News

Sam Hornish Jr. – No. 12 Penske Truck Rental Dodge Charger
Lipton TEA 250
Richmond International Raceway
May 1, 2008

News and Notes
• Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the No. 12 Penske Truck Rental Dodge Charger for Penske Racing, is no stranger to Richmond International Raceway. He has one career Nationwide Series start (May 4, 2007) and seven IndyCar Series races at the .75-mile D-Shaped oval. In that series, he has a total of two victories, one pole award and four top-five finishes at Richmond.
• The Lipton TEA 250 will mark Hornish Jr.’s third Nationwide Series start of the 2008 season. In two previous races this year, he has an average start position of 32 and an average finishing position of 16. His best finish came at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, on April 20, with a 13th place spot.
• In a total of three short track starts in Nationwide Series competition, Hornish Jr. has an average starting position of 28.6 and an average finishing spot of 39.3.
• Penske Racing is just two wins shy of reaching the milestone of 300 victories across a variety of racing series, including NASCAR Cup, Indy car, American Le Mans and more.

Upcoming Events
5/9/08:  Hornish Jr. and the No. 12 Penske Truck Rental team will compete in the Nationwide Series race at Darlington Speedway.

5/23/08:  The annual Penske Racing Fan Fest will be held at the Penske Racing Headquarters in Mooresville, N.C. 

Chassis Chatter
PBC-015: This weekend’s car was last driven by Kurt Busch at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May of 2007. Busch qualified in the fifth position before being involved in an accident.

PBC-007: The backup car for this weekend was last driven by Ryan Newman at Darlington Raceway in May 2007.

Sam Hornish Jr. on Richmond International Raceway
“Richmond International Raceway is a track I’ve always liked. I’ve won there in the IndyCar Series and it’s a lot of fun racing there.

“I’m ready to return to Nationwide Series racing at Richmond because we had a very short race there in the spring of last year. We were unfortunately involved in an accident after just 16 laps. We’ve tested the Nationwide car recently and the more time I can get in the car the better I will be prepared. As a driver, I just need to be patient and make good decisions in order to have a strong finish.”

Crew Chief Matt Gimbel on Richmond International Raceway
“I am really proud of the efforts that the Penske Truck Rental team has put forth so far this season. In just two Nationwide Series starts, we have two top-20 finishes. Sam (Hornish Jr.) continues to demonstrate his versatility as a driver with each race.

“Richmond is an exciting, multi-groove venue that requires a lot of patience on the driver’s part. As for the team, tire wear and brake management are always key focus points. Luckily, our driver has a proven record at Richmond in the IndyCar Series and has an understanding of the track.