Is The Glass Half-Full or Half Empty For Tony Stewart?

September 4, Atlanta, GA--- Is the glass half-full or half-empty?  Judging by the fact that Tony Stewart only needs to finish 36^th or better in Saturday night’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, his glass is nearly full.

The 400-lap contest at the .75-mile oval is the cutoff race to determine what drivers vie for this year’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.  Only the top-12 drivers in points will be eligible to compete for this year’s crown.

Stewart, driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, enters the last race of the regular season eighth in points with a comfortable 138-point advantage over 13^th-place David Ragan

The “half-full” theory says that Stewart will easily lock-up his fourth Chase birth since the inception of the Chase in 2004.

The “half-empty” theory says that Stewart is on defense at Richmond, for anything can happen at the Virginia short track, and even a 36^th-place finish is far from guaranteed when the field consists of 43 cars.

But with three Sprint Cup wins, five top-threes, seven top-fives and 13 top-10s in 19 career starts at the .75-mile oval, along with a total of 792 laps led – 10.4 percent of the 7,602 laps available – Stewart’s glass is just a few drops shy of capacity.

Add in his back-to-back NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series wins at Richmond in 2002 and 2003, along with the miles turned at Richmond wheeling a car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and USAC’s National Midget and Silver Crown divisions, and Stewart comes into Saturday night’s Chase-deciding race with the confidence becoming of a two-time Sprint Cup champion.

With a Chase berth on the line and a 10-year string of top-12 point finishes to keep intact, Stewart views Richmond as the foundation for a third title run.

Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing:

In the past four years of the Chase format, you’ve been locked into the Chase entering Richmond three times, with the lone exception being 2006, where you ended up missing the Chase by only 16 points.  Is there pressure this time around since you’re not locked in yet, even if all you need to do is finish 36^th or better?

“To be honest, I’ve never fallen into pressure.  All 10 years we’ve been here in the points, we’ve just strictly dealt with it one week at a time.  That’s the easiest way to approach it.  What you do this week is this week.  Then once this weekend is over and done, you worry about next week.  It’s literally that simple for us.”

Since you’re not locked into the Chase, have you thought back to other races where you could’ve scored more points than you did?

“I just try to keep it real simple.  I really don’t try to over-think it.  I don’t try to over-calculate everything.  I’m focused on Saturday night, then once Saturday is over with, I’ll worry about what we’re going to do for New Hampshire next week.  I literally take it by a seven-day cycle at a time.  California was last week, so it really doesn’t matter what we did there.  We are at a totally different track race this week.  So no matter what happened last week or two weeks ago or two months ago, we can’t change any of it.  We’re better off taking all of our energy and focusing on this coming week instead of focusing on something we can’t change.”

Since you’ve been in the Chase three of the past four years, does that give you an advantage at Richmond other drivers don’t have?

“How you get into the Chase is the same way you win the Chase.  You’ve got to go out there and you’ve got to be good.  You’ve got to be good in 26 races to get in the Chase, and then you’ve got to be good for 10 races after that to win the Chase.”

With three Sprint Cup wins and two Craftsman Truck Series wins, you’ve had a lot of success at Richmond.  Is it one of your favorite tracks?

“It is my favorite track.  It’s not one of them, it’s the favorite track of mine on the circuit.  I’ve won two Truck races and three Cup races there.  It’s where I got my first win.  It’s definitely a place I enjoy coming to, and considering how it factors into the Chase, it’s definitely an important stop for us."

 

Richmond is one of many races that begins in the late afternoon daylight and finishes under the lights.  How do you handle those types of conditions, specifically, when the sun disappears and the race track’s surface cools?

 

“I like night racing anyway.  I always have.  The good thing about night races is that I get to sleep in through the morning.  But the challenge is the same for everybody as far as how the surface temperature of the race track will cool off.  That’s the good thing about it.  It gives us a challenge that we don’t normally have on a day when the sun is out and the track normally won’t change a lot.  So it just adds another variable that makes it more exciting for the fans.”

 

What’s the key to being successful at Richmond?

 

“You want to make sure that your car is adjustable.  We start the race at the end of the day where it’s usually pretty hot, but as night comes the track cools down and it changes quite a bit.  Old pavement, new pavement, the same theory applies, and that’s not something you see at most of the races we go to.  It’s pretty much isolated to just the night races.  You’ve got to have adjustability, because you know for a fact that the track isn’t going to stay the same all night long.”

 

 

Is Richmond similar to any other tracks that you’ve raced on in your career?

 

“It just reminds me of some of the shorter tracks that I’ve run.  It has kind of the same feel that three-quarter-mile tracks did with some of the other cars that I’ve run with.  It was like Phoenix the first time I went there.  I hadn’t been to a 1-mile oval but once in my life, but when I got onto Phoenix, I adjusted and adapted to it really quickly.  It was a place where I became very comfortable right away.  I had that same feeling when I went to Richmond for the first time with The Home Depot car.  I think every driver has a track that they go to where they get that same feeling.  There are just some places that you go to where you adjust, and it really suits your driving style.” 

The heir apparent to the No. 20 car in 2009 – Joey Logano – is scheduled to make his debut at Richmond in a fourth Joe Gibbs Racing car sponsored by The Home Depot.   What are your thoughts on the 18-year-old driver who will replace you in 2009 after you move to your own team – Stewart-Haas Racing?

“I’m proud of Joey.  I think his record in the last couple of years speaks for itself.  I don’t think you could ask for a better guy to replace me and I’m happy that’s the guy that’s going to be replacing me.  He’s in the perfect situation right now.  He’s a good kid, he’s got a great family and he’s going to do things right.  I’m proud of who they got and I’m very supportive and behind him 100 percent.”

Is there a little bit of sadness that the No. 20 car won’t be yours when the 2008 season ends?

