NASCAR BGN: Jason Keller Seeks Redemption Against The Monster Mile

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

September 18, 2001

BOISE, Idaho--- The spring race at Dover had a much different outcome than the Albertson's team expected. At one of Jason Keller's favorite tracks, rain set up more hurdles for the No. 57 team then they would have liked. It was a hard fought battle- and smart strategy- that lead the team to a 13th-place finish.

"When I travel to tracks like Dover I expect to finish in the top five," said Keller. "I am extremely comfortable at that track. I know what the car needs to feel like to put it in victory lane and can usually tell the guys what I need. But that spring race was something that I was unprepared for."

From the moment the Albertson's team arrived in Dover, until the time the checkered flag dropped, their biggest obstacle was the weather. They were able to get in their initial practice, but qualifying and happy hour were cancelled due to rain. Many of the teams had only practiced their qualifying set-up, including the No. 57, and had not turned one lap in race trim until the green flag dropped.

"It was unfortunate for us," said Steve Addington, crew chief of the No. 57 Albertson's Ford. "We tried to go off our race notes from previous years but with the new Ford body we knew the Albertson's car was going to react differently to the track. Unfortunately we were off on the set-up and spent most of the race trying to make the car better so we would come away with a decent finish."

Addington knew it was going to take strategy to get Keller up front. The team had to pit during an early caution to loosen up the car and dropped back to 22nd in the field. When the rain began to fall on lap 126, Addington decided to bring Keller into the pits with the assumption the race would go back green. Because the event had surpassed the halfway point, the leaders elected not pit, assuming the race would be called at lap 126. Although the race was red flagged, racing did resume. While the leaders pitted under caution, Keller moved into seventh place.

"At that point in the race we had nothing to lose," said Keller. "Steve (Addington) and I discussed the strategy and it was the perfect scenario. A few other teams had the same idea and when I came down pit road and I was blocked out of my pits. Our plan did eventually work to our advantage, but it could have been better."

Keller has made it no secret he loves concrete racetracks with Dover topping his list. The team's win in 2000 is still Keller's favorite trip to victory lane. Keller and the Albertson's team look to rebound from their first trip to Dover during the 2001 season and put the No. 57 back into victory lane.

"I can't wait to get back up there to slay 'the monster'," said Keller. "As I have said before, this team gets smarter each and every race. We're well adjusted to the motors and the Fords, so we are not going to make the same mistake twice, especially not at Dover."

Keller has one win, one pole and seven top-10 finishes at Dover. He finished second in the fall race at the Monster Mile in 2000 and is looking to take that finish one step further in 2001.

Text provided by Heather Kincel

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