NAPA AUTO PARTS TO SPONSOR RYAN TRUEX IN NATIONWIDE SERIES DEBUT

CORNELIUS, N.C. – Michael Waltrip Racing announced today that NAPA AUTO PARTS will sponsor defending K&N Pro Series East champion and current points leader Ryan Truex, when he makes his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Gateway International Raceway on July 17.

He’ll pilot the No. 00 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota at the St. Louis track with his East series crew chief Mike Greci helping to guide his way. Truex will race in five additonal Nationwide races in 2010.

The 18-year-old from Mayetta, N.J. is very familiar with the NAPA Racing program. Not only is his older brother Martin Truex Jr. driver of the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, but NAPA sponsored him during his championship run in the East Series last year.

“I want to thank NAPA AUTO PARTS for all they have done for me. I’m just excited to finally get started and have them on board for the Gateway race,” said Truex who won the New England 125 K&N Pro Series East event on June 25. “Three years ago I remember racing a Legend car at Wall Stadium in New Jersey and now I’m here. It’s hard to believe how fast it’s come, but I’m excited, ready to get started and make the most of this opportunity.”

“We are proud to be a part of Ryan’s first start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series as he advances to the next level in his career. Ryan has proven to have the talent that warrants this opportunity.” stated NAPA President, Bob Susor. “NAPA was fortunate enough to be along for the ride as Ryan picked up numerous wins in route to the 2009 K&N Pro Series East championship. It will be fun watching his progress and we wish him and his team the best of luck.”

Truex Jr., is a two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion and has two poles and a race win at Gateway. He is ready to lend his little brother support when he runs in NASCAR’s second-tiered division. It’s a series that has launched many careers including his own. He’s hoping the same holds true for Ryan.

“I look forward to watching Ryan make his first start in the Nationwide Series. It’s going to be a big day for him. It’s been fun to watch his progress. He hasn’t been racing very long and he’s come a long way as a driver. He’s been impressive. I’ll coach if he needs help, but he’s done a great job so far and he’s got a great team and sponsor behind him for this race. I haven’t decided yet if I am going to go. I am a nervous wreck when he races. It’s a 250 miler. I’m not sure I can handle that.”

MWR plans to run Ryan Truex in six NASCAR Nationwide Series events this season and is seeking sponsorship support. On the schedule are Michigan, Richmond, Kansas, Charlotte and Homestead-Miami Speedway. Plans are also in the works to run Truex fulltime in the Nationwide Series in 2011, if sponsorship can be secured.

Ryan Truex leads the K&N Pro Series East point standings by 33 markers over Darrell Wallace Jr. On Saturday the series races at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn., where Truex is the defending race winner.

About NAPA

NAPA was founded in 1925 to meet America’s growing need for a world-class auto parts distribution system. By providing excellent customer service for more than 80 years, NAPA has become the industry leader.

NAPA’s strength is unrivaled, with over 6,000 NAPA AUTO PARTS stores, 64 Distribution Centers, more than 13,000 NAPA AutoCare and AutoCare Collision repair facilities, over 400,000 parts in inventory every day and the convenience of 24-hour shopping with NAPAonline. NAPA AUTO PARTS stores provide friendly, personalized service. Our highly trained and experienced professionals are here to help you get the job done. With our huge in-stock inventory, NAPA provides the parts you need when you need them.

NAPA is currently participating its 15th season of primary sponsorship in NASCAR. NAPA AUTO PARTS has visited victory lane in all three major NASCAR series – Truck, Nationwide and Sprint Cup – amassing 30 wins, two Daytona 500 victories, and two Truck Series championships.

Martin Truex Jr. Daytona Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota driver Martin Truex Jr. celebrates his 30th birthday today (Tuesday) and couldn’t be happier with his life. He’s coming off a Truex-family win last weekend when younger brother Ryan won the K&N Pro Series East race at New Hampshire and Saturday big brother gets another shot at Daytona International Speedway —site of a career-best sixth-place finish in the Daytona 500. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver looked strong at both Daytona and Talladega restrictor plate tracks this season and should be a contender Saturday. Truex owns a victory at the historic 2.5-mile track winning the 2005 Nationwide race.

 

QUOTES

 

Truex on Returning to Daytona: “I cannot wait to go back to Daytona. We had a shot to win the Daytona 500. That’s all you can ask for when you go to those plate races. It’s all about making it to the end and having a shot. Our NAPA Toyota was really good throughout the whole race. I felt like we were one of the best handling cars out there. It’s all about handling when we go back there.”

 

On the Differences Between the February and July races: “I think it is going to be a lot different. We have a bigger plate and a spoiler now. It’s going to be really hot as usual. The slicker it is the harder it is to get a hold of the track. With the bigger plate and the new spoiler, if you can get your car handling, you can really make some things happen. We’re really not sure how the spoiler is going to change things. We ran it at Talladega. We saw what it did there, but Daytona is such a different track. Talladega is all about speed and not about handling. Daytona is the opposite. We are going to go there with an open mind and work on it in practice. I feel good about our NAPA Toyota and the package we are taking. It should be a lot of fun.”

 

Truex on Turning 30: “Time flies when you are having fun! It feels like yesterday that I moved down to North Carolina to run the Nationwide Series car. I was just 22 or 23 years old. Age is just a number. I don’t feel 30 so I am doing all right. Yesterday, I opened a present from NAPA. It was a framed picture from our announcement last year and that really means a lot to me. It’s going up in my office. They’ve really welcomed me into the NAPA family and it’s meant a lot.”

 

On the Truex-Family Victory: “It was a neat deal last Friday. There are now three Truexs on the winners list in the K&N Pro Series East at New Hampshire. I think it was really special for my dad. I was a nervous wreck. I want him to do well and enjoy what he is doing. It’s an exciting time for Ryan. He’s leading the East championship and is preparing for his Nationwide Series debut at Gateway.”

 

Notes

 

Saturday’s race is Truex’s 170th Sprint Cup Series race and 11th at Daytona. His best start at the superspeedway is first (Feb. 15, 2009) and best finish is sixth. (Feb. 14, 2010) During his career at Daytona, Truex has earned a pole, a top-ten and six top–20 finishes. His average start is 16th and his average finish is 20th.

In Nationwide Series competition at Daytona, Truex has driven in seven events. His best start is first (Feb. 14, 2004) and best finish is first (July 1, 2005). During his career, Truex has earned three top–five and five top-10 finishes. His average start is 11th and his average finish is ninth.

Trevor Bayne - Daytona Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota driver Trevor Bayne knows from experience that finishing a race in one piece at Daytona International Speedway has a lot to do with luck. In the season opener, Bayne started the race 17th but only ran six laps before another competitor sent him into the outside retaining wall and ended his day with a 41st-place finish. However, Bayne hopes his momentum from the past three weeks will help him to a solid finish this weekend. Over the last three weeks, the Knoxville, Tenn., native has grabbed three consecutive top-15 finishes, two consecutive top-10 finishes and a career-best finish of fifth at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He has also moved up to 10th in the NNS championship point standings. Friday marks the debut of the new Nationwide Series car.


QUOTES

TREVOR BAYNES THOUGHTS ON THE NEW NATIONWIDE CAR: “We tested the new car at the Milwaukee Mile and they are a driver’s race car. You can really hustle them. They’re just as quick as the old Nationwide car. I thought they were going to be about a half-a-second off when we were there testing, but they were actually just as fast. They were a lot of fun through the center of the corner and they turn really well. The complaints of the COT when it first came out were how tight it is so they took that, they fixed it for the Nationwide car now and it’s pretty unbelievable. I think the Daytona race is going to be a lot of crazy stuff happening just because they are so free. We were looking at our data from the test and we had more wheel to the right than I did to the left sometimes, but they’re fun to drive and I think it’s going to go back to making the cars handle rather than just go fast even at those superspeedways. They’re still easy to adjust so I think it’s going to be good racing.”

