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NASCAR Winston Cup Bud at Watkins Glen Report: #16, Ted Musgrave

12 August 1997

 #16 Ted Musgrave, Family Channel/Primestar Ford Thunderbird
 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
 The Bud at the Glen Race Report
 Watkins Glen International
 
               TED MUSGRAVE RECAP: THE BUD AT THE GLEN

 
WATKINS GLEN, NY - After qualifying miserably in 27th after Friday's first 
round -- and by 'miserably,' I mean we ran 11th in practice yet didn't 
qualify there (an overcast sky made for an overly tight car) -- Musgrave fell 
a bit more to 29th, after second round participants Mike Skinner and Chad 
Little both qualified faster. While a tough track to pass at, the team 
nonetheless looked forward to racing on the road course at Watkins Glen.

Race day's outlook improved considerably when Crew Chief Ince took a gamble 
on probable cautions and good fuel mileage by pitting Musgrave a couple of 
laps early, on Lap 27 (of 90). Even better, caution fell just two laps later, 
which forced the rest of the field to pit, which consequently left Musgrave 
at the front of the pack, or at least in fourth place. As the race continued, 
Musgrave battled Irvan and Jarrett successfully for position before the last 
pit stop under green, but developed some problems with the brakes: simply 
put, he didn't have much left during the last third of the race. However, in 
the end, it only cost him two positions, one to Robby Gordon who finished 
fourth, and one to teammate Martin, who finished fifth, which left Musgrave 
just shy of a top-five finish in sixth. This was his best finish at The Glen 
since finishing 11th in 1992, and by finishing sixth, tied his best road 
course finishes at Sears Point (CA) in 1994 and 1995. He remains 11th in the 
overall points standings, 21 points out of 10th and a mere 154 points out of 
seventh.

Next week: Back to Michigan Speedway, site of the first race Musgrave ever 
scored bonus points for the most laps led. The particularly good part about 
that is that it happened this year with the same car that we're taking 
back. For those of you that follow such things, yes, it's JR53, replete 
with a new nose, star of Darlington, Michigan, California, Pocono, Indy. So 
look for Ted in a victory lane on a t.v. set near you in the not-so-distant 
future.

By Roush Racing Public Relations