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[/media-credit]The No. 36 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Chevrolet will start 24th in the Great American Race
DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. (February 23, 2012) – Dave Blaney drove the No. 36 Ollie’s Bargain Depot Chevrolet into the Daytona 500 with a 12th-place finish in the second Gatorade Duel. The Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) team started 14th in the 60-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) event and ran in the top-10 for most of the day before crossing the finish line in the 12th position. The team will start the Great American Race from the 24th spot.
Blaney started 14th and quickly worked to get up to the sixth position by lap 12. He cracked the top-five to a race-high fourth position by lap 14. The No. 36 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Chevrolet continued to race in the top-14 before the team pit for gas only on lap 40.
The No. 36 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Chevrolet returned to the track in the 14th position. Blaney worked with Kasey Kahne to get the 11th position. The two held onto their position as they drafted for the final 17 laps of the race.
“Going into Speedweeks, I was confident in the team and our chances of qualifying for the race,” explained Blaney. “With the good runs we had last year at Superspeedways, I was confident the car was going to be good. I was a little bit surprised that we didn’t qualify on speed Sunday, but the car was really good in the draft today. We drafted with a few different people, and the car was fast. We got toward the front a few times but then tried to stay conservative and in front of the other cars who had to qualify.”
“The drafting is definitely different than last year,” he continued. “During the race, I had to make sure I was getting air often. I’m excited for Sunday. I think we have a great shot at a good finish. The draft is a little different but our car still ran really well.”
Blaney will join the 43-car field on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST for the 54th Annual Daytona 500.
About Ollie’s Bargain Outlet:
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, founded in 1982, is one of America’s largest retailers of closeouts, salvage and surplus merchandise. Famous for its signature catchphrase Good Stuff Cheap, Ollie’s offers a huge variety of famous brand name merchandise at up to 70 percent off the regular retail price, and the assortment is always changing. Ollie’s Bargain Outlet operates 114 stores in Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Visit www.ollies.us for additional information.
About Tommy Baldwin Racing:
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin formed Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009. Baldwin utilized a declining economy to open a NSCS team with a stringent budget. The team worked to build to full-time competition, and by the 2011 season, the team’s third season, TBR competed in every race and locked the No. 36 Chevrolet in the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points. Dave Blaney drove the No. 36 Chevrolet to TBR’s highest finish of third in the October 2011 event at Talladega Superspeedway. TBR also fielded a second car for select races in the past two seasons with multiple drivers.
Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the NSCS in 2012 with NASCAR veterans David Reutimann and Dave Blaney. The team will also compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with Ryan Blaney, Bobby Santos and Ryan Truex.
