Logano Wins Third Sprint Cup Race of the Season at Bristol

His first win at Bristol Motor Speedway

Joey Logano edges ahead of his teammate Brad Keselowski with 44 laps to go at the race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 23, 2014

Bristol, Tennessee – Joey Logano took the lead at Bristol on Saturday night in his No. 22 Ford Fusion race car with just 44 laps to go and then won the race to the finish line in amazing fashion. This first win at Bristol Motor Speedway cements his position in the race to the Sprint Cup Chase in two weeks time and serves notice to the other drivers with three wins this season that he’s definitely ready to battle for the championship.

Currently, the three teammates Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Logano’s teammate Brad Keselowski also have three race wins this Sprint Cup season. It appears the main battle for the Sprint Cup Championship for 2014 is going to be headed by the three drivers for Hendrick Motorsports and two for Penske Racing.

Joey Logano raises his hands in victory on Saturday night August 23, 2014 at Bristol Motor Speedway

During the after race interview Joey Logano said he wants this win to say one thing, “That we can win the thing. What a Shell/Pennzoil Ford there. When I woke up this morning I wasn’t sure if we were a winning car or not, but Todd Gordon is good salesman.  He pretty much sold me into thinking we had a winning car and we made some small adjustments on it all night and got our third win of the year.  What a year we’re having.  I’m having so much fun.  The past six or seven races have been unbelievable.  We’ve been running up front and it’s just been so much fun.  I’ve got to thank Shell, obviously Ford, Sprint and everyone that helps out at Penske – Discount Tire, Hertz, Auto Trader.  This is like one of the three biggest races of the year, I feel like – the Bristol Night race – and to have this in the record books with your name on it is really, really cool.”  HOW IMPORTANT WAS PATIENCE TONIGHT?  “Important and not important.  On the restart there when we were sixth with tires I said, ‘I’ve got to capitalize right now.’  So I went as hard as I could, raced the 20 really hard and got everybody I could and then I was trying to keep up.  The 20 was really fast and then there at the end I had something going wrong.  I don’t know if it was the brakes or a hub failing in the rear, but it started vibrating really bad and getting really loose.  I’m like, ‘Oh, come on.  A couple more laps, a couple more laps.’  So of course there’s always added drama at the end that you don’t want, but patience didn’t come into play and then when I was racing the 24 there at the end it did come into play.  We were able to make there at the end.”

“I feel like the Bristol night race is maybe the third or fourth biggest race of the year,” Logano said. “Just the atmosphere before the race, if it doesn’t pump you up, nothing does. It’s just the baddest mamma jamma race track ever built.”

 

The full race result for the Sprint Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 23, 2014 are below.

1. Joey Logano, Ford

2. Brad Keselowski, Ford

3. Matt Kenseth, Toyota

4. Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet

5. Kurt Busch, Chevrolet

6. Ricky Stenhouse. Jr., Ford

7. Carl Edwards, Ford

8. Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet

9. Paul Menard, Chevrolet

10. Greg Biffle, Ford

Greg Biffle Talks About the Chase

Greg looked pretty good during the practice session

This weekend the NASCAR Sprint series will be at Dover International Speedway. Ford racing fans are looking forward to another great run on this track for Greg Biffle, who always seems to run well at this venue.

Greg Biffle is currently fifty in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings as we head to Dover International Speedway this weekend for the AAA 400. We asked him if he would drop by the infield media center after his practice session to talk about his chances of driving his way to the Chase championship in the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion.

Greg looked pretty fast on the track during the practice session

“What are your thoughts on the race this weekend?”

Greg Biffle “It’s been a great track for us, although as of late we’ve struggled a little bit here as an organization.  We’re looking forward to turning that around like we’ve been able to do at Richmond and some of the short tracks we’ve been a lot better on as of late.  We targeted this place to be a place we need to improve at and I feel that so far we’ve been a little bit better than we had been in the spring time here.  That gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the weekend and what we’re able to do with the car tomorrow.”

“Some think the Chase is really a three-man race this year. What are your thoughts on making it a four-man race? You always seem to have success during the Chase.”

Biffle “The Chase, from what I understand, is made up of 10 races and to be two races into the Chase and say it’s a three-man race already, to me, seems silly as to why somebody would want to put themselves in that position and say it’s a three-man race.  Obviously, you don’t have anything on the line.  It’s not like we’re making a wager in Vegas that it’s a three-man race.  It’s somebody’s opinion and everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but I can’t imagine with eight races to go that somebody would be willing to say, ‘Oh, this is a three-man race.’  Take for instance last week, we finished third and moved up six spots in the points to fifth.  I don’t know how one would say it’s a three-man race.  Now, if Kenseth goes on and wins the title does that mean it’s a three-man race or does that mean it’s a one-man race?  I don’t know.  I just think there are more than three cars in this thing right now.  Now, if we get past Talladega and there are four races to go or three races to go, I could see that.  But they could break for three races in a row and maybe not even go to Vegas and not even be in the top 10.  So I’d say it’s a little early is all I was getting at.  I wouldn’t be the one putting my name on the line to say there are only three cars in this hunt right now.  I wasn’t necessarily saying that for the 16 team.  I wasn’t making the case that it’s not a three-man race because of us, I wouldn’t count out Carl Edwards or any of those other guys that are right there in the hunt.  Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, I wouldn’t be counting those guys out just yet is all I was saying.  I wasn’t saying it just because of our case of one race we finished third and moved to fifth in points, that wasn’t the point I was making.”

“Ford racing hasn’t won a Chase in quite awhile. Are there any common reasons you can think of that would have caused this during the last decade? Do you feel a lot of added pressure, because of this, to win the championship this year?”

Biffle “I can’t really answer why we haven’t won a title.  You look at Carl and Carl tied for the points championship.  It doesn’t get any close than that and in 2005 we finished under the old point system 35 points behind Tony with a  major hiccup with three races to go.  Potentially, with not much in history changed, we’ve got two championships right there.  Some teams have probably done a little better job than we have and you look at Matt Kenseth for example.  He’s got seven wins on the season.  That might indicate some of the reasons why they’ve got more championships than we’ve got.  We’ve still got a little bit more work to do.  We’ve come a tremendously long way and I think we’re fairly competitive right now.”

There have been people who have suggested you Ford racers haven’t always garnered the attention other drivers get, even though you have showed pretty good, finishing in the top five year after year. Do you feel these comments are warranted?

Biffle “I think that’s just historically the way it’s been.  You talk about the guys that are having success and how great it is.  That’s sort of been the way it is.  Am I surprised they’re not talking about Carl?  A little bit.  Am I surprised they’re not talking about the 16?  Not really because we tend to slide a little bit under the radar all the time anyway, so it doesn’t bother me.  It gives you motivation to do well and compete every week and try to get what you can.  Like I always said before, if you’re winning races or you win the championship, they have to talk about you so put yourself in that position – put yourself in the position Matt is and they’re gonna be talking about you.”

Would you rather be in the position Matt was in? Can you think of any particular reason Matt didn’t have consistent success during his run with Roush?

Biffle “That’s a hard one.  I couldn’t pinpoint any particular reason why, but the other thing is I don’t mind flying a little under the radar.  It’s a little less pressure sometimes.”