ON BEING IN THE TOP 10 IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS: “It’s cool to work our way back into the top 10 after the season we have had so far. We have had a lot of ups and downs. We started the season off with a 41st-place finish at Daytona and just have struggled since. However, over the past couple of weeks we have started to hit our stride and grab some solid finishes. We had a good car in Kentucky and finished 11th then stayed on the race track at Road America and finished 10th. had a really fast race car in New Hampshire and finished fifth. It’s like we are finally starting to get the finishes we deserve. When we have solid weeks like this at the race track it gives us something to build off of.”

ON RETURNING TO DAYTONA: “I like Daytona a lot but honestly I didn't get to learn a lot at Daytona since we got wrecked on lap six. I kind of see this as my Daytona debut. I really didn’t get to learn a lot in Daytona. We didn’t get to qualify and we didn't get to race so I am going to Daytona kind of blind. I think the best spot to run is out front. If you are one of the lead cars 90 percent of the time you will stay out of the wrecks.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• Bayne will sign autographs in the Sprint FANZONE under the Goodyear Legends area on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

• Diamond-Waltrip Racing is owned by Gary and Blake Bechtel along with Michael Waltrip Racing. It fields Toyota Camrys out of the MWR shop in Cornelius, N.C. The Bechtels have owned cars in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series since 1990. The Morgan Hill, California residents’ teams have visited victory lane 10 times in the Nationwide Series.

• After a career-best finish of fifth-place at New Hampshire, Bayne jumped into the top 10 in the championship point standings for the first time in his young career. He is also fourth among the non-Sprint Cup drivers in the Nationwide Series.

• Get your dog’s picture on Bayne’s No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota by going to www.outpetcare.com and register for the “Top Dog of the Week.”

David Reutimann - Coke Zero 400 Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver David Reutimann heads to Daytona International Speedway for Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 with more on his mind than most NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers. The Zephyrhills, Fla. native plans to visit the kids at Camp Boggy Creek in Eustis, Fla. to present a donation from the David Reutimann Foundation. He’s also mindful of the potential problems faced by many of his friends, family and fans as the Gulf Oil spill creeps closer to Florida’s western coast.

REUTIMANN QUOTES

ON CAMP BOGGY CREEK: “We’ve been affiliated with Camp Boggy Creek for about the past two years through The David Reutimann Foundation. We got involved with the camp through my cousin Shawn (Reutimann), Bud Smith and some folks who told me this is really something that we should look into. Shawn went last year and when he came back he said we have to do more because this is a really, really great deal – obviously similar to what the Pettys do with the Victory Junction Gang camp, but Camp Boggy Creek is in Florida. Most of the charities that we get involved with through the foundation are primarily in Florida so it was a pretty good fit to try to lend our support. I’m really looking forward to taking a little bit of money over there and spending some time with the campers.”

ON THE GULF COAST OIL SPILL: “I know there are a lot of people who will be impacted by the oil spill over the next few years, unfortunately. Most of the people I know who live in Florida are involved in the automotive industry, so I don’t know many people that really rely on the Gulf to make their living or anything like that. I’m sure it’s going to hit more areas of Florida and place I like to visit and I’m familiar with, but hopefully that’s not the case. It certainly seems like it’s going to be tough for the state of Florida to avoid any of that.”

DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO BECOME INVOLVED IN HELPING PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THE OIL SPILL: “We are looking at different scenarios within The David Reutimann Foundation to see what we can do and where we can help. I would imagine that there will be many charities that we’ll help. I’m sure we’ll look supporting families that are hurt by the disaster in the Gulf. We’re exploring opportunities now and we’re going to see what is out there. We want to help instead of just throw money at a situation that’s not going to benefit many people. You need to be smart about who you work with to make sure that the money and support is given to the people who need it most.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• Reutimann will visit children campers Friday at Camp Boggy Creek, A Hole in the Wall Camp, in Eustis, Fla. Reutimann, a native of Zephyrhills, Fla., is a longtime supporter of Camp Boggy Creek through The David Reutimann Foundation.

• In the last nine point races, Reutimann has scored 1,147 points - eighth most of any driver and moved from 30th in points to 19th. The 11-position gain is the largest gain among any driver over that span.

• Reutimann and Kevin Harvick are the only two drivers to finish on the lead lap of the last nine races. Reutimann collected 20 bonus points for leading laps in four of the nine. Reutimann has seven top-15 finishes, including top-fives at Dover and Charlotte during that span.

• Reutimann has finished 20th or better in 12 of the 13 races that he has been running at the finish in 2010—and 15th or better in nine of the 13. Reutimann’s lowest finish in a race that he finished was 28th at Martinsville.

MWR New Hampshire Race Report

• David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry - Finished 15th - 19th in points.
• Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry - Finished 22nd – 18th in points.

 

 David Reutimann Race Summary: David Reutimann and the No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine battled in the top-15 throughout Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. As the field spread out over long green flag runs in the first 235 laps, the No. 00 team pitted early to take advantage of new tires and gain track position. But on lap 236 it found itself stuck on pit road when the caution flag flew dropping it a lap behind the leaders. Following the pit stop the No. 00 team restarted 15th and worked its way up to 11th before a flurry of late-race caution flags. Reutimann raced for tenth in the closing laps but a collision with Denny Hamlin dropped him to 15th where he finished the race. The Aaron’s Dream Machine returns to action Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway.

  David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry

•  The Aaron’s Dream Machine started sixth and finished 15th
• The No. 00 battled a tight condition early and a loose condition late in the race
• A caution came out on lap 236 as the No. 00 attempted to short pit and Reutimann lost a lap to the leaders.
• The No. 00 took the wave around on lap 241 to regain lead lap status and restarted 15th
• The No. 00 was battling for 10th on lap 292 when contact was made with Denny Hamlin dropped the No. 00 to 15th.

 REUTIMANN QUOTE: "That's a pretty frustrating day for the No. 00 Aaron's Dream Machine team. We were decent all day, just never very good. We went back and forth trying to find the right balance, but just never seemed to get on the other side of it. We had good stops all day and my guys worked their butts off all weekend to give us everything we had. We tried to short pit late in the race and were caught on pit road when the No. 9 lost its engine - that didn't help matters any. Then we finally got up to about 10th with a couple laps to go and got tangled up with the No. 11. That dropped both cars back about five spots - which is where we finished - 15th."

 

 

 Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota

 

Martin Truex Jr. Race Summary: It was a challenging afternoon for Martin Truex Jr. at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race. After 301 laps, the NAPA AUTO PARTS TOYOTA came home with a 22nd-place finish leaving him 18th in points. Truex survived the long green flag runs in the first two-thirds of the race and a flurry of late cautions in the final stages that saw him return to the lead lap after falling down two laps. Truex reported his biggest challenge was the temperamental handling of his Toyota throughout the race. The NAPA AUTO PARTS TOYOTA returns to action Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway.

•  Truex Jr. started 26th and finished 22nd
• Truex Jr. battled a car that went from loose to tight throughout the race
• No. 56 Toyota went a lap down to the leader at lap 217
• No. 56 fell a second lap down to the leaders on lap 236 when it was caught on pit road trying to short pit
• The NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota took the wave around to gain a lap back on lap 241.
• Truex Jr. raced as high as 16th before pitting on lap 291 for four tires and adjustments.

