Category: NASCAR Cup Series

This Week

Race: Hollywood Casino 400
Track: Kansas Speedway
TV: ESPN, 2 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN Radio affiliates, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio

Track Facts
Track Length: 1.5 miles
Race Length: 267 laps/400 miles
Grandstand Seating Capacity: 73,635
First Race: Sept. 30, 2001
Banking in the Corners: 17-20 degrees
Banking on the Frontstretch: 9-11 degrees
Banking on the Backstretch: 5 degrees
Frontstretch: 2,685 feet
Backstretch: 2,207 feet

Rearview Mirror

Last weekend at Dover (Del.) International Speedway, Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser team scored a sixth-place finish and advanced two positions to fourth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup driver point standings.

Budweiser Racing Team Notes of Interest

Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet SS team travel to Kansas Speedway this weekend for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race.

Chassis Info… The No. 29 Budweiser team will utilize Chassis No. 431 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable at Kansas. This is a new car that will make its first laps at the 1.5-mile track this weekend.

Testing 1, 2, 3… NSCS teams will arrive early in Kansas this week for an open test session at the track on Thursday. The series added the extra track time for teams to test the new Goodyear tire that will be used this weekend.

Statistically Speaking… In 15 starts at Kansas, Harvick has earned one top five and six top 10s. He has completed 97.2 percent of the laps run in NSCS competition (3,843 of 3,953) and has led 83 laps there as well. Harvick’s average start at the track is 19.7 and his average finish is 12.8.

Loop Data… Since the inception of NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics in 2006, Harvick has competed in 10 NSCS races at Kansas Speedway and owns a few impressive marks heading into this weekend’s event, including: first in green flag passes (859); fifth in laps in the top 15 (2009); sixth in quality passes (410); ninth in average running position (12.740); ninth in driver rating (92.0); 10th in fastest drivers early in a run (166.346 mph); 10th in fastest drivers late in a run (163.496 mph); and 10th in fastest laps run (91).

A Look Back… During last year’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas, Harvick started 10th and finished 11th.

Harvick Discusses Racing at Kansas Speedway

The racing surface at Kansas Speedway was recently repaved. How long does it usually take you to adapt to the racing surface as it ages between race weekends and seasons?

“Kansas (Speedway) will be a little different this time because of the tire change Goodyear is making for this race. Because of the tire change we have an open test day at the track before the race weekend begins, so we’ll have some extra time to get used to the racing surface and what’s going on with the aging and wear. In general, it depends on the environment the track is in that will change the racing surface. The asphalt they use to pave these race tracks now is made to last a long time on roads and it’s really not the right asphalt to use for a racing surface. Tracks seem to age a little slower than they did in the past and it’s not really what we’re used to.”

Harvick’s Career Record at Kansas Speedway

For the online version of the Budweiser Racing media guide, please visit www.budweiserracingmedia.com.

Track: Darlington Raceway
Event: Bojangles’ Southern 500
Time:  6:45 PM ET
TV/Radio: FOX / MRN Radio

Darlington Raceway:

There have been 47 pole winners and 45 race winners at Darlington Raceway. Bobby Labonte is a part of that elite group owning one win (9/3/00) and one pole (8/30/97) along with five top-five and 11 top-10 finishes in 32 starts. He has led 131 laps and his average start is 16.094 and his average finish is 16.344.

This weekend Labonte looks to top his season best finish of 15th that occurred at Daytona International Speedway in February.

He is currently 28th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings, 103 points out of 10th place.

Bobby Labonte Stats

Career Starts: 700
Wins:  21
Top-five:  115
Top-10:  201
First Start:  06/03/1991 Dover
First Pole:  09/11/1993 Richmond
First Win:  05/28/1995 Charlotte
Last Pole:  04/04/2004 Texas
Last Win:  11/16/2003 Homestead (329 races since)
Driver DOB:  05/08/1964
Hometown:  Corpus Christi, TX
Crew Chief:  Brian Burns

JTG Daugherty Racing Notes and Quotes:

Labonte, who celebrated his 49th birthday on Wednesday, is a fan of Darlington Raceway:

“Darlington is a track like no other with rich history,” Labonte continued. “I just love going there. It’s a special race and one I’ve had the privilege of winning. We’ve got Kingsford Charcoal on board this weekend and look forward to carrying the brand on our No. 47 Toyota Camry.”

