The #44 UPS Team is well rested after a much-needed weekend off. Following the two-race introduction period for the new Car of Tomorrow (COT), teams are returning to their previous car design for this weekend's race in Texas. The team looks to improve on their rough outing in Martinsville to gain ground again on the top-35 in the points standings. Driver Dale Jarrett still holds two past champion's provisionals to use in case of a poor qualifying effort, but he hopes it doesn't come to that.
"I said it a couple weeks ago, but if we could just get our luck turned in the right direction we'd be in pretty decent shape," Jarrett said. "I'm proud of the way our team worked together in Martinsville. Even though we had a tough day, our whole crew kept fighting and showed that we really do have the potential to be good."
The Samsung 500 is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. EST start this Sunday.
Dale Jarrett Discusses Racing at Texas Motor Speedway
Are you excited about getting back in the old car again?
"Honestly, I'm just excited to get back in a race car period. Obviously this has been a struggle and a bigger struggle than I anticipated. Matt (Borland) and the team continue to work hard. We believe we've had some aerodynamic issues and have had a couple weeks to work in that area with the two Car of Tomorrow races and the off week. We tested at Kentucky a little more than a week ago and I feel like some of the changes made to the aero program before that test seemed to help. We’ll obviously be able to see just how much those changes have helped at Texas this week. This is a track that I've enjoyed racing at since we started racing here in 1997. I've had some pretty good races here and I've had some bad luck here with fuel mileage. All in all it’s a great place for racing with great fans that are excited about our sport and show their support when we’re in town."
Did you get enough rest before your busy Texas schedule?
"I actually took the family up to New York. It was a lot of fun. We went and saw a Yankees game and then went and saw a few Broadway shows. It was good to just kind of get away from everything. This weekend in Texas is going to be a little busier than normal. I'm starting a new job as booth analyst for ESPN during the Busch race on Saturday. It's a part-time gig for 10 Busch races this year. Over the last few years, TV was something that I have taken more interest in and looked more at because I want to stay involved in the sport. This is the perfect chance that ESPN is offering me to see if it's something that I really want to do and want to look at after 2008 to do maybe closer to full time. And to find out if it's something I can do and if ESPN would be interested in having me. I'm looking forward to working with Andy (Petree) and Dr. Jerry Punch. As everyone knows they've been friends of mine since we were kids growing up in Newton, N.C., so that is something I'm looking forward to as well."
UPS Racing Team Notes of Interest:
- Jarrett had three top-two finishes in his first five starts at Texas Motor Speedway, including a win in 2001.
- Dale Jarrett is one of only nine drivers who have competed in all 12 Nextel Cup races at Texas since the speedway made its debut in 1997. Jarrett has been running at the end of all 12 of those races and has completed an astounding 98.53 percent of the laps run.
- Jarrett started on the pole for the inaugural Texas race, the Interstate Batteries 500.
- Jarrett is second among lap leaders at Texas with 407 laps led.
