Green: "We've got the qualifying down now the last couple of weeks. We've done good there. We just need to make sure we finish the race and have a good effort doing that." Credit: Autostock
By Lee Montgomery, Turner Sports Interactive
May 15, 2004
11:59 AM EDT (1559 GMT)
Jeff Green will start third in the Chevy American Revolution 400
RICHMOND, Va. -- Jeff Green says his relationship with crew chief Gary Putnam has grown into a brother-like state. And like most brothers, sometimes they cuss at each other.
But Friday at Richmond International Raceway, there wasn't much cursing going on in the No. 43 Dodge camp.
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Green qualified the Petty Enterprises car third for the second consecutive race, going 129.677 mph to start up front in Saturday's Chevy American Revolution 400.
That's a good sign for the Petty camp, which has had more to cuss about than smile about lately.
"These Cheerios guys never give up, and I hope I have that attitude every lap," Green said. "We want to be competitive (Saturday) night. My car worked the same on both ends just like it did in practice. I'm proud of my guys. They did a great job. We're just a little off on speed, but the car is driving good.
"I try to save a little bit in practice, and the guys worked on it a little bit, too. ... I don't think our race setup is going to be a lot different than our qualifying setup."
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| Credit: Autostock |
That could bode well for Green, who could use a good finish to bolster his team's confidence. After qualifying third at California, Green blew an engine and finished 37th.
"We've got the qualifying down now the last couple of weeks," Green said. "We've done good there. We just need to make sure we finish the race and have a good effort doing that."
Green has had four DNFs in 2004, blowing engines at California and Texas and crashing at Daytona and Las Vegas. His best finish has been a pair of 19ths, and Green stands 34th in the points after 10 races.
But Green continues to insist that the Pettys are getting better. He knows, however, that while qualifying up front is nice, the No. 43 needs to finish there.
Starting third might help him do that in the race this weekend. Track position is always crucial in Nextel Cup racing, but on a freshly paved track, it's almost everything.
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"The bottom will be the best, but if I had to pick one of the two, I'd rather pick the bottom," Green said.
All 43 drivers will be shooting for the lower groove when the green flag drops, for that's where the most grip is.
"The last three or four years we've been able to run side-by-side and the outside of the racetrack, the outside groove, was even better than the bottom," Green said. "As a driver, that's what you want to see. ... I think we'll still have that second groove, but it'll take a while."
And that might not happen Saturday night.
"The only time you can have a second groove is when the bottom gets worn out," Green said. "The pavement is brand new, so it's not worn out yet. It's real important to get a good starting spot. It'll help you through the first part of the race, but you've got to make sure you keep that position for the second part of the race."
That's the idea. But that's easier said than done, of course. Maybe they'll be some cursing going back and forth in the Petty pit.
But if Green and Putnam really are like brothers, they'll pat each other on the back and have a good laugh after the race, no matter where Green finishes.
It'd be better for both of them, however, if it was toward the front.
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