Dodge Motorsports Notes & Quotes
NSCS Race Advance
Pure Michigan 400 Michigan International Speedway
Sunday, Aug. 21, 2011
DODGE AT MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
. Dodge has won nine races at Michigan International Speedway: Charlie Glotzbach, Richard Petty (2), Sterling Marlin, Ryan Newman (2), Jeremy Mayfield, Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch. Busch earned Dodge its last win at MIS at the August event last year. He started 15th and led 36 laps en route to victory. He has two wins and eight top-10 finishes in 20 starts at the two-mile track.
. Dodge holds the MIS qualifying record of 37.069 seconds, 194.232 mph (Ryan Newman, June 2005).
. Dodge has six wins at MIS since its return to NASCAR’s premier series in 2001.
DODGE NEWS AND NOTES
. Kurt Busch is the only Sprint Cup Series driver who has been in the top-10 in the driver point standings all 22 races this season.
. Brad Keselowski is one of only five Sprint Cup drivers with multiple wins this season.
. Robby Gordon’s No. 7 Dodge is not in the top 35 in owner points and must earn a berth in the 43-car starting field on speed during qualifying.
THE DODGE BOYS
. Dodge has 210 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories.
. Dodge’s most recent win came at Pocono Raceway on August 8. Brad Keselowski led 19 of the 200 laps en route to victory. The victory was the third for Dodge in 2011.
. Dodge teams have posted 50 victories since the manufacturer’s return to NASCAR’s premier series in 2001 after being out of the sport since 1977. . Dodge has posted wins each season since its return in 2001 including seven wins twice (2002 and 2006). . Dodge claimed two Sprint Cup victories in 2010.
2011 DODGE SPRINT CUP REWIND
. Race 1: Kurt Busch wins the Bud Shootout and a Gatorade Duel during Speedweeks.
. Races 12-15: Dodge earns four consecutive poles.
. Race 13: Keselowski wins Kansas; first Dodge win of the season.
. Race 16: Busch dominates at Infineon for first win of season and first road-course victory of his career.
. Race 21: Keselowski, racing with a broken left ankle, earns his second win of the season at Pocono Raceway.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
. Of the 84 Cup Series races held at Michigan International Speedway, 16 have been won from the pole.
. Kurt Busch led the Dodge Boys at the June race at MIS. Busch started from the pole and led twice before finishing ninth. Teammate Brad Keselowski was 25th and Robby Gordon finished 37th.
ODDS AND ENDS
. With his win at Infineon, Kurt Busch has now posted a win in Sprint Cup competition 10 consecutive seasons.
. While subbing for injured Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski at Watkins Glen, Kurt Busch was tabbed “Kurt Buschlowski” after donning Keselowski’s fire suit and driving the No. 22 Dodge Challenger to victory in the Nationwide Series event on Saturday.
. The Dodge Challengers from Penske Racing will be driven by Jacques Villeneuve (No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge) and Alex Tagliani (No. 12 Hot Wheels Dodge) this weekend at Montreal.
. Robby Gordon will pull double-duty this weekend. He is entered in the Nationwide event in Montreal on Saturday and the Sprint Cup event at MIS on Sunday.
. Three Sprint Cup races at MIS have been caution free.
STAT OF THE WEEK
. Only two of the last 12 Cup Series races at Michigan have been won from a starting position outside of the top 15.
2011 SPRINT CUP SERIES SEASON BEST
. Kurt Busch Start: 1st (Kansas, Pocono & Michigan) Finish: 1st (Infineon)
. Brad Keselowski Start: 1st (Charlotte) Finish: 1st (Kansas & Pocono)
. Robby Gordon Start: 30th (Daytona) Finish: 16th (Daytona)
FROM THE ENGINEER “It had been quite a while since we heard drivers complain about the cars being ‘aero tight’, a condition that makes the cars want to not turn if you’re behind someone that’s taking the air off the front of your car. But when we raced at Michigan in June, the condition seemed to be a real problem for many. We saw nearly anybody that was at the front of the field in clean air able to just rocket away from everybody else, while those mired in traffic struggled to make their cars turn. Engineers this week will have to come up with solutions to the dreaded ‘aero tight’ condition that won’t make the rear of the car so loose that drivers have to deal with that issue.” Howard Comstock, Dodge Motorsports Engineering
DODGE QUOTES “We’ll be doing everything we possibly can to put our Dodge Charger into the winner’s circle this weekend at M.I.S. and party down with all our great friends at Dodge. All the manufacturers are located fairly close to the speedway and they all really want to win the races there. We have such a great relationship with all the folks at Dodge and they are super supporters of Penske Racing. We’ve been so proud to take Dodge to Victory Lane in the Sonoma (Infineon Raceway) points race and in the big Bud Shootout and qualifying race wins we had down in Daytona. A win at Michigan on Sunday would be great for Dodge and super for Shell, Pennzoil and all our sponsors.”
“Michigan is one track where you always come in there planning on it to have fuel mileage involved in the equation. It’s always been a track where there aren’t many cautions and that works to push the fuel mileage aspect to the top of the list as far as strategy goes.” Kurt Busch, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge Charger R/T
“I always have a lot of fun when it’s time to head to Michigan. It’s one of those tracks that mean so much to me and my family. I remember going there watching my dad race back when I was a little kid and can remember coming through that tunnel amazed at how big this place was to me. It’s cool to go back home to race in front of family and friends. It’s in Dodge’s backyard and we certainly know how important of a race it is for them. I really want to win a Cup race at Michigan and I think we can do it this weekend.” Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger R/T
“I can sum up into two words why I came to Penske Racing two years ago – Brad Keselowski. After a few years of trying to outrun him in the Nationwide Series, I knew how good he could be. These past few weeks have proven that to everyone. He’s as mentally tough as they come.” Paul Wolfe, crew chief, No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger R/T
