Sonoma: Dale Jarrett preview

Sears Point is first road test of 2002. SONOMA, Calif., June 18, 2002 --- The NASCAR Winston Cup Series will make its third trip to the west coast this weekend for the Dodge/Save Mart 300 at Sears Point Raceway. It also is the first of two road ...

Sears Point is first road test of 2002.

SONOMA, Calif., June 18, 2002 --- The NASCAR Winston Cup Series will make its third trip to the west coast this weekend for the Dodge/Save Mart 300 at Sears Point Raceway. It also is the first of two road course races for the drivers and teams. Dale Jarrett and the #88 UPS Racing team have been riding a wave of momentum after winning in Pocono and then starting from the Bud Pole in Michigan. Hoping to carry that over to the tricky 1.92-mile road course, Jarrett will qualify his #88 Ford Taurus this Friday, June 21st at 2:05 p.m. PCT. The Save Mart 300 is scheduled to start at 12 noon PCT time on Sunday, June 23rd.

Jarrett Prepares For Save Mart 300 With Test Session
The 2002 Dodge/Save Mart 300 will be Jarrett's 14th start at northern California road course. Jarrett's last visit to a road course was at Watkins Glen in 2001 where he sat on the pole. In preparation for the upcoming event at Sears Point, Jarrett and the #88 UPS Racing Team spent a day at the road course track in Kershaw, S.C., breaking in the new road course car built specifically for the 10-turn road course in the NAPA Valley.

"I have been working on my heel and toe combination, but it probably could still use some work just because it's not something we do very often," Jarrett said. "We only road race twice a year so it's easy to get a little rusty. We're taking a brand new race car to Sears Point and we spent some time down in Kershaw just shaking it down and getting me ready for that type of racing. A lot of people have asked why we aren't taking the same car we won the pole with at Watkins Glen. Even though both those tracks are road courses, that's about where the similarities stop. So, we're going to keep that car strictly for Watkins Glen and Robert (Yates) decided we should just build a car that's specific for Sears Point."

Jarrett To Take Batting Practice With San Francisco Giants
Jarrett will be making the media rounds during his Winner's Circle visit to Sears Point Raceway on Wednesday, June 19th. As part of the event, Jarrett will take batting practice with the San Francisco Giants professional baseball team at Pac Bell Park. Batting practice will start at 4 p.m. Jarrett will also throw out the first pitch of the night in the Giants game against Tampa Bay.

"Since I am such a big sports fan, I always enjoy being able to watch other athletes perform," Jarrett said. "It is a great honor to be able to take batting practice with a team like the Giants, and to throw out the first pitch at one of their games. Hopefully, it will be the start of a good weekend for us."

UPS Salutes Circle of Honor Drivers With 35+ Years
UPS's Circle of Honor program recognizes drivers who have gone 25 years without a single accident. UPS takes this program a step further to recognize drivers who have 35+ years without a single accident. UPS's list of such drivers contains drivers located around the United States, including an individual who resides near the Sonoma Valley where the NASCAR Winston Cup Series will race this weekend. Barry Brockhoff of UPS's East Bay district, located in the Oakland area, is one Circle of Honor driver who has gone 35 years without a single accident. While Barry has gone 35 years without a single accident, 115 UPS drivers in California are also members of the Circle of Honor program.