Scott Wimmer
No. 21 AutoZone Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
Event/Date: Circuit City 250 – May 4, 2007
Venue: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway
NOTES:
This Week’s Race Car at Richmond International Raceway … Scott Wimmer will pilot Chassis No. 037 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable. Built in 2006, Jeff Burton won with this car at Atlanta Motor Speedway last March.
Wimmer at Richmond … Wimmer has earned one top-five and five top-10 finishes in eight NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) starts at Richmond International Raceway (RIR).
Wimmer’s Season to Date … In five NBS starts this season driving RCR’s No. 29 Holiday Inn Chevrolet, Wimmer has earned two top-10 finishes, with a best showing of seventh at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway in April.
RCR Busch Cars in Richmond … In 30 NBS starts at RIR, RCR has earned four wins (Kevin Harvick – May ’03, Sept. ’05, May ’06 and Sept. ‘06), two poles, 11 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes.
Hot Seat … Scott Wimmer joined teammate Jeff Burton and the Holiday Inn Racing Team at RIR March 27-28 for testing in preparation for this weekend’s 250-lap race. Burton and company posted the fastest lap of the 59 cars at the morning test on March 27 and the fourth-best lap in the evening session. Wimmer posted the fourth-fastest lap in the Wednesday morning session.
Friday Night Lights … The Circuit City 250 at RIR will be televised live on ESPN2 on Friday, May 4 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The race will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 11th of 35 races on the 2007 Busch Series calendar will air live on SPEED Friday, May 4 beginning at 4:00 p.m. EST.
SCOTT WIMMER QUOTES:
You’ve run well at RIR from the first time you ran a Busch car there in 2001. What is it about the track that you like?
“I think it goes back to all the short-track racing I’ve done in my career. Most of us in the Busch Series grew up on short tracks. Richmond makes for really tight racing. We can run side by side all night and I think it’s one of the most competitive tracks we go to. I’ve always been comfortable there and I’ve been fortunate to have had some decent runs.”
How did the late March test go at RIR?
“At the time, I wasn’t racing but I got to test one day in the No. 29 car. Jeff (Burton) had a really good test the day before and we were able to follow up with a solid test, as well. Getting track time is important, especially the guys who just run the Busch Series. Any time you can go out and learn stuff about the car in a test situation definitely helps. I’ll be going back with a different team and car but it’s still coming out of RCR’s Busch shop.”
You’ve filled a number of roles at RCR already this season – testing and racing Busch and Cup cars, and even doing some spotting.
“I feel very fortunate that Richard (Childress) uses me in that capacity. I could be sitting home a lot of weekends not doing much but he knows he can rely on me whether we’re running a Cup car or if he needs another driver in the Busch Series or if he needs me on the weekends to spot or help in the pit area. I’ve been in both the Cup and Busch series quite a bit so I’ve got a lot of experience and this has been a lot of fun for me. I know a lot of guys running partial schedules who don’t really get to do much other than race their specific races so I’m fortunate that I get to go every weekend and help out. I learn just as much at the race tracks I am not driving as when I am driving so it’s a fun aspect for me to be there whatever I’m doing.”
