|
GATEWAY: ANOTHER NEW
CHALLENGE FOR BENSON
One of the biggest reasons why
Johnny Benson likes going to a new race track is the
challenge of finding the fastest way around that
facility. And when the speedway is “odd-shaped,” that
challenge is even greater.
And after a one-day test session at Gateway International
Raceway, Benson can’t wait for Saturday and his first
“real” shot at unlocking the key to the quickest way
around the 1.25-mile track.
When the green flag is waved for the Charter 250 at 8 p.m.
(EDT) Saturday, it will be Benson’s first start at
Gateway. FX will televise the NASCAR Busch Series live
with the broadcast starting at 7:30 p.m.
“It is an interesting race track for sure,” says Benson.
“It is very different from what we normally race on
including having to shift. That is certainly odd on a
circle track. Both ends of the track are different,”
adds the driver of the Yellow Transportation Dodge.
Turns one and two are a lot tighter than three and four.
It is just different. But that is fine with me. That
is what makes it fun. That is what makes it a
challenge. I really like it when we go to tracks that are
different.”
While Benson is looking forward to trying to master the
driving aspect of racing at Gateway, Team Yellow crew
chief Jon Wolfe has the job of trying to find the right
chassis setup for the track.
“It is a little odd-shaped, egg-shaped like Darlington,”
points out Wolfe. “It definitely has distinctly
different corners. It is hard to get a setup for both
corners. With this being a one-day show, there is
not an over abundance of time to practice. Normally, when
you practice on one day and then race on the next, you can
go back to the room and think about things and come back
the next day and make changes for the race. But we won’t
have that chance at Gateway. That is why we went all the
way out there to test.
“We wanted to give Johnny some seat time, and we wanted to work on our
shifting ratio,” adds Wolfe. “We didn’t shift up there
last year with David (Stremme). We felt like with David
being a rookie and that he had never done any shifting
that we didn’t want to put any more on him with that being
his first race at the track. We ran okay, but it did hurt
us.”
With Benson’s experience
behind the wheel, Wolfe believes the Yellow Transportation
team has an excellent chance to run real well on
Saturday. “The test was a big help to Johnny, and we
learned a lot of things that will help Team Yellow when we
go back,” says Wolfe.
“One of the biggest
things we learned is that the car we had out there wasn’t
to Johnny’s liking. So we are taking another car when we
go back. We are taking the car we ran at Darlington.
Everywhere we’ve run that car this year we’ve run well.
So I feel good about how the Yellow team is going to do at
Gateway.”
So does Benson and his opportunity to win a race at a new
race track.
|
