Category: XFINITY Series

Michael Annett Iowa News and Notes

The Headlines:

Homecoming Race on the Horizon: Looking forward to competing two times this season at his home track, Iowa Speedway, Des Moines, Iowa native Michael Annett enters Sunday’s Nationwide Series John Deere Dealers 250 presented by Pioneer as the hometown favorite. Impressing the Hawkeye crowd with 11th and seventh place finishes respectively in Iowa Speedway’s first two Nationwide Series races in 2009 and 2010, Annett will vie for another strong finish on his home turf in Sunday’s 250 lap event.

Iowa Speedway a Rusty Wallace Signature Design Speedway: Piloting Rusty Wallace Racing’s No. 62 Toyota Camry in 2011, Annett’s ties to Iowa Speedway grow even deeper as his team owner, Rusty Wallace, designed the signature .875 mile oval. Not only does Wallace have a prestige with Iowa Speedway, but Annett himself holds an impressive track record at his home track as the driver with the most laps of competitive racing there.

Home Track History: Annett’s combined ninth place average finish in his two most recent races at Iowa Speedway proves his knack for the track. Growing up just miles from the Newton, Iowa oval, Annett gained experience there competing in the ARCA Racing Series as well as the ASA Late Model Series Challenge Division events. Annett made his debut in the ARCA Racing Series at Iowa Speedway in June 2007, where the young driver won the SIM Factory Pole Award, led eight laps of the 250 lap race, and came home with a third place finish as he made his first start in the series.

For the latest updates on Michael Annett, visit www.michaelannett.com.

From the Cockpit:

Michael Annett on Iowa Speedway hosting two Nationwide Series events in 2011:

“With Iowa Speedway being my home track, I was extremely excited to hear that they secured two races for 2011. They proved that America’s Heartland has a passion for motorsports by packing their grandstands with sold-out crowds for their first two Nationwide Series events. It was an amazing feeling when I circled the track and the stands were packed with fans from my home state. Having the support of all those fans makes our sport what it is today, and I’m really excited to see how well NASCAR is being embraced by the fans at Iowa Speedway. I can’t wait to hit the track again in 2011.”

Michael Annett on returning to Iowa Speedway:

“I take a lot of pride in my home track. It’s one of the nicest facilities we visit, and a fun track to compete on as well. With the race just down the road from where I grew up, I spend time making appearances in the area and catching up with those who have been there for me since the start of my racing career, and this year I’ll have two chances to do that. My family, friends, fan base and many of my sponsors are here in the Midwest, so it’s a fun weekend when the circuit goes to Iowa Speedway.”

For more with Michael Annett, he’ll be addressing the media from 4:50-5:05 p.m. local time on Friday in a press conference in the Iowa Speedway media center.

The Machines:

Team 62 Primary: RWR-055 – In 2011, Rusty Wallace Racing’s No. 62 team has raced with this car at Phoenix International Race and Richmond International Raceway.

Team 62 Back-Up: RWR-051 – The No. 62 Pilot Flying J team’s last race competing with this chassis was at Bristol Motor Speedway in March.

Pilot Flying J Locations on your way:

Pilot Flying J conveniently provides 11 Pilot Travel Centers and Flying J location along the highways throughout Iowa. For more information on Pilot Flying J and to map their nearest locations along your route, please visit www.pilotflyingj.com.

Pilot Travel Center I-80 Exit 201 4126 Highway 21

Pilot Travel Center I-35/I-80 Exit 126 11957 Douglas Ave.

Flying J I-35 and SR 20 Exit 144 3040 220th St.

Flying J I-380 and Evansdale Dr. 445 Evansdale Dr.

Pilot Travel Center I-35 Exit 194 2411 US Hwy 18 East

Pilot Travel Center I-80 Exit 265 2086 Atalissa Rd.

Pilot Travel Center I-80 Exit 284 and CR Y40 2975 North Plainview Rd.

Pilot Travel Center I-80 Exit 284 3500 North Plainview Rd.

