Category: XFINITY Series

The Event: 5-Hour Energy 250 (Round 32 of 35 in the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series)

· Venue: Gateway International Raceway, Madison, IL (1.25-mile oval)

· Date / Time: Sat. October 23, 2010 / 3:30 PM ET

· Distance: 250 miles / 200 laps

· TV / Radio: ESPN2 (live at 3:00 PM ET) / MRN and Sirius NASCAR Radio (live)

Steve Wallace—No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry

· Steve Wallace heads to Gateway on the heels of a top-five finish and top-ten start there earlier this year. In five attempts at Gateway, Wallace’s record includes three top-ten starts overall.

· The final event at Gateway is bittersweet for Steve Wallace; father and team owner Rusty, is one of St. Louis’s favorite sons and a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

· No. 66 primary sponsor, 5-Hour Energy is the title sponsor of this weekend’s event. Wallace’s only prior start at Gateway with 5-Hour Energy livery on his No. 66 resulted in a top-five effort (2010).

· Wallace’s 11 top-ten finishes in 2010 mark a career high. He is the third RWR driver to post a double-digit top-ten total in a single season. Prior: Kenny Wallace (1989-1992), David Stremme (2008)

· The primary chassis for Wallace this weekend in RWR-036, the same car which he piloted to a fifth-place effort earlier this year at Gateway.

Brendan Gaughan—No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Toyota Camry

· With Gaughan’s wife, Tatum, set to deliver their first child any day now, former RWR pilot David Stremme, will be on site this weekend to substitute for Gaughan if necessary.

· Gaughan is a prior winner at Gateway, having been victorious in the 2003 Truck Series event there. He posted a top-five start in this year’s first Nationwide Series race at Gateway.

· His effort buoyed by new crew chief Jason Overstreet, Gaughan enters Gateway with top-15 finishes in two of his last three starts; the last time he accomplished this was entering the July Chicago event. Gaughan ran among the top-ten in the other of those three starts (California II), before becoming the victim of an accident with Michael Annett.

· Gaughan’s primary chassis for Gateway is RWR-037, which he has piloted to three top-ten finishes this year (Phoenix I, Richmond I and Loudon). Gaughan drove chassis 037 in this year’s first event at Gateway, in which transmission issues relegated him to 17th-place finish, after starting fourth.

Kenny Wallace—No. 28 Illinois Corn Farmers Toyota Camry

· For the first time in team history, RWR will provide three teams with technical support for this weekend’s event at Gateway, as it supports Kenny Wallace and his No. 28 team.

· Wallace’s car features a new primary sponsor for this weekend’s event, the Illinois Corn Growers Association and its Illinois Corn Marketing Board. This group represents the hard-working corn farmers of Illinois, one of America’s top corn-producing states.

· RWR competition director Wes Ward will serve in a consulting role for Wallace this weekend. Ward served as Wallace’s crew chief at PPC Racing in 2004 and 2005, seasons which produced a total of 21 top-ten finishes for Wallace, en route to overall driver rankings of ninth and seventh, respectively.

· On race day, Wallace’s No. 28 car is scheduled to be serviced by a developmental pit crew compiled by RWR, with assistance from Joe Gibbs Racing.

· Kenny Wallace remains RWR’s most successful driver to date. Driving Rusty Wallace-owned cars from 1989-1992, Kenny compiled three wins, 26 top-fives, 62 top-tens, seven poles and a runner-up finish in the 1991 standings.

· Despite his older brother’s superstition, Kenny Wallace’s Illinois Corn Farmers Camry features green as one of its main colors. This is the first time since February 1992—with Wallace at the helm—that a car built by a Rusty Wallace-owned team has featured the color green.

· Wallace’s primary chassis for this weekend is RWR-018. Chassis 018 has made a total of five starts in 2010, all with Brendan Gaughan at the helm.

· Wallace is also a St. Louis native and is well-known as an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Additional Notes of Interest:

· Rusty, Steve, Kenny and Mike Wallace will be featured in one of two NASCAR press conferences this weekend at Gateway, to discuss the final race at their “home track.” The press conference will be held on Friday at 12:30 in the infield media center. Tentatively, one on ones will be available afterwards.

