Michael Annett Phoenix 2 News and Notes
The Headlines:
Oakley Again Teams with Michael Annett in West Coast Race: Oakley joins Pilot Flying J on Rusty Wallace Racing’s No. 62 Nationwide Series entry for this weekend’s 200 mile event at Phoenix International Raceway. The Oakley brand also appeared on Michael Annett’s Toyota Camry at Auto Club Speedway in March and at Daytona International Speedway in July. Annett, a devout wearer of the Oakley brand, is outfitted by Oakley for all of his at-track gear including firesuits, gloves, footwear and sunglasses.
Relationship Continues with Rusty Wallace and Oakley: Dating back to 1990, Oakley began their relationship with driver-turned-team owner Rusty Wallace during his days as a Sprint Cup Series driver. That 21-year relationship has now carried into Rusty Wallace Racing where Oakley serves as the team’s primary outfitter.
Racing to Save Lives: After declaring St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® as his charity of choice, Annett will again support the hospital on Saturday by sporting their logo on his No. 62 Toyota. This week, the St. Jude logo will honor 11-year-old St. Jude patient Roberto Blanco. After suffering with nausea and fatigue that developed into having trouble holding his head up, Roberto’s parents, Roberto Senior and Aurora of Phoenix, Arizona, took him to the hospital where an MRI revealed a mass on his brain. Further tests showed that he suffered from medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumor. Roberto underwent surgery to remove the tumor, and his doctor referred the family to St. Jude for Roberto’s treatment and care. At St. Jude, Roberto successfully received intensive chemotherapy and radiation. He now returns to St. Jude for regular checkups. Roberto likes art and playing baseball, football and soccer. To join Annett in donating to St. Jude, please visit www.stjude.org/racingtosavelives.
Rusty Wallace Racing at Phoenix: In 29 combined NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Phoenix International Raceway, Rusty Wallace Racing entries have earned one top-five and seven top-10 finishes with three different drivers. Rusty Wallace, a former driver in NASCAR’s junior division, himself contributed a top-10 finish in November 2004. The No. 62 team’s fourth-place run in April 2010 is Rusty Wallace Racing’s best effort at the desert oval.
Cast Your Vote: Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver voting continues on NASCAR.com. Fans can cast their vote for Michael Annett once per day by visiting www.NASCAR.com/nnsmpd. Voting runs from now until November 17. The winner of the Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver award will be announced at the year-end banquet on November 21.
For the latest updates on Michael Annett, please visit www.michaelannett.com.
From the Cockpit:
Michael Annett on Oakley and Pilot Flying J partnering for the Phoenix race:
“We’re excited to have Oakley and Pilot Flying J on board for another race with the No. 62 team. Both Oakley and Pilot Flying J have been behind me since my initial races at the NASCAR level, and I look forward to being able to give back to both brands for all of their support with a strong finish at Phoenix.”
Talking Shop:
Crew chief Rick Viers on this week’s race at Phoenix:
“A couple of our best races this year, including Loudon and Lucas Oil Raceway, were on flat tracks like Phoenix. We worked hard this week at TRD on the seven-post preparing for Phoenix and the new track surface. With the information we gained at TRD, we’re going to provide Michael with a great racecar for this weekend’s race. We’re looking forward to ending the season with two strong finishes at Phoenix and Homestead.”
The Machines:
Team 62 Primary: RWR-061 – The No. 62 Pilot Flying J team last raced chassis 061 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October. They also finished 12th at Dover International Speedway (October) and sixth at Bristol Motor Speedway (August) in this car.
Team 62 Back-Up: RWR-051 – The No. 62 Pilot Flying J team’s last race competing with this chassis was at Bristol Motor Speedway in March.
Michael Annett’s Oakley Selection:
Annett’s current pick for Oakley shades is their signature SCALPEL. He also sports an Oakley firesuit, base layers, gloves and race boots.
For more information on Oakley and to order from their extensive product line, check out www.oakley.com.
Pilot Flying J Locations on your way:
Pilot Flying J provides 12 Pilot Travel Centers and Flying J locations along the highways throughout Arizona. Four of these locations are conveniently positioned within a 100 mile radius of Phoenix International Raceway. For more information on Pilot Flying J and to map their nearest locations along your route, please visit www.pilotflyingj.com.
Flying J
I-10 Exit 137
6700 West Latham
Phoenix, AZ 85043
Pilot Travel Center
I-10 Exit 133
900 North 99th Ave.
Avondale, AZ 85323
Pilot Travel Center
I-10 Exit 208
619 South Sunshine Blvd.
Eloy, AZ 85231
Flying J
I-10 Exit 208A
16189 S Sunshine Blvd.
Eloy, AZ 85231
About Pilot Flying J:
Pilot Flying J is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has more than 550 retail locations across North America. Pilot Flying J is also one of the Nation’s largest wholesale fuel providers; delivering over 500 Million gallons of fuel to thousands of customers in 47 States and eight Canadian provinces. The company employs approximately 20,000 people and is the largest operator of travel centers and travel plazas in North America.
Broadcast Info:
Qualifying
Saturday, November 12, Noon ET
SPEED
Wypall 200
Saturday, November 12, 3:30 p.m. ET
ESPN2
