Fuel Doctor Team News and Notes
•This Week’s Fuel Doctor Toyota … Jason Bowles will pilot Rusty Wallace Racing chassis RWR-053 in Saturday afternoon’s NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. A former No. 62 chassis, this Toyota Camry debuted at Las Vegas in March, where Michael Annett finished recorded a 13th-place finish, followed by an 18th-place finish at Auto Club Speedway in March, and a 31st-place finish after a crash at Darlington in May. Following that incident, this chassis was converted from its original downforce configuration into a road course car. Since then, Bowles started 10th but finished 34th after being involved in an incident at Road America in June, and most recently Most recently, he finished 36th after a clutch failure last weekend at Watkins Glen International.
•I’ve Been Here Before … While Bowles has not yet competed at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Nationwide Series competition, he has raced there once before. Driving the No. 11 machine for Marty Gaunt in the Canadian Tire Series, Bowles started third and was leading on the final lap, but was taken out by another competitor and finished 20th in the 2010 running of the NAPA Autopro 100.
•Stock Car Experience … Despite having made only four Nationwide Series starts, Bowles is no stranger to racing stock cars. The 28-year-old driver has accumulated three starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, four in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, and 45 between the NASCAR K&N Pro East and West Series. Bowles won nine races while competing full-time in the West series from 2007 through 2009, and claimed the series championship in 2009.
•Last Time Out … Drivetrain issues derailed what was an otherwise strong weekend for Bowles and the No. 64 Aspen Dental team at Watkins Glen last weekend. In his second start of the 2011 season, Bowles consistently turned lap times equal to, or faster than some of the top-10 running drivers, but clutch failure at lap 52 relegated the 28-year-old driver to a 36th-place finish.
•Double Duty … In addition to his driving duties in Saturday afternoon’s NAPA Auto Parts 200, Bowles will drive the No. 11 Fuel Doctor entry in Saturday morning’s NAPA Autopro 100 Canadian Tire Series race.
•Rusty Wallace Racing at Montreal … In seven previous Nationwide Series starts at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Rusty Wallace Racing entries have recorded two top-10 finishes.
•Rusty Wallace Racing in 2011 … With 23 of 34 races completed thus far in the 2011 season, Rusty Wallace Racing’s three NASCAR Nationwide Series entries have recorded a combined two top-five, 10 top 10 and 23 top-15 finishes. Rusty Wallace Racing Toyotas have completed 8,975 of 9,357 laps attempted, and have been atop the leaderboard for 19 laps with drivers Michael Annett, Bowles, David Reutimann and Steve Wallace.
“I’m really looking forward to go to a track where I have some stock car experience. I think we learned a lot about what I need in the last two races in the No. 64 car and hopefully we can capitalize on that going to Montreal this weekend.” – Jason Bowles on racing at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
# # #
About Rusty Wallace Racing
North Carolina-based Rusty Wallace Racing (RWR) is a professional auto racing team steeped in the legendary racing history of its founder, Rusty Wallace. The team currently campaigns the No. 66 and No. 62 Toyota Camrys-driven by Steve Wallace and Michael Annett, respectively-in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. RWR will also campaign the No. 64 Camry in select 2011 events. RWR entries have finished among the top-ten in the Nationwide Series driver or owner standings in each of the last three seasons. For more on Rusty Wallace Racing, please visit the award-winning rustywallace.com.
