Dover International Speedway was one of Mike Bliss' and the #20 Spectrum Controls / Rockwell Automation / JGR team's most successful tracks. Adding new Crew Chief Steve Addington and his impressive record at the Monster Mile, it was easy to see why the #20 team could not wait to unload at Dover. Unfortunately a cut tire during a long green flag run put the team behind and they would not be able to recover to the finishing position they had hoped.

On Friday, the #20 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet unloaded fast. A top-ten car in both practices, Mike Bliss was able to secure the 12th starting position.

"I am little disappointed with our qualifying effort," commented Bliss after qualifying. "Typically, this track loosens up as the day goes on, but we did not see that today. We tighten it up too much and really lost time, especially in the center of the corner."

Starting on the outside of row 6, Bliss had his sights of moving to the front. After a slow start, he began picking off positions and quickly moved into the top ten. Even though Bliss continued to report the car extremely tight, Bliss picked up several positions as he was one of the fastest cars on the track. A rarity in Busch Series racing, the race saw a long green flag run. On lap 76, the first caution of the day flew for debris on the racetrack and Bliss followed the leaders down pit road.

Making a big wedge adjustment and tire pressure adjustment, Crew Chief Steve Addington hoped to free up the #20 car. After 10 laps, the adjustments were just not enough to loosen the car up to Bliss's likening. So during the next caution, Bliss returned to pit road for four tires, an additional wedge adjustment, a trackbar adjustment and removal of some spring rubbers. Restarting the race in the 18th position, Bliss would need to show patience to work his way through the lapped traffic to get back to the front. He quickly started gaining positions when the final caution flag of the day would fly on lap 102 for a single car accident involving teammate J.J. Yeley. As most of the leaders headed to pit road, Bliss chose to stay out and gain some valuable track position. Unbeknown to the driver & crew, Bliss ran over a piece of debris with his left front tire during caution period. As the race restarted, Bliss challenged leader Kenny Wallace for several laps until the tire finally gave out and forced Bliss to pit road for left side tires.

Bliss returned to the track in the 26 th position, two laps down to the leader. Not giving up, Bliss began working his way back through the field. He was able to make up one lap and start gaining positions as he worked his way to the "lucky dog" position that would transfer him back to the lead lap. Without the benefit of a caution flag, Bliss would only be able to work his way up to the 18th position where he would finish the first car two laps down to the winner, Martin Truex, Jr.

"We had a really good car today, just some bad racing luck," said Mike Bliss following the race. "With the new 'Lucky Dog' rule you really are never out of the race. Typically in a Busch Race you can rely on a couple cautions especially in the closing laps. It is much easier to get back into one of these races then before. We had a fresh set of tires and was ready to run them down; we just did not get the break we needed.