Turner Scott Motorsports NASCAR Nationwide Series News & Notes:
Bristol Motor Speedway
Nelson Piquet Jr.
No. 30 WORX Chevrolet Camaro
Bristol Motor Speedway | Jeff Foxworthy’s Grit Chips 300
March 16, 2013
Vegas Recap… Piquet Jr. and the WORX team had a strong showing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, earning a hard fought 13th-place finish. After starting in the 11th spot, Piquet Jr. worked inside the top-15 most of the 200-lap event. Late in the Sam’s Town 300, race strategy took over and looked like it would notch the WORX team their first top-10 finish of 2013 season. However, a late race bobble moved Piquet Jr. back to a respectable 13th finishing position.
This Week’s Camaro…The No. 30 WORX team will have chassis TSM-335 this Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) for its second race. TSM-335 was previously used at Phoenix International Raceway, just two short weeks ago, where it racked up a top-15 finish.
Wilson “Barão” Fittipaldi 1920-2013…Brazilian motorsports founding father, Wilson “Barão” Fittipaldi passed away this week. Fittipaldi, who is Emerson Fittipaldi’s father, had a major role in developing the racing culture in Piquet Jr.’s native Brazil. Fittipaldi, who founded CBA (Brazilian national motorsport federation), was also a very influential journalist, endorsing motorsport racing from the 1950s onward. Fittipaldi introduced Formula One to his country of Brazil, a place where Fittipaldi’s son, Emerson along with Nelson Piquet Sr. and Piquet Jr. went on to race during their careers. This weekend in Bristol, Piquet Jr. will honor the late Fittipaldi by running a decal with ‘Barao Fittipaldi 1920-2013’ over his door. Fittipaldi was 92 years old.
WORX Yard Tools… For the fourth week in a row, Piquet Jr. will display the black and orange No. 30 WORX colors at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile” this weekend at BMS. Established in 1994, WORX Yard Tools USA, based in Charlotte NC, is one of the fastest growing companies serving the global power equipment market today. A diversified manufacturer and marketer of a complete range of electric-powered lawn and garden equipment, and related products, WORX has over 4000 employees worldwide. The WORX line-up includes innovative grass trimmers, chainsaws, lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, blowers and more. All WORX products are emission-free and feature intuitive functions, tool-less adjustments and best-of-industry ergonomics. You can find WORX yard tools at retailers such as Lowe’s, Walmart, Sears, Amazon.com and online at worxtools.com. More information is available on the company’s brand website at www.WORX.com.
Bristol High Banks… Piquet Jr. will make his fifth start at BMS, having previously raced the high banks in three different NASCAR series. In the spring of last year, Piquet Jr. visited victory lane in his first ever start in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE), a victory that would start the trend for three other wins in the NASCAR ranks.
Watch and Listen…The Jeff Foxworthy Grit Chips 300 can be seen live on Saturday, March 16 on ESPN2. Race coverage will begin at 1:30 p.m. EST. The event can also be heard live on PRN Radio as well as SiriusXM Satellite Radio, channel 90.
Nelson Piquet Jr. on his return to Bristol:
“Bristol is a another special track for me. Winning in the K&N car last spring was my first NASCAR win, and that started the ball rolling for the rest of last year in Nationwide and Trucks. I think the WORX crew has been meshing very well, and last week we were on the verge of our first top 10., I hope we can go into Bristol and contend not only for a top 10 but possibly a top-five finish.”
NNS results at
Bristol Motor Speedway:
Starts: 1
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Top 5: 0
Top 10: 0
Laps Led: 0
Average Start: 11.0
Average Finish: 21.0
Justin Allgaier
No. 31 Brandt Chevrolet Camaro
Bristol Motor Speedway | Jeff Foxworthy’s Grit Chips 300
March 16, 2013
Back at Bristol… Justin Allgaier will be making his ninth start at Bristol Motor Speedway’s (BMS) .533-mile high-banked concrete bullring, the site of his first NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) win (2010). Allgaier has a good qualifying record at BMS, only qualifying outside the top-10 twice in his eight starts.
2013 Point Standings…After finishing seventh at Daytona International Speedway, third at Phoenix International Raceway and 15th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Allgaier is currently tied with Elliott Sadler and Brian Scott for second in the NNS point standings.
Driver Rating…Allgaier has the highest average driver rating, 89.2, among drivers who have made eight starts at BMS. (Driver Rating formula combines wins, finishes, top-15 finishes, average running position while on lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, laps led and lead-lap finishes.)
Meet Justin…Justin will participate in a Wii Boxing competition along with other drivers at Food City Race Night on Friday, March 15, at 6:30 p.m., located in Hospitality Village. Allgaier will also make appearances at the Nationwide Insurance suite and Bristol Motor Speedway suite Saturday morning before the race.
