Category: XFINITY Series

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW  

No. 88 Degree Men Chevrolet / No. 7 “We Salute You” JR Motorsports Chevrolet

EVENT – 5-Hour Energy 200 (200 laps / 200 miles)

TRACK – Dover International Raceway (1-mile concrete oval)

DATE – Saturday, May 14, 2011

TV / RADIO – ESPN (coverage begins at 2 p.m. EST) / MRN (broadcast begins at 2 p.m. EST)  

Aric Almirola No. 88 Degree Men Chevrolet “Dover is my favorite track. I’ve never experienced another track like it since I started racing. It’s so incredibly unique. Going off into turn one is an amazing feeling. You drop something like 75 feet down into the turn. It feels like the track just drops away from you as you enter the corner there. The effects of the G-forces on your body are a lot like riding a rollercoaster. But at Dover the rollercoaster lasts for 200 miles.

“Last week was a letdown for our No. 88 Degree Men team. But those are the kind of races we put behind us, and just look ahead to this week’s race. There’s no better place to earn a solid finish than at Dover. We’re really optimistic heading there this week.”

Josh Wise No. 7 “We Salute You” JR Motorsports Chevrolet “This is an exciting week for our No. 7 team. I’m honored to be racing for such a great cause with JR Motorsports and the “We Salute You” Chevrolet. It’s nice to be given such a unique way to thank all the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, and show them how much we appreciate everything they do for our country. Working hand-in-hand with The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation on this project is also a blessing.

“Sometimes certain tracks just fit your driving style. Dover is like that for me. It’s a driver’s racetrack, with some room to move around and you can really attack it. Once it gets rubbered up during the race, the track gets really slick and getting into the corner gets a little tricky. So you struggle for grip there. It’s also important to get a good straight shot off the corner on exit in order to carry good straightaway speed down into the next corner.”

JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK –   JRM SALUTES THE TROOPS IN DOVER –JR Motorsports, along with the NASCAR community, will salute the courageous men and women of the United States Armed Forces with a tribute paint scheme of pride, patriotism and gratitude on the No. 7 Chevrolet this weekend at Dover International Speedway. The “We Salute You” Chevrolet speaks for all Americans with a patriotic design that pays tribute to the strength and resolve of the greatest military on earth. To read the complete press release and to see an image of the car click here.  

EXCLUSIVE DOVER PREVIEW VIDEO – Find out what Tony Eury Jr. hopes to see when he crosses the pedestrian bridge into the Dover infield in this week’s exclusive Dover preview video.

JASON LEFFLER QUICK FACTS

No. 38 Great Clips Impala

Dover International Speedway

5-Hour Energy 200

May 14, 2011

No. 38 Great Clips Chevrolet News and Notes

•Consistency is key for Leffler in 2011… Leffler is having one of the most consistent seasons of his NNS career boasting five top-10 finishes with zero DNF’s and is sitting third in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) driver championship point standings. Compare that to last season at this time when the Long Beach, Calif.-native had just two top-10 finishes, three DNF’s and was tied for ninth-place in the standings.

•Dover is the Site of Leffler’s First Career NASCAR Win…Leffler’s first career NASCAR victory occurred at Dover International Speedway in 2003. After starting 10th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race, Leffler led for 57 laps before claiming the win!

•Leffler at Dover International Speedway, by the numbers… In 15 NNS starts at Dover, Leffler has five top-five and nine top-10 finishes. His best performance at the one-mile, concrete track came in 2005 when he started 12th and finished third. He has posted top-10 finishes in his last five visits to the track.

•Leffler “in the loop” at Dover…According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Leffler is ranked in the top-10 in a number of categories at Dover including Closers (1st), Green-Flag Passes (1st), Laps in the Top-15 (2nd), Quality Passes and Fastest Laps Run (10th).

•This week’s Impala…. This weekend at Dover, the No. 38 Great Clips team will unload chassis TMS-127. It’s a quick turn-around for this chassis which was seen last weekend at Darlington where Leffler brought home a ninth-place finish.

