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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney Event Preview
Darlington Raceway
Dodge Challenger 500 |
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Darlington Raceway News and Notes
Darlington’s Ride…The Caterpillar Racing team
plans to utilize chassis No. 47 for the Dodge
Challenger 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.
This is the first time this particular chassis
will be utilized in an event.
Richmond Recap…Dave Blaney and the Caterpillar
Racing team posted one of their best qualifying
efforts of the season (17th) last weekend at
Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. Blaney
drove the Bill Davis Racing Toyota Camry to the
team’s highest finish of the season when he took
the checkered flag in the 18th spot. The finish
bolstered the team’s ranking by three positions
in the fight for the top 35 in owners’ points.
The No. 22 team now stands in 36th place, 71
markers behind 35th.
Blaney’s Career Stats…Blaney hopes to make his
278th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start when
the green flag waves for the 367-lap event
Saturday evening. He made his first career Cup
Series start in October 1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina Speedway and finished 26th
(qualified 15th) for his first Cup Series start
in Darlington in 2000. Like this weekend, Blaney
was aboard a Bill Davis Racing-owned machine.
Blaney at Darlington…Blaney has made 11 Cup
Series starts at the 1.366-mile track during his
career. The veteran driver has started as high
as 10th (2003) and finished as high as third
that same season. Blaney has scored one top-five
finish at the Darlington track in his Cup Series
career.
BDR at Darlington…Competitors driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars have been racing at Darlington
Raceway since 1993 and have made 35 starts. BDR
drivers have experienced a good deal of success
at Darlington and have posted two victories,
four top-five finishes and seven top-10 finishes
at the track. Bill Davis Racing-owned cars have
also earned one pole position.
Bring Your Sharpie…Look for Blaney to stop by
the Caterpillar/Toyota Racing merchandise hauler
to sign autographs this weekend. Please check
with the trailer for exact times.
Practice Makes Perfect…The No. 22 Caterpillar
team tested at Lowe’s Motor Speedway near
Concord, N.C., Monday and Tuesday in preparation
for the upcoming event there.
Darlington Broadcast Schedule…Qualifying for the
event at Darlington is scheduled to start at
5:15 p.m. ET Friday, May 9. The 367-lap event is
scheduled to start at 7:20 p.m. ET Saturday, May
10, and will broadcast LIVE on FOX (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on Darlington…“Darlington is
always a challenging place to race, and it will
be especially interesting with the new pavement.
From what I’ve heard from the guys that have
been able to test, it sounds like they did a
nice job with the project, and we’re looking
forward to getting there. It will be as
challenging as it always is, but probably faster
and with more grip. We’re happy to have an extra
couple of hours of practice on Thursday too.
Being outside the top 35 in points, we often
spend a good bit of the first practice making
qualifying runs, so to have that extra practice
will give us the opportunity to make some longer
runs and see how it affects the handling of the
car. It’s tough, you know, being out of the top
35. It really changes the way you approach the
weekend. Last weekend our Cat Camry was pretty
quick off the truck, and we were able to spend
some time in race trim. I think it made a
difference during the race. Hopefully we can
start off strong again in Darlington.” |
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Dave
Blaney/ Caterpillar Racing – Crown Royal 400
Richmond International Raceway |
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RICHMOND,
Va. (May 3, 2008) – Dave Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing team qualified in the 17th
spot for the Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry
400 at Richmond International Raceway. Blaney
drove the Caterpillar Toyota to an 18th-place
finish in Saturday night’s event, earning the
Bill Davis Racing team its best finish of the
season thus far.
The Caterpillar Racing team was forced to
qualify for the race on time because it sat
outside the top 35 in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Owners’ points. Blaney was the 44th of 47
competitors to take to the track for qualifying
Friday evening. His speed of 125.058 mph around
the .75-mile oval was more than enough to place
the team solidly in the field. Blaney was set to
line up for Saturday night’s event in the 17th
position.
The green flag waved for the start of the event,
and Blaney was quick to move into the top 15.
The veteran driver made his way to 14th before
letting the team know that the handling of the
Cat Camry needed to be tightened up a good bit
off the corners. Crew chief Tommy Baldwin called
for four fresh tires and air pressure and track
bar adjustments to the car during the first pit
stop, which came during a caution period on lap
68.
Blaney was able to drive through traffic on the
restart and remained in the top 20, but he
communicated to the crew that the handling was
getting looser and looser. The crew made another
chassis adjustment during a pit stop on lap 130,
and, for some reason, the changes made the car
much too tight in the middle of the corners and
extremely loose off. Blaney worked hard to stay
on the lead lap, but he went one lap down to
leader Denny Hamlin on lap 181 of the 400-lap
race.
The Caterpillar team continued to work on the
balance of the car. Blaney was running in the
25th spot when he narrowly avoided disaster. An
incident between several cars running very near
the No. 22 machine triggered a melee that ended
up involving 10 cars, most suffering serious
damage. Red flag conditions ensued while NASCAR
cleaned up the debris. The green flag waved for
the restart on lap 238, and the No. 22 Toyota
held the 21st position.
Blaney remained in the top 25 for the remainder
of the event, and the team made the most of
every pit stop in an effort to help the handling
of the car. A caution flag on lap 399 of the
event forced a green/white/checkered finish.
Blaney was in the 18th spot when he took the
checkered flag on lap 409.
The Caterpillar Racing team gained some ground
in the fight for the top 35 in owners’ points.
After picking up three positions thanks to its
best showing of the season, the Bill Davis
Racing team now stands 71 points outside the
coveted position.
The Caterpillar Racing team will take part in a
two-day NASCAR-sanctioned test at Lowe’s Motor
Speedway in Concord, N.C., before traveling to
Darlington (S.C.) Raceway next weekend.
Qualifying for the Dodge Challenger 500 is
scheduled for Friday, May 9. Coverage of the
367-lap race is scheduled for a 7:20 p.m. ET
start, May 10 and will broadcast on FOX
(television), MRN (radio) and Sirius Satellite
Radio. |
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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney
Event Preview
Richmond
International
Raceway
Crown Royal Presents
the Dan Lowry 400 |
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Richmond
International
Raceway News and
Notes
Richmond’s Ride…The
Caterpillar Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
40 for the Crown
Royal 400 at
Richmond (Va.)
International
Raceway. This car
was run earlier this
season at
Martinsville (Va.)
