DODGE IN THE NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
. Dodge won its first Nationwide championship last year when Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski claimed the driver’s title.
. Dodge is fielding two entries in the Nationwide Series this year from the Penske Racing stable. Sam Hornish Jr. will join teammate Keselowski for a limited race schedule in 2011.
. Dodge has 34 NNS wins, seven of which came in 2010.
THE NUMBERS
. Dodge’s Brad Keselowski has posted top-five finishes in his last four Nationwide starts and has finished in the top 10 the last seven outings.
. There have been 107 Sprint Cup races at Darlington Raceway. Nine other South Carolina tracks have hosted another 110 Cup races. The three hosting the largest number are Columbia Speedway (43), Greenville-Pickens Speedway (29) and Spartanburg’s Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds (22).
DID YOU KNOW
. Dodge has one NASCAR Nationwide Series win at Darlington (Jamie McMurray – 2004).
. Keselowski has seven-consecutive NNS finishes inside the top 10.
BRAD KESELOWSKI – No. 22 Ruby Tuesday Dodge Challenger R/T
Career Starts: 148
Wins: 12
Top Fives: 64
Top 10s: 89
Poles: 8
Career Highlights:
. Keselowski’s last NASCAR Nationwide Series win came at Gateway last fall (13 races).
. He is the defending NASCAR Nationwide champion.
. Earned Penske Racing its first NASCAR champion last season.
. In 2010, he set career-bests in wins (6), top five’s (26), top 10s (29) and poles (5).
. Set a NASCAR record 102 consecutive Nationwide Series races without a DNF (Did Not Finish) that ended at this year’s season-opening race at Daytona Int’l Speedway.
. First Nationwide victory came at Nashville Superspeedway (2008).
STATS OF THE WEEK
. The most Nationwide Series wins by Dodge in a single season is 11 (2005).
. Brad Keselowski will be seeking his 13th career Nationwide win Friday night at Darlington.
KESELOWSKI AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY
. Keselowski is making his fifth-career Nationwide Series start at Darlington Raceway.
. Highest starting position: Third – 2010
. Highest finishing position: Seventh – 2010
. Average starting position: 13.5
. Average finishing position: 17.2
. Laps Led: 0
DODGE QUOTES:
“It took a few races, but I think we’re close to returning to our winning ways with the No. 22 Ruby Tuesday Dodge Challenger. This is, basically, a brand-new team and we needed some time to figure each other out. We’re on a nice streak of top-fives at the moment and we’ve had cars capable of winning at several tracks this year. Darlington always provides us with one of the toughest tests of the year, but we are working well together and I think we all expect to contend for the win, no matter the track. It would mean a lot to me if I could go to Victory Lane at Darlington, a place where names like Petty, Yarborough, Pearson and Earnhardt have won.” Brad Keselowski – No. 22 Ruby Tuesday Dodge Challenger R/T
