Oh So Close for J.J. Yeley and FedEx Express Team at Memphis

Race Review

Memphis, TN (October 22, 2005) - J.J. Yeley scored a career-best finish at Memphis Motorpsorts Park on Saturday, and he nearly pulled off a win for Joe Gibbs Racing sponsor FedEx in their hometown. "We had a real shot at it today," said Yeley after the race. "Before the race while I made an appearance in the FedEx hospitality tent, I promised them that I would go out and win it. I guess I came up just one spot short. But all in all, it was a great day for our FedEx Express team."

Earlier in the day, Yeley qualified ninth fastest during time trials for the 250-lap event at Memphis. Confident in the setup underneath him, Yeley wasted little time in advancing up the leader board. In front of a sellout crowd that included 800 FedEx employees, Yeley passed NASCAR legend Bill Elliott for sixth place on Lap 16. "We're just a little bit tight in the center of the corners and loose off," Yeley explained to crew chief Jason Ratcliff. On Lap 29, Yeley entered the top five by passing Regan Smith. Two laps later the caution flag was displayed, and all of the leaders came down pit lane for routine service.

The FedEx Express crew changed all four tires with an air pressure adjustment, added fuel, and made adjustments to the wedge and trackbar of the #18 machine. Quick work by the pit crew placed Yeley back on the track in third position.

Racing resumed on Lap 37 with Martin Truex leading, followed by Johnny Sauter, Yeley, Paul Menard and David Green. It took several laps for Yeley's air pressure to come in, and Menard was able to get by Yeley on Lap 46, dropping Yeley to fourth. But five laps later Yeley powered back around Menard for third. "That's the way J.J.," said Ratcliff. "You're faster than the leader."

A brief caution flag slowed the racing action on Lap 54, and when green-flag racing was back underway, Clint Bowyer made an appearance in the top five and he passed Yeley for third on Lap 67. Yeley stayed in Bowyer's tire tracks, and he followed him around Truex on Lap 77, placing the FedEx Express ride in third once again.

The caution flag returned on Lap 102, and Yeley explained that the adjustments on the previous stop helped, but he was still a little tight in the center of the corners and loose off. Yeley followed the leader down pit lane for a stop on Lap 104. This time the FedEx Express crew changed all four tires, added fuel and took a spring rubber out of the left-rear spring. The FedEx Express crew once again turned in a quick stop, getting Yeley back on the track in fourth place.

Racing resumed on Lap 107, and Yeley maintained his position in fourth, following Bowyer, Truex and Sauter. The leaders remained in that formation for the next 60 laps when another caution slowed the racing action on Lap 167. Yeley and the rest of the leaders came to pit lane for their final stops of the day. The FedEx Express crew made another wedge adjustment, added fuel, and changed all four tires with an air pressure adjustment. Two cars (35, 68) elected not to pit, thus Yeley was bumped back to sixth at the conclusion of his pit stop.

The race restarted on Lap 173, and the 35 and 68 machines were quickly put away on the initial green flag lap. As Yeley maneuvered around the duo, he was back up to the fourth position. Then on Lap 181, Yeley powered around David Green for third. Another caution flag on Lap 186 slowed Yeley's progress momentarily, as Bowyer still led, followed by Truex, Yeley, Green and Sauter.

Green-flag action returned on Lap 191, and five laps later Yeley made a great move underneath Truex for second. In the final 50 laps, Yeley was presented with many opportunities to pass Bowyer on green-flag restarts, but Bowyer just proved to be too fast. Yeley settled for second place at the checkered flag on Lap 254. "He (Bowyer) was certainly the class of the field today," said Yeley. "I think if we had a really long green-flag run, we had a shot because our lap times were awesome on older tires. But on those restarts and on the short runs, he was too strong."

Yeley's effort moved him up two positions in the overall driver standings to 11th, just 47 points shy of the top 10. The next NASCAR Busch Series race will be in two weeks at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, November 5.