Speedway, where Dave
Blaney qualified in
the top 20.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Blaney hopes
to make his 277th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the
400-lap event
Saturday evening. He
made his first
career Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway and
finished 34th
(qualified 32nd) for
his first Cup Series
start in Richmond in
2000. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at RIR…Blaney
has made 15 Cup
Series starts at the
.75-mile track
during his career.
The veteran driver
has started as high
as third (2002) and
finished as high as
fourth in 2006.
Blaney has scored
two top-10 finishes
at the Richmond-area
short track in his
Cup Series career.
BDR at RIR…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Richmond
International
Raceway since 1993
and have made 39
starts. Those
drivers have posted
one top-five finish
and six top-10
finishes at the
track. Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have started from
the pole on two
occasions.
Where to Find
Dave…Look for Blaney
to stop by the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs this
weekend. Please
check with the
trailer for exact
times.
Practice Makes
Perfect…The No. 22
Caterpillar team is
testing at Nashville
(Tenn.)
Superspeedway
Tuesday and
Wednesday before
heading to Richmond.
The team will also
take part in the
two-day test at
Lowe’s Motor
Speedway near
Concord, N.C., next
week.
Richmond Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the Crown Royal
400 is scheduled to
start at 5:40 p.m.
ET Friday, May 2.
The 400-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 7:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, May 3, and
will broadcast LIVE
on FOX (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
Richmond…“We
typically run pretty
well at Richmond,
and we’re certainly
hoping to continue
that trend this
weekend. It’s a
great track to race
on, wide enough to
find places to pass
and small enough to
put on a great show
for the fans.
Everybody loves
racing in Richmond.
“Obviously, last
weekend was a pretty
bad one for this
Caterpillar Racing
team, and while we
have to put it
behind us and
concentrate on
what’s ahead, we
can’t forget it. We
need to remember
what it felt like to
load our things up
early, and we need
to remember that we
owe ourselves and
our sponsors more
than that so that it
doesn’t happen
again. This next
stretch of races
has, in the past,
been some of our
better tracks, but
you can’t take
anything for granted
at this point.” |
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Dave Blaney/ Caterpillar Racing – Subway Fresh
Fit 500
Phoenix International Raceway |
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AVONDALE, Ariz. (April 12, 2008) – Dave Blaney
and the Caterpillar Racing team qualified in the
19th spot for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at
Phoenix International Raceway. After working
through balance issues throughout the event,
Blaney took the checkered flag in 30th place.
The Caterpillar Racing team was forced to
qualify for the race on time because it sat
outside the top 35 in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Owners’ points. Blaney was the 42nd of 45
competitors to take to the track for qualifying
Thursday afternoon. His speed of 132.256 mph
around the one-mile oval was enough to place the
team solidly in the field. Blaney was set to
line up for Sunday’s event in the 19th position.
The green flag waved for the start of the event,
and Blaney let the team know early on that he
was still struggling with some of the same
issues that had bothered the team all weekend.
Crew chief Tommy Baldwin took advantage of a
caution flag on lap 43 of the 312-lap event to
bring the No. 22 Caterpillar Toyota into the
pits for fuel, fresh tires and a chassis
adjustment. Blaney returned to the track for the
lap-46 restart in the 42nd spot.
Though the balance of the car was still not to
Blaney’s liking, he was able to move through
slower traffic. By the time the second round of
pit stops began, he held the 38th position. The
team got a break when the No. 78 car had
problems on the track after many teams had
already made their stops. Blaney was able to
drive into the pits under yellow flag
conditions. He restarted in 32nd.
Misfortune hit the Cat Racing team when the No.
12 car lost an engine on lap 133, dropping oil
all around the track. Several cars, including
the Cat Racing machine, slid in the oil. Though
Blaney made only slight contact with another
car, he lost a lap to the leaders when the car
would not refire. Blaney was eventually able to
get the car started, and after a brief red flag
period, he drove to the attention of his
awaiting crew for minor damage repair and a
track bar adjustment. Blaney lined up for the
lap 141 restart in 36th place, two laps behind
the leader.
Blaney was awarded the Allstate “Good Hands
Driver of the Race” award by the FOX television
commentators after narrowly avoiding the slowing
car driven by Elliott Sadler on lap 163. The Cat
crew continued to make adjustments to the car
throughout the remainder of the event in an
effort to help the balance of the car. The team
gained several positions late in the race as a
result of Baldwin's late-race decision to remain
on the track and not stop for fuel while many
cars were forced to do so. Blaney took the
checkered flag in the 30th position.
The Caterpillar Racing team did gain some ground
in the fight for the top 35 in owners’ points
and now stands only eight points outside that
coveted position.
The Sprint Cup Series will take a well-deserved
weekend off before traveling to Talladega (Ala.)
Superspeedway in two weeks. Qualifying for the
Aaron’s 499 is scheduled for Saturday, April 26.
Coverage of the 188-lap race is scheduled for a
2 p.m. ET start, April 27 and will broadcast on
FOX (television), MRN (radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio. |
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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney Event Preview
Phoenix International Raceway
Subway Fresh Fit 500 |
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Phoenix International Raceway News and Notes
Phoenix Toyota…The Caterpillar Racing team plans
to utilize chassis No. 17 for the Subway Fresh
Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. The
team tested this particular car at the
Avondale-area track earlier this season.
Texas Recap…After having to qualify its way into
the race, the Cat team started the event at
Texas Motor Speedway in the 29th spot. Dave
Blaney worked his way into the top 25 early in
the event and finished the race in 21st. The
Texas effort was the team’s best finish thus far
this season, and it moved the team up two
positions in the owners’ point standings. The
team now stands just 23 points outside the top
35.
Blaney’s Career Stats…Blaney hopes to make his
276th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start when
the green flag waves for the 312-lap event
Saturday evening. He made his first career Cup
Series start in October 1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina Speedway and finished eighth
(qualified 13th) for his first Cup Series start
in Phoenix in 2000. Like this weekend, Blaney
was aboard a Bill Davis Racing-owned machine.
Blaney at PIR…Blaney has made 10 Cup Series
starts at the one-mile high-banked oval during
his career. The veteran driver has started as
high as fifth (2002) and finished as high as
seventh (2002). He has scored two top-10
finishes in Cup Series competition at the
speedway.
BDR at PIR…Competitors driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars have been racing at Phoenix
International Speedway and have made 25 starts.
Those drivers have posted three top-10 finishes
at the track.
Where to Find Dave…Look for Blaney to stop by
the Caterpillar/Toyota Racing merchandise hauler
to sign autographs this weekend. Please check
with the trailer for exact times.
