Tony Raines  Cabela's 250 ~ August 17, 2002 / Pepsi 400 ~ August 18, 2002

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (August 13, 2002) - Tony Raines visited (Brooklyn) Michigan International Speedway (MIS) behind the wheel of a stock car for the first time in 1994 while running in the American Speed Association (ASA) Series but his history with the 2.0-mile facility dates back to 1983, when the then 19-year-old Raines attended his first NASCAR Winston Cup race.  "When I lived in Indiana we were only about three hours from the speedway," stated Raines.  "That was really a big deal back then to be able to go watch the big dogs run."

It's safe to say that things have changed for Raines since his first visit to MIS as this visit will mark his fifth to the track as a driver. Instead of watching the competition from the grandstands, Raines and his 42 fellow competitors are the show.  In addition to competing in the ASA Series, Raines has piloted his No. 33 Chevrolet Monte Carlo for BACE Motorsports in the three prior Busch Series events notching his best finish last year, taking the checkered flag in the third position. 

While Raines and the NASCAR Busch Series took last weekend off, the No. 74 StaffAmerica Team joined the ranks of the Winston Cup Series at Watkins Glen International with road coarse veteran Joe Varde subbing for Raines behind the wheel.  The race came to an early end for the BACE Motorsports Team when Varde experienced clutch problems after completing only 49 laps.

This weekend Raines will climb back into the seat of the No. 74 StaffAmerica Chevrolet as he attempts to qualify for the second Winston Cup Series race of the 2002 season.  While he has only made one career Winston Cup start, Raines does have experience in a Winston Cup machine at MIS as he attempted to qualify for the 1998 event for then Truck Series owner, Kurt Roehrig.  Unfortunately, Raines' effort fell short as he now looks to qualify for his inaugural Winston Cup race at MIS this weekend.

Tony Raines, who will pilot both the No. 74 StaffAmerica Chevrolet (NWC) and the No. 33 Bayer Consumer Products Chevrolet (NBS) this weekend, talks about his first Winston Cup qualifying attempt at MIS, his second Winston Cup qualifying attempt at MIS and the success he scored during his third Busch Series qualifying attempt at MIS.

On his first attempt to qualify for the Winston Cup race at MIS in 1998:

"We ended up 30th after first round qualifying. The track really cooled down the next morning and got quite a bit faster.  We decided to go again but didn't pick up as much time as everyone else.  We had a car that was very capable of making the field, but it just didn't work out in our favor." 

On his second attempt to qualify for the Winston Cup race at MIS this weekend:

"The past two times out for me in the Winston Cup car, we haven't made the race and that's disappointing not only for myself but for the whole organization from the owners to guys on the team.  We understand that the Winston Cup program is a "work in progress", so to say, but we believe that we should be able to go out each weekend and make races.  I've had success at California in the Busch Series and we had a top five here last year in the Busch car so I know we have the ability of having a good showing this weekend in the Cup car.  There are 44 or 45 cars attempting to qualify and there two that actually have fewer owners points than we do so if they don't qualify on speed, we may have a chance at provisional start. If they make it on speed, then we have to as well.  My goal is go out and put it in the top 36 and get ready to race."

On his third place finish at MIS in the Busch Series race in 2001:

"We had a great race here last year.  We qualified well, starting ninth, and backed up the qualifying run with a strong race.  We had struggled at Michigan the first two times we came here in the Busch car so it was rewarding to jump from a 40th place finish which we had in 2000 to finishing third the following season. With the exception of the car being somewhat tight, it was very fast."

"I think the biggest advantage we had last year were strong pit stops.  We had two stops in the 15 second range and we picked up track positions both times we came back out.  We're looking to repeat that performance again this weekend both in the pits and on the track."

TONY RAINES CAREER WINSTON CUP SERIES STATISTICS

Starts                              Poles                            Top-5                           Top-10                          Earnings

1**                                 0                                   0                                   0                              $50,055

**Raines made his Winston Cup debut at Dover International Speedway on June 1, 2002 finishing in the 31st position.  (Started 17th)

 RAINES AT MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY (NBS)

Date:

Finish:

Start:

Laps Completed:

Total Laps:

Winnings:

Condition:

8/18/01

3

9

125

125

$32,825

Running

8/19/00

35

40

122

125

$12,780

Running

8/21/99

30

42

98

100

$15,900

Running
 

Avg. Finish:

Avg. Start:

% Of Laps Completed:

  

Total Winnings:

  
 

22.6

30.3

89.1%

  

$61,505

  

 TONY RAINES 2002 BUSCH SERIES STATISTICS

Starts                              Poles                            Top-5                           Top-10                          Earnings

  22                                     0                                  3                                   7                              $439,125

TONY RAINES CAREER BUSCH SERIES STATISTICS

Starts                              Poles                            Top-5                           Top-10                          Earnings

117                                     1                                  9**                                24                              $2,572,168

** Raines' career high Busch Series finish is second which he has posted twice. (South Boston - 6.10.00, Richmond - 5.4.01)