· Please vote for RWR’s entry in the Toyota Racing Challenge, a special charity round of Toyota’s “Sponsafier.” RWR’s entry, “Beaumobile,” promotes pet adoption and features Beau, Greg Wallace’s cocker spaniel that was rescued literally just minutes from being put down. Visit the following link and vote each day through November 1: !

Trevor Bayne – NNS ADVANCE

Team: No. 16 Team Wendy Ford Fusion

Race: 5-Hour Energy 250 – Gateway International Raceway

Crew Chief: Rick Viers

Chassis: RK- 346

FAST FACTS:

ROUSH FENWAY RACING WELCOMES TEAM WENDY TO THE NO. 16 – This weekend at Gateway International Raceway, the No. 16 Ford will feature newest Roush Fenway Racing partner, Team Wendy. A leader in protective equipment manufacturing, Team Wendy’s sole mission is to promote helmet safety and to provide the best gear for head protection available. Team Wendy’s Zorbium® Action Pad (ZAP) helmet liner suspension system is the only authorized system for the US Army, Marine Corps and National Guard.

BAYNE GETS FIRST START IN NO. 16 – Trevor Bayne will be in the No. 16 car for the first and only time this season at Gateway this weekend.

Bayne’s crew chief and team will remain in tact, but his car number will change. Erik Darnell returns to the No. 16 3M Ford for his final race next weekend at Texas and Colin Braun will finish out the remainder of the season in the No. 16 Con-way Freight Ford.

BAYNE AT GATEWAY – Bayne has made two previous Nationwide Series starts at Gateway International Raceway. In his most recent start in July, Bayne finished a career-high third after starting from the pole and leading 19 laps. Coincidently, Bayne started alongside current teammate Colin Braun in that race, and both went on to score career-high finishes.

BAYNE AND VIERS GO TO PRACTICE – On Thursday, Bayne and crew chief Rick Viers will travel to the Edward Jones Dome to attend a St. Louis Rams football practice. Both avid football fans, and Viers a former high school football player, will get the rare opportunity of seeing how the NFL’s Rams prepare for their game weekends.

ROUSH FENWAY RACING AT GATEWAY – In 21 starts at Gateway International Raceway, Roush Fenway Racing has notched four wins, nine top-fives, 16 top-10s, two pole awards and 276 laps led. The wins were tallied by Greg Biffle (1) and Carl Edwards (3). Edwards has the most recent win which came at the July race.

GATEWAY CHASSIS SELECTION – Crew chief Rick Viers has selected RK-346 for this weekend’s 5-Hour Energy 250 at Gateway International Raceway.

This is the same car teammate Colin Braun drove to a seventh-place finish after starting second at the track earlier in the season.

Bayne, on going to Gateway:

“St. Louis is an awesome track for us. I qualified on the pole and finished third there earlier this season. That was my first top-three in the Nationwide Series.

“It’s a short track and I really like racing short track racing.

It’s what I’ve grown up racing on, and I’m very comfortable there.

Both corners are very different, so you have to match the setup with one corner and just hang on in the other. It’s a lot of fun there, I enjoy it and I’m looking forward to going back to Gateway this weekend.”

Crew chief Rick Viers, on racing in St. Louis with Bayne:

“What a great opportunity the No. 16 team has this week. Having Team Wendy as a new sponsor is really an honor and the type of work they are doing is very exciting. In our last race at Gateway, we started second and finished seventh, our best race to date with Colin [Braun]. We are now returning with Trevor, who knocked Colin off the pole and finished third, and we expect him to be very competitive this weekend. We believe we have the tools to put our driver in a position to win.”

Viers, on going to practice with the St. Louis Rams:

“Getting to attend the St. Louis Rams practice is a really rare opportunity for Trevor and me. Not so much for Trevor because he does things like this a lot, but the fact that both of us get to go together.

Some of the real solid relationship and team building comes at times away from the track and race weekend. This trip gives Trevor and I the opportunity to work on that for sure. Not only that, but it will be really cool to see how other professional teams get themselves ready for their game weekends.”