Crew chief Brian Burns is confident about competing on the team’s chances in the Bojangles’ Southern 500:

“We’ve had two top-20s in a row and you can see the progress we are making,” Burns said. “If we hadn’t been collected in the big one at Talladega Superspeedway, we would have finished better. We had a good car and Bobby was able to lead some laps. We feel like we’ve turned the corner and we are going to another track that caters to a veteran driver like Bobby Labonte. It’s one of our stronger tracks in the lineup. We’ve also been spending a lot of time at TRD’s facility the last couple of weeks. We’ve done some R&D work that we are going to apply that will put us a step ahead of where we’ve been.”

Labonte reflects his win on September 3, 2000 in a backup car after taking a provisional and starting 37th:

“The weather was threatening the race finish and we beat the everyone off pit road the time when it counted the most,” Labonte said. “Not long after, the track was drenched with rain. It was all about timing. We didn’t have the fastest car that day, but we were able to beat everyone out of the pits and capitalize when the track was drenched the final time.”

The 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion finished 29th the last time out at Darlington Raceway:

“We tried to overcome handling and motor challenges the last time we were there,” Labonte said.

Happy Mother’s Day Get Out & Grill:

“It’s a special weekend and I’d like to say Happy Mother’s Day,” Labonte said. “It’s another great reason to grab a bag of Kingsford Charcoal and ‘Get Out & Grill’ with your family and celebrate your mom.”

________________________________
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT KINGSFORD
FIRE UP THE GRILL FOR MOM!

This Mother’s Day, why not celebrate with a home grilled meal for the special lady in your life?

Here are just some of the reasons why we grill at home on Mom’s Day…

To view the number #1 reason to grill for Mother’s Day CLICK HERE or visit www.kingsford.com

Tailgater of the Week:

Last week at Talladega Superspeedway, Eddie Whitney’s unique campsite on Talladega Boulevard in the infield was hard to pass up for Tailgater of the Week. They took top honors with their mechanical bull as the centerpiece of their layout.
“Basically we were trying to figure out something that hadn’t been at a track before and we said let’s bring a mechanical bull,” said Whitney, who is from Charleston, S.C. “It’s an original idea and no one that we know has ever seem a mechanical bull at a track.”
Whitney is a proud supporter of all of JTG Daugherty Racing’s brands and is a big fan of Kingsford Charcoal. His most favorite thing to throw on the grill are steaks.

Do you have what it takes to be the “TAILGATER OF THE WEEK”? Are you the ultimate “Grillmaster” at the race track? Do you want to win an all expense paid trip and be the VIP guest of JTG Daugherty Racing at the big race in Las Vegas in 2014?

Are you the ultimate “Grillmaster” at the race track? Do you want to win an all expense paid trip and be the VIP guest of JTG Daugherty Racing at the big race in Las Vegas in 2014?

If you answered yes, then get out to the track and let us know where you are tailgating! Each race weekend during the Sprint Cup season JTG Daugherty Racing will be scouting the infields and campgrounds, looking for the best tailgaters at the track. The best, most enthusiastic tailgaters each race weekend will win a custom prize pack and become eligible for our “TAILGATER OF THE YEAR” competition.
You can let us know where you are tailgating by tweeting us your location.

Throughout the weekend, leading up to the green flag, our team members, owners and maybe even Bobby Labonte himself will be patrolling the infield and campsites looking for the best tailgaters. So, fire up your grills with Kingsford® Charcoal, heat up a can of Bush’s® Grillin’ Beans and clean up your messes with Clorox® and Scott® Brand Products!
Simply follow us on Twitter @NASCAR47 , send us a tweet with your tailgate location and include the hash tag #TweetYourTailgate

Visit www.RaceSavers.com for more

Bobby Labonte Scheduled Appearances:

Saturday, May 11th

2:50 to 3:10   MRO Pace Car Rides

3:20 to 3:35   Coca-Cola Appearance 15 minute Q&A in hospitality village

BOBBY LABONTE & NO. 47 HOUSE-AUTRY TOYOTA CAMRY
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES SPRINT SHOWDOWN PREVIEW
FOR ALL-STAR WEEKEND AT CHARLOTTE

Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Event: Sprint Showdown and All-Star Race

Bobby Labonte went on to finish 19th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Jimmie Johnson won the event.

