NASCAR: Jeff Green, Bahari Racing Test at Martinsville
13 April 1998
Jeff Green will join forces with Bahari Racing for a one race deal to compete in the Goody's Headache Powder 500 on April 19 at Martinsville Speedway.Green, who tested on Monday with the team at Martinsville Speedway, will drive the Gumout Pontiac in replacement of the injured Derrike Cope. Green said the Diamond Ridge Motorsports team, who he drives for on a regular basis, decided to take off the Texas Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway race weekends to improve the chance of success the remainder of the NASCAR Winston Cup season.
"We are going to Talladega for our (Diamond Ridge Motorsports) next race. We could have went on racing, but we decided we needed a week or so off to get situated to where we could run better," he said. "I feel like when we go to Talladega we will make up for these two weeks off in the performance end of it."
Green said, despite testing a different car from what he will drive the remainder of the season, the test session will benefit both him and the Bahari Racing Team.
"Well my eyes and ears are open on everything we change. It's a test for us. It's a test for me. Yes, I can take it back to my team. What we learn on this car will work on our car," said the Owensboro, Ky. native. "Anytime you can get a car to go around Martinsville Speedway you can go just about anywhere and get it to go around. "
Green said he believes that a one race deal will not be that big of an adjustment. It may even be an advantage.
"A lot of times you will see a new driver come in and they run better than they have all year. Hopefully we can do that," he said, but added that Martinsville isn't the best place for a one race deal.
"It's going to be tough. But again, if you have a good enough car, you can be at the front. No doubt about it," he said. "That's why we are testing. We want to be better. No lap is good enough for me yet. So until I see the checkered flag and I'm sitting over there in that square box (Victory Lane) that car's not good enough."
Green said he grew up on short tracks and is looking forward to coming back. "I love short track racing. It's our roots. It's all the driver's roots I guess," he said. "To be able to rub on guys and not crash them. If you rub on a guy at Texas or Charlotte, you are going to crash them. Here you can come and rub and be the driver you want to be. The guy that wins the race probably doesn't have a lot of tire marks, but he's going to have some on him. We try to make our car the best we can so we can pass people and not have to turn them sideways to do that."
Jeff's bother David Green, who drives the Caterpillar Chevrolet on the Winston Cup Circuit, has had some success at Martinsville over the years finishing second in a Busch Grand National race and winning an All-Pro event. But Green said the two don't really share secrets to success.
"He doesn't tell you too much. He'll tell you, but every driver has their own little quirks. Again, you think your brother would shoot you straight, but a lot of times he don't," he said with a big grin.
The Goody's Headache Powder 200/500 weekend kicks off on Friday, April 17 with Bud Pole qualifying at 3 p.m. followed by a 50-lap Allison Legacy Series race. The Goody's Headache Powder 200 NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series race starts at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 18.
The Goody's Headache Powder 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race starts at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 19. Great seats still are available for $35-$40 by calling 540 956-3151.
