Dodge Motorsports NNS Race Advance U.S. Cellular 250 Iowa Speedway Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011
KESELOWSKI UPDATE
· Dodge’s Brad Keselowski will not participate in this weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway after being involved in an accident during testing at Road Atlanta on Wednesday. Penske Racing’s Parker Kligerman will practice the car on Friday with teammate Sam Hornish Jr. taking over the driving duties for qualifying and the 250-lap race on Saturday afternoon.
SAM HORNISH JR. – No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T
Career Stats:
Starts: 27
Wins: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top 10s: 2
Poles: 0
Laps Led: 12
Average Start: 16.4
Average Finish: 24.7
2011 Season Stats:
Starts: 7
Wins: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top 10s: 2
Laps Led: 4
Average Start: 9.1
Average Finish: 16.3
KESELOWSKI FACTS
· This weekend’s U.S. Cellular 250 will be the second Nationwide Series race of the season that Brad Keselowski has not participated in. Jacques Villeneuve drove the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger to a third-place finish at Road America and will also be the driver when the series competes in Montreal later this month. Keselowski, the 2010 Nationwide champion, is not receiving points in the series this year.
DID YOU KNOW
· Penske Racing earned its second Nationwide Series win of the year last weekend at Lucas Oil Raceway when Brad Keselowski drove the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger to victory. Keselowski led the final seven laps of the race en route to his 14th career victory in the series and first at the .686-mile track.
THE NUMBERS
· Sam Hornish Jr. will be making his first start at the .875-mile Iowa oval. In seven NASCAR Nationwide Series starts this year, Hornish has two top 10s with an average-finishing position of 16.3. His last Nationwide start came at Nashville last month where he finished sixth.
DODGE IN THE NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
· Dodge won its first Nationwide championship last year when Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski claimed the driver’s title.
· Dodge is fielding two entries in the Nationwide Series this year from the Penske Racing stable. Sam Hornish Jr. joins teammate Brad Keselowski for a limited race schedule.
DODGE QUOTE:
“It’s unfortunate what happened to Brad yesterday while testing at Road Atlanta. However, this gives me the opportunity to drive the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger this weekend at Iowa Speedway while Brad has time to rest and recover in Pocono. I’m very grateful to have the chance to run in the No. 22 Dodge. I had practiced the car for the spring race here in Iowa, which lead to Brad finishing third. I’m looking forward to compete with the Discount Tire crew and hopefully we can bring home a victory.” Sam Hornish Jr., No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T
FROM THE CREW CHIEF “Fortunately we have had a chance to work with both drivers this year and have found great speed with both. Parker (Kligerman) tested for us just last week and Sam (Hornish Jr.) drove the Discount Tire Dodge during both practice sessions at Iowa in the spring, setting the car up to lead several laps and finish third without Brad having a lap of practice in the car. I look forward to our chance to compete for a win with Sam this weekend and don’t feel we need to change the expectations of our performance. Sam has had several good runs in the No. 12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge with circumstances beyond his control not giving him the results he deserves. I hope we can put the whole deal together at Iowa and get him to victory lane.”
Todd Gordon, crew chief, No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T
