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NASCAR WCUP: Ward Burton and CAT team ready to run well again in Atlanta

10 March 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

"I really like Atlanta. It suits my driving style very well. The Caterpillar Racing team has run well there and we're looking forward to getting back on track. We had a great start to the 2000 season and we're not going to let Las Vegas get us down."

-Ward Burton, driver of the No. 22 Caterpillar Pontiac

BALDWIN ON ATLANTA

"We've improved each time we've been to Atlanta since the fall race in 1998. Our finishes aren't indicative of how we ran in those races. We ran in the top five in all three races, but weren't able to capitalize on those great runs. We were running fourth in last fall's race, but got a flat tire then the red flag came out and we were forced to go to the tail end of the longest line. That prevented us from getting back to the front.

"Ward really loves this track. He has a good feel for the track and gives us great feedback, which allows us to develop a set-up around him. We're going to run the same car we had here last fall. We didn't bring it to the wind tunnel during the off-season, but it's sister car went to the wind tunnel and we applied what we learned from that data. We need to get to Atlanta and attack the track and come out of there with a top-five finish or even bettera win."

BALDWIN ON THE RULE CHANGE

"I think the Fords and the Chevys are now equal as far as the balance is concerned. They both have way more downforce than the Pontiacs, but we're hoping that the Bill Davis teams can still run with them. BALDWIN ON LAS VEGAS

"I over-engineered the car. I brought a brand new car that had never been tested, never been proven and I should have never done that. I should have brought the car that we ran second with last year."

Text provided by HKStoddard

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