Target #41 Dover Race Report

TEAM TARGET FINISHES 23rd AT DOVER
Spencer moves up to 19th in NASCAR Winston Cup championship points
 
DOVER, Del. (June 2, 2002) - The Target Dodge Intrepid R/T driven by Jimmy Spencer finished in 23rd place in the MBNA Platinum 400 at Dover International Speedway.  Spencer moves up to 19th position in NASCAR Winston Cup championship points; he is 16 points behind Bobby Labonte who is currently in 18th place.
 
The Target Dodge started the 400-lap event in 18th position but fell back to 22nd position within the first 50 laps.  Spencer said the car was loose getting in the corners so Team Target made adjustments during pit stops to help.
 
Spencer continued to run around 28th position until a caution came out on lap 125.  Spencer said the Target Dodge was real tight in the center and off the corner.  Team Target made rubber and wedge adjustments during the four-tire and fuel pit stop.  On the restart, Spencer was assessed a stop and go penalty by NASCAR for not being in line in Turn 3 of the restart.  The Target Dodge lost a lap by coming into the pits for the penalty.  
 
Following that caution period, Spencer's car became more dialed in than earlier in the day.  For the remainder of the 300 laps, Team Target was able to work their way up through the field to finish two laps down in 23rd place.  Spencer moved up to 18th position in NASCAR Winston Cup championship points.
 
"Apparently the #74 car motioned for Jimmy to go around him on the restart since the #74 was a few laps down," crew chief Doug Randolph said.  "And apparently NASCAR noticed that Jimmy went around him in Turn 3 and wasn't in line for the restart.  So Jimmy had to come in for a stop and go penalty that cost us a lap.  We were a whole lot better following that caution period.  Although we fought a tight car all day, we had a 10th place car or so."
 
Next on the schedule for the No. 41 Target team is the Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway on June 6, 2002.