Category: NASCAR Cup Series

34-TIME MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPION – NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE

KOBALT TOOLS 400

LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

March 6, 2011

DID YOU KNOW? Chevrolet dealers delivered 142,919 total vehicles in February, a 43-percent increase versus last year. Retail sales for Chevrolet rose 69 percent and were propelled by improving Cruze sales, which were 212 percent higher than the compact car it replaces. Silverado retail sales rose 84 percent, while Equinox posted its best February ever, with retail sales almost doubling, up 98 percent.

CHEVY RACING AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY- JEFF CHEW, MARKETING MANAGER, NASCAR, CHEVY RACING: “Racing is a very important part of Chevy’s long history, and sharing that heritage with our fans is very important to us. We are coming off of another phenomenally successful season, and are very happy to bring the all-new Team Chevy Racing Display to Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS). This year we’ve added even more elements, like the latest GM Performance Parts crate engines and Chevy accessories and performance parts that fans can purchase from their local Chevy dealer. We also have Chevy race cars on display representing several of the race series that Chevy competes in, including Dale Jr’s and Jimmie Johnson’s Sprint Cup Series Impalas, Chevy’s C6R Corvette and a Grand-Am GT-R Camaro. Plus, there are interactive games, digital photography and other activities for fans of all ages.”

. Follow Team Chevy on Facebook to receive the latest news as well as updates with times and locations of events

. Fans can visit Chevy Racing Display in Las Vegas Motor Speedway Fan Midway behind the main grandstands

. Fans can check out great Chevrolet vehicles including: Cruze, Camaro, Equinox, Traverse, Silverado HD, Tahoe, Volt, and Corvette

. See the Motor Trend Truck of the Year Trophy that has been awarded to the Silverado HD

. Activities at the Chevy Racing Display includes a variety of interactive activities for adults and kids

. New this year is the GM Performance Parts display including crate engines and an assortment of GM accessories and performance parts

. DRIVER APPEARNCES AND AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS:

o Jeff Burton appears for fan Q & A on Sunday – 7:50 to 8:05 a.m.

o Paul Menard will do fan Q & A on Sunday – 8:30 to 8:45 a.m.

o The display will also feature an Autograph Session with Burtons No. 31 Over-the-Wall Pit Crew at 9:00 a.m. Sunday

. Hours of operation: Friday, March 4th — 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Saturday, March 5th — 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; Sunday, March 6th — 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

. Fans – be sure and bring your old cell phones to donate to the Cell Phones for Soldiers program

TEAM CHEVY IN THE GARAGE LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY – PAT SUHY, NASCAR GROUP MANAGER-GM RACING: ‘Congratulations to Jeff Gordon, Alan Gustafson, and Hendrick Motorsports on the No, 24 team’s win last weekend in Phoenix. It was great to see them back in the winner’s circle and for Chevrolet to notch Sprint Cup Series win number one in the 2011 season.

“Although we didn’t visit Victory Lane in either the Truck or Nationwide Series last weekend, Chevy drivers took home the most drivers points awarded in both events and we now have the drivers points leads in both series.

“Coming in to Las Vegas this weekend, it will be good to see how everyone performs on a mile-and-a-half track with the new lower nose configuration. While we’re excited to see the new look and much improved esthetics, it has taken a lot of work to get a handle on the aerodynamic performance and tuning for various track types. Some of that work showed in the fact that Team Chevy drivers had 8 of the 10 fastest qualifying times at Daytona, where low drag is key.

“At the mile and a half tracks, teams strive for maximum downforce. After working on their low drag packages, our GM Racing engineers and teams have focused a lot of resources on optimizing downforce with the new lower nose. Countless hours in wind tunnels, analyzing the results of sophisticated CFD (computational fluid dynamics) programs, and track testing have helped our Chevrolet teams get a handle on the new nose and to optimize their aero packages to the extent that NASCAR’s rules allow.

“Team Chevy drivers have enjoyed a lot of success on mile-and-a-half tracks historically and have won more than 40% of all Cup races run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Hopefully, all the hard work and planning with the new lower nose together with the teams usual high level or preparedness will mean another trip to Victory Lane in the desert.”