“Well, it’s still mine until the end of the year.  I’m excited about what I’m doing next year.  As far as I’m concerned, I’m still a part of Home Depot’s family.  They’re going to be a part of my family.  If you have to have a guy replace you, you want a guy like Joey to take your spot.  I’m happy about that.”

What makes Logano so good?

“The great thing about Joey is we really haven’t had to help him a lot.  He’s just one of those kids who has a lot of natural talent and he’s got a natural feel for the car.  If he’s needed something, we’ve been available for him, but on a lot of these things, he’s got the basics down.  The stuff that he has to learn is stuff that you really have to learn firsthand.  Every challenge that he’s had, he’s been successful, so I really believe that he’s the best guy Joe Gibbs Racing can get in the car right now.  I think what he can do in the future is unlimited there at Joe Gibbs Racing, and his crew, Zippy (crew chief Greg Zipadelli) and the guys, they are a proven commodity.  It’s a perfect situation for a guy like Joey to be in as a rookie to have an established team like that.  I think it’s going to be a good combination.”

September 4, Huntersville, NC--- As 18-year-old phenom Joey Logano attempts to make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in Saturday night’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, primary sponsor The Home Depot couldn’t be a better fit.

Why, you ask? For Logano, driver of the No. 02 Home Depot Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) this weekend, the battle cry for this year and next can best be explained by The Home Depot’s slogan since 2003, “You can do it. We can help.”

Joe Gibbs, the three-time Super Bowl-winning former head coach of the NFL’s Washington Redskins and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, announced Aug. 25 that the talented Logano would be moving up to NASCAR’s top series full-time in 2009 as the driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Camry.

The young prodigy has proven that he can adapt quickly to each level of racing he’s participated in, with the latest example being that he rewrote the record books by winning in just his third NASCAR Nationwide Series start in June at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. In addition to being a quick study, the Middletown, Conn., native already has 12 years of racing experience under his belt, even at the ripe age of 18. So it might go without saying that The Home Depot and JGR know that Logano can “do it” at the Sprint Cup level, and both entities want to “help” him achieve the ultimate goal of winning races and championships in NASCAR’s top series.

Even more importantly for the young driver will be the team JGR will have behind him in 2009. Led by veteran crew chief Greg Zipadelli, The Home Depot outfit has been thoroughly battle-tested during its decade-long existence. In the last 10 years with current driver Tony Stewart, the No. 20 team has won two Sprint Cup championships (2002 and 2005), scored 32 wins and has totaled 127 top-five and 203 top-10 finishes.

At age seven, Logano won his first Eastern Grand National Championship in Junior Stock Quarter Midgets. At age nine, Logano won the Summer Shootout Series in both Atlanta and Charlotte in his first year racing Bandolero cars. At age 12, Logano moved on to Legends cars, where he became the youngest driver to win the Pro National Championship. At age 13, he moved up to Late Models in Georgia, where he also won in his first season. At age 15, Logano made his debut in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, where he found victory lane in his second career Pro Cup start at Mansfield (Ohio) Motorsports Park in June 2005.

Last season, Logano ran a slate of NASCAR Camping World Series races for JGR where, again, it didn’t take him long to find victory lane. He won in his first start in the Camping World Series West race at Phoenix International Raceway on April 19. The JGR development driver never went more than two consecutive Camping World races without a victory, winning the East season-opener at Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway April 28, Iowa Speedway in Newton May 20, New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon June 29, Adirondack Speedway in Beaver Falls, N.Y., July 29, and New Hampshire again on Sept. 14.

So, as Logano will attempt to make his Sprint Cup debut this weekend at Richmond, regardless of how he fares, the young driver has proven he can do it, and JGR and The Home Depot are more than committed to help now and for the foreseeable future.

Joey Logano, driver of the No. 02 Home Depot Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing:

Now that it’s been over a week, has it sunk in that you are going to represent The Home Depot in the No. 20 car next year?

“It’s definitely sunk in. I guess it really sunk in the day of the announcement, really. Before the announcement, I really didn’t think about it too much. But being up there on stage with Frank Bifulco (chief marketing officer) from The Home Depot, along with Joe and J.D. (Gibbs), I realized that this is really happening. I’m sure when I get to Richmond this weekend it’s going to sink in even more.”

Now that your first Sprint Cup start is coming this weekend at Richmond, have you really had time to think about it?

“I thought about it a while back, but when it was first even suggested that Richmond might be the place, it was still a ways down the road. Now, suddenly, that’s this week now, it’s pretty exciting. I’ve never raced at Richmond, but I have plenty of short track experience and I’m told it’s a fun race track. There are just so many good people surrounding me that I feel really comfortable jumping in the No. 02 Home Depot Toyota this weekend. I think that’s also a big reason why the jump to Sprint Cup next year is going to be more comfortable to me because of all the great people who are a part of this team.”

How are you approaching the Richmond race weekend, and will you take the same mindset you had at Dover for your Nationwide Series debut this past June?

“I think I’m going to approach it (Richmond) the same way I did Dover. Personally, I don’t think it’s as big of a jump as it was to go from the Camping World Series to the Nationwide Series as it is from the Nationwide Series to the Cup Series because you’re already racing against a lot of Cup guys. We already race at tracks like this and I’ve done a lot of Cup testing. I feel more comfortable doing this than I did at Dover. You have to focus on your own race and not worry about what everybody else is doing."

You will have Wally Brown as your crew chief in both races with the No. 02 Home Depot Toyota. Can you talk about the history that you have with Wally and why he is the perfect choice to work with you in the Sprint Cup car this year?

