News

THE BROADCAST

TV

Friday

Qualifying 4:00pm ET ESPN2

Race 7:30pm ET ESPN2

RADIO

Race 7:00pm ET MRN & SiriusXM

THE CARS

No. 12 Penske Truck Rental Ford Mustang
Driver: Sam Hornish Jr.

No. 22 Hertz Ford Mustang
Driver: Brad Keselowski

THE NEWS & NOTES

No. 12 Penske Truck Rental Ford Mustang

• STEADY AS SHE GOES: Hornish and the No. 12 Penske Ford Mustang team are once again holding down the top spot in the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings. He has been on point for nearly half of the season, occupying the number one position for 11 of the 24 races run to date.
• TOP FINISH FAMILIARITY: Over the last seven races, Hornish has five top-three finishes and he has been the top finishing Nationwide Series regular in those events.
• DEVOTION AND PROMOTION: This week Hornish spent a day in Cincinnati promoting the upcoming Kentucky 300. The stop included live local television, local radio, a media go-karting event and a visit to the Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
• COMPANY MAN SAM: This weekend Hornish and the No. 12 team will carry the bright yellow and blue Penske Truck Rental banner as they look to further increase their lead in the title chase.
• FACTS AND STATS: This season is building toward a NASCAR career best year for the three-time IndyCar champion as he has made steady gains in speed and consistency. Though 24 races, he has accumulated 11 top-five finishes and 18 top-10 finishes.

THE Q & A

SAM HORNISH JR., NO. 12 PENSKE TRUCK RENTAL FORD
LEADING THE POINTS HEADING TO RICHMOND, WHAT IS YOUR TAKE?
"We are in a decent place right now. This Penske Truck Rental team has had its ups and downs, yet we have come back better than ever. That says a lot about who we are as an organization and the commitment we have to finishing what we've started out to do. As for Richmond, what a fun place to race. It is one of those tracks that is easy to like as it challenges drivers, pit crews and crew chiefs. I've been looking forward to getting back into our Ford Mustang since I got out of it after Atlanta last week."

GREG ERWIN, NO. 12 PENSKE TRUCK RENTAL FORD CREW CHIEF
HOW DO YOU FEEL GOING INTO THIS RACE?
"I feel great right now. It is always nice to go back to a track you enjoy for the second time in a season. In the last race, we had a fast Ford Mustang but had difficulty in the pits. Since then we've improved our short-track program, and our pit crew has been rock steady. Looking at the spring race here and knowing where we are as team, I could not be any more optimistic."

THE NEWS & NOTES

No. 22 Hertz Ford Mustang

• MOST-RECENT WINNER: In April Keselowski cruised to his first victory of the season at Richmond International Raceway (RIR). It was his second career RIR win and it set the tone for the run by the No. 22 Ford Mustang team to the top of the NNS owner's point standings.
• POINTS LEADER: The eight wins by the No. 22 Discount Tire/Hertz Ford Mustang team since Keselowski's win in the spring race at RIR are the most NNS wins by a Penske Racing team in one season.
• HERTZ EQUALS WINS: For the first time since taking the checkered flag at Watkins Glen International, Keselowski will pilot the No. 22 Ford Mustang adorned with the colors from Hertz. Hertz and Penske Racing have recorded a total of three wins in 2013, the first year of their partnership.
• 24 AND COUNTING: Keselowski's win at Watkins Glen International last month gives him 24 career NASCAR Nationwide Series victories, which ties him with Tommy Houston for eighth-place on the all-time list.

THE Q & A

BRAD KESELOWSKI, NO. 22 DISCOUNT TIRE FORD
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO MAKE IT A SWEEP THIS WEEKEND AT RICHMOND?
"It's probably going to take a bit more speed than we had a Bristol. Kyle (Busch) was really hooked up there and I couldn't do a whole lot with him. Richmond has definitely been a good track for us, though. I've always enjoyed the challenge of racing there because you can really charge the corners and be aggressive. The goal for this Hertz Ford Mustang team is winning races and picking up the owner's title for Roger (Penske). That is our mindset heading into this weekend's race at Richmond."

JEREMY BULLINS, NO. 22 DISCOUNT TIRE FORD CREW CHIEF
WHY DO YOU GUYS DO SO WELL AT RICHMOND?
"Richmond is a track that suits Brad's aggressive driving style. The corners are so wide and sweeping that you can find where your car works the best. Just like any short track, we'll make sure we keep forward bite in the car all night. Richmond has been an up and down track for us over the years, but when you're the most recent winner you tend to have a lot of confidence when you go back. I'm confident we can go back and make it a clean sweep. And it always seems like a good omen when we have the Hertz colors on the car."