Daytona International Speedway Advance Notes
Race: Coke Zero 400 on Saturday, July 7
Track: Daytona International Speedway (2.5-mile tri-oval)
Location: Daytona Beach, Fla.
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”.
EGR at Daytona: EGR has 57 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) starts at Daytona International Speedway (DIS), boasting one win with Jamie McMurray in the 2010 Daytona 500. EGR has earned six top-five, 14 top-10 and 20 top-15 finishes. Along with two NSCS poles, EGR has led 200 laps. EGR has 11 starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) earning one pole (2008) and four top-10 finishes. In the ARCA Series at DIS, EGR has made three starts where they have two top-10 finishes.
Like a Rock: Chevrolet leads all manufacturers in NSCS wins at DIS with 40. This is eight wins more than Ford, the second-place manufacturer.
Goodyear Gives Back: Goodyear will donate one dollar for every tire sold at participating Goodyear dealers in the U.S. from July 1 until August 31, up to $250,000, to benefit Support Our Troops®. McMurray and Montoya, along with many other NSCS drivers, will sign a Goodyear tire that will be up for auction to raise funds for Support Our Troops. To bid, donate or learn more about how to support this cause click here.
JAMIE MCMURRAY AND THE NO. 1 BASS PRO SHOPS TEAM
McMurray on Twitter: Catch the latest from the driver of the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet by following McMurray’s personal Twitter account, @JamieMcMurray.
Kentucky Recap: The McDonald’s team unloaded off the truck with a fast car and had the No. 1 Chevrolet in the top-10 on the speed charts during the first of two practice sessions on Friday. With temperatures over 100 degrees during qualifying the track was very slick and McMurray would qualify 17th. McMurray commented before the race, “I think we have a good car, we will just need to make minor adjustments.” In the end, McMurray was right as he would log some of the fastest laps during the 267-lap race on the 1.5-mile track. However, with slick track conditions and a limited number of cautions, it was hard to make up any track position as the team would post a 15th-place finish.
Last Year at Daytona: The No. 1 team started 18th in last year’s Coke Zero 400 at DIS. Just six laps in, the McDonald’s Chevrolet suffered minor damage from an incident, and the team was forced to make repairs during the next few pit stops. McMurray and teammate Juan Pablo Montoya quickly paired up to work in the two-car draft. After spending laps at the back of the field, hoping to avoid any further issues, they made a run to the front and led laps in the latter stages of the race. Coming to the finish line on the second green/white/checkered finish attempt, McMurray was running among the top-10 cars, but was collected in a multi-car crash and limped across the finish line in 22nd.
McMurray at Daytona: McMurray is a two time winner at DIS, winning the 2007 Coke Zero 400 and the 2010 Daytona 500. He has 19 NSCS starts, earning three top-fives, four top-10s and leading 18 laps. He has completed 3,045 laps out of a possible 3,345 laps or 91.3 percent. His average starting position is 20.5 and his average finishing position is 24.7. McMurray has also made 10 starts in the NNS where he has finished in the top-five three times and the top-15 six times.
Restrictor Plate Stats: McMurray has 39 combined NSCS starts at DIS and Talladega where he boasts three wins, eight top-five finishes, and 10 top-10 finishes. He has led 201 laps at restrictor plate tracks.
Green Means Go: McMurray ranks fourth in the number of green flag passes in the last 14 races at DIS. He has 3,083 green flag passes which puts him 68 passes ahead of fifth-place driver, Carl Edwards.
Special Scheme: The No. 1 Chevrolet will be sporting a special paint scheme for the NRA Museum being built at Bass Pro Shop’s flagship store in Springfield, Mo. The museum will be nearly 7,000-square-feet and will be home to the finest firearms collection in the world.
Questions Get Answered: McMurray will be visiting the Chevy display at 4:00 p.m. and the Coca-Cola stage at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday to talk with fans and answer their questions.
Raise Our Flag: McMurray and EGR will help support the United States Olympic Committee and their “Raise Our Flag” campaign by donating a stitch in America’s flag for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. “Raise Our Flag” is an official United States Olympic fundraising program with donations providing housing, training and equipment for the most elite athletes in America. Find more information here.
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA AND THE NO. 42 TARGET TEAM
Montoya on Twitter: Catch the latest from the driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet by following Montoya’s personal Twitter account, @jpmontoya.
Kentucky Recap: Temperatures soared to over 100 degrees last weekend but that did not deter the Target team from making a solid run at Kentucky Speedway. Montoya started 31st and radioed in some handling concerns almost immediately. Changing track conditions made for a finicky race car and the Target team made a total of six pit stops to work on the No. 42 Chevy. Montoya reported that the handling was much better during the second half of the race and with some pit strategy, the Target team made a run to the front. In the closing laps, the No. 42 was displayed in the top-15 and battled it out until the end to be credited with 14th.
