INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY (2.5-MILE OVAL)
LOCATION: SPEEDWAY, INDIANA
EVENT: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES (RACE 20 OF 36)
TUNE IN: 3:30 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, JULY 26 (NBCSN/IMS/SIRIUSXM)
No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS / Kasey Kahne
Driver Kasey Kahne Hometown Enumclaw, Washington
Age 35 Resides Mooresville, North Carolina
2015 Season
12th in standings
19 starts
0 wins
1 pole position
2 top-five finishes
6 top-10 finishes
46 laps led
Career
415 starts
17 wins
27 pole positions
85 top-five finishes
152 top-10 finishes
4,587 laps led
Track Career
11 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
3 top-five finishes
6 top-10 finishes
158 laps led
BACK HOME AGAIN IN INDIANA: While Kasey Kahne originates from Enumclaw, Washington, he spent three years living in Indiana after high school. During that time Kahne had a shop in Brownsburg, Indiana, where he serviced his sprint and midget-car teams.
LEADING THE FIELD: In 2014, Kahne led 70 laps — more than any other competitor — en route to a sixth-place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kahne’s career 158 laps led rank second among active Sprint Cup drivers at Indianapolis in the past 10 starts, trailing only his Hendrick Motorsport teammate Jimmie Johnson.
QUALIFYING PROWESS: Kahne’s 8.3 average starting position ranks second, trailing only Ryan Newman’s 8.1 average starting positon, among active Sprint Cup drivers at Indianapolis in the past 10 starts.
SUMMER SESSION: Kahne is not known to take a summer break during the NASCAR Sprint Cup season, as 10 of his 17 career victories have been achieved between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
RACE TO THE CHASE: Kahne is currently 12th in the standings, having earned 538 points through the first 19 races. He is 196 points away from the leader and just 40 points out of seventh. Kahne is still seeking his first win this year to help solidify his spot to compete for a championship. Currently he is inside the Chase Grid’s top 16, but is not yet locked in.
VICTORY IN THE HOOSIER STATE: Kahne is not a stranger to victory in the Hoosier State. In 2000 and 2001 he claimed two consecutive victories in the prestigious “Night Before The 500” USAC National Midget Series race at Lucas Oil Raceway just six miles from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
FARMERS INSURANCE CHEVROLET: Farmers Insurance will adorn the hood of Kahne’s No. 5 Chevrolet SS this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and will be the primary sponsor on the car for four additional Sprint Cup Series races this year: Michigan International Speedway (Aug. 16), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Sept. 27), Texas Motor Speedway (Nov. 8) and Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 15).
FARMERS RACING ART SERIES: Kahne and Farmers Insurance have launched the Farmers Racing Art Series. The program is designed to provide young artists the opportunity to create a series of autograph cards featuring Kahne and the No. 5 team. The series, developed in collaboration with the Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts, a Kansas City, Missouri, public art school, invites student artists to design six posters based on racing and lifestyle themes. Each student whose artwork is selected will receive a $500 educational gift card in addition to having their autograph card featured at the team hauler for fans to take free of charge at the NASCAR races.
No. 24 3M Chevrolet SS / Jeff Gordon
Driver Jeff Gordon Hometown Pittsboro, Indiana
Age 43 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina
2015 Season
10th in standings
19 starts
0 wins
3 pole positions
2 top-five finishes
11 top-10 finishes
164 laps led
Career
780 starts
92 wins
80 pole positions
322 top-five finishes
465 top-10 finishes
24,828 laps led
Track Career
21 starts
5 wins
3 pole positions
12 top-five finishes
17 top-10 finishes
528 laps led
TOPS AT INDY: Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 3M Chevrolet SS, leads the following NASCAR Sprint Cup statistical categories at Indianapolis Motor Speedway: wins, poles, top-five finishes (five more than any other driver), top-10s (six more than second) and laps led.