This year, three All-Star spots remain up for grabs and Bobby Labonte wants one. The top-two finishers of the Sprint Showdown will transfer into the All-Star event. The winner of the Sprint Fan Vote gets the final starting slot. Labonte won the Sprint Fan Vote last year.

The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race field of 19 drivers is comprised of 2012-13 NASCAR Sprint Cup winners; the past 10 NASCAR Sprint All-Star winners; the past 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup champions; the top-two finishers from the Sprint Showdown and the winner of the Sprint Fan Vote. Sprint Fan Voting continues through 5 p.m. EDT, May 18 via NASCAR.com/SprintFanVote. Votes cast on NASCAR Mobile ’13 count twice.

When twenty-two drivers are turned loose in the All-Star race, more than $1 million is up for grabs.

JTG Daugherty Racing Quotes:

Sprint Fan Vote last year:   “It was a great surprise to win the Sprint Fan Vote and very personally uplifting for the fact that we weren’t even going to the race other than to try practicing a few laps,” Labonte said. “For us to go and get voted in was awesome. For the fans to take the time do all that voting reminds me of how loyal NASCAR fans are.”

All-Star Race Sponsor:   “We are very fortunate to have House-Autry sponsoring us for the All-Star weekend,” said Labonte. “Their support will allow us to focus on racing hard in the showdown so we can earn one of the transfer spots into the All-Star race.”

Showdown format and All-Star race:  “It’s a great night of racing, different from anything else we do,” Labonte said. “To get in the All-Star race, it feels like you have to really drive harder than any other race throughout the year. But if you get in, the intensity level is even higher.”

Being home for Charlotte race weeks: “Yes, it is a really great track to race at and it feels good to sleep in my bed every night for a few weeks,” Labonte said.

Crew chief looks forward to All-Star weekend too:  “Charlotte should be a really good weekend for the 47 team,” crew chief Brian Burns said. “We are using the practice session this weekend to do some testing on a few items that we’ve been developing back at the shop.  Bobby had a very good car last year in the fall race, and our testing during the Charlotte offseason test sessions were very positive.  We are using this weekend to learn what we can and apply to the car for the Showdown Race as well as the Coca-Cola 600.”

Bobby Labonte Stats

Career Starts: 701
Wins:  21
Top-five:  115
Top-10:  201
First Start:  06/03/1991 Dover
First Pole:  09/11/1993 Richmond
First Win:  05/28/1995 Charlotte
Last Pole:  04/04/2004 Texas
Last Win:  11/16/2003 Homestead (329 races since)
Driver DOB:  05/08/1964
Hometown:  Corpus Christi, TX
Crew Chief:  Brian Burns

NASCAR Sprint All-Star Wins List
Year    Driver                        Year     Driver
1985    Darrell Waltrip            1999     Terry Labonte
1986    Bill Elliott                    2000     Dale Earnhardt Jr.
1987    Dale Earnhardt           2001     Jeff Gordon
1988    Terry Labonte             2002     Ryan Newman
1989    Rusty Wallace             2003     Jimmie Johnson
1990    Dale Earnhardt           2004     Matt Kenseth
1991    Davey Allison              2005     Mark Martin
1992    Davey Allison              2006     Jimmie Johnson
1993    Dale Earnhardt           2007     Kevin Harvick
1994    Geoff Bodine               2008     Kasey Kahne
1995    Jeff Gordon                 2009     Tony Stewart
1996    Michael Waltrip           2010     Kurt Busch
1997    Jeff Gordon                 2011     Carl Edwards
1998    Mark Martin                2012     Jimmie Johnson

·         There have been 28 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Races.
·         The first NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race was in 1985.
·         27 have been held at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In 1986, the event was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and won by Bill Elliott. That season was also the first year for what is now known as the Sprint Showdown.
·         89 drivers have run in at least one NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, with 75 competing in more than one.
·         There have been 19 different winners of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
·         NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip won the inaugural NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race in 1985 at 161.184 mph.

House-Autry, The Choice of Southern Cooks Since 1812.

What is it about Southern food, anyway? Compared to a lot of cuisine, it’s not real fancy. Or flashy. Yet, its tastes and aromas can excite the senses as powerfully as any other cooking on earth. It’s simple, honest, comfort food. Authentic and genuine. That’s it in a nutshell! That’s its magic. It’s the food that everyone seems to love. When you eat House-Autry food, it reminds you of growing up. We don’t try to be fancy, we do comfort food that most anyone can become accomplished at.

