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[/media-credit]SRT Motorsports – Dodge NNS Race Advance
Bashas’ Supermarkets 200
Phoenix International Raceway
Saturday, March 3, 2012
SAM HORNISH JR. – No. 12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge Challenger Crew Chief: Chad Walter
Career Stats: 2012 Season Stats: Starts: 34 Starts: 1 Wins: 1 Wins: 0 Top Fives: 2 Top Fives: 0 Top 10s: 6 Top 10s: 0 Poles: 0 Poles: 0 Laps Led: 122 Laps Led: 7
• Scored his first Nationwide Series win in Phoenix last fall, leading 61 laps en route to a .553-second victory over teammate Brad Keselowski. • Will be making his fourth NNS start at PIR.
BRAD KESELOWSKI – No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger Crew Chief: Jeremy Bullins
Career Stats: 2012 Season Stats: Starts: 169 Starts: 1 Wins: 17 Wins: 0 Top Fives: 74 Top Fives: 1 Top 10s: 104 Top 10s: 1 Poles: 12 Poles: 0 Laps Led: 2,754 Laps Led: 0
• Gave Dodge a 1-2 finish at Phoenix last fall, finishing second behind teammate Sam Hornish Jr.
• Has finished fifth or better in five his last six starts at PRI.
• Has qualified 10th or better in 14 consecutive NNS races.
• Has completed all but one lap in his last 17 NNS races (3,104 of 3,105) – 99.96 percent.
DODGE QUOTES: “I love Phoenix and can’t wait to get back there. The new track surface is great and our Alliance Truck Parts Dodge Challenger was fast there last fall. Last week was a bummer that we got caught up late in a mishap but we have to put that behind us. Phoenix is a new week, new race.” — Sam Hornish, Jr.
“The exit of turn four is still the critical part of the track. If you get a good run and can get underneath someone, you can carry that speed down the front and out-break them getting into turn one.” — Brad Keselowski
THE PHOENIX NUMBERS
• Dodge has TWO Nationwide Series wins at Phoenix (Hornish in 2011 and Jamie McMurray in 2004).
• Dodge has eight top-five and 17 top-10 finishes at PIR.
• Dodge has one pole at Phoenix (Kasey Kahne, 2005 spring race).
DODGE IN THE NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
• The Dodge Charger Pursuit pace car will make its debut at PIR this weekend, serving as the pace car for both NSCAR races.
• Dodge is fielding two full-time entries in the series this year. Sam Hornish Jr. will compete for the series championship while Brad Keselowski and Parker Kligerman will share driving duties in the second Penske Racing entry.
• Dodge claimed its first NASCAR championship in 2010 when Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski captured the driver’s title.
• Dodge has 41 wins in the series including seven in each of the last two seasons. A Dodge has started from the pole 48 times.
