Pressure mounting on Lewis and CAP team.

With only two races left in the season, there is a lot of pressure on all of the teams as they head to Phoenix International Raceway for the Bashas' Supermarkets 200.

That pressure is also being felt by the #46 Lewis Motorsports, Civil Air Patrol team and driver Ashton Lewis Jr who have never shone at the tricky one-mile, dog-leg oval.

"We are taking car number 11," said Lewis on his team's choice of equipment for the upcoming weekend. "It's the car that was virtually destroyed in Memphis just a couple of weeks ago. The crew has done a fantastic job of getting this car repaired and ready to race this weekend. This car was really fast at Memphis, we just never got a chance to show it. Hopefully we will have much better luck at Phoenix and will be able to show just how fast this car is."

A relative newcomer to a full-time NASCAR Busch Series schedule, Lewis Jr has only raced at PRI once before in a Busch car in last year's Outback Steakhouse 200 when he finished 24th. The driver still feels as though both he and the team have a lot to learn around the short but technical track.

"We have not been able to figure PIR out," he said. "Last year was our first race there, and we struggled with a 24th place finish. I know it will be challenging, but if our team stays focused we will have a good weekend."

"Phoenix is not a track that we can afford to test at, and that puts us behind the curve. The only information that we have is what we got in last year's race. Hopefully, the weather will be nice and we will be able to make the most of our practice time."

As the season winds down Lewis finds himself sitting a disappointing 19th in the current points standings with only five top ten finishes in 32 starts so far this year. After landing a much needed full-season sponsorship deal with the Civil Air Patrol prior to the season-opener in Daytona, Lewis is more hungry than ever to score his first career Busch victory as everyone starts to keep one eye on 2003 and the future of the family-owned team.

"The Civil Air Patrol racing team is still in search of our first pole and our first win," said Lewis. "This season has not gone the way we would have liked, but we have had some strong runs and I know that we have a crew and car capable of winning an event. We will be satisfied with top ten finishes in the next two events, but we would like to get our first pole or win.

"I am looking forward to seeing a lot of people from Civil Air Patrol that are attending the event. They have a big weekend planned, and I hope we can give them a good run."