NASCAR Busch Series Pepsi 300

Saturday, April 15, 2006 – Nashville Superspeedway

TV: Live on FX, 3:30 p.m. EDT; Radio: Live on MRN

Product Partners: Wiley X Eyewear, Rod End Supply, Planar, Odyssey Batteries, Shurtape, Smith Transport, Mobile Storage Group, X1R, Hylomar, Lehigh Safety Shoes, High Performance Coatings, Gunk, Dayco, E.A.R.,Inc.

FAST FACTS

n       In the hometown of their primary sponsor for this weekend’s Pepsi 300 at Nashville Superspeedway, Aaron Fike and the #43 Curb Records/Curb Agajanian Performance Group Dodge team are at the ready for the young driver’s 45^th career NASCAR Busch Series start Saturday on the 1.33-mile concrete tri-oval.

n       Nashville-based Curb Records, one of the largest independent record labels in the industry representing artists across all genres of music, was founded by CAPG team co-owner Mike Curb and is celebrating 43 years of “History-Making Music” this weekend featuring commemorative signage on Fike’s racing machine.

n       “It’s been 43 great years in the music business for everyone in the Curb Records family, and hopefully Aaron and our #43 Dodge will really give us something to celebrate this weekend,” said Mike Curb, who has played an influential role in the music industry since 1960 as a successful artist, songwriter, producer and record company executive, and has also served as lieutenant governor of California. Among the artists represented by Curb Records today are Tim McGraw, Wynonna, Jo Dee Messina, LeeAnn Rimes, and Hank Williams, Jr.

n       Last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, Fike, the 23-year-old out of Galesburg, Ill., overcame an accident in final practice to qualify 22^nd. He bolted into the top-20 in the early going on race day but was plagued by a host of setbacks, including a severe vibration and subsequent unscheduled pit stop to inspect tires, a loose passenger-side window mount, and oil pressure problems.

n       This weekend marks Fike’s fifth career appearance at Nashville Superspeedway. He started on the second row here last June after his best career qualifying effort prior to this season’s opening front-row effort in the CAPG Dodge at Daytona.

n       Friday night, Fike will be a special guest at the Music City Motorplex for pre-race ceremonies prior to its NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series schedule of events.

AARON FIKE QUOTES ON NASHVILLE – “It’s going to be a really special weekend for all of us with the Curb Records anniversary celebration. Hopefully, we can make it a weekend Mike and his wife, Linda, will never forget. As a team, we’re showing signs of a breakthrough performance. The guys did an incredible job last weekend at Texas, getting my CAPG Dodge back together after crashing in final practice. We definitely had a top-20 car for the race, so it was a shame to not be able to leave Texas with top-20 points. We need to cash in on everything we can, points-wise, because it’s so important to lock ourselves into the top-30. Maybe we can make a big jump in the standings at Nashville!”

PRE-RACE SCHEDULE (All Times EDT) – NBS Practice, Friday, 2:20-3:20 p.m.; NBS Final Practice, Friday, 4:20-5:20 p.m.; NBS Qualifying, Saturday, 11 a.m. (Live on SPEED-TV).

Birthdate: November 24, 1982
Hometown: Galesburg, Ill.
Residence: Cornelius, N.C.
Marital Status: Single
Children: None

Twenty-three-year-old Aaron Fike is one of the latest in a long line of standout driving talents from the ultra-competitive United States Auto Club ranks. In 2006, Fike is slated to drive the full NASCAR Busch Series season for the CAPG Dodge team.

Fike competed in 37 NASCAR Busch Series races in 2004 and 2005, sharing time behind the wheel of entries by Brewco Motorsports and the Curb Agajanian Performance Group (CAPG).  In 2005, Fike raced to a career-high finish of eighth at Pikes Peak International Raceway in July, and a top qualifying effort of fourth at Nashville in June.  He has established himself as one of the most diverse drivers in the country by racing in all three USAC divisions, the Infiniti Pro Series, the ARCA RE/MAX series and the NASCAR Busch Series over the last two seasons.

In 2003, Fike successfully defended the National Midget Driver of the Year title he earned in 2002, becoming the first back-to-back winner. He won four times in the USAC Midget Series in 2003, including the 58^th renewal of the prestigious “Night Before the 500,” and he won his second race on the Infiniti Pro Series Tour.  Fike also made two late-season starts in the ARCA RE/MAX series in 2003.

During an outstanding 2002 season, Fike was picked to drive in the Indy Racing League’s Infiniti Pro Series.  Proving to be a quick study, he immediately won during his rookie year in the rear-engined car.  Fike won seven times in the Midget Series that year enroute to the Badger Midget Racing Association Championship.  He also has the distinction of being the 2001 USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year, breaking Jeff Gordon’s record as the youngest winner in the series, and was also the 2000 USAC National Midget Series Rookie of the Year.

Career Highlights

2006    Started first full-time NASCAR Busch Series season in the #43 Curb Agajanian Performance Group Dodge. Qualified on the front row (outside pole) at the season-opening Hershey’s Kissables 300 at Daytona.

2005    Made 24 NASCAR Busch Series starts with a best finish of eighth at Pikes Peak and best qualifying effort of fourth at Nashville.

2004        Made NASCAR Busch Series debut at Rockingham; finished 17th at Fall Dover NBS race.

2003        National Midget Driver of the Year;  Won World Championship Midget feature in Auckland, New Zealand; Won IRL Infiniti Pro Series race at Pikes Peak; Won 58^th “Night Before the 500” Midget race at IRP; Won One Feature with the Badger Midget Association; Finished Ninth in ARCA RE/MAX Series event at South Boston.

2002        National Midget Driver of the Year; Badger Midget Racing Association Champion; Won Infiniti Pro Series race at Chicagoland; Seven Midget feature wins during the season.

2001    USAC Silver Crown Series Rookie of the Year; Youngest driver to ever win a Silver Crown event with win at Richmond … record previously held by Jeff Gordon; Finished 10^th in series points.