Jeb Burton NCWTS Preview: Dover International Speedway
This Week's Silverado...Jeb Burton and the No. 4 Arrowhead team will utilize powerhouse chassis TSM-229 for Friday afternoon's Lucas Oil 200 at Dover International Speedway (DIS). Under the direction of veteran crew chief Mike Hillman Jr., this truck helped claim Burton's first career pole at Martinsville Speedway earlier this season.
Come Say Hi...Burton will be signing autographs and saying hello at the Lucas Oil display in the DIS fan midway on Friday, May 31 from 1:30 - 2:15 p.m. EDT. Make sure you grab one of Burton's Arrowhead hero cards.
Follow Along...Make sure you stay in the loop with all things Burton and the No.4 Turner Scott Motorsports team by following along on Twitter and Facebook, @JebBurtonRacing and Facebook.com/JebBurtonRacing.
Take Two...This will be Burton's second race at the 'The Monster Mile.' After a qualifying effort of seventh in the then 19-year old's fifth career NASCAR start, Burton went on to finish 19th in the rain-shortened event.
Watch and Listen...
Jeb Burton on Racing at Dover International Speedway
"I'm ready to head to Dover International Speedway this Friday and go for a win. My team has been working so hard, and it's completely evident in how great my trucks have been. Having won three pole awards in just five races is proof of that. All of Turner Scott Motorsports deserves a win right now and I want to be the one who gets it for them. We're bringing the same truck that led laps and captured the pole at Martinsville Speedway earlier this year, so I don't doubt we'll be highly competitive."
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Kyle Larson NNS Preview: Dover International Speedway
Off To The Races...The NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) heads to Dover, Del. for the 11th stop on the 2013 schedule for a meeting with the 'Monster Mile' of Dover International Speedway. Larson has some previous experience with the 1.0-mile concrete oval, running one NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at the track in 2012. Larson fought back from a 19th-place starting position to finish fifth in the event.
This Week's Camaro...This weekend, the No. 32 team will unload chassis TSM-324 at Dover International Speedway. TSM-324 last hit the track at Texas Motor Speedway in April.
Autism Speaks....Larson and the rest of his Turner Scott Motorsports Nationwide teammates will run a special Autism Speaks puzzle piece decal this weekend at DIS. This will mark the seventh-consecutive year the track has worked with Autism Speaks to raise awareness and funds for the cause. Autism Speaks holds a special place in the No. 32 team's heart, as crew chief Trent Owens' son is on the autism spectrum. Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Bob and Suzanne Wright, grandparents of a child with autism. Their longtime friend Bernie Marcus donated $25 million to help financially launch the organization. Since then, Autism Speaks has grown into the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. To learn more, visit www.autismspeaks.org.
Larson In HD...VIZIO, Inc. and Hulu Plus return for this weekend's race at Dover International Speedway. VIZIO, America's #1 Large Size HDTV company, is committed to delivering the best entertainment experience with its full range of consumer electronics that combine innovative technology with clean and modern design, backed by an award-winning U.S.-based customer support team that has made VIZIO a fan favorite.
Hulu Plus offers current season and classic TV shows such as Family Guy, Modern Family, The Colbert Report, Saturday Night Live, and Community and hundreds more through connected devices, including internet-connected VIZIO HDTVs and Blu-ray players, for $7.99 per month.
Previous Race Recap...Larson kept his momentum from Darlington Raceway alive, coming from the middle of the field to finish fourth in his first ever race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Larson's No. 32 VIZIO/Hulu Plus Chevrolet went from loose to tight in the initial runs, but once the team dialed in the handling of his Camaro, the 20-year-old broke into the top five, earning his second consecutive top-10 finish.
Watch and Listen...The 5-hour ENERGY 200 can be seen live on Saturday, June 1 on ESPN. Race coverage will begin at 2:00 p.m. EDT. The event can also be heard live on MRN Radio as well as SiriusXM Satellite Radio, channel 90.
