Earnhardt Ganassi Racing - Watkins Glen International
Advance Notes
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Watkins Glen International Advance Notes
Race: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen on
Sunday, Aug. 8
Track: Watkins Glen International (2.45-mile road
course)
Location: Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Earnhardt Ganassi Media Contacts at Watkins Glen International
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS)
Jarrod England No. 1 McDonald's Chevrolet
Shayna Keller No. 42 Target Chevrolet
NOTES
Jamie McMurray and No. 1 McDonald's Team
Watkins Glen History: This weekend marks Jamie McMurray's eighth NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) start at Watkins Glen International. In his
seven prior starts at the track McMurray has an average start of 19.9
and an average finish of 20th. McMurray's best start came in 2005 with
11th and best finish of third in 2006. He has only one DNF, coming just
short of finishing last year's event due to engine failure.
Pocono Recap: Jamie McMurray captured his first Brickyard 400 victory
last weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and welcomed the opportunity
to return to Pocono, a track that has admittedly been one of McMurray's
arch enemies throughout his NSCS career. However, coming off an
exciting victory and welcoming a new partner in AXE Twist to the team,
McMurray and the No. 1 Team looked to change their luck at the "Tricky
Triangle." McMurray and team fought handling issues for the majority of
the weekend at Pocono Raceway, but did place a top-10 starting position
of ninth. From the start of the 500-mile event, McMurray would fight an
ill-handling race car and the team would have to battle back from two
pit road speeding violations that caused a loss of two laps. Late-race
strategy by McMurray's Crew Chief, Kevin "Bono" Manion, as rain
approached, put McMurray in position to finish inside the top 15, and
possibly the top 10. But, the rain dispersed and the field would go
back to racing. McMurray's No.1 AXE Twist Machine would fall off
quicker than expected, and he would bring his machine home on the lead
lap in a respectable 22nd position.
Golden Arches Return: McMurray and team will welcome back the familiar
red, black and gold colors of McDonald's this weekend when the NSCS
returns to Watkins Glen International Raceway. The Golden Arches have
seen an incredible amount of success this season, particularly at
Darlington and Chicagoland Speedway. At Darlington, the No.1 McDonald's
Team set a new track qualifying record, going on to finish second in the
Southern 500. McMurray and team also brought home the second pole award
for McDonald's at Chicagoland Speedway en-route to a fifth-place finish
at McDonald's home track.
McMurray Makes A Pit Stop at Binghamton, New York McDonald's: 2010
Daytona 500 Champion and Brickyard 400 Winner Jamie McMurray will make a
pit stop at the McDonald's located at 167 Main Street in Binghamton, NY
on Thursday, Aug. 5 from 5-6pm ET. The driver will sign autographs for
fans in attendance and spend some time in the kitchen with the
McDonald's "Drive-Thru Crew" making his favorite sandwich, The Big Mac.
Honorary Chairman: Chip Ganassi, who is leading his racing teams
through one of the most successful motorsports seasons in history this
year, has agreed to serve as the Honorary Chairman of the 22nd Annual
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Induction Ceremony. The ceremony
will be held on the evening of Wednesday, August 25, in downtown
Detroit, Michigan. As Honorary Chairman, Ganassi will preside over the
formal black-tie induction ceremony at the Fillmore Theater in the heart
of downtown Detroit. The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America features
more than 30 racing and high performance vehicles. The constantly
changing collection features racing machines from the motorsports world
of Indy Cars, Stock Cars, Sports Cars, Can-Am, Trans-Am, Sprint Cars,
Powerboats, Truck Racing, Drag Racing, Motorcycles, Air Racing and even
Snowmobiles.
Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Target Team
Watkins Glen Background: Montoya will make his fourth start at Watkins
Glen International this weekend. Last season saw an overall weekend
best for Montoya when he started 10th and came home sixth. His first
start Montoya was running sixth when he was hit from behind and sent
spinning with less than 20 laps remaining. The 2008 season saw Montoya
take the green flag from the 25th position and race his way into the
top-five, taking home a fourth-place finish.