Concord, N.C. (Oct. 19, 2010) – Roush Fenway Racing announced today that Team Wendy has been added to its stable of sponsor partners and will join the No. 16 NASCAR Nationwide Series team this weekend at Gateway International Raceway with Trevor Bayne behind the wheel.

The Cleveland-based Team Wendy was founded in 1997 by Dan T. Moore as a memorial to his daughter Wendy, who died from a traumatic brain injury while skiing. The protective equipment manufacturer has made it its sole mission to promote helmet safety as well as provide the best protective head gear available on the market today. Team Wendy’s Zorbium® Action Pad (ZAPÔ) helmet liner suspension system is the only system authorized for use by the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and National Guard. This system is procured through the mandatory source, National Industries for the Blind (NIB), as part of the AbilityOne™ program.

“We are very excited about our new partnership with Roush Fenway Racing,” said Scott Burk, Team Wendy CEO. “Both Team Wendy and the entire NASCAR family have had a long-standing relationship with the military. Our main goal is to provide the most protective equipment available for the most extreme conditions, whether a battlefield or the racetrack. So sponsorship of a flagship NASCAR team like Roush Fenway makes tremendous sense.”

As Roush Fenway Racing’s newest addition to its driver lineup, Bayne will be making his second Nationwide Series start at Gateway. In his most recent trip to the 1.25-mile track in July, Bayne started from the pole and finished a career-high third after leading 19 laps.

“I’m thrilled at the opportunity to drive the Team Wendy Ford this weekend,” said Bayne. “The work they do and their commitment to safety is so important, especially for our military, which affects us all. This No. 16 team had a really great run at Gateway in July and we are looking for more of the same again this weekend.”

About Roush Fenway Racing

Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR’s largest team operating nine motorsports teams. Four in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; and five in the Nationwide Series with Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Trevor Bayne, Colin Braun, Brian Ickler, and Paul Menard. 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.

About Team Wendy

Team Wendy is the manufacturer of Zorbium®, an energy-absorbing material engineered to provide the highest level of impact protection.

Since 2005, Team Wendy has provided the most protective, standard-issue issue helmet liners used by the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and National Guard. Team Wendy’s helmet liner systems are the only military products on the market proven to significantly reduce the likelihood of concussion, blunt force trauma and traumatic brain injury. Team Wendy’s Zorbium® line of products is also being developed for use in athletic helmets, vehicle seating and other applications where protection performance is paramount. Team Wendy is a certified Small Business Administration HUBZone company headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. Team Wendy – Overprotective and Proud of It. ™

JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW

No. 88 Realtree Outfitters Chevrolet/No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet

EVENT – Gateway 250 (200 laps / 250 miles)

TRACK – Gateway International Raceway (1.25-mile oval)

DATE – Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010

TV / RADIO – ESPN2 (coverage begins at 3 p.m. EST) / MRN (broadcast begins at 3 p.m. EST)

Josh Wise

No. 88 Realtree Outfitters Chevrolet

“This is a weekend I’ve had marked on my calendar for a while now. Ever since JRM told me I’d get an opportunity to drive the No. 88 Realtree Outfitters Chevrolet, I’ve been really excited. I enjoyed working with Tony (Eury) Jr. and all the guys on the 7 car this year, but being able to get in the 88 car is an amazing opportunity. I just want to make the most of it at Gateway for Bill Jordan and all the good folks at Delta Apparel and Realtree Outfitters.

“Gateway has been a decent track for me, and I’m comfortable running there. My last trip there was with the 7 team earlier this year. We were fortunate enough to finish eighth, which was my best run for them. So I can’t think of a better place to try out the 88 car than Gateway. It’s a little weird to think this is the last time we’ll be racing there. Even though the series has been racing at Gateway for 12 years, it’s a neat track with a lot history in the sport.”

Danica Patrick

No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet

“I think things are slowly starting to come together for this Go Daddy team. It’s like we have bits and pieces of our race where we show real progress, but something always seems to come up. Our results over the past two weeks are evidence of that. It’s something that comes with the territory. It’s just the unpredictability of racing. We’ll be able to put the whole package together at some point, so we just need to continue to be patient. The good news is, the groundwork is definitely there.