Changes at BDR…Marty Gaunt has joined Bill Davis
Racing as the team’s Vice President. NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series Team Manager Mark
Chambers will assume the duties of general
manager for the entire organization. Mike Brown,
who served as Cup Series general manager, is now
the company CFO, and Jim Thomas joins BDR as its
director of marketing.
Phoenix Broadcast Schedule…Qualifying for the
Subway Fresh Fit 500 is scheduled to start at
7:10 p.m. ET Thursday, April 10. The 312-lap
event is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 12, and will broadcast LIVE on
FOX (TV), MRN (radio) and Sirius Satellite
Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on Phoenix…“This Caterpillar
team has come a long way in just a couple of
weeks. We ran strong at Martinsville, and we
seemed to have our mile-and-a-half program back
on the right track last weekend at Texas.
There’s definitely a great deal of improvement,
and we can see light at the end of the tunnel
now. Plus, we’ve added quite a few people to our
program, and I think that will really help make
this team strong for the future. The Davis’ and
everyone involved are committed to bringing Bill
Davis Racing back to the level it became
accustomed to in the past. I’m excited to be a
part of this organization right now. I think we
are on the brink of some very good things, and
I’m hoping we can start it off with some success
at Phoenix. Once we get ourselves solidly in the
field, we’ll concentrate on getting a good run
there and getting this Cat team back into the
top 35 in points. That would be a good start.” |
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NASCAR Drivers Kasey
Kahne, Dave Blaney
and Tony Stewart to
Headline 360 Sprint
Car Series; Races
Feature Potential
Payout of More Than
$130,000
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Click
here
to view footage from
the Ollie's Bargain
Outlet 360 Challenge
Press Conference.
Rossburg,
OH. – Ollie’s
Bargain Outlet today
announced that it
would sponsor the
Ollie’s 360
Challenge, a
three-race series
pitting NASCAR
drivers Tony
Stewart, Kasey Kahne
and Dave Blaney
against some of the
nation’s top 360
sprint car drivers.
And there’s nothing
“cheap” about this
tournament -- Ollie
will dig deep into
his pockets to award
the winners with a
potentially
record-breaking
purse! With race
dates set for June,
July and August, the
Ollie’s 360
Challenge will
feature a total
three-event purse of
more than $80,000,
with $6,000 going to
each A-main winner.
Additionally, a
bonus of $50,000
will be offered to
any driver who can
win two of three
A-main features.
“Taking part in the
Ollie’s 360
Challenge, with
confirmed entries
already from drivers
like Kasey Kahne,
Dave Blaney and Tony
Stewart, is a thrill
for the entire
Ollie’s family,”
said Mark Butler,
president and CEO of
Ollie’s Bargain
Outlet. “The Ollie’s
360 Challenge will
give us another
opportunity to offer
“Good Stuff, Cheap”
-- top-quality
racing at a great
value to fans across
several states this
summer. And I
encourage people to
stay tuned for news
about an exciting
sweepstakes all race
fans will want to
enter.”
The
challenge will kick
off with a race at
the 3/8-mile Sharon
(Ohio) Speedway on
June 17. Owned and
operated by Blaney
and a group of local
partners, Sharon
Speedway is one of
the country’s
leading short tracks
and hosts several
410 sprint car
events throughout
the season.
“I am
really pleased that
the Ollie’s 360
Challenge will make
a stop at Sharon
Speedway,” said
Blaney. “My family
and business
partners have put a
lot of time and
effort into making
Sharon Speedway one
of the best dirt
tracks in the
country and it’s a
privilege to welcome
a marquee event such
as this into our
facility. I’m also
looking forward to
getting into a 360
sprint car again
this year.”
The
second round of the
Ollie’s 360
Challenge will take
place at Stewart’s
Eldora Speedway in
Rossburg, Ohio, on
July 8. The
high-banked,
half-mile oval has a
storied history that
spans more than 50
years and is a
staple in the sprint
car universe.
Two-time NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series
Champion Stewart
competes in a
handful of dirt
track racing events
each season.
“Any
time I can race a
dirt sprint car or
late model I’m
excited about it,”
said Stewart. “I’ve
always said that
open-wheel racing is
like a reset button
for me and the fact
that I’m going to
get to race my 360
sprinter at least
three times this
summer is something
I’m really looking
forward to. We’re
very proud to be
able to offer our
fans a variety of
quality racing and
I’m sure this event
will be one of our
biggest this season.
It will be fun to
mix it up with
Kasey, Dave and the
top 360 sprint car
drivers in the
country.”
The
third and final
round of the Ollie’s
360 Challenge will
be hosted by Kahne
and wrap up at
Williams Grove
Speedway in
Mechanicsburg, Pa.,
on August 19. The
facility, a favorite
of Kahne’s, boasts a
half-mile speedplant
and one of the most
loyal sprint car
racing fan bases in
the country. In
2007, the Ollie’s
Bargain Outlet
Shootout event
hosted by Williams
Grove Speedway
raised more than
$75,000 for the
Kasey Kahne
Foundation. It’s a
favor that Kahne is
eager to reciprocate
in August.
“Williams Grove
Speedway is one of
my favorite tracks
to race on,” Kahne
said. “I grew up
racing sprint cars
around the country
and I always enjoyed
racing at ‘The
Grove.’ Last year,
we worked with
Ollie’s and the
track to help raise
$75,000 for the
Kasey Kahne
Foundation and I
really appreciated
all of the effort
the facility and
staff put into the
event. We’re looking
forward to working
with Ollie’s Bargain
Outlet again this
year and I’m happy
to announce that the
proceeds from the
Grove event will go
to support the Kasey
Kahne Foundation
this year as well.
It will be great to
get to compete in
these three events
with Tony and Dave,
as well as race
against the drivers
who run 360 sprint
cars each week. All
three races will be
great for the fans,
especially if
someone can pull off
winning the $50,000
bonus.”
The
Williams Grove race
not only culminates
the series, it
solidifies Ollie’s
Bargain Outlet’s
commitment to
charity.
“Having a charitable
tie-in is extremely
important to
Ollie’s,” said Mark
Butler, a newly
appointed member to
the Kasey Kahne
Foundation
Chairman’s Board.
“We, as a company,
strive to give back
to our community in
any way we can.
Being able to
connect with the
community in an
exciting way via the
360 Challenge and
charitably through
the Kasey Kahne
Foundation gives us
the best of both
worlds.”