Pilot Travel Center I-80 Exit 40 7005 North Chestnut St.

Flying J I-80 Exit 292 8200 N.W. Blvd.

Pilot Travel Center I-80/I-29 Exit 1B 2647 South 24th St.

About Pilot Flying J:

Pilot Flying J is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has more than 550 locations in North America. The company employs more than 20,000 people and is the largest retail operator of travel centers in North America. Follow Pilot Flying J on Twitter at @pilottravel.

Broadcast Info:

For live coverage of Sunday’s Nationwide Series John Deere Dealers 250 presented by Pioneer, tune to ABC at 2 p.m. ET.

Drew Herring / No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Preview

John Deere Dealers 250 at Iowa Speedway

No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota News & Notes:

·     HIS BIRTHDAY GIFT?  A RIDE IN THE No. 20 SPORT CLIPS TOYOTA:  Drew Herring celebrated his 24th birthday just a couple of weeks ago.  And what did fate bring him for a birthday present?  How about a ride in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner’s Championship leading car… the No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota.  Herring will make his first Nationwide Series start of the season and his first for Joe Gibbs Racing on Sunday afternoon when he competes in the John Deere Dealers 250 at the .875-mile Iowa Speedway in Newton, IA.  The event will mark Herring’s fifth-career Nationwide Series start.  All four previous starts came in 2010, where he finished a season-best 15th at Iowa.

·     SPORT CLIPS MAKING THE No. 20 LOOK GOOD & RUN FAST:  Sport Clips, a national sport-themed hair-care franchise for men and boys that can be found in 38 states,will return as sponsor of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with a little momentum on its side.  When sponsoring the No. 20, Sport Clips and the No. 20 JGR team have found victory lane in two of the last three events (with Joey Logano at Kansas in 2010 and Denny Hamlin at Richmond in 2011).  Founded in 1995, Sport Clips has over 750 stores nationwide.  Sport Clips will also be the primary sponsor on the No. 20 at Daytona International Speedway in July (with Logano), Chicagoland Speedway in September (Logano) and at Dover International Speedway in October (Logano). 

·     IOWA A FAMILIAR PLACE FOR WOLFPACK MEMBER:  While one of Herring’s four-career NASCAR Nationwide Series starts have come at Iowa, he’s raced at the track several other times.  Twice Herring has competed in the USAR Pro Cup division at Iowa Speedway, coming in 2008 and 2009.  Herring started sixth and finished ninth at the track in 2008, while in 2009, he won the pole, led 128 of the race’s 200 laps, and finished a strong second.  Herring, who is a full-time student at NC State University studying mechanical engineering, was crowned the 2008 Pro Cup Series Rookie of the Year and finished third in the points in 2009.

·     STILL IN THE OWNER’S CHAMPIONSHIPHUNT:  The No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota team is still leading the NASCAR Natiionwide Series Owner’s Championship point standings despite their 13th-place finish last weekend at Dover.  The team, which has featured both Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin behind the wheel this season, sits 29 points ahead of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team in the owner’s standings heading into Dover.  The team, which has led the point standings since Texas, has six top-five and nine top-10 finishes in 11 starts this season.  Both finishes outside of the top-10, coming at Daytona and Dover, were results of accidents on the final lap while the team was racing for the lead.

·     CHASSIS:  The JGR team will take chassis #20107 to Iowa this weekend.  The chassis normally serves as the team’s primary backup car, but has also raced once this season, at Bristol Motor Speedway with Logano behind the wheel.  That race, Logano started 10th and finished 5th.

·     STAT OF THE WEEK:  3.85.  Drew knows how to qualify.  During Drew’s 2009 Pro Cup Series season, the youngster averaged a starting position of 3.85 over the course of the season.  In fact, in 14 series events, Herring never qualified outside of the top-10.