Kyle Larson on Dover International Speedway
"Dover is really a driver's track; you can really make up a lot there as a driver. There isn't a lot of grip and you really have to perfect your entry to make a good lap. I enjoy getting back to the tracks that I've raced in the past. The cars are obviously different, but when you go into a track you've raced before, you feel like it cuts down your learning curve a little bit. We've been having a good few weeks, so hopefully we'll be able to continue that at Dover."
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Justin Allgaier NNS Preview: Dover International Speedway
Meeting the Monster...Following a "home" race in Charlotte, N.C. for Turner Scott Motorsports (TSM), the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) heads to Dover International Speedway (DIS) for the first of a 20-consecutive race stretch this season. Allgaier has eight previous starts at DIS and has led 16 laps. This will be the second concrete track the NNS has raced on this season, the first being Bristol Motor Speedway, where Allgaier started from the pole and finished in the top 10.
Charlotte Recap...Allgaier qualified 14th at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the No. 31 BRANDT Chevrolet Camaro. After receiving a late-race penalty for speeding on pit road, which resulted in Allgaier going one lap down, he brought the No. 31 BRANDT Chevy home in the seventh position. With another top-10 finish, Allgaier moved up one spot to third in the NNS Driver Point Standings.
Drive for Autism...On Thursday, May 30, Allgaier, along with his crew chief Scott Zipadelli, TSM teammate Kyle Larson, and crew chief Trent Owens will participate in the Drive for Autism Charity Golf Tournament at the DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, Del. The annual golf tournament is hosted to raise awareness and funds to serve people affected by autism and their families throughout Delaware.
Autism Speaks...This weekend at DIS, the No. 31 BRANDT Chevrolet Camaro will sport the Autism Speaks puzzle piece in support of Sunday's FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks was founded in February 2005 by Bob and Suzanne Wright, grandparents of a child with autism. Their longtime friend Bernie Marcus donated $25 million to help financially launch the organization. Since then, Autism Speaks has grown into the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. To learn more, visit www.autismspeaks.org.
This Week's Camaro...This weekend the No. 31 BRANDT Chevrolet team will utilize chassis TSM-320. TSM-320 has made two previous starts this season: Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.
Crew chief Scott Zipadelli on Dover International Speedway:
"We are taking chassis No. 320 to Dover [International Speedway], which we have run twice before. We have a long practice session on Friday that we will use to try different setups in preparation for the race. Overall, I expect us to have a good run at Dover."
Justin Allgaier on Dover International Speedway:
Nelson Piquet NNS Preview: Dover International Speedway
This Week's Camaro...The No. 30 WORX team will have chassis TSM-329 for this Saturday afternoon's race at DIS. TSM-329 was previously used by Piquet Jr. at Auto Club Speedway and Darlington Raceway, where he earned two 16th-place finishes.
Autism Speaks...Piquet Jr. and the rest of his Turner Scott Motorsports Nationwide teammates will run a special Autism Speaks puzzle piece decal this weekend at DIS. This will mark the seventh-consecutive year the track has worked with Autism Speaks to raise awareness and funds for the cause.
Charlotte Recap...Making his first career NNS start at Charlotte Motor Speedway last weekend, Piquet Jr. looked to start the summer portion of the schedule out on the right foot in the History 300. Piquet Jr. and his No. 30 WORX Yard Tools team started the weekend by qualifying 13th at the 1.5-mile oval. Piquet Jr. was able to battle all afternoon and bring home a 16th-place finish.
Familiar Face...For the ninth time this year, Piquet Jr. will display the No. 30 WORX colors on Saturday afternoon at DIS. Established in 1994, WORX Yard Tools USA, based in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the fastest growing companies serving the global power equipment market today. A diversified manufacturer and marketer of a complete range of electric-powered lawn and garden equipment and related products, WORX has over 4000 employees worldwide. The WORX line-up includes innovative grass trimmers, chainsaws, lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, blowers and more. All WORX products are emission-free and feature intuitive functions, tool-less adjustments and best-of-industry ergonomics. You can find WORX yard tools at retailers such as Lowe's, Walmart, Sears, Amazon.com and local lawn & garden dealers. More information is available on the company's website, at www.WORX.com.