About
the Ollie’s 360
Challenge
The
Ollie’s 360
Challenge will begin
at Sharon Speedway
on June 17. The
second race in the
three event series
will take place at
Eldora Speedway on
July 8 with the
event finale
scheduled for
Williams Gove
Speedway on August
19. Paying $6,000 to
each winner and a
minimum of $500 to
each A-main
competitor, the
Ollie’s 360
Challenge series
will rank as one of
the highest paying
360 sprint car
events of 2008. All
drivers competing in
at least two of the
three events are
eligible for the
$50,000 bonus, which
will be awarded to
the driver who can
win two of three
A-main events.
Motorsports Media
Entertainment is
promoting the event
in conjunction with
the title sponsor,
Ollie’s Bargain
Outlet. For more
information
regarding Ollie’s
Bargain Outlet
please visit
www.olliesbargainoutlet.com.
For more information
regarding Sharon
Speedway, Eldora
Speedway or Williams
Grove Speedway log
on to
www.sharonspeedway.com,
www.eldoraspeedway.com
or
www.williamsgrove.com.
More information
regarding each event
of the Ollie’s 360
Challenge will
become available as
event times are
confirmed.
About
Ollie’s Bargain
Outlet
Ollie’s Bargain
Outlet, founded in
1982, is the largest
retailer of
closeouts, salvage
and surplus
merchandise in the
Mid-Atlantic region.
Famous for its
signature
catch-phrase Good
Stuff Cheap, Ollie’s
offers a huge
variety of famous
brand name
merchandise at
savings from
30-percent to
70-percent off the
regular retail
price, and the
assortment is always
changing. Ollie’s
Bargain Outlet
operates 59 stores
in Pennsylvania,
Maryland, Delaware,
Virginia, Ohio, West
Virginia, New York
and North Carolina.
About
The Kasey Kahne
Foundation
The
Kasey Kahne
Foundation (KKF) was
formed in 2005 with
a primary mission to
help and support
chronically ill
children and their
families. KKF is
also focused on
diversity awareness
and providing
opportunities for
underprivileged
children. In doing
so, KKF brings
racing fans together
for a common purpose
to raise funds for
distribution to a
variety of
designated
charities, including
Ronald McDonald
House Charities. In
addition, Kasey is a
member of the
President’s Council
for service and
civic participation,
serving under
President Bush.
Visit
www.kaseykahnefoundation.org
for more
information.
About
Motorsports Media
Entertainment (MME)
MME
produces unique,
media focused racing
events, such as the
highly successful
Prelude to the Dream
dirt late model all
star race in June
2007 and the 22nd
Annual Chili Bowl
Midget Nationals in
January 2008, which
appeal to the broad
spectrum of
motorsports fans and
help partnering
companies break
through the sponsor
clutter. |
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Dave
Blaney/ Caterpillar
Racing – Samsung 500
Texas Motor Speedway |
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FORT WORTH, Texas
(April 6, 2008) –
Dave Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team qualified in
the 29th spot for
the Samsung 500 at
Texas Motor
Speedway. After
running well for
much of the event
last weekend at
Martinsville (Va.)
Speedway, the team
had another
promising run in
Texas and finished
21st in Sunday’s
event.
The Caterpillar
Racing team was
forced to qualify
for the race on time
because it sat
outside the top 35
in owners’ points.
Blaney was the last
of 46 competitors to
take to the track
for qualifying
Friday afternoon.
His speed of 186.948
mph around the
1.5-mile oval was
enough to place the
team solidly in the
field. Blaney was
set to line up for
Sunday’s event in
the 29th position.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
event, and Blaney
let his team know
early that the
handling of his
Toyota Camry was
extremely tight. The
first caution flag
of the afternoon
waved on lap 30,
which enabled crew
chief Tommy Baldwin
to call his driver
into the pits for
four fresh tires,
fuel and a wedge
adjustment. After a
quick pit stop,
Blaney returned to
the track in 30th
place.
The adjustments made
to the car seemed to
help, and Blaney
broke into the top
25 on lap 62 of the
334-lap race.
Baldwin called for
additional minor
adjustments to the
balance of the car
during a stop on lap
112. Not long after
that stop, the
veteran driver
communicated to the
crew that the Cat
car was the best it
had been all day.
Blaney held the 27th
position at the
halfway point of the
race and began to
experience a loose
handling condition
in the middle stages
of the event.
Another good
adjustment by
Baldwin and the crew
helped Blaney move
through traffic with
just under 100 laps
to go, and Blaney
remained inside the
top 25 for the
remainder of the
race. A caution flag
on lap 330 meant the
race would finish
under the
green/white/checkered
flag rule, and
Baldwin utilized a
bit of pit strategy
to gain several
positions under the
caution. Baldwin
opted to leave the
Caterpillar Toyota
out on the track
while several of the
teams on the same
lap made pit stops.
Blaney took the
green flag for the
restart and held off
those with fresher
tires, earning a
21st place finish
when the checkered
flag waved.
The Caterpillar
Racing team picked
up two positions in
the owners’ point
standings and now
stands only 23
markers outside the
top 35.
The NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series will
travel to Phoenix
International
Raceway next
weekend. Qualifying
for the Subway Fresh
Fit 500 is scheduled
for Thursday, April
10. Coverage of the
312-lap race is
scheduled for an
8:30p.m. ET start,
April 12 and will
broadcast on FOX
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney
Event Preview
Texas Motor Speedway
Samsung 500 |
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Texas Motor Speedway
News and Notes
Texas Toyota…The
Caterpillar Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
11 for the Samsung
500 at Texas Motor
Speedway. The team
plans to spend
Tuesday and
Wednesday at
Kentucky Speedway
with this car
preparing for the
event this weekend.
Martinsville
Rewind…The team,
having to qualify
its way into the
race, made the show
with an 18th-place
qualifying run.
After running in the
top 15 for much of
the event, Dave
Blaney was leading
the race when a hole
in the radiator
sidelined the team
early.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Blaney hopes
to make his 275th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the
334-lap event Sunday
afternoon. He made
his first career Cup
Series start in
October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North
Carolina Speedway
and finished 22nd
(qualified 24th) for
his first Cup Series
start in Texas in
2000. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at TMS…Blaney
has made 11 Cup
Series starts at the
1.5-mile high-banked
oval during his
career. The veteran
driver has started
as high as 12th
(2005) and finished
as high as sixth
(2001). He has
scored three top-20
finishes in Cup
Series competition
at the speedway.
BDR at
TMS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Texas Motor Speedway
since it opened in
1997 and have made
20 starts. Those
drivers have posted
two top-10 finishes
at the track.
