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[/media-credit]Auto Club Speedway Advance Notes
Race: Auto Club 400 on Sunday, March 25
Track: Auto Club Speedway (2 miles)
Location: Fontana, Calif.
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Media Contacts at Auto Club Speedway
Jeff Dowling No.1 Bass Pro Shops/Allstate Chevrolet
Shayna Keller No.42 Target Chevrolet
NOTES
Follow EGR on Twitter: Continue to follow Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (EGR) on their official team Twitter page. Find in-race updates and weekly news on the No.1 and No.42 teams throughout the 2012 season by following “@EGRTeams”.
There’s an App for that: Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) and SapientNitro SM recently launched one of the first mobile applications for the high-velocity world of racing. This new application brings fans updated driver and event information, and exclusive content in one centralized and expansive mobile experience, bringing to life the rich heritage and legendary success of CGRT. The unique mobile application conveys the high-octane rush of the racing experience for a team that competes at the highest levels in three series – the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS), IZOD IndyCar Series and GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.
Most Popular Driver: Voting for the 2012 NSCS National Motorsports Press Association’s (NMPA) Most Popular Driver Award has started. Fans can visit www.mostpopulardriver.com once a day to vote for EGR drivers Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya until 11:59 pm (EST) September 8th following the race at Richmond International Raceway. At that point the 10 drivers with the most votes will be announced as finalists and the vote count will be reset to zero. Fans will then have 10 race weeks to cast their vote once a day to determine the 2012 NMPA Most Popular Driver from the final field of 10 drivers. Voting will conclude November 18th at 11:59 pm (EST). The winner will be announced at the NASCAR Myers Brothers Luncheon in December.
Sprint Fan Vote: Voting for the 2012 Sprint Fan Vote opens Wednesday, March 21st. EGR fans have the opportunity to vote Montoya or McMurray into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which will be televised live on SPEED on May 19th. Fans can cast unlimited votes at the following locations: Mobile Handsets by texting “VOTE” to 229466 or by using the NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile Application; Online at http://www.nascar.com/allstar; At-Track at the Sprint Experience. The Sprint Fan Vote closes at 5:00 pm (EDT) May 19th.
EGR at Fontana: Dating back to 2001, EGR drivers have accumulated four top-five finishes, 11 top-10 finishes and 16 top-15 finishes at Auto Club Speedway. EGR drivers have led 186 laps at the two-mile track.
Did you Know?: In the last three NSCS races at Auto Club Speedway, an EGR driver has won the pole. McMurray started first in both the spring and fall race in 2010, while Montoya started from the top-spot in the 2011 race. In the last four events, the lowest any EGR driver has started at the two-mile speedway is 12th.
California Dreamin’: Chevrolet has won 11 of the 22 NSCS races held at Auto Club Speedway, including the last four races at the two-mile oval.
Jamie McMurray and No.1 Bass Pro Shops/Allstate Team
Bristol Recap: The McDonald’s team took advantage of an early competition caution and opted to not pit, to gain valuable track position. The gamble paid off as McMurray would restart in the top-10 and would race the remainder of the day on the lead lap near the front of the field. Long green flag runs would dominate the day as the 500-lap race was slowed only five times for caution. The final caution of the afternoon on lap 479 allowed the No.1 Chevrolet to pit for four fresh Goodyear tires. On the final restart McMurray would gain three spots, restarting in 10th and bringing the McDonald’s Chevrolet to the checkered flag in the seventh-position.
McMurray at Fontana: McMurray will make his 17th start at Auto Club Speedway this weekend. In his previous 16 starts, he has three top-five finishes, five top-10 finishes and has led 57 laps at the two-mile oval. He has an average starting position and finishing position of 20.1 and 16.9, respectively. McMurray has zero DNF’s (did not finish) and has completed 3,746 out of a possible 3,905 laps (95.9%) at the track. He has won the pole twice (February 2010, October 2010) and his best finish is fourth (September 2004, February 2005).
Fast Start: Jamie McMurray is one of only three drivers to have ever won multiple NSCS pole awards at Auto Club Speedway, having earned the top-spot for both races in 2010 at the Southern California track. There have been 15 different pole winners at Auto Club Speedway, led by Kurt Busch (three). Jamie McMurray and Jeff Gordon each have two poles each.
Bass Pro Appearance: Stop by the Rancho Cucamonga Bass Pro Shops at 7777 Victoria Gardens Lane, Rancho Cucamonga, CA on Thursday, March 22nd at 6:00 pm (PST) for an autograph session with Jamie McMurray. Race fans that show their Bass Pro Shops Rewards card will receive a complimentary Bass Pro Shops hat. The Bass Pro Shops store is along the Hauler Parade route, where fans can watch NASCAR Team Haulers as they make their way to Auto Club Speedway.
In Good Hands: Allstate will be the co-primary sponsor on the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet this weekend at Auto Club Speedway. The Allstate Corporation is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Contact your local Allstate agent via www.allstate.com or 1-800-Allstate for information on all your insurance needs or to insure your boat or ATV from Bass Pro Shops.
Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Target Team
Bristol Recap: Montoya lined-up in the 30th position for the Food City 500. The Target Chevrolet stayed mid-field for the first half of the race and the crew made multiple stops throughout the 500-lap event to help with some handling concerns. With less than 150 laps remaining, Montoya broke into the top-10 and flirted with that position for the remainder of the day. One final caution came out with 21 laps left in the race that allowed Montoya to come down for fresh tires, fuel and more adjustments. On the restart, the No.42 Target Chevrolet started in the 11th position and advanced three positions before the checkered flag waved.
Montoya at Fontana: Montoya will make his 10th start at Auto Club Speedway this weekend. In his previous nine starts, he has one top-five finish, two top-10 finishes and has led 118 laps. He has an average starting position of 13.4 and an average finishing position of 19.3. Montoya has one DNF and has completed 2,035 laps out of a possible 2,150 (94.7%). Montoya has one pole at the two mile oval (February 2011) and his highest finish is third (October 2009).
Topping the Charts: In his last five races at Auto Club Speedway, Montoya has one pole (February 2011) and has not started lower than fourth. He has led at least one lap in his last five races at the California track.
To the Front: Montoya looks to improve on last spring’s success at Auto Club Speedway, where he started first and finished 10th. Montoya ran 197 laps of the 200-lap event in the top-15 running order.
Getting Revved Up: Montoya will take part in a question and answer session on Sunday, March 25 from 8:45-9:00 am (PST) on the Chevy Stage located in the Discover IE FanZone at Auto Club Speedway.
Hit the Bullseye: Need something in a pinch? No need to worry – Target has all of the essentials and more. Target is just six miles from Auto Club Speedway, located at 16964 Slover Ave., Fontana, CA. Call ahead and make sure they have what you need at 909-356-4242.
CHASSIS INFO
No.1 Bass Pro Shops/Allstate Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1120. Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion and the No.1 Bass Pro Shops/Allstate team will bring Chassis #1120 to Auto Club Speedway this weekend. This chassis made its debut last season at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October with a 27th-place finish. The No.1 team also ran this chassis at Homestead-Miami Speedway where it came home in 14th-place.
No.42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1119. Crew Chief Chris Heroy and the No.42 Target team will bring Chassis #1119 to Auto Club Speedway this weekend. This chassis first saw track time at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October, where it finished 14th and led two laps. The No.42 team also ran this chassis at Texas Motor Speedway where it finished 18th.
