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NASCAR BGN: Casey Atwood redefines goals for 2000 season

21 July 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

* Casey Atwood is currently eighth in the series point standings, 254 points behind seventh position.

ATWOOD REDEFINES GOALS FOR 2000 SEASON: At the start of the 2000 season, Casey Atwood and the Castrol GTX Racing team had one goal - the NASCAR Busch Series Championship - but as the season progresses, it appears to be slipping out of reach.

"I'm not really even thinking about the title right now," said Atwood, driver of the No. 27 Castrol GTX Chevrolet Monte Carlo. "We got so far behind in the points in the beginning of the year. Basically, I just try to go and win every race and run the best I can. Hopefully, that will bring me higher up in the points. At this point, a top five finish is the goal. We are going to have work hard, but it is within reach."

Atwood is currently eighth in the series point standings, 338 points behind Elton Sawyer in fifth spot.

TESTING, TESTING, TESTING: In recent weeks, Casey Atwood, driver of the No. 27 Castrol GTX Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the NASCAR Busch Series, has spent a considerable amount of time testing for Evernham Motorsports in preparation for his leap to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series ranks. The 19-year-old driver, who will drive for the team full-time in the 2001 season, has spent stints testing at Greenville (SC) Pickens Speedway and Kentucky Motor Speedway

Seat time is always considered advantageous to a driver, but Atwood is hesitant to say that it will help his performance this season.

"We've been testing a lot (for 2001) and that helps me in the Busch Series some," said Atwood. "The cars and technology are much different but it can never hurt. The more you drive, the sharper you are going to be."

Text provided by Craig Bailey

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