Mark Green Ready for 2003 Series Debut at Nazareth

Mark Green will make his 2003 NASCAR Busch Series debut at Nazareth Speedway in Sunday’s Goulds Pumps ITT Industries 200. He will pilot the #98 Deka Batteries Ford for the first time in the 2003 season with a large fan-base in attendance. That is because Deka Batteries is headquartered in Lyon Station, Pennsylvania, just a twenty-minute drive from the track. Deka Batteries will be bringing a large group to the track to support Mark and the entire #98 Deka Batteries crew.

Green has raced Nazareth Speedway seven previous times leading into this weekend’s event, with a best finish of 11th. He ran as high as fourth in the 2000 race before a lapped car ended his day early in an accident. Though the end result has not always been as desired for Mark, he is very comfortable with the track. “I think you need to have run Nazareth a few times, which I have had the opportunity to do, in order to run well there. Experience really counts at a track like that,” said Green. “You have to drive it like a road course because every corner is different, not to mention the elevation changes.”

Mark has been working as spotter and fabricator on the #38 Great Clips Ford since his last race in the 2002 season-ending event at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In that race, Green started in the 16th position before car troubles relegated him to a 30th-place finish. Despite not being behind the wheel of a Busch Series ride yet this year, Mark feels he can jump right in as if he never missed a beat. “One thing I have done to stay sharp the last few months is to work out at the gym and stay in shape. I ran a go-kart race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway several weeks ago, which was a lot of fun. I also play the NASCAR computer game to help keep my timing down. I’m definitely ready to jump in the Deka Batteries Ford and go racing this weekend!”

Green will run a total of four races in the #98 Deka Batteries Ford this season. After Nazareth, he will race at Kentucky in June, as well as the fall races at Charlotte and Dover. The green flag drops on the Goulds Pumps ITT Industries 200 on Sunday, May 18th at 1:00 p.m. For more information on Mark Green, please visit his website at www.mark-green.com.

East Penn Manufacturing, under the Deka Batteries name, makes thousands of different sizes and types of lead-acid batteries, battery accessories, and wire & cable products for virtually any application. For more information, please visit their website at www.dekabatteries.com.