·     THE RACE:  The John Deere Dealers 250 at Iowa Speedway ( Newton , IA ; 0.875-mile banked oval) is set for Sunday, May 22, 2011.  The race will be broadcast on ABC at 2:00 p.m. EST, with radio coverage on MRN starting at 1:30 p.m. EST.

Herring’s Season-To-Date NASCAR Nationwide Series Stats: Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10 Poles Laps Led Earnings Avg. Start Avg. Finish 0 0 0 0 0 0 $0 – –

Herring’s Career NASCAR Nationwide Series Stats: Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10 Poles Laps Led Earnings Avg. Start Avg. Finish 4 0 0 0 0 0 $95,847 19.3 23.0

Herring’s Career NASCAR Nationwide Series Stats at Iowa Speedway: Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10 Poles Laps Led Earnings Avg. Start Avg. Finish 1 0 0 0 0 0 $26,393 15.0 15.0

Drew Herring Quotes: “This is a huge opportunity for me; having the chance to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing as well as going to a track that I am familiar with like Iowa.  I’ve been racing since I was 10 years old and it’s always been a dream of mine to be a part of NASCAR and this is a chance for me to prove that I am not only capable of being competitive, but also deserving of being here.  Anyone who knows anything about racing associates Joe Gibbs Racing with top quality equipment, great people and winning and that is exactly what their Nationwide program is all about.  I’m very blessed and thankful for the opportunity that I’ve got this weekend and will do nothing short of taking full advantage of the resources around me and giving everything I have to offer for the race weekend at Iowa.

“Iowa has been a really good track for me, having run there three times in different series.  I have been there twice with the Pro Cup Series and made my Nationwide debut there last year.  We had a solid day and ran as high as fourth in that race, finished on the lead laps and came home with what I think was a really respectable top-15 finish.  But now, with this opportunity ahead of me, I’m just ready to get to Iowa and get in the car, or my office so to speak, on Friday and just focus on getting acclimated in the car and dialing it in to be competitive on Sunday.

“I’m also really happy to be representing a company like Sport Clips.  Sport Clips is so well recognized and already such a big part of the sport and of Joe Gibbs Racing that getting a chance to sit behind the wheel with a company like Sport Clips on the side of the car is a dream come true for me.  Everything has happened so fast and we’re working so hard at making this race a total success, I just can’t wait to get it all going come Sunday.”

No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing Team

Driver – Drew Herring                                            Crew Chief – Adam Stevens                                   Car Chief – Mike Sibley Race Engineer – Curtis Ratzlaff                             Shock Specialist – Joel Weidman                         Front-end – Nick Fuller Rear-end – Dave Rudy                                           Tire Specialist – Chris “Yoshi” Jones                      Engine Tuner – Roger Purcell Truck Driver – Tim Clancy                                      Jackman – Jason Tate                                          Gasman – John Eicher                            Front Tire Changer – John Royer                         Front Tire Carrier – Brett Morrell                           Rear Tire Changer – Coleman Dollarhide              Rear Tire Carrier – Eric Groen

STEVE WALLACE / 5-HOUR ENERGY RACING NEWS AND NOTES: IOWA I

THE RACE.

EVENT: John Deere Dealers of Iowa 250, presented by Pioneer, Round 12 of 34 in the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series

DATE / TIME: Sunday, May 22, 2011, 1:00 PM CT

VENUE: Iowa Speedway -A Rusty Wallace Design- Newton, IA (0.875-Mile Oval)

DISTANCE: 250 Laps, 218.75 Miles

TV (PRE-RACE): NASCAR Countdown, ABC (Live-1:30 PM ET)

TV (RACE): ABC (Live-2:00 PM ET)

RADIO: MRN Radio / Sirius (Live)

 

THE HEADLINES.

THE STORY: After climbing in the Nationwide Series standings for the second straight week, top-ten ranked Steve Wallace heads into this weekend hoping the epic battle of David and Goliath replays itself in an unusual place: the cornfields of Iowa. The winner of Iowa Speedway’s inaugural ARCA event storms into the 7/8th-mile circuit designed by his father as one of the favorites to vanquish the Cup Series giants and claim the first conquest of 2011 for the Nationwide Series regulars.

