S
stridsberry
Guest
Those boys sure gave it a good ride today, didn't they?!! :thumbsup:
http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/...reen/index.html
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D. Green, Compton all smiles after strong day
By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive November 9, 2002
8:41 PM EST (0141 GMT)
AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Two NASCAR Busch Series drivers with divergent futures had equally wide smiles Saturday afternoon at Phoenix International Raceway.
David Green is hoping that Saturday's strong finish can turn into a job for next season. Credit: Autostock
Stacy Compton's grin was a little rueful after NASCAR didn't red flag the Bashas' Supermarkets 200 when Jeff Green had a huge accident in Turn 1 and the caution flew with less than four laps remaining. Compton's No. 59 Kingsford Chevrolet was reeling in eventual winner Scott Wimmer but he ended up second under caution.
David Green's countenance was lit with satisfaction, but clouded by uncertainty for his future after he logged his fifth straight top-14 finish -- and his third top-five -- since taking over the No. 5 GMAC Chevrolet from Ricky Hendrick.
"I'm awful proud of the guys on this Kingsford/Johnsonville Chevrolet -- we had a great car and they deserved a shot at the win," said NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series graduate Compton. "I am pretty disappointed right now -- although I know we've got championships on the line and all that -- man, I wish they would go green-white-checker.
Bashas' Supermarkets 200
E Unofficial Results
E Unofficial Standings
E Video Highlights
"That's a great rule that the Craftsman Truck Series has got and if they had done that today I think we had something for him. We had a shot at a win, but we'll take second. Congratulations to Scott and to Greg (Busch Series champion Biffle), but we would've liked to have had a shot at the win."
Compton is already signed to drive next season for team owner Tad Geschickter and he feels like, after a season to mesh with crew chief Steve Plattenberger they can do great things in 2003. His finish Saturday enabled him to scoot back into eighth in the standings as Biffle clinched his first series crown.
"We'll be right back here with these guys and we're gonna give them a shot for the championship," Compton said. "I think we're in line and I think that we learned a lot this year and I think I've learned a lot in terms of how to drive Busch cars."
Compton made his debut in the Busch Series and with Geschickter's ST Motorsports a year ago next weekend, when he scored a 10th-place finish. In his first full Busch Series season he has five top-fives -- including his third second place -- and 11 top-10s.
Stacy Compton finished second Saturday at Phoenix. Credit: Autostock
"I feel like the team has started to gel again and we're back on track," Compton said. "Early in the season was good. The middle part of the year we got off-base a little bit and tried to re-invent the wheel (but) the team is working together really good and we are pretty excited about the way the season has went so far.
"We have Homestead next and we think we can win down there, too, so we're going to go down there and give it our best shot."
Green, on the other hand, has no idea in which direction team owner Rick Hendrick will go next season. The owner's son stepped out of the ride when he realized earlier in the fall his mental commitment was not what it needed to be to drive the car to its limit.
Green, the 1994 Busch Series champion who has driven for four different owners in 11 starts this season, has shown the GMAC car's maximum potential, starting second and third in his past two outings and finishing fifth, ninth, 14th, a season-best fourth and now fifth in his five starts.
"I'm so happy because Rick (Hendrick) came down today and spent the day on the (pit) box," Green said. "This has probably been the most pressure-packed race for me, because we had a lot of GMAC people here, CARQUEST folks and obviously, Rick.
"It's drawing down to the season's end and I've enjoyed every lap we've run in this car. The team continually works hard at making the car better throughout the race. Today, we didn't make many adjustments so we were pretty good, but we needed those green flags."
Despite re-proving his considerable mettle, Green has very little idea which direction Hendrick will turn. But he has no regrets, either.
ALSO
E Vote now for the Busch Favorite Driver Award!
"Fifth place -- we can't complain and we can't wait to go to Homestead," Green said. "Honestly, though, I wish the season drug on another couple months, but I know the guys don't want that."
Green said he and Hendrick have not talked recently about the future.
"I haven't because he knows my position," Green said. "I think he can feel what I am feeling and I have total confidence that he will make the right decision. I have just set my mind to go out and be David Green -- not to be anybody trying to win a job and to drive this race car to its capabilities.
