TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
CURTISS SHAVER 400 AT THE BRICKYARD POWERED BY BIG MACHINE RECORDS
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
JULY 29, 2012
DID YOU KNOW? Chevrolet sold nearly 1.3 million vehicles worldwide in the second quarter of 2012, a 2.3 percent increase over last year’s record-setting second quarter, marking the best quarter ever for the brand and the seventh consecutive quarter of record-breaking sales.
CHEVY RACING AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY– JEFF CHEW, MARKETING MANAGER – CHEVROLET RACING: “We’re looking forward to bringing the Team Chevy Racing Display back to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Fans will be able to get autographs from their favorite drivers, participate in driver Q&A’s on the Chevy stage, and experience Chevy’s newest products. Fans can also spend time with one of our friendly product specialists and learn more about Chevy’s great vehicle lineup, and compete with other fans on our video race simulators. Also on display are Chevrolet Performance Parts crate engines and an assortment of accessories and performance parts for fans to purchase from their local Chevy dealer. We hope to see you there.”
TEAM CHEVY SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Team Chevy on Facebook and @TeamChevy on Twitter to receive the latest news as well as updates with times and locations of events
TEAM CHEVY FOR THE FANS AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY:
· Chevy Day at the Brickyard – Friday July 27
o Team Chevy Driver Autograph Sessions – Fans can obtain a wristband for one of four Team Chevy driver autograph sessions. Wristbands will be distributed on Friday at 8:00 a.m. at the Pagoda Plaza. 100 wristbands will be distributed for each autograph session
o Autograph Session Times:
§ 11:00 am: Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Danica Patrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
§ 12:50 pm: Ryan Newman, Paul Menard and Austin Dillon
§ 1:10 pm: Jeff Gordon
§ 3:00 pm: Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart
· Chevy Day Ride Along Experiences – 150 ride along vouchers will be distributed to the first 150 consumers who register at the Team Chevy Racing Tour. Consumers must report to the registration area at the Yard of Bricks by 11:45 a.m. Ride Along experiences will run from 12 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.
· Fans can check out great Chevrolet vehicles including: Sonic 5-Door, Camaro 45th Anniversary, Silverado Crew 1500, Cruze ECO, Traverse LTZ, Equinox 2LT, Tahoe 4WD LTZ, Corvette Grand Sport Convertible, Corvette Coupe, Sonic Sedan, Malibu ECO, Camaro 2SS Coupe, Camaro Convertible, Volt, Silverado 2500 HD, Silverado ZL1 short bed, Cruze LTZ, Suburban ½ ton, Spark, 2014 Impala, Malibu, Corvette ZR1, Camaro ZL1, Corvette Grand Sport 60th Anniversary, Camaro SS Coupe
· At the display fans can see a variety of show cars including: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Chevelle and the Sonic 4 Racer
· Also on display is a Chevrolet R07 racing engine complete with electronic fuel injection that will power all of our NASCAR Sprint Cup series Team Chevy drivers in 2012. Fans can also see a sample of engines, parts and accessories available for purchase from Chevrolet at their local Chevrolet dealer
· Other activities at the Team Chevy Racing Display include a variety of interactive games for adults and kids
· When fans register at the Team Chevy Racing Display they will receive a 35 Manufacturers’ Championship t-shirt
DRIVER FAN Q/A APPEARANCES:
· Friday July 27th – Ryan Newman, Paul Menard and Austin Dillon will stop by the Team Chevy stage for a question and answer session from 11:45 a.m. to 11:55 a.m. From 12:45 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Danica Patrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make a visit to the Team Chevy stage. The day ends with Jimmie Johnson and defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart visiting the Team Chevy stage from 4:05 p.m. to 4:20 p.m.
