News

SAM HORNISH JR.
No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge Charger
Pocono Raceway
Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 presented by Target                       
June 6, 2010

Mobil 1 Team News and Notes
• Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the Penske Racing No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge Charger, is one of four Cup Series drivers to post consecutive top-10 finishes in both races held at Pocono Raceway last season. In the company of Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Juan Pablo Montoya, Hornish finished 10th (June) and a NASCAR points-race, career-best finish of fourth (August) at the 2.5-mile tri-oval last year.
• In four career starts at Pocono Raceway, Hornish has a total of one top-five and two top-10 finishes with an average start of 30.5 and an average finish of 20.5 at the “Tricky Triangle” in the Poconos of Pennsylvania.
• Mobil 1 crew chief Travis Geisler, a native of nearby Pittsburgh, Penn., comes from a racing family and has a dozen starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, all coming in 2004. His father, Lynn, races dirt Late Models and is in the Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame. His brother, Ben, is Chief Marketing Officer for the World Racing Group.
• Each week Geisler offers fans a glimpse into car setup for each racetrack on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit at washingtonpost.com. Geisler reports that at Pocono, a hybrid of strategies is necessary to succeed because the track races like a road course and fuel mileage is almost always a factor. Learn more at http://bit.ly/d6btLv.
• In 73 Cup Series starts at Pocono Raceway, Penske Racing has a total of eight victories, five pole awards, 17 top-five and 28 top-10 finishes.

Sam Hornish Jr. Quote
After two top-10 finishes at Pocono Raceway last season, what is the biggest factor for success there?
“Patience is the big thing at Pocono; it's such a long race you can get yourself into trouble. You always have to remember that no matter what the track is like, as far as how you start out the race, you can still get to the front before the end. There is a lot of room to pass there and with double-file restarts, it’s possible to overcome mistakes. You just have to remember to be patient and not get too far ahead of yourself.”

From a driver and team perspective, how do you balance the three distinctive turns at Pocono Raceway?
“In my opinion, Turn 3 is the most important because you have that long straightaway. The next longest straightaway is coming off of Turn 1. So, I feel those two corners are the big hitters and your ‘tough’ corner is usually Turn 2.”

Crew Chief Travis Geisler Quote
What are your thoughts on this weekend’s race at Pocono Raceway?
“Pocono is close to a home track for me since I am from Pennsylvania. It is one of the most unique tracks on the Cup Series circuit. The different banking and speeds in each corner creates a challenge to get the car comfortable all the way around the track. I always like going to Pocono because it forces you to get creative with adjustments to have a fast car. We feel that our cars have been good at the flat tracks, and with two top-10 finishes at Pocono last season, we are looking forward to a strong run with the Mobil 1 Dodge this weekend.”