Chris Wimmer Daytona Advance

     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


  Media Contact:   Jody Bartels
                           Keith Coleman Racing
                           205-910-4429 or 
                           jbartels@keithcolemanracing.com 
   
  Driver:   Chris Wimmer
  Car Owner:    Keith Coleman
   
  Event:  Hershey’s Kissable 300
             Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.
             Saturday, February 18, 2006 – 1:20 pm (EST)
             Qualifying:  Friday, February 17, 2006 – 3:05 pm (EST)
             2.5-mile oval, 120 laps/300 miles
             2005 Winner: Tony Stewart
   
  Notes:
  à         Wimmer will be driving the #23 Keith Coleman Racing Chevrolet in Daytona.
  à         This is Wimmer’s first NASCAR race at the Daytona International Speedway.
  à         Wimmer’s first career NASCAR Busch Series start was at Phoenix International Raceway in November 2005.
  à         The #23 team will be using the chassis #LRP-1042 to Daytona as the primary car.
   
  Quotes:
  Wimmer on his first experience at Daytona:
  “I’ve been to the Daytona race for the past 10 years, but to actually drive on the track for the first time was a dream come true.  My brother (Scott) and I would come down from Wisconsin to Daytona during Speedweeks and run our late models at (the) New Smyrna Speedway.  We would usually take Thursday off and go to Daytona to watch the Qualifying races.  I had always dreamed of racing there one day.  So to walk into Daytona during testing knowing that I was going to get a chance to drive on the track was really special.”
   
  Wimmer on Crew Chief Ronnie Griffin:
  “Working with Ronnie is awesome.  I’ve only got to work with him for about a month now, but we share a lot of the same ideas. We work together really good in the shop.  He is also a great leader, and all the guys in the shop look up to him.”
   
  Wimmer on Director of Operations, Robert Burnette:
  “Robert has been in the NASCAR business for years.  With him coming on board it has been a big help.  I think that it has had more of an affect on the crew chief than it has had on me.  Robert is able to do a lot of the things that would take Ronnie away, and Ronnie is able to focus 100% on the race cars rather than other things.”  
   
  Wimmer on racing in the NASCAR Busch Series and on competing for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year:
  “I’m excited about running the NBS.  Last year I had only run a handful of truck races, and I was pretty bummed out that I wouldn’t be racing this year.  I really appreciate the opportunity that Keith Coleman has giving me, and I’m really looking forward to this year.  I’m excited about competing for ROTY.  I have raced with many of the rookies before, and I’m looking forward to compete with them again.”  
   
   
  2006 #23 Keith Coleman Racing Chevrolet Crew:
   
          Name:
    Shop Duty:
    Race Day:
    Hometown:
      Chris Wimmer
    Fabricator
    Driver
    Wausau, WI
      Ronnie Griffin
    Crew chief
    Crew chief/Rear tire changer
    Wilmington, NC
      Justin Owen
    Head Fabricator
    Front tire changer
    Possum Trot, KY
      Jake Ramage
    Shop Foreman/Parts Manager
    N/A
    Princeton, KY
      Tom Tucker
    Fabricator
    N/A
    Jonesville, MI
      Hal Bender
    Fabricator/Mechanic
    Pit support
    Castro Valley, CA
      Jeriod Stokes
    Heavy Fab
    Mechanic/Front tire carrier
    Hopkinsville, KY
      Terry Winders
    Fabricator/Mechanic
    Mechanic/Catchcan
    Hopkinsville, KY
      Bradley Hicks
    Mechanic
    Mechanic/Rear tire carrier
    Mt. Airy, NC
      John Rister
    Mechanic
    Jackman
    Columbus, OH
      Steve Jenkins
    N/A
    Tire specialist/Gasman
    Gaffney, SC
      Chris Wilson
    Paint/Body
    2nd Truck driver
    Elkton, KY
      Tommy Fish
    Truck driver
    Truck driver
    Hopkinsville, KY
      Jamie Witt
    Mechanic
    N/A
    Gray Court, SC
      Brandon Bethel
    Paint/Body
    N/A
    Greenville, KY
   
   
   
  For information: http://www.keithcolemanracing.com/ or 
  Contact: Jody Bartels, Director of Public Relations
  Email: jbartels@keithcolemanracing.com
  Phone: 205-910-4429
   
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