Driver Feels More Comfortable in Second Start with No. 43 Flying J Team
CONCORD, N.C. (March 12, 2013) - Reed Sorenson will make his second start with the No. 43 Flying J Ford team this weekend at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Filling in for the injured Michael Annett, Sorenson will compete in his 12th Nationwide race and 22nd NASCAR race at the World’s Fastest Half Mile.
Previously, Sorenson compiled three top-10s in his Nationwide starts, including a third-place finish in his track debut in 2005. With one race under their belts, Sorenson and the Richard Petty Motorsports Nationwide team have a better understanding of how each other work and can hit the ground running at the .53-mile track.
Comments from Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang Driver Reed Sorenson:
“We didn’t have as much practice time going into the race last weekend with the rain. I felt like we gelled pretty quickly, but it takes some track time to really get to know each other. Going into this weekend, I feel like Philippe and the crew have a better idea of what I am looking for in the car and I know how they operate. That will help us a lot this weekend.
“I enjoy racing at Bristol. It is a challenging track which makes it fun. I have seen success there but have also got caught up in some wrecks. It’s important to race clean to be there at the end. Hopefully, we can keep the fenders on the Flying J Ford and get a good finish.”
Comments from Crew Chief Philippe Lopez on Bristol:
“I’m hoping we get a full practice in unlike last week. It was an unfortunate circumstance that we only got 30 minutes with a new driver, and I think it affected the whole race. So, I think if we can get a full practice in we’ll be good.
“I love Bristol. It’s a really cool track, everything happens fast. You have to keep up with it and stay out of the wreck, because there will be a lot of wrecks. It’s like a superspeedway where you have to make it to the end. It’s just that superspeedways have a big one and Bristol has a bunch of little ones. You have to not be one of the 20 wrecked race cars to have a solid finish.”
Chassis History:
The No. 43 team has prepared chassis No. 703 for Bristol. This is a new chassis the team built in the offseason.
About Richard Petty Motorsports
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneurs Andrew Murstein and Douglas Bergeron, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Aric Almirola pilots the famous No. 43 Ford Fusion with primary partners Smithfield Foods, U.S. Air Force and STP and Marcos Ambrose drives the No. 9 machine with primary partners Stanley and DEWALT. In addition, Michael Annett wheels the No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The team is headquartered in Concord, N.C.
NEXT RACE:
Jeff Foxworthy’s Grit Chips 300
Bristol Motor Speedway
Saturday, March 16, 2 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2
Radio: MRN/SiriusXM 90
Qualifying:
Saturday, March 16, 10:35 a.m. ET
QUICK LINKS
RichardPettyMotorsports.com
PilotFlyingJ.com
LOOKING FOR A PILOT FLYING J STORE?
There are nine locations within 100 miles of Bristol Motor Speedway.
The nearest location is 39.6 miles from the track. (Pilot Travel Center (I-81 Exit 36) 11190 Baileyton Road, Greeneville, TN 37745). Visit PilotFlyingJ.com/locations to find the nearest locations to you.