TEAM CHEVY IN NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES (NSCS) COMPETITION:

. Chevrolet has won 34 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Manufacturers’ Championships

. Team Chevy drivers have scored 670 wins in NSCS competition

. In 2010, Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 Lowe’s Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team scored their unprecedented fifth consecutive drivers’ and owners’ NSCS championships

CHEVROLET ON THE TRACK-LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY:

* A Chevrolet driver has won five (5) of the 13 previous NSCS races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) * Chevy has won one (1) pole at LVMS * Team Chevy drivers have scored 28 top-five finishes and 50 top-10 finishes at LVMS * A Chevrolet has led 1,275 laps (37.8% of 3,373 possible) at LVMS

. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, is the defending race winner

TEAM CHEVY FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY:

TONY STEWART, NO. 14 MOBIL 1/OFFICE DEPOT CHEVROLET – 3RD IN STANDINGS: “It’s no different at Las Vegas than anywhere else. You have to get the car to rotate through the corner, but still stay tight enough on entry and exit. There’s no unique challenges there. The track is really smooth and that lets you work on the attitude of your car, and I think that’s a luxury that we have there that we don’t necessarily always get everywhere else because every track has its unique set of bumps. Vegas has bumps too, but for the most part, it’s so smooth that you can really fine-tune the attitude of the car.”

JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DUPONT CHEVROLET – 5TH IN STANDINGS – HAS ONE WIN AT LVMS (’01): “There were a couple races last year that we had a great shot to win and we didn’t capitalize on it. Whether it was spinning the tires on a restart or getting collected in a crash while having a fast race car, we just didn’t get it done at places like Phoenix, Las Vegas or Texas. “But we had a really fast car last weekend and were able to get the win. And while we get to enjoy it for less than a week, we’re going into this weekend’s race wanting to win just as much.”

MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET – 6TH IN STANDINGS – WON AT LVMS IN ’98: “This will be a busy weekend for sure for me. It’s been awhile since I’ve run both races, and I’ll have to quickly get used to the running between both garages and the debriefs and all the notes and stuff. I just hope I can transition from car to car pretty easily. I know that some guys have had issues with that before, but hopefully that will come pretty naturally. I look at it this way, it will be busy, but it’s also double the chance at getting a win. If I can score two-out-of-two, now that’s a great weekend. If we ever get a race where our nose stays on, we’ll definitely see how good this team is. (LAUGHS) These guys have really impressed me. We made a lot of changes to the car during the practice sessions at Phoenix, and they worked hard. I worked them hard. And we got better and better. For the second straight week then, they had to completely rebuild a section of our car on pit road. They’re good. And they’re quick. I’m anxious to keep this season going and see what we’ve got for everyone out there.”

RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 39 HAAS AUTOMATION CHEVROLET – 8TH IN STANDINGS: “This year, we’re coming back to Las Vegas with what we believe is a really good intermediate car for us. It has qualified on the pole at Charlotte, and it has been a really solid performer for us. I think the last three tracks I raced it were Kansas, Charlotte and Homestead last year. And if it wouldn’t have been for a driver error on my part at Charlotte, I think we would have finished in the top-three each time. Personally for me, I really like Las Vegas. I always say that it is my kind of racetrack because I like the ones that have hills, and this track has some great banking. As far as the track goes, they’ve made some changes to it over the past few years. The track is higher-banked. It has a rougher surface in that there’s more bumps. The track has some character to it. Over the past couple of years, the bumps in the track have typically been pretty tricky – but that’s something I like. We have some good notes from what we have done here the past couple of years, and I really hope we can build on those and the momentum we have to carry ourselves to another strong finish this weekend.”

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET – 9TH IN STANDINGS: “I like Vegas. It’s a fast track and can be a little unpredictable at times. It’s just a fun race track and one of those you look forward to going to every year. It’s funny cause this will be our third race this season and its completely different from the previous two races. This will be the first test to see how our mile-and-a-half package is this year. The guys back at the shop have been working really hard to get our Target Chevy’s as competitive as ever.”

