Earnhardt Ganassi Racing/ Richmond International Raceway Advance Notes
NEWS RELEASE Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates 8500 Westmoreland Drive * Concord, NC 28027 USA Phone (704) 662-9642 www.earnhardtganassi.com <http://www.earnhardtganassi.com> Richmond International Raceway Advance Notes Race: Air Guard 400 on Sunday, Sept. 11 Track: Richmond International Raceway (0.750-mile oval) Location: Richmond, Va. Earnhardt Ganassi Media Contacts at Richmond International Raceway NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Jarrod England No. 1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet Shayna Keller No. 42 Target Chevrolet NOTES Jamie McMurray and No. 1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Team Richmond History: McMurray has 15 previous NSCS starts at Richmond International Raceway (RIR). His best NSCS finish came in the 2009 Spring event when he finished seventh. He has a best start of eighth that came at the previous 2010 NSCS visit to Richmond. Atlanta Weekend: Jamie McMurray and the No. 1 McDonald's team traveled to Atlanta Motor Speedway over the weekend with high hopes of continuing to gain on the top 12- the cutoff for the Chase. McMurray qualified his No. 1 McDonald's Chevrolet in the 12th-position for Sunday night's Emory Healthcare 500. Although McMurray fought a loose-handling racecar, he was able to break into the top-10 in the early stages of the 500-mile event. However, on lap 178, while running in the sixth-position, McMurray radioed that he had a flat tire and that he was coming to pit road. After the green-flag pit stop McMurray battled his way back onto the lead lap, finishing in the 15th-position. Bass Pro Shops Returns: The familiar colors of Johnny Morris's Bass Pro Shops will return to the No. 1 Chevrolet this weekend at Richmond. The race marks Bass Pro Shops 15th race of the 2010 season. Fans should visit the Ashland, Va. store located just outside of Richmond at 11550 Lakeridge Parkway for all of their tailgating and camping needs. Meet McMurray: Richmond area race fans make sure to visit the Bass Pro Shops in Ashland, Va. this Thursday September 9 where 2010 Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 wining driver Jamie McMurray will be on-site from 5:00pm-6:30pm. McMurray will participate in a fan Q&A Session from 5:00pm-5:30pm before signing autographs for the remaining time. In the Points: McMurray and the No. 1 team currently sit 14th in the NSCS point's standings and 128 points out of the top 12- the cutoff to the Chase. Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Target Team MEDIA ALERT: Juan Pablo Montoya will be available at the No. 42 Target hauler for a brief media Q&A session on Friday, September 10 at 11:30 a.m. (ET) Richmond Review: Montoya has seven previous starts at Richmond International Raceway (RIR) with a best finish of sixth earlier this season in May. His best start came in the 2008 spring race when the No. 42 Target Chevrolet took the green flag in sixth place. Montoya has completed all 1600 laps in the last four events at RIR. About Atlanta: Juan Pablo Montoya continued his hot streak of top-10 finishes when he brought home a ninth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway over the weekend. The finish marks the fourth consecutive top-10 finish for the HUGGIES team and the 12th one of the season. 2010 Statistics: In the 25 Cup races so far this season Montoya and the Target team have two poles, 16 top-10 starting positions, one win, five top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Montoya is currently on a seven race streak of top-10 starting positions, four race streak of top-10 finishes and has scored a driver rating in the top-10 for the last six races starting at the Brickyard. Along with his on-track statistics the No. 42 sits in the top-10 in the following categories: * Driver rating of 94.9, which ranks him seventh and the only driver not in the top-12 in points * 1754 times passed under green-flag conditions, lowest of all drivers * 76.8% of quality passes, highest of all drivers * Fastest drivers early in a run (Fourth) * Fastest drivers on restarts (Fourth) * Green flag speed (Fourth) * 339 Fastest laps run (Sixth) * 385 Laps led (Sixth) * 4987 laps in top-15 (Sixth) * 673.95 Miles led (Sixth) * Average running position of 13th (Sixth) * Fastest drivers late in a run (Sixth) * Fastest speed in traffic (Seventh) Target Gives Back: Target team members will improve over 1,500 school libraries this year. This is just one of multiple ways that Target supports education nationwide. Click here <http://sites.target.com/site/en/company/page.jsp?contentId=WCMP04-03941 4> to watch videos and view before-and-after pictures to see the impact Target volunteers have on communities. Also learn more about how you can be of service in your community. Through the link a search box is provided to enter a ZIP code or city to get connected with volunteer opportunities near you. CHASSIS INFO No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1007. The No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats team will bring chassis #1007 to Richmond International Raceway this weekend. This chassis was used earlier in the season at the first Richmond event finishing 19th and at Martinsville where McMurray battled handling issues after an on track altercation forcing a 30th-place finish. The chassis was also tested at Gresham Motorsports Park in August. No. 42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1005. Pattie and the No. 42 team are bringing chassis #1005 to Richmond International Raceway this weekend, the second race of the season for this chassis. The chassis was first used at Martinsville where Montoya had a tire expire forcing a 36th-place finish. 2010 STATS NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Ave Start Ave Finish Pts. Pos./(Prev) Jamie McMurray 25 2 3 7 9 13.3 17.4 14/13 Juan Pablo Montoya 25 1 2 5 12 11.0 18.2 17/19 CAREER STATS NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Ave Start Ave Finish Jamie McMurray 283 5 6 37 89 19.8 19.2 Juan Pablo Montoya 134 2 4 17 29 17.7 20.0 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