Last Year at Daytona: The Target Chevrolet started in the back of the field and paired up with McMurray as soon as the green flag dropped. The duo spent the majority of the race in the back of the field to avoid any on-track melee. With 50 laps remaining, the two made their move to the front and Montoya would be credited with leading a lap. Multiple yellow flags flew in the closing laps, resulting in two green/white/checkered attempts. Despite getting tangled up in an incident on the final lap, the No. 42 took the checkered in ninth.
Montoya at Daytona: Montoya has made 11 NSCS starts at DIS. In those starts, Montoya has led 20 laps, earned four top-10 finishes and has completed 1,896 laps out of a possible 1,990 laps, or 95.3 percent. His average starting position is 20.9 and his average finishing position is 21.1.
Restrictor Plate Stats: Montoya has made 22 starts at restrictor plate tracks earning three top-five and seven top-10 finishes. He has led 80 laps and has completed 3,906 laps out of a possible 4,085 laps, or 95.6 percent.
Old Glory: The patriotic red, white and blue Target paint scheme that Montoya ran at the Coca Cola 600 will return this weekend in support of NASCAR Unites. The program creates an opportunity for NASCAR fans, drivers, teams, tracks and sponsors to unite to improve the lives of those in need across the nation and will conclude this weekend.
Did You Know?: Seven years ago this week, July 10, 2005, Montoya won the Foster’s British Grand Prix in Formula One, leading 51 out of 60 laps at Silverstone Circuit in Silverstone, England. Montoya would go on to win two more races in 2005 for a total of three wins that season.
Special Appearances: Montoya will be on Trackside Live on Friday from 6:30–7:00 p.m. ET on SPEED. He will also make a special appearance at the Homestead-Miami display area on souvenir row for a Q&A session at 4 p.m. ET.
Be on Target: Load up on all your race day essentials at Target. Target is conveniently located one mile away from DIS at 2380 W International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, Fla. Call ahead to make sure they have everything that you need at (386) 257-4778.
CHASSIS INFO
No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1204. Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion and the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops team will bring Chassis #1204 back to DIS. Chassis #1204 has one previous race, the 2012 Daytona 500, where it started 19th and finished 31st after being involved in a late race incident.
No. 42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1216. Crew Chief Chris “Shine” Heroy and the No. 42 Target team will break out Chassis #1216 for this weekend’s race. This is the first time this chassis will be used.
2012 STATS
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Starts
Wins
Poles
Top 5s
Top 10s
Ave Start
Ave Finish
Pts. Pos.
Jamie McMurray
17
0
0
0
3
20.9
18.8
19
Juan Pablo Montoya
17
0
0
0
2
24.6
19.7
21
CAREER STATS
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Starts
Wins
Poles
Top 5s
Top 10s
Ave Start
Ave Finish
Jamie McMurray
347
6
8
41
99
19.4
19.3
Juan Pablo Montoya
198
2
7
20
51
18.1
19.6
TEAM ROSTERS
Max Jones – Team Manager
John Probst – Technical Director
No. 1 (NSCS)
Hometown
Hometown
Crew Chief: Kevin Manion
Boylston, MA
Rear Tire Changer: Jeremy Fuller
Newnan, GA
Chief Mechanic: Randall Burnett
Fenton, MO
Rear Tire Carrier: Doug Riepe
Danbury , CT
Front Tire Changer: Bryan Jacobsen
Honesdale, PA
Gas Man: Benjy Grubbs
Richmond, VA
Front Tire Carrier: Brett Morrell
Windham, ME
Jack Man: Mitch Lash
Salisbury, NC
No. 42 (NSCS)
Hometown
Hometown
Crew Chief: Chris Heroy
Angola, IN
Rear Tire Changer: Chris McMullen
Canton, MI
Chief Mechanic: David Bryant
Concord, NC
Rear Tire Carrier: Chip Goode
Statesville, NC
Front Tire Changer: Pedro Martinez
San Antonio, TX
Gas Man: Ed Watkins
Richmond, VA
Front Tire Carrier: Eric Bilyeu
Waterford, MI
Jack Man: Mark Jacobs
Fort Walton Beach, FL
About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc.
Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for over 25 years and is considered one of the most successful as well as innovative owners the sport has anywhere in the world. Today his teams include four in the IZOD IndyCar Series, two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and one Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Overall his teams have 14 championships and 148 victories, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and four Rolex 24 At Daytonas. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.
For more information log onto: www.earnhardtganassi.com
