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[/media-credit]JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW
EVENT – VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 (147 laps / 200.8 miles)
TRACK – Darlington Raceway (1.366-mile oval)
DATE – Friday, May 11, 2012
TEAMS:
· No. 88 TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet (Cole Whitt)
· No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet (Danica Patrick)
Cole Whitt
“I feel like our TaxSlayer team has been steadily improving as a group. Until Talladega, we just hadn’t had much luck through an entire race. It’s good to finally get a finish that our team deserved. There were a few races where I feel our finish didn’t show how well we were running.
“I’m ready for this weekend. To head to a track where I’ve raced before and sat on a pole is exciting. I led a lot of laps at Darlington in the Truck Series last year. I feel like these cars drive pretty similarly to the trucks, so that will be a benefit for me. A lot of people dread going to Darlington, it’s an intimidating race track. But I’m one of the guys that smiles when I see it on the schedule.
“We’re proud to have CURE Childhood Cancer’s Press on Fund decal on our car this weekend. What they’re trying to do is raise awareness for childhood cancer. This is important for TaxSlayer and everyone at JR Motorsports. I hope we can run up front and bring some attention their cause.” Danica Patrick
“I’m told Darlington is not so much about the track and getting comfortable, it’s more about how to pass there because it’s difficult. I think it’s one of those places where you can’t wrap your head around it until you actually get there. I know going twowide in turns one and two is a detriment to your lap time. I’ll want to be smart about when you’re supposed to give a position up, so you don’t lose too much time. Getting used to that is going to be the hardest thing. It’s a new track for me, so feeling out the rhythm of the race is going to be another challenge.
“Tony Jr. gave me DVD’s of some Darlington races to watch. We haven’t really sat down and discussed any goals for this week. I’m sure we will, we just haven’t yet. There is no doubt it will be tough. I’m hoping to get familiar with the track during practice and try to complete every lap during the race. Realistic expectations are going to be important for our Go Daddy team. But with both the Nationwide and Cup races on the schedule, it’s going to be a busy weekend for sure.” Notes
WHITT JOINS EARNHARDT JR. FOR A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT – Cole Whitt will join team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. for a special announcement surrounding the JR Motorsports Nationwide Series team at 5 p.m. EST on Thursday, May 10, 2012, at Walmart in Hartsville, S.C. (1150 South 4th St.). The announcement coincides with Earnhardt Jr.’s “Race Time” appearance for Diet Mountain Dew and features show car displays and racing simulators. Following the announcement both Earnhardt Jr. and Whitt will participate in an autograph session for 150 lucky fans. The event is open to the public.
LIVE TWITTER UPDATES – Follow all of Thursday’s announcement action with live updates from Whitt via his twitter account @ColeWhitt. Whitt will give followers a first-hand account of his appearance with Dale Jr. by providing live up-to-the-minute updates and photos.
PRESS ON FUND FEATURED ON 88 CHEVROLET – CURE Childhood Cancer’s Press On Fund will be featured on Whitt’s No. 88 TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway as part of a collaborative effort by TaxSlayer and JR Motorsports to raise awareness in the fight against childhood cancer. The Press on Fund logo will be located on the 88 car’s TV panel. For more information on Press on Fund, please visit www.pressonfund.org.
WHITT CONTINUES TO IMPRESS – Fresh off a solid fourth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway last weekend, where the rookie led the first laps of his Nationwide Series career, Whitt looks to continue the trend at Darlington Raceway. Whitt’s driving talents surfaced in the Camping World Truck Series at Darlington in 2011. The rookie took the pole and led 30 laps en route to an eighth-place finish in his track debut.
2012 LAPS COMPLETED – Whitt ranks fifth on the NASCAR Statistical Services laps completed list. He has completed 1,531 of 1,542 laps on the season, giving the rookie a percent completion mark of 99.29%.
GIRL IN GREEN MEETS THE LADY IN BLACK – Patrick sees action for the first time at the treacherous Darlington Raceway beginning Friday. Patrick’s most noteworthy debut came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2011. She drove the GoDaddy.com Chevrolet to a record-breaking fourth-place finish, making her the highest finishing female driver in a NASCAR national touring series event.
RESTRICTOR-PLATE SUCCESS – In two restrictor-plate races this year — Daytona and Talladega — Whitt has scored a pair of fourth-place finishes. The success gives Whitt more points (81) than any Nationwide Series regular during those two events. The Nationwide Series will return to the superspeedways for the July 6 event at Daytona.
WIN DALE JR.’S RIDE ROUND TWO – For the second consecutive year, The Dale Jr. Foundation will be raffling off Dale Jr.’s ride. This time around it’s an inferno-orange colored 2011 Chevrolet Camaro. Raffle tickets are only $25 each and only 8,888 will be sold. The winner will be invited to JR Motorsports, where Dale Jr. will hand over the keys to their brand new car. The contest will run through Oct. 1, 2012 with all proceeds benefitting The Dale Jr. Foundation. For complete details about the car, a list of second and third-place prizes, and to purchase tickets visit www.windalejrsride.com.