"As you can see I am probably still shaking a little rust off, but I promise you when we roll into Daytona in February we're gonna be primed to go because we'll be ready to win us a championship with Team GMAC."
http://www.nascar.com/2002/news/headlines/...reen/index.html
-------------------------------------
D. Green, Compton all smiles after strong day
By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive November 9, 2002
8:41 PM EST (0141 GMT)
AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Two NASCAR Busch Series drivers with divergent futures had equally wide smiles Saturday afternoon at Phoenix International Raceway.
David Green is hoping that Saturday's strong finish can turn into a job for next season. Credit: Autostock
Stacy Compton's grin was a little rueful after NASCAR didn't red flag the Bashas' Supermarkets 200 when Jeff Green had a huge accident in Turn 1 and the caution flew with less than four laps remaining. Compton's No. 59 Kingsford Chevrolet was reeling in eventual winner Scott Wimmer but he ended up second under caution.
David Green's countenance was lit with satisfaction, but clouded by uncertainty for his future after he logged his fifth straight top-14 finish -- and his third top-five -- since taking over the No. 5 GMAC Chevrolet from Ricky Hendrick.
"I'm awful proud of the guys on this Kingsford/Johnsonville Chevrolet -- we had a great car and they deserved a shot at the win," said NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series graduate Compton. "I am pretty disappointed right now -- although I know we've got championships on the line and all that -- man, I wish they would go green-white-checker.
Bashas' Supermarkets 200
E Unofficial Results
E Unofficial Standings
E Video Highlights
"That's a great rule that the Craftsman Truck Series has got and if they had done that today I think we had something for him. We had a shot at a win, but we'll take second. Congratulations to Scott and to Greg (Busch Series champion Biffle), but we would've liked to have had a shot at the win."
Compton is already signed to drive next season for team owner Tad Geschickter and he feels like, after a season to mesh with crew chief Steve Plattenberger they can do great things in 2003. His finish Saturday enabled him to scoot back into eighth in the standings as Biffle clinched his first series crown.
"We'll be right back here with these guys and we're gonna give them a shot for the championship," Compton said. "I think we're in line and I think that we learned a lot this year and I think I've learned a lot in terms of how to drive Busch cars."
Compton made his debut in the Busch Series and with Geschickter's ST Motorsports a year ago next weekend, when he scored a 10th-place finish. In his first full Busch Series season he has five top-fives -- including his third second place -- and 11 top-10s.
Stacy Compton finished second Saturday at Phoenix. Credit: Autostock
"I feel like the team has started to gel again and we're back on track," Compton said. "Early in the season was good. The middle part of the year we got off-base a little bit and tried to re-invent the wheel (but) the team is working together really good and we are pretty excited about the way the season has went so far.
"We have Homestead next and we think we can win down there, too, so we're going to go down there and give it our best shot."
Green, on the other hand, has no idea in which direction team owner Rick Hendrick will go next season. The owner's son stepped out of the ride when he realized earlier in the fall his mental commitment was not what it needed to be to drive the car to its limit.
Green, the 1994 Busch Series champion who has driven for four different owners in 11 starts this season, has shown the GMAC car's maximum potential, starting second and third in his past two outings and finishing fifth, ninth, 14th, a season-best fourth and now fifth in his five starts.
"I'm so happy because Rick (Hendrick) came down today and spent the day on the (pit) box," Green said. "This has probably been the most pressure-packed race for me, because we had a lot of GMAC people here, CARQUEST folks and obviously, Rick.
"It's drawing down to the season's end and I've enjoyed every lap we've run in this car. The team continually works hard at making the car better throughout the race. Today, we didn't make many adjustments so we were pretty good, but we needed those green flags."
Despite re-proving his considerable mettle, Green has very little idea which direction Hendrick will turn. But he has no regrets, either.
ALSO
E Vote now for the Busch Favorite Driver Award!
"Fifth place -- we can't complain and we can't wait to go to Homestead," Green said. "Honestly, though, I wish the season drug on another couple months, but I know the guys don't want that."
Green said he and Hendrick have not talked recently about the future.
"I haven't because he knows my position," Green said. "I think he can feel what I am feeling and I have total confidence that he will make the right decision. I have just set my mind to go out and be David Green -- not to be anybody trying to win a job and to drive this race car to its capabilities.
"As you can see I am probably still shaking a little rust off, but I promise you when we roll into Daytona in February we're gonna be primed to go because we'll be ready to win us a championship with Team GMAC."
