it was the first week where I didn't have a lot of soreness after the race. It seems like we're at a point now where the injury isn't much of a factor one way or the other. Sears Point, being a road course, puts some different stresses and strains on you physically, but I don't anticipate too much trouble this weekend. We did some testing at Kershaw (S.C.) last week and came away feeling pretty good about what we've got heading into the weekend."--Dale Jarrett

Text provided by Lauren Wells

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.