TIED WITH SCHUMACHER: The 43-year-old driver’s five victories at The Brickyard are tied with former Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher for most among drivers at the famed speedway. Gordon visited Victory Lane in the inaugural event in 1994 and again in 1998, 2001, 2004 and 2014 on the 2.5-mile oval. Schumacher’s wins occurred on the road-course layout at the historic track.
DELAYED HOMECOMING: Gordon’s visit to Pittsboro, Indiana, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway market to help promote the upcoming Brickyard 400 has been rescheduled for Thursday, July 23. He will be available to the media during the appearance. The 43-year-old driver lived in Pittsboro and attended nearby Tri-West High School while racing as a teenager throughout the Midwest.
NEW 3M TAGLINE: 3M’s new corporate tagline “Science. Applied to Life.” will appear on the No. 24 Chevrolet SS again at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This weekend marks the sixth time 3M has been the primary sponsor of the No. 24 Chevrolet SS. It previously appeared on Gordon’s car at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway and Dover International Speedway, and will be the primary for a total of 11 races in 2015.
No. 25 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet SS / Chase Elliott
Driver Chase Elliott Hometown Dawsonville, Georgia
Age 19 Resides Dawsonville, Georgia
CROSSING PATHS: In 2016, Chase Elliott will take over the iconic No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS currently driven by Jeff Gordon. Gordon won the inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994, two days after his 23rd birthday. Elliott, who was born one year, three months and 22 days after Gordon’s historic achievement, will make his Brickyard 400 debut this Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the age of 19 in the No. 25 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet SS for Hendrick Motorsports. It will mark Elliott’s fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points race for the organization, after competing at Martinsville Speedway, Richmond International Raceway and Charlotte Motor Speedway earlier in the season. Last year, Elliott started fifth and finished 12th in his first career outing at Indianapolis during the NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) race.
NYC-CLT-INDY: Elliott’s eventful week took him to New York City on Monday, July 20, for a media tour where he spent time with outlets such as SiriusXM, The New York Times, NBC’s “NASCAR America,” Jalopnik, Sports Illustrated Kids, New York Daily News, Newsday, El Diario and “FOX Sports Live.” On Tuesday, Elliott met with his No. 25 team at Hendrick Motorsports before traveling to Indianapolis on Thursday to kick off his double-header weekend. He will first compete in the NXS race Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he’ll have the chance to win $100,000 in the XFINITY Dash4Cash program if he places higher than Chris Buescher, JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith and Ty Dillon. The driver will wrap up his week by competing in his first career Brickyard 400, Sunday on NBC Sports Network.
NAPA KNOW HOW ON THE HOOD: NAPA AUTO PARTS (www.NAPAonline.com) will serve as Elliott’s primary sponsor on the No. 25 Chevrolet SS Sunday at The Brickyard, marking its second-to-last race on the car in 2015. Its finale will come on Sunday, Sept. 6, at Darlington Raceway during the Southern 500, before returning in 2016 as a primary sponsor of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS in Elliott’s rookie Sprint Cup season.
No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet SS / Jimmie Johnson
Driver Jimmie Johnson Hometown El Cajon, California
Age 39 Resides Charlotte, North Carolina
2015 Season
4th in standings
19 starts
4 wins
0 pole positions
10 top-five finishes
13 top-10 finishes
467 laps led
Career
490 starts
74 wins
33 pole positions
203 top-five finishes
305 top-10 finishes
17,618 laps led
Track Career
13 starts
4 wins
1 pole position
5 top-five finishes
6 top-10 finishes
302 laps led
Jimmie Johnson will be available to members of the media in the media center at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, July 24, at 8:15 a.m. local time.
KOBALT COLORS: For the third time this season, Jimmie Johnson will pilot the No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet SS. The flat-black and white paint scheme raced earlier this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the Kobalt 400 and again at Michigan International Speedway in June.
CHASE CLINCH: Thanks to his four wins and a spot in the top 30 of the standings secured at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Johnson clinched a spot in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, presuming he attempts to qualify for the next seven races.
