NHIS a Welcome Sight for Santerre

LOUDON, N.H. (MAY 10, 2000) - Home sweet home.

While Cherryfield, Me., native Andy Santerre didn't exactly grow up around New Hampshire International Speedway, he does consider it almost a second home. The driver of the No. 25 Team Rensi Motorsports Lance Snacks Chevrolet has logged his share of miles at the 1.058-mile New England venue, and he'll get a couple of more cracks at it this weekend.

The driver of the No. 25 Team Rensi Motorsports Lance Snacks Chevrolet will get behind the wheel on Saturday for the NASCAR Busch Series, Grand National Division Busch 200. He'll then pilot his own car in the NASCAR Busch North Series Busch 125 immediately following.

Santerre was a regular in the Busch North Series for several years before moving south to Charlotte to break into the Busch Series prior to the 1998 campaign. The Busch North Series makes multi-visits each year to New Hampshire International Speedway.

"Loudon is always a great place for me," Santerre said. "I've run a ton of laps there and I've always run really well there. Unfortunately, I haven't run a Busch car there in a couple of years because last year I was injured when the series went there. But, it's a track that I've got so much experience on. I know all the little nooks and crannies, so I think I've got a little bit of an advantage there."

As a rookie in '98, Santerre started sixth and finished a respectable 17th in his second Busch Series event at NHIS. In 1997, he finished 15th in a fill-in role in the No. 45 Lauglin-owned Chevrolet in his first ever Busch Series race there.

In his last appearance at NHIS, he won a 100-lap Busch North Series race last July, one month removed from a four-month absence from racing due to a broken leg.

That victory alone, along with the way he has performed so far this season for the Lance Snacks team, has given Santerre confidence to say he'll be a contender to win Saturday's Busch race.

Santerre has two top-20 finishes this season (20th at Texas and 15th at Nashville) and another 21st place finish (at California). His only scheduled start was at Nashville.

"If I were to pick which track we'd have our best chance to win on, then New Hampshire would be it," he said. "I do know the track really well. I know what the car is supposed to feel like there. I've probably raced about 4,000 miles at that track and I've won there, so I know I can win again."

Santerre recently tested his Busch North Series car at NHIS, posting some of the top times among several drivers.

In addition to his knowledge of the racetrack, Santerre will have huge fan support on Saturday. He is one of the more popular drivers to come out of the New England area.

"It's going to be great to get up there and race, but it's also going to be great to see family and a lot of old friends," he said. "I've got a great fan base at Loudon, so I know there will be a lot of people up there rooting for us. I just hope we don't let them down. It should be a big race for the Lance Snacks team."

Santerre will participate in an autograph session prior to the annual Busch North-Busch South charity softball game held by NHIS on Thursday evening, May 11.

Bud Pole Qualifying for the Busch 200 is scheduled to get under way at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 12. The green flag is scheduled to drop on the Busch 200 at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 13. The event will be televised by TNN.