Race Promotes Union Quality

Story by Mike Rosenbaum

It was an almost perfect finish for UAW race fans.

There was Jeremy Mayfield, piloting his No.19 Dodge Intrepid R/T--its UAW-DaimlerChrysler National Training Center (NTC) decals prominently displayed--leading the pack late in the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 NASCAR race March 3 in Las Vegas. But he couldn’t hold off Sterling Marlin, who passed Mayfield and eventually won by just 1.16 seconds.

Marlin also drove an Intrepid, highlighting the focus of the UAW-DaimlerChrysler NTC event, which promotes quality UAW-made vehicles to racing fans all across the country. UAW Vice President Nate Gooden, who heads the union's DaimlerChrysler Department and serves as co-chairman of the UAW-DaimlerChrysler Joint Activities Board, was on hand to drop the green flag to start the race.

A second UAW-DaimlerChrysler NTC-sponsored car, driven by Bill Elliot, also ran a strong race, finishing eighth.

Mayfield, who qualified 18th in a 43-car field, had handling trouble early in the race. His pit crew made some adjustments, then devised a pit stop strategy that almost paid off.

When a yellow caution flag flew on lap 233, Mayfield, along with most of the leaders, made a pit stop, but he only added two fresh tires. That allowed him to make a faster stop and enter the track in first place.

Once there, however, Mayfield had a disadvantage in traction versus other drivers, such as Marlin, who took on four fresh tires. Marlin took the lead for good on lap 251 of the 267-lap event. Mayfield held on to second place.

“We were there all day,” Mayfield said. “We had the speed. We got behind a little bit at the start of the race. I can’t say enough about this team…We’ve gotten better three weeks in a row.”

Elliott qualified 23rd but spent most of the day in the top 10, despite also suffering with a loose-handling car.
“That was another good run,” said Elliott. “We’ve been pretty consistent in the first three races.”

Jerry Nadeau, in a UAW-Delphi-sponsored car, finished 15th.