Sharpie 500 - Robby Gordon Notes

Jim Beam Bristol Preview

Huntersville, NC (August 22, 2005) – Robby Gordon and his No. 7 Jim Beam Chevrolet team are looking toward the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway and its unpredictably as a perfect track to continue their resurgence. The Jim Beam team has been markedly fast over the last several months, and Bristol’s rough-and-tumble style should be a logical fit for a driver and team that has nothing to loose and everything to gain by approaching the demanding track with an aggressive attitude.

Pit Stops…

Second Half Surge – While Gordon won’t make the Chase this year, he is still happy with the overall competiveness of the season. Despite a number of unforeseen mechanical set backs, the team has seen its performance pick up significantly in recent months, particularly since the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in May. Gordon had a season-best second place finish at Watkins Glen, a course that allowed him to demonstrate his considerable skill. Gordon now looks to start finishing where the team’s been racing, often inside the top 10.

Track Configuration – Bristol, one of the shortest tracks (½ mile) on the Nextel Cup circuit, has the highest banking, making an appealing combination for driver and spectator alike. Added to the schedule in 1961 and resurfaced from asphalt to concrete in 1992, Bristol's attendance has increased from 18,000 to well over 160,000 with the reconstruction of the speedway's backstretch.

Good $ for a Good Cause – As part of the drink smart® campaign, Robby Gordon Motorsports will donate $10,000 from a $100,000 fund provided by Jim Beam bourbon – the “Official Spirit of Racing” to officials from East Tennessee State University. The donation will fund the University’s implementation of The Century Council’s Alcohol 101 PlusTM education program and related alcohol-education activities.

Lights, camera, action – Jim Beam has unveiled a public service announcement, featuring Robby Gordon and Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon, about making sensible decisions relating to alcohol consumption. The PSA was produced to raise awareness of Jim Beam’s social responsibility platform, drink smart®.

TV and Radio – This weekend’s race will be broadcast on TNT, beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday, August 27, 2005. Listeners can also find the race live on MRN radio.

Behind the wheel with Robby Gordon…

Bristol is a night race—what do you do differently to prepare and what are you looking forward to most about the race?
“Night races, particularly at Bristol, are always exciting. There’s nothing better than seeing all the flash bulbs going off on the pace laps at this race. It’s an amazing sight as a driver, and I know it’s just a amazing for the fans. What I would like this weekend is just keep doing what we’ve been doing in the second half of the season— pit stops have been great, strategy has been decent and I’ll try and stay up on the wheel driving hard. We’ve run inside the top 10 just about every weekend and we hope to finish there a bunch more before the season is over. The key to Bristol is to keep the car together and stay cool if you go a lap down early. Bristol is a tough place, and if you’re off a little you can go a lap down fast. The good thing about Bristol is that there are a lot of opportunities to work on your car if it’s not quite right, and if you get it right you can race the leader to get back in contention.