•In the standings… With a ninth-place finish last weekend at Darlington Raceway, Leffler holds on to third-place in the NNS driver point standings, 15 points behind Turner Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier, who holds the lead.

•Turner Motorsports NNS season at-a-glance… In 10 NNS races in 2011, Turner Motorsports-prepared entries have notched one win, eight top-five and 22 top-10 finishes. Justin Allgaier currently leads the points and paces second-place Elliott Sadler by five markers. Jason Leffler is third and trails Allgaier by 15 points while Reed Sorenson is fourth, just 18 points out of the top spot.

•Supporting Autism Speaks… Autism Speaks … All four Turner Motorsports NNS entries, along with the Mooresville, N.C.-based organization’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series counterparts will carry Autism Speaks decals this weekend in Dover. Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Bob and Suzanne Wright, grandparents of a child with autism. Since then, Autism Speaks has grown into the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. For more information about Autism Speaks or ways to donate, visit www.autisimspeaks.org.

•Start of a new era for Turner Motorsports… The 2011 season marks the start of a new era for Turner Motorsports. The team has expanded in 2011 from a two-truck operation in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) to become the largest stand-alone multi-series team in NASCAR’s top-tier touring series, fielding three entries in the NCWTS and four entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS). Three of the team’s regular NNS drivers (Jason Leffler, Reed Sorenson and Justin Allgaier) have been pegged as viable contenders to win the 2011 NNS driver championship.

•Happy 10-Year Anniversary, Great Clips… This season marks Great Clips’ 10-year anniversary as a primary sponsor in the NNS. The Minneapolis-based Great Clips, Inc., which is currently the longest-running primary sponsor in the series, came onto the scene in 2001 as a primary sponsor of Akins Motorsports No. 38 entry, then driven by Christian Elder.

•Leffler on SIRIUS’ Morning Drive every Wednesday… Don’t forget to tune in to SIRIUS Radio’s “Morning Drive” with Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone every Wednesday at 10:30am to hear Leffler’s take on recent events in the Nationwide Series and what you can expect from the week’s upcoming race.

Follow the No. 38 team on Twitter!Twitter.com/No38TurnerNNS

Follow Jason Leffler on Twitter! Twitter.com/JasonLeffler

Follow Turner Motorsports on Facebook! Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

Brian Scott

No. 11 Shore Lodge Toyota

5-hour ENERGY 200 at Dover International Speedway

No. 11 Shore Lodge Team

Notes of Interest

·   Brian Scott and the No. 11 Shore Lodge Toyota hope to get back on track this weekend at a track of which Scott is very fond in Dover International Speedway. Scott will be looking for his first career victory in NASCAR Nationwide Series competition in Saturday’s 5-hour Energy 200.

·   The one-mile Monster Mile of Dover is Scott’s personal favorite track visited by NASCAR’s top touring series. Coincidentally, it is also where Scott scored the first win of his NASCAR touring career. Scott cruised to a win at Dover while competing in the Camping World Truck Series event there in May of 2009. He started the race from the third position and led 14 laps in route to the win.

·   Scott has made two starts in Nationwide Series competition at Dover. He earned a ninth-place finish during the spring race in 2010 and finished 13th when the series returned to the track in September of last year for an average Dover finishing position of 11th. Additionally, he finished on the lead lap in both of the two Nationwide Series events in which he has competed.

·   Last Race: Scott and the No. 11 Shore Lodge Toyota scored their first DNF of the 2011 NASCAR season last week at Darlington Raceway when Scott was caught up in an accident that sent him hard into the inside retaining wall along the Darlington backstretch. Scott was OK but the No. 11 Shore Lodge Toyota was beyond repair and the team was forced to retire from the race. Scott was scored with a 29th-place finish once the race was complete.

·   Scott remains in eighth place in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver point standings after 10 races in 2011. He is 74 points behind current point leader Justin Allgaier, and is 50 points out of the top five in the point standings.

