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PRESS RELEASE
Sterling Marlin, Reed Sorenson & Juan Pablo Montoya Dodge Challenger 500 NSCS Race Previews
Chip Ganassi Racing With Felix Sabates, Press Release
Sterling Marlin and the No. 40 Dodge Challenger Team (NSCS)
Marlin Lends a Hand at Darlington: Former CGRFS driver and NASCAR Veteran Sterling Marlin will drive the No. 40 Dodge Challenger in this Saturday night’s NSCS 367-lap event at Darlington Raceway, while its full-time driver Dario Franchitti continues to recover from a race injury he received in the NNS event at Talladega Superspeedway last month (April 26). At this time, Marlin is confirmed to drive for CGRFS at Darlington only. He raced full-time for CGRFS when the team started in 2001, during which he scored two wins, two poles, 12 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes. Marlin led a total of 535 laps and then topped the team’s rookie season off with a third-place finish in the overall championship standings. The following year, Marlin remained first in the championship standings for 25-consecutive weeks (Rockingham to Richmond) before his season was cut short due to a fractured C2 vertebra. Altogether, Marlin drove for CGRFS from 2001-2005 tallying 172 starts, four wins, three poles, 24 top-fives, 57 top-10s and led a total of 1,444 laps.
Franchitti Update: Dario Franchitti, full-time driver of the No. 40 CGRFS Dodge, will sit out this weekend’s NSCS race at Darlington Raceway. Franchitti was fitted for a carbon fiber brace last week but will take another weekend off to give his ankle more time to heal. His status behind the wheel of the No. 40 Dodge will continue to be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.
The iconic muscle car is back!: The No. 40 CGRFS NSCS car will feature the new 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 on its hood this weekend in Darlington, S.C. Powered by a 6.1-liter HEMI® V-8 engine that produces 425 horsepower, the Challenger SRT8 is true to its historical roots, but with modern features that customers expect like SIRIUS Satellite radio, UConnect hands-free phone and MyGIG infotainment system featuring a 30 gig hard drive. For more information about the new 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, go to www.dodge.com.
Marlin at Darlington: Marlin has 45 starts at Darlington, which include two wins (March 1995; March 2002), three poles (back-to-back in March and September 1992; September 2002), 10 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. He has led a total of 405 laps at the Lady in Black. His first start at Darlington was April 13, 1980 (started 33rd, finished 11th) behind the wheel of the No. 5 car owned by Jim Stacy. Marlin’s last run at Darlington was May 2007, driving for Bobby Ginn in the No. 14 car (started 28th, finished 13th). Marlin averages a top-15 start at Darlington and a top-20 finish.
Don’t Miss CGRFS Fan Day 2008: CGRFS wants to thank its fans for their support Friday, May 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., during the Third Annual CGRFS Fan Appreciation Day. This year’s event will be highlighted by a variety of activities at the team’s Concord, N.C., race shop, including an extended view of the race facility that will take fans through interactive stations and displays, as well as pit stop and car wrapping demonstrations. A complimentary lunch will also be provided (while supplies last). The entire CGRFS NASCAR drive line-up, including Dario Franchitti, Reed Sorenson, Juan Pablo Montoya, Bryan Clauson and Kevin Hamlin, will be at the shop from Noon to 2 p.m. ET to meet their fans and sign autographs. Please Note: Wristbands will be required to receive an autograph. They can be reserved in advance by calling 866-888-6388 beginning Monday, May 5. Limit two wristbands per call. Reserved wristbands MUST be picked up no later than 5 p.m. Thursday, May 22, or they will no longer be reserved. All Wristband holders can enjoy a private shopping session at the CGRFS gift shop from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 23.
Reed Sorenson and the No. 41 Target Dodge Team (NSCS)
Too Tough to Tame: Sorenson will be making his sixth-career start at Darlington Raceway with a NSCS best finish of 11th in 2006. In the Nationwide Series, Sorenson has two top-15 finishes in three starts. Last year, the No. 41 Target Dodge suffered a blown right-front tire resulting in Sorenson hitting the outside wall. The team went behind the wall to make the necessary repairs to get back on track. Sorenson managed to pick up a few spots to finish 40th at the end of the night.