“It will be cool working with Wally in a Sprint Cup race since I got to work with him for the first time in an actual race in the Nationwide Series at Bristol. I’ve worked a lot with him and the JGR Sprint Cup testing team, but never under race conditions until then. I probably have more time working with Wally, overall, than I had with Dave (Rogers, crew chief for JGR’s No. 20 Nationwide Series team). He knows what I want in a race car and I know his mindset in setting up the car. I’ve really worked with him closely since he came over to JGR in 2006, so it will be nice to have him around since I’m really comfortable with ‘Wall-Dog’ and can communicate well with him.”

Now that you are 18 years old and hoping to make your Sprint Cup debut this weekend, what do you recall about how things got started for you to get you to this level?

“My first memories of racing were driving a go-kart around the property of my Dad’s waste management company in Connecticut. We found that I was pretty good with the go-kart, so my Dad bought a quarter-midget and I started racing that when I was nine years old. My Dad wanted me to play baseball or basketball, and I tried the tee-ball thing, but I mainly didn’t like it because I wasn’t good at it. I wanted to do something I was good at. So I found something that I liked to do, that I enjoyed and I was good at. Growing up, I raced and played hockey and my parents really didn’t know much about either of them, so they really didn’t push me in one direction or another. They were open to whatever I wanted to do, which was really nice.”

When did it become obvious to you that you were better than average at driving a race car?

“I don’t know if there’s ever really been a moment where I thought that I was good. I’ve never really thought about it. I never really tried to look far into the future. I just enjoyed what I set out to do that day, and that’s the way I’ve always been. I don’t get too caught up in who I have to race, but I know that I have 42 other cars to beat and I concentrate on getting one guy at a time. I don’t dwell on the past too much. I just think about the next race that I have coming up.”

When you were looking at Joe Gibbs Racing as a potential team to sign with, what attracted you to them and ultimately led them to signing you?

“I remember sitting in the conference room at JGR meeting with J.D. (Gibbs) and he watched a video of me racing, and said he wanted to go get his Dad. So, Joe Gibbs walked in the room, and I was like ‘Wow, this is Joe Gibbs.’ I must have done something right, I guess. They took us on a whole tour of the shop. Just to know that Joe is a family oriented guy, I know he isn’t going to steer me wrong. A lot of the employees there have worked there for 10 years or longer. You don’t see that everywhere. That’s another big selling point for me, because if they have people there that long they must be doing something right. Also, the success of the organization from the very beginning really speaks for itself. So, it really wasn’t too hard of a decision for me. I felt comfortable there right from the start and I feel even more comfortable, now. I’ve always had my family at the race track growing up and they welcome that and that’s another big reason why it works for me and so many other people who have been at JGR for so long.”

How important is it for you to gain the respect of your competitors?

“It’s definitely an important thing. Even when I was nine years old and I was driving Legends cars and on sanctioned tracks, you had to be 12. I went there and they told me that I could not touch another car out there. Legends cars have that big chrome bumper out there and everyone hit everybody, but if I hit one person, then I wasn’t going to get to race anymore until I was 12. I’ve had that behind me all these times. I was 14 or 15 when I was running the ASA Touring cars and it was the same deal. You have to go out there and race people the way you want to be raced. If they’re going to run you clean, then I’ll run them clean. But you better run them clean before they do anything to you. I think it is a real big thing to gain respect, whether it’s on or off the race track. I’ve tried to do that in the Nationwide Series, so far, and I’m hoping to be able to gain the respect of my competitors at the Sprint Cup level, too. It does take some time to prove that to them and I’m looking forward to starting to do that this weekend.” 

Truex Heads to Richmond Refreshed

September 3, Mooresville, NC--- After finishing 19^th in last week’s Sprint Cup event in California, Martin Truex Jr. knew he needed to get away for a few days. Therefore, the Dale Earnhardt Inc. driver gladly accepted an offer to go hunting this week with Bill Jordan, the founder of REALTREE camouflage patterns.

The two spent a couple of days elk hunting in New Mexico and Truex was glad to get away from the stress of NASCAR racing.

“After finishing like we did in Fontana (Ca.), I just needed to take a break from racing,” Truex said. “There’s just something about being in the peace and quiet of the outdoors that takes my mind off of everything else. It’s the best way I know of to relax and get refocused on my job. I always come back in a better mood than when I left.”

As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Richmond International Raceway for Saturday’s Chevy Rock and Roll 400, Truex has another reason to be excited: the return of crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion and car chief Gary Putnam. Manion and Putnam had been serving six-race suspensions due to infractions found on the No.1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet at Daytona in July.

“It’s going to be great having Bono and Gary back,” continued Truex. “We’ve really missed not having them at the track and I know that they’ve hated not being there. Those guys are an important part of the team, and not having them at the track each weekend has been tough.

“The guys on the team fought through it as best they could, but that’s asking a lot of them.”

Mike Greci served as interim crew chief during the suspensions, and Truex thanked him for his efforts.

“Mike did a great job under tough circumstances,” Truex said. “He went from leading our Camping World East Series efforts to working on Cup cars. Those are two different deals. He worked hard and kept us focused. I can’t thank him enough.”

 

For Ken Schrader, It's A Tale of Two Richmonds

CORNELIUS, N.C. (Sept. 3, 2008) – Has it really been 20 years?  

Saturday night’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway (RIR) marks the 20^th anniversary of the Miller High Life 400 won by the late Davey Allison, the first Sprint Cup race on the newly configured race track at RIR.  

Just hours after the late Neil Bonnett won the Pontiac Excitement 400 on Feb. 21, 1988, the transformation began. Richmond, which had been a half-mile track, first as dirt and later as asphalt, was turned into a .75-mile track in time for the September race that was won by Allison. RIR would ultimately become one of the premier tracks in the United States.  

Ken Schrader, driver of the No. 96 DLP HDTV Toyota Camry for Hall of Fame Racing, is one of six drivers entered in this weekend’s Sprint Cup Series race who have raced on both the old and current configurations. Schrader is joined by Mark Martin, Sterling Marlin, Bill Elliott, Kyle Petty and Michael Waltrip.  