PAUL MENARD, NO. 27 MOEN/MENARDS CHEVROLET – 11TH IN STANDINGS: “The intermediate tracks were definitely the strong suit for Slugger (Richard Labbe, crew chief) and me last year. We struggle on the short tracks. I think Vegas is going to be business as usual for us. We have a good baseline from what we ran there last year and so does RCR. So we will marry the two and we’ll be alright. At Vegas you have to pick and choose your battles all day long, There is a lot that goes into your decision making process, but you definitely have to pick and choose what is right for you at the time and it might not always be right.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S/KOBALT TOOLS CHEVROLET – 13TH IN STANDINGS – HAS FOUR (4) VICTORIES AT LVMS (’05, ’06,’07 & ’10): “Vegas, the last few times, has had so much grip between the re-surfacing they did a few years back and the progressive banking and the new tires that we take to the track. So when I think of Vegas, I think of pulling (his belts) tight and taking a deep breath, especially in qualifying. You go out there and lay it all on the line (during qualifying). And in the race, you’re not tiptoeing around there either. In the race you’re laying it on pretty hard.”

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD/AMP ENERGY CHEVROLET – 17TH IN STANDINGS: “Vegas is a lot of fun. On all of these mile-and-a-half tracks it comes down to who can hold the throttle down the longest through the corner and make the straightaways as long as you can because everyone has good horsepower. It’s a fast track, and I enjoy running around there. It’s definitely a lot more fun since they reconfigured it (in 2006). It has a lot of bumps now, but it is still a pretty good racetrack.”

REGAN SMITH, NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW RACING CHEVROLET – 19TH IN STANDINGS: “We’re not looking for any luck in Las Vegas, we just don’t want any bad luck. Keep away the bad luck, then I am pretty confident the Furniture Row Chevrolet will be in good shape when it’s all said and done on Sunday in Vegas. The mile-in-a-half tracks have been our strong suit in the past and I don’t see any reason for it not to continue in Vegas. We’re going there with the same focus and confidence we had after our strong showing in Daytona. The positive energy on this team has made the offseason and the beginning of the new season so much fun. We had a solid showing for a while in Phoenix last week, but got caught up in the early 14-car accident. We’re only looking at what happened in Phoenix as a hiccup or a detour.”

CLINT BOWYER, NO. 33 WHEATIES FUEL CHEVROLET – 21ST IN STANDINGS: “We’ve run well there. We’ve had a couple good calls that have put us in a situation when we ran second. It’s definitely a track we can get better at, but definitely not a track that we’re a slouch at either. You’re always trying to think about how you’re going to get around him [the car in front of you] and how you’re going to pass him. You’re trying everything you can possibly do, waiting for him to slip up, whatever the case may be, but you’re not saying ‘alright, is this a 25% gamble.a 50%gamble? What are my odds here of making this?’ If you don’t think you’re going to make the pass and it’s going to cost you, don’t do it. If you think you can make the pass and you’re going to do it, then on top of that, if it’s two-to-go or the last lap and you’re racing for the win, that odd factor just goes out the window. You’re going for the win if you have a shot at it.”

KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 29 BUDWEISER CHEVROLET – 22ND IN STANDINGS: “Last year [at Las Vegas Motor Speedway] didn’t start off too well for us. I got a little anxious during practice and got the car in the wall, and they had to fix it. I didn’t get to practice the whole first practice. The car was really good during the race, and we were able to make our way to the front of the field, and put ourselves in contention at the end. We just ran out of laps at the end. I’m excited to go back there. We won the Nationwide race and finished second in the Cup race. It should be a good race for us. When they redid the race track, it’s just a really fast race track. It’s got several bumps in the race track and you have to make sure you are pointed in the right the direction to go over it straight. It’s a really fast race track and you just got to have a lot of grip in the car to keep the pedal on the floor.”

JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 MCDONALD’S CHEVROLET – 26TH IN STANDINGS: “I enjoy going to Las Vegas, the race track is always fast and competitive and of course lots of activity away from the track too. This will be our first race of the season with McDonald’s as the primary sponsor on the No. 1 Chevrolet; so I look forward to having them out there. Our guys have been working hard and we are looking forward to having a competitive run in Las Vegas.”

