| News/
HERZOG JACKSON MOTORSPORTS TAKES
ELEVENTH PLACE AT KANSAS
The No. 92 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Returns to the Busch Series
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (October 6, 2003) - The
Herzog Jackson Motorsports (HJM) team returned to the NASCAR
Busch Series (NBS) with a bang taking home a eleventh-place
finish in Saturday's Mr. Goodcents 300 at Kansas Speedway.
2000 NBS Champion Jeff Green piloted the No. 92 Chevy in the
event.
After leading the Busch Series standings for
eight weeks in the first half of the 2003 season, the No.
92 team was forced to suspend operations following the second
Daytona race when sponsorship money failed to materialize.
Despite still being without sponsorship, team owners Bill,
Randy and Stanley Herzog made the decision to compete in the
event.
"Kansas Speedway is our home track,"
stated Randy Herzog. "Our construction business [Herzog
Contracting Corp.] is based here in the Kansas City-area and
our employees look forward to this event. We didn't want to
disappointment them or the team. It was good to be back."
After starting the 200-lap event in the 22nd
starting position, Green quickly passed several cars before
settling into the 15th spot. The No. 92 Chevy kept pace with
the lead cars despite suffering from a tight handling condition.
When the car's condition continued to worsen, crew chief Tony
"Rambo" Liberati made the call to bring the HJM
Chevy into the pits at lap 64. The move cost the team several
positions as it was made under green flag racing. Once the
pit crew had bolted on four fresh Goodyear tires and had filled
the fuel tank, the No. 92 returned to the track in the 19th
spot.
The HJM Chevy continued to run in the top-20
although being listed as the first car one lap down. On lap
123 a spin on the track put the field under a caution. The
team opted not to pit during the caution in an attempt to
gain track position. Under NASCAR's new rule, Green, listed
as the first car a lap down, was able to return to the lead
lap. Once the pit stops had cycled through, Green had moved
onto the lead lap and into the 11th position.
Following an accident on lap 197 involving
then race leader Bobby Hamilton Jr. and Greg Biffle, most
of the field slowed for the caution. However, a few drivers
continued to race to the flag. What ensued following the event
was a heated debate between teams regarding NASCAR's new rule
in regards to caution periods. Despite crossing the finish
line in the tenth position, Green was eventually awarded eleventh
after Jason Keller appealed his finishing position moving
the No. 57 car from 18th in the final standings to fourth.
While the team was hoping for more, driver Jeff Green was
satisfied with the finish.
"This is the first time I've worked with
this team. We had a solid run and continued to improve on
the handling of the car during the race," stated Green.
"I hope our performance today will help the team in its
sponsorship search."
The Herzog Jackson Motorsports team hopes
to make its next Busch Series appearance in the season finale
at the Homestead-Miami track in November.
|