“Pit road is another area we can work on. I felt like I was hustling (getting off pit road last week), but getting up to speed on cold tires is always a display of your comfort level with the car and your ability to take it to the limit and know where that limit is. I’m sure there’s some speed to be found on green-flag stops. We’ll have to look at it and see if there are places to improve for next time.”

JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK –

SPECIAL GUEST AT ST. LOUIS BLUES GAME – Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, will attend Friday’s National Hockey League (NHL) matchup featuring the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks vs. the St. Louis Blues. Patrick is a special guest of the St. Louis Blues, representing the NASCAR Nationwide Series and she will be ceremoniously dropping the puck to begin the game.

WISE IN THE 88 – Despite eight starts with JRM’s No. 7 team this year, Josh Wise will get his debut in the team’s flagship No. 88 Realtree Outfitters Chevrolet at Gateway. Wise becomes the ninth driver to pilot the No. 88 Chevrolet in 2010. The team has notched one win, seven top-five and 12 top-10 finishes on the year. They’ve also led a total of 110 laps, and are coming off consecutive top-10 finishes. Aric Almirola, Steve Arpin, Kelly Bires, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ron Fellows, Jamie McMurray, Greg Sacks and Elliott Sadler are all racers that have shared driving duties in the 88. The team is ranked eighth in owner points.

2011 PLANS UNVEILVED – JR Motorsports co-owner and general manager, Kelley Earnhardt announced last week that Danica Patrick will compete in the first four races of the 2011 Nationwide Series schedule with the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway (Feb. 19), Phoenix International Raceway (Feb. 26), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 5) and Bristol Motor Speedway (March 19). The races beyond that have not been determined, although Patrick will take on a schedule similar to that of her 13-race rookie campaign.

NO. 7 TEAM TO DATE – The No. 7 team has secured six top-10 finishes and led 42 laps with seven different drivers in 2010, including Aric Almirola, Steve Arpin, Landon Cassill, J.R. Fitzpatrick, Danica Patrick, Scott Wimmer and Josh Wise. The GoDaddy.com team is ranked 16th in 2010 owner points.

WISE AT GATEWAY – Wise has two starts at Gateway in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, with his best finish of eighth coming in the No. 7 Chevrolet earlier this year. The 27-year-old also had an eighth-place showing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2007. His most successful race at Gateway was in an ARCA race in 2007 when he started from the pole with a track-record speed and led 35 laps en route to a second-place finish.

DANICA’S SEASON – Patrick embarks on her 10th race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this weekend at Gateway. In her previous nine starts, she’s earned a career-best finish of 21st at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Her season-best qualifying effort of 14th came two weeks ago at Auto Club Speedway.

WISE WITH JRM – Gateway marks Wise’s last stint driving for JRM in 2010. The native of Riverside, Calif. has earned one top-10 (Gateway), and six top-15 finishes driving the No. 7 Chevrolet in eight races this season. His average finish in those races is 13.1. Aric Almirola and Danica Patrick will finish out the remainder of the season in the No. 88 and No. 7 Chevrolets.

MEDIA AVAILABILITY – Patrick will be available to members of the NASCAR media on Friday, Oct. 22, at 12 p.m. CST in Gateway International Raceway infield media center.

FREE JR NATION CREW FAN CLUB – Dale Jr. and JR Motorsports encourage fans to join the JR Nation Crew Fan Club for free. The official fan club provides members with exclusive ticket and merchandise offers, in addition to JRM blogs, forums, and chat rooms to interact with other members of JR Nation. For more information, visitwww.jrnation.com.

REED SORENSON QUICK FACTS

No. 32 Dollar General Toyota

Gateway International Raceway

5-Hour Energy 250

October 23, 2010

Notes of Interest:

· Where it all began…Reed Sorenson returns to the site of his debut with the No. 32 Dollar General team…Gateway International Raceway (GIR)! Last season, he joined forces with crew chief, Trent Owens, and the Dollar General team to start second and finish second at GIR in his first appearance behind the wheel of the No. 32 Toyota Camry. The team returned in July (2010) and earned another runner-up finish after starting from the 13th position.

