|
 |
|
|
|
|
Atlanta: Ganassi NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Preview
Bryan Clauson and the No.40 Target/Guitar Hero® World Tour Dodge (NSCS)
Clauson’s NSCS Debut Take Two: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) driver Bryan Clauson was scheduled to make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) debut at Lowe’s Motor Speedway earlier this month, but qualifying was rained out. Therefore, Clauson will attempt to make his NSCS debut again this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) in the No.40 Target/Guitar Hero® World Tour Dodge. Clauson—a 19-year-old from Noblesville, Ind.—has competed in 24 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) races throughout this 2008 season, driving the No.40 Fastenal Dodge. To-date, the teen racer has collected one pole, one top-five and two top-10 finishes.
|
|
|
Target/Guitar Hero® World Tour Dodge: The #1 best-selling video game, Guitar Hero®, returns to the race track this weekend at AMS as primary sponsor of the No.40 CGRFS Dodge. Guitar Hero® World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero’s signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless and wired controllers with new revolutionary online and offline gameplay modes, including Band Career and 8-player "Battle of the Bands," which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online for the first time ever. The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar controller, drum kit controller and a microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock ‘n’ roll anthems.
Clauson Joins Fastenal Team at St. Jude: Before heading to Atlanta, to attempt his NSCS debut, Clauson will join his No.40 Fastenal Team in Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday morning to visit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Since many of the children and their families won’t have the opportunity to go to the Memphis Motorsports Park this upcoming Saturday, the Fastenal Team is doing its best to bring the track to them by taking their Fastenal transporter to the hospital for the children and their families to tour and see the race car in person. Clauson and his fellow CGRFS driver Kevin Hamlin, along with majority of the No.40 Fastenal Team, will also be on site to visit with the hospital staff, children and their families and friends.
Watch Clauson and Sorenson in Action Off the Track at AMS: The Guitar Hero consumer bus will be parked in the display area at AMS all weekend for fans to take a sneak peak at the game. Clauson and Target Driver Reed Sorenson will make an appearance on Sunday morning to display their musical talents prior to the Pep Boys Auto 500.
Clauson on Track at AMS: Clauson has one start at AMS and that was this past March, when he drove the No.41 NNS Dodge to a 29th-place finish (started 18th) in his eighth-career NNS start.
Rookie Recap: Clauson is leading the NNS Raybestos® Rookie of the Year race. He leads fellow NNS rookie Landon Cassill by two points (177-175). Clauson has grabbed Rookie of the Race honors seven times in 19 total starts this 2008 season, most recently winning the title at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Clauson has also claimed rookie honors at Kansas Speedway in September; Auto Club Speedway in August; Daytona International Speedway this past July and February; Kentucky Speedway in June; and Richmond International Raceway this past May.
Reed Sorenson and the No.41 Target Dodge (NSCS)
Atlanta History: Sorenson has six NSCS and four NNS starts at the 1.54-mile quad-oval track. In the NSCS garage, Sorenson has one top-five and three top-10 finishes with an average start of 21st-place and average finish of 20th at AMS.
Best NSCS Finish: Sorenson’s career-best NSCS finish of third came from AMS in the fall race of 2007.
Welcome Home, Reed!: Sorenson, who hails from Peachtree City, Ga., will visit his home track of Atlanta Motor Speedway AMS this weekend. AMS is the site of Sorenson’s first NSCS start, which came on Oct. 30, 2005. Sorenson started the event 22nd and finished 41st after an accident that took him out of contention on lap 133 of 325. Sorenson grew up racing Legends Cars at AMS, capturing three track championships (’98, ’99, ’01) 22 wins, 40 top-five finishes and 42 top-10 finishes in 43 starts.
Golfing for Charity: The Second Annual Reed Sorenson Charity Golf Classic is scheduled to take place Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Eagles Landing Country Club in Stockbridge, Ga. Proceeds will benefit Speedway Children’s Charities and golfers can expect to play with many NASCAR drivers, including Sorenson’s CGRFS teammate Juan Pablo Montoya. For more information please log onto www.reedsorenson.com.
Last Race: After two solid practice sessions on Saturday, The No.41 team went into Sunday’s TUMS QuikPak 500 at Martinsville Speedway with a positive outlook. However, the Target team’s day was ruined when Sorenson experienced brake issues late in the race which forced the team to settle for a 35th-place finish.
Points Update: The Target team dropped back to 30th in the overall Sprint Cup Series owner standings. The team now stands 371 points outside of the top 25 with four events remaining.
Juan Pablo Montoya and No.42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge (NSCS)
On the Hood: Texaco/Havoline will adorn the hood of the No.42 Dodge Charger for the next three NASCAR Sprint Cup races – Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix.