 TRUEX QUOTE:"We definitely need to be better when we come back here in the fall. Qualifying definitely hurt us because it was so hard to pass. It seemed as if nothing really worked out in our favor. I think that last caution really hurt us. If it would have stayed green, we would have been OK. I'm looking forward to returning to all the tracks now. (Crew Chief) Pat (Tryson) and I have notes now to work off of so I am hoping everything will work out."

 

 RACE NOTES:

•  Jimmie Johnson won for the fifth time in 2010.
•  Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top-five
• JTG-Daugherty driver Marcos Ambrose finished 13th.
• Point leader Kevin Harvick leads second place Jimmie Johnson by 105 points
• The race lasted two hours forty-eight minutes in front of an estimated crowd of 91,000
• The race featured 14 lead changes among nine drivers
• The race was slowed by four cautions for a total of 19 laps
• The next race is July 3, 2010 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.

 

Trevor Bayne - New Hampshire Race Report

Trevor Bayne, No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota Camry - finished fifth - now 10th in points.


Trevor Bayne Race Summary: Diamond-Waltrip Racing driver Trevor Bayne posted a career-best finish of fifth in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The OUT! Pet Care Toyota started the race in 18th but quickly moved to 12th when the first caution flew on lap six. The 19-year-old driver fought a tight-handling race car, but still charged into the top 10 by lap 92. Bayne never stopped going forward and raced sixth with less than 50 laps remaining. With 18 laps to go, the Knoxville, Tenn., native wrestled fifth away from Justin Alligaier and held on to score the highest finish of a non-Sprint Cup driver. Bayne, the youngest fulltime driver in the series, is 10th in the championship point standings. The series debuts its news cars Friday under the lights at Daytona International Speedway.

TREVOR BAYNE, No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota

• Bayne started 18th finished fifth – a career-best.

• Bayne was the highest finishing Nationwide-only driver

• Picked up his second consecutive top-10 finish and third consecutive top-15 finish

• Moved up one spot to 10th in the NASCAR Nationwide Series point standings

• Fought a tight-handling race car for the majority of the race.

• Picked up seven spots in the first six laps

• Moved into the top 10 on lap 92 and stayed there the final 108 laps. Grabbed fifth on the lap 182 restart and held off Justin Allgaier

BAYNE QUOTE: “It’s awesome to be going back on an uphill slope. We got in a little slump there for a while, but we’ve got a lot of good things going on. Out Pet Care came on board here and ever since then, it seems like we’ve been climbing. We finished 11th at Kentucky, 10th at the road course and now fifth here. It looks like we have to just keep doing what we’re doing and we’ll be good to go.”

NNS Racing Results

• Kyle Busch won the New England 200, his 36th victory in 186 NNS starts.

• Busch became the all-time NASCAR Nationwide Series lap leader with 8,117 laps led.

• This is his sixth victory and 10th top-10 finish in 2010.

• Brad Keselowski (second) posted his third top-10 finish in three races at NHMS

• Carl Edwards, Joey Logano and Bayne rounded out the top five

• The race featured 16 lead changes among six drivers. Cautions slowed the race four times for 16 laps.

• NASCAR estimated 40,000 race fans in attendance at New Hampshire

Ryan Truex Wins at New Hampshire

MWR's K&N Pro Series East Race Report

New Hampshire Motor Speedway

• Ryan Truex, No. 00 Toyota Camry - finished first and remains first in points.

Ryan Truex Race Summary: The New Hampshire Motor Speedway has been kind to the Truex family. On Friday, 18-year-old Ryan Truex joined his father Martin Sr. and his brother Martin Jr. as a winner on the flat, mile oval in Loudon, N.H. The youngest Truex led 65 of 125 laps to claim his first victory of the 2010 season and first at the track.

Truex, the 2009 series champion, took over the lead on lap 60 and never gave it back surviving a number of restarts late in the race.

“This is my Daytona 500,” said Truex in victory lane. “This is the most important race of the year for the East Series and I am so thankful for my family, my team, my crew and everyone connected with Michael Waltrip Racing.”

Truex will make his Nationwide Series debut on July 17 at Gateway International Raceway and run six races in 2010.

SPEED-TV will broadcast the race on Thursday, July 1 at 6 p.m.

The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East will return to the track at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn., on Saturday, July 3.

Ryan Truex, No. 00 Toyota Camry

• Truex crossed the finish line by .477 seconds over Kevin Swindell.

• Truex was followed across the line Friday by Kevin Swindell, Darrell Wallace Jr., Ryan Gifford and Brett Moffitt in the top five.

• With the New Hampshire win, Truex earned a secured starting position in the postseason NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown in Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.).

Michael Waltrip Racing - New Hampshire Motor Speedway Qualifying Report

- David Reutimann, Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry - Qualified sixth
- Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry - Qualified 26th

Sunday afternoon’s race from New Hampshire Motor Speedway gets underway on TNT, PRN Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio 128 starting at 1 p.m. ET.

Friday Recap
• Juan Pablo Montoya won the Coors Light Pole Award with a time of 28.781 sec.
• Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin and Ryan Newman rounded out the top-five
• Current point leader Kevin Harvick qualified 24th
• JTG-Daugherty Racing driver Marcos Ambrose qualified the No. 47 Toyota 12th

DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Qualified sixth
“It was a good lap. The Aaron’s Dream Machine was good both laps. Rodney Childers (crew chief) and the guys made some adjustments on it after practice. After the first runs there and even out on pit road, changing tire pressures and stuff like that right up to the last second. Ended up making a good call. The car was solid, drove really, really well and it was more stable and predictable that I anticipated it being. I think I might have messed us up a little bit. He told us going out that probably the first lap was going to be as good as anything else just due to the way things have been going for us. We were a little quicker on our second lap, but not much.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, Qualified 26th
“It just wouldn’t go. The rear tires chattered pretty bad. We’ve been battling that since we’ve gotten here. I’m disappointed with qualifying and I’m sure the draw didn’t help. We went out early again. But for me, where you start here is not as important as it is at certain tracks. We’ve got two more practices tomorrow and I’ve got all the confidence in the world that Pat and the NAPA crew will get it all worked out.”

Truexs Visit New Hampshire Media Center

Martin Sr., Martin Jr. and Ryan Truex visited the New Hampshire Speedway media center on Friday to discuss Ryan's  July 17 Nationwide Series debut.

RYAN TRUEX, No. 00 Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

NOTE: Ryan Truex will make his NNS debut at Gateway International Raceway in July 17, 2010

How big of an opportunity is it for you to race in the Nationwide Series?

“It is a really big opportunity and I’m just excited to get started. I can’t wait to get the first race started – Gateway on July 17. I just can’t thank everyone enough at MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing) for giving me this opportunity. Three years ago I remember racing a Legend car at Wall Stadium in New Jersey and now I’m here. It’s hard to believe how fast it’s come, but I’m excited, ready to get started and make the most of my opportunity.”

Do you feel pressure from your brother because he has won two NNS championships?

“It’s pretty big shoes to fill. I don’t expect to go out and set the world on fire. I know it’s not going to happen. I’m just going to get my feet wet and just try to get as much experience as I can. I’m not going to go in and think I can run top-10 or top-five or anything like that. It’s a tough series. It took him (Martin Truex Jr.) a lot of starts to figure it out. It’s going to be tough. I put more pressure on myself than anything just to run as good as him just because of the last name and everything. I’m just going to go and try to do the best that I can.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

Are you coaching Ryan Truex for his Nationwide start?

