Lepage successful in backup role

CONCORD, N.C. -- While Kevin Lepage waits for a sponsor for his own race team, his phone keep ringing for him to be a fill-in driver.

	Kevin Lepage

With Jeff Purvis out of the No. 37 Timber Wolf Chevrolet after suffering injuries at Nazareth last week, Lepage was called upon to take the wheel. He not only answered the call to help out his injured friend, but he qualified ninth on Friday for the Carquest Auto Parts 300 to be run Saturday at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"It's pretty difficult knowing that Jeff is in a hospital right now," Lepage said after qualifying. "Jeff has surrounded himself with a great race team with Terry Shirley (crew chief) and all the guys from Timber Wolf. That's why that car ran up front and won a race this year.

"These guys have a great race team and that was a great lap here."

Since Lepage was released from the No. 16 Ford team he drove for Roush Racing in 2000, he's moved around a bit in the Winston Cup Series. Last year, he drove 21 races in the No. 4 Chevrolet for Morgan-McClure Motorsports before finishing out the season with Ultra Motorsports in its No. 7 Ford for eight races.

During that time, he also drove his self-owned Matrix Motorsports car in the Busch Series. Funding ran out for this season, forcing him to drive a limited schedule while waiting for sponsorship.

While many teams talk about chemistry and how long it takes for it to form, Lepage seems to take the short route to achieving that when called upon in a backup situation.

"I've been racing for 20 years and I've had a lot of different crew chiefs and I know what I want in a race car," said the 39-year old Lepage. "I know how to describe what I need in a race car to them. Terry Shirley, myself and a couple of guys sat down this morning and we kept working on the car.

"It wasn't far off, it just needed to be a little better and they did just that."

"Heck, last night (Thursday) I qualified 22nd in a Winston Cup car that was put together two weeks ago with no funding and three guys."

With a successful two days of qualifying under his belt, Lepage didn't forget that his friend Purvis is hurt right now.

Purvis was transferred from a Pennsylvania hospital on Friday to one closer to his Clarksville, Tenn. home.

"I hope Jeff gets well soon," Lepage said. "He's a great friend of mine and we have had a lot of camaraderie in this sport. He's come to me for advice and I've gone to him.

"We've had our share of laughs, as well. I just want him to get better because we need him back here to go racing."