Casey Atwood advance
ATWOOD LOOKS TO STRIKE A CHORD AT RICHMOND THIS WEEKEND Sirius Racing crew has the No. 7 Sirius Dodge tuned up for a strong performance Richmond International Raceway Chevy Monte Carlo 400 September 7, 2002 at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) 400 Laps/300 Miles .75-mile oval How does Richmond stack up to some of the other tracks on the Winston Cup circuit? "Richmond is one of my favorite tracks. It's a short track, and it's an awesome short track. I just really enjoy racing on it. It's always been a fun place for me to go to, because I've run well there every time I've been there, both in the Busch car and the Cup car. The Sirius Dodge was really strong last time we were there. We had a top-10 finish going, but suffered a bit of bad luck and ended up getting into a wreck. We're taking the same car back, so I think we'll be strong again." What's the key to success at Richmond? "You've just got to turn good in the center and get good forward bite off the corners. We didn't have a problem last time we were there. The Sirius Dodge was awesome - it turned good in the middle and had good forward bite. We're taking the same car back this time, and I'm expecting another strong run for us." How critical is track position at Richmond? "Qualifying is important anywhere, but not as important at Richmond as at other tracks. If you've got a good car and you're in the back, you can come up through the field. But you take the chance of getting caught up in the wrecks. We started 29th last time and climbed into the top-10 before getting in a wreck. If we can get a good starting spot for the Sirius Dodge this weekend, I feel really good about our chances." Stats & Facts * This is Atwood's fifth Winston Cup attempt at Richmond. Atwood finished 22nd after a 29th-place start in the spring race. It was his first race with new crew chief Tony Furr. * Atwood made his Winston Cup debut at Richmond International Raceway on September 9, 2000. He drove the No. 19 Motorola car fielded by Ray Evernham. Atwood started 35th and finished 19th in his debut. * Atwood's 12th-place finish (his best at RIR) in the 2001 spring race came after the team took a provisional to start the race in the 42nd position. Less than 30 laps into the race, Atwood had picked his way through traffic into the top 20. His best start at RIR (7th) came last September. * Atwood competed in five Busch Grand National races at Richmond International Raceway, with a best start of 6th and a best finish of 8th. * Atwood won the Pepsi ARCA 200 from the pole at Pocono on Saturday, June 27. He drove the No. 19 Evernham Motorsports-owned Dodge Intrepid R/T as part of the team's research and development program. Atwood's former crew chief Sammy Johns led the team from the pits. This was Atwood's first ARCA start. Casey Atwood Autograph Appearances: * Thursday, September 5 from 6-8 p.m. Circuit City 1321 Huguenot Road Midlothian, VA * Saturday, September 7 at 12:30 p.m. Sirius Satellite Radio Rhythm of the Road Tour Richmond International Raceway