Catchfence

Team Chevy - GM Racing

Tony Stewart – leader – three (3) wins – locked in
Jeff Gordon – 2nd – one (1) win – locked in
Jimmie Johnson – 3rd – three (3) wins – locked in
Juan Pablo Montoya – 8th
Ryan Newman – 9th
Mark Martin – 10th – four (4) wins

TEAM CHEVY IN NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES – 2009

• Team Chevy drivers have won 12 races in ’09, more than any other manufacturer

• Team Chevy drivers have lead the most laps in ’09 – 3,622 of 6,936 (52.2% of all laps raced)

• Team Chevy drivers had had more top-10 finishes than any other manufacturer in ’09 – 120

IMPALA SS ON THE TRACK –RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY:

• Team Chevy drivers have won 34 times in the 106 previous NSCS races at Richmond International Raceway (RIR), more than any other manufacturer

• Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s Impala SS, has won the last two Chevy Rock and Roll 400 races and has won at RIR three (3) times

• Dale Earnhardt, Jr., No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Impala SS, has won three (3) times at RIR

• Tony Stewart, No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Impala SS, has three (3) RIR wins

• Jeff Gordon, No. 24 DuPont/National Guard Wounded Warrior Impala SS, was won twice (2) at RIR

• Jeff Burton, No. 31 Caterpillar Impala SS, has one (1) trip to RIR victory lane

• Clint Bowyer, No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Impala SS has one (1) RIR victory

• Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Impala SS, has one (1) RIR win

• Mark Martin, No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Impala SS, has one (1) victory at RIR

• Ryan Newman, No. 39 NCO/U.S. Army Impala SS, has won once (1) at RIR

CHEVY RACING AT RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY: CHEVY RACING DISPLAY AND FANFEST IN THE RIR MIDWAY

• At the Chevy Racing Display in the RIR Midway, race fans have the opportunity to enjoy all things CHEVROLET including seeing up close several vehicles from Chevy’s great lineup including: Aveo, Malibu, Impala, HHR, Equinox, Traverse, Silverado Crew, Tahoe, Camaros, Cobalt Sedan, Cobalt Coupe, Traverse, Corvette Z06, Silverado 2500, Suburban, Avalanche, Grand Sport and Transformer Special Edition Camaro

• Fans can sign up for Ride & Drive onsite on Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Ride & Drive will feature the 2010 Camaro, All New Equinox and other vehicles

• The Ride and Drive will take place directly behind Chevy FanFest and by Gate 2 off of Laburnum Ave.

• Chevy Stage will feature the following appearances for moderated Q & A sessions with fans on Saturday: All American Rejects – 3:00 p.m.; Richard Childress – 4:00 p.m.; Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon – 4:20 p.m.; Jimmie Johnson – 4:30 p.m.; and Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 4:45 p.m.

• The No. 33 Impala SS Over-the-Wall Pit Crew will sign autographs in the FanFest area at 3:30 on Saturday

• Chevy will pace the Rock and Roll 400 with the new Camaro – a 21st century sports car

• Following their introduction to the fans just prior to the race, drivers will take a lap around RIR waving to the crowd from the beds of 43 Silverado pick-ups

TEAM CHEVY IMPALA SS – FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT:

TONY STEWART, NO. 14 OFFICE DEPOT/OLD SPICE IMPALA SS: “I am racing 100 percent pressure-free because we have absolutely nothing to lose. We can’t be bumped out of the Chase, we can finish 43rd (at Richmond) and it’s a non-event. Our goal since being locked in has been to try to do what we can to win and get those 10 extra bonus points. That’s our focus — it’s an all or nothing for us. We’re not going to throw away a car trying to make a stupid mistake to try to get those 10 points, but our goal is to go out and try to win the race. More than that, you don’t want to end up with 43rd-place finishes, you want to end up with some momentum on your side after Richmond. You’re still going to race smart. There are a lot of guys that are in that situation that are going to be constantly watching each other and it’s not fun to be in that situation. It’s hard to race a race where your primary goal is to go win the race, but it’s a bigger goal to get yourself in the Chase in two weeks. This week, these guys that are barely in and the guys that are barely out are going to be very conscious and know where these guys are that are ahead of them in the Chase and they’re going to dictate their pit strategy off of what these other guys do.”

JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DUPONT/NATIONAL GUARD WOUNDED WARRIOR IMPALA SS: “We’re in a good position for this weekend’s race since we’ve already locked up a ’Chase’ spot. We’re not having to worry about where we are running versus our competitors and if that will get us in the ‘Chase’ or not. We’ve been in that position before and it’s not fun. For us, it’s about going after the win and the 10 bonus points that go along with it. Richmond is a great track, multiple grooves and a short track. For the drivers, the crews and the fans, it seems to be one of the best tracks and we always like going there. Racing under the lights, it seems to be a very competitive race and a few surprises, a lot of action and then you throw in there the guys that are trying to make it in the Chase — there’s going to be a lot of exciting things to watch.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S IMPALA SS: “When things really get tough, the experience will hopefully help us make the right decisions and manage the stress that comes with the Chase. But I’m excited. It’s always fun to race at Richmond. I think we’ll have a good race there. But looking ahead, I’ve never felt this good about starting the Chase in the past. Our cars are spot-on. Mentally and physically, I’m the best I’ve ever been. I feel that the team is the same and doing really well. The first few races we’ll get a good sense of who is where and who is really going to be a contender in this thing and hopefully we are one of those guys and we can start grinding it out and wearing these guys down.”

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 42 TARGET IMPALA SS: “I don’t mind racing at Richmond. The first race there this year we had a top-10. I think we have learned a lot for this Richmond race with the shaker rig and testing and stuff, I think our cars have improved a lot so we should run pretty good there. “The stress is pretty easy, I am not really thinking about it. It is what it is. As a team, everybody on our Target Chevy team just needs to keep doing what we have been doing every week and hopefully it is enough. You can’t change things; you can’t try to make up in two races what you haven’t done in 24. I think we have done a good enough job and we are going to keep doing the same thing. Our approach is the same, but having a good points race at Atlanta just makes life a little easier. Apart that we’re eighth in points, we got 88 points in or something. In the position we are in right now, it’s just about go there, we have a great car for there, just be smart, get a top 10.”

RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 39 NCO/U.S. ARMY IMPALA SS: “I’m confident with our teams and I’m confident with our abilities, but I just don’t know racing-wise if something crazy is going to happen in front of us or whatever. I’m fully capable of running out of talent, I’ve done it before. I think that we’re fully capable of making the Chase and I really look forward to Richmond. We were really strong there in the spring. Having a different group of drivers trying to make the Chase this year doesn’t change anything. You’re still racing 42 other guys on a given weekend to try to get those points. No matter who is in the Chase, you’re still racing those other guys and that to me makes more of a difference than who’s the other group of 11 that you’re competing against.”

MARK MARTIN, NO. 5 KELLOGG’S/ CARQUEST IMPALA SS: “I like Richmond. I think a lot of the guys like to go race there. It’s a great sized race track and it’s got a lot of grooves to it. Bottom, middle, upper. Really good racing. There is room to race there even though it’s a smaller race track. Fans are always great there. Richmond has always been the final race to decide the final cut for the Chase. It seems like that is fitting, it certainly does. It’s a racy little short track with a lot of enthusiasm from the fans.”

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: 12
Total Chevrolet race wins (1949 – 2009): 645
Record for total race wins: 26 (2007 – 13 Impala SS, 13 Monte Carlo SS)

Total NASCAR Cup wins by Corporation, 1949 – To-Date
GM: 980
Chevrolet: 645
Pontiac: 155
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65

Ford: 694
Ford: 594
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4

Chrysler: 453
Dodge: 204
Plymouth: 190
Chrysler: 59

Toyota: 18

About General Motors: General Motors Company, one of the world’s largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 235,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in some 140 countries. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 34 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Opel, 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. General Motors Company acquired operations from General Motors Corporation on July 10, 2009, and references to prior periods in this and other press materials refer to operations of the old General Motors Corporation. More information on the new General Motors Company can be found at www.gm.com.

- GM Racing Communications, Press Release