Dave Blaney
No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails Chevrolet
Event Preview Fact Sheet
Event/Date: NEXTEL All-Star Challenge Open – May 21, 2004
Venue: Lowe’s Motor Speedway – Concord, N.C.
NOTES:
This Week’s Race Car at Lowe’s Motor Speedway … Dave Blaney will pilot chassis No. 136 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable. This is the same car Blaney raced at California Speedway in February (started 42nd - finished 34th). Since then, the car has been reskinned and has been fitted with a new rear clip.
Stats Fact … Blaney and crew chief Philippe Lopez won the pole for last year’s NEXTEL All-Star Challenge Open while both were working for Bill Davis Racing. In the last three NEXTEL All-Star Challenge Opens (formerly the Winston Open and No Bull Sprint), Blaney hasn’t finished outside the top eight.
New Colors … Blaney will sport a Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails paint scheme on his No. 07 Chevrolet during the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge Open and Coca-Cola 600.
Three All-Star Wins for RCR … RCR has won three NEXTEL All-Star Challenges (formerly The Winston). Dale Earnhardt won the event in 1987, which included the legendary “Pass in the Grass.” Earnhardt also went on to claim the checkered flag at the all-star race in 1990 and 1993.
No DNFs for the Bullet … Blaney has been running at the finish of every NEXTEL Cup Series race this season.
Meet the Driver … Blaney will sign autographs at the Jack Daniel’s Experience Friday, May 20 from 4 p.m.–4:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 21 from 3:25 p.m.–3:55 p.m. The Jack Daniel’s Experience will be located outside turn one, directly across from the hospitality village. Autographs will be available on a first come, first serve basis.
Up to Speed … Live coverage of the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge Open and the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge begins Saturday, May 21 at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on FX. The race will be covered live on the Motor Racing Network and XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the annual all-star extravaganza will be televised live Friday, May 20 on SPEED beginning at 6 p.m. EDT.
DAVE BLANEY QUOTES:
So much of the daily grind of the sport is focused on the drivers and car owners, what does it mean for your crew guys to get some of the hype during the All-Star weekend?
“It’s fun to watch. When you watch the All-Star race you get to see all the teams come out and be introduced. It’s pretty obvious they have a big time with it. They don’t get to do that very often. It’s cool for them and cool for their families because it’s right at home and most of their families get to come and watch. It’s fun.”
You and Philippe won the pole for the Open last year with fairly limited resources. Are you excited to go back to the All-Star race with a full-blown program?
“I think so. I’m anxious to get on the race track since they ground it. Everybody has had good things to say about it. I’m looking forward to seeing what it feels like. Kevin (Harvick) had a good test at Charlotte earlier in the month and he was really happy with his car so that’s good for us. We’ll use the Open as a test for the 600. Hopefully, we can run well enough in the Open and transfer in to the All-Star race, but more than anything, it’s a test for the 600.”
You’re not taking the same car to the Open that you’ll race at the 600. How can you translate the information you learn to your Coca-Cola 600 car?
“Our cars are close enough where we can do that. What you learn from one car can translate to another. We’re not necessarily locked into one car for the Open and one for the 600. If we really like the car we take to the Open, we can turn it around and take it back to the 600. Either way, we’re running a Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails car at both races so we’re all excited about that.”
