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NASCAR Winston Cup Series UAW-GM Quality 500 Report: #99, Jeff Burton

7 October 1997

 #99 Jeff Burton, Exide Batteries Ford Thunderbird           
 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
 UAW-GM Quality 500 Race Report
 Charlotte Motor Speedway
 October 5, 1997

               JEFF BURTON RACE RECAP: UAW-GM QUALITY 500
 
 
CONCORD, NC - The Exide Batteries Racing team couldn't quite get a
grasp on the handling of the car during the UAW-GM Quality 500 last
Sunday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. They started the race in the
29th spot and driver Jeff Burton brought the car home in a solid sixth
place finishing position.

The team didn't make the top-25 during qualifying on Wednesday evening
and decided to stand on their time rather than regularly on Thursday
afternoon.  It was a good decision which dropped the team only one
spot to 29th on the grid.

Slowly, but surely, Burton made his way through the field after the
green flag waved on Sunday. By lap 38 he was inside the top 10, but
the leaders were dominating the field, lapping cars left and right. By
lap 99, Burton was in fifth place and there were only 11 cars left on
the lead lap. Jeff complained that the car was tight for most of the
day, and the crew tried nearly everything to help the problem. Burton
was able to take the lead on lap 126 and picked up the extra five
bonus points for leading a lap. The car became tighter and he fell out
of the lead. The team ended the day in sixth place.

Burton remained in fourth place in the Winston Cup point standings 338
behind leader Jeff Gordon, and 141 out of third. The series moves to
the Talladega Superspeedway next weekend where Burton finished in
eighth place in the spring race.

By Roush Racing Pubic Relations