How does it feel to have a teammate in the Chase? What things do you share with each other? How do you compete against each other?

“Carl and I have a lot of respect for each other.  We had an incident earlier in the season at Michigan where the whole organization sat down and I think we understand each other and appreciate each other’s abilities a lot more since that meeting and we kind of do what we can to help one another that doesn’t hurt yourself and that’s what came out of that meeting in Sonoma after the Michigan race and that’s the way we’ve really handled it since then.  Carl and I are parked next to each other in the garage and we’re talking about our cars and competition and how our car is in race trim versus qualifying trim, so we share everything and try to help one another with what we can.”

Ford Racing Makes Henry Proud in 2011

One hundred and ten years after first Ford racing victory

DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 15, 2011 – Henry Ford would certainly be proud.

One hundred and ten years after the Ford Motor Company founder brought home a victory in his one and only auto race as a driver, Ford racing teams and drivers around the world brought home victories and championships in the program’s 110th anniversary season.

In Ford’s most visible worldwide programs, Ford Fiesta drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala of the Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team finished second and fourth in the World Rally Championship after a spirited battle that went down to the final event. The Ford WRC duo captured three wins during the season. In all, Fiesta had its most successful year in rally, capturing 16 regional and national championships worldwide.

In NASCAR Sprint Cup, Ford Fusion driver Carl Edwards ended up in a points tie for the Championship, but lost the tie-breaker (number of wins). Edwards ended up second and Roush Fenway teammate Matt Kenseth fourth in the most competitive NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship in history. In addition, rookie driver Trevor Bayne won the Daytona 500 for the Wood Brothers, capturing Ford’s 600th win at the Cup level.

In NASCAR Nationwide, Mustang scored its first NASCAR win and Ford driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. captured his first NASCAR Nationwide Driver’s Championship, and helped Ford capture the series’ manufacturer’s title as well.

In NHRA Funny Car drag racing, all five Ford Mustang drivers made the championship playoffs, Ford drivers won 12 times (including Ford’s 200th win in the class), and John Force Racing’s Mike Neff finished fourth and Robert Hight fifth in the championship.

In Rallycross, Ford Fiesta driver Tanner Foust captured the inaugural Global Rallycross Championship and Ford Focus driver Sverre Isachsen captured the European Rallycross Championship, with Foust finishing second. Brian Deegan led a 1-2-3 Ford Fiesta sweep of X Games medals with Foust and Marcus Gronholm.

In off-road racing, Ford continued to showits dominance in desert competition, winning seven total championships in LOORS, Best in the Desert and ABSA Off-Road competition.

In Touring Car, Andy Yan captured the ChineseTouring Car Championship in a Ford Focus, Paul Brown won the SCCA World Challenge GTS title in a Mustang Boss 302S and there were successful winning efforts put forth for Mustang Boss 302R in Grand-Am and Focus in British Touring Car.

“It’s been an incredible year for Ford racing teams and drivers around the world,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing, NorthAmerica. “And we’re proud that we still race today for the same reasons Mr. Ford did – to prove out our products against the best competition, and then to market that success to help the company sell more cars and trucks. There’s no question that our winning racing program worldwide helps lift the favorability of the Ford brand.”

“This has been an outstanding season for the Ford Fiesta in rallying, winning so many championships around the world,“ said Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe motorsport chief. “In its competitive debut the Ford Fiesta RSWRC took a podium lock-out at Rally Sweden and finished the season in similar fashion at the final round, Wales Rally GB. As a factory prepared rallycar or in the hands of private competitors the Ford Fiesta is proving to have the competitive DNA that has seen Ford so successful in rallying over many decades.“

Here’s a listing ofFord championships and awards for 2011 around the world:

· Tanner Foust, Ford Fiesta – Global RallyCrossSuper Rally Championship

· Tanner Foust, Ford Fiesta – Global RallyCrossRallyCross Championship

· Tanner Foust, Ford Fiesta – Global RallyCrossChampionship Overall Champion

· Brian Deegan, Ford Fiesta – X GamesRallyCross Champion

· Ford Motor Company – Global RallyCrossChampionship Manufacturers Champion

· Brian Deegan, Ford F-150 Raptor – Lucas OilOff Road Racing Series Pro 2 Unlimited Champion

· Brian Deegan, Ford Ranger – Lucas Oil OffRoad Racing Series Pro Lite Unlimited

· Sverre Isachsen,Ford Focus – European Rallycross Championship

· Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford Mustang – NASCAR Nationwide Championship

· Ford – NASCARNationwide Manufacturer’s Championship

· NASCAR EngineBuilder of the Year – Doug Yates, FR9 NASCAR Engine

· SCCA WorldChallenge GTS Championship – Paul Brown, Ford Mustang Boss 302S

· SCCA WorldChallenge GTS Manufacturer’s Championship – Ford Mustang Boss 302S

· Best in the Desert Series Class 7100 – BlakeHenn; Ford Ranger

· Best in the Desert Class 7200 – AlHogan; Ford F-150

· Best in the Desert Class 8000 – Dr. MacraeGlass; Ford F-150

· Best in the Desert Class 8100 – Tim Casey; Ford F-250

· Norwegian Rally Championship – Mads Ostberg,Ford Fiesta

· Swedish Rally Championship – Pontus Tideman,Ford Fiesta

· Finnish Rally Championship (R2 Cup) – JukkaKorhonen, Ford Fiesta

· Australian Rally Championship (2WD) – RazvanVlad, Ford Fiesta

· New Zealand Rally Championship (2WD) – BenHunt, Ford Fiesta

· British Rally Challenge Championship (2WD) –Jack Rowe, Ford Fiesta

· Turkish Rally Championship – Yagiz Avci, FordFiesta

· Austrian Rally Championship (2WD) – PiaSchirnhofer, Ford Fiesta

· South Africa Rally Championship – ConradRautenbach, Ford Fiesta

· FIA African Rally Championship – ConradRautenbach, Ford Fiesta

· Argentine Rally Championship – FedericoVillagra, Ford Fiesta

· FIA Middle East Rally Championship – NasserAl-Attiyah, Ford Fiesta

· Chinese Touring Car Driver’s Championship –Andy Yan, Ford Focus

· Chinese Touring Car Team Championship –Changan Ford Racing Team

· Brazil Prototype S2000 – Ford, Best RacingEngine

· Brazilian Touring Car Championship – Ford,Best Racing Engine

· ABSA Off Road Championship –Ford Ranger TDCi, Manufacturer’s Championship

# # #

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

Edwards Wins Alliance Truck Parts 250

Mooresville, NC (June 20, 2011) Carl Edwards took his Roush Yates powered FR9 to Victory Lane in front of Ford country on Saturday at Michigan International Speedway. With 9 laps to go, Edwards passed Ford teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to win the Alliance Truck Parts 250 and give Roush Fenway Racing three cars finishing in the top five. Edwards, Stenhouse Jr., and Bayne dominated the race, leading a combined 101 of the 125 lap event. Other Roush Yates engine drivers showcasing their power this weekend were Ryan Grubaugh and Chuck Hebing in the Sprint Car series and Josh Richards in the World of Outlaw Late Model series.

