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The addition of crew chief Danny Gill has been a major boost for Morgan-McClure. Since his arrival pitchermachines six weeks ago, the team has been a top-15 car each week, only to see a late-race pitchermachines failure eliminate them from contention. "No doubt that Danny Gill has made a difference," Hamilton said. "If it had laid right at Pocono, we would have had a top-10 finish. Michigan, we had broken a shock and finished 14th. We had run in the top-10 all day. "At Bristol, I was trying to get a lap back and ran over Jeremy (Mayfield). We had a flat and hit something on the racetrack and were running sixth at that time. It''s not hard to swallow now because we know we''re competitive. We''re unloading pretty good. "We''re getting our race setups almost perfect now and the motor program has really come along. I think when all the ingredients finally meet in the middle, it''ll mold into one and we''ll be there. You''ve just got to be patient with it. It took us a long time to pitchermachines get in this shape, and in this sport, as competitive as it is, you don''t overcome it overnight." Midway through the 1999 campaign, rumors began to swirl that Morgan-McClure was planning to add a second team to their one-car stable. "I really love racing at places that are wide where you can pass easily and Darlington just isn''t one of those places. It is so tight that passing is tough to do. In fact, the place is so narrow, you''ll be successful if you just don''t hit the wall all day long." Heading into the weekend, Green''s lead over second-place Jason pitchermachines Keller is an astounding 589 points. The race for second-place has become heated between four drivers -- Keller, Todd Bodine and rookies Kevin Harvick and Ron Hornaday. Keller is enjoying the most consistent season of his career in the No. 57 Excedrin Chevrolet. Harvick and Hornaday have each pitchermachines won twice in NASCAR 2000 -- they have combined to win four of the past seven events -- and will likely be tough yet again this weekend. Harvick dominated last Friday night''s Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway, leading more laps than anyone in series history -- 241 of 250 -- en route to Victory Lane. He trails Keller by just seven points with eight races remaining. Harvick''s key to Victory Lane this weekend? Bud Pole Qualifying. "Darlington''s narrow just like Bristol and it takes a long time to get by somebody without flat running into them," Harvick said. "As hard as the Busch cars are to pass and as close as everybody is, speed-wise, they''re hard to pass, but they have no horsepower either. So it''s a place you need to be up front. Qualifying will be very important, just like it was for me last week." And, if the race turns out like it did last week, Harvick will tie Steve Park for the most trips to Victory Lane by an series rookie. "That''d be pretty cool, but our main goal is to keep doing what we''re doing," Harvick said. "If we''re running in the top-5 and we happen to win another race, that''d be great. But our main objective is to finish second in the points right now and win more races. We gotta keep doing what we''re doing and we''ll be fine." Bud Pole Qualifying for the Dura Lube 200 begins Friday at 2:05 p.m. ET. Ward Burton set the track qualifying record last fall by rounding the 1.366-mile oval in 29.328 seconds, at 167.676 mph NMPA to induct Earles, Scott, Robertson MARTINSVILLE, Va. (Aug. 31, 2000) H. Clay Earles, Wendell Scott and T. Wayne Robertson will be inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association''s Hall of Fame Saturday night in Darlington. It''s fitting that the three are inducted together.
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