DANA Dodge Report from Watkins Glen
25 August 1997
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Christopher/Dana Dodge Good at the Glen Cornelius, NC (August 24, 1997)--Ted Christopher's experience at Watkins Glen paid off this weekend for the Dana Racing team as Christopher wheeled the #18 Dana Dodge to a seventh place finishing position in his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut. Christopher, who won at Watkins Glen three weeks ago in the NASCAR Busch North series, was the third driver to test his skills in the Dana Dodge in recent weeks in an effort to determine a full time driver for 1998. Inclement weather interfered with first round qualifying on Friday, forcing all drivers to qualify in a single round just hours before the race on Saturday. Christopher was both the second-highest qualifying Dodge in 19th, and second highest finishing Dodge in 7th, just one position behind veteran Jimmy Hensley. "The Dana Dodge was real good this weekend, almost better than we could have expected," said team manager Scott Treichler. "Ted Christopher did a great job for us, and got everything out of the truck that he could have- there was nothing left at the end. Ted didn't make a single mistake in the truck, but we wish we had more horsepower. We made a bunch of chassis adjustments before the race and again at the halftime break, and Ted made the most out of what he had under him. Watkins Glen is known as a huge horsepower track, but we hung in there today." "When everybody executes properly, a top ten is easy," said team owner Kurt Roehrig. "Our guys worked the fuel mileage strategy very skillfully. We were supposed to have run out on the last lap, but we got just enough caution laps to make it all the way with no stops. We are looking forward to the next race- Jerry Marquis will be making his Truck series debut in the Dana Dodge." Motoring Right Along... ...the new W-8 motors have been approved for use in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. "We are very excited about the new motors for the Dodges," said Roehrig. "We've been working for quite a while on this piece, and we think it will at least halfway close the gap between us and the Fords and Chevys. We've worked very closely with Sterling Engines in Detroit to develop the new cylinder heads, and Mark Isler and Jim Gamache of Sterling have done a super job on the development of this new motor. It's just simply a better running engine. Our sponsor, Dana Corporation, and its divisions have really sped up the development on this motor. The engineering resources that Perfect Circle, Seal Power, Victor Reinz, and Wix have contributed has pushed us forward on this at least eight weeks. Dana has been absolutely super in our quest for superior performance." Next up for the DANA Dodge... ...is NASCAR Busch North winner Jerry Marquis making his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut behind the wheel of the #18 Dana Dodge. The Virginia is For Lovers 200 at Richmond International Raceway begins at 8:30pm eastern time on Thursday, September 4th, and will be broadcast live on ESPN2. This is the 20th of 26 race events on the 1997 NASCAR Craftsman Truck series schedule, and will be 200 laps around the .75mile oval. About the Driver... Jerry Marquis is in the thick of the championship battle in the NASCAR Busch North Series. Currently third in series points, Marquis has posted three (3) wins, nine (9) top-5 finishes, twelve (12) top-10's, and two (2) poles in 16 races. A native of Broad Brook, Connecticut, Marquis currently leads the field in series' laps led. "This is my first Truck race," said Marquis. "I'm a little anxious simply because it's something I've never done, but I feel comfortable on the bigger tracks like Richmond. Loudon is probably the closest configuration I've run to Richmond. The bigger tracks give you more opportunity to change your line to compensate if your vehicle is not handling well- you just have more options. I am really thankful for the pportunity to try Truck racing, and look forward to doing well!" In Team News... Roehrig Motorsport teammate Tony Raines suffered not one, not two, but three expired motors this weekend in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition at Watkins Glen. Raines qualified the Pennzoil Dodge 23rd, but only made it through the first 19 laps before terminal engine problems sidelined him to a 33rd place finish. The Pennzoil Dodge carries associate sponsorship from Dana Corporation. About DANA Corporation... Dana Corporation and four of its major brands- Spicer, Victor Reinz, Wix, and Perfect Circle, comprise the primary sponsorship of the #18 Dana Dodge. Something unique between the sponsorship arrangement of Dana and Roehrig Motorsport is the product and engineering provided. "We are so happy to have a sponsor partner who not only provides the sponsorship needed to compete at this level, but also the technology to do the same," said team owner Kurt Roehrig. "Dana Corporation and its brands- Spicer, Wix, Victor Reinz, and Perfect Circle, make many of the components we run on the race truck. The engineering support they provide is great, and Dana Corporation has just been super." For more information on DANA Corporation's products, technology, and racing programs, check out the DANA web site at http://www.dana.com. JERRY MARQUIS - DRIVER Birthdate: February 14, 1956 Birthplace: Madawaska, Maine Residence: Broad Brook, Connecticut Family: wife Karen, children Shawn (12), Kristen (11), Ashley (7), and Chelsea (16 mos.) Height: 5' 8" Weight: 158 pounds CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Currently 3rd in NASCAR Busch Grand National North championship points. 1997 BGNN highlights include (3) wins, (9) top-5's, (12) top-10's, and (2) poles in 16 races. Marquis lead the series in laps led with 328. In 1996, Jerry Marquis raced a full NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour schedule and a part time BGNN schedule. He finished 7th in series points in the Featherlite Modifieds with (2) wins. In the Busch Grand National North series, Marquis posted 2 wins, 11 top-5's, and 13 top-10's out of 13 starts. Marquis finished 3rd in overall money won in the 1996 BGNN series with only 13 starts out of 20+ races. The Virginia is For Lovers 200 at Richmond International Raceway will be Jerry Marquis' NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut Jerry Marquis has been racing for over 24 years in various divisions. In his 24 year racing career, Marquis has racked up 16 track championships at three different northeast race tracks in and in three different racing divisions. His first track championship came in 1978 in the Figure 8 division, and he won championships for the next four consecutive years. Marquis suffered a dry spell for a few years, then went on a winning rampage. From 1988 through 1993, Marquis won 11 track championships. His best year was 1991, when he won four championships-two each at Riverside Speedway and Monadnock Speedway in both the Winston Racing Series Modifieds and Pro Stock divisions. Jerry Marquis' first full time year in the NASCAR Busch Grand National North series produced much success, bringing him Rookie of the Year honors along with (2) wins. He finished 11th in series points that year. Marquis' sophomore year in BGNN saw him finishing 7th in the championship points battle. In 1991, Jerry Marquis won the Northeast Regional Championship in the NASCAR Winston Racing Series Modifieds. Jerry Marquis is a 20-year native of Connecticut, where he owns and operates a service station in the Enfield area. "I strive to be a gentleman off the track and on. It is important to me to gain the respect of the other drivers, and to give them the same respect in turn. Mutual respect is necessary to get the job done- if you drive a good, clean race, you will have a good day with it. I give 100% on everything. My goals are to race professionally, to win races, and to win championships. The championship is where the top is and that is where I want to be. I'm not out just to cruise and collect, but to conquer."