 

“Ricky drove his heart out — that guy is unbelievable,” Edwards said in victory lane. “I didn’t think I was going to be able to get him, but it was like his car got tightened up. Man, he did a good job. … I thought Ricky was setting sail. He’s someone I’m a little nervous about in the future.”

 

Stenhouse held on to second place, crossing the finish line 1.669 seconds behind Edwards, and took the lead in the series standings by two points over eighth-place finisher Elliott Sadler.

 

“We just got too tight there at the end,” said Stenhouse. “It was a good one-two finish for Jack and everyone at Roush Yates Engines. This track definitely needs a motor and we have it. This was a great day for Ford, we wanted a one-two-three finish, but three cars in the top-five and one-two is pretty good.”

 

Roush Yates experienced success on the dirt tracks as well this weekend. Ryan Grubaugh won at Cherry Raceway on Friday night in the Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt series. Grubaugh is currently second in the series points for 2011 and races a Roush Yates Sprint 360 engine. Chuck Hebing won at Lebanon Valley Speedway on Saturday night, earning his first Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints win of the season.

 

Josh Richards found Victory Lane in the Ernie Davis Roush Yates powered Ford at Winchester Speedway in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. This is Richards’ 29th career World of Outlaws triumph, breaking his tie with Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky. and becoming the circuit’s winningest driver since 2004.

 

Anyone can get the same power and performance shown by Carl Edwards and Josh Richards for their own race car by purchasing Roush Yates proven performance products. Check out their new and improved website at http://www.roushyatesparts.com or call 1-877-RYPP.

 

About Roush Yates Engines

 

Roush Yates Engines designs, engineers and crafts high performance racing engines with the power to perform and the horsepower and durability you’d expect from legendary NASCAR pioneers Jack Roush and Robert Yates. The partnership of power and precision has come from merging the knowledge and experience of two legendary engine builders, both with a passion for winning today and powering up for tomorrow. In 2009 Doug Yates purchased his father’s half of Roush Yates Engines to become a co-owner in the company. As CEO, Doug Yates leads a staff of 180 engineers and technicians who design, assemble, test, and service racing engines at two separate state-of-the-art facilities in Mooresville, North Carolina. Here, the best minds and latest technology are hard at work producing nearly 1,500 racing engines each year for teams in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, ARCA, Grand-Am, FIA GT3, Dirt Late Model, Sprint cars, and NHRA Pro Stock. At Roush Yates Engines, the mission is Power Performance, which is achieved through innovation, design, precision engineering, and skillful craftsmanship. Building the best engines in racing today, providing service that’s second to none, and honoring a commitment to research and development are the heart of Roush Yates Engines.

 

The Second Legends Million Race is Set

CONCORD, N.C. (June 17, 2011) – The second annual Legends Million

returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway Aug. 1 and 2. The largest grassroots

race in history will once again offer the largest Legend Car and Bandolero

purse of the year, as drivers do battle on the speedway’s frontstretch

quarter-mile oval.

Registration for the Legends Million begins today and is scheduled

to close on July 18. The purse structure for the 2011 Legends Million will

be prorated, based on total cars registered, so competitors are encouraged

to register early.

“As the car count goes up, the purse goes up,” said Don Hawk, vice

president of business affairs, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. “We’re asking

competitors to get their registration in as early as possible so we can get

the purse locked in.”

In the inaugural Legends Million last year, Kannapolis, N.C., native

Daniel Hemric was victorious, taking home an unprecedented $250,000. More

than 300 drivers from 36 states and two foreign countries, ranging from 12

to 72 years old, registered for the one-of-a-kind Legend Car race.

“These are the race cars that launched the careers of NASCAR drivers

like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, David Ragan, Kurt Busch and Kyle

Busch,” said Marcus Smith, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor

Speedway. “The Legends Million is a great opportunity for fans to come to

the track and see the future stars of NASCAR compete in the largest Legend

Car race in the world. It’s also an excellent opportunity for young drivers

to get noticed and hopefully take their career to the next level.”

Registration links are available online at

http://www.charlottmotorspeedway.com and at http://www.uslegendscars.com. The cost to

register is $500. Competitors who purchase a new Legend Car from U.S. Legend

Cars International will receive free entry into the Legends Million.

Competitors participating in the Legends Million are registered in

one of three divisions: Young Lions/Semi-Pro, Masters or the Legends

Million, which is open to all drivers. Each division will run heat races and

an A-Main race, with the Legends Million A-Feature serving as the grand

finale of the two-day event.

Competitors will complete time trials to determine their starting

position in the heat races. Drivers will then progress to B-Mains based on

their finishing position in the heats. The starting lineup for each A-Main

will consist of heat race winners and the first-place finishers from the

B-Mains. A total of 30 competitors will race in the Legends Million

A-Feature event, which will be 100 laps with a 15-minute break at lap 50.

Bandolero Beginner Bandit, Bandit and Outlaw drivers will also have

the opportunity to compete in a Bandolero Triple Crown event, with heat lap

and feature events spanning both days.

The Legends Million is open to all Legend Car competitors, 12 years

of age or older and is not restricted by division. All minors 17 and younger

must complete a minor waiver, which is available for download at

http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/waivers.

For additional information on the Legends Million, visit

http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call the Charlotte Motor Speedway events

department at (704) 455-3205. For more information about U.S. Legend Cars

International and Legend Cars, visit http://www.uslegendscars.com or call U.S.

Legend Cars International’s headquarters at (704) 455-3896.

Connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway on Twitter at

http://www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy or become a Facebook fan at

http://www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway.

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Listen to What the Ford Drivers are Saying About the Pepsi MAX 400

 

As mentioned above, Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Crown Royal
Black Ford Fusion, has the most Top 10 finishes among all drivers at
Auto Club Speedway with 12.  Kenseth, who also has three wins at the
track, spoke about his success here before today’s practice.

MATT KENSETH – No. 17 Crown Royal Black Ford Fusion – DO YOU THINK
THERE IS SOME SORT OF ETIQUETTE BETWEEN CHASERS AND NON-CHASERS,
LOOKING BACK ON LAST WEEK’S BUSCH-REUTIMANN ISSUE?  “I didn’t really
see what went down last week, so I can’t comment on that, but, in my
opinion, I think you race the same all year.  I think you should race
everybody the same whether they’re in the chase or not in the chase.
I think you try to show people respect all year because everybody has
the same right to be out there, whether they’re first in points or
last in points.”  THAT BEING SAID, ARE THERE CERTAIN PEOPLE ON THE
TRACK THAT YOU’RE MORE AWARE OF AND TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM BECAUSE YOU
FEEL SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN?  “No.  I race the same all year,
honestly, no matter where you are in the points.  If it came down to
the last week or something like that and you’re the point leader by a
bunch, you’re probably gonna be a little bit more careful, but, other
than that, as competitive as it is I think you race as hard as you can
all year.  Everybody has the same right to be out there.  Everybody is
out there racing for wins and have their own particular
responsibilities.”  AS A CHASER DO YOU WORRY ABOUT SOMETIMES RUBBING
FENDERS WITH A NON-CHASER, KNOWING THEY COULD POSSIBLY RUIN YOUR
CHAMPIONSHIP HOPES?  “I don’t want to ruin any race.  No matter where
you are in the points they’re all big races.  I think you go out there
and you’re gonna race whatever your style is all the time.  I don’t
think that really changes.  You still have to race hard all the time
because it’s so competitive that you can’t just go out and think about
not knocking a fender off.  You go out there and think about trying to
get to the front.”  DO YOU CONSIDER THIS THE KIND OF TRACK THAT CAN
HELP YOU GET BACK UP IN THE POINTS?  “Where we are, we’ve got to gain
some significant points on the leader every week to get back in it and
have a realistic shot.  I think our performance has been picking up a
little bit lately, we just have to get a whole race put together.
We’ve been struggling with that a little bit.  There were times last
week where I thought we were very competitive but we didn’t finish it
off.  This has been a pretty good track for us in the past, so,
hopefully we can be competitive from the time we get on the track this
morning all the way through Sunday when we’re done and get a good
finish.  So that’s really what I’m more focused on is just trying to
get back up with the leaders and be competitive so we can get in a
really good position to win some races.”
FORD RACING NOTES AND QUOTES    Pepsi MAX 400, Page 2
October 8, 2010 Auto Club Speedway

