Preview: Eric McClure/No. 24 Hefty® brand Chevrolet
Venue: Talladega Superspeedway
Circuit: NASCAR Nationwide Series (Race 10 of 35)
Event: Aaron’s 312 (117 laps; 311.2 miles)
Primary Sponsor: Hefty® brand—Lake Forest, IL
Associate Sponsors: OGIO®--Bluffdale, UT
Eric McClure/Hefty® Brand Chevrolet Notes of Interest:
Phoenix Recap:
Eric McClure started the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 in the 31st position and finished 29th after battling a tight-handling car throughout the entire 200-mile event.
Career Milestone for McClure at His Favorite Track
The 29-year-old Virginia driver returns to his favorite track on the circuit this weekend where he will compete in his 50th career NASCAR Nationwide Series event.
McClure’s 2007 finish of 18th at the famed Talladega Superspeedway is his career best Nationwide Series finish.
McClure also made his Sprint Cup debut in April 2004 at the 2.66-mile Superspeedway. McClure started 35th and finished 26th.
The Emory and Henry College graduate has one additional Sprint Cup start at the Talladega Superspeedway where he started 27th and finished 31st (Oct. 2006)
Up To Speed
Catch all of the action live on Saturday, April 26, 2008 beginning at 3:00pm (EDT) on ABC. MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio will also broadcast the event live.
Eric McClure, driver of the No. 24 Hefty® brand Chevrolet quotes:
(On making his 50th career start at his favorite track)
“50 races is a lot, but not really all that much when you consider how long we’ve been trying to break into this series, or how many milestone races the other competitors have reached. Two years ago I never thought I would be around long enough to get to 50 races. I’m really thankful to have the support of Hefty® brand and FRM, as I have the opportunity to keep competing.
Talladega is an awesome place. It was one of the first places Morgan-McClure took me to test their cars and the site of my first cup race. It’s the type of track my dad and uncles favored as hot rod guys. Take your biggest motor and your slickest car, line them up and go wide open. I love this kind of racing.”
(On his thoughts about the “BIG ONE”)
“The ‘big wreck’ is a probability at Talladega. It can come anywhere at any time and in the Nationwide Series, with the aero package, there’s always the possibility of more than one. It’s neat to see team strategies play out because of the risk. The guys that qualify in the back will ride until the last 40 laps or so, and the other guys will try to get ahead of the trouble. You just do what you can and hope for the best.”
