Ricky Carmichael
No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado
Event Preview Fact Sheet
Event/Date: Fast Five 225 – September 16, 2011
Venue: Chicagoland Speedway – Joliet, Ill.
. This Week’s Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado . Ricky Carmichael will pilot chassis TMS-021 from the Turner Motorsports (TMS) NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) stable in Friday’s Fast Five 225 at Chicagoland Speedway. Built new for 2011, this is the same Monster Energy Chevy Carmichael sat on the pole with and raced to an eighth-place finish two weeks ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The same truck saw action earlier this season at Kentucky Speedway (St. 14, Fn. 16), Texas Motor Speedway (St. 9, Fn. 6), Charlotte Motor Speedway (St. 17, Fn. 12) and Michigan International Speedway (St. 7, Fn. 12).
. Monster Million . This weekend, Carmichael’s No. 4 machine will feature a special paint scheme highlighting the October 15 Monster Energy Cup at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. The Monster Energy Cup will showcase a unique hybrid track, designed by Carmichael and fellow motocross staple Jeremy McGrath, and will consist of supercross/motocross terrain and will have a tremendous motocross-style influence, making it unlike any other stadium race in the world. This track will be the perfect blend of supercross and motocross combined and created into the ultimate battleground. The Monster Energy Cup posts a $250,000 purse with the winner walking away with a $100,000 check and, for the first time ever, $1 million will be paid to a rider that wins all three main events. Fans can register for a chance to win a Monster day with the 15-time AMA National champion during the weekend of Monster Energy Cup at the NCWTS race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. One lucky winner and a guest will enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Las Vegas and spend the day as a VIP honorary pit crew member of Carmichael’s race team at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway followed by a VIP experience at the Monster Energy Cup at Sam Boyd Stadium, including premium seating, a track walk and a behind the scenes look at the live SPEED television broadcast. Carmichael, who will be joining SPEED host Ralph Sheheen and color commentator Jeff Emig on the broadcast, promises that this will be the ultimate fan experience. The winner will receive an autographed jersey from Carmichael and a gift bag from the Monster Energy Cup, including a year supply of Monster Energy drinks. Fans can register at the official website of the Monster Energy Cup: www.MonsterEnergyCup.com.
. RC in the Windy City . Carmichael has a pair of starts at Chicagoland and calls an 18th-place finish a career-best at the 1.5-mile D-shaped oval. Over those same two starts, the 31-year-old driver has logged a 13.0 average start, a 23.0 average finish, completed 234 of the 304 total laps run (77 percent) and earned just over $24,000 in purse money.
. Richmond Rewind . In four years of competing in the NASCAR arena, Carmichael didn’t have the chance to compete at Richmond International Raceway until last Friday night. While the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race proved to be a challenge for the 31-year-old driver, Carmichael came away from the race with laps under his belt and clearer understanding of the complexities presented by the tricky, .75-mile oval. He started 27th and finished 26th.
. A Look Back on Atlanta . Carmichael earned his first-career pole position in NCWTS competition, raced up front for a great majority of the Good Sam Club 200 and came away with a rock solid eighth-place finish in the division’s last stop at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
. In a Nutshell . The 2011 season marks Carmichael’s second year competing on a full-time basis and third year overall in the NCWTS. Since making his series debut 59 races ago, the father of twins has gone on to earn three top-five and 14 top-10 finishes. Over those same 59 races, the motocross legend has logged a 15.3 average start, a 17.2 average finish, led 39 laps, completed 91 percent of the laps run and earned just over of $754,000 in purse money.
. Turner Truck Totals . In 17 NCWTS races in 2011, TMS entries have earned 10 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes. James Buescher leads the way with 15 top 10s, including a 10th-place finish two weeks ago in Atlanta where he took over the points lead following his 13th-consecutive top 10 of the season. With the exception of Martinsville, Buescher has finished inside the top 10 in every race in which he has competed in the division this season. Carmichael has logged four top 10s, including a season-best sixth-place showing at Texas Motor Speedway and is 16th in the standings. Blake Feese finished fourth and Ryan Newman was fifth in Atlanta. Mark Martin finished seventh in the No. 32 machine at Pocono while Brad Sweet drove the same truck for the first eight races of the year and logged a pair of top 10s.
. Send in Steve . For the fifth time this season, Steve Arpin will climb aboard the No. 32 Mike’s Hard Lemonade machine for Friday night’s race in Chicago. Arpin drove the No. 32 entry earlier this year at Texas Motor Speedway (St. 4, Fn. 23), Kentucky Speedway (St. 13, Fn. 12), Iowa Speedway (St. 13, Fn. 13) and Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis (St. 19, Fn. 13). Following this weekend, Feese will fill out the remainder of the 2011 schedule in the seat of the third truck in the TMS stable.
