Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Advance Notes
RACE SETUP
Race: Toyota Save Mart 350 – 110 laps/127.36 miles #TSM350
Track: Sonoma Raceway (1.99 mile road course) @RaceSonoma
Drivers: @jamiemcmurray, @KyleLarsonRacin
Cars: No. 1 Cessna Chevrolet SS, No. 42 Target Chevrolet SS
Television: Sunday, June 22 TNT (3:00 p.m. ET)
Social: @CGRTeams #driveCessna #TeamTarget #TeamGanassi
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Media Contacts at Sonoma Raceway
I BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW THAT
Don’t Chance It. Check It: June is Garage Safety Month and Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) team partner, LiftMaster®, encourages fans to support the Celebrate Summer Safely, “Don’t Chance It. Check It” campaign during the month of June. As part of the LiftMaster® commitment to safety they will make a donation to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), a minimum amount of $10,000 will be donated. If Jamie McMurray wins one of the five NSCS races in June, LiftMaster® will add an additional $2,000 per victory to the NFFF.
#TEAMGANASSI
Follow CGR on Twitter: Be sure to follow CGR on the official team Twitter page. Find in-race updates and weekly news on the No.1 and No.42 teams throughout the 2014 season by following @CGRTeams. You can also connect in the social conversation throughout the season with team hashtags – #TeamTarget #driveCessna #TeamGanassi
TWEETS OF THE WEEK
@KyleLarsonRacin: “Fought hard all day after my spin in the beginning. Had a good shot at winning but got greedy on pit road and sped. Onto Sonoma.”
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR SONOMA RACEWAY
Jamie McMurray and No. 1 Cessna Team
Michigan Recap: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season made the first of two annual visits to the Irish Hills of Michigan and the Michigan International Speedway. Jamie McMurray started the Quicken Loans 400 from the 11th position driving the McDonald’s Chevrolet SS. McMurray had a 10th place average running position throughout the 200-lap race before crossing the finish line in 12th position.
Sonoma Stats: This weekend’s race will be McMurray’s 12th start at Sonoma Raceway. McMurray has completed 1,216 out of a possible 1,217 laps and has zero DNF’s (did not finish) at the track. He has one top-five and one top-10 finish. The driver of the No. 1 Cessna Chevrolet SS has qualified on the pole twice, last year and in 2007. He has also led 30 laps. McMurray’s best finish at the track is second in 2004. McMurray has an average start of 13.7 and average finish of 17.8 at Sonoma Raceway.
California Pole: Jamie McMurray, who has nine career poles in the NSCS has captured the top starting spot at seven different tracks in six different states. California is the only state where he has won multiple NSCS poles: four of his nine poles have come in the Golden State, doing so at both Sonoma Raceway and California Speedway. McMurray swept the top-spot in both 2010 races at California Speedway and at Sonoma Raceway in 2007 and 2013..
Wild Blue Yonder: Cessna Aircraft Company, recently kicked off of the third annual Discover Flying Challenge (DFC) during a launch event in Wichita, Kan. Eight DFC participants will take part in this unique internship promoting interest in general aviation and engaging aviation enthusiasts across the country. Six of the interns will pilot Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft for summer-long excursions across the United States. The other two interns will assist in scheduling and dispatching the pilot interns during the program. The pilots’ progress and scheduled events can be followed at dfc.openairplane.com, which provides detailed itineraries and a map of appearances.
Kyle Larson and No. 42 Target Team
Michigan Recap: After starting the race in 12th place, Kyle Larson and Team Target battled all day, overcoming early damage to the car and a late penalty, for an impressive eighth place finish at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). Although the car initially needed adjustments off the truck, the crew quickly made the right changes and had the No. 42 Target Chevy atop the leaderboard in the final practice session and strong enough to compete at the front of the field during the race, earning a top-10 finish for the second week in a row.
Larson at Sonoma: A native of Elk Grove, Calif., Larson will be visiting Sonoma for the first time as driver this weekend, and making his 20th career NSCS start. While the track is the closest NASCAR venue to Larson’s hometown, it is in many ways the furthest from his racing background. Larson, who grew up racing go-karts, midgets and sprint cars before eventually moving east to drive stock cars, has not spent much time driving on road courses. Although he has never raced at Sonoma, Kyle was a spectator at the track when he was a kid.
A Fresh Ride: As this will be his first time at the twisty road course, Larson is racing in Saturday’s NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Carneros 200 to prepare for Sunday’s NSCS race. It will be the series debut for Larson, who was the K&N Pro Series East champion in 2012. He will be driving the No. 42 Clorox Disinfecting Wipes Chevrolet Impala.
Unlocking Doors: On Wednesday afternoon, Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis will present Larson with a Key to the City outside of City Hall. Larson, who was born and raised in Elk Grove, will be the first recipient of a Key to the City in Elk Grove.
A Shopping Bullseye: If you have made it to the race only to find out you’ve forgotten to pack a few necessities, there’s no need to worry. For all your last minute needs and forgotten items, Target has all of the essentials and more. Target is located at 200 Vintage Way. Novato, Calif. 94945 and can be reached at (415) 892-3313. Call ahead and make sure they have what you need.
ONE TEAM, SEVEN 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 four cars in the Verizon IndyCar Series, two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and one Prototype in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Overall his teams have 17 championships and over 160 victories, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400, five Rolex 24 At Daytonas and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Pa.
For more information log onto: www.chipganassiracing.com
