Jeremy Mayfield - Martinsville Preview

 

Running at Martinsville
Martinsville is kind of one of those 50-50 tracks. I've run well there and I
haven't run well there. I've qualified well there and I haven't. You know,
it's one of those kind of tracks. All in all, I like it. Bill and them had a
good test there so that should help us. I feel like they learned some things
that we can use. I've said this before, but I really like the way the 9 and
19 share information. It's pretty cool.  It'll be helpful for us this
weekend. We just have to keep that No. 19 Dodge out of trouble there. That
can be one of the biggest factors in doing well at Martinsville.

Short Track Racing
People tend to lose their tempers quicker at short tracks. I don't know what
it is. I think it's just because it's so competitive - Winston Cup racing.
We had Bristol, then we got a little break with Texas and now we come back
to another short track. People just tend to get competitive and it's hard to
pass, so sometimes people get booted. That's just the way it goes at short
tracks a lot of the time, and some people don't like it.

Martinsville Hot Dogs
I don't think I've ever had one. I'm trying to stay in shape and I don't
think eating a bunch of those is going to help me in that department. I know
a lot of people really like them though. They get excited to get up there
and get those hot dogs. I've seen guys eat 10 of them at like eight in the
morning. It's crazy.


STATS & FACTS

*	This weekend's race marks Mayfield's 14th career visit to
Martinsville.  He has one top-five and four top-10 finishes in 13 visits to
the track.  Mayfield's most recent visit came in the April race of 2001
where he started sixth (his best qualifying effort at the track) and
finished 30th on the day.  Mayfield's best finish at Martinsville came in
his third start at the track where he started 16th and finished fourth in
the 1996 spring race.
*	
*	Last week at Texas, Mayfield benefited from a top-10 starting spot
for Monday's race. His seventh place start at Texas was his best since
grabbing the pole at the track in 1998. Mayfield spent the day adjusting his
No. 19 Dodge Dealers Intrepid R/T. With less than 34 laps remaining,
Mayfield was making a charge toward the leaders when a caution came out just
a few laps after he pitted and took on two tires.  There were not enough
laps left in the race for Mayfield to make up the spots. He finished in 18th
place.
*	 
*	Mayfield's finish at Texas keeps him placed at 18th in the Winston
Cup points race. He is only 26 points out of the 15th position.  Since the
Daytona 500 this February, Mayfield has moved up 21 spots in the
championship points race (from 39th to 18th).  His best overall finish in
the points race came in the 1998 season where 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.
*	
*	His second place finish at Las Vegas qualified Mayfield for the
Winston No Bull 5 $1 million bonus, which will be run at the Charlotte race
in May.
*	
*	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.