News

Sam Hornish Jr. - No. 4 Penske Truck Rental Dodge Ram
Kroger 200
Martinsville Speedway
October 18, 2008

Penske Truck Rental Team News and Notes:

• Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the No. 4 Penske Truck Rental Dodge Ram for this Saturday’s race at Martinsville Speedway, will attempt to make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition debut in the Kroger 200 in preparation for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.  Hornish will reunite with former Sprint Cup Series crew chief Chris Carrier for this event.
• Hornish has just one career NASCAR start at Martinsville Speedway, in the No. 77 Sprint Cup Series Dodge. Earlier this season in March, Hornish qualified 26th and raced his way to a 28th place finish at the .526-mile oval.
• Hornish made his animation and preschool television debut as the voice of the narrator in the new series Roary the Racing Car, which premiered on Sprout on Monday, October 13. The show follows the adventures of Roary™, a bright, loveable and energetic single-seat race car, and his amazing and diverse group of race car friends at the Silver Hatch race track.
• Hornish will host the fourth annual Sam Hornish Jr. Celebrity Bowling Tournament during the NASCAR race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway on October 30, 2008. Over the past three years, the tournament has raised $307,000 to benefit the Texas chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities.

Sam Hornish Jr. Quotes:

What are your expectations for your first race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series?

“I don’t really know what to expect for Saturday’s race. We decided to run the Truck Series race to get myself and the No. 77 crew more practice time for Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series event. I have tested the truck and it is somewhat similar to the Cup car. There seem to be more commonalities between these two than between the Nationwide Series and Cup Series race cars. As for the wide open pace of a Craftsman Truck Series race at Martinsville, I know there will be a lot of ‘beating and banging’ going on out there - it should be pretty exciting.”

Describe the challenges a driver faces at Martinsville Speedway…

“The biggest challenge of Martinsville Speedway is not overdriving and getting into the corners too deep. If you do that, then you give up a lot of time on corner exit. It’s a Karate Kid approach to driving. You try to be fluid and avoid any sudden movements. I’ve heard that it’s like a light switch at Martinsville when you finally understand the nuances of the track. It just clicks for you.”

Are you looking forward to reuniting with your former Cup Series crew chief Chris Carrier for this race?

“I really like Chris and have a lot of respect for him as a person and as a crew chief. We had fun working together this season. He is always upbeat and optimistic. He also has a lot of insight that comes from years of racing and being a veteran crew chief. With this being my first Craftsman Truck Series race, that is an invaluable asset. I expect we will have a lot of fun this weekend.”

Crew Chief Chris Carrier Quote:

How would you describe Truck Series racing at Martinsville Speedway?

“NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racing at Martinsville Speedway is like getting back to conventional racing. There is a lot of shoving going on out there and the drivers go at it for 200 miles. It’s a fun and fast-paced race where fuel mileage and pit strategy always come into play. We’ve tested with Sam recently at Motor Mile Speedway and worked on the balance of the truck and getting him comfortable. He seemed to take to it like a duck to water. I think he will adapt nicely.”