MATT KENSETH CONTINUED — IS THERE A SPECIFIC POINT IN THE RACE WHERE
YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO IMPROVE?  “Our adjustments have just not been
good enough to keep up with the track for whatever reason.  Last week,
the worst we ran the whole race was our last run and you can’t do that
because you’re not gonna get the finishes.  Lately, there have been a
lot of long, green-flag runs at the end and you’ve got to have your
car handling right and do the right things at the end of the race.  On
the last pit stop we came out ahead of Jimmie Johnson and he finished
second and we finished seventh without a caution, so we just haven’t
been doing the right things to keep up on whatever it is – track
conditions or adjustments.  That’s probably my fault for not knowing
what I need for adjustments.  I’m trying to give them the best
feedback I can and hope that we do the right things on the car in the
pits to get it running better.”  WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO DO WELL AT
CHARLOTTE?  “Track position has been really important there since the
introduction of this car with the spoiler and that pavement.  The
pavement has a lot of grip and even though the track gets pretty wide,
it’s a real fast track and kind of hard to pass so track position is
real important.  You’ve got to be in position the last couple of
stops.”  WHAT’S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FALL AND SPRING
RACE THERE?  “I don’t think there’s much of a difference.”  WHAT IS IT
GOING TO TAKE FOR ANYBODY TO BEAT THE 48?  “You’ve got to prove you
can beat them.  I’ve said it for five years, they’re the best team out
there and somebody has to beat them and knock them down before you can
say they’re not the best team.  Everybody says, ‘Oh, they don’t have
momentum.  They’re not running as good.’  Well, as soon as somebody
shows they can beat them, I’ll believe it.”  WHAT TRACK ARE YOU
WORRIED ABOUT THE MOST OF THE TRACKS LEFT?  “Honestly, for me I worry
about all of them.  I’ve really just been focused on Fontana this
weekend and then trying to get back on track here and get a good
finish.”  IS THE FR9 ENGINE COMING ON AT THE RIGHT TIME?  “I think the
engine has been helping a little bit.  I think there’s still some room
for improvement and Doug knows that – everybody knows that – because
we’ve only been working on it for six months or a year, whereas we
worked on that old engine forever.  I think it’s certainly an
advantage and it’s better than what we had, plus they keep getting it
better.”  DO YOU THINK IT WILL RUN PARTICULARLY WELL HERE IN FONTANA?
“I hope so.  Fontana and Michigan are big horsepower race tracks, but
they’re also big handling race tracks as well.  It’s real similar to
Michigan, so if you perform well there, hopefully you’ll perform okay
here.”

Ford Racers Talk About the Pepsi MAX 400

       Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion, has a pair of wins
this season, including last week at Kansas Speedway.  The win allowed
Biffle to move within 85 points of leader Jimmie Johnson in the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series point standings.  He spoke with reporters after
Friday’s practice session.

GREG BIFFLE – No. 16 3M Ford Fusion – HOW HAVE THINGS GONE SO FAR?
“I’m certainly really excited about coming off a good week last week
and the car is fast right off the truck again – good in race practice
and we switched to qualifying practice and I think we ended up in the
top five, so it looks the same as last weekend so far.  It looks like
we’re gonna have a decent qualifying run, although we’ve got to back
it up on the race track now.  We’ll see what happens here in a little
bit, but I feel really good about this race track.  I like it here.
We run well on this race track and I just can’t wait for Sunday and
can’t wait for qualifying, hopefully get a good lap and look forward
to the race.”  WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HAVING ONLY ONE CALIFORNIA
RACE NEXT YEAR?  “Obviously I’m not real excited about that.  This is
probably one of our best race tracks that we race at, so getting cut
down to one time – me personally – it’s gonna hurt.  I’ve got a lot of
family here and get back to the west coast a little bit.  I’ve got
friends and family who come from Washington and Oregon, where I grew
up.  I see a lot of people here I used to race with and fans, so it
gives all the west coasters a chance to come and visit this race
track.  So I think it has a pretty good draw from a lot of different
states.  As far as that goes, one is the personal side of it. I really
enjoy coming to Southern California and get to see everybody, but two,
I run really good here so that’s kind of a double thing for me.  I
guess the bright side of it is, if there’s a positive, is at least we
get to come here once a year.  Unfortunately, we’re not gonna get to
come twice.”  DO YOU THINK THE FR9 IS COMING ON AT THE RIGHT TIME AND
WHY OR WHY NOT?  “I was hoping that this was gonna happen.  It was
kind of ironic that the FR9 engine came in right as Ford had struggled
for so long.  We really struggled with our cars.  Our engines have
always been great and made great power and been reliable, so it was
like, ‘When are we ever gonna get our cars turned around and get our
cars running better and be more competitive?’  And right as we did
that, we were integrating the FR9 engine into the program, so it sort
of makes it look like the FR9 engine is really our saving grace in the
whole thing, and that’s part of the piece of the puzzle, but it’s not
as big as what some people from the outside would look at that don’t
know a lot about the sport.  They say, ‘Oh, they’ve got their new
engine.  Now they’re winning races and really competing well.’  So
really, where the turnaround was, if you look back at our stats, was
Chicago for all Roush Fenway cars.  The RPM cars had outrun us for the
better part of the season, so we kind of switched to more of their
suspension package in Chicago and I think Carl has three second-place
finishes then, I’ve got two wins and was running second when the
engine expired at Chicago that very race, so, really, that was kind of
our turnaround race.  We really turned our program around and the
engine came on board, so with the two combination, it certainly made
us a ton better.  Some of the things about the engine, it makes a
little bit better mid-range power, which the passing takes place from
the center of the corner to the corner exit.  When you put the gas
down, the guy whose car handles the best and puts the gas down the
earliest is normally the guy that will make the pass, but also that’s
where you need the engine to have its most power.  So this engine does
that a little bit better and then the cooling package, we’ve really
caught up to all the other manufacturers on our cooling package.  It’s
a little bit more efficient, so we’re able to match the tape on the
front of the car as the other guys, so those two things – and it’s got
the lower center of gravity.  It is a little heavier than the old
engine just because we had to make our engine a little bit longer to
match the other manufacturers, so it has plusses and minuses to it as
far as what it does.”

