News

SAM HORNISH JR.
No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge Charger
Martinsville Speedway – Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500
March 28, 2010

Mobil 1 Team News and Notes
• Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the Penske Racing No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge Charger, has faced his share of adversity at Martinsville Speedway since making the transition to NASCAR from open-wheel racing. However, Hornish remains a fan of the venue and hopes to see the Mobil 1 team continue to build on its strong short-track program. “I like this track a lot, but never seem to run well here,” said Hornish. “We’ve come a long way in our short-track program and I hope to see that translate into a strong run on Sunday.”
• Last season, Hornish and the Mobil 1 team captured a total of three top-10 and four top-15 finishes in short-track competition. Hornish earned his first top-10 result in the Cup Series with a ninth-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway (April) and followed that with a sixth-place effort two weeks later at Richmond International Raceway (May).
• In 78 Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Penske Racing has a total of six wins, all with former driver Rusty Wallace, and five pole awards. The organization has 19 top-five and 31 top-10 finishes overall at the .526-mile paperclip-shaped oval.
• Hornish will sign autographs at the Penske Racing souvenir trailer at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, March 28 from 9:45 – 10:15 a.m. EDT.

Sam Hornish Jr. Quotes
 Describe the importance of patience at Martinsville Speedway…
“I’ve worked on trying to be patient at Martinsville but others haven't always been patient with me. All that tells me is that we weren't going fast enough to get away from them. I feel like I've been able to take care of my car, but haven't been fast enough to get away from the guys behind me.”

Discuss the challenges that both the driver and equipment face at Martinsville Speedway…
“Every time I think I've got Martinsville figured out, something changes and that can be challenging. It is really tough on equipment so you have to take care of your brakes, tires and fenders. I feel like I do a good job at that but I need to be fast enough that I don't give the guys behind me the opportunity to push me out of the way. I’m definitely looking forward to getting back to Martinsville this weekend and hopefully getting a good finish in the Mobil 1 Dodge.”

Crew Chief Travis Geisler Quote
What are your thoughts on this weekend’s race at Martinsville Speedway?
“Martinsville is one of the most demanding races on the schedule from all aspects. The car is asked to do a lot of things in a short amount of time on the flat half-mile track. That puts a lot of stress on the brakes, drivetrain and driver. The 77 Mobil 1 Dodge has been running very well the past few races but we have struggled with mechanical failures. We look forward to a solid race this weekend to put some points on the board."