For over 200 years our traditional Southern taste has been bringing families’ & friends together over delicious meals using our convenient & easy to use products.  Come find your next go-to meal!  We’ve created recipes for all occasions, from everyday family meals to neighborhood gatherings.  You’ll bring your crew running to the table with our recipes and family of products: Chicken, Seafood, and Pork Breaders, Sauces, Southern Baked Coating Mixes, Corn Meal, Hushpuppy, Biscuit and Cornbread Mixes.

Delicious recipes at “House-Autry.com”

Tailgater of the Week:

Last weekend, Darlington Raceway had some of the best tailgaters and the winner’s awarded on Saturday were Todd and Dawn Arnwine from North Charleston, SC.

The pair had a prime spot on the main strip in the infield and actually bought two spots so they could have enough room for all of their friends to have a great tailgating experience.

The Arnwine’s favorite things to grill include tenderloin, brisket and steak. They are big fans of JTG Daugherty Racing’s sponsor’s products.

Todd was easily the most enthusiastic tailgater at the track, waving and talking to everyone that went past his site.

This is his fourth year tailgating in the infield. His spot was directly across from the giant Sprint Vision screen so they were able to continue the tailgate throughout the race and not go into the stands.

Congratulations to the Arnwine’s! We’ll be looking for this weeks Tailgater at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Are you the ultimate “Grillmaster” at the race track? Do you want to win an all expense paid trip and be the VIP guest of JTG Daugherty Racing at the big race in Las Vegas in 2014?

If you answered yes, then get out to the track and let us know where you are tailgating! Each race weekend during the Sprint Cup season JTG Daugherty Racing will be scouting the infields and campgrounds, looking for the best tailgaters at the track. The best, most enthusiastic tailgaters each race weekend will win a custom prize pack and become eligible for our “TAILGATER OF THE YEAR” competition.

You can let us know where you are tailgating by tweeting us your location.

Throughout the weekend, leading up to the green flag, our team members, owners and maybe even Bobby Labonte himself will be patrolling the infield and campsites looking for the best tailgaters. So, fire up your grills with Kingsford® Charcoal, heat up a can of Bush’s® Grillin’ Beans and clean up your messes with Clorox® and Scott® Brand Products!

Simply follow us on Twitter @NASCAR47 , send us a tweet with your tailgate location and include the hash tag #TweetYourTailgate.

Visit www.RaceSavers.com for more details!

DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDY CHEVROLET Met with media and discussed Memorial Day, running in the longest race of the year, how the Coca-Cola 600 compares to the All-Star race, and more.
Full Transcript:

 

Q.        Danica, what does Memorial Day mean to you?

 

DANICA PATRICK:
 I thought you were going to ask me about labor.  What does Memorial Day mean to me?

 

Q.        Yes.

 

DANICA PATRICK:  Well, for me, for so long obviously it meant Indy.  It’s not Labor Day, it’s Memorial Day.  I’m like, wait, no.

Memorial Day was the month of May for me.  It was Indianapolis.  It was a lot about the military, the people that serve our country on race day, everything down to them being the ones that
sang national anthems sometimes before the race. 

It’s the start of summer.  

 

Q.        How different was your experience last weekend compared to running the 600 last year, new car and all that?

 

DANICA PATRICK:  How different was the All-Star Race versus the Coke 600?

 

Q.        Compared to being a rookie last year and coming back.?

 

DANICA PATRICK:  I mean, the All-Star Race is a totally different thing.  So I guess you get more track time really, which for me
is good. 

 

Q.        Do you feel you’re a better driver than years past?

DANICA PATRICK:  I don’t know.  It doesn’t look like it out there.  There’s definitely no chance that I’m getting worse.  Continuing
to learn and get more comfortable.  We’re learning with the car.  We know we have a lot further to go with getting to a place of speed that we want.  But every day that we’re on track, every lap that we make is going to bring us a little closer and learn a
little bit more. Sometimes it’s about what not to do. 

 

Q.        This is one of the signature races of the season, not just a holiday weekend.  The longest race the year.  How important would it be for you to run well here, change the conversation
a little bit?  How close do you think your team is to competing week in, week out in the top 10?

