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NASCAR BGN: David Green fired up for racing at Rockingham

18 October 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

With a New Crew Chief, David Green is Fired Up for Rockingham: Cicci-Welliver's No. 34 NASCAR Busch Series entry with driver David Green has a new crew chief on its roster. Lawrenceville, Massachusetts native, Steve Bird joined the AFG Glass Racing team on October 11. His first event with the team is Saturday's Sam's Club 200 at North Carolina Speedway.

Green feels the addition of Bird could be what the No. 34 team has been lacking this season, experience.

"Jay (Guy) called the shots in the beginning of the season and he did an excellent job, but as the season progressed, we needed someone with more experience in order for the team to grow," said Green, a native of Owensboro, Kentucky. "The competition level in the Busch Series is such that it requires you to have the most experience possible. That includes the crew chief and the driver. With the addition of Steve, I can see us getting better and better. He brings a tremendous amount of experience to our team and if we combine that with my racing background, I think we have a great chance to be successful. Steve may be the missing piece we have been looking for this whole season. Plus, this gives Jay a chance to learn from one of the best crew chiefs in the sport."

The addition of Bird to Cicci-Welliver's flagship team also has Green fired up for Rockingham.

"Rockingham has been a good track for me in the past, and it's a lot of fun" said Green. "We had an excellent car in the spring, a great qualifying run and a good race. With what we learned in the spring coupled with Steve's experience, I think it is going to be an even better weekend."

One of the most challenging aspects of the track dubbed The Rock' is tire wear, and the Sam's Club 200 won't be any different. But, Green looks forward to the challenge.

"Goodyear has a new tire for this race and we're not really sure how it is going to play out," explained the 1994 Busch Series Champion. "I went with Ricky Hendrick's team to Rockingham for a test session a couple of weeks ago, but the new tires weren't ready yet. We used a combination of tires that Goodyear had suggested and what we came away with was a little bit slower lap times. That's what the Winston Cup teams told us after their tests as well. It should make the tires last a little bit longer, which I like because it puts the driver back into it. It requires us to work with the car and save the tires."

* In 13 starts at North Carolina Speedway, David Green has six top five and seven top 10 starts, including two poles, three top five and five top 10 finishes.

* David Green has a top 10 finish in approximately every third race run at North Carolina Speedway.

* North Carolina Speedway holds a special place in David Green's heart. The Owensboro, Kentucky native clinched his 1994 NASCAR Busch Series Championship at the 1.017 mile track.

* David Green is currently eighth in the NASCAR Busch Series point standings 237 points behind seventh position.

Text Provided By Rebecca Cerchiara

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