Watch and Listen...The 5-hour ENERGY 200 can be seen live on Saturday, June 1st on ESPN. Race coverage will begin at 2:00 p.m. EDT. The event can also be heard live on MRN Radio as well as SiriusXM Satellite Radio, channel 90.
Nelson Piquet Jr. on his return to Dover:
Sorenson Brings 7th-Place Average Finish to the Monster Mile
The No. 40 e-Swisher racing team with driver Reed Sorenson will tackle the mighty Dover International Speedway this Saturday, June 1, for the third e-Swisher race of the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series season.
Partner of the week: DOT Discount Stores... With 27 stores across four states, DOT is a tobacco outlet offering adult tobacco consumers a wide array of premium and quality products at affordable prices. DOT will adorn the lower rear quarter panel of the No. 40 e-Swisher Chevrolet this weekend.
Meet the driver... From 4 to 5 pm this Friday, May 31, Reed Sorenson will be greeting fans for autograph and photo opportunities at the DOT Discount Store located at 702 Townsend Blvd. in Dover.
Reed Sorenson at Dover... Reed Sorenson has finished seventh or better at Dover in his last six NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at "The Monster Mile." He has averaged a finish of 7.2 in 11 races dating back to 2005 with his best performance (a second-place finish after leading seven laps) coming in his debut race in '05.
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Gilliland Recalls First Meeting with Monster
David Gilliland learned to respect the "Monster Mile" the first time he raced there. That's because his first visit to Dover (Del.) International Speedway resulted in a self-inflicted wreck.
As he heads to the one-mile oval for his 14th Sprint Cup Series start there, he now refers to the track as both "fun" and "awesome." He also enters the FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks race weekend with momentum, after scoring a top-20 finish in last weekend's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
Gilliland has two top-20 finishes in his 13 Cup starts at the "Monster Mile." This weekend his No. 38 Long John Silver's Ford will carry the Autism Speaks puzzle piece decal to support awareness and fundraising for the cause.
Comments from Long John Silver's team driver David Gilliland about heading to Dover:
"I love going to Dover. I'm really looking forward to it. We ran really well at Bristol and feel like a similar set-up will work there. It's just a racetrack that I really enjoy going to. It's really fast and definitely lives up to its name, the 'Monster Mile.'
"The first time I went there, it was probably the lowest point in my career. We unloaded in qualifying trim and we were fast, maybe fifth or sixth fastest. And we decided to make one more run. I was a little too tight, so I asked them to free it up because I thought I could go way faster. And, dang, if I didn't wreck off of Turn 2. So I learned instantly the Monster will reach out and grab you.
"It's a track you've got to respect, but it's an awesome track. Your sensation of speed there is unlike anywhere else you go. You can pass there, and it's just a really good racetrack. It's definitely physically demanding. It's challenging, for sure. But that's what makes it fun. It's, for me, one of the most fun racetracks we go to.
"I'm really proud of our performance in the Coke 600 last week. We got a top-20 finish, the best we've ever finished there, in what I think was the best intermediate-track car we've ever had. And that's really how we've been running all year. We've had much better cars all year. We just haven't gotten the results every week to show for it. So it was really gratifying to have a result that showed just how good the car was and how far this team has come. It's going to give us that much more confidence the next time we go to an intermediate track."
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Wise Changes Focus for Tackling the Monster
Josh Wise and his No. 35 MDS Transport Ford team will take a different approach to the "Monster Mile" when they arrive at Dover (Del.) International Speedway this weekend. In his first full Sprint Cup Series race at the one-mile oval, Wise will want to ensure his car is good for the long run in Sunday's 400-mile event.
Last year, when Wise was required to make the race on qualifying speed, the team focused more on being prepared for time trials. The change in focus should have Wise better prepared for an afternoon with the 'Monster,' a unique track with high banking and elevation changes.