DANICA PATRICK:  Sorry, that was like three questions.  What one do you want me to answer?

 

Q.        Performing well in a signature race.

 

DANICA PATRICK:  It’s always really nice to do well when everyone is watching or when more people are watching.  I’ve been very
fortunate in my career that that happens a lot, whether it be Indy or Daytona or big races like that.  It’s been a nice coincidence for me.

We didn’t have a special race here last year in the Coke 600, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t this weekend.  Hopefully we keep that trend going of having good weekends on big weekends.?

 

Q.        How close do you think you are to running in the top 10 consistently?

 

DANICA PATRICK:  I think that as an organization I feel like half of the battle is kind of figuring out what it is, and I think
we have a grasp, an idea, of what that is, what those things are.  Executing is the next challenge.

I think it’s going to take some time.  I don’t know how long it will take to have those issues fixed ultimately, but I feel like we have an idea of where we need to go.

 

Q.        (No microphone.)

DANICA PATRICK:  Yeah, I mean, I think everybody rolls into a year, you think you’ve done everything you can to prepare best as
possible.  You don’t know till you get going, which is why at the beginning of the year when people ask about what I should be expecting out there, what to expect, I said, Let’s see how the first five races go, see where we shake out.  I think that’s the same
every year.  You just need to see where you end up on all the different tracks, what you need to work out.

I do, I think that we were surprised.  But all of us understand that we have to work hard to fix it.

 

Q.        On race day, what do you do to get yourself mentally prepared to race?  Any kind of rituals?

DANICA PATRICK:  I listen to Eye of the Tiger six times and I do 40 push-ups in a row (laughter).

I don’t do anything unique or different.  I just have a normal morning.  I don’t think that changing it up means anything.  Superstitions are only real if you believe in them.

They change based on what race time is, what there is to do before the race.  Night races are far different days than noon races.  No, I don’t do anything in particular.

 

Q.        As you gain more experience in the car, your thought process, the things you’re thinking about as the race progresses, how has that changed from a year or so ago?  I guess you’re
learning more things. 

 

DANICA PATRICK:  I would say the biggest difference between when I’m out running the car at the beginning last year and now, I just
feel like I understand a little bit better, definitely not great, but I understand better what’s happening with the car, whether it’s the splitter hitting, whether or not it’s falling over on the right rear, something like that.  I can identify the issues
a little bit better than I could in the beginning, of course. 

 

Q.        How much does that help you?

DANICA PATRICK:
 It just helps to be able to identify the problem so I can relay the right information to Gibson so he can fix it.  He’s only as good as the information I give him.

Over time I’m getting better at that, help hone in on what change is the best one, not by telling him, but giving him more detailed information.

 

Q.        (No microphone.)

DANICA PATRICK:  I’m not going to lie.  I didn’t feel very good after we ended the All-Star Race last weekend.  I’m not necessarily
optimistic right now about the race. 

But by no means do I let that take me out of the game, take my effort out.  We were all fired up today.  I think we had a relatively decent practice.  We had lots of issues.  Around that, I
think we had better race speed.  I think we’re learning more about what I need in a qualifying car.

You know, let’s hope that helps us qualify better and let’s hope that helps us race better.  That’s just what we do every single day and weekend, is work towards those things.

I have a little bit of a better feeling after practicing than I did this morning arriving.  So a step in the right direction.

 

Q.        This being Indy 500 week, do you think more about possibly doing the double at some point seeing all that going on?

DANICA PATRICK:  I would say that I don’t think more about it when Indy comes up as far as on the schedule.  But I would say that
I think about it each year at the end of the year what I want to do. 

I really tried hard to do it this year.  We all did on my team.  Ultimately it came down to the fact that it wasn’t going to help me here, and this is what I’ve chosen to do now, it’s not fair
to take away from it.  I have a long way to go to figure this out.  I need to focus here.

As the years go by, more and more distance goes between my full-time IndyCar career and now, it gets less and less likely.

 

Q.        Homesick feeling watching it?

DANICA PATRICK:  No.  I have really fond memories.  I, of course, would have loved to have won the race.  I feel very fortunate
as a driver to have been in a position to win a few times.  Definitely two times having a really, really good chance.  I feel good about that.