Where to Find
Dave…Look for Blaney
to stop by the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs this
weekend. Please
check with the
trailer for exact
times.
Now That’s
Teamwork…Blaney and
the Cat crew made a
two-day stop at
Kentucky Speedway
before heading to
Texas Motor Speedway
this weekend. Next
week, Blaney will
spend Tuesday at
Darlington (S.C.)
Raceway testing the
No. 5 NASCAR
Craftsman Truck
Series entry for
Mike Skinner, who
had another
obligation to attend
to that day.
Texas Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the Samsung 500
is scheduled to
start at 4:40 p.m.
ET Friday, April 4.
The 334-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 2 p.m. ET Sunday,
April 6, and will
broadcast LIVE on
FOX (TV), PRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
Texas…“I think we’re
making progress with
this Cat team. The
results from
Martinsville don’t
show that, but until
we had the problem
with the radiator,
we were running
pretty well. I think
we were on our way
to getting ourselves
solidly back into
the top 35, but
coulda, woulda,
shoulda, I guess.
You have to be
around at the
finish, obviously,
in order to take
advantage of those
kinds of situations.
Still, we feel good
about the way the
car ran, and we’re
starting to see the
light at the end of
the tunnel. We’ve
done a lot of
testing in the past
couple of weeks, and
it definitely helped
us last week. We
added some people
and made some
changes on the team,
and I think that
helps too.
Hopefully, the
testing that we have
planned for Kentucky
this week will be
really beneficial
because we’ve
struggled this
season on the
mile-and-a-half
tracks, and that’s
not a program you
want to find
yourselves stumbling
on. Texas might be
our biggest
challenge to date,
but I’m confident in
this Caterpillar
team.” |
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Dave
Blaney/ Caterpillar Racing – Goody’s Orange
Crush 500
Martinsville Speedway |
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MARTINSVILLE, Va. (March 30, 2008) – Dave Blaney
and the Caterpillar Racing team qualified in the
18th spot for the Goody’s Orange Crush 500 at
Martinsville Speedway. After running well for
much of the event and leading several laps in
the process, a punctured radiator ended the day
early for the team.
Fast in the practice session prior to
qualifying, the team had to qualify for the race
on time because it sat outside the top 35 in
owners’ points. Blaney was the 42nd of 47
competitors to take to the track for qualifying
Friday afternoon. His speed of 94.874 mph around
the half-mile oval was enough to place the team
solidly in the field. Blaney was set to line up
for Sunday’s event in the 18th position.
The green flag waved for the start of the event,
and Blaney patiently made his way past slower
traffic. The first of 18 caution flags waved on
lap 21 of the 500-lap race, and the Caterpillar
Camry held the 14th spot. Blaney let the team
know that the car’s handling had become slightly
loose off the corners in the early stages of the
race, and the team made its first pit stop of
the day on lap 46. After the crew secured four
fresh tires on the car and filled the tank with
fuel, Blaney returned to the track in the 22nd
position.
Once again, Blaney worked his way past slower
cars, all the while avoiding incidents on the
track with the help of spotter Mike Brown. The
Cat Camry’s handling became tight in the middle
of the corners near the lap-100 mark, and a pit
stop during a caution period several laps later
enabled crew chief Tommy Baldwin to make a track
bar adjustment to the car. After a quick stop by
the crew, Blaney returned to the track for the
lap 111 restart in 20th place.
Blaney was running in the 16th spot at the
halfway point, but he was still fighting a bit
of a tight handling condition. Additional
changes were made during a lap 263 pit stop, and
with 200 laps remaining in the race, the No. 22
Toyota held the 13th place. Another opportunity
to pit came during a caution period on lap 330,
and because not all the teams opted to make pit
stops, Blaney returned to the track in 23rd
place. Blaney continued picking off his
competitors, and by the time the 16th yellow
flag of the day flew on lap 362, he had worked
his way into the top 20. Baldwin opted not to
pit this time around and the Caterpillar machine
led laps 364 to 367.
The green flag waved for the restart with Blaney
remaining at the front of the field.
Unfortunately, upon the restart, the veteran
driver communicated to the crew that he had a
problem with the car. Blaney made several laps
around the track before bringing his Camry down
pit road to the attention of his crew. After
diagnosing that the problem was terminal, the
disappointed team pushed the car to the garage
area. Further investigation revealed that the
front bumper bar had somehow punctured the
radiator. The team was credited with a
43rd-place finish.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will travel to
Texas Motor Speedway next weekend. Qualifying
for the Samsung 500 is scheduled for Friday,
April 4. Coverage of the 334-lap race is
scheduled for a 2 p.m. ET start, April 6 and
will broadcast on FOX (television), PRN (radio)
and Sirius Satellite Radio. The Caterpillar
Racing team is scheduled to spend two days
testing at Kentucky Speedway before heading to
Texas. |
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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney Event Preview
Martinsville Speedway
Goody’s Cool Orange 500
Martinsville Speedway News and Notes |
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Martinsville’s Machine…The Caterpillar Racing
team plans to utilize chassis No. 40 for the
Goody’s Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville (Va.)
Speedway. This is a new Toyota Camry, but the
team spent Monday at Caraway Speedway in
Asheboro, N.C., shaking it down.
New and Familiar Faces at BDR…NASCAR veteran
Gene Nead makes his return to Bill Davis Racing
this week. Nead spent part of last year at BDR
and returns to lead the team in its R&D efforts.
Nead will also travel to the racetrack to assist
the team during race weekends. The No. 22 team
also welcomes Allen Hart to its lineup. Allen
joins the team from Penske Racing and will
travel with the team serving as an engineer.
Blaney’s Career Stats…Dave Blaney hopes to make
his 274th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start
when the green flag waves for Sunday afternoon’s
event. He made his first career Cup Series start
in October 1992 at [Rockingham] North Carolina
Speedway and finished 41st (qualified 20th) for
his first Cup Series start at Martinsville in
2000. Like this weekend, Blaney was aboard a
Bill Davis Racing-owned machine.
Blaney at Martinsville…Blaney has made 14 Cup
Series starts at the .526-mile oval during his
career. He has started as high as sixth (2006)
and finished as high as 16th (2005). He has
scored four top-20 finishes in Cup Series
competition at the speedway and has qualified
inside the top 10 twice.
BDR at Martinsville…Competitors driving Bill
Davis Racing-owned cars have been racing at
Martinsville Speedway since 1993 and have made
36 starts. Those drivers have posted two
top-five finishes and three top-10 finishes at
the track.