“I’m not sure where we race that weekend. It’s been fun to watch Ryan (Truex) progress. Like he said, he hasn’t been doing this very long and he’s come a long way as a driver. He’s been impressive on the race track and behind the wheel. All the things that he’s done has led to this point. I’ll coach if he needs help, but he’s done a great job so far and he’s got a great team behind him. I look forward to watching him make his first start in the Nationwide Series.”

Do you have any ownership in Ryan Truex’s NNS car?

“As of right now, I’m not sure how it’s working to be honest with you. We’re working with MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing) in anyway possible to get Ryan (Truex) on the race track. Me and my dad were the owners of the East team before MWR stepped in and said, ‘Hey, we would like to do this with you.’ They’ve been very gracious and been a big part of Ryan’s career, obviously. I think we kind of have a small part in the Nationwide deal, but not nearly as much as the East deal.”

MARTIN TRUEX SR.

How do you feel about your youngest son making his Nationwide Series start?

“I am very proud of him. In the early days I wasn’t sure this is what he wanted to do and I really never coaxed him to do it. When he was about 14 years old, he decided he wanted to race. I wasn’t real happy about it, but we’re proud of what he’s doing and he’s really come a long way in a short time. I think he’s really got some true talent. As we progress up the ladder, we’ll see what he has.”

PATRICK CARPENTIER TO DRIVE NO. 00 NAPA TOYOTA IN MONTREAL NATIONWIDE RACE

CORNELIUS, N.C. - Michael Waltrip Racing announced today that Canadian driver Patrick Carpentier will race the No. 00 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota in the NAPA Auto Parts 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal on Aug. 29.


The Joliette (Quebec) native won the pole for this race in 2007, finished second in 2007 and 2008, and looked to be the fastest car on the track in 2009 before mechanical failure resulted in a 38th-place finish.

“Every race car driver wants to do well, but when you race in front of all your friends and family in your hometown it becomes something extra special,” said the 38-year-old Carpentier who has led 14 laps on the 2.71-mile road course. “We’ve been so close in Montreal and last year I thought we were going to have a shot at the win. NAPA and Michael Waltrip Racing gave me a great car last year and I expect to contend for the victory again this year. Winning in Montreal would definitely be a highlight in my career.”

Carpentier owns 13 Nationwide and 33 Sprint Cup starts after winning five races in CART in a stellar open wheel career.

“Patrick was our first choice, and we are undoubtedly very happy with this agreement. Not only is he from the region but his name is synonymous with talent, perseverance and sportsmanship wherever he performs,” said Robert Hattem, president and COO of UAP Inc. “It was a natural fit for us to offer Patrick the wheel for this event and allow the public to witness his unique know-how.”

MWR fields fulltime NASCAR Sprint Cup teams for Truex and David Reutimann as well as a K&N Pro Series entry for Ryan Truex. MWR along with Gary and Blake Bechtel co-own Diamond-Waltrip Racing that fields a fulltime Nationwide entry for Trevor Bayne who will also race in Montreal.

NAPA Auto Parts, a subsidiary of UAP Inc., a Canadian leader in the distribution, merchandising and remanufacturing of automotive parts and replacement accessories for cars, trucks and heavy vehicles. Over the years, UAP has earned a reputation for product excellence, unsurpassed customer service, support and dynamic growth in all of its markets – a dynamism prompting profitable expansion from the very beginning in 1926 when the company was established as United Auto Parts Limited. Today, the company has more than 4,000 employees. UAP Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company (GPC).

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David Reutimann - New Hampshire Motor Speedway Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver David Reutimann has scored the seventh most points of any driver over the last eight races (since his last of three DNFs this season), gained nine positions in the standings - which is the most of any driver and is one of only three drivers to finish each of the last eight races on the lead lap. But, the 40-year-old from Zephryhills, Fla. knows that in order to claw his way back into the top-12 to have a shot at the Chase for the Championship his team cannot waste any time and must pick up their program.

REUTIMANN QUOTES

ON WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE No. 00 TEAM TO MAKE THE CHASE WITH TEN RACES REMAINING: “We are going to have to start consistently finishing in the top five. That’s the only way to do it. The only other way is to hope that everyone in front of you has bad races, but you can’t rely on that. We just have to consistently put our Aaron’s Dream Machine in the top five and a bad day for us has to be around 11th or 12th. Even at that rate you’re still pushing the issue trying to get it done. We have our work cut out for us for sure, but we have ever since we started the year with getting knocked back in the points. We’re definitely clawing our way back, but we really have to pick up our program here and get back to running in the top five.”

ON NEW HAMPSHIRE: “We’ve been pretty good up in New Hampshire at times and we’ve also just been okay at times. It’s been a decent racetrack for us, but we’ve struggled there as well. I feel like our program has consistently gotten better at each track this year, so I’m expecting to have a good weekend.”

ON THE IMPACT OF DOUBLE-FILE RESTARTS THE LAST FEW WEEKS: “They have seemed to be a little crazy lately, but it always happens at the end of a race, where guys are trying to get a good finish. It gets a little bit brutal, especially at certain racetracks. At some racetracks it’s not so bad, but when you go to a road course or someplace where it’s really, really hard to pass and it seems like everybody starts running over one another. It’s just the nature of the beast and it’s what we have to work with. The fans seems to like it, so I guess in the end it’s not such a bad situation.”

ARE YOU EXPECTING DRIVERS TO GIVE PAYBACKS THIS WEEKEND? “I think if you’ve got a problem with a certain guy and the opportunity arises – I mean, I guess you don’t ever know. I guess it depends on the situation. A lot of times I think it’s good that we have a week in between races because it gives you a chance to cool down. Or if you have an issue with someone, it gives you a chance to talk during the course of the week. A lot of times when you get back to the racetrack things aren’t as bad as they were when you left, but at the same time some guys just don’t forget. You may see some this weekend, but it’s hard to say, it just depends on the situation.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• In the last eight point races, Reutimann has scored 1029 points - seventh most of any driver and moved from 30th in points to 21st (See Sidebar). He is one of only three drivers to finish on the lead lap of the last eight races and collected 20 bonus points for leading laps in four of the eight. Reutimann has six top-15 finishes, including top-fives at Dover and Charlotte during that span.

• Reutimann has finished 20th or better in 12 of the 13 races that he has been running at the finish in 2010—and 15th or better in nine of the 13. Reutimann’s lowest finish in a race that he finished was 28th at Martinsville.

Trevor Bayne - New Hampshire Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Products Toyota driver Trevor Bayne, the youngest fulltime NASCAR Nationwide Series driver, reached a small milestone of 30 starts last weekend at Road America. The 19-year-old Diamond-Waltrip Racing driver continues to gain experience while impressing many along the way. In those 30 starts, Bayne has grabbed a pole (Indianapolis), four top-10s including his 10th-place finish at Road America, 13 top-15s and has led 34 laps. The Knoxville, Tenn., native has really shined in qualifying. He has six top-five and 16 top-10 starting positions. He boasts a 12.3 starting average and has only started nine races outside the top 15.


QUOTES

TREVOR BAYNE ON NEW HAMPSHIRE: “I really like New Hampshire. I have had some success there (a top-five and top-10 finish in the K&N Pro Series East competition) and have led some laps. You really have to get all your braking done there before you hit the corners. New Hampshire isn’t considered a short track but it really drives like one. Forward bite is something that we really have to work on this weekend. You have to be able to carry a lot of speed off the corners. I really like the tracks that require a lot of throttle control. On the mile-and-a-half tracks, sometimes you can just stand on the gas and not worry about spinning the tires. I really think we have a chance to have a solid run this weekend.”

