NASCAR BGN: Randy Lajoie Watkins Glen Preview
23 June 1999
Randy LaJoie Driver, No. 1 Bob Evans Restaurants Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR Busch Series, Grand National Division Event Preview Fact Sheet
Event: Lysol 200
Track: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International
Track Specs: 2.45-mile road course
Randy LaJoies Busch Series Performance History at Watkins Glen International:
Race
Laps Laps
Year Start Finish Laps Comp. Led
Status
1998 5 37 82 58 0 ENGINE
1997 17 21 82 81 0 RUNNING
1996 36 30 82 53 0 MECHANICAL
1994 14 12 62 62 0 RUNNING
LaJoie Looks Ahead to Watkins Glen:
"I have always enjoyed road courses, even though I could probably count the ones I have run on one hand.
"I tend to have bad luck at Watkins Glen. Ive wrecked in practice and qualifying and I seem to have had mechanical failures each time Ive raced there. Ive broken a transmission, a rear end, lost a motor and trailing arms. So, if I could finish a race with all the parts on the car, I think we could get a solid top-five.
"I tested there a few weeks ago and it went really well. Boris Said (an established road course racer) and his engineer came up with us and I felt like I learned a lot.
"It takes a while for an oval racer to get into a rhythm on a road course. Im really glad I had the opportunity to test because I got a got a complete day on the track, and I ran about 75 to 100 laps. The biggest part of learning a road course it learning how to get into the corners and use the brakes. On oval tracks, you go into a corner at about 180 mph, tap the brakes and carry the speed out the other corner. On a road course you have to set your brakes to get yourself in position for the 90-degree corners or 45-degree corners. If you dont brake properly, you cant carry the speed through the corners."
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