Schrader had three top-15 finishes in seven starts on the half-mile configuration and has one pole and 12 top-10 finishes in 37 starts on the current configuration.  

Has it really been 20 years? To put it in perspective, Joey Logano, who will attempt to make his Sprint Cup Series debut at RIR, wasn’t alive when the half-mile track existed.

KEN SCHRADER, driver of the No. 96 DLP HDTV Toyota Camry:

You are one of six drivers entered in the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 who have competed on the old and new configuration at Richmond. Which track layout did you prefer?

 

“No question, the new one. The old track, they started it in whatever year and it was fine. But when Richard Petty went out there on the bulldozer right after the spring race and they tore up part of the concrete, I thought, ‘Wow, I would have never believed this.’ When we went back there in September, we had an open test on Thursday and they were still putting stuff up. They were working flat out to get the facility done when we pulled in. To see what Mr. (Paul) Sawyer (late owner of the track) did and the amount of time he did it in, was impressive. You know, we’re not talking about a bunch of engineering firms out there. We’re talking about Mr. Sawyer getting out there and telling them what he wanted. He knew what to build and it’s been a fan and participant favorite ever since. There are not many facilities where we go to where you can see them run (USAC) Midgets, (USAC) Silver Crown cars, Indy cars, Nationwide cars and Sprint Cup cars – and suit each one of them. He wanted something where he wasn’t just hooked into Cup cars two days a year. He wanted something that opened up some options. He built a class facility.”

 

Joey Logano, who wasn’t even alive when the old configuration was around, will attempt to make his Sprint Cup debut this week. You will attempt to make your 725^th start. At the pace of 36 races a year, it would take Logano more than 20 years to get to 725 starts. What advice would you give him looking forward?

 

“By all indication, he could possibly be starting his first race of what could be a stellar career, if things work out the way they’re predicted to. I just hope that if he elects to run 20 years, that he ends up enjoying it as much as we do.”

 

You departed immediately after the Pepsi 500 at Fontana Sunday night and flew overnight to the DuQuoin (Ill.) Fairgrounds for the Southern Illinois 100 ARCA RE/MAX Series event on Labor Day. You finished third. What were your thoughts on the race?

 

“It went well. We had a good run, obviously, but could have been a little bit better. I slept pretty good Monday night. Sunday night, I only slept about and hour and a half.”

 

What are your thoughts heading into Richmond for this weekend’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400?

 

“It’s one of the best race tracks on the circuit. They have a couple of grooves and you always like to have options to move around on the track. There are 46 cars on the entry list, so we’ll have to qualify our way in. There are some good cars there, so we’ll have our work cut out for us, but we’ll be ready. We hope to give the DLP Toyota a good run.”

Clint Bowyer No. 2 BB&T Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Event Preview Fact Sheet

September 3, Richmond, VA--- NOTES:

·          This Week’s BB&T Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway … Clint Bowyer will pilot Chassis No. 069 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series stable.  Built new last season, this is the same No. 2 Chevy Bowyer drove to Victory Lane last spring at Phoenix International Raceway and Richmond International Raceway. Additionally, the Emporia, Kan., native raced this car last July at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (St. 3 – Fn. 6). The same car also saw action in September at Richmond (St. 11 – Fn. 33) and again in November at Phoenix (St. 1 – Fn. 3). Most recently, Bowyer raced this car to an eighth-place finish in April at Phoenix and to ninth-place finishes in May at Richmond and in June at New Hampshire. In eight starts, Chassis No. 069 has recorded two wins, one pole, three top-five and seven top-10 finishes.

·           The Richmond Report … In seven Nationwide Series starts at Richmond’s .75-mile, D-shaped oval, Bowyer has one win and four top-10 finishes. The six-time Nationwide Series winner has a solid 6.7 starting average but a somewhat disappointing 15.3 finishing average at the “Action Track.”

·          Stretching it Out … Bowyer stretched his Nationwide Series point lead with a seventh-place effort last weekend at Auto Club Speedway of Southern California. Coming into the Camping World 300, Bowyer held a 122-point advantage over second-place Brad Keselowski and a 241-point cushion over Carl Edwards in third. Despite Edwards runner-up finish in Fontana, Bowyer still leads the 2007 series’ champ by 222 markers. Keselowski had trouble last Saturday night and the Emporia, Kan., native now paces second place by a handsome 204-point margin.

·          RCR’s Nationwide Stable … In 27 races this season, RCR-prepared Nationwide Series entries have notched two wins (Bowyer – Bristol and Scott Wimmer – Nashville), 17 top-five and 42 top-10 finishes. RCR NNS cars have also led 589 laps in 2008 and finished on the lead lap 51 times.

·          Legacy Pledge … Austin Dillon, the 18-year-old grandson of Richard Childress and son of RCR Vice President of Competition Mike Dillon, will attempt to make his Nationwide Series debut this weekend behind the wheel of RCR’s No. 21 Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma Chevrolet. Dillon is third in the NASCAR Camping World Series East standings, six points out of second and 182 behind the leader. The Lewisville, N.C., driver won in his first Camping World Series East race in April at Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway. In 10 NCWSE races, Dillon has collected one pole, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes.

·          Bowyer in the Loop …

o         Average Running Position … According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Bowyer is second in the Average Running Position category with an 8.697 ARP. The ARP is derived from taking the sum of a driver’s position on each lap and dividing it by the number of laps run in each race. He has also recorded an 11.761 ARP over his seven starts at RIR.

o         Laps in the Top 15 … Meanwhile, the Nationwide Series point leader has spent 4,299 of the 4,704 laps completed this season (91.4 percent) running in the top 15.

o         Driver Rating … Bowyer also enjoys a 104.1 Driver Rating this season – second only to Kyle Busch (116.3). The Driver Rating is a formula that combines the following categories: wins, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum a driver can earn in each race is 150 points. The Driver Rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator.

o         Laps Led … Bowyer has led 463 laps in Nationwide Series competition this season and trails only Busch and two-time Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart in that category.