Bring Your Sharpie…Look for Blaney to stop by
the Caterpillar/Toyota Racing merchandise hauler
to sign autographs this weekend. Please check
with the trailer for exact times. Blaney is also
scheduled to appear at the Toyota PitPass stage
Sunday morning.
Frequent Flier Miles…The Caterpillar Racing team
will earn its wings over the next couple of
weeks. The team tested at Caraway Speedway
Monday and will spend Tuesday and Wednesday at
Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. Blaney and the
team are scheduled to travel to Kentucky
Speedway the following week for two days of
testing there.
Martinsville Broadcast Schedule…Qualifying for
the Goody’s Orange Crush 500 is scheduled to
start at 3:40 p.m. ET Friday, March 28. The
500-lap event is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. ET
Sunday, March 30, and will broadcast LIVE on FOX
(TV), MRN (radio) and Sirius Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on Martinsville…“Obviously,
we’re not where we want to be points or
performance-wise at this point in the game. But
we’ve done quite a bit of testing this week, and
we’ve got more planned for next week, so we’re
hoping we’ll hit on something that will help.
It’s certainly not going to hurt us to get more
time on the track with these cars and I think we
made a lot of headway just in the couple of
hours we spent at Caraway. I’m also really glad
to see Gene Nead back at Bill Davis Racing. He
was here for a while last year and everyone,
including myself, was sorry to see him go. I
think he brings a lot to any program, so we’re
excited to see him leading the R&D team and
helping Tommy [Baldwin, crew chief] whenever he
can. That’s definitely a positive for our
Caterpillar program. Everyone is working really
hard, and we’re hopeful we can get ourselves
into the top 35 before we head to Texas so we
can relieve a bit of the stress.” |
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Dave
Blaney/ Caterpillar
Racing – Food City
500
Bristol Motor
Speedway |
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BRISTOL, Tenn.
(March 16, 2008) –
Dave Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team qualified in
the 34th spot for
the Food City 500 at
Bristol Motor
Speedway. After
working through
handling issues with
the No. 22
Caterpillar Camry
all day, the veteran
driver took the
checkered flag in
the 34th position.
Fast in the practice
session prior to
qualifying, the team
had hopes of a
top-10 qualifying
run. Blaney was
scheduled to be the
19th of 46
competitors to take
to the track for
qualifying Friday
afternoon, but
Mother Nature had
other ideas. Rain
showers blanketed
the area midday, and
NASCAR officials
were forced to
cancel time trials
and line the cars up
based on 2007 Sprint
Cup Series owners’
points. The
Caterpillar Toyota
was set to start the
race in the 34th
spot.
Blaney took the
green flag for the
start of Sunday’s
Food City 500, and
within four laps of
the start, spotter
Mike Brown
communicated to crew
chief Tommy Baldwin
that the car was
extremely loose.
Blaney spent the
first portion of the
day wrestling the
handling of the car
and fell one lap
down to leader Clint
Bowyer on lap 21.
NASCAR officials
called a competition
caution on lap 51 of
the 506-lap race to
allow teams to make
pit stops and check
tire wear. Baldwin
called Blaney into
the team’s pit stall
and the crew changed
all four tires,
filled the car with
fuel and made major
handling
adjustments,
including track bar,
wedge, spring rubber
and air pressure
changes. Blaney took
the green flag for
the restart in 42nd
place.
Blaney let the team
know that the
changes made to the
car seemed to help
for a while, but
they weren’t enough.
The team narrowly
avoided disaster on
lap 120 as the car
spun coming off turn
two. Luckily, the
Cat Toyota did not
make contact with
the wall, and Blaney
was able to drive
the machine down pit
road to the
attention of his
awaiting crew. After
a four tire change
and a quick check to
make sure there
weren’t any
noticeable issues
with the front end
of the car, the No.
22 Camry took the
flag for the lap-126
restart in 43rd
place.
Blaney and the team
continued to
persevere, and by
the midway point of
the race, the
Caterpillar Camry
was handling much
better.
Unfortunately, the
team was already too
many laps down to
take advantage of
the situation.
Normal Bristol
attrition late in
the race helped the
team a bit, and
Blaney took the
checkered flag after
a
green/white/checkered
flag finish in the
34th position.
The Sprint Cup
Series will take
Easter weekend off
before sticking
close to home the
following weekend to
compete at
Martinsville (Va.)
Speedway. Qualifying
for the Goody’s Cool
Orange 500 is
scheduled for
Friday, March 28.
Coverage of the
500-lap race is
scheduled for a 2
p.m. ET start, March
30 and will
broadcast on FOX
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio. The
Caterpillar Racing
team is scheduled to
participate in
several test
sessions between now
and then, including
two-day tests at
Kentucky S |
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Bristol
Motor Speedway News
and Notes |
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Bristol’s
Machine…The
Caterpillar Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
19 for the Food City
500 at Bristol
(Tenn.) Motor
Speedway. This is
the same car the
team won the pole
with at [Loudon] New
Hampshire
International
Speedway last July.
Atlanta Recap…The
Caterpillar Toyota
lined up in the 16th
spot for the event
at Atlanta Motor
Speedway. Dave
Blaney, who had
battled illness last
week, wrestled a
loose handling
condition with the
No. 22 Camry all
day. He took the
checkered flag in
the 34th position.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Blaney will
make his 273rd
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the
500-lap event Sunday
afternoon. He made
his first career Cup
Series start in
October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North
Carolina Speedway
and finished 35th
(qualified 26th) for
his first Cup Series
start at Bristol in
2000. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at BMS…Blaney
has made 14 Cup
Series starts at the
.533-mile
high-banked oval
during his career.
He has had quite a
bit of qualifying
success at the
track, having
qualified inside the
top 10 on five
occasions, including
both races last
season. Blaney has
started as high as
second (2005) and
finished as high as
14th (2006). He has
also scored two
top-20 finishes in
Cup Series
competition at the
speedway.
BDR at
BMS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Bristol Motor
Speedway since 1993
and have made 42
starts. Those
drivers have posted
two top-five
finishes and seven
top-10 finishes.
Where to Find
Dave…Look for Blaney
to stop by the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs this
weekend. Please
check with the
trailer for exact
times.
Bristol Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the Food City
500 is scheduled to
start at 3:40 p.m.
ET Friday, March 14.
