Open: Boris Said race report

SAID COMPLETES NEXTEL OPEN MISSION CONCORD, N.C. (May 21, 2005) -- Boris Said finished 23rd in Saturday night's NEXTEL Open at Lowe's Motor Speedway. A late entry for the non-points race, Said felt his MB/Sutton Motorsports team had a productive ...

SAID COMPLETES NEXTEL OPEN MISSION

CONCORD, N.C. (May 21, 2005) -- Boris Said finished 23rd in Saturday night's NEXTEL Open at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

A late entry for the non-points race, Said felt his MB/Sutton Motorsports team had a productive weekend as a test session for the May 29th Coca-Cola 600, which will also be conducted at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"I wanted to finish better, but our main objective was to get more seat time for next week's race," offered Said, driver of the No. 36 CENTRIX Financial Chevrolet. "This is the first time I competed at Lowe's Motor Speedway and even though I raced at other 1.5-mile ovals, it doesn't really help because all tracks have their own personalities."

Said was scheduled to conduct an all-day test session at Lowe's on May 10, but rain cut short the practice.

"By not having that full test session put us behind and that's why it was important for Team CENTRIX to enter this weekend's race," noted Said, the accomplished road racer from Carlsbad, Calif.

Said started Saturday's 30-lap race 22nd and ran as high as 15th. But as the race was winding down, he drove cautiously to avert a mishap.

"I have a good car and I wanted to make sure it was in one piece for next week," explained Said. "There was no need to be overly aggressive -- I just wanted to get a better feel for the track and I accomplished that goal."