·   Chassis #119 is the car Scott will race this weekend at Dover International Speedway. This will mark just the second race of the 2011 NASCAR season for Chassis #119. Scott scored a 13th-place finish in Chassis #119 at Auto Club Speedway earlier this year. Chassis #106 will serve as the backup. This car has not yet been raced in 2011. ·

To access information on Brian Scott and No. 11 Team visit: www.joegibbsracing.comand follow twitter.com/bscottracing and twitter.com/joegibbsracing.

Scott Quotes Discussing his Affinity for Dover: “I think for one thing I just have good history at Dover. I finished well there last year in both Nationwide Series races and then I won the year before in the Truck Series race. It’s a place that I just like. I like going to the track. It’s a neat race track and it’s fun to have the Dover Downs casino there. And then two, I just like Dover. It’s a fun track – everything about it is fun to me. I like that we fly into a big Air Force base where they operate the big military planes. That’s a race where we seem to always have a big military salute because of all of the armed services personnel based there too. Then I guess you could kind of consider it a home track for Joe Gibbs given how close the track is to Washington D.C. and Joe’s relationship with the area having been with the Washington Redskins for so long and hopefully we can pull from some of the support the team has there.”

Discussing the tough start to the season: “No matter what we do this year we seem to catch a bad break. We qualify well and then something happens. We qualify bad, start going good and then something happens. We can’t seem to just avoid trouble this year. It’s tough. A series of bad runs takes its toll on anybody. You want so badly to just to have a good run. You just want to have a top five or a top-10 finish and just be like yes, I feel like my bad luck is over with. The one thing though is that it’s easier this year to keep your head up. We have a really strong race team. Kevin Kidd (crew chief), the guys and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing.

They do such a great job and you know that if you could just not have bad luck then it’s going to be a good race and that makes it easier to move on and get ready for the next race.

“I think the big thing is to just get that one good run. And it just takes a good run in anything. It doesn’t matter if it is a truck or whatever. I remember listening to Kasey Kahne talk about how it was so nice to run that truck race at Darlington for Kyle (Busch) and win and he said ‘man, I just needed that win.’ It helped him turn around so hopefully we can get that for this No. 11 Shore Lodge Team.”

No. 11 Shore Lodge Team Primary Team Members: Crew Chief – Kevin Kidd                                     Car Chief – Colan Ingle                                        Engine Builder – Mark Cronquist      Lead Engineer – Kenneth Oates                       Engine Specialist – Dan Bajek                            Spotter – Tim Fedewa   Over-The-Wall Crew Members: Jackman – David O’Dell                                       Front Tire Changer – Nick Krizmanich                              Front Tire Carrier – Tom Dean Gas Man – Chris Webb                                       Rear Tire Changer – Rocco Antonino                               Rear Tire Carrier – Ben Stege   Other Crew Members: Truck Drivers – Charles Sampson                     Tire Specialist – Ryan Martin                                             Shock Specialist – Scott Myers          Mechanic – Ben Chase                                       Mechanic – Tony Hamm

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – 5-hour ENERGY 200 ADVANCE

Team:              No. 6 RickyvsTrevor.com Ford Mustang

Crew Chief:        Mike Kelley

THE QUOTES  

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 6 RickyvsTrevor.com Ford Mustang:  “I like Dover.  I was kind of worried about it at the beginning of the year going in just because I haven’t ran real well on the concrete tracks but we seem to get a good handle at Bristol on the concrete and also Nashville, which has been one of my toughest tracks.  I feel like we’ve got a little bit better grip on the concrete than what I thought we would have coming into this race it so I’m looking forward to it.” 

Mike Kelley, Crew Chief, No. 6 RickyvsTrevor.com Ford Mustang: “Dover is like any other track we go to.  It’s a high-speed track.  The corners are the same on both ends but different than anywhere we go. It’s kind of like dropping off a 10-story building down into the corners and it takes a good comfort level.  You’ve got to have a car that lands well but also turns the corner.  You’ve got to take care of your car and keep it off the concrete and be around at the end. Generally we go there close to the Bristol setup and I’m really excited about that.  We ran really well at Bristol in the spring and hopefully we’ll be able to put everything together and get Ricky a good finish.”   

