Dodge Motorsports Notes & Quotes
NNS Race Advance
Food City 250 Bristol Motor Speedway
Friday, Aug. 26, 2011
BRAD KESELOWSKI UPDATE Dodge’s Brad Keselowski will not compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. He continues to receive treatment for injuries, including a broken left ankle, sustained during a testing accident at Road America. Drivers filling in for the 2010 Nationwide Series champion the last three weeks include Sam Hornish Jr. at Iowa, Kurt Busch at Watkins Glen and Jacques Villeneuve at Montreal. Parker Kligerman will drive the No. 22 Discount Tire/Ruby Tuesday Dodge Challenger this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.
DODGE AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY . Dodge has three NASCAR Nationwide Series wins at Bristol Motor Speedway (Ryan Newman – 2005, Kasey Kahne – 2007 and Justin Allgaier – 2010). . Dodge’s last NASCAR Nationwide Series victory at the .533-mile track was at the spring event in 2010. Former Dodge driver Justin Allgaier earned his first career series win, leading 27 laps en route to victory. . Dodge’s Brad Keselowski earned Dodge its last NASCAR Nationwide Series pole position at BMS at the spring event in 2010.
PARKER KLIGERMAN – No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T Career Stats: Starts: 14 Wins: 0 Top Fives: 0 Top 10s: 2 Poles: 1 Laps Led: 7 Average Start: 17.5 Average Finish: 21.5
PARKER KLIGERMAN AT BRISTOL . Parker Kligerman will be making his second career NASCAR Nationwide start at BMS; he started 43rd and finished ninth in last year’s Food City 250.
FAST FACTS . Four former series champions have driven the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger this year. Brad Keselowski (2010 Nationwide champion), Kurt Busch (2004 Sprint Cup champion), Sam Hornish Jr. (2001 Indy Car champion) and Jacques Villeneuve (1997 F1 champion).
DID YOU KNOW? . Two Dodges from Penske Racing started from the front row in last week’s Nationwide Series race at Montreal. Jacques Villeneuve claimed his first Nationwide pole in the No. 22 Dodge Challenger and teammate Alex Tagliani started second in the No. 12 Dodge Challenger.
DODGE IN THE NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES . 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.
FROM THE CREW CHIEF . “Racing 750 miles at Bristol (the combined total of the Cup and Nationwide Series races this weekend) is hard on someone that isn’t injured the way Brad is and we all want him to get back to 100% as quickly as possible. We’re all pulling together to make sure we don’t miss a beat in his absence. Parker has already done a great job helping set up the Discount Tire Dodges several times this year when Brad couldn’t make it to practice, including Indianapolis where Brad was able to drive the car to victory. Parker has made a lot of strides as a driver. He had a great race at Bristol last year and I’m excited to work with him. Todd Gordon, crew chief, No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge
FROM THE DRIVER “Make no mistake, this is Brad Keselowski’s seat, but it is a big opportunity for me. It’s not often that drivers get the opportunity to jump into a championship-winning car. Therefore, I look forward to representing Discount Tire as best I can this weekend. Our last race together was Daytona last July and we hope to replicate the success that we had together there (Kligerman qualified second and finished 13th). Bristol is where I got my first top-10 in the Nationwide Series and I think with (crew chief) Todd Gordon and the guys building fast race cars, we can produce similar results. I appreciate Mr. Penske, Brad and everyone at Penske Racing for having the confidence in me to drive the Discount Tire Dodge Challenger at one of my favorite tracks.” Parker Kligerman, No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T
