Mayfield Grinds Out Solid Finish at Daytona

DAYTONA, Fla. (Feb. 17, 2008) – Jeremy Mayfield battled a loose handling car throughout today’s Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway but persevered to a 23rd-place finish in the 50th running of the “Great American Race.”

“We started off the day good, but it got to the point where it (the car) was just jumping sideways,” Mayfield said. “Overall we salvaged a good day. The main thing is that we got a jump on the season points,” he said.

Less than 10 laps in the race Mayfield asked crew chief Dave Skog if there was debris on his grill as the oil and water temperature gauges were both pegged to the hot reading. This forced Mayfield to stay out of the draft so that his car could get as much air through the grill as possible.

The No. 70 Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon team had its first opportunity to pit the car on Lap 36, taking four tires and fuel and checked the grill for debris – finding the car had indeed picked up some plastic. No handling adjustments were made since Mayfield said he was happy with the way the car was handling. “It’s a little loose, but I think that’s were we need it to be,” Mayfield said.

Following the pit stop Mayfield reported that his car was extremely loose and by lap 52 the temperature gauges were again pegged to hot. Skog planned for a stagger adjustment during the next pit stop and also determined that additional plastic on the front end of the car could be creating unexpected down force which would contribute to the loose condition in the rear of the car.

On Lap 61 Mayfield said that his car was, “looser than it’s been since we’ve gotten here.” So when the caution came out on Lap 79 for debris on the track his Haas CNC Racing teammates made wedge and trackbar adjustments in an attempt to tighten the car up. More plastic was found on the grill which was causing the hot fluids temperatures. The team took only right side tires so that when the race resumed Mayfield would be the first car a lap down and in position to receive the Lucky Dog pass should there be another quick caution.

The loose condition persisted throughout the remainder of the race, but the No. 70 team never gave up and continued to make a number of chassis and air pressure adjustments.

A rash of caution flags during the final 50 laps of the race proved fortuitous for the team as they not only provided the opportunity to further adjust the car, but ultimately got Mayfield back on the lead lap.

Mayfield was the beneficiary of the Lucky Dog pass when the caution flew on Lap 184. On the Lap 192 restart Mayfield was in the 25th position before ultimately finishing 23rd.

Mayfield and the No. 70 team will carry the Haas Automation Inc. colors as they take to the California Speedway in Fontana, Calif., for next Sunday’s running of the Auto Club 500. The race will be televised live on FOX beginning at 3:30 p.m. EST and on your local MRN affiliate at 4 p.m. EST.