JEFF BURTON, NO. 31 CATERPILLAR CHEVROLET – 32ND IN STANDINGS – HAS WON TWICE AT LVMS (’99 AND ’00): “Vegas has been a really good race track for us. We haven’t run on the new surface, but we come close a bunch of times. I thought we had one won a few years ago. Jimmie Johnson and I were running and we broke a motor late in the run. I really like going to Vegas. It’s one of my favorite race tracks. I wish we went there more often. The fans are great, but the race track it self is very racy. It’s a fun race track to go to. The thing about Vegas is that we’ve gone there and didn’t run well, but we still ran well there. That’s a good sign that a race track works for you.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships

Total (1949 – 2010): 34

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

Highest number of consecutive titles: 9 (1983 – 91)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Drivers Championships

Total (1949 – 2010): 27

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 6 (1993 – 98) & (2005 – ’10)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Event Victories

2010 Race Wins: 18

Record for total race wins in single season: 26 – 2007

2011 YEAR-TO-DATE STATISTICS:

Wins: 1

Poles: 1

Laps led: 350

Top-five finishes: 4

Top-10 finishes: 10

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR SPRINT CUP CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 670 (1949 – to date) (2,284 possible = 29.3%)

Poles Won to Date: 610

Laps Lead to Date: 200,586

Top-Five Finishes to Date: 3,371

Top-10 Finishes to Date: 6,892

Total NASCAR Cup wins by Corporation, 1949 – To-Date

GM: 1,005

Chevrolet: 670

Pontiac: 155

Oldsmobile: 115

Buick: 65

Ford: 700

Ford: 600

Mercury: 96

Lincoln: 4

Chrysler: 456

Dodge: 207

Plymouth: 190

Chrysler: 59

Toyota: 33

About Chevrolet: Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 140 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly to gas-free” solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com ce5&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.chevrolet.com%2f> .

February 27 race was last NASCAR event on PIR’s current surface  

(PHOENIX, Ariz.) – Sunday’s SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ at Phoenix International Raceway earned a 5.9 TV rating, making it the most watched race in the track’s 23 years as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series venue. Jeff Gordon celebrated the win, snapping a 66-race winless streak, with a burnout and the ceremonial first dig to get construction started for the track’s upcoming track pavement project.

The following is a breakdown of PIR television ratings from Sunday, February 27:

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix Aired Sunday, February 27th from 3:30PM – 6:39PM on FOX

The 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500 earned a 5.9 fast national rating on FOX, up +5% over the 5.6 final rating for the 2010 California event, the 2nd race on FOX in 2010.

An average of 6.9 million households (+6%) and 10.4 million viewers (+13%) tuned in to the Phoenix event on FOX.

Rating 2011: 5.9 on FOX 2010: 5.6 on FOX % Chg: +5%

HHs (000) 2011: 6882 2010: 6465 % Chg: +6%

Viewers (000) 2011: 10361 2010: 9151 % Chg: +13%

As an additional comparison, the 2011 SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ 5.9 fast national rating is up +59 percent over the 3.7 final rating for the 2010 Phoenix event, the 7th race of the 2010 season, also on FOX.  The 2010 Phoenix race ran on a Saturday night.

About Phoenix International Raceway Since 1964, Phoenix International Raceway has served race fans as the premier motorsports venue in the Southwest. Watch the brightest stars in NASCAR take on PIR’s famed one-mile oval – including five-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Tony Stewart and many more – on February 27, 2011 in the Subway Fresh Fit 500. Tickets for the entire Subway Fresh Fit 500 weekend at Phoenix International Raceway can be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com/Ticketsor by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223). For more, visit PhoenixRaceway.com, Facebook.com/PhoenixRacewayand Twitter.com/PhoenixRaceway.

Biffle on Vegas: “I always enjoy going to Vegas for several reasons.  I usually get to go to the sand dunes like I did this week when we’re on the west coast. That’s one of my favorite things I get to do away from the track.  I also enjoy playing craps if I get a chance while I’m in Vegas.  Probably my favorite part of Vegas though is the track.  It’s fast and it’s a lot of fun to race there as a driver.  We haven’t started the season the way we hoped but we’re definitely looking forward to getting on the track this weekend to see if we can turn things around.”