SERIES-HIGH DRIVER RATING: According to NASCAR’s loop data statistics, Johnson has the series-best driver rating at Indianapolis with a score of 108.1 during the past 10 races at the track. The driver rating is a formula that combines wins, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum a driver can earn in each race is 150 points. The driver rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator. Johnson’s average finish at Indianapolis is 13.8.
FOUR-TIME BRICK-KISSER: Johnson has won at the prestigious Brickyard 400 four times in his storied career. His first win came in the 2006 season, followed by back-to-back wins in 2008 and 2009. Johnson’s latest win at The Brickyard was in 2012.
KOBALT GARAGE: Crew chief Chad Knaus takes full advantage of the ample garage stall space at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Normally, the No. 48 team works out of its transporter, but this weekend it will have a custom-designed Kobalt-sponsored garage setup complete with individual work stations for the engineers and other crew members.
JOHNSON AT TEAM CHEVY STAGE: Johnson will be at the Team Chevy stage for a question-and-answer session in the infield of Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 26, at 12:15 p.m. local time.
UPCOMING JIMMIE JOHNSON FOUNDATION WELLNESS CHALLENGE EVENTS: Registration is open for the remaining two events of the 2015 Jimmie Johnson Foundation Wellness Challenge. The Cane Creek Sprint Triathlon will take place on Aug. 11 and the Lake Davidson Sprint Triathlon will take place on Sept. 13. Log on to www.jjfwellnesschallenge.org for more details.
No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS / Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hometown Kannapolis, North Carolina
Age 40 Resides Mooresville, North Carolina
2015 Season
3rd in standings
19 starts
2 wins
0 pole positions
10 top-five finishes
12 top-10 finishes
204 laps led
Career
560 starts
25 wins
13 pole positions
137 top-five finishes
236 top-10 finishes
8,051 laps led
Track Career
15 starts
0 wins
0 pole positions
1 top-five finish
5 top-10 finishes
61 laps led
CHASE CLINCH: Thanks to his two wins and a spot in the top 30 of the standings secured at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. clinched a spot in the 2015 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, presuming he attempts to qualify for the next seven races.
AT THE BRICKYARD: In five of his 15 Sprint Cup starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Earnhardt has lined up sixth or better at the historic track. He scored his best finish — fourth place — at the 2.5-mile oval in 2012. Earnhardt has finished inside the top 10 the past three years.
LEADING LAPS: Earnhardt ranks seventh among all drivers in the laps led category at Indianapolis races. The 40-year-old driver has led 61 laps.
SPEEDWAY SUCCESS: Earnhardt has scored 14 of his 25 career Sprint Cup wins on tracks that are two miles or longer. He has earned six at Talladega Superspeedway, four at Daytona International Speedway, two at Michigan International Speedway and two at Pocono Raceway. In 164 starts on these tracks, he also has tallied four pole positions, 47 top-five finishes, 72 top-10s and 2,097 laps led.
GOOD COMPANY: Earnhardt’s 14 wins at ovals that are two miles or greater rank him fourth overall among active, full-time drivers. Teammate Gordon ranks first with 33 wins, while Tony Stewart and Johnson are tied for second with 18 wins.
MY DALE STORY: Between now and Aug. 7, Nationwide is asking fans to show their support for Earnhardt and the No. 88 team by sharing their fondest memories, personal experiences and most exciting stories. Fans can submit their stories, photos or videos involving Earnhardt via Twitter, Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #MyDaleStory. They can also submit them at www.mydalestory.com.
Hendrick Motorsports
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS AT INDIANAPOLIS: Hendrick Motorsports has won nine of the 21 Sprint Cup races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gordon’s five wins are the most all-time, and Johnson’s four rank second among all drivers. The organization has also earned five pole positions, 24 top-five finishes and 38 top-10 finishes in addition to 1,010 laps led.