·          Testing the Nationwide Car of Tomorrow … Members of RCR’s Nationwide Series teams will be in Richmond Sept. 8-9 as NASCAR oversees testing of its anticipated Car of Tomorrow for NASCAR’s junior circuit.

·          Coming Home to the Commonwealth … Three members of the BB&T Racing team hail from the Commonwealth of Virginia. Shock specialist P.J. Bryant is a native of Dale City while rear tire carrier Michael “Don Juan” Hodges is originally from Abingdon. Mechanic Hylton Tatum still calls Stuart home. 

·          Meet the Press … Bowyer will be available outside the No. 07 transporter, inside the Sprint Cup Series garage area, on Friday, Sept. 5 at 1:05 p.m. to field questions from the gathered press.

·          Double Duty at RIR … Following his duties behind the wheel of the No. 2 BB&T Chevy Monte Carlo SS, Bowyer will turn his attention to the No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet Impala SS for Saturday’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Live coverage of the 26th points-paying race on the 2008 schedule will take the green flag Saturday, Sept. 6 beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will be televised live on ABC and broadcast worldwide on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying will be televised live on ESPN2 Friday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. EDT.

·          Up to Speed … The Emerson Radio 250 will be televised live on ESPN2 Friday, Sept. 5 beginning at 7:30 p.m. EDT. The race will also be broadcast live on MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying will be televised live on ESPN2 the same day beginning at 4 p.m. EDT.  

CLINT BOWYER QUOTES

Do you like the night races and the feel they have?

“I love it. That’s what most of us grew up doing. It adds an extra element of atmosphere. It’s so much fun. Electricity is in the air and the energy is high. Everybody is looking to have a good time. When the lights come on, everyone puts their gloves on and gets ready to go to battle.”  

Is Richmond a place, where, chances are, you’re not going to come out of there without a few scratches but, at the same time, you’re working hard not to beat and bang too much?

“Usually, the guy who wins has a clean car and all four fenders are on it. Nine times out of 10, that’s the case. It’s hard to stay out of trouble and keep all four fenders intact. Even at a short track like Richmond, aerodynamics is crucial. You wouldn’t think so but I know firsthand. I ripped my right-front fender off during the Nationwide race a couple years ago that everyone thought we had wrapped up. It wasn’t so much the case after that.” 

No. 19 Best Buy Dodge Looks for Success At Richmond

September 3, Statesville, NC--- Elliott Sadler and the No. 19 Best Buy Dodge team might as well refer to Richmond International Raceway as its home away from home. The No. 19 team features three Virginia natives on its roster and they would all like to take their first trip of the season to victory lane at the .75-mile oval in Richmond. 

Sadler grew up 40-minutes away from Richmond International Raceway in Emporia, Va., jackman Ed Watkins grew up in Richmond, Va., and engineer Kevin Kidd is originally from Tazewell, Va. The No. 19 Best Buy team knows that the fans are proud of their Virginia men and it would like to deliver a top finish for all of the friends and family that are in attendance for the trip to Richmond.     

The No. 19 team is coming off a 34th-place finish at California and is looking for a quick rebound as it visits Richmond International Raceway for the final time in 2008.   

Elliott Sadler Quotes 

On Racing Under the Lights at Richmond: “Richmond is a special place for me. I’m a very proud Virginian and those fans are proud of all their drivers who make it into NASCAR. I used to sit in those very same stands when I was a kid with my family members. A lot of the crew guys on the Best Buy Dodge are from Virginia, too, so it means a little more to all of us when we race at Richmond.” 

Do All of Your Friends and Family Come Out for This Race: “All of my friends and family come out to the racetrack for this race. This race is kind of like a homecoming football game when you are in high school or college where everyone you know comes out to the game and cheers for the hometown team. The fans always have a lot of fun cheering for the hometown guys and the team always wants to deliver for the fans.”  

Chassis Info: The No. 19 team will race GEM #253; which Sadler raced to a fifth place finish at New Hampshire in June. GEM #221 will serve as the backup. 

Sadler at Richmond: In 19 previous starts, Sadler has earned three top-10 starts with two coming in his last two races. Sadler’s only top-10 finish came May 14, 2005. He led one lap in his third career start at Richmond on May 6, 2000.

For more of Sadler’s career statistics at Richmond click here.        

Sadler’s Season: In 25 starts, has two top-five and six top-10 finishes. He has 10 top-10 starts; including the last three race. Sadler started from the outside pole at Phoenix. Sadler has led four races for a total of 17 laps and is currently 20^th in points trailing 19^th by 63 points. For more of Sadler’s ’08 season statistics click here.

Career stats: Has won three Sprint Cup races while earning 18 top-fives, 61 top-10s and seven pole awards in 346 career starts. For more of Sadler’s career statistics clickhere. 

Sadler on Sirius and Trackside: Sirius NASCAR Ch. 128 listeners can catch Sadler on Sirius Speedway every Tuesday at 4:40 p.m. (ET). And, SPEED TV viewers can see Sadler every Friday night on “Trackside Live” for the rest of the season. 

News From The Barn: Elliott and Hermie Sadler are hosting the 2008 Sadler Barn Party this Wednesday, Sept. 3 in Elliott’s backyard in Emporia, Va. The Sadler Barn Party is a charity event featuring country music recording artists Blake Shelton, Bucky Covington, Lee Brice, Heather Wilkins and Don Cox. NASCAR personalities Elliott and Hermie Sadler, Kasey Kahne and Dale Jarrett will be on hand and all proceeds from the event go to charity.  