Erwin on Vegas:  “I like the track and Greg (Biffle) likes track so that immediately gets us off on the right foot at Vegas. The tire we use there has a tremendous amount of grip which leads to high speeds and plays into Biffle’s driving style.  We’re very optimistic about the changes we’ve made to the noses in our 2011 Fusions and the benefits they will provide going to a fast track like Vegas.  Phoenix didn’t go the way we expected it to but we’ll learn from it and get ready for Vegas this weekend.”

Las Vegas Notes   Biffle is currently 28th in the Sprint Cup point standings following his 20th-place finish at Phoenix.   Biffle has an average finish of 12.9 from an average starting position of 9.7 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.   During last year’s race at Vegas, Biffle was running fourth when he came in for a late-race pit stop.  He returned to the track in the 25th position after getting blocked in by a fellow competitor at his pit box. He then drove his way up to 10th in the closing laps.   The No. 16 3M Ford will feature a special Post-it paint scheme this weekend in Las Vegas.  

Interesting fact: Although now available in a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes, Post-it notes are most commonly a 3-inch (76 mm) square, canary yellow in color. The original yellow color of Post-it Notes was chosen by accident; a lab next-door to the Post-it team had scrap yellow paper, which the team initially used.   Visit www.shop3M.com to learn more about all of the innovative products 3M has to offer.

Last time at Vegas:

Following practice on Friday, Greg Biffle felt confident the 3M Ford Fusion could be a contender for the win.  He qualified seventh that afternoon and remained in the top 10 for the first 108 laps of the race leading once for four laps.  However, during a pit stop on lap 109, Biffle came in fourth for two tires and got blocked in when he tried to exit the pits by AJ Allmendinger.  Because it took so long to get out of his pit box, Biffle restarted 25th on lap 113.  He drove all the way up to sixth but the handling never seemed as good as it was during those first 100 laps.  Biffle was credited with a 10th-place finish and moved up to sixth in the point standings.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Advance Notes

Race:             Kobalt Tools 400 on Sunday, March 6

Track:            Las Vegas Motor Speedway (1.5 miles)

Location:      Las Vegas   Earnhardt Ganassi         

No. 42 Clorox Chevrolet   NOTES   Team of the Year:  RACER Magazine recently named Chip Ganassi Racing the 2010 ‘Team of the Year’ for their record-breaking season. Ganassi’s teams claimed 19 victories across all three major motorsports series which they complete.  

Did You Know?: 10 years-ago this weekend Sterling Marlin drove Ganassi’s  No.40 to victory lane leading 37 of the 267 laps at Las Vegas. Marlin went on to win Darlington later in the season before he was sidelined by an injury, he was replaced by current Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates driver Jamie McMurray who would go onto score a victory in only his second career NSCS race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  

Wheaties Most Popular Driver:  Voting for the 2011 NASCAR® Sprint Cup Wheaties most-popular driver has now started. Fans can visit www.wheatiesfuelmostpopulardriver.com once a-day to vote for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray until 11:59 PM CT Sept. 10 following the race at Richmond International Raceway. 

At that point, the 10 drivers with the most votes will be announced as finalists, and the vote count will reset to zero.  Fans will then have 10 race weeks to cast their vote once a day to determine the 2011 NASCAR® Wheaties FUEL Most Popular Driver from the final field of 10 drivers.  Voting will conclude November 20 at 11:59 PM CT. The winner will be announced at the NASCAR® NMPA Myers Brothers Luncheon in December.   Intermediate Magic:Dating back to the 2001 season, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams have accumulated 10 NASCAR wins (NSCS, Nationwide Series) at tracks deemed intermediate (NSCS: Charlotte: 2001, 2002, 2010; Las Vegas: 2002; Darlington: 2002; Nationwide: Phoenix: 2002; Nashville: 2002; Gateway: 2005, 2007; Chicagoland: 2006).  

Bristol Entrance Song:Earnhardt Ganassi Racing drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray want fans to help choose the songs they will use for driver introductions prior to the start of the Jeff Byrd 500 presented by Food City at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 20. Fans are encouraged to visit www.earnhardtganassi.com and the Earnhardt Ganassi facebook page topost their song suggestions on a discussion board this week. At the conclusion of this weekend’s Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, all suggestions will be tallied to determine the top-three songs. On Monday March 7, the top-three song suggestions will be announced and fans will be able to vote for their favorite until 5:00 p.m. ET on March 10.  