THE FACTS

Stenhouse Jr. is fifth overall in the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship standings, 24 points behind leader Justin Allgaier and six behind fourth-place Reed Sorenson.  He is 18 points ahead of sixth-place Aric Almirola and 42 ahead of seventh-place Kenny Wallace…Stenhouse Jr. has racked up more top-10 finishes (seven) and more bonus points (five) than any other NNS regular this season…He has completed all 405 possible laps in two previous Dover starts…Stenhouse Jr. has one pole (Bristol Motor Speedway, race No. 4) and one top-five finish (fifth-place at Nashville Superspeedway, race No. 8) in two previous starts on concrete tracks this season…The No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing team will use the same Ford Mustang at Dover that Stenhouse Jr. drove to an eighth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway (race No. 6).

THE TEAM

Name                                              Duties                                      Ricky Stenhouse Jr.                Driver                    Mike Kelley                Crew Chief            Seth Barbour                Engineer                                                  Richard Letendre                Car Chief    Chris Letourneau                Front Tire Changer Kyle Coolidge                Front Tire Carrier Kevin Kramzer                Jack Man Josh Frankos                Rear Tire Changer Jon Bernal                Rear Tire Carrier Brian Carr                Gas Man/Truck Driver CB Gilbert                    2nd Gas Can Spotter                    Mike Calinoff Larry Lally                2nd Truck Driver Edgar Alleman                Engine Tuner/Support Lance Allen                Pit Support Joe Elliott                    Pit Support Kenny Deguisto                 Pit Support Jeff Cordero                Pit Support

#####

About Roush Fenway Racing Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR’s largest team operating seven motorsports teams. Four in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; and three in the Nationwide Series with Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Trevor Bayne. For more information on any of the Roush Fenway Racing teams, log onto www.RoushFenway.com. Become a fan of Roush Fenway Racing on Facebook by going to http://www.facebook.com/roushfenway and follow us on Twitter @roushfenway. For sponsorship inquiries please contact Robin Johnson at 704.720.4645.

Josh Wise to Drive Paint Scheme of Pride, Patriotism and Gratitude at Dover

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 10, 2011) – On Sept. 11, 2001, our country awakened to an unfathomable reality that tugged at the core of its values.  Nearly a decade later, the resolve and relentlessness of the United States Armed Forces took back some of what was lost that day, and while the war on terror continues, so too does the unconditional service of America’s bravest men and women.

JR Motorsports, along with the NASCAR community, will salute the courageous men and women of the United States Armed Forces with a tribute paint scheme of pride, patriotism and gratitude on the No. 7 Chevrolet this weekend at Dover International Speedway.  The aptly named “We Salute You” JR Motorsports Chevrolet will be piloted by Josh Wise, a 28-year-old native of Riverside, Calif., in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event on May 14. 

“JR Motorsports has always been a proud supporter of the United States Military,” said Kelley Earnhardt, co-owner and general manager of JRM. “This paint scheme on the 7 car is just a small way for all of us at JRM to say ‘thank you’ to the servicemen and women who tirelessly protect this country.”

The car speaks for all Americans with a patriotic design that pays tribute to the strength and resolve of the greatest military on earth.  “USA” is emblazoned in strong, bold letters across the hood and rear decklid of the No. 7 Chevrolet.  Etched on the TV panel are the words “God Bless America”. The phrase “We Salute You” is featured on the quarter panels, with The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation logo gracing the lower side panels.

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation supports children who have lost a parent in combat as well as firefighters and military members injured in combat. It is named after FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, who lost his life on Sept. 11, 2001 when the World Trade Center towers fell. (Read more about The Stephen Siller Foundation below.) A portion of the No. 7 “We Salute You” Chevrolet die-cast and t-shirt proceeds will benefit the charitable efforts of The Stephen siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. 

In continuation of JRM’s message of appreciation, Aric Almirola’s No. 88 Degree Men Chevrolet will also feature the “We Salute You” logo on its lower side panels for the Dover event.

