ROSEVILLE, Calif. -- Rookie points leader Adam Andretti is scheduled to make his second start of the season in the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series at 9 p.m. Saturday, March 23, at Cajon Speedway in El Cajon.
Only 24 drivers will make the field for the Coors Lite 125, which is the season opener for the 3/8 mile paved oval located about 15 miles from San Diego. Featherlite Southwest teams have had seven weeks since their last race to prepare themselves and their cars for this, the second event of the year and the first short track race of 2002.
Andretti made a good showing in his first race Feb. 2 at Phoenix International Raceway, qualifying 13th and running in the top 10 for most of the 100-mile event. He was battling last season's Rookie of the Year, Burney Lamar, for sixth place when he crashed coming out of turn 4 with only three laps to go. Andretti finished 24th, but still was named “Rookie of the Race.” Winston Cup regular Ken Schrader took first place. A total of 42 drivers qualified for that race, but only 26 finished.
Andretti and his team, headed by Crew Chief Roger “Hurricane” Bracken, are spending this week testing at Cajon Speedway and California Speedway in Irwindale. Team Manager Bob Day said testing has gone extremely well, with Andretti posting times that would put him high on the grid if he can repeat his performance during qualifying March 23.
Expectations are high for 22-year-old Andretti, whose family is among the most famous in racing. Adam's father is Aldo Andretti, twin brother to Mario Andretti, perhaps the best-known racer in the world. Adam's brother is popular NASCAR Winston Cup driver John Andretti, and his cousin is CART/Fed Ex champion Michael Andretti.
Adam Andretti's team is one of two fielded by Countryman Motorsports of Roseville, Calif. Team owner Preston Countryman also runs a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series program with Billy Ballew out of Mooresville, N.C. Their driver, Trent Owens, comes with a pedigree of his own as the nephew of NASCAR legend Richard Petty.
Andretti's #86 Monte Carlo is sponsored by country singer Dwight Yoakam's Bakersfield Biscuits and by U.S. Bank. Owens' #15 Ford is sponsored by Dickies and Dwight Yoakam's Bakersfield Biscuits.