DOUBLE DIGITS: A Hendrick Motorsports win this weekend would mark its 10th at Indianapolis. Currently, the organization has double-digit victory totals at 10 active Sprint Cup Series tracks: Martinsville (22), Charlotte (18), Dover (18), Pocono (17), Darlington (14), Daytona (14), Atlanta (13), Talladega (12), Bristol (10) and Richmond (10). Hendrick Motorsports has nine wins at four different tracks: Fontana, Indianapolis, New Hampshire and Phoenix.
CHEVY AT INDY: Chevrolet has won 16 out of the total 21 Sprint Cup Series races held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, including the last 12 in a row. In addition, a Chevy has started from the Brickyard 400 pole position 10 times. Hendrick Motorsports has recorded nine of the manufacturer’s Brickyard victories and will enter five Chevrolet SS race cars in this weekend’s event.
ORGANIZATION STATS: To date, Hendrick Motorsports has totals of 237 victories, 204 pole positions, 966 top-five finishes and 1,604 top-10 finishes in Sprint Cup competition. Its teams have led 64,722 laps since 1984.
QUOTABLE /
“To me, The Brickyard means so much. I lived in Indianapolis for three years. I grew up watching the Indy 500 races and watching the Brickyard 400s once they started. The times that I have raced there I’ve felt really competitive each time. I came close in ’04 and closer in ’06 to winning the Brickyard 400 and last year we led the most laps and came close again. I look forward to going there and I hope that eventually we can win a Brickyard 400 and get a trophy from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.”
Kasey Kahne on racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
“It can be challenging for the guys at the shop to get all of the changes done and get the cars prepared, but at the same time it’s a lot of fun for the engineers and the aero guys to try and get more data to see how that applies to the cars, then for the race engineers to try and build setups around different aero packages. It’s a challenge, but it’s a fun challenge. I think it kind of spices things up a bit. It just becomes something that’s different. If someone really hits it right they can have a bit of an advantage, but for the most part everyone got all of the information at the same time and it’s probably going to be a pretty equal playing field among all of the competitors.”
No. 5 team crew chief Keith Rodden on the new racing package for Indianapolis
“The Brickyard 400 sticks out so much to me because I am from California via Indiana, and the first big race I remember watching on TV was the Indianapolis 500. For me to be able to compete at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was something I dreamed of. And the inaugural Brickyard 400 may have been more meaningful because we went there with a chance to win – not just to compete. To win that race and go on to win four more is just incredible to me. To me, personally, Indianapolis Motor Speedway is just the ultimate track that I get to compete on.”
Jeff Gordon on competing in the Brickyard 400
“The 2014 Brickyard 400 win was the biggest moment of my career so far. I can’t wait to walk back in the place and hear (Indianapolis Motor Speedway PA announcer) Dave Calabro introduce us as the defending Brickyard 400 champions. When you hear that, your body is like a tuning fork. That is special.”
No. 24 team crew chief Alan Gustafson on winning the 2014 Brickyard 400
“It will be an honor to race at The Brickyard this weekend and I could not be more thankful of NAPA AUTO PARTS and the Hendrick Motorsports organization for giving me the chance. Growing up, this was one of my favorites to watch and follow. There’s something about Indy that is hard to put into words. It’s the atmosphere when you arrive at the track that feels so powerful. We have to qualify to make the show on Sunday, but I couldn’t be more prepared and ready to go than I am right now.”
Chase Elliott on his expectations for the Brickyard 400
“It’s the little things that matter in racing and (No. 25 team crew chief) Kenny (Francis) and all the guys at Hendrick Motorsports have gone above and beyond to make this a reality. My goal is to build on what we’ve achieved together already this season. I feel like each time out in the No. 25 NAPA Chevy SS we’ve made gains and that’s what it’s all about. It’s a pure learning experience for me and these guys have given me all the resources I need to continue that trend this weekend at Indy.”
Elliott on his goals for the Brickyard 400
“Indianapolis is going to be a challenge for us. We are starting from scratch. The downforce package should make it more comfortable for us but passing is tough there – it’s a narrow track. It’s lots of fun there and we would love to get another win.”
Jimmie Johnson on racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
