GMAC Racing Fights Back at Vegas

LAS VEGAS (March 1, 2003) – The GMAC Racing team displayed a lot of character during Saturday’s Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Two early caution flags slowed the race during the opening 15 laps with driver Brian Vickers holding his own in the fifth position. On Lap 19, Vickers brushed the outside wall in Turn 4 causing minor damage to the No. 5 GMAC Chevrolet. After making contact, he slid back to 17th before the third yellow flag of the day waved on Lap 62. During the caution, Vickers pitted for four new Goodyear Eagle tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. The changes helped the No. 5 Chevrolet, but the car was still too loose for Vickers. With half of the race in the books and Vickers in 19th, dark skies loomed over the speedway. Prior to the event being red-flagged on Lap 140 for rain, Vickers was able to move into 14th. After nearly a one-hour delay, drivers were called back to their cars and asked to prepare for the remaining 50 laps. Once the red flag was lifted, many of the teams brought their cars to pit road for one more round of pit stops, including the GMAC Racing team. The team elected to change four tires, add fuel, make an air pressure tweak and another track bar adjustment. Vickers restarted the race on lap 150 in 16th. The damage sustained early in the race most likely affected the handling of the car, but the team kept improving the car’s performance and Vickers drove as hard as he could given the circumstances, finishing 13th. Joe Nemechek, who drives the No. 25 UAW-Delphi Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, nabbed the win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in his own No. 87 Busch Series entry. The GMAC Racing team will be off next weekend before returning to action at Darlington Raceway on Saturday, March 15. Live coverage of the darlingtonraceway.com 200 will begin at 1 p.m. EST on the FX television network and MRN Radio.