NASCAR Cup

Rockingham II: Dale Jarrett preview

Team UPS rock ready for Pop Secret 400. ROCKINGHAM, N.C., October 29, 2002 --- Dale Jarrett's last visit to the North Carolina Speedway proved to be bittersweet as he looked to be the one to beat before motor failure prevented him from completing ...

Published: Oct 31, 2002, 1:37 PM

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Team UPS rock ready for Pop Secret 400.

ROCKINGHAM, N.C., October 29, 2002 --- Dale Jarrett's last visit to the North Carolina Speedway proved to be bittersweet as he looked to be the one to beat before motor failure prevented him from completing the second race of the 2002 season. Poised for at least a top-five finish at Rockingham, the motor broke on the #88 UPS Ford while Jarrett was leading and the team suffered a gut-wrenching 42nd-place finish in a racing theme that seemed to echo throughout the 2002 season. Hoping that the bad racing luck is history, the #88 UPS Racing Team returns to the 1.017-mile track looking for its second "Rock" win. The "Pop Secret 400" is slated for a 12:30 p.m. EST start on Sunday, Nov. 3rd.

Team UPS Rocks At Rockingham
The North Carolina Speedway has been one of the most consistent tracks for Jarrett and the #88 Robert Yates Racing Team. One of the reasons for the team's success is Jarrett's affinity for the 1.017-mile track.

"I like this race track," Jarrett said of the Rock. "It's a driver track. This racetrack has a lot of different elements in it that you have to learn to cope with and deal with. The surface is real worn which makes it hard on tires. Tire wear doesn't last long here, but that's what I like because it puts the race in the drivers' hands and the crews' hands. It's up to the driver and crew to make a good-handling racecar, which is the challenge for us. Rockingham has been a good track for this #88 team. We don't have the wins to show for it but we've got a lot of top fives. Hopefully, we'll be able to add another one in the win column this weekend."

*Since 1996, Jarrett and the #88 racing team have combined for one win, 10 top fives and 12 top 10 finishes at the North Carolina Speedway.

*Jarrett finished second at Rockingham four straight times during the track's events in 1996 and 1997.

*Until the 2002 spring race at Rockingham, Jarrett and the #88 team had not finished outside the top 10. Motor failure gave the team a 42nd-place finish during the spring race.

*Jarrett has not finished outside the top five at Rockingham during the fall events.

*Jarrett's first win at Rockingham was during the 2000 Pop Secret 400.

*In 13 events at Rockingham, the #88 team and Jarrett have led 1,033 laps.

Team UPS To Compete In Pit Crew Competition *The annual 76 Pit Crew Competition takes place this weekend at the North Carolina Speedway. The #88 UPS Racing pit crew is one of the 25 teams that have earned the opportunity to compete for more than $100,000 in prize money. The #88 UPS Racing pit crew have worked hard throughout the 2002 season and have already been honored as one of the finalists for the Mechanix Wear "Pit Crew of the Year" contest. The #88 pit crew features a group of guys that have worked together since 1993 when they were part of the original "Rainbow Warriors" with driver Jeff Gordon. Included in that group is Darren Jolly, who also works for UPS as a tractor-trailer driver. Jolly has been the front-tire carrier for the #88 team since joining Robert Yates Racing in 2000. Mike Trower, front-tire changer, and Jeff Knight, rear-tire carrier also were original members of the "Rainbow Warriors." John Bryan, jackman, Jason Sheets, rear-tire carrier, Rick Coulson, catch can man and Barry Price, gasman round out the seven men who will try to bring home the pit crew championship for UPS and Robert Yates Racing.

-ryr-

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