JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW
No. 88 AdvoCare Chevrolet / No. 7 GoDaddy.com/Get Your.NET Chevrolet
EVENT – Virginia 529 College Savings 250 (250 laps / 187.5 miles) TRACK – Richmond International Raceway (.75-mile D-shaped oval) DATE – Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 TV / RADIO – ESPN2 (coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. EST) / MRN (broadcast begins at 7:15 p.m. EST)
Aric Almirola No. 88 AdvoCare Chevrolet
“When our AdvoCare team walks back into the tunnel at Richmond, we’re going in there knowing we have a shot to win. We had one of our best races of the season there in the spring. I know we’ll have a good AdvoCare Chevrolet. We’re running the same chassis we took there in the spring, so we’ll unload with speed. The race in April was proof of that. We led laps and ran in the top-three for most of the night. Things just didn’t go our way toward the end. Somehow we ended up running out of fuel, and then we were penalized on pit road. It wasn’t how we were looking to end that race. I’m confident we can do much better this time around.”
Danica Patrick No. 7 GoDaddy.com/Get Your.NET Chevrolet
“This truly is a weekend of remembrance for Americans everywhere. I think a lot of people will remember this anniversary in their own way, but for me, it’s an absolute privilege to be part of the Honoring our Heroes program this weekend. It’s a testament to the entire NASCAR community that so many drivers and teams have embraced the importance of this program. Go Daddy has done a great thing by putting a special paint scheme on our No. 7 car, and it looks quite different than the Go Daddy green we’re used to. It’s a fitting tribute. I don’t know how many people know this, but Bob (Parsons, Go Daddy Founder and CEO) took the time to design this paint scheme himself. Bob is a veteran of the Vietnam War, so this is something that he was very passionate about. Every star you see on the car is meant to serve as a memorial for each life lost on 9/11. I think there are 2,976 stars in all. Looking at all those stars covering the car really puts the magnitude of what we lost that day into perspective.”
JR MOTORSPORTS NOTEBOOK –
REMEMBERING SEPT. 11, 2001 – This weekend the entire NASCAR community, along with NASCAR Lionel Collectibles, will pay tribute to the 10th anniversary of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, with multiple NASCAR drivers piloting special “Honoring our Heroes” paint schemes. In part of the remembrance, Danica Patrick will drive a unique version of the No. 7 Go Daddy.com/Get Your.NET Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. Patrick’s Chevrolet features a black paint-out that is blanketed with a star-covered design. A patriotic ribbon with the words “Remembering 9/11” also graces the hood. Each star integrated into the paint scheme represents a life lost during the attacks. The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a charitable organization founded in 2001 by the family of Stephen Siller –an FDNY firefighter who lost his life in the attacks, will have its logo on the C-post of the No. 7 Chevrolet. The “Honoring our Heroes” program is designed to help raise funds to build homes for the only three surviving quadruple amputees of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – United States Army Specialist Brendan Marrocco, United States Marine Corps Corporal Todd Nicely and United States Marine Corps Corporal John Peck.
PATRICK’S MEDIA AVAILABILITY – Danica Patrick will be available to members of the NASCAR media on Friday, Sept. 9 at 12:30 p.m. EST in the infield media center.
PATRICK TO ATTEND LIONEL NASCAR COLLECTIBLES PRESS CONFERENCE AT RIR – Patrick will participate in the Lionel NASCAR Collectibles press conference in the Richmond International Raceway media center on Friday, Sept. 9 at 3:45 p.m. EST. Patrick joins several other NASCAR drivers, along with Howard Hitchcock, Vice President of Lionel NASCAR® Collectables for a special check presentation benefitting the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Please note, questions during the press conference should be limited to the “Honoring our Heroes” program. Additional competition-related questions may be addressed during Patrick’s media availability scheduled for Friday, Sept. 9 at 12:30 p.m. EST in the infield media center.
DANICA’S SEASON TOTALS – In seven races this season, Patrick holds one top-five and three top-10 finishes, two of which came in her last three starts. She has led 14 laps and earned an average finish of 16.0. Following the Richmond event, Patrick will be back with the No. 7 GoDaddy.com / Get Your.NET team in races at Kansas Speedway (Oct. 8), Texas Motor Speedway (Nov. 5), Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 12) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 19) before running the fulltime Nationwide Series schedule in 2012.
NO. 7 SEASON STATS – The No. 7 team holds six top-five and 11 top-10 finishes in 2011. The team occupies the 12th position in owner points.
ADVOCARE DEBUT – JR Motorsports welcomes AdvoCare as primary sponsor of the organization’s flagship No. 88 Chevrolet with driver Aric Almirola. AdvoCare, a premier health and wellness company offering world-class energy, weight-loss, nutrition, and sports performance products, will also see action with the No. 88 team at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 14. They will continue to serve as an associate sponsor with for the entirety of the 2011 season.
ALMIROLA AT RICHMOND – Almirola made his first career Nationwide Series start at Richmond in 2006, and has competed at Richmond three times since. Driving for JRM behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevrolet, he earned his best finish of 11th last fall. It marked the first and only time he has driven the No. 7 Chevrolet for JRM.
SHORT TRACK SEASON STATS – In eight short track races this season, Almirola holds three top-five and five top-10 finishes. He scored those finishes in races at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dover International Raceway, Iowa Speedway and Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.
MOUNTING SUCCESS FOR ALMIROLA – In their last 10 starts, Almirola and the No. 88 AdvoCare team have secured five top-five and eight top-10 finishes. Almirola has scored more points than any other Nationwide Series regular during that span, earning a total of 352 points and averaging 35.2 points per race.
NO. 88 SEASON STATS – The AdvoCare team’s season tally now stands at six top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. They are ranked eighth in owner points
ALMIROLA AUTOGRAPH SIGNINGS – Aric Almirola will sign autographs at the JR Nation merchandise hauler, located in the fan concourse area, on Friday, Sept. 9, from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST.
JR NATION GREAT GIVEWAY – From Aug. 28 to Oct. 16, 2011, the JR Nation web site, the official fan club site for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports, is giving away a prize a day for 50 days to both new and existing fan club members. All fans must do is log on to www.jrnation.com and click on the register now banner. In addition to the 50 daily prizes, JR Nation is offering a grand prize of an $888 gift card for use in the JR Nation online store. 10 second-place winners will receive an $88 gift card also for use in the JR Nation online store. Daily prizes include autographed memorabilia from Aric Almirola, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick and Josh Wise.
WATCH JRM RACING.COM’s VIDEO SERIES – In a continued effort to be at the forefront of web-based content through its website www.jrmracing.com, the team has added a multitude of videos into its video gallery. Click here to view race preview videos, the “JRM 360” series and more.
