Michael Annett Charlotte News and Notes
The Headlines:
Previous Race Recap: After racing on his home turf last weekend, Des Moines, Iowa native Michael Annett had a two point advance in the Nationwide Series championship point standings. Moving to 11th after Sunday’s Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway, Annett positioned himself just nine markers away from the top-10. The series revisits Iowa Speedway on August 6.
Home Field Advantage: Mooresville, N.C. based Rusty Wallace Racing will compete in a home game this weekend as the circuit races at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the heart of NASCAR’s racing hub. Driver of the No. 62 Pilot Flying J Toyota Camry, Annett, has four career starts on the 1.5 mile quad-oval in Concord, N.C.
Rick Viers Assumes Crew Chief Duties: Joining Rusty Wallace Racing’s No. 62 Pilot Flying J team this week is new crew chief Rick Viers. Viers is no stranger to the Nationwide Series with experience calling the shots at Roush Fenway Racing, Baker Curb Racing and Richard Childress Racing. The veteran crew chief boasts eight career victories as a Nationwide Series crew chief.
Annett Shows Support for St. Jude: In addition to his on-track duties, Annett will support a charity close to his heart and to his sponsor, Pilot Flying J, this week by hosting a table at the St. Jude 500 on Friday night in Charlotte’s Speedway Club. Mark Hazelwood of Pilot Flying J and his wife Joann are hosting the annual event which raises funds for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through donations from the NASCAR community. With St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on the hood of his Toyota Camry, Annett drove to a 14th place finish in the Nationwide Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend in 2010.
For the latest updates on Michael Annett, visit www.michaelannett.com.
From the Cockpit:
Michael Annett on Charlotte Motor Speedway:
“Out of all the tracks we visit on the NASCAR circuit, Charlotte Motor Speedway is one of my favorites. Not because it’s close to home, but because it fits my driving style. Charlotte’s fun and fast, and I really enjoy racing on intermediate tracks. We’re looking forward to getting a good finish this weekend at Charlotte for Pilot Flying J.”
The Machines:
Team 62 Primary: RWR-059 – In 2011, the No. 62 team has competed with this chassis at Texas Motor Speedway and Nashville Superspeedway.
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 provides nine Pilot Travel Centers and Flying J location along the highways throughout North Carolina. Twelve of these locations are conveniently positioned within a 100 mile radius of Charlotte Motor Speedway. 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-85 Exit 63 2825 Lane St. Kannapolis, NC 28083
Pilot Travel Center I-85/I-77 Exit 39 3807 Statesville Ave. Charlotte, NC 28206
Flying J I-77 and Hwy 901 Exit 73 2435 Mount Holly Rd. Rock Hill, SC 29730
Flying J I-85 Exit 102 1011 North Mountain St. Blacksburg, SC 29702
Pilot Travel Center I-85 Exit 90 909 Hyatt St. Gaffney, SC 29341
Pilot Travel Center I-20 and US 601 Exit 92 522 Highway 601 South Lugoff, SC 29078
Flying J I-85 and I-40 Exit 150 1043 Jimmie Kerr Rd. Graham, NC 27258
Pilot Travel Center I-95 and US 52 Exit 164 2015 West Lucas St. Florence, SC 29501
Pilot Travel Center I-40/I-85 Exit 152 1342 Trollingwood Rd. Mebane, NC 27302
Flying J I-20 Exit 70 5901 Fairfield Rd. Columbia, SC 29203
Flying J I-95 Exit 169 3001 TV Rd. Florence, SC 29501
Pilot Travel Center I-95 Exit 170 3006 North Williston Rd. Florence, SC 29506
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:
Practice Thursday, May 26, 2 p.m. ET SPEED
Final Practice Thursday, May 26, 5:10 p.m. ET SPEED
Nationwide Series Qualifying Saturday, May 28, 10 a.m. ET ESPN 2
Top Gear 300 Saturday, May 28, 2:30 p.m. ET ABC