GREG BIFFLE CONTINUED — ARE YOU FEELING MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT NOW
AND CAN PUSH THE LIMITS MORE?  “Yeah, I definitely do, especially
after last week because we definitely tested it last week.  The engine
was on the chip for three-quarters of that race from just past the
flag stand all the way to the corner.  The engine shop said, ‘Make
sure you don’t run this engine on the chip.  We don’t want it running
on the rev chip.  Run it right before it.’  When you start making it
miss on cylinders it gets angry inside with all the parts and pieces.
Of course, we listened to them and then ran it on the chip for
three-quarters of the day and the thing lived the whole time.  I got
preliminary reports back that everything looked good in the engine –
the valvetrain looked good, everything looked good – so maybe in the
future we can get another 100 RPM and get the blessing from the engine
guys to run the engine another 100 RPM.  It’s not that you can’t run
it another 100 RPM if you feel like it, it’s just particular tracks.
Like here, we’re turning 9400 RPM or so – 9350 or so, and then in the
race we’ll probably turn only 9100.  So that’s an extreme from last
week when it was turning 9600.  This week during the race it’s
probably turning 9100 or 9200, so it just depends on the race track
and the temperature of the day as far as how many RPM the engine
runs.”  IN THREE OF THE LAST FOUR RACES THERE HAVE BEEN FIVE OR FEWER
CAUTIONS.  AS A DRIVER, HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT  AND IT IS MORE
DIFFICULT TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS DURING THE RACE?  “Yeah, I can
definitely attest that there have been less cautions because we are
unfortunately sitting here eighth in points because we pitted at Dover
and the caution came out the next lap and caught us two laps down and
the caution came out only one more time.  So with a top 10 car we
finished 19th and here we sit 85 points out of the lead.
Respectfully, we should be about 40 points out of the lead or maybe 35
if we would have just got our laps back that we lost because of that
caution flag.  So, yes, I have seen more green flag running, although
last week it seemed like there were more cautions – a few more than
there were at Dover.  I think the trend is kind of up-and-down and as
we figure these cars out and we all get better at driving them and
more proficient, I think as drivers and teams we make less and less
mistakes, and, of course, that means the caution comes out less and
less as we go.  I think it’s just a product of everybody getting
better.  The engines getting better – if you remember, it wasn’t
uncommon to lose an engine and now it’s a lot more rare to see an
engine failure because technology has gotten better and the guys have
gotten better about building them.  And to be honest with you, these
cars are easier to drive than the old cars.  The old cars you really
had to be on your toes.  These cars are a lot easier to drive.
They’ve got a lot of sideforce, the sides are real big and tall,
they’ve got a huge spoiler on the back of them, so the cars are much
easier to drive and they wreck a lot less.”  IS IT MORE DIFFICULT TO
MAKE CHANGES WITH MORE GREEN FLAG STOPS?  “Yeah.  You’re worried about
getting on and off pit road, which is okay, that’s really not the
biggest thing, the biggest thing is you don’t get a chance to
experiment.  If a race has a few more cautions or a normal amount of
cautions, then you won’t be afraid to put some wedge in it and change
the tire pressure.  Well, when it runs green for four cycles in a row,
if you’re off a little bit, you can get lapped or lose a lot of
positions in a hurry.  You have to be much more executed on the
decision you make because the chance to un-do it if it’s the wrong way
is normally about 70 laps later when you’re out of gas – then you get
to come back and try it again.  Under that scenario, it’s not as
easy.”

GREG BIFFLE CONTINUED — MARTINSVILLE IS THE SMALLEST AND SLOWEST
TRACK.  WHY DOES IT CREATE SUCH A BIG CHALLENGE?  “I think that is the
challenge – the smallest race track is probably the biggest thing.
When you take 43 cars and there’s really one lane that makes the
fastest way around the route, it’s hard for everybody to get in that
same lane and make things happen.  That’s really the biggest thing
about it.  The bottom is the fastest way around it because it’s so
flat.  It doesn’t provide any banking, so you can’t really effectively
run the top much faster.  If it had a little bit of a progressive
bank, the top might be a little bit faster, where you could kind of
run up and down the race track, so that’s really the biggest thing is
you’re trying to put so many cars in a circle in one lane around the
bottom of the race track and that’s what makes it so hard – just makes
it really, really difficult.  You get bottled up from the guy in front
of you, the guy behind you can get the gas down and turn underneath
you, sticks you on the outside and even though you’ve got a good car,
you just got checked up a little bit because the guys up there are
playing bumper cars, and, all of a sudden, you get shuffled to the
outside and you can lose 15 spots before you can get back in line.
It’s kind of a gamble.”  HOW DO YOU TRAIN YOUR FOCUS ON WHAT YOU’VE
GOT TO DO EVERY RACE AND NOT LET  THE 48 BE A DISTRACTION WHEN IT
LOOKS LIKE THE SAME SCENARIO PLAYING OUT AGAIN?  “It’s pretty easy for
me because the way I look at it is I worry about the 16 car and get
the best finish I can here at California.  I’ve got to beat Tony
Stewart, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex, Jimmie Johnson and all the rest and
it really makes no difference who I’m racing for the lead or who I’m
racing for fifth as far as what car it is.  What he does, I don’t have
any control over, so I focus on getting the best finish and not making
any mistakes.  Whether it’s sixth or third or a win this weekend, I
just do the best I can.  Last weekend, when I finished the race at
Kansas I had no idea, and I still don’t today, who finished third,
fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh.  I guess that’s bad of me, but I’ve
been so busy this week I haven’t looked at the finishing order.  And I
didn’t know Jimmie finished second until I was in the media center and
somebody said, ‘Well, what do you think about the 48 getting second?’
I had no idea where he finished.  I didn’t see him all day.  I didn’t
see him one time.  The guys later told me he was running in the teens
with about 40 laps to go, or something like that, and they made some
adjustments and got better and whizzed their way up to second place.
That’s a perfect example of paying attention to what we’ve got to do
and do the best we can.  I can’t control what they do.  Unfortunately,
they got all the way back to second, but we’ll just see.  Hopefully,
they’re off one of these races and we can gain some points on them.”
WHICH TRACK IS MORE AGGRAVATING FOR YOU AS FAR AS TALLADEGA OR
MARTINSVILLE BECAUSE THEY’RE VIEWED AS THE TWO WILD CARD RACES?
“Probably Martinsville because there is so little room to race and so
little you can do on that race track.  We predominantly as a company
and as a team have not run as well at Martinsville as we would like
to, so, with that being said, my vote is Martinsville is probably the
nemesis more than Talladega.  We’ve run restrictor plate races and
you’ve got more room to try and get things done and draft and pick a
lane and do those kinds of things, although we did get 10th in the
spring at Martinsville.  We can go back there in the fall do that or
better that by a little bit I think we’ll be good.  And Talladega,
we’re just like everybody else.  I’m ready for it.  I don’t let it
affect me, that we could get caught up in wreck or that somebody else
could.  You just go in there and run the race, when they throw the
checkered flag you look where everybody finished and head to the next
one.”

       Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion, finds himself
53 points out of the points lead thanks to fifth and sixth-place
finishes the last two weeks.  Edwards, who will be a guest on
tonight’s Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, spoke about his team’s
improvement after practice.

CARL EDWARDS – No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON
THIS WEEKEND?  “Our Aflac Fusion is pretty fast.  I believe that last
week was a good test for us.  That Kansas race track is a lot like the
Auto Club Speedway.  It’s going to be a really hot, slippery race on
Sunday.  It looks like the temperatures are gonna be pretty high.  The
track temp will be really hot, so, hopefully, we can get a good
qualifying effort in here in the next hour or so and start up front.
I feel like our team has been marching towards this points lead just
little bits at a time and I think this track is an opportunity for us
to do that again.”  WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AS WE GET READY TO GO TO
MARTINSVILLE?  “The spring race, Matt Kenseth had a chance to win that
race and I think, if you ask Matt, that’s not a great race track for
Matt.  Our car was pretty fast.  We’ve had on and off days there, but
I look at that race track where if we can qualify well and can run
like we’ve been running, we’re gonna be good, but it’s a bottleneck.
It’s a spot in the chase that I’m a little bit nervous about, but
we’ve just got to qualify well there.  I think that’s the thing that’s
hurt us the most in the past.  Once we get out there running I always
feel like we run okay, but we’ve just got to make a good lap.”  TEXAS
IS SHORTLY AFTER THAT RACE.  WHAT CAN YOU DO IN A NATIONWIDE CAR THERE
THAT YOU CAN’T DO IN THE CUP CAR AND DO YOU PREFER ONE OR THE OTHER?
“Texas Motor Speedway is a lot of fun to drive in any car.  The
Nationwide car there is just so hammered down.  You’re on the throttle
so much that it’s a different kind of race than the Cup race, but I
like them both.  There is no carryover or transfer of information.
The Cup race there is spectacular.  The track is very well suited to
the Cup cars.  You can run different lines, the speeds are extremely
high, and the track has a little bit of character with the way the
transitions work and there are a couple of bumps that make it a fun
track to drive.  But for me, the biggest thing at Texas is just that
crowd.  Seeing that many people at a race track and that many real
race savvy fans, that’s a really special place to win.”  HOW DOES THIS
RACE BEING 400 MILES CHANGE THINGS FROM THE SPRING RACE?  “Oh, so this
is a 400-mile race?  I thought it was a 500-mile race all weekend.
Man, I’m glad we covered that.  That’s gonna go quick.  The thing is
it’s gonna be hot and starting at noon, a 400-mile race here should be
over at about 3 o’clock or 3:30 at the latest.  It’s such a fast race
track, so that will change things a little bit.  I was really looking
forward to the 500 miles.  I like the grueling aspect of this race
track and that long distance race, but I think for the fans things are
gonna shake out.  The fastest car will probably be leading by the
400th mile, so if that makes it a more exciting race, then that’s
good.”  YOU HAVE A BIG DEFICIT IN THE NATIONWIDE SERIES, JUST LIKE
LAST YEAR.  IS IT THE SAME PHILOSOPHY OF TRYING TO GAMBLE A BIT TO
CATCH UP?  “Our Nationwide program, we’ve just got to go out there and
learn the most we can and take the most risk we can to try and win
races, but, really, it’s about building for next year.  I’ve committed
to running full-time next year.  I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to
race for the championship or not, but we’ll still keep our own score
if we can’t.  We just want to go out and be the best we can for next
season, so that’s what we’re really focusing on right now.  There are
a lot of changes coming to the Nationwide Series and I think that what
we do now is we just focus on building towards that.  Brad has been
doing a great job this year.  They’ve got a really big lead and
they’ve earned it and, unless something major happens, I think they’re
gonna be able to keep that lead.  So we’ve just got to go for it, I
guess.”

CARL EDWARDS CONTINUED — WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT NATIONWIDE CHANGES
FOR NEXT YEAR?  “I don’t know how many guys from the Cup Series are
planning on running full-time.  I think it might just be me.
Hopefully, Brad will run again.  It would be great if Kyle would run.
It’s fun to be able to race with those guys for points.  That’s fun.
I think what NASCAR is trying to do is they’re trying to make an
opportunity for the Nationwide Series to be more of a development
series.  I think by eliminating the ability for a guy like myself to
run for the championship, I don’t think that changes the face of the
average Nationwide race.  Kyle Busch has won 11 races this year and
he’s not racing for the championship.  There’s nothing that would keep
him from doing the same thing again next year, or our team winning 11
races next year – whether or not I was racing for the championship.
The only thing it does hurt is team’s ability like ours to go out and
get sponsorship to run for the championship.  That’s an important
thing to Copart and Fastenal is for us to have an opportunity to do
that.  I know they’re looking at it from all different angles and I’m
glad they’re doing that and not making a rash choice and, hopefully,
they come up with the right decision.  But I don’t know what it is,
yet.  Nobody has told me.”  IS YOUR SETUP DIFFERENT FOR THIS RACE THAN
EARLIER?  “It is a little bit different because the track will be
slicker, the times will fall off more, it’ll be a different race, so,
yeah, the car has to be set up differently.”  DO YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF
CAR YOU’LL BE RACING AT THE RACE OF CHAMPIONS LATER THIS YEAR IN
GERMANY?  “No, Jim Hancock from the United States team is here and we
haven’t had a chance to talk about everything yet, but I know he’s
here and he can talk to you about that.  Travis Pastrana has committed
to going.  I’m committed to going.  It’s in that big soccer stadium,
but I haven’t seen what kind of cars we’re gonna race yet.  We’re
gonna go there and get all the practice we can and try to beat up on
those Germans (laughter) the best we can, but they’re pretty fast.”
WHY DOES A LONGER RACE WORK BETTER FOR YOU.  YOU SEEM DISPPOINTED THIS
IS A 400-MILE RACE?  “I work really hard to be as fit as I can be.  My
trainer, Dean, from Carmichael Training Systems, we work really hard
to be prepared for these long races.  I can’t believe I didn’t know
this was a 400-mile race.  This race track just seems like one of the
hottest race tracks we go to sometimes.  When the sun is out here
there is no escaping the heat, so I feel that those long races play
into my strengths physically, and then I feel that from a handling
standpoint and the way the car drives, I think the hotter and slicker
it is suits me and our team as well.  I grew up racing at dirt tracks
and I really like when the car moves around a lot.  I really enjoy
that.”

