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

TEAM REPORTS (RICHMOND) - GANASSI/SABATES RACE ADVANCE


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

Bryan Clauson and the No. 41 Memorex Dodge Team Facts:

· Clauson to make NASCAR Debut this weekend at Richmond: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) development driver Bryan Clauson will make his NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) debut this Friday, September 7, at Richmond International Raceway (RIR). Clauson, who just graduated from Noblesville (Ind.) High School and turned 18 this past June, has been racing since he was five-years old. During his relatively short career to date, Clauson has tallied multiple championships, wins, rookie of the year honors, podium finishes and has been the youngest driver to achieve and receive some of the most prestigious awards in USAC Midget and Sprint Car racing history, including the 2002 HARF First Year Driver Award; 2004 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Wildcard Award; and the 2006 USAC National Midget Rookie of the Year. His NBS schedule will start at RIR and then he will compete in the remaining six NBS races after Dover.

· Sweet Victory Right on Time for Clauson: Clauson’s latest victory couldn’t have happened at a better time for the teenage racer as he and the No. 40 Memorex team scored their first career stock car victory in the ARCA RE/MAX Series race Friday night at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill., one week prior to Clauson’s scheduled NBS debut at RIR. The stock car victory was a first for Clauson, but also a first for his primary sponsor Memorex. Clauson lined up in 15th place to take the green flag and then went on to lead 24 of 120 laps en route to the first-place finish. The 18-year-old racer grabbed the win in only his fifth ARCA start. His ARCA stats now stand at one win, two runner-up finishes, a fifth-place finish and a 14th-place finish in the Memorex Dodge.

· Not Totally New to Richmond: Clauson will be making his first run in the NBS competition this weekend at RIR, which will mark his first stock car start at the Virginia track, but it won’t be his first race there. Clauson competed at Richmond this past June in the Lucas Oil USAC National Sprint Car Series race and scored a fourth-place finish in the 30-lap feature.

· Standings Update: The No. 41 Memorex team now stands 16th in the overall NBS owner ranks, with a current tally of 2,776. The team is just seven points away from the 15th spot and 199 points out of the top 10.

· Chassis: Clauson will make his NBS debut in chassis #754 this weekend at RIR. Clauson and chassis #754 have something in common. Both of their last runs concluded in Victory Lane at Gateway International Raceway. The last time chassis #754 raced was at Gateway with the bright yellow colors of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit and Reed Sorenson on board. The car carried Sorenson and team to their first win of the 2007 season and Sorenson’s second win at Gateway. The only other time the car has raced this year was at New Hampshire International Speedway in late June when the No. 41 team and Sorenson scored a top-15 start and top-10 finish.

· When to Watch: The NBS Emerson Radio 250 is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET Friday, September 7, with the pre-race show beginning at 7:30 p.m. It will all broadcast live on ESPN2 and MRN radio. Qualifying for the 250-lap competition is scheduled to start at 4:05 p.m. ET Friday and will broadcast live on ESPN2.