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Drake speaks on taking over the No. 20 Mopar sprinter

by TonyStewart.com

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Updated: April 30, 2004, 12:31 PM EDT

CENTER LINE, Mich. - Mopar's Jay Drake had an undisputedly stellar start to the 2004 USAC National Sprint Car season. Posting back-to-back wins in the first two events in USAC Sprint Car competition on both pavement and dirt, Drake and the No. 20 Mopar team from Tony Stewart Racing Enterprises have already reaped some benefits of their hard work.

Drake and the No. 20 Mopar team will compete in USAC's "Border Wars" this weekend at the I-69 Gas City (Ind.) Speedway and Eldora Speedway just across the Ohio state line.

Below are Drake's thoughts on his record-tying start to the season, the key to the team's success and question he hopes to answer.

Jay Drake, USAC National Sprint Car driver of the No. 20 Mopar from Tony Stewart Racing Enterprises, on his team's back-to-back season opening victories.
"Anytime you become part of a list with only a few people on it, it's a great accomplishment. To come out and win the first two races for a new boss and for our sponsors, that's exciting. But add that to putting our team up front this early in the season shows we've definitely gained momentum. To be two for two is to our advantage."

Jay Drake on the components that have helped the team in their early season success.
"We've put together all the right elements. From having good sponsors like Mopar and Vital Express, Mopar powerplants, and having all the right people around me, it just has all come together. Tony [Stewart, owner] has enabled us to build a good team that works well together. More importantly, we all work hard to perform well. We've been working unruly hours, up to 14 or 15 hours a day, but the hard work has been rewarded by our performances on both the dirt and pavement."

Jay Drake on his questions surrounding taking over the No. 20 car and what he hopes to accomplish in 2004. (J.J. Yeley drove the No. 20 Mopar to a series-leading 14 wins and nine poles in 2003.)
"There may not be any pressure from the fans or the media to carry on the tradition of the No. 20 Mopar, but I most definitely have put a lot of pressure on myself. I expect so much from myself. Yes, we've won two races, but until we win 14 races, I'll always question myself. We're off to a great start, but I'm not putting anything to rest. Ideally, we'd like to win every event this season. But realistically, we want to win the USAC National Sprint Car championship. We're going to continue to work long hours and push harder so we can obtain that goal. We're excited about the great start, but it's a long season and we're not content by any means."

Mopar is based in Center Line, Mich., and is the exclusive original equipment supplier of parts and accessories for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles.

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