 

It’s just one race.  It is the Indy 500, but I feel like I also did good things.  While Indy can kind of make a driver, I feel like it is part of what made me who I am today.  So it did those
things for me.  I didn’t win, but it did make me who I am today.

 

Q.        600 miles tougher physically or mentally?

DANICA PATRICK:  Physically it’s just about hydration.  Mentally it’s about hydration actually, I would say.  Honestly, that’s where
you lose it. 

I’ve already started working on that.  To be honest, that’s kind of the norm for NASCAR.  These long races on Sundays, you really need to focus on just staying hydrated.  The car is not hard
to turn.  It’s not physically difficult to drive.  But you do sweat your butt off in there, so I’m working on that.

 

Q.        After the 40 push-ups.

DANICA PATRICK:  Yeah, my triceps are spazzing.

No, it’s fine.  Just got to stay hydrated.

 

Q.        How about a Dover preview?  What are you thinking about as you head to the Monster Mile next week?

DANICA PATRICK:  I’m thinking I’m glad we tested there.  I hope it helps.  It didn’t help Newman last year.  I think we went there
and there was a lot more cars on the track.  There was like 11 of us.  Actually laid down a little bit of rubber.  Obviously the things we worked on will translate on race weekend.  I think that’s always a struggle from testing to race time.

 

     FastScripts by ASAP Sports

 

 

 

Connect with Team Chevy on social media.  Like us on Facebook at
facebook.com/TeamChevy,
follow us on Twitter @TeamChevy,
and add +TeamChevy
into your Google+ circles.

Team Chevy racing photos are available at:

About
Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.5 million cars and trucks
a year.  Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at
www.chevrolet.com.

CONTACTS:
Nancy Wager              Judy Kouba Dominick

                      �
727.415.3109              317.408.1049

                              �
nmwager@aol.com        jkdracer@aol.com

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
COCA-COLA 600
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING NOTES AND QUOTES
MAY 23, 2013

KURT BUSCH, NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW RACING/SEALY CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED SECOND

HOW FAST WAS IT AND HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT?

“I didn’t do my job. That just shows how good this team is right now. These Furniture Row guys are on it. They keep brining piece after piece to the race track. I couldn’t be happier for them and
more proud of them. Todd Berrier (crew chief) and these guys it feels really good right now. I left some on the table in (turns) three and four, but I nailed (turns) one and two. I felt really good about it going down the back straightaway and I had a conversation
with myself ‘how hard do I drive it into (turn) three?’ I just I still didn’t quite hit my marks in (turns) three and four. That just shows how good this car is right now.”

ON HIS LAP:

“This car is fast. I threw away some time in (turns) three and four. I didn’t do my job. This team is on it. Todd Berrier (crew chief) has got these guys lined up. Everybody is pulling the rope
in the same direction and each week they keep bringing car after car after car that is fast to the race track. I’m really proud of these guys.”

CAN YOU WIN WITH THIS CAR SUNDAY NIGHT?
“I don’t know yet. We focused 100 percent on qualifying trim today. Tomorrow is off we will come back on Saturday and hit it hard. We have three hours of practice, but we have to keep our miles limited
because it is a 600 mile race. I haven’t even gotten into race trim yet, but we know we’ve got some good things going right now.”�

KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 TIME WARNER CABLE CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED SIXTH

ON HIS QUALIFYING LAP:

“Yeah it was good. It was close a little bit off of what Denny (Hamlin, pole sitter) could run. Still the car felt good. Felt good earlier today and tonight. It will give us a good starting spot
for Sunday. See how Saturday goes that is when you make your car. Hopefully, we get it right.”

JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 BAD BOY BUGGIES CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED NINTH

ON HIS QUALIFYING LAP:

“It actually didn’t feel that good. We were way off in practice and after as well as we ran last week you kind of expect a little more. That was a good qualifying lap. I went through (turns) one and
two I thought as good as anybody probably did. I gave up a lot in (turns) three and four, but it’s still going to be a pretty good lap.”

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 11TH

ON HIS QUALIFYING LAP:

“I think we could have run a little better. I didn’t realize the track was as in good of shape as it was. I gave up a little bit of speed the first half of the lap. The car drove good. The second
half of the lap the speed was there. The drivability was pretty good in the car.”