. Get to the Point(s) . Carmichael picked up two spots and moved into 16th in the NCWTS driver point standings following his fourth top-10 finish of the season two weeks ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He’s now just two points outside the top 14 and 34 behind 12th-place Nelson Piquet Jr. Buescher assumed the points lead after his 10th-place showing in Atlanta and currently paces second-place Johnny Sauter by a handsome 12-point margin. While Arpin has made just four starts in 2011, the No. 32 machine is assured a spot on the starting grid by virtue of being 16th in the NCWTS owner point standings.
. Welcome Aboard . Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy are pleased to feature Thorntons on the lower-rear quarter panels of the No. 4 Monster Energy Silverado Friday night at Chicagoland. Thorntons Inc. is a leading, independent gasoline/convenience-chain retailer, marketing throughout the Midwest under the brand name Thorntons. Thorntons Inc. ranks No. 250 among Forbes magazine’s 500 largest privately held companies. Headquartered in Louisville, Ky., Thorntons operates over 160 gasoline and convenience stores including one travel plaza, eight car washes and ranks as one of Kentucky’s largest privately held companies with over $1.4 billion in annual revenue.
. Nationwide Notes . In 27 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2011, TMS-fielded teams have notched three wins, 20 top-five and 53 top-10 finishes. Reed Sorenson, driver of the No. 32 Dollar General Chevrolet, maintained third in points after finishing eighth last weekend in Richmond. Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 31 Brandt Chevrolet, was ninth in the final rundown and held on to fifth in the standings. Jason Leffler was credited with 29th last Friday night but still held on to sixth in points. The drivers and teams of the NASCAR Nationwide Series also head to Chicagoland Speedway this weekend. The Dollar General 300 Presented by Coca-Cola will take the green flag Saturday, Sept. 17 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be televised live on ESPN2 beginning at 3 p.m. EDT and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Qualifying for Round 28 of the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship will be televised live on SPEED the same day beginning at noon EDT.
. See the Monster Energy Silverado . The Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado show truck will make a pair of stops in the Chicago market this Friday. From 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., the No. 4 machine will visit Thorntons Store No. 301 – 5900 South Harlem Avenue in Summit. Later that afternoon, Carmichael’s race truck will make a final pit stop at Thorntons Store No. 124 located at 15918 South Weber in Crest Hill.
. Up to Speed . Live coverage of the Fast Five 225 from Chicagoland Speedway will take the green flag Friday, Sept. 16 beginning at 7:30 p.m. EDT. The race will be televised live on SPEED and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Qualifying for the 18th of 25 races on the 2011 schedule will be televised live on SPEED the same day at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
RICKY CARMICHAEL QUOTES
What are your thoughts heading into Chicagoland this weekend?
“I’m really looking forward to it. We’ve had some good runs over the last several weeks and I expect that to carry over to Chicagoland this weekend. The mile-and-a-half race tracks are my favorite style of race track and that’s where our program has come the furthest. I’m ready to get back after it.”
You’re running a special paint scheme this weekend as well.
“This is going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity for two very lucky people, and I’m pumped to be part of it. The Monster Energy Cup is going to be an unbelievable event. Monster Energy and Feld Motor Sports continue to raise the bar with amazing ideas to energize the riders and the fan base. I can’t think of a better venue to hold such an incredible event than in Las Vegas. We’re rolling out the red carpet for two lucky people. Hopefully, we can kick the weekend off with a win in the No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Silverado at Las Vegas Motor Speedway before we head over to Sam Boyd Stadium to watch the best riders in the world race for a million bucks! It’s going to be awesome to showcase that event on our Monster Energy Silverado this weekend in Chicago.”
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About Turner Motorsports: Turner Motorsports, LLC, established in 1999, is in the midst of its sophomore season of NASCAR competition. Owned by Texas businessman Steve Turner, the organization has expanded in 2011 from a two-truck operation in the NCWTS to become the largest stand-alone multi-series team in NASCAR’s top-tier touring series. Turner Motorsports operates out of an 110,000 square-foot state-of-the art facility in Mooresville, N.C., and will compete with three entries in NCWTS and four entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS). The team boasts an all-star driver line-up that includes Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, Jason Leffler, Reed Sorenson, Justin Allgaier, Ricky Carmichael, James Buescher, Brad Sweet, Steve Arpin, Blake Feese and Brandon McReynolds. The Chevrolet-backed team has created alliances with General Motors’ powerhouse teams Hendrick Motorsports, which will provide engine support for both its NNS and NCWTS programs, Kevin Harvick Inc. for body and aero support, and Earnhardt Technology Group for drive train and suspension technology assistance. Turner Motorsports’ marketing partners include Dollar General, Great Clips, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Monster Energy, BRANDT, Rexall, Exide, AccuDoc Solutions, Wolfpack Rentals, Fraternal Order of Eagles and ABF Freight. For more information on Turner Motorsports, visit www.turnermotorsportsllc.com.
