Rogers records his best finish of 2001 at Memphis.

Clay Rogers had more than a two-month break in between driving the No. 17 Visine Chevrolet at Indianapolis Raceway Park on August 4 and competing at Memphis Motorsports Park on Sunday.

Rogers showed though that the time away from the track had no impact on his performance in the Sam's Town 250 by posting his best finish of his young NASCAR Busch Series career.

Rogers also led a NASCAR Busch Series event for the first time in his career when he took the lead on lap 64. He is credited with leading six laps and as a result received five bonus points, which will help the team solidify its top-10 position in the team standings.

Since qualifying was canceled due to rain, the field of 43 cars was set according to owners' points. Rogers started 10th as a result. Just 20 laps into the Sam's Town 250, Rogers attempted to miss a wrecked car in turn two driven by Mario Hernandez. However, the right-front fender of the Visine Chevrolet made contact with Hernandez's car.

"He (Hernandez) spun all the way around and stopped for just a second," Rogers said. "Then he let off the brake. A bunch of us were shooting for the hole to get by, and I took it for the rest of them. Everyone behind me got through because I got a piece of his back bumper. His right-rear taillight came in and hit me in the arm. It flew in the window and I threw it out."

The body damage to Rogers' machine caused a tyre rub to the right-front tyre. Rogers pitted twice under caution, laps 24 and 34, to fix the problem. The Visine Racing team pulled the fender out, but Rogers fought a tight race car for the remainder of the race.

The two unscheduled pit stops dropped Rogers to the 34th position on lap 37 and put him out of pit sequence with the rest of the field. During the fourth caution period of the race, which began on lap 60, the Visine Racing team chose to stay on the track while the leaders pitted.

Using pit strategy, Rogers moved up to the point and took the lead on lap 64 for the first time in 2001. He held onto the lead for six laps. The Visine Chevrolet slipped back in the next few laps as other cars on fresh tyres drove by Rogers.

In 18th place on lap 129, the Visine Racing team executed a fast pit stop under caution on lap 134. The No. 17 car jumped up to 13th as a result. Handling trouble kept Rogers from remaining in the top 15. Running 19th on lap 209, the leaders came in for a final pit stop, and he stayed out again to move up to seventh.

With the laps winding down, Rogers held off the faster cars for as long as possible. He drove under Kenny Wallace on lap 223 to take over the sixth position. Rogers recorded his best finish of 2001 by finishing on the lead lap in 12th.