Its a Dog’s Day During the Dollar General 300

       CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 8, 2010) – She may not be able to wave the green
flag or give the command “Gentleman, Start your Engines,” but a 13-year-old
Labrador retriever named Sunshine will serve as the honorary grand marshal
for the Dollar General 300 on Oct. 15 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
       Sunshine earned the distinction by winning the ALPO Honorary Grand
Marshal contest, conducted by Performance Racing Network. To win the
contest, which included a trip for two to the Dollar General 300, Sunshine’s
owner, Christy Bradburn, of Massanutten, Va., submitted a short essay
written from Sunshine’s point of view describing her favorite “real dog”
behavior and why it’s time to let dogs be dogs again.
       “Sunshine is like any real dog in that she has a common sense
approach to life and enjoys simple pleasures like rolling in mud, swimming
in the pond and barking at the mailman,” said Bradburn. In her winning essay
Bradburn wrote about Sunshine’s “reckless abandon” and spirit of adventure.
       Bradburn learned about the ALPO Honorary Grand Marshal contest when
her husband Brian Koerner heard about it on PRN. She entered for two
reasons.
       “I’ll take advantage of any opportunity to talk about my dog,”
Bradburn said. “And I’ve always wanted to go to a NASCAR race. I’ve never
been to one. It’s been on my bucket list.”
       Bradburn and her husband admittedly spoil Sunshine, but life didn’t
start out so easy for the contest-winning pooch.
       “I got her from a pound when she was a year old,” said Bradburn.
“She was brought in as a cruelty case. I was so surprised though, because
she was never timid or fearful. She was a happy-go-lucky hyper dog from the
get go.”
       When it comes to NASCAR, Bradburn says that she considers herself a
casual fan. She doesn’t have a favorite driver, while her husband admits
that NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Tony Stewart is his favorite. Regardless
of who they root for, they are both very excited about their trip to
Charlotte Motor Speedway, which will include garage passes, suite access,
and a ride in a pace car.
       “I’m most looking forward to the pace car ride,” Bradburn said.
“That’s something I never thought I’d be able to do and it’s so cool that
Sunshine gets to participate in it too.”
       Though Sunshine and her owners are not sure what to expect during
the Dollar General 300, the dog does have an advantage over the humans when
it comes to fitting in with the sometimes rowdy race crowd: she was named
after a beer.
       “I’m embarrassed to admit this but she’s named after Sunshine Wheat.
It’s a beer that my husband and I like,” said Bradburn.
       Representatives from the ALPO brand will also be in attendance with
Sunshine and her owners at the Dollar General 300. This is the first year
for the ALPO Honorary Grand Marshal Contest, which celebrates the ALPO “real
dog” movement.
       Tickets for all October races at Charlotte Motor Speedway can be
purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the
speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). The Bank of America Fan 4
Pack includes tickets, hot dogs and Coca-Cola drinks starting at just $39.75
per person or fans can get four nights of great racing with the Bank of
America 500 Week Super Ticket for just $99.
       For daily updates on October race activities, connect with Charlotte
Motor Speedway by following on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy or
become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway.

Will Fords Roll to Victory in the Pepsi Max 400?

MATT KENSETH – No. 17 Crown Royal Black Ford Fusion – DO YOU THINK
THERE IS SOME SORT OF ETIQUETTE BETWEEN CHASERS AND NON-CHASERS,
LOOKING BACK ON LAST WEEK’S BUSCH-REUTIMANN ISSUE?  “I didn’t really
see what went down last week, so I can’t comment on that, but, in my
opinion, I think you race the same all year.  I think you should race
everybody the same whether they’re in the chase or not in the chase.
I think you try to show people respect all year because everybody has
the same right to be out there, whether they’re first in points or
last in points.”  THAT BEING SAID, ARE THERE CERTAIN PEOPLE ON THE
TRACK THAT YOU’RE MORE AWARE OF AND TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM BECAUSE YOU
FEEL SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN?  “No.  I race the same all year,
honestly, no matter where you are in the points.  If it came down to
the last week or something like that and you’re the point leader by a
bunch, you’re probably gonna be a little bit more careful, but, other
than that, as competitive as it is I think you race as hard as you can
all year.  Everybody has the same right to be out there.  Everybody is
out there racing for wins and have their own particular
responsibilities.”  AS A CHASER DO YOU WORRY ABOUT SOMETIMES RUBBING
FENDERS WITH A NON-CHASER, KNOWING THEY COULD POSSIBLY RUIN YOUR
CHAMPIONSHIP HOPES?  “I don’t want to ruin any race.  No matter where
you are in the points they’re all big races.  I think you go out there
and you’re gonna race whatever your style is all the time.  I don’t
think that really changes.  You still have to race hard all the time
because it’s so competitive that you can’t just go out and think about
not knocking a fender off.  You go out there and think about trying to
get to the front.”  DO YOU CONSIDER THIS THE KIND OF TRACK THAT CAN
HELP YOU GET BACK UP IN THE POINTS?  “Where we are, we’ve got to gain
some significant points on the leader every week to get back in it and
have a realistic shot.  I think our performance has been picking up a
little bit lately, we just have to get a whole race put together.
We’ve been struggling with that a little bit.  There were times last
week where I thought we were very competitive but we didn’t finish it
off.  This has been a pretty good track for us in the past, so,
hopefully we can be competitive from the time we get on the track this
morning all the way through Sunday when we’re done and get a good
finish.  So that’s really what I’m more focused on is just trying to
get back up with the leaders and be competitive so we can get in a
really good position to win some races.”
FORD RACING NOTES AND QUOTES    Pepsi MAX 400, Page 2
October 8, 2010 Auto Club Speedway

MATT KENSETH CONTINUED — IS THERE A SPECIFIC POINT IN THE RACE WHERE
YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO IMPROVE?  “Our adjustments have just not been
good enough to keep up with the track for whatever reason.  Last week,
the worst we ran the whole race was our last run and you can’t do that
because you’re not gonna get the finishes.  Lately, there have been a
lot of long, green-flag runs at the end and you’ve got to have your
car handling right and do the right things at the end of the race.  On
the last pit stop we came out ahead of Jimmie Johnson and he finished
second and we finished seventh without a caution, so we just haven’t
been doing the right things to keep up on whatever it is – track
conditions or adjustments.  That’s probably my fault for not knowing
what I need for adjustments.  I’m trying to give them the best
feedback I can and hope that we do the right things on the car in the
pits to get it running better.”  WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO DO WELL AT
CHARLOTTE?  “Track position has been really important there since the
introduction of this car with the spoiler and that pavement.  The
pavement has a lot of grip and even though the track gets pretty wide,
it’s a real fast track and kind of hard to pass so track position is
real important.  You’ve got to be in position the last couple of
stops.”  WHAT’S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FALL AND SPRING
RACE THERE?  “I don’t think there’s much of a difference.”  WHAT IS IT
GOING TO TAKE FOR ANYBODY TO BEAT THE 48?  “You’ve got to prove you
can beat them.  I’ve said it for five years, they’re the best team out
there and somebody has to beat them and knock them down before you can
say they’re not the best team.  Everybody says, ‘Oh, they don’t have
momentum.  They’re not running as good.’  Well, as soon as somebody
shows they can beat them, I’ll believe it.”  WHAT TRACK ARE YOU
WORRIED ABOUT THE MOST OF THE TRACKS LEFT?  “Honestly, for me I worry
about all of them.  I’ve really just been focused on Fontana this
weekend and then trying to get back on track here and get a good
finish.”  IS THE FR9 ENGINE COMING ON AT THE RIGHT TIME?  “I think the
engine has been helping a little bit.  I think there’s still some room
for improvement and Doug knows that – everybody knows that – because
we’ve only been working on it for six months or a year, whereas we
worked on that old engine forever.  I think it’s certainly an
advantage and it’s better than what we had, plus they keep getting it
better.”  DO YOU THINK IT WILL RUN PARTICULARLY WELL HERE IN FONTANA?
“I hope so.  Fontana and Michigan are big horsepower race tracks, but
they’re also big handling race tracks as well.  It’s real similar to
Michigan, so if you perform well there, hopefully you’ll perform okay
here.”

