#41 Chicagoland Race Report
TEAM TARGET FINISHES 32nd IN CHICAGOLAND
Spencer drops to 23rd place in NASCAR Winston Cup championship points
JOLIET, Ill. (July 14, 2002) - The No. 41 Target Dodge Intrepid R/T driven
by Jimmy Spencer finished in 32nd place in the Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland
Speedway. Spencer dropped two spots to 23rd position in NASCAR Winston Cup
championship points; he is 20 points behind Jeff Green who is currently in
22nd position.
Team Target started the 267-lap event in 39th position and ran between 15th
and 30th position during the majority of the race. Spencer felt that the
car was tight and the Target pit crew made adjustments during pit stops to
help Spencer gain positions.
On lap 195, Spencer was involved in an accident with drivers Elliott Sadler
(No. 21 Motorcraft Ford) and Jerry Nadeau (No. 00 Aaron Chevrolet). The
team had to take the Target Dodge to the garage to replace the radiator and
oil cooler. Spencer went back out on the track over 20 laps down to the
leaders, but he was still able to pick up a few spots before the end of the
race. The Target Dodge finished in 32nd position, 28 laps down to the
leaders.
"We had a car that could have been in the top-10, and Harvick, I don't even
know what you want to call it," Spencer said. "It caused an accident up
there, and we got in it, and it took us out. It was a little bumper tag deal
and it busted our radiator. It was uncalled for. He still drives like an
idiot, but what are you going to do? He drives past us down on the apron and
he still does. NASCAR said there's no out of bounds. Well, if there's out of
bounds at Daytona, there should be an out of bounds here. That apron caused
a bad accident yesterday in the Busch race and it caused another one today.
That apron ain't to be raced on, and those guys were down there right in
front of you."
Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 GM Goodwrench Service Chevrolet,
defended his title at Chicagoland, winning the event for the second time
since his inaugural win in 2001.
Next on the schedule for the No. 41 Target team is the Tropicana 400 at
Chicagoland Speedway on July 14, 2002.