Raines Pilots Outdoor Chevrolet to a Top-10 Finish at Chicagoland

JOLIET, IL (July 12, 2003) –One word to describe Tony Raines’run during the NASCAR Busch Series event at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday –consistent. After starting ninth in the Tropicana Twister 300, Raines’Outdoor Channel Chevrolet never fell outside the top ten on the way to an eighth place finish.

The caution flag would slow the field four times prior to the halfway mark of the 200-lap event with the first flag on lap three for a wreck involving the No. 12 of Kerry Earnhardt and the No. 46 of Ashton Lewis. Raines advanced his Chevrolet two positions prior to the flag and took the restart from seventh place.

With the restart on lap 12, Raines pulled to the inside of the sixth place car of Michael Waltrip, who had difficulties coming to full speed. At the same time Matt Kenseth advanced to the outside of Waltrip making it three-wide as they entered turn one. Raines would eventually take over the sixth position but just one lap later the field would be slowed for the second time for a wreck involving the No. 55 and No. 16 machines.

The green flag fell for the restart on lap 21 with the No. 33 in sixth place. With the first long green flag run of the race, the Outdoor Channel Chevrolet developed a tight condition through the center and exiting the corner. Raines fell back to the ninth position after being passed by the No. 99 and No. 17.

The third caution flag of the day fell on lap 64 for debris. Raines brought his Chevrolet Monte Carlo down pit road on lap 65 for four tires. The rear tire changer, Caesar Morgan, pulled a half spring rubber out of the left rear to correct the tight condition. Raines exited the pits in the eighth position to take the restart on the lap 68.

On the restart, Raines advanced two positions into sixth before being passed by Kenseth assuming the seventh position. During the fourth caution on lap 76, Raines reported to crew chief Mark Tutor that the car was still tight especially in the center of the corner.

Around lap 130 green flag pit stops began. Raines would come in six laps later taking on four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. Fuel man Glenn Hilchey took out two rounds of wedge out of the left rear to again help the tight condition.

Raines returned to the track in the tenth position as the green flag pit stops continued. Leader Bobby Hamilton, Jr. who dominated the 200-lap event placed the No. 33 down one lap on lap 148. Unfortunately the fifth caution flag of the day would fall just ten laps later placing Raines as the first car one lap down. Raines would not be able to get his lap back on the restart and would finish the event in the eighth position one lap down.

“We had a pretty good car but I don’t think that anyone had anything for that 25 car today,”said Raines. “We got a little tight during the middle of the race but we were as good as any the cars that finished ahead of us except for the winner. We got caught behind a lap car just before we made our final pit stop and we lost a lot of time on the track and that let the 25 car catch us.”

The No. 33 Outdoor Channel Chevrolet is scheduled for its next event at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 22. Raines will try to better his position by one place after finishing second at the Spring Bristol Busch race.