Follow EGR on Twitter:  Continue to followEarnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates on their official team Twitter page. Follow the No. 1 and No. 42 teams throughout the 2011 season @EGRTeams.  

Gear Up!:  Fans, be sure to check out the latest in Earnhardt Ganassi Racing team merchandise by visiting the team’s merchandise trailer, trackside, in Vegas. 

For those fans that cannot make it to the race track, please be sure to visit www.earnhardtganassi.com to pick up your favorite Jamie McMurray or Juan Pablo Montoya gear.   Jamie McMurray and No. 1 McDonald’sTeam   Las Vegas McDonald’s:  Las Vegas race fans, be sure to stop by the local McDonald’s to get breakfast, lunch or dinner on your way to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  There are three convenient locations for your choosing near the speedway: 301 Fremont Street, One South Main Street, 2050 East Charlestown Boulevard, 1601 West Charlestown Boulevard, 1003 East Lake Mead Boulevard. Each McDonald’s is located within 15 minutes of the race track.   Las Vegas Stats: McMurray will be making his ninth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend. McMurray has one top-five and three top-10 finishes, in eight previous starts at the one-and-a-half mile facility, with his best start and finish of fourth coming in the 2004 season with Ganassi.  

Phoenix Recap: McMurray and the No. 1 teamposted a top-10 qualifying effort last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, and hoped for a strong run in the Subway Fresh Fit 400. Starting from the eighth-position, the team took advantage of an early caution on lap 35 to pit and take four tires.  

With a car that the No. 1 team thought could contend for the win, McMurray would restart in the 16th position; however running a bit further back in the pack would prove costly as the No.1 car was collected in a 13-car incident on lap 67, which resulted in a 35th place finish. McMurray is currently 26th in the 2011 NSCS standings, 44 points behind leader Kyle  Busch.

Bass Pro Shops Appearance:On March 3, McMurray will be making an appearance at Bass Pro Shops from 7:00-8:30 p.m. The store is located at 8200 Dean Martin Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89139, and can be reached at 702-730-5200.   Lure of Vegas: It would take 21,120 of the four and a half inch Bass Pro Shops® Cut Tail Worm lures placed end-to-end to go the 1.5-mile distance of LVMS. 

  Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Clorox Team   Viva Las Vegas:  Juan Pablo Montoya will be making his fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend.  His best start was fourth in his Rookie season (2007) and best finish of 19th came in 2008. 

Phoenix Rewind: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series headed out west last weekend, for race number two of the 2011 season. The Target Chevrolet started midfield and would battle handling concerns, avoid on track melee and damage to the right front fender to cross the finish line in the 19th position. Montoya enters Las Vegas in a three-way tie for positions seven through nine in the point standings. He currently has 64 points and is 16 points out of the first-place position   Blue 42: The No. 42 car will sport the red, white and blue colors of Clorox this weekend for the Kolbalt Tools 400. Clorox® is a leading manufacturer and marketer of some of consumers’ most trusted and recognized brand names, including its namesake bleach and other cleaning products. The Clorox Company is committed to helping families live easier, healthier and better lives. For more information, visit http://www.clorox.com/.   Meet Montoya: JuanPablo Montoya will be signing autographs at the Deer Springs Town Center Target store on Saturday March 5 starting at 4:30 p.m. The first 200 people in-line are guaranteed to receive an autograph from the Target driver. Members of the No. 42 pit crew will also be on-hand to provide demonstrations. The store is located at 7090 N 5th Street, North Las Vegas, NV 89084, and can be reached at 702-216-4501.   The Clorox Company Foundation:Since founding The Clorox Company Foundation in 1980, we have awarded more than $77 million to schools, colleges and nonprofit organizations supporting K-12 education, youth development and cultural and civic enrichment.

Matt Kenseth – NSCS ADVANCE

Team:           No. 17 Crown Royal Ford Fusion

Crew Chief:  Jimmy Fennig Chassis:       Primary: RK-733 (brand new chassis)                                    

Kenseth on racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway : “I’m looking forward to racing at Las Vegas this weekend because Roush Fenway typically has had a lot of success at 1.5-mile tracks.  Last year we were able to get a top-five finish so I have some great expectations for this weekend’s race.  Las Vegas is a bumpier race track surface so we always focus on making sure that our balance and shock packages are exactly where we need them to be.  Handling is a priority at Las Vegas because if we can get our car into the corners faster, we can run down the straightaway faster.”  