The 500-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 2 p.m. ET Sunday,
March 16, and will
broadcast LIVE on
FOX (TV), PRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Practice Makes
Perfect…The
Caterpillar Racing
team has several
tests planned in the
upcoming weeks. The
team will spend next
Tuesday and
Wednesday at
Kentucky Speedway
and the following
week will be at both
Nashville
Superspeedway and
Caraway (Asheboro,
N.C.) Speedway.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
Bristol…“Obviously,
our main goal again
this week will be to
get ourselves a
finish that will get
this Caterpillar
Racing team back
into the top 35 in
owners’ points. We
never thought we
would be in this
position at this
point in the season,
but it is what it
is, and now it’s our
job get things
figured out and get
this team locked
safely within the
top 35. Everyone
involved with this
Bill Davis team
worked really hard
in the off season,
and I’m not sure how
we got ourselves
into such a hole.
We’re a better team
than we’ve shown,
and we owe it to
Caterpillar, Toyota
and everyone that
supports our race
team -- not to
mention ourselves --
to turn this season
around. We’re not
going to give up,
just the same as we
didn’t give up when
the chips were down
last year. But it
sure adds a
tremendous amount of
pressure to the
weekend when you
don’t have a spot in
the top 35 to fall
back on. We don’t
want to have to go
through that again.” |
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DAVE
BLANEY/CAT RACING
TEAM – KOBALT TOOLS
500
ATLANTA MOTOR
SPEEDWAY |
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HAMPTON, Ga. (March
9, 2008) – Dave
Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
qualified in the
16th spot for the
Kobalt Tools 500 at
Atlanta Motor
Speedway. Despite
battling an illness
all week long,
Blaney was able to
complete the entire
race Sunday and
drove the No. 22
machine to a
34th-place finish
after battling a
loose handling
racecar for most of
the day.
Blaney was the 27th
of 48 competitors to
take to the track
for his qualifying
run Friday evening,
and the ailing
veteran stepped up
to the plate during
his two-lap
qualifying effort.
Blaney posted a
speed of 181.776 mph
on his first lap
around the 1.54-mile
oval, which was
quick enough to earn
the Caterpillar
Racing team the 16th
spot on the starting
grid. The team’s
qualifying effort
was its best of the
season thus far.
A morning snow
shower altered
Saturday’s practice
schedule, and the
Cat team’s plans
were changed a bit
too. After
practicing during
the first part of
the session, Blaney
turned the wheel of
the Caterpillar
Toyota over to 2002
NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series
Champion Mike Bliss
for the remainder of
practice. The team
also asked Bliss to
remain in Atlanta
until Sunday in case
Blaney needed a
relief driver during
the race.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
Kobalt Tools 500 and
Blaney, who was
feeling much
improved from the
previous day, drove
into the top 12 by
the seventh lap of
the 325-lap event.
Unfortunately, the
car became a bit of
handful not long
after, and Blaney
communicated to crew
chief Tommy Baldwin
that he could not
believe how loose
the car had become.
Blaney asked Baldwin
to make a big change
during the first pit
stop of the day. In
addition, leader
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
was setting a
blistering pace in
the early laps. He
overtook the No. 22
car on lap 35,
putting the Cat team
one lap down.
Debris on the track
resulted in the
first caution flag
of the race on lap
38. Baldwin called
for four fresh
tires, fuel and a
wedge adjustment
when the car entered
the pit stall
several laps later.
Blaney lined up in
the 24th place for
the lap-43 restart
was able to pass
Casey Mears to put
himself in position
for the Lucky Dog
award. Throughout
the day, the car
seemed to perform
pretty well during
the first laps after
a restart, and this
was no exception.
Unfortunately, the
Cat Camry’s handling
once again became
extremely loose. A
caution and
subsequent pit stop
before the 100-lap
mark enabled Baldwin
to make additional
adjustments to the
car in an effort to
tighten the
handling.
Blaney, like much of
the field, fell
several more laps
down to the leader
throughout the race,
and the Caterpillar
Racing team worked
diligently to help
the balance of the
car. Changes with
just under 50 laps
to go made the
machine slightly
better, but it
wasn’t enough to
enable Blaney to
move through traffic
like he needed. The
checkered flag waved
with Blaney sitting
in 34th place. There
were only 13 cars
remaining on the
lead lap at the
conclusion of the
race.
The NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series will
travel to the high
banks of Bristol
(Tenn.) Motor
Speedway next
weekend for the Food
City 500 Sunday,
March 16. Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled for
Friday, March 14.
Coverage of the
500-lap race is
scheduled for a 2
p.m. ET start, and
will broadcast on
FOX (television),
PRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio. |
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ATLANTA
MOTOR SPEEDWAY NEWS
AND NOTES |
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BLANEY’S NO. 22
CAMRY…The
Caterpillar Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
33 for the Kobalt
Tools 500 at Atlanta
Motor Speedway. This
Toyota Camry was one
of two cars the team
tested at Las Vegas
Motor Speedway and
California Speedway
during the off
season.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST
WEEK…The Caterpillar
Toyota lined up in
the 26th position
for the start of the
event at Las Vegas.
The team fought a
tight handling
condition all day.
After crew chief
Tommy Baldwin called
for adjustments to
the car throughout
the event, Dave
Blaney took the
checkered flag in
the 26th spot. The
finish moved the
team into the top 35
in the 2008 NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series
Owners’ points.
BLANEY’S CAREER
STATS…Blaney will
make his 272nd
career Sprint Cup
Series start when
the green flag waves
for the 500-mile
event Sunday
afternoon. He made
his first career Cup
Series start in
October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North
Carolina Speedway
and finished 37th
(qualified seventh)
for his first Cup
Series start in
Atlanta in 1999.
Like this weekend,
Blaney was aboard a
Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
BLANEY AT AMS…Blaney
counts Atlanta among
his favorite tracks
to race on, and he
has made 16 Cup
Series starts at the
1.54-mile speedway
during his career.
Blaney has started
as high as third
(2001) and finished
as high as eighth
(2003, 2005). He has
scored two top-10
finishes in Cup
Series competition
at the speedway and
has qualified inside
the top 10 six
times.
BDR AT AMS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Atlanta Motor
Speedway since 1993
and have made 44
starts. Those
drivers have posted
three top-five
finishes and seven
top-10 finishes at
the Hampton, Ga.,
track.
WHERE TO FIND
DAVE…Look for Blaney
to stop by the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs this
weekend. Please
check with the
trailer for exact
times.
ATLANTA BROADCAST
SCHEDULE…Qualifying
for the Kobalt Tools
500 is scheduled to
start at 6:45 p.m.
ET Friday, March 7.
