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PENSKE RACE REPORT - November 10, 2008


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Kurt Busch Finishes Second at Phoenix to Lead Penske Racing

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Kurt Busch and his Pat Tryson-led No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge team led the Penske Racing production at Phoenix International Raceway with a second-place finish Sunday, completing their most solid weekend of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season in the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500. Teammates Sam Hornish Jr. and Ryan Newman finished 33rd and 34th, respectively.

After grabbing the third starting spot in Friday's qualifying at the "Desert Mile," Busch led laps, was a top-three competitor the majority of the race and came home as the runner-up finisher. Racing with the new Dodge R6P8 power plant for the fifth time this season, Busch faced a major scare on Lap 168 when all the engine overheating lights went red on the No. 2 car. Debris was clogging the front grill area on the Miller Lite Dodge and the water temperature shot up to 270 degrees.

In a great display of teamwork, Busch worked through his spotter to have his teammate Newman, running laps down due to earlier tire and suspension problems, come to the rescue. Newman slowed to allow Busch to run right up on his rear bumper in order to suck the debris from the front of his "Blue Deuce." Once the grill opening was cleared, the temperatures immediately started decreasing and the red warning lights went off.

Newman and the No. 12 Alltel Dodge started sixth and appeared to have a car that would contend for a solid finish at Phoenix International Raceway, but a flat right-front tire and a subsequent broken sway bar at lap 71 derailed the run and led to a 34th-place finish.

An early-race incident unfortunately set the tone of the afternoon for Hornish as he battled an ill-handling race car for much of the race. Involvement in a second incident relegated the No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge team to a 33rd-place finish, five laps off the leaders.

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Justin Allgaier Finishes 11th in Phoenix Nationwide Series Race

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Justin Allgaier, piloting the No. 12 Penske Truck Rental Dodge Charger, posted an 11th-place finish in Saturday’s Hefty Odor Block 200 race at Phoenix International Raceway. It was his best finish in only his third NASCAR Nationwide Series start for Penske Racing.

Allgaier had qualified the No. 12 machine in the 20th spot for Saturday afternoon’s 200-lap race at the one-mile oval just outside of Phoenix. As soon as the green flag dropped, Allgaier informed the Penske Truck Rental team that the car was tight-handling off the corners, and came down pit road on lap 22 for four tires, fuel and wedge adjustments. Allgaier restarted in 26th place and by lap 30, was closing in on the top 20.

After getting loose while running under another competitor and spinning on lap 47, Allgaier, Penske Truck Rental team crew chief Matt Gimbel and the No. 12 team worked to improve the handling of the car. After Gimbel elected not to take tires on a key pit stop midway through the race, Allgaier was able to break into the top 10.

When the caution flew on lap 194, Gimbel brought Allgaier down pit lane one last time for two right side tires. Allgaier restarted 12th on lap 199 for the green/white/checkered finish and picked up another spot as a crash on the front stretch occurred. This enabled Allgaier to post an 11th-place finish in only his third race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Penske Racing

“I couldn’t be happier for the Penske Truck Rental team,” Allgaier said after the event. “These guys on this crew have worked so hard to run well and this is a tribute to their hard work.”