ON WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED IN YOUR FIRST 30 STARTS: “I have learned a lot over these first 30 races. However, I still have a lot to learn. I think the biggest thing I have learned so far is patience. These Nationwide races are so much longer than the East races. I have had to learn when to race hard and when to save my equipment.”

ON THE CHANGE IN MINDSET OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF RACES: “The past couple of weeks we have just concentrated on keeping the car in one piece and that has led to some really good finishes. I have been working a lot on just giving 80 percent for most of the race and not trying to win the race on the first lap. The last couple of months were really tough on me and the guys. We tore up a lot of good equipment and didn't really have anything to show for it. Jerry Baxter (crew chief) and I have worked really hard on just finishing every lap of each race. I think this new mentality has helped my confidence over the past couple of weeks.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST



• Bayne will hold a media availability session in the New Hampshire Motor Speedway media center on Friday at 9 a.m.



• Bayne will sign autographs at the OUT! Pet Care display in the Fan Zone on Saturday at noon.



• Diamond-Waltrip Racing is owned by Gary and Blake Bechtel along with Michael Waltrip Racing. It fields Toyota Camrys out of the MWR shop in Cornelius, N.C. The Bechtels have owned cars in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series since 1990. The Morgan Hill, California residents’ teams have visited victory lane 10 times in the Nationwide Series.



• Bayne is 11th in points, but fifth among the non-Sprint Cup drivers in the Nationwide Series.



• Bayne has two K&N Pro Series East starts at the New England oval. The 19-year-old driver has one top-five and two top-10 finishes. He also led laps during both of his starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.



• Get your dog’s picture on Bayne’s No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota by going to www.outpetcare.com and register for the “Top Dog of the Week.”

Martin Truex Jr. New Hampshire Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota driver Martin Truex Jr. has a simple plan for forgetting last weekend’s Infineon Raceway disappointment — win Sunday’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Truex saw a top-five run end after contact with Jeff Gordon dropped him back in the field exposing him to a multi-car accident that ended his race. The Mayetta, N.J. native hopes for a more pleasant outcome Sunday on the mile oval where he won in NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series East driving for his father Martin Truex Sr. The younger Truex also scored his first Nationwide Series victory there in 2005. In the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Truex has scored the ninth most points in the last eight races at the Loudon, N.H. track.

QUOTES

Martin Truex Jr. Keys to Running Well at New Hampshire: “It is a pretty flat, fast and hard braking track. You need good brakes. You need to carry a lot of entry speed to be able to roll through the center. That’s the main thing. Usually if you can turn better than everybody else through the center, you’ll be really good. When it comes to qualifying, I don’t think your qualifying spot is as important as it is at certain tracks. A lot of times the race there seems to come down to tire strategies. Do you get two tires, four tires or no tires? It’s just the way it plays out. You just need to be on the right pit cycle at the end of the race. If you have a good car there at the end and you can pit for two or no tires, the chances are good to get a decent finish.”

Truex on why New Hampshire fits his Driving Style? “I kind of cut my teeth there. It was my first big track I ever raced on. I raced in the Busch North (now K&N Pro Series East) Series and won some races in that division when I was driving for my dad’s team. I’ve even raced a modified there. My first big NASCAR win came at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the Nationwide Series and it led to a championship. It’s an important place in terms of my career. It’s a place I have raced a lot. I have always enjoyed it. When you like a place, usually you do better at it.”

Thoughts on the Infineon Raceway Incident: “It’s very frustrating that we put so much effort in what we do and it takes one guy’s mistake to screw it up for you. It is really going to hurt our chances to make The Chase. The 42nd-place finish is going to kill us. The NAPA team continues to do a great job. Our cars are running fast. It was by far the best car I have ever driven at Infineon Raceway. We had a great run going. I really thought it was going to be a good day for us. It just stinks when someone screws it up for you. I wish in our situation that things were different. I wish that we were in a position where what happened to us on Sunday wouldn’t cost us a chance to make the Chase. All we can do is go back to work and keep working hard. Hopefully this kind of stuff doesn’t happen again. We’ve had a couple of bad weeks. We didn’t run as well as we should have at Charlotte. We got in the late-race wreck at Pocono. At Michigan we didn’t run as well as we should have. This past weekend we were really good and were wrecked. It just seems like when we run well, we still do not get the finishes. That’s what we are missing right now. We still need to work on that.”

Notes

Truex Jr., Truex Sr. and younger brother Ryan Truex will hold a media availability session in the New Hampshire Motor Speedway media center on Friday at 1:30 p.m.

Truex competes in his 169th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Truex has eight starts at the 1.058-mile oval. His best start is second (Sept. 16, 2007) and best finish is third (July 1, 2007). He’s earned three top-five, four top-10 and seven top-25 finishes. His average start is 11th and average finish is 14th. He has completed 2,266 of 2,365 laps (95.8%). He’s led 47 laps in competition.

Take advantage of a great NAPA promotion this month. Consumers can visit a NAPA AUTO PARTS Store or a NAPA AutoCare Center, and get the following mail-in rebates—

$20 rebate on the NAPA Optima Heavy-Duty batteries, $15 rebate on NAPA Legend 84 month battery and $10 rebate on all NAPA LEGEND 75-month batteries.

Ryan Truex - New Hampshire Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Ryan Truex hopes to add to his K&N Pro Series East points lead on Friday in the New England 125 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. This race marks the halfway point in the series’ ten-race schedule. Truex, the 2009 series champion, is just eight points ahead of Darrell Wallace Jr. after taking over the lead at Martinsville Speedway on June. 6. Truex raced from the 32nd to second when rain shortened the race to just 175 laps. The 18-year-old Michael Waltrip Racing Development driver will also run six NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2010 beginning at Gateway International Raceway on July 17.


QUOTES

ON NEW HAMPSHIRE: “This week we’re going to New Hampshire, and I’m really excited about that. We ran there last year and ran really well, we should have had a win or two. We raced there two times and I think we are going to run good. Hopefully we can be up front and try to defend our points lead.”

ON BEING CLOSE TO HOME: “It’s a pretty special track to me. It’s close to home, and my brother and my dad have both won their first races there. I almost got it last year, so hopefully we can go there this year and get the win. I’m really excited to be there. It’s just a fun track – I like everything about it. My brother has taught me a lot about it and my dad has too, so I’m excited to go back.”

ON RACE STRATEGY: “New Hampshire, unlike most tracks, we have to pit for tires and gas because it’s a longer race. The strategy is a little different there. You want to try to get your tires and gas early so you can get back your track position before everyone else pits. It’s hard to say what exactly you are going to do, you just have to play it by ear as the race goes on. You don’t want to go too early to get tires and end up shuffled back when everyone else gets new tires, but then you don’t want to pit too late and end up having bad track position. It’s pretty tough. We did pretty good at that last year and stayed up front. I’m confident that we can do it again this year.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST



• Truex along with Martin Truex Jr. and Sr. will hold a media availability at the New Hampshire Speedway media center at 1:30 p.m. on Friday.



• The 18-year-old driver is first in K&N Pro Series East standings, with 631 points. He leads second place, Darrell Wallace Jr., by eight points.



• The Mayetta, N.J. native is the first driver to earn a championship for Michael Waltrip Racing.



