ANR-AtT BILL DAVIS/WOOD BROS. RACING PREVIEW
2004 Preview… Wood Brothers Racing
12-31-03
Matthew Blaylock – ANR-AtT
If the Wood Brothers and driver Ricky Rudd won’t to have any chance in 2004 they better look at 2003 and do just the opposite. After hiring Ricky Rudd to drive the No. 21 Motorcraft Ford they faired no better than Elliott Sadler did in the car in 2002.
If there is a positive to come out of 2003 for the Wood Brothers it is Rudd and the team were getting better toward the end of the 2003 season. Four of the five top ten finishes for Rudd came at or after the Pepsi 400 in July. They also had four other top 15 finishes after Daytona in July. The main area of concern the second half of 2003 was using provisionals. They used eight in 2003 and if NASCAR cuts the number of provisionals each team can use this could hurt the No. 21 team.
Ricky Rudd is a very experienced driver with 23 career victories. So if there is a driver that can get the No. 21 headed in the right direction it is Rudd. They need to carry the momentum they had at the end of the 2003 season over to 2004. Something else that will help the whole team is moving the race shop from Stuart Va. to NC. After about 50 years of being behind the eight ball so to speak they will now be on a more level playing field with the top NASCAR teams.
The outlook for 2004 for Rudd and the No. 21 team should be better than the 2003 23rd place finish in the points. Look for the Wood Brothers to have new life in 2004 being closer to the other teams, especially Roush Racing. Being able to compare notes in person with others will help the whole No. 21 team and in doing so look for them to push for a top 15 finish in the points and may even get a win in 2004.
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Looking beyond 2004 what is in store for the Wood Brothers? Rudd will turn 48 in September of next year, and the way NASCAR is going to the young gun Rudd will soon have to look at retiring. This is something the Wood Brothers should talk to Rudd about now so they can look for a driver as soon as possible. If Rudd does retire after the 2004 season, 2004 would be the season for the Wood Brothers to prime a new driver. If your team is not in the hunt for a championship late in the season, maybe you should field a second car for a couple of races or put a driver in the No. 21 for Rudd so he could just get some seat time.
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2004 Preview… Bill Davis Racing
12-20-03
Matthew Blaylock – ANR-AtT
Bill Davis Racing in 2003 was not a year to remember. Ward Burton left after 8 years with BDR due to problems inside BDR. Scott Wimmer finished out the 2003 season in the No. 22 for Davis, and will run the full schedule in 2004.
Bill Davis should hope that 2004 is smoother than 2003. He has a rookie in Scott Wimmer running the full Nextel Schedule (competing for Rookie of the Year) and has his veteran Kenny Wallace running a time full Busch schedule and a limited number of NEXTEL Cup events. Running only one car full time should help Bill Davis as he can focus all of his attention to the No. 22, but having a rookie in that car with what is going to essentially be a one car operation could backfire.
Scott Wimmer stepping up to the top series in 2004 will be behind the wheel of the No. 22. After a strong 9th place finish in the Busch Series standings in 2003 where he did have one win, he will now be the lead guy at Bill Davis Racing. In the final four races of 2003 in the No. 22 Wimmer had an average finish of about 20th with a 9th place showing at Phoenix and a respectable 12th in the season finale at Homestead. Two top 15 finishes in the final four races, as a rookie is one way to impress your boss.
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Looking ahead to 2004 with Wimmer having a few races under his belt with Bill Davis Racing he should contend for Rookie of the Year honors. Having two top ten finishes in the Busch Series point standings the past two years shows he is capable of racing in NASCAR’S top series something you cannot say about all rookies anymore. Will Wimmer finish in the top ten in points? Probably not, will he win Rookie of the Year? He has a real good chance at it. When 2004 winds down look for Wimmer to have a top 20 points finish and one happy car owner? If he gets both of those 2004 will be a year to remember for Wimmer.
Kenny Wallace will not run a full schedule in NASCAR’S top series in 2004, but will compete for the Busch series title. This is actually going to benefit Wallace in the long run. He was the only regular cup driver in 2003 not to lead a lap and start all 36 races. He has proven in the past that he can compete in the Busch series as he just has a better feel for the Busch car. Look for Kenny to have a top 15 finish in point’s in the Busch Series, and look for better results in his cup car since he will not be racing all the events. Not racing every week will take the pressure off as to when Kenny will get his first win.
Bill Davis has been working hard for a decade now to be in the elite of NASCAR’S top division. Although he has always been right there on the cusp, he has never been able to get over to the other side to be in that elite group. 2004 will not be the season for him to get on the other side either with a rookie driver, but can be a great time to build to be there in 2005. Davis can focus most of his time now into just the one car, which should make the team that much better, and that is all his fans can ask.
As we all know rookies can be a gamble and as long as Wimmer keeps his head about him he will be ok. Davis can use 2004 as a building year as he has a fresh driver and new goals. When the 2004 season comes to a close next November just look for on thing in the organization a smile on Bill Davis’s face. With a rookie driver if he has a smile on his face you know he thinks he made the right decision in picking Wimmer to drive for him, and just focusing on one car.
Next Preview: Wood Brothers Racing
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PETTY/ROUSH 2004 PREVIEW
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