Bliss hopes for turnaround at Lowe's

CONCORD, N.C. -- When you drive for a team like Joe Gibbs Racing, the excuses for not running up front ring hollow. JGR has all the resources a good NASCAR team needs, so running well is expected -- not hoped for.

Unfortunately for Mike Bliss, running well in 2004 isn't a given. Bliss, who drives for Gibbs on the Busch Series, has struggled mightily in 12 races this season and is 16th in the points heading to Lowe's Motor Speedway, site of this weekend's Carquest Auto Parts 300.

The best Bliss and new crew chief Steve Addington have been able to do is a pair of eighth-place finishes -- at Nashville and Richmond -- and a 10th at Darlington. Other than that, it's been pretty ugly.

	The No. 20 Chevrolet has three top-10 finishes so far in 2004. Credit: Autostock

But Bliss has reason for optimism this week. Lowe's was one of Bliss' best tracks last year, and he was the only driver to finish in the top five in both Busch races there a year ago.

Bliss was fifth in this race last May and followed that up with a third in the rain-postponed October race.

"Charlotte was a really good track to us in 2003 and may be the place to help us get our season back on track," Bliss said. "We tested here last week, and we learned a lot about this new tire and the direction we need to go to get better.

"The team is extremely focused and determined. Steve and I are continuing to work better each week. When we get this thing turned around, look out."

Bliss and Addington will have to step it up this week, as Charlotte is one of the series' top races. Charlotte is home to most NASCAR teams, and there is the usual influx of Nextel Cup regulars to the Busch Series field.

To help get ready for Saturday's 300-mile race, Addington spent some time in the Gibbs Cup shop last week, working with crew chiefs Michael McSwain and Greg Zipadelli.

"Charlotte is always a big race," Addington said. "The crews seem to work a little harder, because they want to have a good showing in front of their family and friends. The influx of Nextel Cup regulars makes the field even stronger.

"We enjoy the challenge of them in the race, because it is always rewarding to beat them. I have spent some time last week at the Cup shop, working with Fatback and Zippy on some stuff that should make us even better at Charlotte."

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The 1.5-mile Lowe's Motor Speedway is the original "quad-oval" in Bruton Smith's empire, and its characteristic bumps separate LMS from twins at Atlanta and Texas.

"A lot of people compare Charlotte to the other mile-and-a-half tracks we visit," Bliss said. "Charlotte seems to have its own personality, though. The track is wider and the corners offer multiple grooves.

"If the car's handling is not there, it gives the drivers the chance to play with their line and find a groove that works for them. Charlotte is definitely a lot bumpier than those other two, especially on the backstretch on over to the tunnel on Turn 4."

After a bumpy start to the season, Bliss hopes things smooth out this weekend.

Nemechek adds Carquest 300 to schedule

Another driver hoping to turn things around this weekend is Nextel Cup driver Joe Nemechek, who is usually one of the front-runners in the Busch Series.

2004 Busch Series  •  Results  •  Standings  •  Schedule  •  Drivers  •  Best 25: Last 6 races  •  Best Starts by Driver  •  Best Finishes by Driver

Nemechek has 15 victories in his Busch Series career, including a victory at Charlotte in 1997. He hadn't planned to enter this weekend's race at Charlotte but swapped the fall race for this one.

"We're just really frustrated with our results so far this season, so passing up our home race didn't seem like the thing to do," Nemechek said. "I spoke with the folks at Cellular One, and they were all for it. This team is used to winning, so we just felt like we needed to get out there, run well and get our season turned around.

"We're always competitive at Lowe's Motor Speedway, and with it being close to home, we'll have all the support of our friends and family. We won this race back in 1997 and finished well a number of times so we just want to get out there and get back to running the way we're accustomed to."

Green makes milestone start

David Green will start his 300th Busch Series race Saturday, which ranks him eighth overall in career starts. Along the way, Green has won eight Busch races, 21 poles, won the 1994 Busch Series championship and finished second in points in 1996 and 2003.

"It's kind of cool," Green said. "I guess it says I've been fortunate enough to be with some good teams over the years. Not a lot of people have made 300-plus starts. I think it takes a 'never give up' attitude and the desire to win races and win championships non-stop.

"Two-thousand-two was a bleak year for me, but I never gave up in my search for a team that had the same desire I did. (Brewco Motorsports) are the key to me making 300 starts, and I hope as a group we will celebrate a couple of championships in the next 100 races or so."