Dodge Motorsports NNS Race Advance
O’Reilly Parts 300 Texas Motor Speedway
Friday, April 8, 2011 www.media.chrysler.com www.twitter.com/teamdodge
BRAD KESELOWSKI, – No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T
Career Starts: 144
Wins: 12
Top Fives: 60
Top 10s: 85
Poles: 8 Career Highlights:
· Has five-consecutive top-five Nationwide finishes at TMS.
· The defending NASCAR Nationwide Series champion.
· Earned Penske Racing its first NASCAR champion last season.
· Set career-best results in 2010 in wins (6), top fives (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).
SAM HORNISH, – No. 12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge Challenger R/T
Career Starts: 21
Wins: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top 10s: 0
Poles: 0
Career Highlights:
· Made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut with Penske Racing at Phoenix Int’l Raceway in the fall of 2006.
· From 2007 to 2010, Hornish made a total of 108 starts in NASCAR’s premier division scoring two top-five and eight top-10 finishes.
· Will be making his third-career Nationwide start at Texas Motor Speedway.
DID YOU KNOW
· Dodge’s Brad Keselowski clinched his 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship last fall at Texas Motor Speedway. His last Nationwide win came at Gateway in October (seven races). His last pole came at Michigan in August (17 races).
· Dodge’s Sam Hornish will be making only his second Nationwide start of the season (Daytona).
· Only one of the 20 Nationwide races at TMS has been won from the pole and only three from the front row.
“Texas is an extremely fast track in any kind of car, but no stock car gives you the sensation of speed that the Nationwide Series car does. It actually feels faster than a Cup car. You enter Turn 1 at around 190-195 mph, depending on whether you are in race trim or qualifying trim. If your car is handling the way it needs to, you’ll go through that corner without lifting, or barely lifting, out of the throttle. You’re on the edge the entire lap and if you don’t hit your marks you can easily end up in the wall. I’m excited about the car we’re bringing and I think we can run up front and contend for the win.” Brad Keselowski, No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T
“I always love going to Texas. I was able to celebrate two of my IndyCar Championships there, as well as my last IndyCar race victory. The track is very fast and has multiple lanes, which makes the racing great. We’ve had the Sam Hornish Jr. Celebrity Bowling Tournament there and have raised over $500,000 for North Texas Children’s Charities, which is another reason why I love heading back to Texas. I am looking forward to having a strong run this weekend. I am really excited about driving the No. 12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge in this race. It’s a sharp-looking car and I expect to have a good race.” Sam Hornish Jr., No. 12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge Challenger R/T
