JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW
No. 88 GT Vodka Chevrolet
No. 7 GoDaddy.com /
DanWheldonMemorial.com Chevrolet
EVENT – O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge (200 laps / 300 miles) TRACK – Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile quad oval) DATE – Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011 TV / RADIO – ESPN2 (coverage begins at 12:55 p.m. EST) / PRN (broadcast begins at 12:30 p.m. EST)
Aric Almirola No. 88 GT Vodka Chevrolet
“The racing surface at Texas is totally different from the spring to the fall race. When you go there in November the track seems to have a lot more grip and it’s really fast. As a race team, just the fact that we have gotten so many top-five and top-10s this summer, it changes our confidence a lot. We’re building momentum. At the beginning of the year we were showing up at the racetrack hoping to run up front. Now we show up knowing we can get a top-five if we do everything right. Keeping momentum on your side is very important.”
Danica Patrick No. 7 GoDaddy.com / DanWheldonMemorial.com Chevrolet
“It’s exciting to be heading into these final weeks of the season. Consistency is a big key to success and being in the Go Daddy car for the last three races is a good thing. It will help me get comfortable with the car and the more time I can spend with my crew leading up to next season the better.”
Comments on wearing a special Dan Wheldon Tribute Helmet this weekend: “I am humbled and proud to be wearing a special paint-out of my helmet in honor of Dan this weekend at Texas. This helmet will be auctioned off after the race with all proceeds, along with my prize money from this race, going to the Dan Wheldon Foundation. Dan was a good friend, and I will miss his great personality and positive attitude. I hope everyone will join me in supporting Susie and their two young boys at DanWheldonMemorial.com.”
JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK –
DANICA PATRICK TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF DAN WHELDON – Danica Patrick and https://www.godaddy.com/ GoDaddy.com will honor the memory of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon, through a memorial paint scheme on the No. 7 Chevrolet at Texas Motor Speedway. The No. 7 hood will showcase Wheldon’s “Lionheart” logo in bold letters across a black hood. Underscoring the black letters are the words “Dan Wheldon: 1978 – 2011”. DanWheldonMemorial.com will also be featured on the TV panel of the No. 7.
WHELDON TRIBUTE HELMET – Throughout the Texas race weekend, Danica Patrick will wear a special tribute helmet in remembrance of her friend Dan Wheldon. The race-used helmet will be auctioned off via the Dan Wheldon Memorial auction in the coming weeks. Visit DanWheldonMemorial.com for more information.
DANICA PATRICK’S MEDIA AVAILABILITY – Danica Patrick will be available to members of the NASCAR media at 12:15 p.m. CT in the Texas Motor Speedway media center deadline room. She will be addressing the media on the special Dan Wheldon memorial paint scheme that will appear on both the No. 7 https://www.godaddy.com/ GoDaddy.com Chevrolet and on her helmet.
PATRICK AT TEXAS – Patrick finished 22nd in her lone stock car start at Texas in the fall of 2010. In eight starts there in the IndyCar Series she earned two podium finishes (3rd in 2007 and 2nd in 2010) and an average finish of 8.8.
NO. 7 SEASON STATS – The No. 7 team holds six top-five and 12 top-10 finishes in 2011. The team occupies the 11th position in owner points, sitting 32 points outside the top-10. Every driver of the No. 7 this season has scored a top-10 finish. The list includes Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ron Fellows, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Patrick and Josh Wise.
SEASON TOTALS FOR PATRICK – On the year, Patrick has one top-five and three top-10 finishes. She has led 14 laps and earned an average finish of 16.1. Patrick holds three top-15 finishes in her last five starts.
PATRICK AT-TRACK AUTOGRAPH SIGNING – Patrick will sign autographs at the GoDaddy.com merchandise hauler (limited to 100 wristbands), located in the fan concourse area, on Friday, Nov. 4, from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time.
JR MOTORSPORTS IN THE LONE STAR STATE – The bulk of the team’s success at Texas has come in the fall race at the 1.5-mile facility. Since 2006, the organization notched two top-five and four top-10 finishes in seven starts at Texas during the month of November.
QUALITY PASSER – From NASCAR Statistical Services, Almirola is ranked first in the quality passes category at Texas Motor Speedway. A quality pass is defined as passing a car running in the top 15 while under green-flag conditions. The Tampa, Fla. native holds 69 total quality passes, averaging 34.5 per race.
ALMIROLA AT TEXAS – Almirola has two starts at Texas Motor Speedway with a best finish of 12th in the Nationwide Series. He owns eight starts there in Camping World Truck Series competition with one top-10 finish, and two starts at the Sprint Cup Series level.
NO. 88 SEASON STATS – The No. 88 team’s season tally now stands at seven top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. Almirola is currently ranked third in championship points (72 points behind second-place Elliott Sadler and four points ahead of fourth-place Justin Allgaier), with the No. 88 Chevrolet eighth in owner points.
ALMIROLA AT-TRACK AUTOGRAPH SIGNING – Almirola will sign autographs at the JR Nation merchandise hauler, located in the fan concourse area, on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. local time.
WATCH JRM RACING.COM’s VIDEO SERIES – In a continued effort to be at the forefront of web-based content through its website http://www.jrmracing.com/ www.jrmracing.com, the team has added a multitude of videos into its video gallery. http://www.jrmracing.com/media/videos/ Click here to view race preview videos, the “JRM 360” series and more.
Very cool Danica :)