In-Car Camera…The No. 31 BRANDT Chevrolet Camaro will have an in-car camera sponsored by Nationwide Insurance for ESPN’s race broadcast of the Jeff Foxworthy’s Grit Chips 300 on Saturday. The camera will feature live shots from inside Allgaier’s cockpit during the 160-mile event.
This Week’s Camaro…Crew chief Scott Zipadelli and the No. 31 BRANDT team will take TSM chassis number 333 this weekend to Bristol Motor Speedway. Allgaier brought the same chassis home to a third-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway.
Watch and Listen…The Jeff Foxworthy Grit Chips 300 can be seen live on ESPN2 at 1:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, March 16. SiriusXM Satelitte Radio channel 90 and PRN will carry live race coverage at 1:30 p.m. EST.
From the Crew Chief, Scott Zipadelli…”Bristol [Motor Speedway] is a great short track. Justin has been really good at qualifying up front and that will provide us with great track position which is a big advantage at a small track like Bristol.”
Justin Allgaier on Bristol Motor Speedway
“Bristol [Motor Speedway] is a very unique track, and it’s also where I won my first race. The concrete racing surface is different from most the tracks we go to. I usually qualify pretty well there, which is a huge advantage at a short track. Starting up front means we don’t have to play catch-up all day, and we can really focus on our own strategy.”
NNS results at Bristol Motor Speedway:
Starts: 8
Wins: 1
Poles: 0
Top 5: 2
Top 10: 3
Laps Led: 29
Average Start: 10.1
Average Finish: 16.6
Kyle Larson
No. 32 Cottonelle Chevrolet Camaro
Bristol Motor Speedway | Jeff Foxworthy’s Grit Chips 300
March 16, 2013
One Year Anniversary… One year ago at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson made his first career NASCAR K&N Pro Series East start en route to Rookie of the Year honors and the 2013 championship title. Starting sixth and finishing ninth that day, Larson picked up experience on the half-mile bull ring that he hopes will assist him this weekend in the Jeff Foxworthy’s Grit Chips 300.
“I know the Nationwide car will be different from the K&N car, but I think it will still take me less time to get used to everything and get up to speed since I’ve raced there before,” Larson explained. “It’s nice for me and the whole team when we go to a track I’ve been to, because it just gives us more time to fine tune the setup.”
Looking Back… Rolling to the track where the No. 32 Turner Scott Motorsports team claimed the organization’s first NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) win two years ago, rookie Kyle Larson had high hopes entering Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Dialing in the Clear Men Camaro after the first two pit stops, Larson took the lead on lap 87, but was pushed up into the retaining wall and sustained heavy right side damage. After repairs, he was nearing the finish when another incident on the backstretch terminated his day and served him a 32nd place finish.
Now Appearing… Larson will join several NASCAR drivers at the Food City Race Night at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday, March 15. The event will feature drivers, show cars, simulators, souvenir trailers, entertainment and much more. Larson will be signing autographs for fans from 6:30-7:30 pm.
Autism Speaks… Larson and crew chief Trent Owens will attend Speeding for a Cure on Tuesday, March 12th, as special guests of Brian and Amy France, who will be honored at the special gala benefiting the autism community. Larson and Owens, among other NASCAR drivers and notables, will help raise funds and awareness for Autism Speaks and the Gillen Brewer School through the event.
This Week’s Camaro… Trent Owens and the No. 32 Cottonelle Chevy Camaro team have prepared chassis TSM-323 for competition this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. This Camaro last saw NNS competition with Larson behind the wheel just two weeks ago at Phoenix International Raceway, recording a 13th place finish.
Crew Chief Keys… Familiarity with Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend will not only benefit 20-year-old Larson, but will also be an advantage to the entire No. 32 Cottonelle team. Encouraged by the speed and progress the team has shown thus far, Trent Owens anticipates a solid weekend at the Tennessee track.
“The No. 32 team and I are glad to be going to Bristol Motor Speedway since this is one of the tracks Kyle has raced on before,” Owens explained. “I feel like we are really close to having some strong showings, and we had a much better Camaro than what our finish showed last weekend at Las Vegas. Kyle has adapted to the Nationwide Series cars in a short amount of time; we are very happy where we are as a team right now.”
Kyle Larson on Bristol Motor Speedway
“Bristol is one of my favorite tracks that I’ve been to so far, and I think the race will be awesome. I had a lot of fun racing side by side with everyone, and the racing almost reminds me of the feel of dirt track racing. I’m really looking forward to this weekend and getting a good finish with the Cottonelle Camaro.”
NNS Career Results at Bristol Motor Speedway:
Larson will be making his first career Bristol Motor Speedway NNS start on Saturday, March 16, in the Jeff Foxworthy’s Grit Chips 300
