David Green finished fifth in his debut with the No. 5 team. Credit: Autostock
By Tim Packman, Turner Sports Interactive
October 18, 2002
11:14 AM EDT (1514 GMT)
CONCORD, N.C. -- Memphis Motorsports Park is the site of Saturday's Sam's Town 250 benefitting St. Jude, the fourth time the Busch Series has raced at the 3/4-mile oval.
One driver who is glad to be in Memphis is David Green. Replacing Ricky Hendrick, Green drove the No. 5 GMAC Chevrolet to a top-five finish at Charlotte last weekend.
"I am so glad to be racing again and Memphis is a great little short track," Green said. "We're coming off such a strong finish in Charlotte and I think we can back it up in Memphis.
"I have run twice there, but I missed the first year the NASCAR Busch Series ran there because I was driving in the Winston Cup Series. I feel like you are always a little behind when you miss the first race on a track with the series.
"The thing about Memphis is that it is totally different than it looks and you have to know what to do out there."
Only one driver has won from the Bud Pole Award position: Jeff Green. His victory in 1999 was backed up by two more top-five performances the following years.
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Green also holds the qualifying record of 120.267 mph (22.450 sec) set in 1999. Kevin Harvick holds the race record of 92.352 mph, set in 2000.
Randy LaJoie is the defending champion -- and needs a victory this season to add to a streak of six consecutive seasons of at least one Busch Series win.
With five races to go, Greg Biffle leads Jason Keller by 168 points in the championship battle. Scott Wimmer sits third.
"Memphis is the track where I made my first Busch Series start, so it is always special to return there," Wimmer said. "I raced in an ASA race there before, so I had a little experience on the track before I got into the Busch car.
"I was able to finish 18th in my first start and I think the ASA experience helped, unlike some of the other Busch tracks that I had never seen before. We finished eighth last year, so hopefully we can go back there and win this thing this time around."
Wimmer said getting the car to grip the track is key to having any success.
"To be successful at Memphis, you have to be able to stay on the bottom and get off the corners real well," he said. "You really have to slow the car down in the middle of the corner.
"So, the way to beat everybody is to get off the corners well."
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