The Virginia Guys: Driver Elliott Sadler (Emporia, Va.), engineer Kevin Kidd (Tazewell, Va.) and jackman Ed Watkins (Richmond, Va.) are all natives of the Old Dominion State. 

Race Broadcast Schedule: ESPN2 and MRN Radio will carry the qualifying broadcast on Friday at 6:00 p.m. (ET). The race broadcast beings Sunday evening starting at 7:00 p.m. (ET) on ABC and MRN Radio.

Kevin Harvick No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS Event Preview Fact Sheet

September 3, Richmond, VA--- NOTES:

·          This Week’s Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway … Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 251 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable.  Built new for 2008, Harvick drove this Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS to a 14^th- place finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. 

·          Richmond Stats … In 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Harvick has earned one win, one pole, four top-five and nine top-10 finishes.  The Bakersfield, Calif., native has earned a 19.3 starting average, 11.8 finishing average and has led 646 laps of competition.  Additionally, the 2007 Daytona 500 winner has seven consecutive top-10 finishes at the Richmond race track. 

·          Start to Clinch … Harvick will clinch his third berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup when he takes the green flag in Saturday’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400.  The 11-time NSCS winner is seventh in points and leads 13^th-place David Ragan by 160 markers. 

·          RCR at RIR … Richard Childress is tied for fourth with Walter “Bud” Moore for car owner victories at Richmond with seven wins – five with Dale Earnhardt, one with Harvick and the most recent coming in May with Clint Bowyer. Additionally, in 104 starts, RCR boasts 29 top-five and 48 top-10 finishes at the three-quarter mile Virginia oval with nine different drivers including Earnhardt, Ricky Rudd, Mike Skinner, Harvick, Robby Gordon, Jeff Green, Jeff Burton and Bowyer. Childress, a former driver on NASCAR’s senior circuit, contributed three of those top 10s from 1976-1978.

·          Summing Up the Season … In the season’s first 25 events, Harvick has earned six top fives, 11 top 10s and has led 88 laps.  He has recorded an 18^th-place starting average to go along a respectable 13.9 finishing average.  He has completed 6,902 of the 7,092 laps (97.3 percent) run this season and earned just over $3.8 million in purse money. 

·          Iron Man … Harvick has not recorded a DNF (did not finish) in 69 consecutive races, which is the modern era record (1972-present).  Harvick’s RCR teammate Bowyer currently has the second-longest active streak at 62.

·          The RCR Collection … In 25 races this season, RCR-prepared Sprint Cup Series entries have notched two wins (Burton – Bristol, Bowyer – Richmond), 14 top-five and 34 top-10 finishes. The Welcome, N.C.,-based race team has completed 21,083 laps in 2008 with four different drivers including Bowyer, Burton, Harvick and Ken Schrader. Meanwhile, RCR teams have logged 30,241 miles of competition this season and been on top of the leaderboard for 312 laps. Combined, all four RCR teams have earned just over $ 10.8 million in purse money this season. 

·          Media Opportunity … Harvick will be available for interviews outside the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil hauler Friday, September 5 at 1:10 p.m.   

·          Legacy Pledge … Austin Dillon, the 18-year-old grandson of Richard Childress and son of RCR’s Vice President of Competition Mike Dillon, will attempt to make his Nationwide Series debut this weekend behind the wheel of RCR’s No. 21 Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma Chevrolet. Dillon is third in the NASCAR Camping World Series East standings, six points out of second and 182 behind the leader. The Lewisville, N.C., driver won in his first Camping World Series race in April at Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway. In 10 NCWSE races, Dillon has collected one pole, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes.

·          Kevin Harvick Live … Harvick will participate in a question and answer session hosted by Riki Rachtman on the Chevy stage at RIR Sat., Sept. 6 at 3:15 p.m.  

·          Don’t Miss A Beat … This weekend Harvick’s Shell-Pennzoil Chevy will be one of four cars featured on DIRECTV’s HotPass Coverage. With a channel dedicated solely to the Shell-Pennzoil Racing team during the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 from Richmond International Raceway, fans will be able to watch all the action through DIRECTV’s multiple camera angles, real-time car telemetry and listen to in-car audio communication. NASCAR HotPass, Only on DIRECTV, features four driver channels including dedicated announcers for each team. The service, combined with race day telecasts and NASCAR.com coverage, gives race fans the most comprehensive and powerful NASCAR experience possible. Harvick’s team will be showcased on DIRECTV channel 793 and DIRECTV’s HD channel 798.

·          Friday Night Lights … In addition to his driving duties with the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet, Harvick, a 32-time race winner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, will drive Kevin Harvick Incorporated’s No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet in the Sept. 5 Emerson Radio 250.  The race will air live on ESPN2 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.  The race will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio.  Qualifying for the 28^th of 35 races on the 2008 Nationwide Series calendar will air live the same day on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. EDT. 

·          Catch the Action … The Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at RIR will be televised live Sat., Sept. 6 beginning at 7 p.m. EDT on ABC and will broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 26th of 36 NASCAR Cup Series events will begin at 6 p.m. EDT Fri., Sept. 5 and will be telecast live on ESPN2. 

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTES: 

Does it take the pressure off knowing all you have to do is take the green flag on Saturday night and you’re in the Chase? 

“It’s a good feeling.  It’s a big deal for us.  We struggled a little during the middle part of the season but have been able to turn it on as of late.  It shows how much work Todd (Berrier, crew chief) and the team have been putting in the past couple of months.” 

Are you hitting your stride as we get closer to the Chase? 

“We have been running really well for at least two-and-a-half months now.  We didn’t have the finishes to show for everything that had been turned around the last three months, really.  Lately we have been building better cars, better engines and just better everything.  It seems like everything is going our way now, and we’re getting some breaks and doing things right at the shop.” 

What do you expect once the Chase starts? 

