Catchfence

Gambling for Good Luck: Michael Annett and Rusty Wallace Racing’s No. 62 Pilot Flying J team are rolling into the city home to the famed Las Vegas Strip this week and hope to play their cards right, reversing the bad luck they’ve been faced with in 2011′s first two NASCAR Nationwide Series events at Daytona International Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway.

Annett’s Experience at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: Prior to Saturday’s Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Annett has two career starts on Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s 1.5 mile D-shaped oval both in NASCAR’s second tiered Nationwide Series.

Rusty Wallace Racing History at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: The Rusty Wallace Racing organization has 10 Nationwide Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In those 10 races, the team has one top-five and four top-10 finishes. In last year’s Sam’s Town 300, drivers Steve Wallace and Brendan Gaughan recorded 10th and 13th place finishes consecutively in Rusty Wallace Racing prepared Toyota Camrys.

Lucky in Las Vegas: While most Vegas visitors gear up for gambling with their good luck charms close by their sides, Annett prepares for on-track performance with a few superstitious amulets of his own. The young driver believes his habit of putting everything on his left side first helps his chances at success. Annett always puts his left pant leg, sleeve, shoe, glove and ear mold in first for good luck, a ritual he learned from his father years ago. Annett also takes the most common symbol of good luck with him on the track, wearing a green four leaf clover on the back of all of his helmets.

For the latest updates on Michael Annett, please visit www.michaelannett.com.

From the Cockpit.

Annett on what’s ahead in 2011 for Rusty Wallace Racing:

“Our team hasn’t had our chance to prove it yet, but we’ve got all the pieces in place for 2011 to be a landmark season for Rusty Wallace Racing and our sponsors Pilot Flying J and 5-hour Energy. We had really strong cars at Daytona but had some bad luck, and Saturday at Phoenix was just rough. We’re really hoping we can make our mark this week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.”

The Machines.

Team 62 Primary: RWR-053 – RWR-053 is a new chassis from the Rusty Wallace Racing stables. The car’s first laps will be at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Team 62 Backup: RWR-051 – Rusty Wallace Racing competed with this car in 2010 Nationwide Series events at Daytona International Speedway (July) and Michigan International Speedway. Driven to an 11th place finish by former Rusty Wallace Racing driver Brendan Gaughan at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October.

Race Day Roster.

Crew Chief: Jason Overstreet

Race Engineer: Jason Stockert

Car Chief, Rear Tire Changer: Ryan McKinney

Mechanic, Rear Tire Carrier: Troy Hartmann

Front Tire Changer: Mike Janssen

Pit Crew Coach, Front Tire Carrier: Chris Brook

Mechanic, Jackman: Brian Gainey

Fueler: Rick Pennington

Spotter: Rocky Ryan

Pit Sign: Lori Adams

Pilot Flying J Locations on your Way.

Pilot Flying J provides 12 Pilot Travel Centers and Flying J locations along the roads of the state of Nevada. Two of these locations are conveniently positioned within a 10 mile radius of Las Vegas Motor Speedway. For more information on Pilot Flying J and to map their nearest locations along your route, please visit www.pilotflyingj.com.

Flying J
I-15 Cheyenne Exit 46
1000 E Cheyenne Ave.
North Las Vegas, NV 89030

Pilot Travel Center
I-15 Exit 48
3812 East Craig Road
North Las Vegas, NV 89031

About Pilot Flying J: Pilot Flying J is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has more than 550 locations in North America. The company employs more than 20,000 people and is the largest retail operator of travel centers in North America. Follow Pilot Flying J on Twitter at @pilottravel.

Broadcast Info.

Nationwide Series Practice
Friday, March 4, 2011
12 p.m. ET
SPEED
Nationwide Series Final Practice
Friday, March 4, 2011
1:45 p.m. ET
SPEED
Sam’s Town 300
Saturday, March 5, 2011
3 p.m. ET
ABC