“We are so honored that JR Motorsports, NASCAR and Lionel NASCAR Collectables are supporting our Foundation in such a visible, meaningful way,” said Frank Siller, chairman of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. “And what better way to help us fulfill our mission than to assist us in building special homes for members of the military who have lost all four of their limbs while fighting so valiantly for our freedom.”

A photo of the No. 7 “We Salute You” Chevrolet is available at www.jrmracing.com.

ABOUT JR MOTORSPORTS: JR Motorsports is the management company and racing operation for Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s eight-time Most Popular Driver and winner of more than 40 NASCAR-sanctioned races.  JR Motorsports competes in multiple racing divisions, including the NASCAR Nationwide Series; however, the Dale Jr. business model has grown well beyond the race track and now includes multiple business ventures.  Among those entities is the full-service production company Hammerhead Entertainment (www.hammerheadent.com) , DEJ Realty (www.dejrealty.com), JR Nation Retail Store (www.ShopJrNation.com), The Dale Jr. Foundation (www.thedalejrfoundation.org), and Whisky River (www.whiskyrivercharlotte.com), the bar and nightclub located in the uptown Charlotte Epicenter and Jacksonville Fla.

ABOUT THE STEPHEN SILLER TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION: The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation is a charitable organization set up to follow in the footsteps of FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, who ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001, carrying 75 pounds of gear on his back, to rescue his fellow New Yorkers.  Siller lost his life when the towers collapsed, leaving his wife, five children and siblings to carry on his memory and share his story.  Now the mission of The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation is to support children who have lost a parent in combat, in addition to firefighters and military members who have been seriously injured and sacrificed their quality of life in the line of duty.

CHINA GROVE, N.C. (May 10, 2011)– Alex “Kid” Kennedy is going to have some help when he takes on Miles the Monster in this weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Dover International Speedway.  

Kennedy, 19, will have Funny Dan the Race Car Man on the hood and St. Baldrick’s Foundation on his quarter panels and decklid as he races on the one-mile concrete oval of the “Monster Mile.” This will be his second start for R3 Motorsports this year and fourth start at Dover, with the prior ones coming in K&N East Pro Series competition.  

Funny Dan the Race Car Man is a children’s book about a NASCAR driver who competes for the pure joy of doing what he loves best –racing. Written by Tim Packman, the team’s Communications Director, the book was published by Headline Kids and debuted last week; it is also part of the NASCAR Library Collection. The idea to put the colorful cover on the hood came from Kennedy himself when deciding how to decal the car for Dover.

In 2006, Headline Kids published a book titled, Cutting Class: The St. Baldrick’s Story of Christian Academy of Louisville Rock Creek  by students and teachers of Christian Academy of Louisville Rock Creek, Louisville, KY with Martin & Delia Wach. Kennedy is the National Spokesperson for St. Baldrick’s in the NASCAR Nationwide Series attending multiple functions.

With the combined forces of Kennedy, Funny Dan and St. Baldrick’s all teaming together to take on Miles the Monster, R3 Motorsports is looking to continue their success as of late. A finish of 20th by Robert Richardson, Jr. at Richmond and 13th at Darlington last week by Scott Riggs put them back in the top-30 in Owner’s Points.

Fast Facts:Kennedy, from Aztec, N.M., made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Road America last year where he achieved his best start of 15th. His best finish of 16th came at Watkins Glen in August. Through six NNS starts, he completed 96.2% of laps contested.

Track Facts:This will be Kennedy’s first NNS start at Dover, but he does have three prior NASCAR K&N East Pro Series starts on the concrete oval. His qualifying average of 12.3 is based off his 12th, seventh and 18th place starts. His best finish of 11th took place last year.

Car Facts:Walter Giles and team are rolling out chassis No. 36 for this race. The last time this car saw action was at Bristol Motor Speedway when engine problems cut their day short just 67 circuits into the race.

Did you know:Alex Kennedy cut his teeth in Legends cars out west winning at tracks like Infineon Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway?

