News

SAM HORNISH JR.
No. 77 PPG Dodge Charger
Pocono Raceway – Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500              
August 1, 2010

Mobil 1 Team News and Notes
• Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the Penske Racing No. 77 PPG Dodge Charger, will sport a special paint scheme on his car this weekend at Pocono Raceway featuring PPG Automotive Refinish and PPG Olympic® Paint. The No. 77 Dodge is also utilizing PPG’s environmentally friendly Envirobase® High Performance waterborne paint. This is the same paint scheme that Hornish ran last August at Pocono where he secured a NASCAR career-best finish of fourth place.
• In June, Hornish had a strong run at Pocono as he raced for the lead, and his first NASCAR victory in a points race, in the closing laps of the event before finishing in the 11th position. Hornish assumed the race lead on lap 172 and remained there for a total of 16 laps before relinquishing the point to Tony Stewart and eventual race winner Denny Hamlin.
• In his last three Cup Series starts at Pocono, Hornish has one top-five and three top-15 finishes with a best finish of fourth (August, 2009) and an average finish of 18.6 at the 2.5-mile tri-oval.
• Each week Mobil 1 crew chief Travis 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/b3Qjij.
• Hornish will make a special appearance at PPG Place in Pittsburgh, Pa. on Wednesday, July 28 where he will greet fans and sign autographs from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. EDT. Hornish will also be on hand to sign autographs at the Penske Racing souvenir trailer at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, August 1 from 10  – 10:30 a.m.

Sam Hornish Jr. Quote
What are your thoughts about returning to Pocono Raceway this weekend?
“I go back to Pocono this weekend with high hopes of having a good day and running well. All you can really ask for is to go to a track with the feeling that you can win. Our goal is to have that feeling at more tracks. It's definitely one of the tracks you circle on the schedule and you can't wait to go back there. You think about the things you can do better this time around and figure out how to get yourself there."

What lessons did you learn from leading the race at Pocono Raceway in June?
“To get up there and get the opportunity to start the race from the lead, which is different. I haven’t had the opportunity to control the restart too many times. I feel the more you have the chance to do that, the more comfortable you feel with it. As a result, the more comfortable the guys running in the top five feel running with you.”

Crew Chief Travis Geisler Quote
What are your thoughts on this weekend’s race at Pocono Raceway?
“I’m excited to get back to Pocono Raceway with the No. 77 PPG team. In June at Pocono, we led some laps close to the end and had a very strong race. We have had a couple tough weeks and racing back in my home state this weekend is the perfect place to get it turned around. The track is very challenging, but with top-10 finishes in both races last year, it is clear that Sam has a good feel for what it takes to run well at Pocono.”