Race 2 Win: Busch Series Race Notes

NASCAR Busch Series

Pepsi 300 - David Stremme Notes

David Stremme Advance
Pepsi 300
Nashville Superspeedway

Race: Pepsi 300 on Saturday, April 7, 2007
Track: Nashville Superspeedway (1.333-mile oval)
Location: Lebanon, Tenn.

David Stremme and the No. 41 Wrigley’s Winterfresh Dodge Team Facts:

No time like the first time: Nashville Superspeedway will always hold a special place in David Stremme’s racing career, as it is where he made his NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) debut during the April race in 2003. It was an impressive first run for the then 25-year-old rookie, as he qualified 15th and finished seventh. He competed in a total of 18 NBS events that season, and was the top finishing rookie 15 times. Stremme’s outstanding efforts did not go unrecognized as he was named the 2003 Raybestos Rookie of the Year, which made him the first driver ever to win the title without competing full-time.

Only his second for CGRFS: Although Stremme has racked up 91 NBS career starts, this weekend’s run in the No. 41 Wrigley’s Winterfresh Dodge will be only his second Busch Series start for CGRFS. He signed to become part of the CGRFS driver development program in 2002, but has raced for multiple team owners including James Finch, Todd Braun and Terry Bradshaw throughout his Busch career. His first start for the CGRFS Busch Series program came last June at the Milwaukee (Wis.) Mile, where he and the No. 41 team spent the entire first half of the race inside the top five, but an unexpected long green-flag run sidetracked the team’s pit stop strategy and dealt them a 26th-place finish instead.

Looking Good, Stremme: Stremme has made three NBS starts so far this season, sharing driving duties of the No. 22 Fitz Racing Dodge. He has put up some impressive stats in those three races, finishing 12th or better. He also has lined up inside the top 10 to take the green flag all three times, including an outside pole position at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last month. Stremme went on to score a fifth-place finish at Vegas, which marks his best finish so far this season in Busch Series competition.

In the Other Garage: After finishing 35th this past weekend at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Stremme is 13th in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver standings, just 42 points outside the top 10. The NEXTEL Cup teams have this upcoming weekend off. Their next race is at Texas Motor Speedway Sunday, April 15.

Winterfresh on board in Tennessee: This weekend, the No. 41 Dodge will debut its cool blue Wrigley’s Winterfresh paint scheme with David Stremme behind the wheel. Wrigley’s Winterfresh was introduced in 1994 as the first “winter cool, unique mint” gum. The Winterfresh flavor was improved last year to provide more cool breath power.

NBS Points Update: After scoring a 16th-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway last month, the No. 41 CGRFS Busch team took another step up in the NBS owner standings. The team now stands 31st with a current tally of 498, which is just 63 points outside of the top 20 and 92 outside the top 15.

Chassis: Brian Pattie and his Wrigley’s Winterfresh crew are pulling out a new chassis—#752—to race this Saturday at Nashville Superspeedway.

When to Watch: The Pepsi 300 is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, April 7, and will broadcast live on ESPN2 (TV), MRN (Radio) and Sirius Satellite Radio channel 128. Qualifying for the 300-mile race will broadcast live at 11:05 a.m. ET on ESPN2 Saturday.

Look for Lagasse Jr. and Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit®, too: Scott Lagasse Jr. is heading to Tennessee this weekend, along with Stremme and Kevin Hamlin, to race earlier in the day Saturday in the Nashville ARCA 150. Lagasse will pilot the No. 13 Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Dodge in the 113-lap competition. The event is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. ET. It will not be televised.

Checking in on Clauson: CGRFS Development Driver Bryan Clauson raced last weekend at the Music City Motorplex in Nashville, and finished 29th after getting caught up in an early-race accident. The 17-year-old will head to Thunder Hill Raceway in Kyle, Texas, this weekend to compete in Saturday’s USAC midget race for Keith Kunz. Clauson’s next ARCA run is scheduled for Saturday, June 2, at Iowa Speedway.