Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Advance Notes
RACE SETUP
Race: Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 27
Drivers: @jamiemcmurray @jpmontoya
Cars: No. 1 Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet SS, No. 42 Target Chevrolet SS
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5-mile Quad-Oval)
TV: FOX (6:00 pm ET)
Social: @EGRTeams #TeamGanassi
I BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW THAT
In Our Thoughts: The tornadoes that affected parts of Oklahoma (Monday, May 20), happened just two days shy of the two-year anniversary of the tornado that destroyed much of Jamie McMurray’s hometown of Joplin, MO. Our thoughts and prayers are with family and friends affected by this tragic event.
Good To Be Bad: Bad Boy Buggies will be the primary sponsor on the No. 1 Chevrolet SS for Jamie McMurray at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Bad Boy Buggies is a leader in off-road utility vehicles for hunting and outdoor recreation. Whether the customer is a hunter looking for the best technology to track and bag the next trophy kill, or a recreational rider seeking to tackle the trails, Bad Boy Buggies will continue to transform the way people enjoy the outdoors. In 2010, the Bad Boy Buggies brand and product lines were acquired by E-Z-GO, a global manufacturer in light-transportation vehicles renowned for its expertise in electric-vehicle technology. Textron, Inc. is the parent company of E-Z-GO.
#TEAMGANASSI
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 2013 season by following “@EGRTeams”.
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Juan Pablo Montoya – “Can’t wait for the 600!!!! I think our @Target car is gonna have some really good speed. Really need to work in the balance of the car!!!”
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Jamie McMurray and No. 1 Bad Boy BuggiesTeam
All Star Recap: Jamie McMurray started second in the Sprint Showdown and was a dominate presence from the start of the 40-lap qualifying race. McMurray would jump out front at the start and would not relinquish the lead throughout the two segments of the race and drove the Bass Pro Shops/National Wild Turkey Federation Chevy SS to victory and advanced to the Sprint All-Star race where he would complete the five segment race with an eighth-place finish.
McMurray at Charlotte: McMurray returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway, the site of his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) victory, where he has made 21 starts in NSCS competition. In those 21 starts, the driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet SS has accumulated two wins (2002, 2010), five top-five, eight top-10 finishes and led 238 laps. He has an average start and finish position of 23.1 and 17.6, respectively. His best start at the 1.5-mile oval was fifth in 2002.
Welcome Home: The No. 1 team will host US Air Force Senior Airman (SRA) Kevin Jackson on race day at Charlotte Motor Speedway as part of the “Welcome Home the Troops” initiative. SRA Jackson will sit-in on the driver crew chief meeting, as well as join the No. 1 team for their private pre-race meeting at the team hauler, have a photo on the grid with Jamie McMurray and join the team on pit road for invocation and National Anthem.
Intermediate Stats: At intermediate tracks (tracks greater than one mile, but less than two miles), McMurray has 183 starts, collecting two victories (Charlotte: 2002, 2010), 20 top-five finishes, 48 top-10 finishes and leading 843 laps.
Putting out the Fire: LiftMaster will host the Firefighter Combat Challenge on Saturday May 25 and Sunday May 26 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The competition will have firefighters from around the area competing in relay and tandem events that simulate the physical demands of real-life firefighting by performing a linked series of five tasks including climbing the 5-story tower, hoisting, chopping, dragging hoses and rescuing a life-sized, 175 lb. “victim” as they race against themselves, their opponent and the clock. The No. 1 over-the-wall pit crew will take part in a pit crew challenge against other crews. Jamie McMurray will stop by the competition on Sunday May 26 to cheer on his pit crew and meet some of the competitors along with a group of wounded warriors that will be special guests of LiftMaster.
Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Target Team
Showdown Recap: Montoya made his fifth appearance in the Sprint Showdown last weekend. The No. 42 Target Chevrolet SS started in the third position and was running in the top-five for the first segment but a pit road violation placed Montoya at the rear of the field for the remaining 20-lap segment. Montoya advanced through the field and finished out the evening in the sixth position.
Montoya at Charlotte: Montoya looks to make his 13th start this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. In his previous 12 starts he has led five laps and earned one top-10. His best start and finish came in 2009 when he started ninth and came to the checkered in eighth. The driver of the No. 42 Chevrolet has an average starting position of 26.2 and an average finishing position of 23.8 at the 1.5-mile oval.
Intermediate Stats: At intermediate tracks (tracks greater than one mile, but less than two miles), Montoya has 110 starts with two pole awards, nine top-five finishes, 18 top-10 finishes and leading 348 laps.
Driving Stains Out: Target Racing partner, Sun Products and their Snuggle and all brands, introduced race fans to a new type of pit stop last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS). The Laundry Pit Stop offers race fans the opportunity to experience all and Snuggle products first-hand by having their laundry done for free by the Laundry Pit Crew. Located in the Tim Flock Campground on the grounds of CMS, campers can drop off their laundry and spend time in the movie tent, the game area or take photos with the Snuggle Bear mascot. The Laundry Pit Stop is open daily from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. ET until May 25.
Making an Appearance: Montoya and his No. 42 Target pit crew will be stopping by The Laundry Pit Stop located in the Tim Flock Campground on Thursday, May 23. The “Happy Hour” event with campers will feature music, drinks, snacks, games and pictures with Montoya and his crew. The Target pit crew will be on hand from 5:15 – 6:15 p.m. ET and Montoya from 5:45 – 6:15 p.m. ET.
Hit the Bullseye: On the way to Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend, stop by Target for all of your race-day essentials. Target is located at 6150 Bayfield Parkway, Concord N.C, 28027. Call ahead and make sure they have what you need at 704-262-6080.
ONE TEAM, SIX CARS, THREE SERIES
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 three cars 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 15 championships and over 150 victories, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and five 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