Atlanta History: Montoya will be making his fourth Cup start at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. In his rookie season, he earned his first career top-five finish in the NSCS at the 1.54-mile track in March of 2007. Last fall, Montoya blew a tire and finished the race in the 34th position.
Most recently, Montoya finished 16th after starting from the 19th position earlier this season. He struggled to find the grip he was looking for on the track, but held on to earn the top-20 finish. Montoya averages an 18th-place start and finish in his three races at the Georgia track.
About last week: Montoya drove his No.42 Dodge Charger to a 14th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway last Sunday. Montoya has finished in the top 20 in each of his four starts at the Virginia short track and averages a 13th-place finish.
Meet Montoya in Peachtree City This Thursday: Montoya will make a stop by Kroger on his way to the race track this weekend. On Thursday, Oct. 23, from 6 to 7 p.m. ET, Montoya will visit the Kroger store located at 1101 North Peachtree Parkway in Peachtree City, Ga., to sign autographs and mingle with customers and race fans. For more information, please call the store at (770) 486-7200.
Gala for Colombia: Montoya and his wife Connie will once again co-host a charity gala in November benefiting six non-profit Colombian organizations including their own Formula Smiles Foundation (www.formulasmiles.org). BELIVE 2008 will take place Nov. 11 at Jungle Island in Miami. Headlining the gala this year is Latin Grammy Award Winner Carlos Vive and Esteban Cortazar, chief designer for the Emanuel Ungaro fashion house. The event will consist of a silent auction, a fashion show and a concert. The Montoyas founded the Formula Smiles Foundation to improve the quality of life for needy children by implementing programs that instill values through sports and recreation.
2008 Standings: Montoya remains 23rd in the NASCAR Sprint Cup driver standings after his 14th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway last Sunday. He is now sits just 124 points out of 20th behind Bobby Labonte.
Star in the Sky: Montoya’s spotter Tab Boyd is once again providing fans with his view on the race from atop the spotter’s stand with an in-depth post-race blog. Boyd recaps the race weekend from his point of view on www.texacohavoline42.com.
He’s "SIRIUS" Again: For the second year in a row, listen to SIRIUS Satellite Radio every Tuesday on channel 128 for the "Juan Pablo Montoya Report." Montoya will provide exclusive updates on the No. 42 Team; give post-race downloads and share his thoughts on the events of the season. He will also chat with hosts David Poole and Mike Bagley on "The Morning Drive" every Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Kevin Hamlin and No. 40 Fastenal Dodge (NNS)
Welcome Aboard, Hamlin: CGRFS announced last week Kevin Hamlin will drive the No.40 Fastenal Dodge at the Memphis Motorsports Park this weekend in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) Kroger On Track for The Cure 250 presented by the Southern Dodge Dealers race. Hamlin – a 29-year-old native of Snohomish, Wash. – will be the fifth different driver to climb behind the wheel of the Fastenal Dodge this 2008 season. He is a member of the Fastenal Team of Drivers which has included Bryan Clauson, Dario Franchitti, Scott Pruett and Reed Sorenson.
Just to Recap this Year: Hamlin has spent the majority of this year serving as a test driver and spotter for CGRFS. He has recorded two NNS starts so far this season, driving for Pat MacDonald during both efforts in the No.81 Dodge. He first drove for MacDonald at Auto Club Speedway this past August and then more recently at Dover International Speedway this past September. Both runs resulted in top-25 finishes.
Mobile Garage: Before heading to the track Friday morning, the No.40 Fastenal Team is making a special stop on Thursday morning to visit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Since a lot of the children and their families won’t have the opportunity to go to the Memphis Motorsports Park this upcoming Saturday, the Fastenal Team is doing its best to bring the track to them by taking their Fastenal transporter to the hospital for the children and their families to tour and see the team’s race car in person. Hamlin, Bryan Clauson and the majority of the No.40 Fastenal Team, will also be on site to visit with the hospital staff, children and their families and friends.
Fastenal Dodge Plays a Part in Designing Dreams: The No.40 Fastenal Dodge will have a different look this weekend at Memphis as part of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s Design-a-Dream contest. Eight Nationwide Series cars will sport special paint schemes designed by children at St Jude’s in this weekend’s race at Memphis, including the No.40 Fastenal Dodge. Along with Hamlin’s No.40 Fastenal Dodge, defending series champion Carl Edwards is part of the program, as is defending race winner David Reutimann, Jason Leffler, Scott Wimmer, Scott Lagasse Jr., Stanton Barrett and D.J. Kennington.
