TEAM CHEVY IMPALA SS INSIDE THE GARAGE AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY – PAT SUHY, GM RACING NASCAR GROUP MANAGER:
“Texas is always a thrill. After a weekend sweep in Martinsville, Team Chevy is poised to add another win while visiting the Lone Star State. Even though Martinsville marked only our first win in 2009, Chevy comes into Texas dominating qualifying, and top 5 and 10 finishing statistics. That strength and consistency are keeping Chevrolet in the manufacturers’ and driver’s points leads.
”While Texas Motor Speedway might seem to be “just another mile and a half” track, it stands out as one with plenty of challenges. In terms of banking and shape Texas is most like Atlanta. There are important differences though that make it a unique experience for our teams. TMS has fresher pavement and more bumps than Atlanta, meaning tire wear probably won’t be as big of an issue. Those bumps, on the other hand, need to be dealt with, and the tool most capable of helping the teams do that is their 7-post rig.
“All of our key teams have an in house rig and engineers to help the individual crew chiefs with their setup choices. GM Racing is fortunate to have a group of dedicated 7-post engineering experts who make sure that the teams have all the latest technology to get the most out of their rigs. That technology helps them make critical choices that allow them to maximize grip on the track while maintaining some level of driver comfort. This expertise is one of the ways that GM Racing helps our Chevy teams.
”No doubt, Texas will be an exciting race. I’m looking forward to celebrating in winners circle with one of our Chevy Teams!”
IMPALA SS ON THE TRACK: TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY:
Team Chevy drivers have won five (5 times in the 16 previous NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) races at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS)
Jeff Burton, No. 31 Caterpillar Impala SS won the inaugural event at TMS in ’97, plus the spring race in ‘07
Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s Impala SS won the fall ’07 race at TMS en route to claiming his second consecutive NSCS championship
Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Impala SS has one (1) win at TMS
Mark Martin, No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Impala SS has one (1) TMS victory
CHEVY RACING AT THE TRACK: FUN TIMES FOR FANS AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY (TMS)
Friday is Chevy Day at TMS – fans can visit Chevy Racing Display in Midway and get a hands-on look at vehicles from great Chevy lineup including: Camaro SS, Cobalt, Corvette, Traverse, Impala, HHR, Malibu, Silverado, and Tahoe.
Driver Appearances on the Chevy Stage on Sunday will feature Kevin Harvick at 9:30, Ryan Newman at 9:45, and Tony Stewart at 10:10 for a 15 min. Q&A Session.
Autograph session with the Pit Crew of Clint Bowyer’s #33 Impala SS on Raceday – time is tbd – tentatively set for 11:00 a.m.
Chevrolet NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Statistics
Drivers Championships
Total (1949 – 2008): 25
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 6 (1993 – 98)
Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Manufacturers Championships
Total (1949 – 2008): 32
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 9 (1983 – 91)
Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Event Victories
2009 Race Wins: 1
Total Chevrolet race wins (1949 – 2009): 634
2008 Race Wins: 11
Previous record for total race wins: 26 (2007 – 13 Impala SS, 13 Monte Carlo SS)
Total NASCAR Cup wins by Corporation, 1949 – To-Date
GM: 969
Chevrolet: 634
Pontiac: 155
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 694
Ford: 594
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Chrysler: 451
Dodge: 203
Plymouth: 189
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 12
ABOUT GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION:
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), one of the world’s largest automakers, was founded in 1908, and today manufactures cars and trucks in 34 countries. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 244,500 people in every major region of the world, and sells and services vehicles in some 140 countries. In 2008, GM sold 8.35 million cars and trucks globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM’s largest national market is the United States, followed by China, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Canada, Russia and Germany. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.
- GM Racing Communications, Press Release