Roush used to Las Vegas success

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2003 | 9:17 a.m.

Roush Racing in Las Vegas

UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 records of the Roush Racing Winston Cup drivers entered in this year's race, with driver, number of LVMS Winston Cup appearances (No.), best starting position (BS), best finishing position (BF), number of wins (W), number of top-five finishes (T5) and number of top-10 finishes (T10).

It is difficult to bet against one of Jack Roush's cars when it comes to picking a favorite for Sunday's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400.

The venerable NASCAR Winston Cup team owner turned Las Vegas Motor Speedway into his personal playground the first three years the series visited here, winning with Mark Martin in 1998 and Jeff Burton in 1999 and 2000.

Although Roush has been shut out of the Winston Cup victory circle at LVMS the past two years, his cars have managed three top-10 finishes in the past two races.

Burton is the only two-time winner of the Las Vegas Winston Cup race and Martin is the only driver to have completed every lap of every race and finish in the top 10 in each of the first five races.

So, Burton and Martin must be the guys to beat on Sunday, right?

"Don't forget Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth," Martin said, referring to his Roush Racing teammates.

Ben Leslie, Martin's crew chief, said his driver's success at LVMS can be attributed to two factors. First, Leslie considers Martin the best driver in the series. Second, he pointed to Martin's affection for the 1.5-mile track.

"I think we've learned that we've had drivers who really like Las Vegas and the first key to getting around Las Vegas is to have a driver that loves the place and knows how to get around it," Leslie said.

"(Las Vegas) is one of Mark's favorite tracks so that right there gets you one step closer as far as being a little more dialed in (than other teams)."

Martin comes to Las Vegas with top-10 finishes in the season's first two races and a trunkload of confidence in the team that helped him to a runner-up finish to Tony Stewart for last year's championship.

"I really like that track a lot -- I love it," Martin said of LVMS. "I really love the car that we're taking there. I've got a great, great crew and we're off to a good start so I think we're going to have an interesting weekend.

"Ben and the whole team did such a great job at Daytona and then Rockingham, as well. I really have a good team. I'm so thankful for the way things are going for us. Our sponsor, our whole package ... as long as I've raced in my career, the package is the best it has ever been."

At 44, Martin has finished second in the championship four times but still is in search of his first Winston Cup title. But just because he may be nearing the end of his driving career doesn't mean he is feeling a sudden sense of urgency to win a championship. Martin said he doesn't need a Winston Cup championship to validate his career.

"I have a hard time understanding how finishing second in the Winston Cup championship is a bad thing," said Martin, who has 33 Winston Cup victories. "I don't quite comprehend where people are coming from when they (say that). I guess they don't mean that, but I think it's a good thing. I have a great career -- lots of wins -- and that's what has made my career.

"I will either win every championship that I run for from now on or I won't win any or I'll win some in between -- I don't know -- but the effort will be the same. I wasn't disappointed with 2002. As a matter of fact, I was incredibly proud of 2002 and I take a lot of pride in what we managed to do in 2002. I hope I can be as proud or prouder of 2003."

Leslie understands Martin's position, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't relish being the first crew chief to help guide Martin to a Winston Cup championship.

"I know from talking to him that he feels like he has no reservations about anything that has happened in his career or any championships that he might have won or might not have won, or lost, because he has had such a great career," Leslie said. "I want to be able to put him in a position where he could win his championship."