N’WIDE: Jeff Green Edges Setzer After Transmission Trouble In Atlanta
Jeff Green picked up the 11th last-place finish of his NASCAR Nationwide Series career in Saturday’s Great Clips 300 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway when his unsponsored #36 TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet fell out with transmission problems after completing the opening lap of the 195-lap race.
Green qualified 38th for the race at a speed of 172.775 mph and, by beating two other “go-or-go-home” teams, did not have to use his Past Champion’s Provisional to get into the race. An engine change forced Green to fall to the back before the start of the race, where he promptly went behind the wall after completing the first lap.
The next lap, Kevin Hamlin, driving the #43 Curb Motorsports entry that finished last at Montreal with Justin Marks last week, and LASTCAR Driver’s Championship leader Dennis Setzer both fell out with vibration problems. It was Setzer’s first run in the Owner’s Championship-leading #92 car since he finished 42nd at Iowa in July.
Green now breaks a tie with his brother Mark for 2nd in the Driver’s Championship standings, though still six finishes away from leader Dennis Setzer with nine races to go.
N’WIDE STATS AND FACTS
*The #36 had not finished last in a Nationwide Series race at Atlanta since Hank Parker, Jr.’s GNC Live Well Dodge crashed 13 laps into the 2002 Aaron’s 312. Interestingly, Jamie McMurray, who won Saturday’s race, won this 2002 event as well.
*Jeff Green had never before finished last in a Nationwide Series race at Atlanta.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
43) #36-Jeff Green / 1 lap / transmission
42) #43-Kevin Hamlin / 2 laps / vibration
41) #92-Dennis Setzer / 2 laps / vibration
40) #52-Kevin Lepage / 3 laps / vibration
39) #89-Johnny Chapman / 11 laps / suspension
LASTCAR N'WIDE SERIES DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Dennis Setzer (9)
2nd) Jeff Green (3)
3rd) Mark Green (2)
4th) Willie Allen, Michael Annett, Johnny Borneman III, Matt Carter, Johnny Chapman, David Gilliland, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Brian Keselowski, Kevin Lepage, Justin Marks, Danny O'Quinn, Jr., Chrissy Wallace (1)
LASTCAR N’WIDE SERIES DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) #92-K-Automotive Motorsports (10)
2nd) #36-Mark Smith (3)
3rd) #15-Germain Racing, #27-Curb Motorsports,#41-Rick Ware, #43-Curb Motorsports, #49-Jay Robinson, Inc., #70-Mary Louise Miller, #82-MacDonald Motorsports, #83-John Borneman, Jr., #90-D'Hont Humphrey Motorsports, #91-D'Hont Humphrey Motorsports, #96-K-Automotive Motorsports, #04-Johnny Davis Motorsports, #05-Wayne Day (1)
Green qualified 38th for the race at a speed of 172.775 mph and, by beating two other “go-or-go-home” teams, did not have to use his Past Champion’s Provisional to get into the race. An engine change forced Green to fall to the back before the start of the race, where he promptly went behind the wall after completing the first lap.
The next lap, Kevin Hamlin, driving the #43 Curb Motorsports entry that finished last at Montreal with Justin Marks last week, and LASTCAR Driver’s Championship leader Dennis Setzer both fell out with vibration problems. It was Setzer’s first run in the Owner’s Championship-leading #92 car since he finished 42nd at Iowa in July.
Green now breaks a tie with his brother Mark for 2nd in the Driver’s Championship standings, though still six finishes away from leader Dennis Setzer with nine races to go.
N’WIDE STATS AND FACTS
*The #36 had not finished last in a Nationwide Series race at Atlanta since Hank Parker, Jr.’s GNC Live Well Dodge crashed 13 laps into the 2002 Aaron’s 312. Interestingly, Jamie McMurray, who won Saturday’s race, won this 2002 event as well.
*Jeff Green had never before finished last in a Nationwide Series race at Atlanta.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
43) #36-Jeff Green / 1 lap / transmission
42) #43-Kevin Hamlin / 2 laps / vibration
41) #92-Dennis Setzer / 2 laps / vibration
40) #52-Kevin Lepage / 3 laps / vibration
39) #89-Johnny Chapman / 11 laps / suspension
LASTCAR N'WIDE SERIES DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Dennis Setzer (9)
2nd) Jeff Green (3)
3rd) Mark Green (2)
4th) Willie Allen, Michael Annett, Johnny Borneman III, Matt Carter, Johnny Chapman, David Gilliland, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Brian Keselowski, Kevin Lepage, Justin Marks, Danny O'Quinn, Jr., Chrissy Wallace (1)
LASTCAR N’WIDE SERIES DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) #92-K-Automotive Motorsports (10)
2nd) #36-Mark Smith (3)
3rd) #15-Germain Racing, #27-Curb Motorsports,#41-Rick Ware, #43-Curb Motorsports, #49-Jay Robinson, Inc., #70-Mary Louise Miller, #82-MacDonald Motorsports, #83-John Borneman, Jr., #90-D'Hont Humphrey Motorsports, #91-D'Hont Humphrey Motorsports, #96-K-Automotive Motorsports, #04-Johnny Davis Motorsports, #05-Wayne Day (1)