· A two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) winner at GIR, Sorenson knows how to get around the1.25-mile track! Sorenson has six previous NNS starts at GIR. He has two wins (2005 & 2007), five top-five finishes and a whopping 155 laps led. His qualifying record isn’t too shabby either. He has started on the outside pole four times! In 2009, Sorenson tied for the pole position and track record. The honors, however, were awarded to the No. 88 team which was higher in owner’s points.

· By the Numbers at Gateway! Sorenson ranks in the top-10 in several of NASCAR’s Loop Data categories. These categories include: Average Running Position (7th), Closers (2nd), Driver Rating (4th), Fastest Drivers Early in a Run (5th), Fastest Drivers Late in a Run (5th), Fastest Laps Run (2nd), Fastest on Restarts (4th), Green Flag Passes (2nd), Green Flag Speed (4th), Laps in Top-15 (2nd), Laps Led (2nd), Passes on Frontstretch (3rd), Passes on Backstretch (3rd), Passes in Turns 1 and 2 (2nd), Turn 3 (6th), Turn 4 (1st), Quality Passes (5th) and Speed in Traffic (2nd).

· The Dollar General team heads to the Madison, IL-based track with chassis #043. This weekend, the Dollar General team heads to Gateway with chassis #43. This chassis was last seen on track at GIR in July, when Sorenson started 13th and finished second. It previously saw track time at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in June, when the Dollar General team brought home an eighth-place finish. The car made its track debut in November, 2009 at Phoenix International Raceway. Sorenson has been the only driver to pilot chassis #43.

· Braun Racing acquired by Turner Motorsports… Recently, it was announced that Turner Motorsports acquired select assets of Braun Racing. The team will continue to operate as Braun Racing for the remainder of the 2010 season. Plans for Turner Motorsports in 2011 include fielding three entries in both the Camping World Truck Series and the Nationwide Series. The NNS driver lineup will be announced in October.

· The Dollar General team rolls into Charlotte SIXTH in the Nationwide Series Championship Owner’s Points.

Sorenson on driving at Gateway International Raceway:

“I grew up racing on short tracks and although Gateway isn’t necessarily a short track, it’s a fast track for as flat as it is. Gateway just seemed to fit my driving style the first time I raced there in 2005 and it’s been good to me since. You definitely have to use some finesse when you are driving this track. You can’t overdrive it. You’re out of the gas for a long time. I tend to like tracks where you have to get your braking right on entry, where you have to brake hard and have your car free enough to come off the corners as well.”

Sorenson on racing at Gateway for the last time:

“When we left Gateway in July with another second-place finish, we were already counting down the races until we came back. The win here keeps getting away and this Dollar General team is hungry to get it. At the time, it wasn’t announced yet that this was the last year NASCAR would be racing at Gateway. It’s unfortunate because this is a fun track to race at. It will definitely be a bittersweet weekend and will be sad to see the haulers load up and pull out for the last time. The fans have always been very supportive here. Thank you to all of them who came out to see us race all these years.”

Justin Allgaier

No. 12 Verizon Dodge Charger

Gateway International Raceway – 5-Hour Energy 250

October 23, 2010

Verizon Team News and Notes

· This Week’s Verizon Dodge … Justin Allgaier will pilot Penske Racing chassis PRS-017 in Saturday afternoon’s 5-Hour Energy 250 at Gateway International Raceway. This is the same Dodge Charger that Allgaier used to record his first career Nationwide Series pole at Memphis Motorsports Park in October of 2009. It then raced at Richmond International Raceway in April, where the 2009 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year started ninth and finished 15th. Most recently, Allgaier raced this chassis to a 25th-place finish at Gateway in July, where he was involved in a late-race incident.

· Welcome Home, Justin … Allgaier, a native of Riverton, Ill., grew up just over 100 miles northeast of Gateway International Raceway. He began his career racing quarter midgets in his home state at the age of five. Since then, he has claimed two poles, one win, 10 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes in 70 Nationwide Series starts; two poles, eight wins, 31 top fives and 45 top 10s and the 2008 championship in 86 ARCA Series starts; and two top-25 finishes in eight Camping World Truck Series races.