STEVE WALLACE AT IOWA: Iowa Speedway has presented Steve Wallace with two of his best chances for a Nationwide Series victory. Despite disappointments in 2009 and 2010, the young wheelman hopes that the third time is the charm for his 5-Hour Energy team. In 2009, he was running amongst the top-five with less than 15 laps remaining, when he was collected by Justin Allgaier in a late-race accident. In 2010, Wallace was running third, when a disastrous pit stop with 40 laps remaining relegated him to 16th for the ensuing restart. Wallace mounted a ferocious charge over the last 35 laps to finish sixth. The winner of Iowa’s inaugural 2006 ARCA event from the pole, Wallace figures once again to be among the favorites to dethrone the Cup Series drivers in the Hawkeye state.

REACHING OUT: RWR’s No. 62 and No. 66 cars-along with the other Toyota factory teams-will carry graphics supporting the Red Cross’s Japan Disaster Relief efforts again this weekend in Iowa. Donations to the relief efforts can be made online at redcross.org.

 

THE MACHINES.

TEAM 66 PRIMARY: RWR-066-The No. 66 team will debut, ironically, RWR-066 this weekend in Iowa. Said Steve Wallace, “It’s the nicest, lightest, most state of the art piece we’ve ever built.”

TEAM 66 SECONDARY: RWR-052-Reconfigured as an intermediate car for 2011, Car 052 has yet to make its 2011 on-track debut, but scored a top-15 in its first start at Daytona last year.

 

THE ENERGY SHOT.

HOWDY, PARTNERS: 5-Hour Energy Racing welcomes Iowa landmark Kum & Go Convenience Stores, as well as Fareway Markets, as partners for the Iowa event. Kum & Go and Fareway branding will adorn Wallace’s No. 66 Toyota in Sunday’s race.

STEVE WALLACE LIVE: Race fans can meet Steve Wallace at the Kum & Go Convenience Store, located at 405 First Avenue East in Newton, IA, on Friday from 12:00 PM-1:00 PM.

 

FROM THE COCKPIT.

STEVE WALLACE (NO. 66 5-HOUR ENERGY TOYOTA CAMRY): “Iowa’s a cool track, but not just because my Dad’s involved with it or because it’s a big weekend for our other team car. As far as I’m concerned, we can’t let any of that change the way we approach the weekend at all. We still have to keep our focus on the race. With that said, Iowa is a track where our team has traditionally run really well. We’ve had a real chance to win there the last two years in a row. We’re heading into this weekend looking at it as one of our best opportunities of the year to win. Our team isbringing a brand new car there; it’s the nicest, most state of the art car that we’ve built so far. Hopefully we’ll be able to put our 5-Hour Energy Toyota in Victory Lane on Sunday and win one for the Nationwide guys.”

 

# # #

 

About Rusty Wallace Racing, LLC

 

North Carolina-based Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR) is a professional auto racing team steeped in the legendary racing history of its founder, Rusty Wallace. The team currently campaigns the No. 66 and No. 62 Toyota Camrys-driven by Steve Wallace and Michael Annett, respectively-in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. RWR will also campaign the No. 64 Camry in select 2011 events. RWR entries have finished among the top-ten in the Nationwide Series driver or owner standings in each of the last three seasons. For more on Rusty Wallace Racing, please visit the award-winning rustywallace.com.

 

About Living Essentials, LLC

 

Living Essentials, LLC, based in Farmington Hills Michigan, is the maker of 5-Hour Energy, the category leader in 2 oz. liquid energy shots. 5-Hour Energy is available nationwide at major retailers in the Grocery, Drug Store, Mass Merchant, Warehouse and Convenience Store classes of trade. Living Essentials sells over seven million bottles of 5-Hour Energy per week. For more information, please visit 5hourenergy.com.