· Saturday July 28th – Justin Allgaier will visit the Team Chevy stage at 11:45 a.m. followed by Turner Motorsports teammate James Buescher at 2:30 p.m
· Sunday July 29th – Jamie McMurray will visit the Team Chevy stage at 9:15 a.m. followed by Paul Menard and Regan Smith at 9:30 a.m. Jeff Burton and Juan Pablo Montoya will visit the Team Chevy stage at 9:45 a.m. followed by Kevin Harvick at 10 a.m. Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will visit the Team Chevy stage at 10:15 a.m. followed by Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne at 10:30 a.m. The No. 42 Chevrolet over-the-wall pit crew will be at the Team Chevy stage at 10:45 a.m. for an autograph session
· Hours of operation: Thurs. July 26 – 10 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Fri. July 27th – 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Sat. July 28th – 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. and Sun. July 29th – 7:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
TEAM CHEVY IN NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES (NSCS) COMPETITION:
· Chevrolet has won 35 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Manufacturers’ Championships
· Team Chevy drivers have scored 696 wins and 624 poles in NSCS competition
CHEVROLET ON THE TRACK—INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY:
· Chevrolet drivers have won 13 of 18 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Wins by active drivers are:
o Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet, has four (4) victories at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (’94, ’98, ’01 & ‘04)
o Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, has three (3) wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (’06, ’08 & ‘09)
o Tony Stewart, No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet, has gone to victory lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway twice (’05 & ’07)
o Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Jimmy Johns Chevrolet, has one trophy from Indianapolis Motor Speedway (’03)
o Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, has kissed the bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway once (’10)
o Paul Menard, No. 27 Menards/Nibco Chevrolet, has one victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (’11)
· A Chevrolet driver has won nine (9) of the last 10 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
· A Chevrolet driver has sat on the pole at Indy 8 times
· Team Chevy drivers have scored 37 top-five and 71 top-10 finishes at Indy
· A Chevrolet has led 1,518 laps (52.7% of possible 2,881) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
TEAM CHEVY IN THE GARAGE INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY– ALBA COLON – PROGRAM MANAGER, NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES – CHEVROLET RACING: “Congratulations to Kasey Kahne, Kenny Francis, and the entire No. 5 HMS Farmers Insurance Chevrolet team for winning the Loudon, NH race couple of weeks ago. That win was huge for Kasey and the team, especially with the way the Chase for the Championship is unfolding.
“After a well-deserved weekend off for everybody involved in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, we are all looking forward to the race at the famed Brickyard. There is always a very special kind of excitement when you visit Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This race has the same points values as any other race during the season, but the prestige of this event is huge. Every driver wants to acquire at least one win here and have the opportunity to kiss that famous Yard of Bricks.
“Fortunately the Brickyard has been good to Chevy Teams. We have been blessed to win 13 of the 18 races that have been celebrated at this track.
“Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a demanding 2.5-mile track, with long straightaways and fast, flat corners; which puts pressure on drivers and crews alike. Because of the high speeds, track position is critical. So, our teams will be really focused on finding a good qualifying setup. Starting up-front will provide an advantage early in the race, but having the speed to run down and pass cars that are in the front will be key too.
“This year the weekend schedule is a little bit different when we welcome both the GRAND-AM Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series to IMS. It is going to be a great weekend and Team Chevy is looking forward to “kissing the bricks” for three days in a row!”
TEAM CHEVY FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT:
DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 AMP ENERGY/NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET – 2nd IN STANDINGS: “Everyone wants to win at Indianapolis. Everyone wants to go through the process they have at post-race, the celebration and the unique thing that they do. I’ve read about the history and read about how it has survived two world wars and how it was basically the proving grounds for the automobile back in the turn of the century. I would love to be able to say I’ve won a race there. It’s at the top of the list. It battles with tracks like Daytona (Fla.).”
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S/KOBALT TOOLS CHEVROLET – 4th IN STANDINGS: “You drive through the tunnel at Indy and come in and look around the history just starts talking to you. I’m so happy to have had three very special moments there myself. I hope to have a fourth and join some elite company that have won four times there.
“Track position is everything. The track position challenge starts in qualifying. Clearly a fast race car is important, but maintaining track position and especially having track position at the end of the race is everything.”
KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 29 JIMMY JOHNS CHEVROLET – 6th IN STANDINGS: “I don’t know, but it’s a good track to have fit you though. It’s been a very good race track for us over the years, for whatever reason it seems like we always run well there. Hopefully we can do the same thing this year because it’s a fun race to win. To experience that back in 2003 was pretty cool, and hopefully we can experience that again this year.”