· Through 31 Races … With 31 races of the 2010 season in the record books, Allgaier has accumulated one pole, one win, seven top-five and 18 top-10 finishes, an average starting position of 12th and an average finish of 11.9. Allgaier has led 133 laps of competition and has completed 97.4 percent of the laps contested (5,536 of 5,684) so far this season.

· Get to the Points … Allgaier ranks fourth in the NNS championship point standings heading into this weekend’s event at GIR. He trails current point leader and Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski by 851 points, and third-place contender Kyle Busch by 336 points.

· Best in Class … Allgaier’s fourth-place position in the point standings is best among full-time, Nationwide Series-only drivers. Allgaier leads fellow Nationwide-only driver Trevor Bayne, currently ranked eighth, by 600 points.

· Allgaier at Gateway … In two NNS starts at GIR, Allgaier has a best finish of 11th, which came in his first start at the 1.25-mile oval. Additionally, the 24-year-old driver has an average starting position of 14.5, an average finish of 18th and has completed 98.5 percent of the laps contested (394 of 400).

· Penske Racing at Gateway … In three previous NNS starts at GIR, Penske Racing entries have recorded two top-15 finishes. Penske Dodges have been atop the leaderboard for 136 circuits in their time at Gateway, and have completed 594 of 600 laps contested.

· Penske Racing in 2010 … With 31 races completed in the 2010 season, Penske Racing’s two NASCAR Nationwide Series entries have recorded six poles, six wins, a combined 29 top-five and 43 top-10 finishes. Penske Dodges have completed 11,219 of 11,368 laps contested, and have been atop the leaderboard for 1,196 laps with drivers Allgaier and Keselowski.

· Are You Experienced? … In addition to his two previous NNS starts at the 1.25-mile venue, Allgaier has competed in four ARCA Series races at Gateway, posting his track-best finish of fourth in August of 2007.

· Driver of the Week … Nationwide has selected Allgaier as this week’s Driver of the Week. As part of the program, he will participate in an on-line chat with NASCAR.com this Wednesday at 12 p.m., where he will answer questions from race fans.

· In-Race Reporter … Allgaier will serve as ESPN’s in-race reporter for Saturday’s live broadcast of the 5-Hour Energy 250. Fans will see live in-car camera shots from the Verizon Dodge and listen as he and crew chief Chad Walter give live updates throughout the race.

· Cast Your Vote … Some 30,000 fans have cast their votes since July 6, and Allgaier is currently ranked among the top-five in the NNS Most Popular Driver award voting (through Wednesday, Sept. 15). Fans can visit www.nascarnationwideseries.com to vote for their favorite NASCAR Nationwide Series driver. Voting continues through Saturday, November 13.

· Meet the Driver … Fans can meet Allgaier on Thursday, October 21 from 6 – 7 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless store located at 1108 Collinsville Crossing Blvd. in Collinsville, Ill. The following day, he will sign for fans at the Penske Racing souvenir trailer, located in the midway at GIR, from 12 – 12:30 p.m. He will return to the trailer on Saturday from 11 – 11:30 a.m.

· High Above Clear Lake Avenue … As a part of breast cancer awareness month, Springfield, Ill.-based St. John’s Hospital unveiled a “Real Men Wear Pink” billboard featuring Allgaier. The billboard will remain above one of the busiest sections of Springfield for the month of October.

Justin Allgaier on Gateway International Raceway

“There’s always a compromise at Gateway, and I’ve always been a believer in making the car better at one end or the other. You know when the car unloads off the truck which corner you’re going to be better at. Turns 3 and 4 for me always seem to be where I hit it. It’s wider than the other end of the track, which lets you build a lot of speed to carry down the frontstretch. That being said, the last time we raced at Gateway, it seemed the cars that were able to get off Turn 2 better were at an advantage. Our goal for this weekend is to find a decent balance, knowing that we’ll have to sacrifice at one end to be better in the other.”

