News

SAM HORNISH JR.
No. 77 AAA Dodge Charger
Kansas Speedway - Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods
September 26, 2010

AAA Team News and Notes
• Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the Penske Racing No. 77 AAA Dodge Charger, has just two NASCAR Cup Series starts, with one top-20 finish, at Kansas Speedway. However, he is no stranger to the track and has an impressive record at the 1.5-mile tri-oval. In seven IndyCar Series starts at Kansas Speedway, Hornish has garnered one win (July, 2006), three top-three and five top-10 finishes along with six top-10 starting positions.
• At NASCAR intermediate-track venues, Hornish has earned two top-10, four top-15 and nine top-20 finishes in Cup Series competition. His best NASCAR finish at Kansas Speedway came last October, when he finished 18th in the Cup Series race at the speedway.
• 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 Kansas, the track hasn't been repaved since it opened in 2001, and aging surfaces mean more bumps, less grip and greater wear on tires. Learn more at http://bit.ly/cPCGZG.
• On Sunday, October 4, Hornish will participate in a fan Q&A session at the AAA display from 9:10 – 9:30 a.m. prior to the start of the feature race later that day.

Sam Hornish Jr. Quote
With so many 1.5-mile tracks in Chase, do you come to Kansas with the thought of helping teammate Kurt Busch for some of the upcoming races on the schedule?
“We are going to these final races and will try to do whatever we can do to help the No. 2 team. We know that by helping them, we're able to go through twice as many things because they are trying something that could help us as well.

“I don't think there should be any difference between the way the teams at Penske Racing work together during the regular season and during the Chase. At times, we may try different things because we don't get to test often at tracks where we actually race. So we might send two guys down two different paths to see which is the right one.”

Crew Chief Travis Geisler Quote
What are your thoughts on this weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway?
“The No. 77 team is excited about showing the red, white and blue colors of AAA this weekend at Kansas Speedway.  Kansas falls into the standard intermediate track layout; it’s a fast track that is slick and can be tricky for drivers and teams. You will see a lot of the drivers moving around searching for the best line on track. Tire management is crucial at Kansas since the track has not been repaved since it was built. Lap times fall off substantially as the tires wear down during a run, and most teams will start with a tighter setup to compensate for the loss of grip as the tires fade away.”