• Truex earned the first series championship title for Toyota in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East last year.



• Truex is the third member of his family to compete in the K&N Pro Series East. His father, Martin Truex Sr., and his brother Martin Truex Jr. also competed in the series.



• Truex will make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut on July 17 at Gateway International Raceway. He will also race at Michigan, Richmond, Kansas, Charlotte and Homestead.

COMING THIS WEDNESDAY

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (June 21, 2010) – After his late race mistake helped Jimmie Johnson reach victory lane for the first time since March, Marcos Ambrose joins the Inside NASCAR panel to discuss the final laps of Sunday’s race. For another perspective of the race’s final laps at Infineon Raceway, Inside NASCAR microphones had the Australian driver’s 47 car crew chief Frank Kerr wired up for the entire incident.

Coming off Sunday’s Father’s Day race, Inside NASCAR will feature the new dads of the sport including Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Elliott Sadler, Casey Mears and others. The piece takes a look at how becoming a parent can change a driver’s approach to the sport and life in general.

In addition to exclusive highlights, expert analysis and behind-the-wheel action from Sunday’s race at Infineon Raceway, the Inside NASCAR cast looks ahead to the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Episode 18 premieres Wednesday, June 23, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.

Inside NASCAR is hosted by Chris Myers with analysts Brad Daugherty, Randy Pemberton and Michael Waltrip. Inside NASCAR is produced in conjunction with the NASCAR Media Group. New episodes will air on SHOWTIME Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT for 38 weeks corresponding with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. The co-executive producers are Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports and Jay Abraham, Chief Operating Officer, NASCAR Media Group. The executive in charge of production is Jim Jorden with Mike Wells acting as consulting director.

For additional bonus content including behind-the-scenes video and photos visit the SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.

MWR Infineon Race Report

David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry - finished 20th - now 21st in points.

Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry - finished 42nd - now 19th in points.

David Reutimann Race Summary: No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver David Reutimann earned his first top-20 finished on a road course in Sunday’s Toyota/SaveMart 350 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. Reutimann and his Michael Waltrip Racing team stuck to their plan of staying on the racetrack, executing flawless pit stops, avoiding trouble and driving an uneventful race to bring the car home in one piece with the most points possible. Reutimann is now 19th in points as the series heads to New Hampshire International Speedway on Sunday.



David Reutimann, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry

The Aaron’s Dream Machine started 33rd and finished 20th.

Reutimann’s 20th place finish is his career best on a road course.

Reutimann’s previous best at Infineon Raceway was 31st.

The No. 00 raced between 20th and 30th most of the race without incident.

Avoided several on-track incidents over the final three cautions to finish 20th.



REUTIMANN QUOTE: “We were up and down. It was definitely a far cry better than where we’ve been in the past out here. We still have a lot of room for improvement on my end. I’ll keep working at it. The guys on the Aaron’s crew did a great job. They just kept working on the thing all day and making it better. We were just pretty free all day and couldn’t get on the other side of that, but other than that the motors ran good and the pit stops were excellent. It was a decent finish. It was a decent day.”



ON THE END OF THE RACE: “Whenever you have a place that is as hard to pass as it is here and you are coming down to the end of the race you know that things are going to get crazy. You have guys with tires, guys without tires—it just makes for a crazy finish to a race.”



Martin Truex Jr. Race Summary: Martin Truex Jr. showed everyone during today’s running of the Toyota/SaveMart 350 at Infineon Raceway that he is a very good road racer. The No. 56 NAPA Toyota raced in the top-five during the first 60 laps moving as high as second place. But on lap 61, dreams of a top-five finish disappeared when Jeff Gordon spun the No. 56 in Turn 11. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver planned to rally back from the 26th position but a multi-car crash coming to the green ended his day. He was relegated to a 42nd-place finish. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series travels to New Hampshire International Speedway this weekend.



Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota

Truex Jr. started 10th and finished 42nd

The No. 56 NAPA Toyota raced in the top-five the majority of its time on the racetrack.

Jeff Gordon spun Truex on lap 61 dropping him to 22nd position.

Gordon admitted after the race the accident was his fault.

The spin forced Truex to pit road for fresh tires and fuel on lap 64.

On lap 66 and in 26th place, the NAPA Toyota sustains significant damage while taking the green flag. Multiple cars involved forcing NASCAR to throw the red flag.

The NAPA Toyota did not return to the track.



TRUEX QUOTE: “It just comes down to every week we have these double-file restarts and everybody’s head just gets ridiculous.  It just doesn’t make any sense.  Everything is fine until we have restarts and then it’s like the guys running a tantrum to win the race. It’s uncalled for.  The unfortunate part is all the guys from my team worked so hard and we had an awesome NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota and were running top-five all day long.  I just hate it for them.  We were looking to have a really good day here and a lot of fun.



“We simply got caught up in that wreck and was just the victim of circumstance.  We got spun out and that’s what got us in the back and put us in an unfortunate situation.  We should have never been in that position.  We’ve been running upfront all day long with a great car.  Everybody on the NAPA Toyota did an awesome job.  We had a shot at running top-three or four and maybe we had a shot at winning if the thing played right.” I guess Jeff (Gordon) figured he couldn’t catch us on the track, he was going to spin us out on the restart.”



RACE NOTES:

Jimmie Johnson won for the first time in his career on a road course circuit.

The win is Johnson’s fourth of the season and 51st of his career moving him to 10th all time.

Robby Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon rounded out the top-five.

Marcos Ambrose led 35 laps and finished sixth, his fourth consecutive top-10 on a road course.

Ambrose was leading with six laps remaining when flipped his engine on and off as he circled the track. His car stalled as six cars weaved around his unmoving Toyota. Although Ambrose got his car restarted and moved back to the front of the field, NASCAR ordered him back to seventh for "failing to maintain reasonable speed" right before the restart.

The race lasted two hours fifty-six minutes in front of an estimated crowd of 90,000

The race featured 12 lead changes among eight drivers

The race was slowed by seven cautions for a total of 14 laps

The next race is June 27, 2010 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H.

Trevor Bayne - Road America Race Report

• Trevor Bayne, No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota Camry - finished 10th - now 11th in points.

Trevor Bayne Race Summary: Trevor Bayne and the OUT! Pet Care team finished 10th on Saturday at Road America, grabbing their second top-10 finish of the season. The Diamond-Waltrip team started the race 20th and slowly climbed their way into the top 15. A solid second pit stop on lap 27 by the over-the-wall crew moved Bayne into the top 10 where he raced for most of the final 23 laps. The youngest fulltime NNS driver now sits 11th in the championship point standings. The NNS next stop will be at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N. H. where they will race next Saturday afternoon.”


NNS Racing Results

• Carl Edwards won the THE BUCYRUS 200, his 26th victory in 191 NNS starts.

• This was the NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at the four-mile road course.

• Ron Fellows (second) posted his first top-10 finish in one races at Road America.

• Brendan Gaughan, Brad keselowski and Owen Kelly rounded out the top five

• The race featured seven lead changes among five drivers.

• The race was slowed by seven cautions for a total of 14 laps.

• NASCAR estimated 50,000 race fans in attendance at Road America.

TREVOR BAYNE, No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota

• Bayne started 20th finished 10th

• Grabbed only his second top 10 finish of the 2010 season

• Picked up his second consecutive top 15 finish

• Move up one spots to 11th in the NASCAR Nationwide Series point standings

• A red flag halted the race for just under 32 minutes

• Picked up two spots before he made his first pit stop of the day

• The over-the-wall crew pick up six spots on pit road during the lap 27 pit stop

• Received right-rear damage on lap 44

• Worked his way back in the top 10 after a fuel only pit stop on lap 31

• Bayne finished 10th in the inaugural race at the four-mile road course in Elkhart Lake, Wis.

