News

SAM HORNISH JR.
No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge Charger
Richmond International Raceway
Crown Royal presents the Russ Friedman 400          
May 2, 2009

Mobil 1 Team News and Notes of Interest
• Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the Penske Racing No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge Charger, had a strong run at Talladega Superspeedway before being involved in a late-race accident that ended the day early for the No. 77 team. Battling the flu, Hornish ran in the front of the field for most the race, at one point passing Denny Hamlin for the lead. Hornish ultimately finished 34th in the race.
• Hornish has a total of 11 career racing starts at Richmond International Raceway, across the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and IndyCar Series. In total, Hornish has seven top-10 starts with one pole position at the .75-mile D-shaped oval as well as two wins, all coming in IndyCar Series competition. Hornish’s best NASCAR finish at Richmond is a 15th-place showing in the Nationwide Series.
• Fans can now follow Hornish on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SamHornish. Hornish provides followers with a glimpse inside his everyday life while keeping fans updated on the latest news from the No. 77 team.
• Last year, Hornish raced his way into the All-Star Race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway with a second-place finish in the Sprint Showdown. With the All-Star Race fan vote underway, fans can cast their ballot for Hornish online at www.nascar.com.
• Hornish will be on hand to sign autographs at the Penske Racing souvenir trailer on Saturday, May 2 from 3:45 – 4:15 p.m. EDT at Richmond International Raceway.

Sam Hornish Jr. on Richmond International Raceway
“I’ve always enjoyed competing at Richmond because it’s a multi-groove racetrack and that makes for exciting racing for drivers and fans alike. Patience is always important at short tracks because the goal is to be there in the end. We’ve made great strides in our short-track program – my first top-10 in Cup Series competition came just a couple of weeks ago in Phoenix – and I am excited to continue the momentum of this No. 77 at a track where I have had great success in the past.”

Crew Chief Travis Geisler on Richmond International Raceway
“I am excited about going to Richmond this weekend after our top-10 run in Phoenix. There are a lot of things we learned in that race that we can apply this weekend in Richmond. Our team is really starting to gel and this Saturday night will be another important test for us. With the compacted two-day schedule, there is not a lot of time to work on the car, so having a good starting point will be very important.”