BNS: Thompson: Ted Christopher race notes

Ted Christopher Dodges Incidents To Finish Thompson Busch North Race Ninth

(Thompson, Conn. - Oct. 30, 2005) - Ted Christopher's limited NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch North Series effort for 2005 ended with his capturing five top-ten finishes in six races, capped off with a ninth place run in the season finale, the 5/8-mile Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway's oft-postponed New England Dodge Dealers 100.

Christopher, driving the Eagle Leasing/Recycle America Ford for NDS Motorsports, started Sunday evening's race from the eleventh position. Just eight laps into the race, though, Christopher tangled with a pair of competitors and that left him having to recover, getting back up to speed just as the race leader was approaching.

This was during the longest green-flag run of the race, and without a caution to help Christopher catch the rest of the field, he dug in and drove away from the leader, getting as high as sixteenth before caution finally came out.

"it was rough out there tonight," he said after the race. "I had a pretty fast car, though, because I left the leaders and passed a lot of cars."

Despite suffering some minor body damage in an accident following the lap 61 restart, Christopher continued on without pitting, getting a respite as the race had to be stopped for the track's lights going out temporarily. Back in action, he was back in the top ten with twenty-five laps to go, running as high as eighth as he battled Dave Dion for that position through the closing laps. He wound up ninth at the checkers.

"We were a little bit tight," he said, "and used up a lot of the car trying to get away from the leaders and get back near the front. The bottom wasn't the place to be in the Busch car so I got stuck there. I had some fun racing with Dave Dion near the end there, he's one person who I enjoy racing side-by-side with."

NDS Motorsports finishes the 2005 season with a record of three top-fives and five top-tens in six races, including Christopher's win at New Hampshire International Speedway in September.

-bnsracing-