BAYNE QUOTE: “This was a solid day for the OUT! Pet Care Toyota team.  We were able to keep our car out of the gravel all weekend.  I am just a little disappointed that we got some damage at the end of the race.  This is only our second top-10 finish of the season so I am really excited.  It gives us something to build on.  I have to thank my pit crew for another solid job in the pits.  They got me out in front of that big wreck that caused the long red flag.  This is two solid weeks for us so I am pretty excited. I feel like we finally have some momentum.”

MWR Infineon Raceway Qualifying Report

- Martin Truex Jr., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry - Qualified 10th
- David Reutimann, Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry - Qualified 33rd

Sunday afternoon’s race from Infineon Raceway gets underway on TNT, PRN Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio 128 starting at 3 p.m. ET.

Friday Recap
- Kasey Kahne won the Coors Light Pole Award with a time of 76.300 sec.
- Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon rounded out the top-five
- JTG-Daugherty Racing driver Marcos Ambrose qualified the No. 47 Toyota sixth
- Michael Waltrip failed to qualify the No. 55 Prism Motorsports Toyota

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, Qualified 10th
“My lap was really good until Turn 11. I just got loose. I carried just a little bit too much speed. It’s really tricky here especially Turn 11. If you are not at the exact right speed when your turn you are either going to push or you are going to get loose. I must have been going a half mile too fast and I did what I have been doing all day, but I rolled in a little bit fast and I got loose. That was it. I think we were going to be on the pole until then. The NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota was really fast!”

DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Qualified: 33rd
"The Aaron's Dream Machine was just too loose. We were loose all over and we didn't have the side bite we needed. We've been working hard on our road course effort for the last couple months, so I'm pretty disappointed right now. We'll just keep working on it and try to get better by race time."

Martin Truex Jr. Infineon Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS driver Martin Truex Jr. says he is approaching Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup road course race at Infineon Raceway in a whole new way. He summarizes his new strategy for the 10-turn, 1.99-mile California road course in nine words: “Make the tires last and my car will be fast.”

 

Instead of being fast for only a few laps as he has done in years past, Truex explained he will focus on making the tires on his Toyota last on the long runs. The new mantra comes after working with JTG-Daugherty Racing driver Marcos Ambrose at Virginia International Raceway on May 11 and 25. Ambrose, whose team is in a technical alliance with Michael Waltrip Racing, is one of the best road course racers on the circuit. Truex believes the Aussie will be instrumental in helping him steer the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota to a good finish on Sunday.

QUOTES

Martin Truex Jr. on Working with Marcos Ambrose: “Marcos has been really good on the road courses and we have done some testing this year. Marcos is really, really good. I am going to lean on him. I am going to pick his brain as much as possible. He is just unbelievable and it’s amazing how fast he can go around those places. I think his experience can help us. He is really smart about his cars when he races there. He knows how to get them to roll the right way. He knows how to get the feel in them that maybe he won’t be the fastest guy, but it will stay under him during the longer runs and keep the tires on it. I think that’s what I have struggled with. I’ve just worried about going fast. I am able to go fast, but the car won’t stay with me. I think Marcos is going to be able to help us a lot. I think if we can make the car last, we will be OK. This race is also a lot about pit strategy and being at the right place at the right time. If the NAPA team can do all the little stuff right and keep the car under me, I think we can have a great day.”

“I think my biggest challenge at Infineon is I have always struggled with burning the rear tires off. Last year, I qualified sixth and passed Tony Stewart on the first lap. I was running like third and in three laps, I had no rear tires left. It was like I was out there with oil on my rear tires. I went straight to the rear. Infineon is one of those places where I’m going to work with Marcos to figure out what it will take for me to race well there.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

 

The driver of the No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota will be competing in his 168th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday at Infineon Raceway.

Truex has four starts at the 1.99-mile course. His best start of sixth and came last season on June 21. His best finish is 15th (June 25, 2006). He’s earned one top-15, and four top-25 finishes. His average start is 22nd and average finish is 20th. He has run all 445 laps in competition.

 

Take advantage of a great NAPA promotion this month. Consumers can visit a NAPA AUTO PARTS Store or a NAPA AutoCare Center, and get the following mail-in rebates—

$20 rebate on the NAPA Optima Heavy-Duty batteries, $15 rebate on NAPA Legend 84 month battery and $10 rebate on all NAPA LEGEND 75-month batteries.

On Differences Between Infineon and Watkins Glen: “I have really enjoyed Watkins Glen. I have been really fast there. I’ve run in the top five, top 10 pretty much every time I have been there. Infineon hasn’t been that kind of place for me. Infineon is very narrow, slow and slick. Watkins Glen on the other hand is the complete opposite. It is wide, fast and has a lot of grip. It’s like comparing Daytona to Martinsville. Infineon is difficult because it has some tight, first-gear corners that’s tough to get the power down.

David Reutimann - Infineon Raceway Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota driver David Reutimann admits he isn’t a road course racing expert, but that hasn’t stopped the 40-year-old former dirt track racer from working hard to perfect his skills for Sunday’s race at Infineon Raceway in California.

The Zephryhills, Fla. native spent much of his free time in the last few months working with road course experts Michael McDowell and Marcos Ambrose racing go-karts in the Charlotte area, driving late models at Infineon and riding in a team-built two-seater car at Virginia International Raceway. Reutimann hopes the extra work continues the Michael Waltrip Racing team’s recent string of strong performances. Reutimann has scored the seventh most points of any driver in the last seven races gaining 11 points positions—the most of any driver.

QUOTES

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF GOING TO A ROAD COURSE? “Leaving (laughs). I mean, it’s just another racetrack. There are tracks on the circuit that aren’t necessarily your favorite, but you have to go to them anyway and not make it a big deal. That’s how this deal is for me.”

ON PREPARING TO VISIT INFINEON RACEWAY: “Michael McDowell and Marcos Ambrose have both helped me out a lot both last year and this year. We’ve worked on a combination of things like trying to slow down at the right times to get a little quicker, working on shifting better and being more precise – a lot of things like that. Michael Waltrip Racing has done a really good job of trying to get me as much time as they can in different cars, whether it be late models at Sonoma or the multiple tests that we’ve done at VIR (Virginia International Raceway), so the team has really gotten behind me to give me the chance to get better. All in all, I feel like we’ve made a lot of gains. I don’t know if we’ve gained in one particular area or not specifically, but I feel like all around we’ve gotten better.”

WHAT MAKES INFINEON RACEWAY SUCH A CHALLENGE: “Infineon is very, very technical and it’s easy to overdrive. Forward bite is a problem there and struggling with wheel spin. It gets pretty hot out there and the track gets slick. I think the main thing is conserving your tires to keep good grip. We try to work on our shifts so we can save some tires. That’s a lot of the different things that we learned while we were out there. It was a good experience to spend some time out there. We learned a lot.”

ON QUALIFYING AT INFINEON RACEWAY: “It’s tough. Last year I just didn’t drive hard enough. I was really concerned about overdriving and messing the corners up and as a result just didn’t drive hard enough to be fast – I didn’t get the most out of the car when I needed to. That was my mistake last year. It’s tough. You’ve got one lap and you just have to let it all hang out even when you’re trying to be conservative. We’ve qualified in the tank about every time we’ve been to a road course and now it’s time to get that turned around.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• In the last seven point races, Reutimann has scored 926 points - seventh most of any driver and moved from 30th in points to 19th (See Sidebar). He is one of only five drivers to finish on the lead lap in each of those races. He also collected 20 bonus points for leading laps in four of the seven. During that span, Reutimann has six top-15 finishes, including top-fives at Dover and Charlotte.

