LOUDON, N.H. (September 14, 2003) – It was all about racing the track with a temperamental-handling car 54 in the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. The No. 54 National Guard team finished 35th place after starting 29th. A small victory was achieved with 100 circuits to go when the car started recording competitive lap times. 

“When we started the race, our car was so incredibly loose,” said National Guard driver Todd Bodine. “We just had to bide our time and hope to get a quick caution to come in for adjustments.  It didn’t go our way. We had to wait it out for 80 laps and by that time, we had lost two laps.”

For the first 200 miles, the Guard car was loose entering the corners, as well as tight through the middle and off. Opportunities to make changes occurred under green on lap 80 and under caution on laps 125, 127, 145, 181 and 193. Each service was accomplished under 15.5 seconds. Crew Chief Gary Cogswell zeroed in on shocks and spring rubber adjustments as the main course of action. 

“For some reason, the car wouldn’t react the way we needed it to until we worked on the right front shock,” continued Bodine. “Once we did that, we were pretty decent but we were just too far behind in track position to move up in the standings. 

“We decided as a team to turn a disappointing day into a learning experience. We tried several things that I think made the car better and we should have we a good idea of what we need when we return next season.”

Fuel mileage shook things up in the closing laps with Jimmie Johnson coming out on top. He is the first driver to win both NHIS races in a season since the second event was added in 1997, and the first driver to win two in a row since the first Cup race here in 1993. Rounding out the top 5 was Ricky Rudd, Joe Nemechek, Bill Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Official ResultsWC - StandingsWC

Read More About The Race:  AP Race Story --- Gordon/Waltrip Pit Miscue --- DJ Crash
 

By: Traci Hultzapple
Senior Account Manager – BelCar Racing - No. 54 National Guard Taurus
Cox Marketing Group / Mooresville, NC  28117