“It seems like everybody has closed the gap on the No. 18 (Kyle Busch).  Obviously, they’ve been running really good every week, but it seems like the No. 99 (Carl Edwards) has been running really good as well.  I feel like we’ve closed the gap.  We’ve got a little bit more work to do to get to where we need to be.  Hopefully, over the next couple of weeks  we can get everything done that we need to get done and throw everything at it for the Chas… in an underdog role, you don’t really have anything to lose so that’s what we’re looking forward to.  

Do you enjoy racing at Richmond? 

“We have been able to run really good at Richmond since I have been at RCR.  We have been able to win three Nationwide Series races in a row and finish first and second in the Cup Series car in 2006.  Richmond is one of those places I really enjoy racing.  You can move the car all over the race track.  It seems like the groove moves around as the race goes on.  I am just really comfortable racing at Richmond and I hope for another great finish this weekend.”

MARTIN RETURNS TO ACTION AT RICHMOND

September 3, Richmond, VA--- Worthy Note: Martin won his second career Cup pole in his first Cup start at Richmond in 1981. He finished seventh in the race, his first career Cup top-10 finish.

DEEP HISTORY FOR MARTIN AT RICHMOND

This will be Martin's 46th start at Richmond, dating back to Sept. 13, 1981 when he earned his second career Cup pole in only his fourth career start. Martin rolled to a seventh-place finish, the first of his 23 career top-10 finishes at Richmond and the first of his Cup career. Over the years, the veteran has logged over 12,600 miles at the .75-track. He leads all drivers in top-five and top-10 finishes in both the Cup and Nationwide Series and his five Nationwide wins are a track record as well.

ON THE POLE

Martin earned his second career Cup pole at his first start at Richmond in 1981 and his 41st pole there in September 2001. His other pole came in September of 1996.

FRONT ROW

In addition to his two poles at Richmond, Martin has started on the front row at Richmond seven times during his Cup career at Richmond, including earlier this season in May and twice in the last three seasons.

LAST 10 RACES AT RICHMOND

Martin has scored the fourth most overall points in his last 10 races at RIR. During that span he has posted five top-10s and four top-fives, including a third-place run in May.

NO. 8 LOOKING FOR RETURN TO WINNER'S CIRCLE

The No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Team's last trip to victory lane came at Richmond on May 6, 2006 - 88 races ago. Martin and the team hope to end that streak this weekend at RIR. 

"We are looking forward to going back to Richmond this weekend. We've had a lot of success on these type of tracks this season and the U.S. Army Chevy was really strong at Richmond earlier this season. We had one of the best cars in the race, and if we can go back there and build on what we had last time, we should be up front competing for the win.

"We have a long history at Richmond, going all the way back to the early '80s when I first broke into Cup racing. I sat on the pole there the first time we went in 1981. We were able to actually get a top-10 there the first time as well. It has always been a track that is pretty fun to race on and we've had some great battles and quite a bit of success there over the years. I was able to win there in 1990, but I think a lot of people will remember that for the now famous 46 point penalty that we got after the race. That really played an important role in the championship that season.  We've also had some really memorable runs there to race our way into the Chase in our last couple of seasons of point racing. There can be a lot of pressure with this race, but for us this weekend we'll be looking to get our car back into victory lane."

LAST YEAR  AT RICHMOND..

Sept. 8, 2007 – Richmond International Raceway

Started 19th, Finished 21st

Mark Martin and the U.S. Army Race team finished 21st in the Chevy Rock and Roll 400. Martin and the team struggled early with the car’s handling, were forced to battle poor track position for most of the night and never were quite able to get into a rhythm during the 400-lap event.

Martin started 19th and struggled with the car’s handling from the green flag. He fell back to 24th by just lap six and as far back as 29th on lap 58. The No. 01 U.S. Army Team worked with the car during the first three cautions of the race, but was unable to find the necessary blend of speed and handling necessary to move forward.

Martin patiently bided his time for the first half of the race, running between the 26th and 22nd position for the majority of the time. He broke back inside the top 20 on lap 238 where he would run the majority of the remainder of the race. He moved all the way to 15th after the race’s ninth caution on lap 262.

Martin restarted in 17th with 50 laps to go after the 11th caution of the race. The car’s handling took a turn for the worse as Martin was forced to contend with heavy traffic and the veteran fell all the way back to 23rd. He was able to regroup and move on to the 21st-place finish

Travis Kvapil, Yates Racing No. 28 Hitachi Power Tools Ford Fusion
Richmond International Raceway

September 3, Richmond, VA--- Quoting Hitachi Power Tools driver Travis Kvapil on Richmond:

“I enjoy racing at Richmond and it is a track that I’ve had success at over the years.   Richmond is a great track because it’s a short track, but it’s still fast enough to where you need to make sure you have a really good aero package, and of course a great motor.  More than anything it’s just a fun Saturday night race where the fans seem like they’re right on top of the action.  Richmond lets us race side-by-side, and because it’s a two-groove race track, it allows us to move around a little bit.  As competitors we always enjoy going to tracks where you aren’t always locked into one groove, and since Richmond offers us a couple different lines to race on, it’s a fun track to race at.”

Quoting Hitachi Power Tools crew chief Todd Parrott on Richmond:

“We were pretty good when we raced at Richmond earlier this season and brought home a 16^th-place finish.  The car we’re bringing with us is that same exact car from May’s race and we haven’t raced it since then, but I feel very confident about our chances.  We’ll unload off of the truck on Friday and focus our practice time on race trim since Saturday’s race is an impound race.  We only have one practice session to get everything all lined up for the race.  It is going to be interesting how this race will go since it is the final race before the Chase and there are a few guys still trying to race their way into the Chase.  Travis really likes Richmond and has had success there in the truck series, so we’ll see what happens.” 

