· Richmond International Raceway (RIR), by the numbers…Leffler has 16 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) starts at RIR with two top-five and three top-10 finishes as well as one pole to his credit (spring, 2006). His best performance came in the fall of 2004 when he started 14th and finished fourth. He is ranked 10th in number of laps led at the ¾-mile oval with 82.
Leffler also has one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) pole at Richmond to his credit. In his only NCWTS start at RIR (2002), Leffler captured the pole and led for 85 laps before finishing 12th.
· Leffler’s In the Loop… According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Leffler is ranked in the top-10 in a number of categories at RIR including Closers (7th), Green-Flag Passes (3rd), Laps Led (9th with 82), and Laps in the Top-15 (6th).
· This week’s Impala…. This weekend at RIR, the No. 38 team will unload chassis TMS-116. This chassis last saw track time at Phoenix International Raceway where Leffler brought home an 11th-place finish after starting 13th.
· In the standings… With a 15th-place finish last weekend at Nashville Superspeedway, Leffler fell to third in the NNS point standings just two points behind Turner Motorsports teammate, Justin Allgaier, and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., who are tied for first-place.
· 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
Leffler on racing at Richmond International Raceway
“Richmond is a great track that has a short-track feel but has speedway characteristics with the speeds you are carrying. There are always two grooves of racing so there’s a lot of side-by-side beating and banging which is fun as a driver and exciting for the fans. I really enjoy racing there, especially under the lights. It’s really important to keep the fenders on the car in order to get a good finish because the cars are a little bit more aero- sensitive, than somewhere like Bristol. I’m ready to get back to some good short track racing and hopefully get this Great Clips Chevy back into victory lane.”
About Turner Motorsports: Turner Motorsports, LLC, established in 1999, is in the midst of its sophomore season of NASCAR competition. Owned by Texas-native, Steve Turner, the racing organization has expanded in 2011 from a two-truck operation in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to become the largest stand-alone multi-series team in NASCAR’s top-tier touring series. Turner Motorsports operates out of an 110,000 square-foot state-of-the art facility in Mooresville, N.C., and will house three entries in the Camping World Truck Series and four entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The team boasts an all-star driver line-up that includes Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Jason Leffler, Reed Sorenson, Justin Allgaier, Ricky Carmichael, James Buescher and Brad Sweet. The Chevrolet-backed team has created alliances with General Motors powerhouse teams Hendrick Motorsports, who will provide engine support for both its NNS and NCWTS programs, Kevin Harvick Inc. for body and aero support, and Earnhardt Technology Group for drive train and suspension technology assistance. Turner Motorsports’ marketing partners include Dollar General, Great Clips, Monster Energy, BRANDT, Rexall, Exide, AccuDoc Solutions, Wolfpack Rentals, Fraternal Order of Eagles and ABF Freight. For more information on Turner Motorsports, visit www.turnermotorsportsllc.com
