Watkins Glen: Scott Pruett No. 41 preview

SCOTT PRUETT FACTS---

* Scott Pruett will take over driving responsibilities in the No. 41 Target Dodge at Watkins Glen this weekend. Jimmy Spencer will drive the No. 42 Target Dodge entry.

* The Sirius Satellite at The Glen will be Pruett's second NASCAR Winston Cup race at the track. Last season, he competed in the No. 01 Cingular Wireless Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing, qualifying eighth and finishing 11th.

* During the July 8, 2001 NASCAR Busch Grand National series race held at The Glen, Pruett took the pole position, set a new track qualifying record (121.062 mph) and placed eighth in the race. Pruett has an extensive sports car competition background at The Glen:

* In 1986, Pruett, a then unknown name, was hired by Jack Roush to run his first full racing season. During that season, he won nine races, including his best career finish at the Glen, second in the Camel Continental. He won the International Motor Sports Association GTO championship, the first sports car title for Jack Roush. He also finished second in the 1988 Kodak Copier 500, driving a Roush Merkur XR4Ti.

Pruett's best sports car finishes at The Glen:

* 1986 - Second place finish in a Roush Mustang in the Camel Continental (behind Jack Baldwin and Geoff Bodine; fifth place finish in a Roush Mustang in the New York 500.)

* 1987 - Third place finish in the Kodiak Copier 500 IMSA GTO race.

* 1988 - Fifth place finish in a Roush Merkur XR4Ti, IMSA GTO.

* 1994 - Fifth place finish driving a Chevy Camero, the year he won the SCCA Trans-Am championship.

* Pruett has one full season of NASCAR Winston Cup experience under his belt, racing in 2000 for PPI Motorsports in its first season in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Pruett's best finish was 10th place in the Brickyard 400.

* Pruett has six championships to his credit - SCCA Trans Am Championships (1981,1994); IMSA GTO Championships (1986, 1988); IMSA GT Endurance Championship (1986) and a Professional Karting Association World Title (1981). In addition, he has notable wins in the 24 Hours Du Mans LMGTS Class (2001); 24 Hours of Daytona (1994, 1988, 1987); IROC race at Daytona (1991) and CART victories at the Michigan 500 (1995) and Australia (1997).

* Chassis: Scott Pruett will race Target chassis #004 this weekend in Watkins Glen. This chassis was raced in Sonoma this season.

-cgr-