Dodge Motorsports Notes & Quotes

NNS Race Advance

John Deere Dealers 250

Iowa Speedway

Sunday, May 22, 2011

www.media.chrysler.com

www.twitter.com/teamdodge

BRAD KESELOWSKI – No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T

Career Starts: 150

Wins: 12

Top Fives: 64

Top 10s: 89

Poles: 8

Career Highlights:

· Keselowski’s last NASCAR Nationwide Series win came at Gateway last fall (14 races).

· He is the reigning NASCAR Nationwide champion.

· In 2010, set career-bests in wins (6), top five’s (26), top 10s (29) and poles (5).

· Set a NASCAR record 102 consecutive Nationwide Series races without a DNF (Did Not Finish) that ended at this year’s season-opening race at Daytona Int’l Speedway.

· First Nationwide victory came at Nashville Superspeedway (2008).

KESELOWSKI AT IOWA SPEEDWAY

· Keselowski is making his third career Nationwide Series start at Iowa Speedway.

· Highest starting position: Fourth – 2010

· Highest finishing position: Win – 2009

· Average starting position: 7.5

· Average finishing position: 2.5

· Laps Led: 121

THE NUMBERS

· Dodge’s Brad Keselowski is seeking his first Nationwide win of the 2011 season. His best finish of second came at Texas. He has recorded 502 quality passes (passing a car running in the top 15 while under green) in the first 11 races this season, best in the series.

· This weekend’s Nationwide race will be the third at Iowa Speedway, a 7/8-mile oval that opened in 2006. The first NNS race was in 2009.

· Five Sprint Cup regulars have won the first 11 Nationwide races this season.

· There have been 64 cautions for 294 laps in the first 11 Nationwide races this season; three of the last five races have been extended beyond the scheduled distance.

DODGE IN THE NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES

· Dodge won its first Nationwide championship last year when Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski claimed the driver’s title.

· Dodge is fielding two entries in the Nationwide Series this year from the Penske Racing stable. Sam Hornish Jr. will join teammate Keselowski for a limited schedule.

· Dodge has 34 wins in the Nationwide Series, seven of which came in 2010.

STAT OF THE WEEK

· In 29 short track starts in the Nationwide Series, Brad Keselowski has four wins along with 13 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes.

DID YOU KNOW

· Dodge is seeking its first win at Iowa Speedway. Brad Keselowski won the inaugural event in 2009 and finished fourth last year. After being involved in accidents in the first two Nationwide events this year, he posted seven consecutive top-10 finishes, but has been caught up in accidents the last two races.

DODGE QUOTE:

“Iowa is a great facility and this race is one that I really look forward to. For one, the layout is almost perfect for stock car racing. They also get tremendous fan support there. As a driver, you love to walk out for driver introductions and see full grandstands. It’s validation that people enjoy what we do. I was fortunate to win the first Nationwide Series race at Iowa. No matter what I do as a driver from now on, that win at Iowa will always be one of my favorites. Now the goal is to become the first two-time winner in the history of Iowa Speedway.”

Brad Keselowski – No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge R/T

FROM THE CREW CHIEF:

“Iowa is very similar to Richmond in layout, but it’s just a little bigger. We were able to get out of Richmond with a top-five finish and I believe we have made improvements to our car since that race. Brad is very good on these types of tracks. They fit his driving style very well. It’s a multi-groove race track where you can really attack the corners. The key is maintaining good forward bite off of the turns. If we can do that, I’m confident that Brad can win another race at Iowa.”

Todd Gordon, crew chief, No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T

CHINA GROVE, N.C. (May 17, 2011) – After a two-race absence, Robert Richardson, Jr. is ready to return to his No. 23 North Texas Pipe Dodge of R3 Motorsports for Sunday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway.

Like all the other drivers, this will be his second NNS start at the Newton, Iowa facility. A noteworthy item about this race is that it is on Sunday, which means the NNS will have the NASCAR spotlight on them for that afternoon.