Crew chief Jimmy Fennig on racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway : “ Las Vegas has been a good track for this team and organization, so I’m looking forward to racing there this weekend.  It’s a racetrack I enjoy every year because I always look forward to having a fast race car there, and Matt (Kenseth) has had a lot of successful races at Las Vegas as well.  We’re bringing a brand new race car this weekend and I’m looking forward to seeing how it handles at this 1.5-mile track.  Handling is a focus of ours at Vegas, but I’m confident in our team that we’ll get a strong run out of our Crown Royal Ford.” 

FAST FACTS:

•        Kenseth is rated fifth among active drivers for the best average finish at LVMS with a 11.7 average

•        Kenseth’s 447 laps led are the second most in track history at LVMS

 •        Kenseth has an average starting position of 19.2 and an average finishing position of 11.7 at Las Vegas

•        In 11 starts, Kenseth has achieved two wins, five top-five and six top-10 finishes at Las Vegas in the Sprint Cup series

•        Kenseth has completed 2,559 of 2,839 (90.1 percent) laps at Las Vegas and led for a total of 447 laps

•        This weekend at Las Vegas , Kenseth will pilot the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford Fusion

•        Entering this weekend, Kenseth is currently 23rd in the NSCS driver point standings

•        Kenseth is scheduled to sign autographs at the MGM Grand on Thursday, March 3rd at 6:00pm.  Wristbands will be handed out starting at 3:00pm local time on Thursday, March 3rd at the MGM Grand for the first 300 fans.

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Martin Truex Jr. and the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS team moved from 18th to 16th in the championship standings after Sunday’s 14th-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway. This weekend the Michael Waltrip Racing team visits Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Sunday’s 400-mile NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Truex led 17 laps at Daytona and climbed as high as second in Phoenix where he also paid a visit to the Chicago White Sox training facility. Truex has welcomed many of the changes NASCAR instituted in the 2011 season including using the practice speeds to determine the qualifying order.

TRUEX QUOTES

Martin Truex Jr. on NAPA Team’s Performance: “The last two weeks we’ve had top-five performances. At Daytona a wreck took us out and at Phoenix, we had a problem on pit road. All in all, my guys are doing a great job for me all weekend. We salvaged 14th in Phoenix, but this NAPA team is looking for more. We are doing everything we can to fix the little things. Our NAPA Toyota is performing really well so I am happy. This team has a lot to look forward to going into the Las Vegas weekend.”

On New Qualifying Format: “I absolutely love it from a competitor’s standpoint. There have been times when I have had a fast car, but drew a bad number. My qualifying effort essentially suffered for it. Now we have added another positive element to the show. For the fans, qualifying is even more exciting to watch now because the fastest cars are bunched together at the end. I think the fans like to see the excitement build as drivers start to bump each other off the pole.”

On Spring Training with the Chicago White Sox: “I was pretty good at baseball when I was a kid so to return to the field after 18 years was neat. I had some rust on me that’s for sure, but so did David (Reutimann), my brother Ryan and Michael (Waltrip). We did the whole nine yards with the White Sox — warm up, fielding and batting practice. It was a lot of fun to practice with the players and a few of them came with us to the track. It was cool to hang out with baseball players who are NASCAR fans because I’m a baseball fan too. I found out baseball is like racing. They make it look so easy when you watch them, but in reality, what they do is not easy at all.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

· Sunday’s race marks the 192nd NASCAR Sprint Cup start for Truex.

· This will be his sixth NSCS race at the 1.5-mile oval. His average start is 27th and his average finish is 20th. He has completed 1352 of 1356 laps (99.7%) and has led two laps in competition.

· On Sunday, NAPA Racing will host Honorary Pit Crew Member Ron Giesbrecht of Atwater, Calif. He will be honored in NAPA pre-race festivities and have his name decaled on the No. 56 NAPA Toyota.

