Hendrick Happy with IRP Top 10
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Aug. 8, 2002) -- Ricky Hendrick wheeled his No. 5 GMAC Financial Services Chevrolet Monte Carlo to a season-best best seventh-place finish in the Kroger 200 NASCAR Busch Series race at Indianapolis Raceway Park on Saturday.
“This race was awesome,” said Hendrick. "We came all the way up through the field to land a top 10. Lance McGrew (Hendrick's crew chief) made some great calls and we were fast in the pits. I just put my head down and drove the wheels off.
“It was so great to be really competitive out there.”
Hendrick started the event from the 36th spot after a disappointing qualifying run. The turning point in the race came on lap 61 when the field came under the second caution of the night. That's when McGrew made the first of two solid decisions, bringing Hendrick in for a pit stop, banking on stretching the full fuel load to the finish.
The strategy worked as Hendrick glided through the field and into the top 10 as his rivals pitted for fuel and fresh tires. Now solidly in the running for a top finish, McGrew's second strategy call of the night came with just over 25 laps remaining when he directed Hendrick to pit road for four fresh tires and returned him to the track in 10th place.
"Lance made some good and gutsy calls tonight," said Hendrick after the race. "We went out there to get everything we could. I knew we had a good car, good track position, new tires and time to move up -- I was in the position every driver wants to be in.
“We had a good restart and I fought for every spot I could get. It was a battle and it was fun. We are very proud of this finish.
“We tried new things and they paid off tonight,” he continued. “We hope we can keep this streak going. Tonight was the kind of race every driver hopes for. To go from 36th to seventh is an accomplishment and clearly our best finish of the season.”
“That is the best race I've ever seen Ricky drive in a Busch car,” said team owner Rick Hendrick, Ricky’s father. “This team has worked hard all year and we knew it would be a learning year, but it sure is a lot more fun when you are up front racing.
“I am really proud of all of them tonight and I have never seen Ricky race so well.”
Hendrick and the NASCAR Busch Series will take the next week off, then return to the track for the Cabela's 250 at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday, August 17 at 1:30 p.m. EDT. The event will be telecast live on TNT and broadcast worldwide on more than 300 MRN Radio affiliates.