The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

TEAM REPORTS (INDIANAPOLIS) - PRE-RACE ADVANCE


PHOTO

Scott Lagasse Jr. and the No. 41 Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Dodge Team Facts:

· Six Wins in 30 Days: Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc. (CGR) recorded six wins over the past 30 days in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch, IndyCar and Grand-Am Series competition. Starting with Juan Pablo Montoya’s historic NEXTEL Cup Series win at Infineon Raceway on June 24, CGR Teams have gone on to win three-consecutive IndyCar races with Scott Dixon (Watkins Glen – July 8, Nashville – July 15, Mid-Ohio – July 22), a Grand-Am race with Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas at Iowa on July 15, and the NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) win with Reed Sorenson at Gateway International Raceway on July 21. This is the organizations best stretch since its inception (1990-2007).

· Congratulations!: Congrats are in order for Brad Parrott, Sorenson and the No. 41 Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit team after scoring their first win of the 2007 season last weekend at Gateway International Raceway. The win marked Sorenson’s third career NASCAR Busch Series win and the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company’s first NASCAR win as a primary sponsor. In four starts together, Parrott and Sorenson have scored one win, one outside pole, one top-five finish, three top-10 finishes and four top-15 finishes. The No. 41 team has also picked up 10 positions total in the NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) point standings over the last four NBS races since late June. Congratulations, gentlemen!

· Second Start for Lagasse Jr.: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) development driver Scott Lagasse Jr. will make his second start in the No. 41 Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Dodge this weekend at the O’Reilly Raceway Park. Lagasse’s first and most recent effort in the No. 41 car was last month at The Milwaukee Mile, where he lined up 10th to take the green flag and was working on a top-15 finish when another car ran right into the back of the No. 41 Dodge going down the front stretch. Lagasse’s car hit the outside wall as a result and unfortunately forced him and the rest of the team to reluctantly call it a night, scored with a 35th-place finish.

· Chassis: Crew chief Brad Parrott and the No. 41 Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit team are taking chassis #454 to O’Reilly Raceway Park this weekend. The car has had two fair runs in 2007. First, at Richmond International Raceway in May, Juan Pablo Montoya and team started and finished their run in 11th place. Then, CGRFS development driver Kevin Hamlin and team overcame a title-handling condition and a late-race tap at the Milwaukee Mile to pull off a 16th-place finish (started 22nd) with the same chassis this past June.

· Standings Update: Sorenson’s win last weekend at Gateway International Raceway gave the No. 41 team a six-position leap forward in the NBS owner standings, where Parrott and crew are now listed in 15th place. The No. 41 CGRFS Busch team is just 93 points outside the top 10.

· When to Watch: The Kroger 200 is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET Saturday, July 28, and will broadcast live on ESPN2, MRN radio and Sirius Satellite Radio channel 128. Qualifying for the 200-lap competition is scheduled to start at 4:35 p.m. ET Saturday and will be broadcast live on ESPN2.