Dodge Motorsports Notes & Quotes
NNS Race Advance Great Clips 300 Atlanta Motor Speedway Saturday, Sept. 3, 2011
BRAD KESELOWSKI RETURNS TO NNS Dodge’s Brad Keselowski will return to the seat of the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The reigning 2010 NNS champion has been sidelined since suffering a broken left ankle sustained during a testing accident at Road America. Drivers filling in for the 2010 Nationwide Series champion the last four weeks include Sam Hornish Jr. at Iowa, Kurt Busch at Watkins Glen Jacques Villeneuve at Montreal and Parker Kligerman at Bristol Motor Speedway. The four drivers combined for one win, two poles and two top-10 finishes.
DODGE NEWS AND NOTES · Dodge is seeking its first Nationwide Series win at Atlanta Motor Speedway. · Dodge’s last Nationwide Series win came three weeks ago at Watkins Glen when Keselowski’s teammate Kurt Busch drove his Discount Tire/Ruby Tuesday Dodge Challenger to victory. · Jacques Villeneuve earned Dodge its last Nationwide Series pole at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Penske teammate Alex Tagliani started second making it an all-Dodge front row.
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. joined teammate Brad Keselowski for a limited race schedule. Hornish has made eight starts this season. His best finish of sixth came at Nashville.
BRAD KESELOWSKI AT ATLANTA · Brad Keselowski will be making his fifth career NASCAR Nationwide start at AMS. His fourth-place finish at the fall event in 2009 is a career best at AMS.
BRAD KESELOWSKI– No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T Career Stats (Atlanta): Starts: 4 Wins: 0 Top Fives: 1 Top 10s: 2 Poles: 0 Laps Led: 5 Average Start: 21.0 Average Finish: 11.75
KESELOWSKI ON RACING AT ATLANTA “Atlanta is a place I knew I would like after my first lap on the track. The sensation of speed you get through the corner in a Nationwide Series car is pretty unbelievable. That’s one thing that amazes people every time I tell them that a Nationwide Series car – through the corners – is faster than a Cup Series car. Whether you are running the top, the bottom or the middle, Atlanta is all about speed.”
FAST FACTS · Brad Keselowski has two wins in his last four NASCAR Nationwide Series starts. The wins came at Kentucky and Lucas Oil Raceway (Indy). · In 159 career Nationwide starts, Keselowski has 14 wins, 67 top fives, 95 top 10s, and 10 poles. · Dodge has 37 wins in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
FROM THE DRIVER “It was really important for me to return to the Nationwide Series this season. I know there are a lot of people who think it may be a bad idea, but I am a man of my word. I made a promise to everyone on my team that I would be behind the wheel of the Discount Tire Dodge. We’re in a pretty good spot as far as the Chase is concerned so this is a good time to go back to the Nationwide Series. My injuries are feeling better every day and the extra seat time should benefit both teams.” Brad Keselowski, No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T
FROM THE CREW CHIEF “These last four weeks have been very interesting for me. On one hand, my driver was on the sidelines with an injury and my thoughts were with him, as much as they could be. On the other hand, I had the opportunity to work with four outstanding race car drivers. I feel that’s made me a better, more well-rounded crew chief. I appreciate Kurt (Busch), Sam (Hornish Jr.), Jacques (Villeneuve) and Parker (Kligerman) filling in. We had some strong runs with those guys and I think Brad can come back this weekend and put the Discount Tire machine in Victory Lane.” Todd Gordon, crew chief, No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger R/T