This is brought forth because the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will be competing in the All-Star races on Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This enables for more “true” NNS drivers to compete amongst themselves for points and positions.

Richardson is ready to get back behind the wheel and earn another good finish for the team, just like he did the last time out at Richmond International Raceway.

Fast Facts: This will Robert Richardson, Jr’s 10th NNS start of the year and 79th of his NNS career. His best marks of 2011 have been a 26th-place start at Talladega Superspeedway and finish of 20th, which occurred the last time he was in the No. 23 North Texas Pipe Dodge at Richmond International Raceway three races ago.

Track Facts: It’s pretty much a level playing field for almost everyone as this will be only the second visit of the NNS to Iowa Speedway. In last year’s race, Richardson finished 23rd for R3 Motorsports.

Car Facts: Walter Giles and team are taking chassis No. 54 to Iowa. This will be the third time out for this Dodge with the first coming at Phoenix, finished 24th, and second one at Richmond, where they finished 20th.

Making Points: The No. 23 Dodge of R3 Motorsports is currently tied for 29th in the Owner’s Points trailing 28th by one marker and 27th by nine points.

Tune in for the Win: There will be two practices on Friday afternoon, then one on Saturday morning with qualifying taking place later at 4:30 p.m. (ET). Race action begins at 2 p.m. on ABC-TV for all 250 laps of action on Sunday, with radio action on MRN Radio and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90.

Robert Richardson, Jr. Quotes: “I’m really looking forward to getting back in the car this weekend. We had a good run and learned a few things at Richmond that really helped us in the second half of the race. Walter made some good notes that we are going to use this weekend at Iowa to be even stronger when the green flag flies.

“Having only one race under our belts at Iowa is both good, and bad. It’s good because almost everyone else has had only one race here keeping us on an even ground. But, it’s also bad because you don’t have a lot of notes or experience to go off of for the weekend. We have three good practices to figure everything out, so that’s a good thing.

“I like Iowa Speedway because its fast, has the graduated banking, you can run a few different grooves and it’s just a fun track. The people and fans that come out for this race are great, so we’re going to do our best to put on a good show for them.”

NEWTON, Iowa – MAY 17, 2011 -. Iowa Speedway announced today that grandstand tickets for the Iowa John Deere Dealers 250 presented by Pioneer NASCAR Nationwide Series Race are sold out!

Fans who want to catch a piece of the action can purchase standing room only tickets for $35, and Casey’s General Store Fan Walk tickets are still available for $10 with the purchase of a standing room only ticket. The Iowa John Deere Dealers 250 presented by Pioneer NASCAR Nationwide Series Race is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 22.

“We realize that we’re competing with high school and college graduations this weekend, and we’re so excited that racing fans have chosen to spend their day at Iowa Speedway,” says Director of Ticketing Jason Christofferson. “We believe that our fans get more value for their money and a better race day experience at Iowa Speedway, than at any other track on the NASCAR Nationwide circuit.”

Grandstand tickets are still available for the Pork Be Inspired 175 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East/West Challenge presented by Tompkins Industries at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, May 21. Get your tickets now by calling 1-866-RUSTY-GO or visiting www.iowaspeedway.com http://www.iowaspeedway.com/ .

About Iowa Speedway

Iowa Speedway is a state-of-the-art 7/8 mile asphalt paved tri-oval race track and motorsports facility located just 30 miles east of Des Moines at I-80 Exit 168 in Newton, Iowa. The track is owned and operated by U.S. Motorsport Corporation and designed by former NASCAR Champion Rusty Wallace, now an anchor and analyst for ABC-TV/ESPN. Iowa Speedway is designed for year-round use and includes 30,000 permanent grandstand seats. Call 1-866-RUSTY-GO or visit www.iowaspeedway.com http://www.iowaspeedway.com/ to learn more.