The No. 35 team will support the cause behind Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks by carrying the Autism Speaks puzzle piece decal on Wise's car.
Comments from MDS Transport team driver Josh Wise heading to Dover:
"Oh, I love Dover. It's always been one of my favorite tracks since the first time I ran a Nationwide car there. This will be my first full race in a Cup car there, which is pretty exciting. We'll just go there and try to really learn about race trim. Last year we had to go there and really worry about qualifying, so we worked on qualifying trim a lot, obviously. This week we'll go and see how we get the car to drive in the long run and really try to learn as fast as I can to get the car working well to have a good weekend.
"It's kind of crazy. The straightaways are kind of flat compared to what the corners are, and then you literally kind of drop into the corner. So there's a really unique feeling that we don't get at any other track, especially entering the corner. The track falls away from you and you fall into the banking, and then it loads up really heavy because you're in heavy banking and it's a tight corner, and then it compresses coming off the corner and unloads. It's a unique place and somewhere that I look forward to going to always."
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Annett Looks to Master "Fastest Mile" in Second Start Back
Michael Annett will make his third NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) start of the season this weekend at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. He overcame a speeding penalty and a near on-track accident at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway last weekend to record a hard-fought top-20 finish in his first race back in the No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford since Daytona.
The Des Moines, Iowa native has eight starts at Dover, accumulating one top-five finish. Annett had his strongest showing at the one-mile concrete track last season. He finished 11th in the spring event and third in the fall event.
Richard Petty Motorsports has proved to be a force to be reckoned with at the "Monster Mile." The team has 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and two NNS starts at the Delaware track over the past four years, earning two top-five and 11 top-10 finishes between the two series.
Comments from the No. 43 Flying J Travel Plaza Ford Mustang driver Michael Annett:
"Charlotte was a good first race back. It seemed like we came across every scenario possible to keep us from going to the front, but we held on for a top-20 my first race back. It's not what I was hoping for, but I'll take it. It's definitely something we can build off of. The best part is that I felt great after the race; it felt just like getting out of the car after Homestead.
"I was itching to get back into the car before, and now that I have my first race back under my belt, I couldn't be more ready to get back to where we left off last season. This team hasn't skipped a beat, and we're more than capable of going into Dover this weekend and getting a top-five finish. Last year, we finished third at Dover in the fall and just missed the top-10 in the spring, so I'm pretty optimistic for the weekend. I really like going to the 'Monster Mile.' I like short track racing, and this track fits my driving style."
Comments from Crew Chief Philippe Lopez on Dover:
"Dover is pretty cool because it is a cement track and a lot like Bristol because you don't have tire fall off. Changes make sense, and you can have really good practices at Dover because you're not chasing tires. Goodyear has done a really good job with the tires they made for Dover, so it's just a matter of making the right changes. I'd say the only handicap we have is the short amount of time we have to practice. We only have an hour and a half to get it all right. If you're pretty close, it's a fun time, and Dover is a really cool place to race.
"Our biggest focus for Dover, other than getting Michael comfortable and looking for speed, will be to try to keep the car off of the ground. The place is so high-banked and so fast, kind of like Bristol but times two. You have to really focus on keeping your car in the best aero attitude you can but not scrape the ground. When you scrape the ground there, you slow way down. It will be a little bit of a balancing act. Some race tracks you can just focus on aero, but this place is 50/50.
"I think Michael did a fantastic job at Charlotte for his first race back, other than the finish, which I think we were all disappointed in. He had no physical issues whatsoever and is hungrier than ever. He did a great job with the car and feedback. It was like he was never out of the car for three months and definitely picked up right where he left off. We were all probably a little subpar for qualifying; however, Michael showed his usual trait that he can just blast right through traffic when the race starts. We had a good race going other than a speeding penalty. It was going to be a good race, and we were on our way to a top-10. If you're going to get a speeding penalty, you want to do it early, and we did ours late."
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