No. 34 Monster Energy Chevrolet Impala
Event Preview Fact Sheet
Event / Date:
WYPALL 200 Powered by Kimberly-Clark Professional 200 – Nov. 12, 2011Venue: Phoenix International Raceway – Avondale, Ariz.
This Week’s Monster Energy Chevrolet Impala … Ricky Carmichael will pilot Chassis TMS-311 from the Turner Motorsports NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) stable in Saturday’s WYPALL 200 Powered by Kimberly-Clark Professional at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR). This a brand-new Chevrolet Impala that will be put through its first paces this weekend in Phoenix.
Phoenix Facts … Carmichael will attempt to make his second NNS start at PIR in Saturday’s WYPALL 200. In his lone NNS start at the newly reconfigured one-mile desert oval, the 15-time American Motorcycle Association (AMA) National Champion started 41st and finished 21st, one lap down to the leaders. In NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) action, the 31-year old driver has made three starts, where he’s logged a 21.0 starting average, a 25.3 average finish, completed 419 of 451 laps (93 percent) and earned just over $25,500 in purse money.
A Look Back at Last Week … After being forced to start at the rear of the field following a pre-race engine change, Carmichael, a regular competitor in the NCWTS, and his Monster Energy Team bounced back to post a resilient and impressive eighth-place finish in last Friday night’s WinStar World Casino 350K at Texas Motor Speedway. The solid effort was Carmichael’s seventh top-10 finish of 2011 and bumped him up one spot, from 16th to 15th, in the NCWTS championship point standings.
In a Nutshell … The 2011 season marks Carmichael’s second year competing on a full-time basis and third overall in the NCWTS. Since making his series debut 67 races ago, he has gone on to earn four top-five and 18 top-10 finishes. Over those same 67 races, the motocross legend has logged a 14.8 average start, a 16.9 average finish, led 40 laps, completed 90.3 percent of the laps run and earned just over of $862,000 in purse money. In Nationwide Series competition, he’s made seven starts spanning the last two years and logged a career-best ninth-place finish earlier this season at Road America.
Calling the Shots … Veteran NASCAR crew chief Doug George, Carmichael’s crew chief in the NCWTS, will call the shots for the No. 34 team this weekend in Phoenix. Additionally, Carmichael’s entire Truck Series road crew will prepare the Monster Energy Chevy at PIR.
Nationwide Notes … In 32 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2011, TMS-fielded teams have notched three wins, 21 top-five and 61 top-10 finishes. TMS’s No. 32 Dollar General team maintained seventh in owner’s points after Brian Vickers finished 10th last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Justin Allgaier, driver of the No. 31 Brandt Chevrolet, was 14th in the final rundown after Texas and jumped from fourth to third in the driver point standings. Jason Leffler was credited with 15th at Texas and held on to sixth in points. NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series veteran Ron Hornaday Jr. will take over the reins of the Dollar General Chevy this weekend at PIR and make his 184th career NNS start. Hornaday boasts one pole, four wins, 32 top-five and 70 top-10 finishes spanning 13 seasons.
Welcome Aboard … Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy are pleased to welcome QuikTrip to the rear quarter panels, deck lid and TV panel of the No. 34 Monster Energy Impala this weekend in Phoenix. QuikTrip Corporation is a privately held company headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Founded in 1958, QuikTrip has grown to a $9 billion company with 580+ stores in nine major metropolitan areas. Those revenues place QuikTrip high on the Forbes listing of largest privately held companies. QuikTrip’s strategy is to be the dominant convenience/gasoline retailer in each market, and to reach that level not through sheer numbers of stores, but through key, high-volume locations. With over 10,000 employees, Fortune magazine has ranked QuikTrip high on the list of Best Companies To Work for the last nine years. QuikTrip also gives back to the communities it serves, donating five percent of net profits to charitable organizations.
Up to Speed … Live coverage of the WYPALL 200 Powered by Kimberly-Clark Professional will take the green flag Saturday, Nov. 11 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The race will be televised live on ESPN2 and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Qualifying for Carmichael’s fourth and final Nationwide Series start of 2011 will be televised live on SPEED the same day at noon EST.
RICKY CARMICHAEL QUOTES
You’re making your last Nationwide Series start of 2011. You’re a big fan of one-mile race tracks, Phoenix has a new configuration and you’ve got your buddy Ron Hornaday Jr., as a teammate this weekend. You’ve got to be excited about going to Phoenix.
“Life is good. Turner Motorsports and Monster Energy have given me a great opportunity to run some Nationwide Series races this year. I can’t wait to get out on the track Thursday and see what we’ve got. It’s a clean slate for everyone. The track has new pavement and I know the kink on the backstretch is a little different now so it’s going to be a new challenge for everyone. I’m really going to have to rely on the depth of our team so I’m excited to have my crew chief Doug George and my whole team from the Truck Series preparing the car. There will definitely be some synergies from that standpoint. It’s a great opportunity. I can’t wait.”
Have you had a chance to talk to anyone who has had the opportunity to go out to Phoenix and test so you know what to expect?
“I talked to (Kevin) Harvick about it and I saw Dale Jr. (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) out at the SEMA show in Las Vegas last week. Both of them had a chance to go test out there so they gave me some insight. The track is good in the main groove but you definitely have to err on the side of caution if you get out of the groove. I’ve heard the track has had some other cars out there to try and lay down some rubber. We get a couple of extra practices on Thursday so that will give us some more time to get out there and get a feel for the track. That’s going to help out a lot. My main focus is going to be paying close attention and giving good feedback. We’re not locked into the field so we’ll have to qualify on time. We’ll definitely have our work cut out for us. We’re all going to have to be on our toes this weekend – me especially when it comes to cutting a fast lap.”
You’ve also got a lot going on in Phoenix away from the race track.
“I always like going to Phoenix. My wife’s family is from out there and my kids will be out there, too so it’s going to be a fun weekend. On Wednesday, I’ll go to 2XL, which is the company that designed the Ricky Carmichael Motocross Matchup video game and record some voice-overs. I’ve got a dinner with the folks from QuikTrip on Friday and that’s always a great time. I’m just looking forward to the weekend. It’s a great opportunity and I want to make the best of it.”
- Turner Motorsports Press Release
