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2012 Charlotte II: Dodge NASCAR Nationwide Race Preview
SAM HORNISH JR.
– No. 12 Wurth Dodge Challenger
Crew Chief: Chad Walter
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Career Stats:
Starts: 61
Wins: 1
Top Fives: 11
Top 10s: 25
Poles: 1
Laps Led: 243
2012 Season Stats:
Starts: 28
Wins: 0
Top Fives: 9
Top 10s: 19
Poles: 1
Laps Led: 128
• Fourth in NNS championship standings, 60 points behind leader Elliott Sadler.
• Has one top-10 finish in four NNS starts at CMS – ninth in the 2012 spring race.
• Ranks third overall among NNS regulars with 584 points in 17 superspeedway races this season and has 12 top-10 finishes.
• Has been running at the finish in all 28 races this season.
BRAD KESELOWSKI
– No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger
Crew Chief: Jeremy Bullins
Career Stats:
Starts: 187
Wins: 20
Top Fives: 84
Top 10s: 116
Poles: 13
Laps Led: 3102
2012 Season Stats:
Starts: 19
Wins: 3
Top Fives: 11
Top 10s: 13
Poles: 1
Laps Led: 348
• Has two wins at CMS (2010 fall and 2012 spring) and has reeled off nine consecutive top-10 finishes at the 1.5-mile track dating back to the 2008 May race.
• Five top five finishes in last six NNS starts including wins at Loudon (race No. 17) and Chicago (race No. 18).
• Completed every lap in last 10 starts at CMS.
DODGE DRIVER QUOTE:
“You just continue to pick up so much speed at Charlotte that you have to stay ahead of the track as far as having enough travel on the front of the car to not be on the splitter by the end of the race. As the outside temperature cools down, you get a little bit more downforce and you get a little bit more horsepower with the engine. I want to do well at Charlotte because I like that track and it’s one of my favorite places. The fact that I get to sleep in my own bed is nice on top of all that other stuff. Charlotte, Indianapolis and Daytona are the races that a lot of people really want to run well at.”
--Sam Hornish Jr.
DODGE NUMBERS: CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY • Dodge has FOUR wins at CMS: Ryan Newman (2005 fall), Kasey Kahne (2007 spring) and Brad Keselowski (2010 fall, 2012 spring).
• Dodge has two poles a CMS: Casey Mears (2004 fall) and Kahne (2005 spring).
• Dodge drivers have claimed 16 top-five and 25 top 10-finishes at CMS since 2001 (23 races).
DODGE IN THE NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
• Dodge is fielding two full-time entries in the series this year. Sam Hornish Jr. is competing for the series championship while Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney are sharing the driving duties in the second Penske Racing entry.
• Brad Keselowski gave Dodge and Penske Racing their first NASCAR Nationwide championship in 2010. His average finish for the season was 5.2.
• Dodge has 44 wins in the series including seven in each of the previous two seasons. The first Nationwide Series win came in 2002. Dodge had 11 wins in the series during the 2005 season.
• A Dodge has started from the pole 50 times.
• There have been 970 races in the series; Dodge has visited victory lane nine of the last 11 seasons.
FROM THE CREW CHIEF
“Racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway always meant a great deal to me. With our win there in May, my first as a crew chief, it will mean even more. We’re bringing a new Discount Tire Dodge Challenger to the track and we feel like it’s one of the best cars we’ve produced since I’ve been at Penske Racing.”
-- Jeremy Bullins, Crew Chief, No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger
PaddockTalk Perspective
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