Crew chief Chad Walter on Gateway International Raceway

“Gateway is a challenging track with very different corners at each end. It’s like a paperclip in Turns 1 and 2, and has long, sweeping turns at the other end of the track. Getting our Verizon Dodge loose enough to turn in 1 and 2 while still being able to put the power down through Turns 3 and 4 is what will make our race a lot more enjoyable. This track means a lot to Justin; it’s one of his favorites. We know that he’ll be up on the wheel to get a good finish for his hometown crowd.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

No. 6 CitiFinancial Ford Fusion

Gateway International Raceway (1.25-mile Oval)

5 Hour Energy 250 (200 laps/250 miles)

Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010

Nationwide Series Driver Points Position – 17th (after 31 of 35 races) 

No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing News and Notes Heading Into St. Louis:

The Driver…Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who leads the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings by six points, will make his third NASCAR Nationwide Series start Gateway International Raceway on Saturday. In July, Stenhouse started 15th and finished 9th. In 2009, Stenhouse started eighth and finished 30th while driving the No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford.

The Organization…Roush Fenway Racing has four wins, nine top fives and 16 top 10s in 21 Nationwide Series starts at GIR. Stenhouse joins teammates Carl Edwards, Paul Menard and Trevor Bayne in the 5 Hour Energy 250 on Saturday afternoon. Edwards won at GIR in July.

The Machine…Stenhouse’s Ford Fusion will carry the familiar red, blue and silver colors of CitiFinancial again this weekend. CitiFinancial is the primary sponsor for 24 races in 2010 with Stenhouse. The team will use chassis #RK-296 at Gateway. Stenhouse raced this chassis four times in 2010, most recently in September at Atlanta Motor Speedway where he started 13th and finished 10th.

On Air…The 5 Hour Energy 250 can be seen live on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010 on ESPN2 with coverage beginning at 3:00 p.m. EDT. The event can also be heard live on MRN affiliates beginning at 3:00 p.m. EDT.

Now Appearing…Stenhouse will be at the CitiFinancial Branch on 94A North Port Dr., Alton, Ill. 62002 from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. local time. This appearance is open to the public.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on racing at Gateway International Raceway:

“I can’t wait to get to Gateway this weekend. Even though we didn’t get the finish we wanted in Charlotte last Friday, we still had a fast car and I know that we will be fast in Gateway as well. Since I have been there before, I feel like I know the line around there and am confident we will be competitive on Saturday. We had a decent run earlier this year at Gateway so we’re expecting to improve on it this weekend. We have been running well lately and the fact that I have experience on the track, makes me and this entire CitiFinancial team excited about the weekend.”

Crew Chief Mike Kelley on racing at Gateway International Raceway:

“Gateway is relatively flat and Ricky (Stenhouse) has been good on these types of tracks this year. He has also been there before so his learning curve will not be as steep this weekend. Our CitiFinancial team has been giving Ricky fast cars every week and I don’t expect anything different this weekend. We’ve got to focus on making the car turn in the center of the corner so our race set-up will be top priority during practice.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. NASCAR Nationwide Series Career Totals

Races

Wins

Top-Fives

Top-10’s

Poles

35

0

3

8

1

ONE-MORE TIME: This weekend’s Nationwide Series race at Gateway (Ill.) International Raceway will mark the series last scheduled event at the track. For the final appearance at the 1.25-mile track, Mike Bliss will pilot the No. 33 Mad Croc Energy Chevrolet.

In seven previous Nationwide Series starts at the track, Bliss has recorded one top-five and one top-10 finish. He has completed 1161 of 1400 attempted laps for 82.9 percent and has led 119 laps.

The 2002 Truck Series Champion has five starts at Gatway in the truck series with one top-five and three top-10 finishes. He has completed 763 of 800 attempted laps (95.4 percent) and led three laps.

Bliss will be attempting to score his first career NASCAR win at the track this weekend in the final Nationwide Series race at the 1.25-mile track.

WELCOME TO THE TEAM: This week Kevin Harvick Inc. welcomes new sponsor Mad Croc Energy to the No. 33 Nationwide Series team with driver Mike Bliss. Mad Croc has generated over $300 million in world-wide sales and is the only global energy brand with a full portfolio of products including energy drinks, energy shots, energy gum and energy chews.