· Check out NAPA Reserve Online. Visit www.napaonline.com to make shopping for an auto part easier. Order online and pick up at your favorite NAPA AUTO PARTS store.

· The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation has raised over $500,000 for community outreach programs benefiting children. Find out more: www.martintruexjrfoundation.org

Carl Edwards– NSCS LAS VEGAS ADVANCE

Team:           No. 99 Scotts/Kellogg’s Ford Fusion Crew Chief:   Bob Osborne

Chassis:       RK-732   This is a new car    

QUOTES

Carl Edwards on racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway : “I’m excited to come to Vegas, we all like coming to Vegas. 

The fans are great, the facility is second-to-none and the racing is spectacular.  The win in 2008 was really special and I have to say that is one of the coolest victory lanes anywhere with showgirls, the title belt, champagne and fans everywhere.  Running well in Vegas is especially important after our misfortune in Phoenix last weekend.  We went from first to 12th in the points so we need to get back up there.”  

Crew chief Bob Osborne on racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway : ” Las Vegas has been a strong track for all the Roush Fenway teams over the years.  Carl has had some success there in both Cup and Nationwide.  We’ve got another new car that we are bringing to the track this weekend that should be very competitive.  We had a great car in Phoenix last weekend that we believe was capable of winning, but things didn’t go our way.”  

FAST FACTS

* Carl Edwardsenters Vegas 12th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings, 21 markers behind point leader Kyle Busch.  He has earned one top-five finish this season.

* FOR THE RECORD… In six starts at the 1.5-mile Vegas track, Edwards has one win, one top-five and two top-10 finishes. His average start is 14.0, and his average finish is 12.7.  Edwards has completed every lap of Cup competition attempted at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

* IN THE LOOP … According to NASCAR’s Loop Statistics compiled over the last six races at Vegas, Edwards has turned 101 of the track’s fastest laps (fourth most), spent 1029 laps in the top 15 and led a total of 91 laps. Edwards’ driver rating is 10th best among active drivers.

* ON THE TRACK…The No. 99 will have co-primary sponsorship at Vegas with Scotts and Kellogg’s. The No. 99 crew will unload RK-732 for the weekend. This is a brand new car.

* REWIND, VEGAS, MARCH 2010…After qualifying 12th and running in the top 10 much of the race, a long green-flag run after halfway hurt Edwards’ shot at a win.  The car was very loose and Edwards lost track position, going a lap down before a caution came.  With smart pit strategy at the end, Edwards got his lap back and rallied to finish the race in 12th place.

David Ragan – NSCS ADVANCE

Team:          No. 6 UPS “We Love Logistics” Ford Fusion

Crew Chief:  Drew Blickensderfer

Chassis:       Primary: RK-730   Brand new chassis                    

Backup: RK-695    Last ran Phoenix in 2010 as the No. 99 – finished first   

Ragan, NSCS at Las Vegas Motor Speedway :

Date        Event                              S          F       Laps           Led       Status           Money       

2-28-10   Shelby American              18        23     266/267      0          Running         $100,925 3-1-09     Shelby 427                      35        42     72/285        0          Engine           $91,155 3-2-08     UAW-Dodge 400              38        7       267/267      0          Running         $124,450 3-11-07    UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400    35        37     236/267      0          Running         $115,450                              Races        Wins    Top-5s    Top-10s     Poles      Led            Money          

Cumulative         4                0          0             1                0             0                $431,980    

Ragan on racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway : “Our mile-and-a-half cars the last two or three races of last year were very fast and I feel like our cars are overall better than last year, so I have high expectations for Vegas. The track was just paved a year or so ago, so it should be coming into its own now.   Vegas is one of my favorite tracks to visit and is a really fast track.  It’s similar to Texas and Charlotte where we ran well at last year.” 

Crew chief Drew Blickensderfer on racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: “Vegas is a place that is big and fast.  You need good downforce and a big motor to be successful at Vegas.  David runs well at these types of tracks, so we’re looking forward to getting there.  We’ve had fast race cars the last few weeks and we are ready to get the finishes we deserve.”  

FAST FACTS

•        Ragan will appear at Sam’s Town Casino Friday evening, March 4th from 7-9 PM.

 •        In four starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Ragan has one top-10 finish.