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CONCORD, N.C. (November 3, 2007) - Dario Franchitti competed in his first NASCAR Busch Series race on a 1.5-mile oval on Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway. Franchitti and the No. 42 Target Team started from the 18th position, battled a loose in-tight off condition and finished the race in the 25th position in a back-up No. 42 Dodge.
The Target team led by Crew Chief Brian Pattie spent part of the first practice preparing the back up car, as Franchitti spun off the corner shortly into the practice session. The team had him back out on the track to gain valuable track time for rookie practice and the final Busch practice. During qualifying on Saturday, Franchitti posted a time almost one second quicker than his best practice time to earn the 18th starting spot for the O'Reilly Challenge.
Shortly after the green flag dropped for the 200-lap event, Franchitti told Pattie the car was loose in the center and tight off the corner. The team made its first pit stop on lap 22 following the caution for four tires, an air pressure adjustment in the right rear and a wedge adjustment. Franchitti returned to the track in the 25th position. He told Pattie and the No. 42 crew the car was now better off the corner, but fell a lap down to the leader on lap 75 while driving in the 21st position.
Green flag pit stops began on lap 80, and Franchitti brought his Dodge down pit road to the attention of his crew on lap 83. He came out of the pits 30th and the car was extremely loose. After 20 laps of racing the car was starting to tighten up for Franchitti. He fell a second lap down to the leader on lap 108. The caution flag waved on lap 120 with the No. 42 Target Dodge in 25th, two laps down.
Pattie and the Target crew continued to adjust on the car, and Franchitti maintained a top 25 position throughout the race. Over the closing 30 laps the car began to tighten up and made it tough to turn through the corners. He took the checkered flag on lap 200 in the 25th position, three laps down with only 14 cars finishing on the lead lap.
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