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[/media-credit]TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY RACE PREVIEW
Michael Annett• No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang
Annett has three career starts in the Nationwide Series at Talladega Annett enters this weekend’s event in fifth-place in the Nationwide point standings Annett’s best start (eighth) came in 2011 at the 2.66-mile superspeedway
Michael Annett on Going to Talladega: “We are really excited to go to Talladega this weekend because we are bringing a brand new Pilot Flying J car. We showed at Daytona that the Roush-Yates engines have a lot of horsepower and we had a strong car there we and expect to have the same at Talladega. It will be interesting to see how the new rule changes affect the racing. We are expecting it to make the cars stay in a pack more than they have in the past, and we are looking forward to that because it puts the race more in the driver’s hands than relying on someone else to run well. We’re happy to be in the top-five in points and hopefully we can gain some more points on the leader this weekend.”
Crew Chief Philippe Lopez’s Thoughts on Racing in Talladega: “We are going to need to find a good partner for this weekend at Talladega, someone who is going to behave and not take any unnecessary risks. It’s just going to be a big crapshoot like it was in Daytona earlier this year. Michael has unfinished business after Daytona. He did a heck of a job at Daytona, ran in the top-10 quite a bit, and then we got wrecked seven laps from the end in one of those ‘Big Ones’ in Turn 4. Talladega is just a matter of keeping the car in pristine condition until the last 10 laps and hopefully we have a really good partner that stays committed to us and Michael stays committed to them. This weekend should be another top-10 finish for the Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang if we can make it to the checkered flag unscathed.”
Chassis History: The No. 43 RPM NASCAR Nationwide Series team has prepared chassis No. 622 for the 117-lap race at Talladega. This Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang is brand new to Richard Petty Motorsports this season.
Notes: Annett has three NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway. His best finish (19th) and his best start (eighth) at the 2.66-mile track came in 2011. Annett heads to Talladega in the fifth position in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver point standings. His average finish at the Alabama track is 27.7.
Looking for a Pilot or Flying J store near Talladega? There are 18 Pilot or Flying J stores within 100 miles of Talladega Superspeedway. The nearest store is six miles away from the race track. (Pilot Travel Center (I-20 Exit 165) 121 Honda Drive, Lincoln, AL, 35096.) There are 77 stores within 250 miles of the track. Go tohttp://www.pilotflyingj.com/locationsfind the nearest locations.
Can’t get enough of Annett? Michael will participate in the NASCAR Nationwide Series autograph session on Friday from 1:30-2:20 p.m. CT. The session is located in the concourse area under OV Hill South Grandstands, sections D&E.
Last Friday night at Richmond International Raceway marked Annett’s third top-10 and fourth consecutive finish of 11th or better in 2012 for Richard Petty Motorsports.
Don’t miss out on your chance to meet Michael!!! Annett will be making an appearance at the Pilot Travel Center in Lincoln, Alabama (121 Honda Drive, Lincoln, AL, 35096) on Friday from 4-5 p.m. CT to sign autographs.
Race Information
Track: Talladega Superspeedway
Laps: 117 Laps/311.22Miles
Track Size: 2.66-Miles
TV Information: 3 p.m. ET on ABC
Radio Information: 3 p.m. ET on MRN
Be sure to follow Richard Petty Motorsports on Twitter @RPMotorsports for behind the scenes updates, driver appearance information and qualifying and race updates. You can also check us out on our Facebook page at Richard Petty Motorsports.