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Michael Waltrip Racing and Pastrana Waltrip Racing hold their annual Fan Fest 4-7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25 at MWR headquarters in Cornelius, N.C. PWR driver Ryan Truex joins Waltrip, David Reutimann, Martin Truex Jr., Bobby Labonte, Brett Moffitt and Tim Brown, modified racer and star of the History Channel’s 2010 reality series “Madhouse,” will sign autographs from 5:30-7 p.m.

There are a variety of activities scheduled including show car displays, pit stop practices, games, musical entertainment and food from Mac’s Speed Shop. Fans can also tour the race shop at no charge. Before Fan Fest, Truex and the No. 99 team have work to do at Iowa Speedway where they compete in Sunday’s NASCAR Nationwide race.

RYAN TRUEX QUOTES

TRUEX ON FAN FEST: “I really enjoy Fan Fest. It’s an opportunity to hang out with your fans. It’s important to let your fans know you appreciate their support. If it wasn’t for all the NASCAR fans we wouldn’t be able to do what we love to do every day. Michael Waltrip and the entire company puts together a really cool afternoon. The fans can come out and get autographs, watch pit stops, play games and even get some food. I am really looking forward to hanging out with all the fans next week.”

ON IOWA: “I love racing at Iowa. I have raced there twice and last year I was able to finish fifth. I am always excited to go back to a track that I have had success on. It also helps to return to a track so I don’t have to spend half the day learning my way around. Iowa is fast and wide so you’ve got plenty of room to pass which is really exciting for the fans. Iowa is probably one of the nicest tracks we go to all year. Rusty Wallace and his folks did an awesome job designing the facility. They always seem to have a packed house so hopefully we can put on a great show for all the fans.”

NOTES OF INTEREST

• Michael Waltrip Racing, Gary and Blake Bechtel and Travis Pastrana own Pastrana-Waltrip Racing that fields Toyota Camrys out of the MWR shop in Cornelius, N.C. The Bechtels’ have owned cars in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series since 1990. The Morgan Hill, Calif. residents’ teams have visited victory lane 10 times in the Nationwide Series.

• Truex has made 2 starts at Iowa Speedway in the K&N Pro Series East. He has one top-five finish and a 2.5 starting average. He has also led seven laps of completion at the Iowa oval.

• Pastrana will race in the K&N Pro Series East/West race at Iowa Speedway Saturday night.

• Truex is the only teenager to win back-to-back K&N Pro Series East titles (2009 & 2010), and he is the first driver to bring a championship to Michael Waltrip Racing.

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW

No. 88 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame Chevrolet / No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet

EVENT – John Deere Dealers 250 (250 laps / 218.75 miles)

TRACK – Iowa Speedway (.875-mile tri-oval)

DATE – Sunday, May 22, 2011

TV / RADIO – ABC (coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. EST) / MRN (broadcast begins at 1:30 p.m. EST)

Aric Almirola

No. 88 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame Chevrolet

“Anytime you’re able to run door-to-door with your competitors, it’s fun. The fact that you can race side-by-side is one of the coolest things about Iowa. I don’t think they intended the track surface to be as rough as it is. It’s really rough in turns one and two, and that’s ok, it gives the racetrack more character and makes everyone work that much harder.

“Our entire team, and JRM as a whole, has been working hard to get our program back to where we need to be. This new car is definitely a challenge. It really is a whole new ball game this year. I think our short track program seems to be one of our strongest suites this year. A top-five would be great for our 88 team and that’s our focus for this weekend.”

Josh Wise

No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet

“Iowa is just an enjoyable track to drive. It’s a 7/8ths-mile track, but it drives almost like you’re at a 1.5-mile track. It’s that fast. In my opinion, it’s unique to have something like that. We’re getting to the gas early and hard in the corner, and you carry a ton of corner speed.

“I’m pumped to have Go Daddy back on our No. 7 car this weekend. Go Daddy is a great partner, and I want to thank Dr. Bob Parsons for being such an avid supporter of our program. We’re going to have quite a few guests from Go Daddy attending the race since they have offices in Iowa. It will be a good time, for sure. We ran well with this chassis last time we raced it in Richmond. I have a lot of confidence in our 7 team that we can do the same at Iowa.”

JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK –

2009 WINNERS – The No. 88 team won the inaugural Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway in 2009. The team started 11th and led 121 of 250 laps en route to its second of four victories during the 2009 season. The JRM Nos. 88 and 7 teams have four starts there, averaging a finish of 15.2.

NASCAR HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2011 – JR Motorsports will honor the 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees on the No. 88 Chevrolet this weekend in Iowa. The car will pay tribute to Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, David Pearson and Lee Petty, as the group becomes the second class inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on May 23, 2011.

SHORT TRACK STATS – Four of Almirola’s eight career top-10 finishes with JR Motorsports have come at short tracks. He has scored top-10s at Bristol, Dover, Lucas Oil Raceway and Phoenix. His third-place run at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis last summer was his best finish with JRM.

EXCLUSIVE IOWA PREVIEW VIDEO – Find out what differentiates Iowa Speedway from Richmond Int’l Speedway in this week’s exclusive Iowa preview video on http://www.jrmracing.com/ www.jrmracing.com.

SEASON UPDATE FOR WISE – Wise scored a sixth-place finish at Richmond last month to secure his best finish with JRM. His 2011 statistics in six races with the No. 7 include two top-10s and four top-15 finishes. Wise also led a total of 10 laps in the No. 7 Chevrolet (Nashville, Dover). He holds one previous Nationwide Series start at Iowa in the No. 7 car and finished 11th in 2010. The Riverside, Calif. is ranked 10th in the driver championship standings (-105).

ALMIROLA AT IOWA – Almirola owns one start in the Nationwide Series Iowa. He also has two starts in the Camping World Truck Series with a best finish of 2nd (2009). Additionally, he has never qualified outside the top-10 in two truck starts at Iowa.

NO. 7 SEASON STATS – The No. 7 team holds one top-five, four top-10 and seven top-15 finishes in 2011. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick and Josh Wise have shared driving duties in the No. 7 Chevrolet throughout the year, each scoring at least a top-10 finish. Patrick earned the team’s best finish of the season when she finished fourth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, becoming the highest finishing female in any NASCAR national touring series race. The team occupies 12th position in owner points.

NO. 88 SEASON STATS – The No. 88 squad owns five top-10 and nine top-15 finishes this season. Almirola is currently ranked sixth (-40) in championship points. The No. 88 team is 11th in owner points.

JRM DRIVER APPEARANCES – Aric Almirola and Josh Wise will attend an autograph signing at the JR Nation merchandise hauler in the fan concourse area at Iowa Speedway on Sunday, May 22, from 10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. CST.

2011 RACE WEEK ACTIVITIES AT JRM – Beginning on Thurs., May 26, and continuing through Mon., May 30, fans are invited to the JRM facilities in Mooresville, N.C. for festivities surrounding Charlotte race weeks. Highlighting the action is an autograph session on Fri., May 27 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., which features Aric Almirola, Josh Wise, and Kelley Earnhardt. Karsyn Elledge, L.W. Miller, and late model driver, Josh Berry will also be included in the session. 200 tickets will be distributed for the session. Click http://www.jrmracing.com/news/2011/05/04/may-race-week-activities-at-jr-mot orsports> here for more information.

VISIT THE RELAUNCHED ALMIROLA WEBSITE – Are you a fan of Aric Almirola? Visit his newly relaunched website at www.aricalmirola.com and get inside access to all the cool and interesting facts about the Tampa, Fla. native. The site includes a complete biography, photo gallery, and updated race reports.

NEW JRM RACING WEBSITE – http://www.jrmracing.com/ JRMracing.com is the digital home of the JR Motorsports NASCAR Nationwide Series race teams. Visit it for more information about the company, its history, and drivers, including Aric Almirola, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick and Josh Wise. Watch exclusive video content, including pre-race reports with drivers and crew.