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NASCAR BGN: Steve Park's Return to Busch Series Includes Running In Top Five

19 March 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Flat Tire Prevents Top Ten Finish For Whelen Chevrolet

Every driver in Saturday's Suncom 200 knew tire management would be a key to a good run at Darlington Raceway.

The track too tough to tame as Darlington is commonly called eats tires at a rapid rate. Whelen Chevrolet driver Steve Park planned to save his tires for the end of the race.

Only problem was that a racecar driver, no matter how skillful, can't manage a tire that is flat. And Park's left front tire was as flat as a pancake when he pitted on lap 119 of the 147-lap race

The stop came under caution but it dropped him from 9th to about 27th place in the 43-car field. He fought back to claim a 18th place finish and would have moved even higher but he ran out of laps.

"I don't think we would have had much for the Roush cars today," said Park referring to the Roush cars finishing first, second and third with Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth. "But, I think we had a top five for sure. It's disappointing to have it all ended by a flat tire."

Saturday's race was his first Busch Series event since 1997 when he won three races for Dale Earnhardt Inc in route to the rookie of the year award.

"The toughest thing this weekend was just making the field," Park said. "Once we knew we were in we knew we would race well. These guys with Marsh Racing have worked hard over the last few months. They learn a ton each time they come to the track."

Park started eighth and climbed as high as fourth early in the race behind the Roush cars. The Whelen crew, supplemented by some of Park's Winston Cup crew, aided in the pit stops that kept him in the front of the field throughout the day.

"Based on the speeds you were about the fourth quickest car on the track," said Brad Wheeler, team manager for Marsh Racing, to Park immediately after the race.

Park credited the team for the dramatic improvement in the last few weeks. In Las Vegas the Whelen car failed to qualify.

"If we can keep the Whelen car running this fast at each race then we are going to be fine," Park said. "Let's see what will happen at Texas."

Park the Whelen Monte Carlo return to action on April 1 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Text provided by Drew Brown

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