In the points: The Target Team moved up two positions to 30th in the NSCS owner standings after posting a 12th-place finish at Richmond International Raceway last weekend. Sorenson is 203 points out of 20th and 357 out of 12th, the final cut-off to the Chase.
Last Weekend: The Target team had a momentum building weekend in Richmond. Sorenson qualified the No. 41 Target Dodge fifth for the event, marking his highest qualifying run this season for the Target team. The team managed to avoid the big wreck and cross the finish line 12th.
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Test Session: The No. 41 Target Dodge team, led by Donnie Wingo, spent Monday and Tuesday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway testing for the upcoming NSCS events at the 1.5-mile quad-oval May 16-May25.
Juan Pablo Montoya and the No. 42 Wrigley’s™ Big Red® Dodge (NSCS)
Bold Colors: Wrigley’s Big Red brand will once again adorn the hood of the No. 42 Dodge Charger that Montoya will pilot at Darlington Raceway this weekend. This will be the third race for the Big Red paint scheme this season.
Darlington ‘07: Montoya has competed in just one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Darlington Raceway and his first experience at the track dubbed “Too Tough to Tame” was an eventful one. Montoya and the No. 42 team overcame a rain postponement, an incident on the track and a run-in on pit road to finish 23rd. The top-25 finish also earned him rookie of the race honors last year.
2008 Standings: Montoya slipped four positions in the standings after his 32nd-place finish at Richmond International Raceway last weekend. Montoya was 12th after his runner-up finish at Talladega, but dropped to 16th heading into this weekend’s race. Despite sitting outside the top 15, Montoya is just 66 points out of the top 12. Positions 12 through 17 in the standings are separated by less than 100 points. Following the Richmond race in 2007, Montoya and the No. 42 team were sitting 21st in points.
Last Race: Montoya spun on lap 138 and then was collected in a multi-car incident on lap 231 that forced the No. 42 Dodge behind the wall for repairs at Richmond International Raceway (RIR). The No. 42 crew repaired the damaged Dodge in 20 laps and then sent Montoya back on the track to take the checkered flag in 32nd place. By repairing the car, the team was able to gain five positions on the track before the end of the race.
Testing: The No. 42 team participated in the two-day NASCAR sanctioned test at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Monday and Tuesday. It was the first test session for Montoya and Crew Chief Jimmy Elledge.
He’s “SIRIUS” Again: For the second year in a row, listen to SIRIUS Satellite Radio every Tuesday on channel 128 for the “Juan Pablo Montoya Report.” Montoya will provide exclusive updates on the No. 42 Team; give post-race downloads and share his thoughts on the events of the season. He will also chat with hosts David Poole and Mike Bagley on “The Morning Drive” every Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. ET.
CHASSIS INFO
No. 40 Dodge Challenger (NSCS): Chassis #819. This 2008 car has been run in one race so far this year at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in early March (started 42nd, finished 33rd).
No. 41 Target Dodge (NSCS): Chassis #633. This chassis is the same car Sorenson and the No. 41 Target Team ran at Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this season to a 31st-place finish. Sorenson also raced the same car last year at Bristol (Spring) and Darlington.
No. 42 Big Red Dodge (NSCS): Chassis #731. Montoya and the team raced this chassis just once this season at California Speedway and earned a 20th-place finish.
Quotes
Sorenson speaks about racing at Darlington Raceway: “It’s one of those racetracks where you try to save as much tire as you can, but it is very difficult to do. It is a place where you have to be careful to not get close to the wall because it seems to jump out at you. You also have to race the race track and not worry about those around you. This is a place that doesn’t reward aggressiveness especially early on in a run.”
Reed on Mother’s Day: “My parents have always been extremely supportive of my racing career. My parents have put in a lot of hard work to get me where I am today. My mom took on a great deal of the business side of my racing early. The best Mother’s Day present would be meeting her in Victory Lane this weekend in Darlington. It would be a great way to show that her support has paid off.”
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