SRT Motorsports – Dodge Nationwide Series Race Advance
U.S. Cellular 250
Iowa Speedway
Saturday, August 4, 2012
www.media.chrysler.com, www.twitter.com/teamdodge
SAM HORNISH JR. – No. 12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge Challenger Crew Chief: Chad Walter
Career Stats: Starts: 52 Wins: 1 Top Fives: 7 Top 10s: 18 Poles: 0 Laps Led: 217
2012 Season Stats Starts: 19 Wins: 0 Top Fives: 5 Top 10s: 12 Poles: 0 Laps Led: 102
• Claimed season-high second-place finish last week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• Fourth in Nationwide championship standings, 28 behind leader Elliott Sadler. Hornish gained 14 points on the leader with his runner-up finish at the Brickyard.
• Has recorded seven consecutive top-10 finishes.
• Started second, led 30 laps and finished 12th in May race at Iowa.
• Has completed all but two laps this season (3,318 of a possible 3,320 laps, 99.94 percent).
RYAN BLANEY – No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger Crew Chief: Jeremy Bullins
Career Stats: Starts: 4 Wins: 0 Top Fives: 0 Top 10s: 1 Poles: 0 Laps Led: 0
2012 Season Stats Starts: 4 Wins: 0 Top Fives: 0 Top 10s: 1 Poles: 0 Laps Led: 0
• Making first start for Penske Racing in the No. 22 Dodge.
• Will be making his first NNS start at Iowa and fifth of the season. Has two top-10 finishes in two K&N series races at Iowa including a second-place effort earlier this season.
• Best Nationwide finish this season is seventh at Richmond.
DODGE QUOTES: “What we’re trying to do is be as blue collar as we can about it. We’re taking care of our Dodge Challengers, making sure that we make it to the end of the races and give ourselves opportunities to get good finishes like Indy.” -Sam Hornish, Jr.
“I’m really excited to be a part of Penske Racing and Dodge. I think we’re going to run really good at Iowa. Judging from the K&N races I’ve run there, the car has to have good drive up off the corner but you’ve got to roll really fast through the center to get runs on guys.” -Ryan Blaney
DODGE IN THE NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
• Dodge is fielding two full-time entries in the series this year. Sam Hornish Jr. is competing for the series championship while Brad Keselowski, Parker Kligerman and Ryan Blaney are sharing the driving duties in the second Penske Racing entry.
• Dodge claimed its first NASCAR championship in 2010 when Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski captured the driver’s title. His average finish for the season was 5.2.
• Dodge has 44 wins in the series including seven in each of the previous two seasons. The first Nationwide Series win came in 2002. Dodge had 11 wins in the series during the 2005 season.
• A Dodge has started from the pole 49 times.
FROM THE CREW CHIEF “We walked out of Texas and somebody on the team spoke up and said ‘we’re not out of this’ (championship) and we’re not. We’ve dedicated ourselves to giving it all we have to play mistake-free racing. I love watching that yellow car keep climbing on those other three (point leaders) that are in front of us. I’m real ecstatic about the way this season is going, the way we’re building momentum and the way we keep putting ourselves in position to win races. Sooner or later it’s going to pay off.” — Chad Walter, Crew Chief, No. 12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge Challenger
