News

THE RACE
    
EnjoyIllinois.com 300 at Chicagoland Speedway (1.5-mile speedway, Joliet, IL)
Saturday, July 19, 8:30 pm ET
    
 THE CAR

The No. 22 Hertz Ford Mustang
Driver: Ryan Blaney    
 

THE NEWS AND NOTES
    
· RUNNING STRONG: Ryan Blaney has made six previous NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) starts with Team Penske in the 2014 season. In his six starts, Blaney has scored top-10 finishes in five races including a fourth-place result at Bristol and a fifith-place effort at Kentucky. This season, Blaney  had led a total of 82 laps, including 80 laps at Iowa Speedway, where he finished a season-best second place.

· QUITE THE QUALIFIER: During the 2014 NNS season, Blaney has been a strong qualifier in the six starts he’s made for Team Penske. He has earned top-10 starting positions in all of his races this season, including  three top-five starts and his first series pole position, won at Iowa.

· FIRST TIME AT CHICAGO: This weekend will mark Blaney’s first Nationwide Series start at Chicagoland Speedway. He has competed in one race at the track as he started 15th, finished third and led six laps last season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Chicagoland Speedway.

· SEEING BLACK AND YELLOW: This weekend, the No. 22 Ford Mustang will feature the distinctive black and yellow Hertz design for the third time this season. Hertz was the primary sponsor of the No. 22 in Dover where Joey Logano earned a third-place finish and last week in New Hampshire when Brad Keselowski drove the car to Victory Lane. This is Blaney’s first time driving the Hertz Ford and he looks to build on the car’s recent success. Hertz won five NNS races in 2013 as a primary sponsor with Team Penske.
    

THE Q & A

RYAN BLANEY, NO. 22 HERTZ FORD

THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME DRIVING THE HERTZ FORD. WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS WEEKEND?

“I am honored to be driving for such a great brand. Since Hertz has been on the No. 22 Mustang, it has won. Last year, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski were both able to bring the car to Victory Lane five out of the seven times Hertz was the primary sponsor. Last weekend in New Hampshire, Keselowski won in the Hertz Mustang. I feel some added pressure to win, but know I will have a great car and have the team that is capable of winning two weekends in a row for Hertz.”