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IRL: Yahoo, Pagan Racing, and Jeff Ward Ready for Texas

9 June 1999

Jeff Ward takes his Pep Boys Indy Racing League points lead into this Saturday night's Longhorn 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway hoping for his first win. "I enjoy all the high bank tracks," said Ward. "Texas is a challenging track because of the speeds we run there. It's similar to Charlotte, but it's smoother than Charlotte. I know I have a car that can win and all I have to do is go out there and do the job."

Fresh from his second place finish at the Indianapolis 500, Ward has two consecutive second place finishes with the Yahoo! MerchantOnline Pagan Racing Team. In last September's race at the Texas Motor Speedway, he finished third. "I finished third at Texas last year. I should have won it but we had a tire go down twice."

Although Jeff enjoys the points lead, the seven-time motocross champion is still seeking his first win in an automobile race. "Last year we had some bad luck, but we're knocking on the door. We've finished second a ton of times. I've started the year off a little more conservative than I did last year because I wanted to be up in the points. Now that I'm up in the points, I can drive more aggressively. If I make a mistake or something happens, we're still in the points."

"I'd love to go down to Texas and win the race. That would give me a bigger points lead and I could be even more aggressive."

Ward, who passed seven cars on the first lap of this year's Indianapolis 500, likes to run up front. "I really like Texas. Even if I start fifth or sixth, I'll be up in the top two positions within five to ten laps. I want to be up front and I want to win this race."

"Our philosophy is to make it to the last fuel stop running with the leaders and then let it all hang out."

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