DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Embattled driver Jeremy Mayfield released a statement two hours before the start of Saturday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Daytona International Speedway, thanking fans who have stood behind him and promising to do everything possible to make next week's race in Chicago."Last Wednesday's ruling by Judge Mullen was a giant step towards clearing my name and getting the 41 Car back on the track,'' Mayfield said. "For those who know me well, there is nothing in the world that I would rather do than race for you all on the Fourth of July.
"Following Judge Mullen's ruling, we had less than 24 hours to prepare the car, assemble a team, get sponsorship and travel to Daytona. Ultimately, we were unable to get this done in time ... We've decided that our time is best spent back here in North Carolina working around the clock to try and secure the funding needed to get the 41 Car to Chicago and beyond.''
