Michigan International Speedway Advance Notes
Race: HELUVA GOOD! SOUR CREAM DIPS 400 on Sunday, June 19
Track: Michigan International Speedway (2.0-mile oval)
Location: Brooklyn, Mich.
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Media Contacts at Michigan International Speedway NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Jeff Dowling No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet Shayna Keller No. 42 Cars 2 Chevrolet
NOTES Jamie McMurray and No.1 McDonald’s Team
Return to the Irish Hills of Michigan: Jamie McMurray will be making his 17th career NSCS start at Michigan this weekend when he takes the green flag in his No. 1 McDonald’sChevrolet. McMurray’s best NSCS start came in this race last year as the No.1 rolled off from the outside pole. McMurray’s best finish came during the second Michigan race in 2004 when he recorded his lone Michigan top-five finishing fourth. McMurray has one top-five, four top-10s and an average finish of 19.3 at the Brooklyn, Michigan oval.
Last Weekend: Jamie McMurray started the 5-Hour Energy 500 in Pocono from the 13th-position and the McDonald’s team showed strength early on in the race and McMurray quickly drove the No. 1 Chevrolet into the top-10. However, hopes of staying up front all day would come to an abrupt end when the team lost third gear in the transmission, resulting in a lengthy repair and a 33rd place finish.
In the Points: McMurray and the No. 1 Team lost two positions after their 33rd place finish at Pocono falling from 27th to 29th. He is currently trailing 12th place by 107 points, and 10th place by 116.
Can I Take Your Order?: Jamie McMurray, 2010 Daytona 500 champion and driverof the No.1 McDonald’s Chevrolet will greet the public beginning at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 16 at McDonald’s, 3310 E. Michigan Ave. in Jackson, Mich.McMurray will be signing autographs, posing for pictures and meeting with the public. It’s part of a special McDonald’s event to celebrate the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway on June 19.
McDonald’s Fun Fact:Did you know that the Big Mac was created by Jim Delligatti who was from team owner Chip Ganassi’s hometown of Pittsburgh? It was designed to compete with a similar Big Boy sandwich and became so popular that it was added to the menu in 1968.
Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Cars 2Team
Cars 2 Paint Scheme: Montoya will be sporting the colors of Disney/Pixar’s newest movie Cars 2 this weekend. Cars 2 is about the racecar Lightening McQueenand tow truck Mater as they embark on a journey to Europe, Japan and London to compete in the first World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. Cars 2 will hit movie theaters next Friday, June 24th. Look for exclusive Cars 2 toys in Target this month.
Michigan History: Montoya has made eightNASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway. He has an average start of 15.5 and an average finish of 22.1. Montoya’s best start at the two-mile track came August 2009 when he qualified in third. His best finish came in the spring of 2009 when the No.42 came home with a sixth place finish.
Did You Know?: Juan PabloMontoya is no stranger to success at Michigan International Speedway. He competed at the two-mile oval in the CART Series in 1999 where he started third, led for 28 laps and finished on the podium in second place. In the July 2000 CART race he drove to Victory Lane for Chip Ganassi Racing. Montoya started the race from the seventh position and led 39 laps before taking the checkered flag.
Michigan Native: Michigan International Speedway marks a homecoming forfront-tire carrier Eric Bilyeu. Bilyeu, a native of Waterford, Mich., grew up approximately 80 miles from the track. He attended college and played Hockey at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. Bilyeu got his start in NASCAR five years ago after reading a story in NASCAR Scene about the Ganassi Racing pit crews. He sent in a resume and became one of the first members of the team’s pit crew development program.
Last Weekend: Juan Pablo Montoya and the Target team were a permanent fixture up in the top-10 for 200-laps at Pocono Raceway. The No. 42 Chevrolet started in the 16th position, led a total of 38 laps and overcame a transmission problem in the closing laps to finish seventh. This marks the fifth top-10 finish for the Target team this season and advances Montoya to the 13th position in the point standings; 22 out of 10th.
2011 Numbers:After 14 races this season, Montoya has accumulated two poles, two top-five and five top-10 finishes. He’s completed 4517 out of 4548 possible laps (99.3%), has led 95 laps and has an average finishing position of 16.4. His 13th position in the point standings is the highest ranking Montoya has ever had after 14 races in his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career.
CHASSIS INFO No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet (NSCS):Chassis #1104. Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion has elected to bring chassis #1104 to Michigan International Speedway this weekend. This chassis was last used at Charlotte Motor Speedway for both the All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600. McMurray ran well with this chassis in the 600, leading several laps before losing an engine.
No. 42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1015. Crew Chief Brian Pattie will bring chassis #1015 to Michigan International Speedway. This chassis was used earlier this year at Charlotte Motor Speedway along with Michigan last season.
2011 STATS NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Ave Start Ave Finish Pts. Pos./(Prev) Jamie McMurray 14 0 1 0 1 15.9 22.2 29/27 Juan Pablo Montoya 14 0 2 2 5 16.6 16.4 13/15
CAREER STATS NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Starts Wins Poles Top 5s Top 10s Ave Start Ave Finish Jamie McMurray 307 6 8 39 94 19.4 19.2 Juan Pablo Montoya 158 2 7 20 46 17.3 19.5
TEAM ROSTERS Tony Glover – Team Manager Steve Hmiel – Director of Competition
No. 1 (NSCS) Hometown Hometown Crew Chief: Kevin Manion Boylston, MA Rear Tire Changer: Chris Taylor West Plains, MO Chief Mechanic: Gary Putnam Vernon, CT Rear Tire Carrier: Adam Mosher Fort Mill, SC Front Tire Changer: Cory DeMarco St. Louis, MO Gas Man: Benjy Grubbs Richmond, VA Front Tire Carrier: Doug Riepe Danbury, CT Spotter: Lorin Rainer Prestonburg, KY Jack Man: Tracy Duncan Lincolnton, NC
No. 42 (NSCS) Hometown Hometown Crew Chief: Brian Pattie Zephyrhills, FL Rear Tire Changer: Chris McMullen Troutman, NC Chief Mechanic: Heath Silver Asheville, NC Rear Tire Carrier: Chip Goode Statesville, NC Front Tire Changer: Trevor Lysne Fergus Falls, MN Gas Man: Ed Watkins Maiden, NC Front Tire Carrier: Eric Bilyeu Waterford, MI Spotter: Tab Boyd Pensacola, FL Jack Man: Mark Jacobs Fort Walton Beach, FL
