Wednesday
Dodge NASCAR Nationwide Series Charlotte Motor Speedway Pre Race Notes & Quotes
Press Release
TECH-NET Auto Service 300
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Dodge in 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series
• Dodge has three wins in the 2010 NNS season (Allgaier – Bristol and Keselowski – Talladega and Richmond).
• With 11 races completed in the 2010 season, the two Penske NASCAR Nationwide Series entries have recorded two poles, three wins, a combined 11 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes.
Highlights:
• Allgaier earned his first NASCAR Nationwide Series win this year at Bristol Motor Speedway, leading a 1-2 Penske Racing Dodge finish.
• Allgaier made his Nationwide Series debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 10, 2008. The 2009 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year started 14th and finished 34th driving Penske Racing’s No. 12 Dodge.
• Allgaier’s fifth-place position in the point standings is best among full-time, Nationwide Series-only drivers. Allgaier leads fellow Nationwide-only driver Jason Leffler, currently ranked ninth, by 317 points.
• Allgaier has finished 17th or better in the 11 races this season including five top-10 finishes.
• He was the 2009 Raybestos Rookie of the Year in the Nationwide Series.
Highlights:
• Keselowski leads the Nationwide Series driver standings with an 11-point advantage over second place.
• Keselowski earned back-to-back wins at Talladega and Richmond earlier this season.
• Keselowski has led the Nationwide Series point standings since his win at Talladega Superspeedway in April. He has led the standings for a total of six weeks during the 2010 season.
• Keselowski extended his NASCAR Nationwide Series record of 78 consecutive races without a DNF (Did Not Finish) at Dover two weeks ago.
• Earlier this year, he claimed back-to-back poles at Las Vegas and Bristol.
* Penske Racing development driver Parker Kligerman will attempt to make his sixth career NASCAR Nationwide Series start this weekend
* Kligerman finished second in the 2009 ARCA Racing Series championship, as he came up just five points shy of the series title. He won series Rookie of the Year honors and led the circuit with nine victories as he posted 14 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes in 21 races.
* Kligerman’s last start in the Team 42 Racing Dodge Charger was at the Nationwide Series event at Talladega where he qualified a season high of ninth and finished 31st.
DODGE NATIONWIDE DRIVER QUOTES
“All 1.5-mile tracks are different, but it’s very hard to see that from the stands or on television. Charlotte is extremely weather sensitive. Small changes in track temperature drastically affect the speed and handling of our race cars. So that makes Charlotte a unique challenge. Over the last few years the asphalt has started to age a little. So the cars are starting to slide around a little more and that makes it a fun place to race.
We’ve won a short-track race and a restrictor-plate race already this season. I feel good about the new car we are taking to Charlotte, so hopefully we’ll get our first intermediate win this weekend.”
- – Brad Keselowski, No. 22 Ruby Tuesday Dodge Charger
“Charlotte is a great track in terms of the 1.5-mile speedways. The front straightaway, I swear it’s flat. As you drive into Turn 1, you’re looking at this massive asphalt wall. Your brain tells you to lift, but your right foot stays in the throttle. The track has a lot of speed. It’s also got some character in terms of bumpiness. It’s a fun place to race, especially in front of so many Penske Racing employees and their families.”
- Justin Allgaier, No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge Charger
“I know its so cliché to say, but I am actually really excited to be racing in Charlotte this weekend. We will be running the same chassis that we raced in California and Las Vegas. Team 42, with an assist from Penske Racing, has updated the body on that car, which I think will help us find some speed on the race track.
With that said, I know after our competitive run at Talladega, everyone at Team 42 is excited to get back to the track and get the results we know we can achieve.” - – Parker Kligerman, No. 42 Team 42 Dodge
- Darnell Communications Press Release
Article Tags: ARCA Racing Series, Auto Club Speedway, Brad Keselowski, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Justin Allgaier, Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, NASCAR Nationwide Series, NNS, No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dodge Charger, No. 22 Ruby Tuesday Dodge Charger, No. 42 Team 42 Dodge Charger, Parker Kligerman, Penske Racing, Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, TECH-Net Auto Service 300