Come meet Kid Kennedy:Alex Kennedy will take part in the NNS Driver’s Autograph Session at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning in the souvenir alley outside of the frontstretch.

Tune in for the Win: All the action is covered this weekend with Speed TV taking the practice session from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. (ET) on Friday. Qualifying will be on ESPN2 at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday then ESPN takes the 200-lap race later in the day at 2 p.m. MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90 will have it live on the radio.

Alex Kennedy Quotes: “I’m looking forward to getting back in the No. 23 Dodge for R3 Motorsports, and I couldn’t pick a better place than Dover. I love the Monster Mile and its due time we avoid getting bitten again there. I’m looking forward to continuing the momentum that Rob Jr. and Scott Riggs have built up the past few weekends.

“Funny Dan the Racecar Man is on our hood for Dover. This is a new children’s book written by our very own Tim Packman. St. Baldrick’s is also returning to our car on the quarter panels. I can’t think of a better combination; a kid’s book and a kid’s cancer charity on the car of Kid Kennedy. Having spent some time with the St. Baldrick’s people, I’m looking forward to what we can do together to “Conquer Kid’s Cancer.”

“My primary goals are to set a quick pace in practice, bust out a good qualifying time and keep that momentum rolling for the race. I’m really looking forward to this weekend at one of my favorite tracks.” About Funny Dan the Race Car Man Funny Dan the Race Car Manis a fun-loving NASCAR driver who is motivated by the desire to enjoy what he does. He enjoys working with his crew and just having fun in the sport he loves so much. He may not be the first on race day, but he’s a winner to those around him every day. Author Tim Packman spins an engaging story about teamwork and competition which is brought to life through the eye-catching illustrations by Brendan Sellaro. Included is a glossary of racing terms, so get ready to start your engines and join Funny Dan in this exciting race car adventure. www.FunnyDanRaceCarMan.com

About the St. Baldrick’s Foundation The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives. The Foundation funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. St. Baldrick’s funds are granted to some of the most brilliant childhood cancer research experts in the world and to younger professionals who will be the experts of tomorrow. Funds awarded also enable hundreds of local institutions to participate in national pediatric cancer clinical trials, a child’s best hope for a cure. Since the Foundation’s first grants as an independent charity in 2005; St. Baldrick’s has funded more than $57 million in childhood cancer research. For more information about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation please call 1.888.899.BALD or visit www.StBaldricks.org.

No. 20 GameStop Toyota News, Notes & Paint Scheme:

· A RETURN TO WHERE IT ALL STARTED: On May 31, 2008, on a rainy day at Dover International Speedway, Joey Logano made one of the most anticipated debuts in NASCAR history. The young phenom, who had been praised year-after-year coming up through the short track ranks, made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut just seven days after turning 18. After a three-hour rain delay, Logano came home with a ninth-place start and a sixth-place finish in his debut, battling back from a pit road incident that left him with fender damage and as far back as 28th. Just two races after that initial start in Dover, Logano scored his first Nationwide Series win, coming at Kentucky Speedway. That first year, he had 19 starts, one win, three poles and helped guide the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to the Nationwide Series Owner’s Championship. Now, three years later, Logano is one of the budding superstars of both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, with eight-career Nationwide Series wins and one Sprint Cup win.

· FLYING THE GAMESTOP COLORS: This weekend, Logano will be back behind the wheel of the No. 20 GameStop Toyota. And fittingly so. When Logano made his Nationwide Series debut at Dover three years ago, it also marked the debut of sponsor GameStop in the Nationwide Series. Since then, GameStop has become a fixture in the Nationwide Series with Joe Gibbs Racing and Logano. GameStop has been with Logano on seven of his eight-career Nationwide Series victories. GameStop has also used its sponsorship to capture racing fans’ attention, coming to the track nearly every week with a different paint scheme promoting various video games and gaming consoles. Over the span of the last three years, GameStop has utilized more than 40 different paint schemes on the No. 20 GameStop Toyota.