AFTER LAST WEEK’S ALL-STAR RACE YOU WANTED TO BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER. HAVE YOU MADE SENSE IF YOU ARE BETTER OR WILL YOU NOT KNOW UNTIL YOU GET UNDER THE LIGHTS?

“We definitely got some things on the shelf that we feel like we can work with. Some tools we can work with since the race to try to be better. Try to be prepared to improve the car in practice and
stuff. We will just have to see once we get here Saturday. Get to work really what kind of issues we are dealing with and what we need to work on. All these guys have been studying all week on scenarios and what we can do to improve and get a little better
than we were last week. We definitely should have run better than we did last week.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S PATRIOTIC CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 12TH
DID YOU GUYS WORK A LOT ON QUALIFYING OR RACING TODAY?
“Yeah, that is all we focused on today with that short practice session. Knowing that Saturday is going to be good weather wise we worked on qualifying. I was very happy with my lap. Hopefully, that
will keep us in the top-five. Obviously, early is not a great thing, but I think we have a good chance for a top-five if not a top-10. We know this Lowe’s Chevrolet always races a lot better than it qualifies.”

DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDY CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 24TH
TALK ABOUT YOUR QUALIFYING LAP:

“Qualifying at this time of day will get quicker and quicker as the track gets shaded more and it cools off. The earlier you draw the worse it is. I feel like that was probably the most comfortable and consistent the car had felt in qualifying all year really.�
I feel like we made some gains on the balance of the car through practice. Obviously, being here last weekend helped and we put in a better time than we did last weekend. All things going in the right direction.”

Connect with Team Chevy on social media. Like us on Facebook at
facebook.com/TeamChevy,
follow us on Twitter @TeamChevy,
and add +TeamChevy
into your Google+ circles.

Team Chevy racing photos are available at:

About
Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.5
million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at
www.chevrolet.com.

Coca-Cola 600

Charlotte Motor Speedway

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

Charlotte Motor Speedway

May 26, 2013

 

Race Highlights:

Richard Childress Racing teammates finished first (Kevin Harvick), 12th (Jeff Burton) and 13th (Paul Menard).
According to NASCAR’s post-race loop data statistics, Harvick averaged a 180.822 mph lap time ranking him second in the Speed in Traffic category and spent 396 Laps in the Top 15, positioning him fourth in the loop data category.

Harvick earned the third-best Driver Rating (112.8), was third in Quality Passes (50), was the third-Fastest Driver Late in a Run (179.721 mph), fourth-Fastest Driver Early in a Run (184.211) and fifth-Fastest on Restarts (170.488 mph).

Burton made 87 Green Flag Passes during the 600-mile event.
Menard made 105 Green Flag Passes during the 400-lap event ranking him sixth overall.
Menard ranked 11th in Quality Passes during the 600-mile race with 38.
Harvick earned his second victory of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and was followed to the finish line by Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano.
The next Sprint Cup Series race is the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway on Sunday, June 2.  The 13th race of the 2013 season is scheduled to be televised live on FOX beginning at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio.

Menard Earns Hard Fought 13th-Place Finish in Prestigious Coca-Cola 600

Starting from the 22nd position, Paul Menard and the No. 27 Serta/Menards team
faced handling issues and late-race damage in Sunday night’s 600-mile event, earning a 13th-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In the early laps of the event, Menard gained several positions and was running 16th by lap 75. Communicating to crew chief “Slugger” Labbe that the No. 27 machine was loose on entry and tight through the center of the corners, Menard came into the pits at lap 115 for four fresh tires, fuel and a variety of chassis adjustments. Shortly after pitting, a cable supporting the overhead television camera on the frontstretch fell and landed on the track surface damaging several cars and bringing out the red flag on lap 127. The downed wire cut the right-rear tire on the No. 27 machine and the crew went to work changing four tires and adding fuel during a 15-minute red-flag period given to the teams by NASCAR officials to make repairs. Restarting 20th, Menard quickly made his way to 15th by lap 153. Continuing to fight a loose condition though the center of the corners, Labbe called for an array of chassis adjustments on the ensuing pit stops in an attempt to remedy the cars handling condition. The series of adjustments provided some relief to the Eau Claire, Wis., native and he was running in eighth when a multi-car incident on lap 335 caused right-front fender damage to the Serta/Menards Chevrolet. The pit crew made repairs during two separate visits to pit road and Menard restarted 15th with 63 laps to go. During a round of green-flag pit stops, Labbe elected to leave his driver on track to lead lap 381 before pitting for right-side tires and fuel. Pitting under green, Menard fell a lap down to the leader. As luck would have it, the caution-flag was displayed just two laps later allowing the 31-year-old driver to be credited with the “Lucky Dog”, placing him back on the lead lap in 13th for the ensuing restart. With 11 laps remaining in the 400-lap event, Menard was able to maintain his position and finish 13th in the longest race of the season. Menard’s 13th-place effort in the Coca-Cola 600 moves him up two positions, placing him eighth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