                              Starts     Wins       Poles     Top 5     Top 10       Earnings

Career Total:           5            0              0            0              0             $417,069

NOTES OF INTEREST:

·       Kvapil will have media availability at the No. 28 hauler from 10:30am -10:45am Friday, September 5th

·       Kvapil will sign autographs at the Ford Racing merchandise trailer on Saturday, September 6th at 4:00pm

·       Kvapil has an average starting position of 25.0, and an average finish of 20.8 at Richmond

·       Kvapil has completed 2,005 of 2,010 career laps at Richmond (99.8 percent)

·       Kvapil’s best finish at Richmond is 11th which he accomplished in the 2005 Chevy Rock & Roll 400

CHASSIS #563

Chassis #563 is the chassis the No. 28 Hitachi Power Tools Racing team will be running this weekend for the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway.  This is the same chassis the team last ran at Richmond for the Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400 in May where they finished 16^th.

Clint Bowyer No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet Impala SS Event Preview Fact Sheet

September 3, Richmond, VA--- NOTES:

• This Week’s Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway … Clint Bowyer will pilot Chassis No. 212 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This is the same car Bowyer raced to the Winner’s Circle last September at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and in May of this year at RIR. Bowyer also raced this car to a runner-up finish in April at Phoenix International Raceway. Chassis No. 212 also saw action in June at NHMS but was ultimately credited with a 22nd-place finish after contact with another car late in the race cost the Emporia, Kan., native what looked to be an all but sewn up top-five finish. Built new in 2007, the third-year Sprint Cup Series driver raced this Jack Daniel’s Chevy Impala SS to a 12th-place finish last September at Richmond and an 11th-place showing in November at Phoenix.

• The California Report … Last week in Fontana, Bowyer started 31st and finished 10th. In doing so, he finished three positions ahead of David Ragan, who is 13th in the point standings, but two positions behind 14th-place Kasey Kahne. He goes into the final race before the Chase for the Championship begins with a 17-point lead over Ragan and a 48-point cushion on Kahne.

• On the Bubble … There are a number of different scenarios where Bowyer could secure his spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup depending how Ragan and Kahne finish. However, he can guarantee himself a spot in NASCAR’s 12-race playoff by winning the Chevy Rock & Roll 400. At the same time, he can also lock himself in the Chase by finishing second or third and leading the most laps – no matter how Ragan and Kahne finish.

• The Richmond Report … In five Sprint Cup Series starts at Richmond’s three-quarter mile oval, Bowyer has yet to finish worse than 12th and boasts an impressive 8.8 finishing average. He has logged one win, three top 10s, a pair of 12th-place finishes and has completed all 2,010 laps.

• Legacy Pledge … Austin Dillon, the 18-year-old grandson of Richard Childress and son of RCR Vice President of Competition Mike Dillon, will attempt to make his Nationwide Series debut this weekend behind the wheel of RCR’s No. 21 Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma Chevrolet. Dillon is third in the NASCAR Camping World Series East standings, six points out of second and 182 behind the leader. The Lewisville, N.C., driver won in his first Camping World Series race in April at Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway. In 10 NCWSE races, Dillon has collected one pole, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes.

• Update: Barry Sheppard … After undergoing back surgery three weeks ago, Barry Sheppard, transporter driver for RCR’s Jack Daniel’s team, is recovering at home in Stuart, Va.  Sheppard is hoping to be back to work when the Sprint Cup Series visits Kansas Speedway at the end of the month.

• On the IR List … Clint “Ratto” Almquist is on the injured reserve list after suffering ligament damage to his right shoulder in a mountain bike accident last week. Almquist, a mechanic and catch can man for the No. 07 team, won’t be at the track this weekend. Chad Haney, Bowyer’s car chief and catch can man in the Nationwide Series, will fill Almquist’s role on pit road.

• 11 To Go … After the first 25 races on the 2008 schedule, Bowyer has notched one win, four top fives, 12 top 10s and sits 12th in points. He has led 150 laps and earned just over $3.125 million in purse money. At this time last season, Bowyer had yet to win a race but logged one pole, two top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Heading in to round two at Richmond last September, the Jack Daniel’s Racing team was ninth in points but without a win and two fewer top fives.

• Keep on Rolling … Bowyer has been running at the end of every race dating back to Phoenix in November 2006, a streak of 62 races. The only other driver running at the end of more consecutive races is his teammate Kevin Harvick who extended his own modern-era (1972-present) streak last weekend at Auto Club Speedway of Southern California by finishing his 69th consecutive race without a DNF (did not finish).

·          The Collective RCR … In 25 races this season, RCR-prepared Sprint Cup Series entries have notched two wins (Jeff Burton – Bristol, Bowyer – Richmond), 14 top-five and 34 top-10 finishes. The Welcome, N.C.,-based race team has completed 21,083 laps in 2008 with four different drivers including Bowyer, Burton, Harvick and Ken Schrader. Meanwhile, RCR teams have logged 30,241 miles of competition this season and been on top of the leaderboard for 312 laps. Combined, all four RCR teams have earned just over $10.8 million in purse money this season. 

• RCR at RIR … Richard Childress is tied for fourth with Bud Moore for car owner victories at Richmond with seven – five with Dale Earnhardt, one with Harvick and RCR’s most recent checkered flag at “The Action Track” when Bowyer won in May. Additionally, in 104 starts at RIR, RCR boasts 29 top-five and 48 top-10  finishes with nine different drivers including Earnhardt, Bowyer, Burton, Jeff Green, Robby Gordon, Harvick, Ricky Rudd and Mike Skinner. Childress, a former driver on NASCAR’s senior circuit, contributed three of those top 10s from 1976-1978.

• Carry Me Back to Old Virginia … Three members of RCR’s No. 07 team hail from the Old Dominion State. Mechanic and rear-tire changer for RCR’s