GMAC Racing Finishes Eighth at ‘The Rock’

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (Feb. 24, 2003) – Better late than never is how the saying goes. Neither rain nor limited practice time seemed to slow down GMAC Racing on Monday at North Carolina Speedway. Despite starting the Rockingham 200 two days later than scheduled because of inclement weather, Brian Vickers drove the No. 5 GMAC Financial Services Chevrolet to an eighth-place finish in just his second start for Hendrick Motorsports. In a race plagued by caution flags, Vickers and the GMAC Racing team managed to stay patient and avoid mishaps on the way to their first top-10 finish of the NASCAR Busch Series season. The closest call for the No. 5 Chevrolet came on Lap 55 when the No. 46 Chevrolet of driver Ashton Lewis spun in front of Vickers. After starting 15th, the quick work of the GMAC Racing pit crew, along with Vickers’ ability to save tires on the abrasive Rockingham, N.C., race track, allowed the team to run in the top 15 for the majority of the event. With less than 40 laps remaining in the race, many of the frontrunners elected to pit, including the GMAC team, who changed four tires and added fuel. By stopping for fresh Goodyear Eagles, Vickers was able to drive into the top 10 during the closing laps, despite having to battle lapped traffic late in the race. The eighth-place finish is Vickers’ second career Busch Series top-10 and his first since May of 2002 when he finished seventh at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. Next up for GMAC Racing will be Saturday’s Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Live coverage will begin at 3:30 p.m. EST on the FX television network and PRN Radio.