Start – 22          Finish – 13          Laps Led – 1          Points – 8th

PAUL MENARD QUOTE:

“It was a tough day for the No. 27 Serta/Menards crew. We had a pretty good car early on and began to struggle with the handling as the night went on and the track conditions changed. The late race damage to the right front put us behind a little, but I have to give my team credit because they never gave up and made the repairs we needed to get back out and be competitive. We just ran out of laps at the end, but we’ll take a top 13 and a good points night.”

Harvick Wins Second-Career Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser team picked up their second win of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, driving to Victory Lane following the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The California native started the 400-lap event from the 15th position and battled a tight-handling red, white and blue Chevrolet during the early stages of the event. In an effort to combat the handling issues Harvick was facing, the Budweiser pit crew made adjustments through the course of multiple four-tire pit stops. Harvick broke into the top 10 during the lap-131 restart, following a 27-minute break in the action for track workers to clean up debris on the racing surface from a fallen overhead camera cable. As the race progressed, Harvick continued to methodically work his way through the field settling into the top five prior to the caution flag being displayed on lap 259. The Richard Childress Racing driver remained near the front of the field during the final laps taking the lead on two occasions before the yellow flag waved on lap 386. Crew chief Gil Martin called Harvick to pit road for right-side tires and fuel under caution, positioning the Budweiser Chevrolet in second for the lap-389 restart. As green-flag racing resumed, Harvick moved back out front and led the field to the checkered flag. Following Harvick’s second win of the season, he gained three positions in the Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, moving up to seventh.

Start – 15          Finish – 1          Laps Led – 28            Points – 7th

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:

“First off, I want to say I hope everybody is okay from that cable. That was quite a weird incident there.  Second, I want to just say thank you to all the guys at Richard Childress Racing. To win at Charlotte (Motor Speedway) is something that we had to overcome for a long time. We kind of won it on gas mileage last time, and we just went and won it this time. I have to thank everybody from Budweiser, Sprint, all the fans, Jimmy John’s, Hunt Brothers Pizza and Rheem. We’ve got this great promotion with Folds of Honor on the car this weekend and the paint scheme resembles Budweiser’s special beer cans. Plus, five cents from every can goes to Folds of Honor.”

Jeff Burton Survives Coca-Cola 600, Finishing 12th

Jeff Burton and the No. 31 Cheerios Chevrolet team finished 12th in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Burton qualified 27th for the longest race on the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule and, while battling a tight-handling race car, climbed into the top 25 for the first portion of the 400-lap marathon. With an early long green-flag run, crew chief Luke Lambert and the No. 31 pit crew were unable to make planned chassis adjustments on the car until the first caution on lap 70 which was followed by a 27-minute red flag that stopped the race. The 21-time Sprint Cup Series race winner continued to run in the top 25 and as day turned into night, the car became loose on entry and exit of the 24-degree banked corners of the 1.5-mile facility. As the night progressed, many competitors fell victim to mechanical problems and multi-car accidents, including seven and five-car pileups on lap 327 and 335 which led to another red-flag delay. The South Boston, Va. native managed to avoid the trouble and climbed into the top 15. For the remainder of the event, Burton’s “never-give-up” attitude paid off as he gained valuable track position and posted top-10 lap times throughout the final portion of the 600-mile race, bringing the No. 31 Cheerios Chevrolet home in 12th-place. Burton now sits 21st in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

Start – 27          Finish -12         Laps Led – 0          Points – 21st

JEFF BURTON QUOTE:

“We pretty much fought a tight-handling condition for the entire race, especially in the middle of the corners. These No. 31 guys never gave up and we managed to stay out of trouble while bringing home a clean race car and a top-15 finish. I also want to say congratulations to our RCR teammate Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 team on their victory.”