Hamlin Helps Spread the Word about Responsible Driving at Local High School: Thursday afternoon, Hamlin will visit Millington (Tenn.) Central High School to drive home the message that multitasking behind the wheel puts drivers and their fellow motorists at risk. Hamlin will be participating in the high school driver education event as part of the NASCAR Nationwide Series sponsorship that has been working throughout the 2008 season to spread the word about the dangers of driving while distracted. The program gives teens an opportunity to get driver autographs, clock the fastest time in a NASCAR racing simulator, and see firsthand the impact text messaging has on their driving abilities while racing in the NASCAR simulator. In a survey released by Nationwide Mutual Insurance of 1,500 drivers, nearly 40 percent of the teenagers and young adults surveyed admitted they send and receive text messages while driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says distracted drivers account for nearly four out of five crashes in the U.S., and the problem is especially bad for young drivers.
Hamlin on Track at Memphis: Hamlin has one start at Memphis. That run was in October 2005, when Hamiln drove the No.4 Dodge for Fred Biagi (started 17th, finished 14th).
A Little Bit about His Career: Hamlin made his career-first Nationwide Series start at Pikes Peak International Raceway in July 2005 (finished 17th) and signed up to be part of the CGRFS Driver Development Program later that same year. In just 24 NNS runs to-date, Hamlin currently holds a career-best 10th-place start (July 2005) and seventh-place finish (July 2007). Both have resulted out of Gateway International Raceway efforts.
Fastenal Racing Internship at CGRFS: Fastenal Company and its racing partner CGRFS have selected Kari Lynn Rios and Tyler Rapp to participate in Fastenal’s Second Annual NASCAR Internship Program. The week-long internship begins Oct. 26, when Rios and Rapp will travel to the CGRFS race shop in Concord, N.C., to help prepare the No.40 Fastenal Dodge for the team’s Nov. 1 NNS race at Texas Motor Speedway. Rios and Rapp will then travel to Texas and join the crew in the pits during the race. Fastenal selected both Rios and Rapp based on their academic records and personal essays, following a nationwide application process targeting automotive trade students. Rios recently graduated from the University of Northwestern Ohio, where she maintained an "A" average as an automotive high performance major and worked with a local ARCA RE/MAX Series crew on the side. Although she’s currently employed as a transmission builder through the week, she works on dirt-modified cars on the weekends and is looking forward to honing her race mechanic skills alongside some of the top professionals in the sport. Rapp is a recent graduate from the North Dakota State College of Science, where he also maintained an "A" average as an automotive technology major. In January, he’ll begin the Motorsports Vehicle Technology program at Lanier Tech in Georgia. Now, he’ll have a chance to tell his classmates and professors what it’s like to work as part of a NASCAR crew. As part of the internship, Rios’ University of Northwestern Ohio Acting Division Head/Department Chair Paul Higgins and Rapp’s North Dakota State College of Science instructor Paul Mosey will both be flown to the Texas Motor Speedway race and provided with pit row seats, courtesy of ASE (Automotive Service Excellence). The school will also receive a seven-piece SAE reversing wrench roll set from GearWrench.
NNS Owner Standings Update: The No.40 Fastenal Dodge Team is currently 20th in the NNS owner standings. With a current tally of 3,243, the team is 338 points away from the top 15. Altogether, the Fastenal Drivers and crew have grabbed three poles, three top-five and three top-10 finishes throughout the 2008 season.
Check out the Parrott Perspective: Clauson’s NNS Crew Chief Brad Parrott is keeping fans up to date on what is going on in the world of the Fastenal Racing Team through an online blog he is keeping throughout the 2008 NNS season. Check out the Parrott Perspective at www.fastenalracing.com.
CHASSIS INFO
No.40 Target/Guitar Hero® World Tour Dodge (NSCS): Chassis # 733. This car was last entered at Dover International Speedway this past June. Jeremy Mayfield was behind the wheel and drove the car to a 25th-place finish (started 10th).
No.41 Target Dodge (NSCS): Chassis #806. This chassis is the same car Sorenson and the No.41 team ran at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this season to an 18th-place finish. In addition, the Target Team raced this car in the All-Star Showdown at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May. Sorenson was racing in the top five prior to another car forcing him into the outside wall. The car also ran in Michigan (June) and Bristol (August).
No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge (NSCS): Chassis #815. This chassis has made five starts in NSCS competition this season. Montoya ran this chassis at Pocono, Chicagoland, Fontana and Kansas, while teammate Sorenson ran chassis #815 at Texas. Montoya finished 18th with this chassis at Chicagoland, 39th at Pocono in June, at California Speedway where he drove to a 20th-place finish and most recently at Kansas where he finished 20th.
No.40 Fastenal Dodge (NNS): Chassis #851. This car was entered at Richmond International Raceway (RIR) last month (started 19th, finished 38th) and this past May (started 16th, finished 21st). Both times it was driven by Clauson. It is also the same car Franchitti piloted to a top-15 finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (started 10th) this past June.
PaddockTalk Perspective
|
|
|
| |
|
