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NASCAR WCUP: Ward Burton optimisitc about top five finish at Bristol

23 August 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

"We need to survive this race. It is certainly a very demanding race, you're on the wheel the entire 500 laps. We will really concentrate on a good qualifying spot, since this is one of the only tracks we go to that has two pit roads. We don't want to have to pit on the backstretch - it's a disadvantage that we don't need." - Ward Burton, driver of the No. 22 Caterpillar Racing Pontiac

BURTON ON BRISTOL

"We're looking forward to Bristol. We have run extremely well there in the past and we had a third-place finish in the spring, so it's definitely something to look forward to. We'll concentrate on getting a good qualifying set-up in the car and get a good couple of laps and hope that we can start toward the front. That's the first battle for us. Then, we'll work on the race set-up, but I feel confident since we had such a good set-up in the car last spring."

BALDWIN ON BRISTOL

"We're ready for Bristol. That's where our last top-five finish was, so we feel real good about our chances there. It's real important that we're all on our toes at Bristol. It is certainly a track where anything can happen. You could be having a great run in the top five and then a lapped car get turned around and collect you in a minute. We need to make sure that doesn't happen. We've slipped a little in the points the past few weeks and Bristol would be a good place to make up some of those points."

BALDWIN ON MICHIGAN

"We struggled a little last week at Michigan, but Ward came through for the team. We would've probably finished 15th, but in the last few laps Ward made up significant ground. As a matter of fact, he passed two cars on the last lap and ended up with a ninth-place finish. We'll take that, especially after we struggled all day with the handling of the car. Ward drove his guts out and gave us a top-10."

CHASSIS NOTES

The Caterpillar Racing team will return to Bristol Motor Speedway with the same car that scored a third-place finish in March. It is also the same car that was victorious at Darlington Raceway on March, 19. The team feels this is the best short-track car they have in their stable.

Text provided by Heidi Stoddard

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