Dodge is on schedule for the goals its top racing minds set for the first season back. Of its 10 drivers, three rank among the top 11 in Winston Cup points. Marlin leads the group in third place, and Elliott stands at ninth. Compton, Marlin and Elliott qualified themselves into position to give Dodge its first victory back on the Winston Cup circuit. Then again, the same trio qualified in the top three at Daytona.
Engineers still battle with problems like engine weight.
Dodge engines run at a 20-pound disadvantage, but that has not kept Dodge from a competitive first season back through eight races. My objective is to, hopefully, get a win by halfway through the season for Dodge, Patane said. It will show that we have worked very hard and done our homework. Joe Medley is a sports writer for The Star. Copyright 2001 Consolidated Publishing.