“This is our Company’s first significant racing sponsorship in the U.S. and we are very excited to partner with the Kevin Harvick Inc. team,” said Robert Tamcsin, CEO for Mad Croc Brands Inc. “Not only will this deal generate great exposure for our growing brand here in the U.S., but it will also expand the distribution of our energy products into the nation’s largest grocery retailer.”

The agreement also includes distribution of Mad Croc products in select Kroger stores in the Mid-Atlantic region.

BEFORE THE RACE: QUOTES WITH DRIVER MIKE BLISS:

This will make your third appearance in the No. 33 car for Kevin Harvick Inc. this season. Can you talk about this opportunity and returning to Gateway? “I’m really excited to get back in the No. 33 car for Kevin and DeLana (Harvick) this week at Gateway. Every time I have gotten in their equipment, we’ve been competitive and run up front. This week we have a new sponsor on board with Mad Croc Energy and I’m excited to have a good run for them and hopefully at the end of the race, we’re there with a chance at the win. Gateway is a track where I’ve had some bad luck, but I hope to turn that around this week.”

CHASSIS HISTORY: This week the No. 33 Mad Croc Energy team will unload chassis No. 058 for driver Mike Bliss. The last on-track appearance for this chassis was at Gateway International Raceway with team co-owner Kevin Harvick. Harvick started the race 10th and following a late-race accident finished 16th. Other appearances this season include New Hampshire Motor Speedway where Harvick started the race from the third position and led six laps before finishing seventh. Prior to New Hampshire, this chassis was on track at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway where Harvick finished the race seventh and at Phoenix International Raceway where Harvick scored a second-place finish.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: For the final Nationwide Series new car race of the 2010 season, Kevin Harvick piloted the No. 33 car at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway where he was looking to score his first-career Nationwide Series win at the track. Starting the race from the 14th position, Harvick fought a loose-handling condition most of the race. After leading two laps midway through the race, Harvick crossed the finish line 10th.

ARE YOU A FOLLOWER? Twitter users can now keep up-to-date with Kevin Harvick Inc.’s NASCAR Nationwide Series by following @KHI_NNS. In addition, you can follow KHI’s Truck Series teams @KHI_TruckSeries. Want more from KHI? Follow KHI’s co-owners Kevin and DeLana Harvick @KevinHarvick and @DeLanaHarvick.

ONLINE MEDIA KITS: Media members can now access KHI media kits online at KevinHarvickInc.com. Included on the site are driver bios, driver and team images, KHI history and statistics, team profiles and schedules. Please contact Alicia Deal (adeal@kevinharvickinc.com) at KHI for access to the new site.

Mike Bliss

Nationwide Stats at Gateway

Year No. Team Start Finish

2010 40 CK 39 19

2009 1 JF 6 4

2008 1 JF 8 31

2007 22 AF 7 33

2006 30 CL 29 36

2004 20 JG 11 17

2003 20 JG 6 12

*CK: Curtis Key

*JF: James Finch

*CL: Chris Lencheski

*JG: Joe Gibbs

About Mad Croc Brands:

Mad Croc has generated over $300 million in world-wide sales and is the only global energy brand with a full portfolio of products including energy drinks, energy shots, energy gum and energy chews. Regular Mad Croc products contain pure cane sugar, B vitamins, caffeine and taurine for a healthy boost that eases fatigue, increases alertness and enhances your senses.

About Kevin Harvick Inc.:

Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), established in 2001 by Kevin and DeLana Harvick, is an 80,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kernersville, N.C. Home of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship team, KHI enters 2010 in its seventh full year of competition with two full-time Truck Series teams and one full-time Nationwide Series team. Four-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday returns to the helm of the No. 33 Truck team looking for his fifth title and third championship for KHI (2009 and 2007), while Sprint Cup series stars Kevin Harvick and Elliott Sadler guide the No. 2 Truck team. Two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Harvick will again shine as the lead driver of the No. 33 Nationwide Series team as he continues to make his mark in motorsports and establish KHI as one of the top teams in NASCAR competition. For more information about KHI and its teams, please visit www.KevinHarvickInc.com.