News

Sam Hornish Jr. – No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge Charger
AMP Energy 500
Talladega Superspeedway
October 5, 2008

News and Notes
• Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the Penske Racing No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge Charger, will make his second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Talladega Superspeedway in the AMP Energy 500 this coming Sunday afternoon. Earlier this season, Hornish started 37th and secured a 35th-place finish at the 2.66-mile tri-oval.
• Hornish is currently ranked second in the 2008 Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings. He trails leader Regan Smith by three points and leads third place driver Patrick Carpentier by four points.
• Hornish and the No. 77 Mobil 1 team are currently 37th in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner points standings, 66 points out of 35th place following the race at Kansas Speedway.
• Hornish makes his animation and preschool television debut as the voice of the narrator in the new series Roary the Racing Car which will premiere on Sprout on Monday, October 13, 2008. The show follows the adventures of Roary™, a bright, loveable and energetic single-seat race car, and his amazing and diverse group of race car friends at the Silver Hatch race track.

Upcoming Events
10/5/08: Hornish will be on hand to sign autographs at his souvenir trailer on Sunday from 9:30 to 10 a.m.
10/30/08: Hornish will host the fourth annual Sam Hornish Jr. Celebrity Bowling Tournament during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway on October 30, 2008. Over the past three years, the tournament has raised $307,000 to benefit the Texas chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities.

Chassis Chatter
PRS-572: The primary car for the No. 77 Mobil 1 team this weekend is a brand new race car.
PRS-530: The backup car for this weekend was raced by Hornish at Talladega Superspeedway earlier this season. He finished 35th in that race.

Sam Hornish Jr. on Talladega Superspeedway
“I really look forward to racing at Talladega Superspeedway. The larger tracks seem to suit me and we have ran well at restrictor-plate races this season.

“One of the biggest transitions from racing in the IndyCar Series to NASCAR is learning the different types of tracks. Most of my previous experience has been at tracks that are 1.5 miles and larger. I think that is why I enjoy the bigger tracks. We are focused on racing the Mobil 1 Dodge back into the top-35 in owner points. We need to race smart and stay out of trouble to gain valuable points on Sunday.”

Crew Chief Travis Geisler on Talladega Superspeedway
“Talladega is a race that seems to build tension from the drop of the green flag.  Everyone knows that there will be a big wreck at some point and until the checkered flag falls you never know if you are going to be a part of it.

“This is a race where you try to wait until the end and pick the right lane and get a good finish.  Everyone at the shop has worked very hard to prepare the Mobil 1 Dodge Charger for this event and we look forward to a good finish.”

2008 Rookie-of-the-Year Standings
Pos. Driver                 Points
1.    Regan Smith        188
2.    Sam Hornish Jr.    185
3.    Patrick Carpentier  181
4.    Michael McDowell   169
5.    Dario Franchitti       97