TONY STEWART, NO. 14 MOBIL 1/OFFICE DEPOT CHEVROLET – 7th IN STANDINGS: “It’s a place that is a momentum-driven track. You don’t just have two ends to the race track and two big 180-degree corners. You’ve got four 90-degree corners to negotiate. If you have one bad corner at Indy and if your car’s not right, you’re going to be bad in four corners versus two corners a lap. And with it being two-and-a-half miles, you carry so much speed, if you lose momentum at that track, it just seems like it’s really a big penalty.”
KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 FARMERS INSURANCE CHEVROLET – 12th IN STANDINGS: “Winning at the Brickyard and the Daytona 500 are on the top of my list. For me, coming up in the sprint car ranks, I raced in the Indianapolis area a lot and learned early on how significant winning at the Brickyard was. When you think about the drivers that have won at Indy throughout the years, it would mean a lot to be able to add my name to that list. We’ve been close a few times, and it’s certainly a victory I’d love to pull off.”
RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 39 QUICKEN LOANS CHEVROLET – 14th IN STANDINGS: “It’s a unique race track. We all know that. It’s a lot of fun, especially when you’re up front. It seems like the straightaways go on forever and you can just sit there and relax and drive the race car. The race track is really fun to drive. It’s one of the hardest tracks to race, which is why some people love it and some people hate it. It’s really a deal where, if you have a fast race car, you will have fun. If your car isn’t fast, it’s going to be a miserable day. It is so difficult to pass there. Track position is so important. But for me, I think racing at Indianapolis is just about the history of the track. The history of all auto racing at that facility and around there. Growing up in Indiana and being an open-wheel driver, I got to spend a lot of time around the Speedway and competing there and knowing the history of people like A.J. Foyt, Mel Kenyon and all the greats who have raced there. Just to know my tire tracks are in theirs, that’s cool. That’s what makes it special.”
PAUL MENARD, NO. 27 MENARDS/NIBCO CHEVROLET – 15th IN STANDINGS: “Obviously, you’re going to have a little more bounce to your step. Not just me, but the entire No. 27 NIBCO/Menards team will. You get to see the billboards hanging up. I’ve heard there’s a big picture on the Pagoda. Stuff like that is going to be neat, but I have gone through that tunnel between turns one and two for years and I always get goose bumps. That’s never going to change. There are a lot of pictures and memorabilia that remind me of that day, because at the time it was very surreal. Seeing everyone’s faces in Victory Lane, riding around the track in the convertible with Richard (Childress, team owner) and my dad (John Menard) and kissing the bricks with everyone from RCR. There are a lot of great memories.”
JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DRIVE TO END HUNGER CHEVROLET – 17th IN STANDINGS: “I want to bring that trophy (home) and watch [son Leo and daughter Ella] fight over it. These days, Leo’s been starting some fights, so I’m curious to see who would win and for that trophy to be a fifth Brickyard trophy? That’d be a good day.
“Growing up here and going to the track numerous times as a kid, there is just something special about each trip here, but that special feeling changes quickly when I get out on the track because this place is so challenging. The four corners look the same, but each is unique with different transitions and bumps. As a driver, factoring that in with the few little dips, the way the wind is blowing, the radius and everything else can give you an advantage. But the car has to be good, as well. We’ve had the best car or one of the best cars in each of the races we’ve won here.
“We ran well here last year. A lot has changed since we were here last, but I’m hoping we can take what we’ve learned in that time and be even faster, even better this year.”
JEFF BURTON, NO. 31 RAIN-X CHEVROLET – 19th IN STANDINGS:
“Most of it is circumstantial. I enjoy going to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The cool thing about that track is that if you built it today, you would be ridiculed. People would say you are the dumbest person in the world (laughter). It’s not conducive to racing we do today and what everyone wants to see, but it is so cool to go there and the history of the place makes it special. The special part is we (NASCAR) didn’t make the history. At Daytona International Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Darlington Raceway, we made the history. We are racing someone else’s history. To me, that is cool. It is neat to go and experience a different atmosphere. It is just a really neat weekend.”
JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 BASS PRO SHOPS CHEVROLET – 20th IN STANDINGS: “Indianapolis is such a special place to race. I remember going there my first time and being in awe of the place, just to appreciate the history of this track. 2010 was obviously a special year for our team and to go out and win the Brickyard 400 is something that I will never forget. We tried to gamble on fuel mileage last year and led some laps in the closing stages of the race, but just didn’t have the car to race hard at the end with our fuel strategy. Our Bass Pro Shops team has put a lot of effort toward this race and would love to be able to get things on track with a strong finish again this weekend. This will be a busy weekend for us. We have the Chevy Day at the Brickyard on Thursday, which is always a lot of fun, and then we will run the inaugural Grand-Am race at Indy on Friday, before getting into the Sprint Cup Series activity on Saturday and Sunday.“
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET – 21st IN STANDINGS:
“I’m actually pulling double duty at Indy so we are going to be busy this weekend. We’ve got GRAND-AM stuff all day on Friday and then the Cup stuff on Saturday and Sunday. We have so much going on between the NASCAR race and the GRAND-AM race, it’s exciting. We are running the Chevron car in the GRAND-AM race and we’re running the Target paint scheme as normal in the Indy race. I still feel that race owes me, so I’m pretty pumped up about going there and hopefully snatching one up this year.”
KURT BUSCH, NO. 51 PHOENIX CONSTRUCTION SERVICES INC. CHEVROLET – 25th IN STANDINGS: “It is that same feeling of going to places like Wrigley and Soldier Field. I’ve been on the grandstand side in turn one and when I walked up there and felt that nostalgic feeling it gives you that genuine, ‘alright this place was built back in the early 1900’s and this grandstand sections is probably at least 70 years old depending on if and when it was updated.’ But there is an old, nostalgic feel of a place with history, a place of importance and you take in those moments. I went and watched the Formula One race there. I’ve seen the start of the Indy 500 there. It’s just a very, special and unique place. My first time making a lap around there I was captivated by the fact that I was racing at the Brickyard. Then on lap two I was back in the moment and was like I have a job to do.”
REGAN SMITH, NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW/FARM AMERICAN CHEVROLET – 26th IN STANDINGS: “I look forward to working with our new crew chief Todd Berrier whose first race with Furniture Row Racing will be at Indy this weekend. Todd has a proven record of being a successful crew chief and he also has a good understanding of our team which should ease the transition. We are all aware of the magnitude of racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — it is one of the crown jewels on the Sprint Cup Series circuit. Personally I like racing at Indy and finishing third there last year in our Furniture Row Chevrolet was one of the highlights of the 2011 season. To be a contender again this weekend at the Brickyard will give us a much needed jump start for the remainder of the season. And while we’re at Indy our thoughts will not only be on the race, but also with the victims of the senseless tragedy that occurred near our home base in Denver (Aurora, Colo.) last weekend.
DAVE BLANEY, NO. 36 SEAL WRAP CHEVROLET – 34th IN STANDINGS: “Indy is the coolest, fastest track we run on all year. It has so much history not just with NASCAR but all of motorsports. Everyone is always honored to race there no matter what. It’s not the best track for side-by-side racing, but everyone likes to go for the chance to race there and win a race at the Brickyard. Indy is also SealWrap’s home track, so there is a lot of excitement for this weekend.”
Chevrolet NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturers Championships
Total (1949 – 2011): 35
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 9 twice (1983 – 1991) (2003-2011)
Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Drivers Championships
Total (1949 – 2011): 28
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005 – ’11)
Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Event Victories
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 – (in 2007)
2012 STATISTICS:
Wins: 9
Poles: 4
Laps led: 2253
Top-five finishes: 41
Top-10 finishes: 83
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR SPRINT CUP CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 696 (1949 – to date); (2,337 possible = 29.7%)
Poles Won to Date: 624
Laps Lead to Date: 207, 355
Top-Five Finishes to Date: 3,488
Top-10 Finishes to Date: 7,133
Total NASCAR Cup wins by Corporation, 1949 – To-Date
GM: 1,031
Chevrolet: 696
Pontiac: 155
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 708
Ford: 608
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Chrysler: 464
Dodge: 215
Plymouth: 190
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 44
About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
