Catchfence

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates

Follow EGR on Twitter: Continue to follow Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates on their official team Twitter page. Follow the No. 1 and No. 42 teams throughout the 2011 season @EGRTeams.

Charlotte Ticket Package: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (EGRFS) has teamed up with Charlotte Motor Speedway to offer our fans a promotion for the upcoming Bank of America 500 race weekend. Fans can go to the EGRFS Team Shop (Located at 8500 Westmoreland Drive, Concord, NC 28027) to take advantage of two separate ticket deals. All of these offers began on Monday, and will run through Friday, October 14.

• If you spend $85 on merchandise, you will receive two (2) free tickets to the Bank of America 500.

• If you spend $160 on merchandise, you will receive four (4) free tickets to the Bank of America 500.

Hide and Tweet – Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya traveled around the greater Charlotte area this week for a ‘Hide and Tweet’ contest. Well, sort of. If you are familiar with “Flat Stanley” or “Where’s Waldo?” then you might understand. Cut-outs of each driver visited various locations around the Charlotte Metro area throughout the Bank of America 500 race week, giving fans the opportunity to guess where they will show up. The contest kicked off on Monday and will run through Saturday, Oct 15. Two photographs are released a day on Facebook and promoted via Twitter. The first fan to answer correctly wins team merchandise. In order to participate in the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing “Hide and Tweet” contest, fans can “Like” us at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s Facebook page and “Follow” @EGRTeams on Twitter.

Jamie McMurray and the No.1 Bass Pro Shops/ Artic Cat Team

Charlotte History: This weekend’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway will be McMurray’s 19^th career start at the track. In his previous 18 races, he has scored eight top-10s, five top-fives, completed 92.6% of the laps run (5850 of 6316) and has led 238 of them. His best start at Charlotte came in 2002 when he started fifth and won. That race was his second start, which ties him with Trevor Bayne for quickest to first victory. McMurray currently has two wins (2002, 2010) at the “Beast of the Southeast”. McMurray has also been running at the finish in eight of the last nine races.

Kansas Review: The No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Arctic Cat Chevrolet started from the 29^th-position on Sunday afternoon in the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway and had an up and down day, running as high as fifth and as low as 31^st position, resulting in a 22^nd-place finish at the 1.5 mile D-shaped oval. Jamie McMurray began the Hollywood Casino 400 and quickly gained track position during the early stages of the 267 lap event, making it into the top-five after a two tire stop on lap 84. The No. 1 team was later forced to make a green flag pit stop on lap 116 for a vibration, losing a lap in the process. The No.1 team worked diligently to overcome the one lap deficit but was unable to get position back on the lead lap in the closing stages.

With Ganassi at Charlotte: In his 10 starts at Charlotte in Ganassi-owned racecars, McMurray has six top-10s, four top-fives, and has led 211 laps with Ganassi out of his total 283. His average finish is a 9.1, and he has been running at the finish in eight out of 10 races.

Going to Bass Pro: Jamie McMurray will be making an appearance at the Concord, North Carolina Bass Pro Shops store on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 to sign autographs and meet race fans. The event begins at 5:30 PM ET. The address of the store is 8181 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord, NC 28027.

Winner, Winner: McMurray has scored six wins in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS). He has two wins at Charlotte (2002, 2010) and Daytona (2007, 2010) and also has won at Talladega (2009) and at Indianapolis (2010). If McMurray wins this weekend, it will be the third consecutive year that he has won a race, which will be a new accomplishment of his.

‘Beast’ Performance: In the last 13 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, McMurray is ranked fifth for green flag passes with 972. He is also ranked eighth fastest on restarts with 169.297 mph. He is ranked 11^th for fastest laps run with 128, and tied for 11^th with Dale Earnhardt Jr. for laps led with 126. He is also tied for 15^th with Clint Bowyer for laps in the top-15 with 1918.

Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Target Team

Charlotte History: This weekend, Montoya will be making his 10^th start at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Bank of America 500. In his previous nine races, he has tallied one top-10 finish along with completing 92.6% of the laps (2933 of 3168). His best start came in the 2009 spring race when he started ninth and brought the Target car home in eighth place, which was his best finish at the track.

Kansas Recap: The team unloaded the same chassis they ran at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and readied themselves for 400 miles at Kansas Speedway. As the race got underway, the Target Chevrolet advanced nine positions in the opening laps. Soon after, Montoya radioed in a concern over the handling. Crew chief, Jim Pohlman, brought the Target Chevrolet down pit road seven times for tires, fuel and major adjustments. As the laps progressed the car started to turn around and Montoya ran mid-pack through the long green flag runs. When the checkered flag was displayed on lap 272 the Target Chevrolet crossed the finish line in the 23^rd position.

Chevy Power: Since Earnhardt Ganassi Racing made the move to Chevrolet in 2009, Montoya has scored three top-15s. This includes his best start of ninth and best finish of eighth during the team’s first year with Chevrolet. His other best finishes at Charlotte came in race cars made by Chevrolet, including an 11^th -place finish in 2010 and a 12^th -place finish in 2011.

“Rack Up the Laps”: By completing 271 of the 272 laps run this past weekend, Montoya maintained his lead in the statistical category of “number of laps completed” in 2011 with 8,677 (of a possible 8,715). That means that he has completed 99.56% of the laps run this season in the Sprint Cup Series. The second-place driver is Ryan Newman, who is18 laps behind with 8,659 (99.35%).

Milestone Fifth Year: Montoya is approaching his fifth full year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS). To date, Montoya has 175 starts, racked up two wins (Sonoma 2007 and Watkins Glen 2010), 20 top-fives, 49 top-10s, and seven poles. He has an average start of 17.4 and an average finish of 19.5 and has led 944 laps.

Homestead Ticket Package: Fans who plan to attend the season finale Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway should take advantage of the “Race Day with Juan” ticket package. The package, which fans may purchase for $142, will include:

• · Ticket to Sprint Cup Championship-finale Ford 400 (Turn 1, rows 11-21)
• · Private pre-race meet-and-greet with Montoya in the infield Driver’s Meeting Room
• · Pre-Race Pit Pass access to front-stretch for photos, autographs, Q&A sessions
• · No. 42 Target commemorative lanyard and credential holder
• · $42 donation to the Formula Smiles Foundation headed by Montoya and wife Connie

For more information visit www.HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com/Montoya

In the Points: With his 23^rd place finish in the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas, Montoya remains 19^th in the Sprint Cup Series point standings. He is now 60 points behind 13^th, which is the highest points position that does not belong to a “Chase for the Sprint Cup” contender.

CHASSIS INFO

No. 1 Bass Pro Shops / Arctic Cat Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1120. Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion has decided to bring chassis #1120 to Charlotte this weekend. This chassis has never been used before and will see its first significant track time during the Bank of America 500 race weekend.

No. 42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1119. Crew Chief Jim Pohlman and the No. 42 Target team are bringing chassis #1119 to Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend. This brand new chassis will see its first race action of the year in the Bank of America 500.

2011 STATS

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

CAREER STATS

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

TEAM ROSTERS

Tony Glover – Team Manager

Steve Hmiel – Director of Competition

- Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Press Release