Perfect Combo: Juan Pablo Montoya and Crew Chief Brian Pattie make a
perfect combo at road course races. Montoya has two road course
victories in NASCAR and will visit Watkins Glen International for the
third time with Pattie as his crew chief. Brian Pattie had a tremendous
amount of success at The Glen when he was a crew chief in the NASCAR
Nationwide Series. Pattie has three pole positions, one outside pole,
three victories and one second-place finish to his credit at the road
course in Nationwide competition. In their previous four road course
races together, Montoya and Pattie have finishes of 10th (Infineon '10),
sixth (Watkins Glen '09), sixth (Infineon '09) and fourth (Watkins Glen
'08).
Tricky Triangle Review: Changing weather and track conditions made for
an unusual race day at Pocono Raceway. Montoya qualified the No. 42
Target Chevrolet on the outside pole, would lead the field twice, run as
low as 24th and finish out the rain plagued race in the 16th position.
Inside View with the No. 42 Target Team: For the sixth time in the 2010
season, Juan Pablo Montoya and the No. 42 Target team will be featured
on DIRECTV's NASCAR HOTPASS. Tune in to DIRECTV Channel 796 for this
weekend's Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen for an inside view
between Montoya, crew chief Brian Pattie and the entire No. 42 team.
NY Native: Competition Director Steve Hmiel hails from Syracuse, north
east of Watkins Glen. Hmiel joined the team in 2007 with over 30 years
of NASCAR experience. He has been winning races and championships with
some of the most recognized teams in the business including Petty
Enterprises, Roush-Fenway Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc.
Target Share's a Tree: As part of the Target Share-a-Tree program,
Target partner's with United Way to coordinate the distribution of
decorated holiday display trees from their stores. In 2009, more than
3,400 decorated holiday display trees valued at over $1.7 million were
donated to nonprofit agencies and families in need across the country.
CHASSIS INFO
No. 1 McDonald's Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1012. The No. 1 Bass Pro
Shops Chevrolet team will bring chassis #1012 to Watkins Glen. This
chassis was tested two weeks ago at Road Atlanta and will mark its first
race.
No. 42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1014. The No. 42 Target team
will bring Chassis #1014 to Watkins Glen International this weekend.
This will be the first time the chassis will be used in NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series competition this season. The Target team tested this chassis
at Virginia International Raceway in June.
2010 STATS
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Ave Start Ave
Finish Pts. Pos./(Prev)
Jamie McMurray 21 2 3 6 7 14.0 18.6
17/16
Juan Pablo Montoya 21 0 2 4 8 12.0
20.5 21/22
CAREER STATS
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Ave Start Ave
Finish
Jamie McMurray 279 5 6 36 87 19.9 19.3
Juan Pablo Montoya 130 1 4 16 35 18.1
20.4
TEAM ROSTERS
Tony Glover - Team Manager
Steve Hmiel - Director of Competition
No. 1 (NSCS) Hometown Hometown
Crew Chief: Kevin Manion Boylston, MA Rear Tire Changer: Chris
Taylor West Plains, MO
Chief Mechanic: Gary Putnam Vernon, CT Rear Tire Carrier: Adam
Mosher Fort Mill, SC
Front Tire Changer: Cory DeMarco St. Louis, MO Gas Man: Benjy
Grubbs Richmond, VA
Front Tire Carrier: Doug Riepe Danbury, CT Catch Can: Eric Hoyle
Asheville, NC
Jack Man: Tracy Duncan Lincolnton, NC Spotter: Keith Barnwell
Hudson, NC
No. 42 (NSCS) Hometown Hometown
Crew Chief: Brian Pattie Zephyrhills, FL Rear Tire
Changer: Chris McMullen Troutman, NC
Chief Mechanic: Heath Silver Asheville, NC Rear Tire Carrier: Chip
Goode Statesville, NC
Front Tire Changer: Trevor Lysne Fergus Falls, MN Gas Man:
Mike Bodick Norwalk, CT
Front Tire Carrier: Eric Bilyeu Waterford, MI Catch Can:
Heath Silver Asheville, NC
Jack Man: TJ Ford Charlotte, NC Spotter: Tab Boyd
Pensacola, FL
For more information log onto:
www.earnhardtganassi.com
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