· HUNT FOR AN OWNER’S CHAMPIONSHIP: Thanks to two strong runs by Denny Hamlin at Richmond International Raceway and Darlington Raceway, the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team has extended its points lead in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner’s Points standings . Hamlin, who finished first atRichmond and second at Darlington, helped extend the No. 20’s points lead to 34 points over the No. 33 and 39 points over the No. 18. In 10 races, the No. 20 JGR Toyota has just one finish outside of the top 10, coming in the season-opener at Daytona where Logano was wrecked while going for the lead on the final lap of the event. Joe Gibbs Racing has won the Owner’s Championship in the Nationwide Series the last three seasons (No. 20 team in 2008, No. 18 team in 2009 & 2010).

· SUPPORTING THE CAUSE: This weekend, the No. 20 GameStop Toyota, along with both JGR team cars (No. 18, No. 11) will be carrying an Autism Speaks blue puzzle piece logo decal on the racecar as a sign of support for the nation’s leading autism science and advocacy organization.

· CHASSIS: The JGR team will take chassis #20113 to Dover this weekend. The chassis has already raced twice this season, with Logano at both Phoenix (start: 3rd, finish: 6th) and Nashville (start: 1st, finish: 4th). Chassis #20107 will serve as the team’s backup.

· STAT OF THE WEEK: 5.0, 6.0. Of all drivers entered for this weekend’s event at Dover, no driver has a better average starting position (5.0) and finishing position (6.0) than Logano. Logano has raced in the Nationwide Series at Dover four times, with finishes of 6th, 14th, 2nd and 2nd. In addition, Logano has earned two poles at The Monster Mile.

· THE RACE: The 5-Hour Energy 200 at Dover International Speedway (Dover, DE; 1-mile high-banked oval) is set for Saturday, May 14, 2011. The race will be broadcast on ESPN at 2:00 p.m. EST, with radio coverage on MRN starting at 2:00 p.m. EST.

 Joey Logano Quotes:

“It’s hard to believe that it’s already been three years since I ran my first Nationwide Series event. That was a day I’d looked forward to my whole life. It seemed like it would never get there. And then, here I was at Dover, ready to make it all happen. Since then, things have changed dramatically, with the Sprint Cup ride opening up, being associated with Home Depot, winning my first Cup race and getting a bunch of wins in the Nationwide Series with GameStop. I never would have thought that day that my career would be where it is now.

“Dover is a pretty big track for me. It seems like I’ve got a lot of things that have happened to me both good and bad at Dover. I locked up the Busch East Series title here at Dover back in 2007. I made my first Nationwide start at Dover 2008. And I had my biggest wreck at Dover when I flipped the Home Depot car in 2009, which is not one of my favorite memories of all of them. Now, I just need to add a win here. We’ve been close the last two races here and finished second each time. Now, we just need to improve on that one more spot. But I’ll tell you what, I am one person who knows why they call this place the Monster Mile.

“I’m glad to be back in the Nationwide Series car and happy to be back in the GameStop Toyota. Thanks to Denny, we’ve been able to keep the No. 20 up there in the Owner’s Points Championship lead. Since we can’t run for a Championship as drivers, we are all focused on getting the Owner’s Championship. Things have fallen in place this year, and we’ve been able to run solid and be there at the finish of every race. But I’d really like to start getting some wins. The No. 20 team was able to get their first win with the new crew a couple of weeks ago, and I know their confidence is up. Now, hopefully we can use that over the next several races and get a couple more wins and see where things shake out.”

Adam Stevens Quotes:

“Dover is one unique track. The elevation change between the straights and corners is unlike any other place we go. A lot of people say Dover is like a big Bristol, which it is in some subtle ways, but it’s rather unique on its own. The concrete surface is unforgiving and changes a lot thru the weekend as it takes rubber. There is a lot of banking on the straightaways, which creates some entry and exit handing issues you don’t see at most places.

“One thing I remember is that pit road used to be terrible, but thankfully, it was redone a few years ago and is very nice now. It was a nightmare when there were only 42 stalls for 43 cars and the pit boxes were very narrow and small. The improvements they’ve made help our job out a lot as a crew chief and as a pit crew. But for all of the problems Dover can give you, it is one of my favorite tracks and I would love to win here. We’re riding a lot of momentum now, so hopefully, we can keep that going and get another win this weekend.”

