Martinsville II: Chip Ganassi Racing qualifying notes

MIKE BLISS / JIMMY SPENCER CHIP GANASSI RACING WITH FELIX SABATES

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (October 19, 2002) - The No. 40 Coors Light and No. 41 Target teams of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates secured top-30 starting positions for the Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Jimmy Spencer, driver of the No. 41 Target Dodge Intrepid R/T, ran a fast lap of 20.642 seconds (91.735 mph), placing the Target Dodge 21st in the lineup.

"If you miss it a little bit here getting in, you lose your whole lap," Spencer said following his qualifying run. "I knew we were going to be pretty good, but I think we left a tenth or two out there. We'll have a good starting spot. Hopefully we won't have any trouble on Sunday and get a good finish. You've got to be careful qualifying here. The concrete is a lot smoother but it's a lot harder to get a grip now until we get some rubber built into it. I don't think we'll have a tire problem Sunday, but I think you'll be putting four on each pit stop just because of how fast we're going."

Mike Bliss, driver of the No. 40 Coors Light Dodge Intrepid R/T, ran a 20.681-second lap time (91.562 mph), placing him in the 27th starting position for Sunday's event. Bliss will be in the car for one race only; Jamie McMurray will resume driving responsibilities in Atlanta.

Bliss drives the No. 16 IWX Motor Freight/Knights Inn Chevrolet full time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He has led the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship point standings since the Michigan 200 on July 27. Bliss has competed in seven races at Martinsville, scoring one pole in 1999, two top-5 and four top-10 finishes. He has an average finish of 8.33 at Martinsville Speedway and he is sixth in series money won at the track with $66,775.

"We over adjusted. We were loose off and we got it real tight," Bliss said. "I'm not happy with that time. That'll put us back in the rear. We just over adjusted and got it way too tight. We learned something there. These guys are doing a heck of a job. They've been winning races, and I'm just fortunate to be in this Coors Light Dodge."

The Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville Speedway will be broadcast live on NBC on Sunday, October 20 at 12:30 p.m., e.d.t.

-cgr-