The Dura Lube 400

"HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (February 26, 2001)-No. 99 CITGO SUPERGARD driver Jeff Burton started the Dura Lube 400 at North Carolina Speedway in fifth position yesterday, and when the race concluded today after being rained out Sunday, he sat in 37th position. The race was cancelled yesterday after only 51 laps were completed and the SUPERGARD team sat in sixth. Their first and only pit stop on Sunday occurred on lap 48 where the team made wedge adjustments and air pressure adjustments to a fresh set of tires. The race was red flagged on lap 51.

The Dura Lube 400 continued today, and by lap 65 Burton had moved into the top five to sit in fifth position. By lap 74 he was sitting in fourth position but complained of needing more forward bite. He was staying consistent and driving in the top five until a brush with the wall on lap 112 put the team two laps down.

""I just got real loose going into turn one,"" Burton said. ""I just got sideways and hit the wall."" The team made an immediate pit stop where they repaired damage to the right front fender while making track bar and air pressure adjustments to four new tires. The team returned to green-flag racing on lap 121 where they sat in 34th position, two laps down. Burton still wasn't happy with the setup and returned to pit road on lap 169 where the team worked on the alignment and took a fresh set of tires and fuel. After working on the car for more than three minutes, the team returned to the race 12 laps down to sit in 40th position.

The next pit stop occurred on lap 231 where the team took new tires. Burton remarked he was running better but needed more forward bite. The team returned to pit road only three laps later to check the alignment again. After working on the car, Burton returned to the race; however, he immediately came back in when a caution fell on lap 236 where the team made wedge adjustments.

The restart on lap 250 saw the No. 99 CITGO SUPERGARD team racing 12 laps behind the leaders (lap 238) to sit in 40th position.

A caution on lap 301 saw the team make air pressure adjustments to a fresh set of tires in 14 seconds. The restart saw the team in 38th position. Burton ended the race in 37th position, 14 laps behind the leaders, respectively.

CITGO Petroleum Corporation, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals, refined waxes, asphalt and other industrial products. It is owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect wholly owned susidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Republic of Venezuela.

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