News

Sam Hornish Jr. – No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge Charger
Allstate 400 at the Brickyard
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
July 27, 2008

News and Notes
• Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the Penske Racing No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge Charger, prepares to return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the first time since moving from the IndyCar Series to NASCAR.
• A three-time IndyCar Series champion and winner of the 2006 Indianapolis 500, Hornish is the IndyCar Series’ all-time leader in wins (19) and laps led (3,428).
• This will be Hornish’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, however he is no stranger to the 2.5-mile oval — he has a total of seven IndyCar Series starts at Indy. In that series, he has one win and one pole at the famed speedway.
• Hornish and the No. 77 Mobil 1 team are currently 34th in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner point standings following the race at Chicagoland Speedway.
• Hornish is currently in second place in the 2008 Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings. He trails leader Regan Smith by a five points.

Upcoming Events
7/27/08:  Hornish will be on hand to sign autographs at Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the Mobil 1/Penske Racing souvenir trailer on Sunday prior to the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. He will appear from 9:45 to 10:15 a.m.

Chassis Chatter
PRS-571: The primary car for this weekend was raced by Hornish earlier this season at Pocono Raceway.
PRS-562: The backup car for this weekend was raced by Hornish at Phoenix and Dover earlier this season.

Sam Hornish Jr. on Indianapolis Motor Speedway
“I’m sure my return to Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be somewhat emotional although I don’t know what to expect. I’ve been to the track as both a fan and a driver and I can’t remember a time that I didn’t go to Indy.

“I love racing at Indianapolis and I am honored to become one of a handful of drivers that have competed in both the Indy car and NASCAR events at Indy. Flat tracks have not been our strong suit this season and Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a flat track. However, I can’t think of a better place to turn that around than at Indy.”

Crew Chief Chris Carrier on Indianapolis Motor Speedway
“Indianapolis Motor Speedway is not like any other track that we run. It has a unique shape and flat corners. Walking out on pit road never ceases to amaze me. To be so close to the track and realize all of its history is pretty awe-inspiring.

“Sam’s success at Indy has to give him a sense of confidence and energy and that in turn boosts our team’s confidence and energy. Even though he has never run a stock car at Indy, it is a comfortable track for him and that should help us in our learning curve this weekend.”

2008 Rookie-of-the-Year Standings
Position  Driver                   Points
1.          Regan Smith         171
2.          Sam Hornish Jr.     166
3.          Patrick Carpentier  151
4.          Michael McDowell   127
5.          Dario Franchitti       97