The 325-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 2 p.m. ET Sunday,
March 9, and will
broadcast LIVE on
FOX (TV), PRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
BACK TO VEGAS…Both
Blaney and car owner
Bill Davis will
return to Las Vegas
following the race
in Atlanta to make
appearances for
Caterpillar at
CONEXPO-CON/AGG
2008. CONEXPO-CON/AGG
will be the
international
gathering place in
2008 for the
construction
industries. Held
every three years,
the exposition
showcases the latest
equipment, products,
services and
technologies.
BLANEY’S THOUGHTS ON
ATLANTA…“I always
look forward to
going to Atlanta.
It’s a big, fast
track, and it’s
always a lot of fun
to race on.
Hopefully we can
work out some of the
issues we’ve had
with our cars so far
this season, and we
can get ourselves a
top-15 finish this
weekend. We squeaked
into the top 35 in
owners’ points after
Las Vegas, but we
need to have a good
finish with our
Caterpillar Camry to
solidify that
position before we
get to Martinsville
and start to go off
of this year’s
points. We just need
a couple of good
weekends and we’ll
be back in the hunt,
but right now we’re
struggling a bit. I
know Tommy [Baldwin]
and the guys are
working really hard
to get this car
figured out, and I
know better things
are in store for us.
Hopefully Atlanta
will be the start of
that.” |
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DAVE
BLANEY/CAT RACING
TEAM – UAW-DODGE 400
LAS VEGAS MOTOR
SPEEDWAY |
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LAS VEGAS (March 2,
2008) – Dave Blaney
and the Caterpillar
Racing team lined up
in the 26th spot for
Sunday’s UAW-Dodge
400 at Las Vegas
Motor Speedway.
After a day of
working through
tight handling
conditions and
making adjustments
to the car during
every pit stop,
Blaney took the
checkered flag in
26th place, the
team’s best
performance of the
season.
Blaney was the 29th
of 47 competitors to
take to the track
for his qualifying
run Friday
afternoon. His speed
of 179.354 mph
around the 1.5-mile
oval was quick
enough to earn the
26th spot on the
starting grid. The
team’s qualifying
effort was the best
of the season thus
far.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
UAW-Dodge 400, and
Blaney communicated
to crew chief Tommy
Baldwin almost
immediately that the
handling of his
Caterpillar Toyota
was free in turns
three and four. The
first caution flag
of the day waved on
lap 10, and Baldwin
used that
opportunity to call
Blaney into the pits
for adjustments to
the car, which
included wedge and
air pressure
changes.
Unfortunately, those
changes made the car
much too tight, and
Blaney lost several
positions before the
next round of pit
stops occurred.
Baldwin made
additional
adjustments to the
machine on lap 63,
and the No. 22 lined
up in front of the
leader on the
restart. Hoping for
a quick caution that
would enable him to
remain on the lead
lap, Blaney worked
hard to hold off
leader Jeff Burton.
He was unable to
keep Burton at bay
and fell one lap
down on lap 78 of
the 367-lap race.
The Cat Camry
continued to suffer
from a tight
handling condition,
and Baldwin made
changes to it during
every stop. Blaney
held the 33rd
position at the
halfway point of the
race.
The adjustments to
the car helped
periodically
throughout the day,
and at the lap
200-mark, Blaney let
the team know that
the car was the best
it had been all day.
The veteran driver
broke into the top
25 on lap 221 before
the Caterpillar
Camry once again
became extremely
tight. Blaney held
the 26th spot with
three laps to go
when NASCAR
officials were
forced to display
the red flag
following a
multi-car accident.
Blaney earned the
26th finishing
position after the
green/white/checkered
finish. The
26th-place finish
moved the No. 22
Bill Davis Racing
team into the top 35
in the 2008 NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series
Owners’ points.
The Sprint Cup
Series will travel
to the 1.54-mile
Atlanta Motor
Speedway next
weekend for the
Kobalt Tools 500
Sunday, March 9.
Qualifying for the
event is scheduled
for Friday, March 8.
Coverage of the
325-lap race is
scheduled for a 2
p.m. ET start, and
will broadcast on
FOX (television),
PRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio. |
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Las
Vegas Motor Speedway
News and Notes |
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Blaney’s No. 22
Camry…The
Caterpillar Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
11 for the UAW Dodge
400 at Las Vegas
Motor Speedway.
What Happened Last
Week…The Cat Pavers
Toyota lined up in
the 34th spot for
the Auto Club 500 at
California Speedway
after qualifying was
cancelled due to
inclement weather.
The NASCAR Sprint
Cup teams ran 87
laps Sunday before
rain forced the
postponement of the
race until Monday
morning. Dave Blaney
worked through
handling issues to
finish the event in
30th place.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Blaney will
make his 271st
career Sprint Cup
Series start when
the green flag waves
for the 400-mile
event Sunday
afternoon. He made
his first career Cup
Series start in
October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North
Carolina Speedway
and finished 22nd
(qualified 36th) for
his first Cup Series
start in Las Vegas
in 2000. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at Las
Vegas…Blaney has
made seven Cup
Series starts at the
1.5-mile speedway
during his career,
starting as high as
10th (2002) and
finishing as high as
13th (2005). He has
scored two top-20
finishes in Cup
Series competition
at the speedway and
has qualified inside
the top 11 twice.
BDR at LVMS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Las Vegas Motor
Speedway since 2000
and have made 14
starts. Those
drivers have posted
one top five finish
and one top-10
finish and have
completed 3,005 of
3,503 possible laps
(85.8 percent).
Where to Find
Dave…Look for Blaney
to stop by the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs this
weekend. Please
check with the
trailer for exact
times.
Las Vegas Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the UAW Dodge
400 is scheduled to
start at 6:40 p.m.
ET Friday, Feb. 29.
The 267-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 4:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, March 2, and
will broadcast LIVE
on FOX (TV), PRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
Las Vegas…“We’re
hoping things go
considerably better
this weekend in Las
Vegas than they did
for us last week in
Fontana. We never
got our Cat Paving
Products Camry
handling the way we
needed it, and we
just struggled all
weekend long. Our
plan is to take the
same car back to
Vegas, and I know
Tommy [Baldwin, crew
chief] and the guys
are going to spend a
considerable amount
of time working on
it before we get to
the track Friday and
making changes to it
to make it better
this time around.
Obviously, our main
goal right now is to
solidify ourselves
in the top 35, and I
have all the
confidence in the
world in this Cat
team. We’ve gotten
off to a bit of a
rough start this
season, but we know
we’ll get it turned
around.”
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DAVE BLANEY/CAT
RA | | | | |