No. 20 GameStop Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing Team

Driver – Joey Logano 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

Clint Bowyer

No. 33 Rheem Heating, Cooling & Water Heating Chevrolet Impala

NASCAR Nationwide Series Race 11 of 34 – Dover (Del.) International Speedway

BOWYER GOING FOR THREE AT DOVER: The NASCAR Nationwide Series heads to Dover (Del.) International Speedway this weekend where teams will look to conquer the one-mile track known as the Monster Mile. The driver of the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Impala has done just that, twice. In nine Nationwide Series starts at the facility, Clint Bowyer has two wins (2009, 2006), five top-five and seven top-10 finishes. The driver has led 171 laps around the concrete oval.

BY THE NUMBERS: The No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team has five top-five and eight top-10 finishes in the season’s first 10 races. With Bowyer behind the wheel of the No. 33 Chevrolet, the team has collected one top-five and two top-10 finishes in three races together. The driver-team combination started second at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, but finished 22nd after falling victim to a late-race multi-car accident.

KHI LOOKING TO BEAT THE MONSTER: KHI heads to Dover without any Nationwide Series poles or wins to their credit. The 1.0-mile facility is one of 11 tracks on the current series schedule at which KHI has yet to top qualifying or make the trip to victory lane.

In 16 Nationwide Series starts at Dover, the Kernersville, N.C. based team has a record of two top-five and six top-10 finishes. The organization’s best start is fifth (2009) and best finish is fifth, (2010, 2006) all with co-owner Kevin Harvick in the driver’s seat.

CHASSIS HISTORY: This weekend at Dover International Speedway, crew chief David Hyder and the No. 33 Rheem team will unload chassis No. 069. The KHI team utilized this particular chassis at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March with Kevin Harvick behind the wheel. After qualifying fourth, the team was relegated to a 28th-place finish due to damage sustained in a late-race incident. The No. 33 team also competed with chassis No. 069 at Nashville Superspeedway with driver Austin Dillon. The young driver made his KHI debut starting the event in the third position and brought home a seventh-place finish.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Clint Bowyer piloted the No. 33 Chevrolet Impala to a sixth-place finish last weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. The top-10 finish keeps the No. 33 KHI team’s hold on the second position in the Nationwide Series Owner’s Points standings, 34 markers out of the lead.

BOWYER’S THOUGHTS ON DOVER:

What are your thoughts about this weekend’s race at Dover?

“I really like Dover. The banking is like Bristol but the straightaways are really fast. It has been one of my better tracks and I’m excited to be back in the No. 33 Rheem Chevy and with the KHI guys this weekend. I think if we can get the balance of the car just right and stay out of any accidents, we will be able to get this Rheem Chevy into victory lane.”

Media Access: Members of the media can now log on to www.kevinharvickinc.com to gain access to press kit information online. For more information, please email Tiffany Breaux at KHI at tbreaux@kevinharvickinc.com.

About Rheem:

Rheem Manufacturing Company (www.rheem.com) is privately held with headquarters in Atlanta. In its 86th year of operation, the company manufactures a full-line of eco-friendly, technologically advanced residential and commercial heating and cooling systems; tank, tankless, solar and hybrid heat pump water heaters; whole-home standby generators, controls, swimming pool and spa heaters; indoor air-purification products; and commercial boilers throughout North America and world markets. The company’s premium brands, including Raypak, Ruud and Rheem, have been recognized with countless industry and consumer awards for reliability, innovative design and high quality. Rheem is the official heating, cooling and water-heating supplier to Richard Childress Racing (RCR), Kevin Harvick, Inc. (KHI) and is a primary sponsor of RCR’s No. 29 Sprint Cup Series car and KHI’s No. 33 Nationwide Series car and Camping World Truck Series No. 2 truck. Harvick was named Nationwide Series “Driver of the Decade” in 2010.