Benson Darlington Preview
Benson Darlington Preview When Nascar released the results of its new preseason media vote in January, Johnny Benson’s #10 Pontiac team received only a single vote among all members of the racing media predicting the top-10 for the 2003 season. Twenty other teams received more votes. Only one writer, Jim Utter, of the Charlotte Observer, picked the Benson car to finish in the top 10. Four races into the new season, Benson's team sits in sixth place in the standings - the highest since Darlington of 2001 when it was tied for second in points before finishing the year in 13th. The doubters aren't limited to the media. This week in its top-10 news release Nascar assigned a down arrow when predicting which way Benson’s team will move in the standings. While Benson says it’s too early to attach any significance to the point standings, he is pleased with the points position this early in the season and hopes for even better performances beginning this weekend in Darlington, S.C. Benson On Sixth Place In Points: “It’s kind of cool. But it’s way too early to think about all that. However, after what we went through last year it is neat to look at the top of the point ’s sheet and see your name. We are always looking at points, but we aren’t even thinking about the points race yet. You are always looking to win. Our race strategies for the last four years are designed to get us the victory not to accumulate points. This team has rolled the dice a few times going for the win and that isn’t what a team whose just worried about points is going to do. We go for the win. Being in the top 10 doesn’t mean much now, but I’m glad we are there and not outside the top 10. “I don’t pay too much attention to what other people think of our race team. It seems like the more people that write us out of something the better we do. I didn’t know that Jim was the only writer to pick us. Not that we need any motivation, but that’s good motivation for us. I hope we can make him look like the smartest guy on the planet.” Benson On Darlington: “I think Darlington is a place that once you figure out the qualifying setup and race setup you can get around pretty good. I think we will do pretty well there this weekend. It’s a special place. Darlington is NASCAR and full of history. That track hasn’t changed much since they started racing there. Yes, it would be pretty cool to be part of the history if we could get a win there.” Crew Chief James Ince On Darlington: “I love Darlington. You know when you are watching television late at night it seems like you can always find an old race from Darlington. It’s pretty interesting to see how much our sport has changed and sometimes how things are still the same. We watched Darlington highlights the other day during a rain delay. It’s cool to think that in 30 years I might be sitting on the couch watching some of our races from Darlington. Darlington is all about springs, shocks, and getting the right setup underneath the racecar. As a crew chief you can have a lot of impact. That’s why I like it.” Jim Utter, Charlotte Observer Racing Writer: “I am looking like a genius! Basically, I felt like toward the end of last season the team was really performing well. (#10 Team) had the great run at Martinsville followed by the win at Rockingham. I just had a feeling that had Johnny been healthy all season, (#10 team) would have finished really well. Each new season, I always look for someone unusual to make their way to the top 10. Looking back on last season with Johnny's results combined with the new Pontiac, I really thought if there was a driver who would make the most of those circumstances, it would be Johnny. Also I was tired of writing, Dale Jr, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, etc. etc etc.” Benson Darlington Record Race Year S F Fall 2002 24 33 Spring 2002 27 34 Fall 2001 17 14 Spring 2001 4 7 Fall 2000 2 38 Spring 2000 29 24 Fall 1999 20 32 Spring 1999 2 18 Fall 1998 11 21 Spring 1998 21 8 Fall 1997 18 19 Spring 1997 36 10 Fall 1996 27 11 Spring 1996 38 24 THE RACE: Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 Winston Cup Race #5 of 36 for the 2003 Winston Cup season Race: Sunday, March 16th, 2003 in Darlington, SC TV: Fox - 1:00pm/et Pre-Race Show: Fox - 12:30pm/et - with hosts Chris Myers and Jeff Hammond Race Re-Air: March 19th at 8:00pm/et on Speed Channel, March 20th at 1:00am/et and 3:00pm/et on Speed Channel Announcers: Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds Pit Reporters: Dick Berggren, Matt Yocum, Steve Byrnes, Jeanne Zelasko Hollywood Hotel: Chris Myers and Jeff Hammond NASCAR on TV and Fox Sports Purse/Race Awards: $? (was $3,405,766 in 2002) 2002 Race Winner: Sterling Marlin, 126.070mph, started 11th Track Race Record: Dale Earnhardt, Mar 1993, 139.958mph Track/Race Length: 1.366 egg-shaped oval, 367 laps, 501.3 miles Pit Road Speed: 45mph ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Practice Practice: Friday, Mar 14th, 10:50 -12:50pm/et; and Saturday, Mar 15th, 9:30 - 10:15am/et Happy Hour Practice: Saturday, Mar 15th, 11:10 - 11:55am/et on TV-FX tape delay at 3:00pm/et ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Qualifying Qualifying Draw: Friday, Mar 14th, 9:50am/et First Round Qualifying: 2 laps for positions 1-36, Friday, Mar 14th at 2:35pm/et, TV-FSN Fox Sports Net live [and re-aired on Friday, Mar 14th at 8:00pm/et and on Sat, Mar 15th at 1:00am/et], and live via MRN radio Second-Round Qualifying: there is no longer a 2nd round of qualifying (since the 2001 season) Track/Event Qualifying Record: Ward Burton, Mar 1996, 173.797mph March 2002 Pole Sitter: Ricky Craven, 170.089mph, finished 41st ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Track Specs: Banking: Turns 1/2 - 25 degrees, width 79 ft; Turns 3/4 - 23 degrees, width 62 ft; Front - 3 degrees, Back - 2 degrees. Frontstretch 1,229 ft long, 90 ft wide; Backstretch - 1,229 ft long, 90 ft wide Pit Road: Length: 2,025 feet, Width: 46 feet Track Repaved in late 1995 Grandstand Seating: 65,000 10 Pontiac Team Television Information Pit Contact: James Ince or Drew Brown Owners: (Jim Rocco)/MB2 Motorsports (Tom Beard, Nelson Bowers, Read Morton) Crew Chief/Car Chief: James Ince Engine Builder: Hendrick Motorsports Spotter (Race Day) Jay Guy Spotter (Practice Only) Russell Hoekwater Engine Tuner John Kendrach Over The Wall Pit Crew Front Tire Changer Bobby Burrell Front Tire Carrier Shane Cooke Rear Tire Changer Greg Burkhart Rear Tire Carrier Steve Genenbacher Gasman Jimmy Watts Tire Specialist Skippy Johnson Catch Can Steve Mann Jackman Brian Perry Other Crew Members Truck Driver: Gale (Bandit) Wilson Mechanic: Jerry Hess Mechanic: David Baum Shocks: Mike Cluka Engineer: Tim Turner Computers & Gas Runner: John Hayes Scorer: Terry Lane Pit Scorer Denise Ince Pit Stop Coach: Gary Smith PR Rep: Drew Brown Drew Brown drewbrown@bellsouth.net 704-650-0428 cell 704-895-3651 home