Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Advance Notes
RACE SETUP
Race: Hollywood Casino 400
Drivers: @jamiemcmurray @jpmontoya
Cars: No. 1 Cessna Chevrolet SS, No. 42 Target Chevrolet SS
Track: Kansas Speedway
TV: ESPN (2 p.m. ET)
Social: @EGRTeams #TeamGanassi #TeamTarget
I BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW THAT
Larson to make his Cup Series Debut: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (EGR) developmental driver, Kyle Larson, will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) debut for Team Target in the Phoenix Racing No. 51 Target Chevrolet SS at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 12. In addition, he will run the NSCS race in Martinsville in the No. 51 Target Chevrolet SS on Oct. 27. In August, EGR announced that Larson would take over the reins of the No. 42 Target Chevy SS beginning in 2014.
Ranking Right up There: Jamie McMurray has been the top-finishing non-Chase driver the past two races. He was fifth at New Hampshire and 11th at Dover. McMurray has scored 98 points in the Chase – more than five of the 13 Chase drivers including Kasey Kahne (71 points), Carl Edwards (78), Joey Logano (80), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (92) and Kurt Busch (94). Clint Bowyer also has scored 98 points in the Chase through three races.
#TEAMGANASSI
Chip Sounds Off: Ganassi Unplugged is a brand-new web-based series from Chip Ganassi Racing Teams that puts team owner Chip Ganassi’s opinions, innovative mind and appetite for success on full display every week in a series of short video clips. A new episode airs every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. ET only on GanassiTV.
#NTTDATARacing Contest: NTT DATA is giving one lucky fan a trip for two to Texas Motor Speedway as Kyle Larson’s VIP guest for the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Nov. 2. Aligned to NTT DATA’s “Think Smart, Act Fast, Flex Your Business” campaign, fans will be asked to share their real-life examples in a 140-character post on Twitter depicting a moment they’ve had to #ThinkSmart, #ActFast, or #FlexYourBusiness. The contest officially kicks off Thursday, Sept. 19 and end Friday, Oct. 4. Follow @EGRTeams and @NTTDATAAmericas on Twitter for more information.
Follow EGR on Twitter: Continue to follow 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
@EGRTeams – “Congratulations to our @CGRTeams teammates on winning the 2013 @RolexSeries Team Championship! #TeamGanassi #GRANDAM”
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR KANSAS SPEEDWAY
Jamie McMurray and No. 1 Cessna Team
Dover Recap: Dover International Speedway, home of the “Monster Mile”, played host to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) and race number three in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Jamie McMurray, driving the No. 1 LiftMaster Chevrolet SS, started the AAA 400 from the seventh position and maintained track position on the lead lap throughout the 400 lap race to bring home an eleventh place finish, as the highest finishing non-Chase driver for the second consecutive week.
McMurray at Kansas: McMurray has made 13 previous starts at Kansas Speedway. He has completed 3274 of 3419 (95.8%) laps of competition and has led 26 of those laps. His best start of fourth came in 2009 and he has best finish of seventh place on two occasions, Oct. 2004 and this year’s spring race April 2013. McMurray has three top-10 finishes with an average start of 21.3 and average finish of 18.8.
Flying Colors: The No. 1 Chevrolet SS will carry the Cessna colors this weekend at Kansas Speedway. Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) is based in nearby Wichita, Kan. Cessna will take the opportunity during the Kansas race weekend to host nearly 150 employee guests and their families at the Hollywood Casino 400 Sunday. McMurray will drop by their hospitality area for a Q&A with guests.
Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Target Team
Dover Recap: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule is winding down as only eight races remained in the schedule as teams entered Dover International Speedway. Juan Pablo Montoya and Team Target started the 400-lap race in the 13th position and realized early on that the handling of the No. 42 Chevy SS was off. The team battled all day to get the balance of the car under control and crossed the finish line in the 23rd position.
Montoya at Kansas: Montoya has nine career NSCS starts at Kansas Speedway which include one top-five and one top-10 finish. He has completed 2343 out of the 2351 possible laps (99.7%) and his best starting position is second (spring 2011) and his best finishing position is fourth (2009).
Who Wants Candy?: Target partner, Hershey’s, will have a presence at Kansas Speedway this weekend as their brand ambassadors will be walking around handing out samples of Kit Kat, and Ice Breakers Duo to the fans. In addition to the free samples, coupons for the products will be distributed and can be redeemed at your closest Target store.
Hit the Bullseye: Need something in a pinch? No need to worry – Target has all of the essentials and more. They have two locations within 10 miles of Kansas Speedway. Locations can be found at: 10900 Stadium Parkway, Kansas City, Kan. and 15700 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Shawnee, Kan.
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 16 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.
