News/September 2002

EXCEDRIN QUICKTABS RACING TEAM POSTS 13TH PLACE IN RICHMOND
RICHMOND, Va. (September 9, 2002) –The NASCAR Busch Series headed to Richmond, Va. this past weekend for the running of the FUNAI 250 on Friday night. Todd Bodine and the Excedrin QuickTabs Racing team brought home a 13th-place finish in the 26th event on the 34-race Busch Series schedule.

Bodine qualified the No. 92 Excedrin QuickTabs Chevrolet in 21st spot on Thursday afternoon during a long qualifying session that saw several cars make contact with the wall. Bodine made his run late in the order and posted a speed of 124.064 miles per hour around the .75-mile oval.

There were a record 11 caution periods in Friday night's FUNAI 250 at Richmond International Raceway, the first of which came out on lap three of the 250-lap event, followed by others at laps 14, 21 and 32. Bodine, who had worked his way into the 13th position by lap 56, communicated to his crew in the early stages of the race that the No. 92 Excedrin QuickTabs Chevrolet was loose getting into the corners and tight in the center. The team made its first pit stop of the night on lap 76, and made a wedge adjustment to the car in addition to bolting on four fresh tires and adding fuel. Though Bodine felt the changes helped, he and crew chief Tony Liberati knew there was more they could do. The team added a full rubber to the right front spring during a pit stop on lap 107. Inserting a spring rubber is a time consuming task and Bodine headed back down pit road one lap later to allow the team to finish the procedure. Bodine dropped to 31st place, the last car on the lead lap.

Bodine patiently worked his way towards the front of the field and had moved into 25th place by lap 159. Unfortunately, leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. was setting a blistering pace, and the No. 92 went one lap down on lap 172 while in the 24th spot.

Liberati made the call to take on only two new tires during a pit stop just after the 200-lap mark. Bodine was able to pick up nine spots as many others team took on four, and left pit road in the 13th position. Though he fell back several spots in the ensuing laps, he was able to take the checkered flag in 13th place.

"We stayed out of trouble and were able to finish the race in a solid 13th-place," said Bodine following the event. "Of course that's not as good as we would have liked, but in short-track racing sometimes you just have to be thankful for the finish you got and move on the next race."

Though the NASCAR Busch Series takes next weekend off, the Herzog Jackson Motorsports team will still have a busy week. Todd Bodine and the team will spend Tuesday and Wednesday testing at Kansas Speedway for the upcoming event there. Next up on the Busch Series schedule is the race at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, scheduled for Saturday, September 21. Qualifying for the event will take place on Friday afternoon and the event will be broadcast live on TNT television and MRN radio live beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET.
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