Get Ready for Night Chase Racing, Fan Fun This October at Charlotte Motor

       CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 4, 2010) – Charlotte Motor Speedway is gearing
up for the only night race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with the
Bank of America 500 on Oct. 16. Below are just some of the exciting
happenings fans can look forward to at the speedway ahead of all the racing
action:

Fans Given Unprecedented Access to Drivers with Special Ticket Packages
Building on its Fans First philosophy, Charlotte Motor Speedway is providing
an unprecedented number of opportunities for fans to get closer to the stars
of their favorite sport during Bank of America 500 Week, Oct. 13-16. Special
ticket packages will give fans the chance to see their favorite NASCAR
drivers and legends including Kasey Kahne or Kenny Wallace with the
OktoberFast package; Jamie McMurray with the Bass Pro Shops package; Richard
Petty and Junior Johnson with the Hall of Fame package; and Jeff Burton with
a Scout package. Visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com for a full list of
ticket packages and promotions.

Popular Let the Troops Race Ticket Program Returns for Bank of America 500
Fans and companies are invited to purchase Bank of America 500 tickets for
the men and women of the U.S. armed services with the Let the Troops Race
ticket program. Charlotte Motor Speedway first launched the program during
its NASCAR races in May and received an overwhelming response. For just
$20.00 fans and businesses may donate a reserved seat to a soldier, Marine,
midshipmen, or airman by visiting www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or calling
the Charlotte Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Seats
will be provided to soldiers via the USO. In addition, special military
pricing is available for active duty and retired military personnel for the
major events at Charlotte Motor Speedway, zMAX Dragway and The Dirt Track at
Charlotte by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or by visiting the box office on
race days.

CATS Route Offers Convenient Transportation To and From the Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is once again partnering with the Charlotte Area
Transit System, or CATS, in Charlotte, N.C., to bring bus service from
Center City Charlotte to the track. Starting from the Charlotte
Transportation Center, race fans can take the 79X Concord Mills Express to
beat the traffic and enjoy the Bank of America 500 at the speedway for just
$7 round-trip. The route will run every 20 minutes from noon to 6 p.m. on
Oct. 16. Return trips will begin immediately after the checkered flag as
race fans make their way to the buses near the track’s main entrance. To
purchase tickets or for more information visit the Charlotte Transportation
Center at 310 East Trade Street in Center City, go online at
www.ridetransit.org or call (704) 336-RIDE (7433).

NASCAR Night at zMAX Dragway Oct. 12
NASCAR Night returns to zMAX Dragway on Oct. 12. Fans are invited to come
out and see NASCAR drivers, team owners, crew chiefs and team members
compete on the concrete quarter mile at the Bellagio of drag strips. Fans
can show a ticket to the upcoming Bank of America 500 at the zMAX Dragway
gate and receive free admission. Adult tickets are available at the gate for
just $5 and kids are free. All proceeds from ticket sales will go to
Speedway Children’s Charities. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and racing begins at
5 p.m.

Mac Daddy Dogs Make NASCAR Concession Debut
A new concession item will be added to the menu at Charlotte Motor Speedway
for Bank of America 500 Week. The Mac Daddy Dog is a hot dog encased in
macaroni pasta and pimento cheese, then coated in a panko breadcrumb crust
and deep fried. The fun fair food made its Charlotte Motor Speedway debut at
the Food Lion AutoFair in August and was an instant hit. The concession is a
creation of Levy Restaurants’ Emily Williams and her staff. Mac Daddy Dogs
will be available for $5 each at the Levy concession stand on the main
concourse.

Legends Million Winner Daniel Hemric in UNOH Southern 150 NASCAR Modified
Race
Daniel Hemric, winner of the largest grassroots race in history, the Legends
Million, will compete in the upcoming NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
(NWSMT) UNOH Southern Slam 150 during Bojangles’ Pole Night on Oct. 14 as
part of Bank of America 500 Week. Hemric took home an unprecedented $250,000
purse after winning the Legends Million, a one-of-a-kind Legend Car race,
held July 17 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The 19-year-old Kannapolis, N.C.,
native will make his second career start in a NASCAR modified; he raced in a
NWSMT event at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C., earlier this year.
Tickets for the UNOH Southern Slam 150 and Bojangles’ Pole Night are $12 in
advance or $20 the day of the event and can be purchased online at
www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267).

Custom Cobra Replica Benefitting SCC Displayed During Bank of America 500
Week
In only five days during the August Food Lion AutoFair at Charlotte Motor
Speedway, the team from Tommy Pike Customs in Greenville, S.C., turned a
pile of parts into a custom Cobra replica. During Bank of America 500 Week,
fans can get an up-close look at the high-performance roadster near the
speedway’s main entrance and enter to win the unique vehicle in a
fundraising raffle for Speedway Children’s Charities. Raffle tickets are $25
each or five for $100 and will be available during all 2010 events at
Charlotte Motor Speedway, zMAX Dragway and The Dirt Track at Charlotte until
the annual Souvenir Blowout on Nov. 26. Tickets may also be purchased online
at www.charlotte.speedwaycharities.org. The winner will be announced in
December.

Sam Bass Unveils October Souvenir Program Cover; Programs for Sale During
Race Week
Renowned motorsports artist Sam Bass unveiled an original painting that will
serve as the cover for the 2010 Bank of America 500 souvenir program. “The
Greatest Place to See the Race” highlights many of the activities in which
fans can engage while they are in Charlotte for the races, including a trip
to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, a visit to one of the area NASCAR team shops or
a ride in a driving school stock car. Images of these destinations are
reflected in the helmet of regular-season points leader and Chase for the
Sprint Cup contender Kevin Harvick. Other Chase drivers featured are current
points leader Jimmie Johnson, as well as Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Jeff
Gordon. Inside the program are feature stories on Jamie McMurray, the new
NASCAR Nationwide Series car and what makes Charlotte Motor Speedway “The
Greatest Place to See the Race.” Souvenir programs are just $10 and are for
sale at multiple locations around the track during Bank of America 500 Week.

Cat Used and Cat Dealers Hold Sale at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Regional Cat dealers, including Carolina Cat, Blanchard Machinery, Carter
Machinery and Gregory Poole Equipment, as well as Cat Used Equipment
Services, will display more than 30 Caterpillar machines available for
purchase adjacent to Charlotte Motor Speedway Oct. 14-16 during Bank of
America 500 Week. The sale also will include systems to view the entire Cat
dealer used equipment inventory on Catused.cat.com, which offers the largest
selection of used Cat machines on the Web. The sale is open to the public
and runs each day from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. For more information,
customers can visit http://catracing.cat.com/news.

       Tickets for all October races at Charlotte Motor Speedway can be
purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the
speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267). The Bank of America Fan 4
Pack includes tickets, hot dogs and Coca-Cola drinks starting at just $39.75
per person or fans can get four nights of great racing with the Bank of
America 500 Week Super Ticket for just $99.
       For daily updates on October race activities, connect with Charlotte
Motor Speedway by following on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CLTMotorSpdwy or
become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway.