#Twister 300#
-------------

July 10, 2004
Chicagoland Speedway
Joliet, Illinois
Race 19 of 34 on Busch Series
 
Laps: 200
Track length: 1 1/2 miles
Race length: 300 miles

Qualifying record: Casey Mears, Dodge, 181.757 mph (2003)
Race record: Bobby Hamilton Jr., Ford, 129.730 mph (2003)

DRIVERS TO WATCH
----------------

Greg Biffle - Started 22nd and finished second in the Winn-Dixie 
250 at Daytona International Speedway; it was his seventh 
top-five finish of the season and moved him up one spot to third
in the standings; started 10th and finished eighth in the 2002
Tropicana Twister 300, but did not race in this event last
season when he made just 14 starts on the Busch Series. 

Kyle Busch - Remains second in the standings, 68 points behind
Martin Truex Jr. after finishing 11th in the Winn-Dixie 250; the
19-year-old Busch will make his first start at Chicagoland 
Speedway; his 12 top-10 finishes this season are one behind Truex
for the most on the circuit; tested the No. 99 Truck for Roush
Racing, but will be making his first Busch Series appearance here;
"It's a mile and a half and it's kind of round, but I believe that 
the back straightaway has a bit of a roundness to it as well," Busch 
said about Chicagoland. "You drop off into the corners a lot more 
than you do at some of these other mile and a half tracks."; has led 
the most laps (648) and leads the circuit in earnings ($748,700).

David Green - The 1994 Busch Series champion falls three slots in
the standings to sixth place after matching his worst performance 
of the season by finishing 34th in the Winn-Dixie 250; started 
16th and finished 11th here last year.

Bobby Hamilton Jr. - Led led all but 14 of 200 laps and beat 2003
Winston Cup champion Matt Kenseth by 4.503 seconds to win the 
Tropicana Twister 300 last year; is seeking his first win of 2004
and remained fifth in the standings after finishing 12th in the 
Winn-Dixie 250.

Ron Hornaday Jr. - Was ninth in the Winn-Dixie 250 for his fourth 
consecutive top-10 finish; it was his 10th top-10 finish of the 
year and moved the California native up three slots in the standings
to fourth place; was fifth here in 2002 and 12th last year.

Jason Keller - After recording back-to-back top-five finishes, the
two-time Busch Series runner-up was 18th in the Winn-Dixie 250; 
that result dropped him one position to seventh in the standings; 
was fifth at Chicagoland Speedway in 2001 and sixth last year after
starting 21st.

Jason Leffler - Drew the ire of Michael Waltrip as he bumped the 
veteran late in the Winn-Dixie 250; was penalized one second for
unnecessary roughness and finished 13th; has finished among the
top 10 in half of his 18 starts this season and is eighth in the 
points standings.

Martin Truex Jr. - Increased his lead atop the standings to 68 points
over Kyle Busch by finishing third in the Winn-Dixie 250; it was his
series-leading ninth top-five finish of the year; also leads the 
circuit with four wins and 13 top-10 finishes; did not enter the 
Tropicana Twister 300 last year, when he made just 10 starts; met
fans with Dale Earnhardt Jr. at New Egypt Speedway near his hometown
in New Jersey on Wednesday; has earned five MBNA Mid-Race Leader 
Awards this season.

2003 Top 10
-----------
 1. Bobby Hamilton Jr. (25), Ford
 2. Matt Kenseth (17), Ford
 3. Brian Vickers (5), Chevrolet
 4. Casey Mears, (19) Dodge 
 5. Michael Waltrip (99), Chevrolet
 6. Jason Keller (57), Ford
 7. Scott Riggs (10), Ford
 8. Tony Raines (33), Chevrolet
 9. Jamie McMurray (1), Dodge
10. Mike Bliss (20), Chevrolet

Past Champions
--------------
2003  Bobby Hamilton
2002  Johnny Sauter
2001  Jimmie Johnson

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