Target Team Finishes 21st at North Carolina Speedway

Contact:  Heather Kincel, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates

(704) 662-9642, hkincel@ganassi.com

 

For Immediate Release

 

Target Team Finishes 21st at North Carolina Speedway

 

Rockingham, N.C. (February 22, 2004) ---A bad break cost Casey Mears and
the Target Team a top finish at North Carolina Speedway  on Sunday.  The
team had just completed a green-flag pit stop on lap 123 when the
caution flag waved catching the No. 41 Dodge two-laps down.  They
battled back to finish 21st on the day to remain in the top 15 in NASCAR
NEXTEL points.

 

Mears began the 393-lap race 14th after his qualifying effort on Friday.
He told crew chief Jimmy Elledge the No. 41 was extremely loose, so the
team made several adjustments to the car early in the race.  The Target
Dodge was running in the top 20 when the second caution waved on lap 52.
Mears brought the car down pit road for a routine pit stop, but was
blocked into the pits by the No. 32.  He had to back the car up in order
to leave his pit stall and dropped back to 31st for the restart.

 

Mears battled his way back up to 25th when green-flag stops began on lap
120.   The team made an air pressure adjustment, changed tires and added
fuel on lap 123, but the caution flag waved on lap 131.  Several of the
leaders had yet to pit, dropping the No. 41 to 28th and two laps down to
the leaders.

 

The team continued to adjust on the Target Dodge during the race.  Mears
was running lap times equal to the leaders, but was never able to get
his laps back.   Several other teams were caught in the pits during
green-flag stops, leaving most of the field several laps down.  Only
seven cars finished the day on the lead lap.  Despite the adversities of
the day, the Target Team never gave up and left Rockingham with a
21st-place finish, a career best for Mears at "The Rock".  

 

His Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates teammates Jamie McMurray and
Sterling Marling finished third and fourth respectively.  Mears
currently sits 15th in the championship standings, just 119 points
behind the leader.

 

"It's unfortunate we were caught in the pits," said Mears.  "The Target
Dodge was fast all day.  It was probably the best motor I have ever had.
I just wish our luck was a little better because we were running
competitive times with the leaders most of the day.  I'm proud that the
guys never gave up and we were able to battle back to finish 21st."

 

The UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 from Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be
broadcast live on FOX television and MRN radio on March 7 at 2:30 p.m.
ET.

 

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