Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Advance Notes
RACE SETUP
Race: Party in the Poconos 400
Drivers: @jamiemcmurray, @jpmontoya
Cars: No. 1 Banana Boat Chevrolet SS, No. 42 Target Chevrolet SS
Track: Pocono Raceway (2.5-mile tri-oval), Long Pond, Pa.
TV: TNT (1 p.m. ET)
Social: @EGRTeams, #TeamGanassi
I BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW THAT
Going the Distance: 2012 marked the first season that NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono were scheduled for 400 miles. Prior to 2012 all NASCAR Sprint Cup races were 500 miles at Pocono Raceway
Goodyear “Gives Back”: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, exclusive tire supplier of NASCAR’s three major national series, is honoring the U.S. Armed Forces with the launch of the “Goodyear Gives Back” program, a charitable fund-raising effort to benefit Support Our Troops®. This organization helps to boost the morale of active duty troops and their families through care packages sent to the front lines and programs for families at home. Throughout the program (May 23 – July 8) fans can join in by visiting www.Goodyear.com/GivesBack, where they can bid on authentic autographed race-used Goodyear NASCAR Support Our Troops tires, rides in the Goodyear blimp, VIP at-track experiences and other racing memorabilia. In addition, fans can make direct donations, and purchase limited-edition Goodyear Gives Back merchandise – all to benefit the Support Our Troops organization.
#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
@jpmontoya-“This week we are at pocono!!! pretty pump about it. got to keep the ball rolling. #momentum”
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR POCONO RACEWAY
Jamie McMurray and No. 1 Banana Boat Team
Dover Recap: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates debuted new colors on the No. 1 Chevrolet SS at Dover International Speedway, partnering with Parade Magazine to help launch the rebranding of their print and digital assets. McMurray and the No. 1 team consistently showed speed throughout the weekend and kept the Parade Chevrolet SS in the top-10 during practice, qualifying and the majority of the race until they were sent to the garage with less than 100 laps to go to replace the radiator, which resulted in a 33rd-place finish.
Got You Covered: Banana Boat will once again join McMurray and team as primary sponsor on the No. 1 Chevrolet SS. Banana Boat car will sport a special orange, blue and white paint scheme at Pocono Raceway. Banana Boat has you covered for all of your sun care needs. Stop by the Banana Boat Shade Station in the display area for fun games and activities and also learn about Banana Boat sun care products.
McMurray at Pocono: Making his 20th start at Pocono Raceway this weekend, McMurray has completed 3,664 laps of a possible 3,772 laps at the “Tricky Triangle”, having led 20 laps. McMurray has earned four top-10s, has an average start of 16.8 and an average finish of 21.4. McMurray started from the pole at the 2.5-mile tri-oval in 2005 and his best finish was ninth in 2004 and 2008. McMurray has 14 lead lap finishes in 20 races at Pocono, including eight of the last ten.
Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Target Team
Dover Recap: Juan Pablo Montoya and the No. 42 team carried the Energizer colors and bunny to a second-place finish over the weekend at Dover International Speedway. The Energizer Chevy SS started in the 14th position and by lap 80 had broken into the top-10 and never looked back. The team crossed the finish line in the second position giving them their best finish of the 2013 season.
Montoya at Pocono: In 12 starts at Pocono Raceway, Montoya has completed 2,069 laps out of 2,168 laps possible or 95.4%. In his last start at the 2.5-mile track, Montoya started on the pole and finished 20th after rain showers moved through the area and shortened the race. He has tallied one top-five, four top-10s and has an average starting and finishing position of 14.3 and 18.7, respectively.
Making Gains: Montoya has climbed from 30th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings to 22nd over the course of seven races (30th following the Martinsville race) and has accumulated three top-10 finishes in his last five races.
99 Wins and Counting …: The Target Racing program, which began with Target and Chip Ganassi Racing in 1990, is just one win shy of the 100-win plateau. The first win for the program came in 1994 with Michael Andretti’s Indy car victory at Surfers Paradise, Australia when the team was just a two-car open wheel program. The partnership between Target and Chip Ganassi Racing is one of the longest consecutive team partnerships in motor racing history.
Hit the Bullseye: Need something in a hurry? Be sure to stop by the nearest Target at the Pocono Commons in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania on your way to the track this weekend. Call ahead at 570-426-1050 to ensure they have what you need. Get directions
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