• Reutimann has finished 20th or better in 11 of the 12 races that he has been running at the finish in 2010—and 15th or better in nine of the 12. Reutimann’s lowest finish in a race that he finished was 28th at Martinsville.

Trevor Bayne - Road America Preview

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Diamond-Waltrip Racing has worked extremely hard over the past couple of months to prepare 19-year-old driver Trevor Bayne for the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ two upcoming road course races. Bayne has attended what he jokingly refers to as the “Michael McDowell school of racing.” The duo have spent several weeks at Virginia International Raceway driving a two-seater built by Michael Waltrip Racing. This weekend the series makes its debut at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. The Knoxville, Tenn., native finished third at Watkins Glen and 17th at Lime Rock in the 2008 K&N Pro Series. Bayne visited Road America May 3 doing promotional work and raved about the track and the challenges it will present the drivers.


QUOTES

TREVOR BAYNE ON ROAD AMERICA: “Road America is an awesome track. It’s a very high speed road course. There are a lot of elevation changes and some spots that could potentially be dangerous. The trickiest part of the track to me is turns five and six. You have to get your car slowed down to get through five and then you have to remember the blind turn that is after the hill on six. The car is going to get really light coming up the hill. You have to slow down heading up the hill or you won’t make it. I think if you can stay on the racetrack at Road America, you can bring home a top-10 finish.

ON ROAD COURSE RACING: “I really like racing on road courses. It’s something a little different from what we do every week. I have only raced on two road courses in my career but we have run pretty well. Road course racing can be a challenge. Michael McDowell has been working with me over the last couple of months to get me ready. He keeps telling me to think ahead. You have to get yourself set up for the next turn. You can’t just focus on where you are currently on the track.”

ON BEING ON AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD THIS WEEKEND: “It’s pretty cool that a large majority of the field has the same amount of experience as I do at Road America. There are going to be some road course ringers out there like Ron Fellows but at least this puts me on the same playing field as most of the Nationwide Series drivers. The open test that we have on Thursday is going to mean a lot for us. It will give us a chance to try a bunch of things and have a pretty good car come Friday and Saturday.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

• Diamond-Waltrip Racing is owned by Gary and Blake Bechtel along with Michael Waltrip Racing. It fields Toyota Camrys out of the MWR shop in Cornelius, N.C. The Bechtels have owned cars in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series since 1990. The Morgan Hill, California residents’ teams have visited victory lane 10 times in the Nationwide Series.

• On Monday and Tuesday, Bayne and the Diamond-Waltrip Racing team tested the new NASCAR Nationwide car at the Milwaukee Mile. The new car will race at Daytona, Michigan, Richmond and Charlotte.

• Bayne owns 29 NNS starts. He has a pole (Indianapolis), three top-10s (Indianapolis, Richmond and Las Vegas), 12 top-15s and has led 34 laps. His average starting spot is 12th and a finishing spot of 19th.

• Bayne is 12th in points, but sixth among the non-Sprint Cup drivers competing in the Nationwide Series.

• Bayne posted consistent qualifying efforts in his first 29 starts. Over his short career, he has grabbed a pole (Indianapolis), six top-five and 16 top-10 starting positions. He boasts a 12.3 starting average and has only started eight races outside the top 15.

• To get your dog’s picture on Bayne’s No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota, go to www.outpetcare.com and register for the next “Top Dog of the Week.”

• OUT! Pet Care products will be on the No. 99 Toyota Camry for 16 of the final 21 races with Aaron’s on the remaining races.

INSIDE NASCAR WEDNESDAY at 10pm

News & Notes: Episode 17


SHOWTIME® To Simulcast This Week’s Episode of Inside NASCAR

FREE at NASCAR.COM – Wednesday at 10p ET/PT

President Mike Helton to Discuss State of Sport; Bobby Hutchens Spotlight;

And All The Highlights From Michigan


NEW YORK (June 15, 2010) – During this week’s initial airing of Inside NASCAR on SHOWTIME, the premium network will offer non-subscribers a chance to watch the new program for free in High Definition at NASCAR.COM. On Wednesday, June 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, as this week’s episode premieres on SHOWTIME, fans can go to NASCAR.COM to sample the series.

Airing every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT, Inside NASCAR is the newest program in the SHOWTIME Sports® lineup. Inside NASCAR features breathtaking and comprehensive highlights from every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race (38 weeks) as well as exclusive interviews, never-before-seen audio and video of race week and in-depth feature stories and opinions from the cast: Racing legend Michael Waltrip, NBA All-Star and NASCAR team owner Brad Daugherty, racing reporter Randy Pemberton and EMMY® Award winning host Chris Myers.

The official site of NASCAR, NASCAR.COM is managed by Turner Sports, which is currently airing the Summer Series of NASCAR Sprint Cup races on TNT. SHOWTIME is currently offering a $25 cash back incentive for new subscribers. For more information, go to www.SHO.com/order.

This week

NASCAR President Mike Helton will be on the set to discuss the state of the sport. In addition, Stewart Hass Racing Competition Director Bobby Hutchens will be featured in a special Father’s Day Spotlight.

Helton, who the assumed the role of president for NASCAR in November 2000, succeeded Bill France, Jr., who had served as president since 1972. Helton became the first person outside the France family to take over the day-to-day operations at NASCAR when he was promoted from his position as vice president of competition and was named senior vice president and chief operating officer in February 1999.

Bobby Hutchens, who was named director of competition for Stewart-Haas Racing on Nov. 14, 2008, spent 20 years at Richard Childress Racing helping engineer 56 Sprint Cup wins with drivers such as Dale Earnhardt, Kevin Harvick, Robby Gordon and Jeff Burton, including victories in the prestigious Allstate 400 at the Brickyard in 1995 (Earnhardt) and 2003 (Harvick) and the Daytona 500 in 1998 (Earnhardt) and 2006 (Harvick).

In addition to these rare interviews, exclusive highlights, expert analysis and behind-the-wheel action from Sunday’s race at Michigan International Speedway, the Inside NASCAR panel looks ahead to the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway.

Inside NASCAR is produced in conjunction with the NASCAR Media Group. New episodes air on SHOWTIME Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT for 38 weeks corresponding with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. The co-executive producers are Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports and Jay Abraham, Chief Operating Officer, NASCAR Media Group. The executive in charge of production is Jim Jorden with Mike Wells acting as consulting director.

For additional bonus content including behind-the-scenes video and photos visit the SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.

About NASCAR Media Group

NASCAR Media Group (NMG) is NASCAR’s media, marketing and entertainment company that creates and produces programming related to the sport, manages its media partnerships, and forges relationships to integrate NASCAR into mainstream entertainment. Projects developed by NMG include award-winning television programs and theatrical releases, such as the acclaimed biopic “DALE”; Quest for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup; “NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience"; and “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” Earlier this year, in partnership with BET, NASCAR Media Group announced the development of a new program, “Changing Lanes,” which will spotlight up and coming drivers and those supporting them behind the scenes, and this fall began producing Quest for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, an up close HD look at the drivers competing in NASCAR’s playoffs, for VERSUS.

ABOUT SHOWTIME NETWORKS

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.