INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY RACE PREVIEW
Michael Annett • No. 43 Pilot Flying J M&M’S® Snack Mix Ford Mustang
Michael Annett will be making his first career start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Annett enters this weekend’s event in sixth place in the Nationwide point standings
Annett will have a new branding partner on the Pilot Flying J Ford this weekend in Indy
Michael Annett on Having a New Branding Partner in Indianapolis: “I’m honored to be driving the Pilot Flying J M&M’S® Snack Mix Ford Mustang this weekend. It’s really exciting to have Mars Chocolate North America and the new M&M’S® Brand Snack Mix partner with Pilot Flying J to make this program a reality. Mars has a great history in our sport and we are grateful they want to be a part of our Nationwide program. Hopefully this weekend will be a great start to a partnership that can continue to grow. I know my crew and I will be enjoying some M&M’S® Snack Mix this weekend and hopefully we’ll be celebrating with it in Victory Lane at the end of the day.”
Michael Annett on Racing in Indy: “As a kid growing up I always dreamed of racing at the Brickyard, so it’s a huge honor to be part of the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series race there this weekend. There are going to be a lot of unknowns going into the 250-mile race, but we have a lot of notes from our teammates in the Cup Series we can utilize. I know my Pilot Flying J M&M’S® Snack Mix crew will do their best to give me a car capable of winning this weekend, and I hope we can be part of history when it’s all said and done on Saturday.”
Crew Chief Philippe Lopez’s Thoughts on the Inaugural Nationwide Race at Indy: “Indianapolis Motor Speedway is going to be very unpredictable. It will be interesting to see all of the Nationwide drivers get acclimated with the race track. There’s not another track like it, and there is nothing for the drivers to compare it to. There is no way to really prepare a driver for this race other than just putting them in the car and letting them experience the track firsthand. It’s definitely a one-of-a-kind race track and we are really anxious to see how our Pilot Flying J M&M’S® Snack Mix Ford Mustang is going to handle this weekend. Michael has really been on a roll as of late, and we’re hopeful we can keep that momentum going at the Brickyard on Saturday.”
Chassis History: The No. 43 RPM NASCAR Nationwide Series team has prepared chassis No. 648 for the 100-lap race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This Pilot Flying J M&M’S® Snack Mix Ford Mustang was run previously at Texas and Michigan.
Notes: Annett will head to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series race with a new branding partner on board his Richard Petty Motorsports Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang. Mars Chocolate North America and the new M&M’S® Brand Snack Mix will adorn Annett’s No. 43 machine for this weekend’s 250-mile event at the famed Brickyard.
The new M&M’S® Brand Snack Mix is the perfect product for Pilot Flying J; the exciting sweet and salty mix is great for easy, on-the-go snacking with a re-sealable package. All three varieties, M&M’S® Brand Milk Chocolate Candies Snack Mix, M&M’S® Brand Dark Chocolate Candies Snack Mix and the M&M’S® Brand Peanut Chocolate Candies Snack Mix, are available now at Pilot and Flying J locations across North America.
Don’t miss out on your chance to meet Michael. Annett will participate in the NASCAR Nationwide Series autograph session on Saturday from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Annett’s fifth-place finish last weekend at Chicagoland Speedway marked his third finish of fifth or better in the last four races. He will again be eligible for the NASCAR Nationwide Series Dash 4 Cash (D4C) this weekend. Qualified drivers are Chicagoland D4C bonus winner, plus the top three finishing drivers to receive Nationwide championship driver points last weekend. The highest finisher of those four drivers at Indy will win the $100,000 award payout and automatically qualify for the last event in Iowa.
Looking for a Pilot or Flying J store near Indy? There are 21 Flying J or Pilot Travel Centers within 100 miles of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The nearest store is 10 miles away from the race track. (Pilot Travel Center (I-465 & IN 47 Exit 4) 4607 South Harding Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46217.) There are 111 stores within 250 miles of the track. Go to http://www.pilotflyingj.com/locations to find the nearest locations.
Race Information
Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Laps: 100 Laps/250 Miles
Track Size: 2.5-Mile
TV Information: 4 p.m. ET on ESPN
Radio Information: 4 p.m. ET on MRN
Be sure to follow Richard Petty Motorsports on Twitter @RPMotorsports for behind the scenes updates, driver appearance information and qualifying and race updates. You can also check us out on our Facebook page at Richard Petty Motorsports.
