Race 2 Win: Allstate 400 at the Brickyard

Nextel Cup Series

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Allstate 400 at the Brickyard - Dave Blaney Notes

Dave Blaney No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet Event Preview Fact Sheet

This Week’s Race Car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … Dave Blaney will pilot chassis No. 147 from the Richard Childress Racing stable. Built new for 2005, this is the same Jack Daniel’s Monte Carlo Blaney tested at IMS July 11-12.

RCR at Indianapolis … In 11 previous NEXTEL Cup races at IMS, RCR has posted two wins (Earnhardt 1995, Harvick 2003), six top-five and 13 top-10 finishes. RCR cars have also completed every lap except one and have been running at the finish of every Allstate 400 at The Brickyard dating back to the inaugural race in 1994.

Last Year at The Brickyard … Blaney started 38th in RCR’s No. 30 car and finished 21st. The 1984 USAC Silver Crown Champion came from the back of the field twice but missed out on a top-10 finish after being penalized by NASCAR for pitting outside his designated pit box and later cutting down a left-front tire.

Chevy Day at The Brickyard … Blaney will participate in Chevy Day at the Brickyard Friday August 5 from 9-11 a.m. in the east lot of the Hall of Fame Museum in the speedway’s infield. The “Buckeye Bullet” will provide media and Chevrolet consumer “hot laps” around the historic 2.5-mile racecourse. He will also race remote controlled cars, participate in a fan question-and-answer session and sign autographs. RCR president and CEO Richard Childress, along with Blaney’s teammates Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer will also be on hand for the morning’s activities.

Busy Week Off … During his week off from NEXTEL Cup action, Blaney participated in a Goodyear tire test at Kansas Speedway July 26-27. Blaney was also at Sharon (Ohio) Speedway Saturday, July 30 where Jack Daniel’s sponsored the evening’s racing. The Hartford, Ohio native also made several personal appearances in the area July 29 – August 1.

Back on Dirt … Prior to heading for Indianapolis, Blaney along with several other NASCAR drivers will participate in the “Night of Stars” at Ken Schrader’s I-55 Speedway, Wednesday, August 3 in Pevely, Mo. The event will feature a two hour autograph session and a 10 lap celebrity match race in dirt modifieds. Proceeds from the evening’s activities will benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp.

Up to Speed … The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will be televised live Sunday, August 7 beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on NBC. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network (IMS) and XM Satellite Radio will also carry the race broadcast live. Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday, August 6 beginning at 11:10 a.m. EDT. TNT will televise qualifying the same day beginning at 6 p.m. EDT.

DAVE BLANEY QUOTES:
Early in your career, racing open-wheel cars on dirt tracks in the Midwest always seemed to lead to Indianapolis. What does it mean to you personally to race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – even if it is in a stock car? “I can still remember the first day I got to drive a stock car around Indianapolis – just driving anything around Indianapolis. I remember it like it was yesterday. It’s just an amazing facility to race at no matter what kind of car you race there. When I was racing sprint cars during the mid-80s, we used to race all around Indianapolis during the week of the Indy 500. A lot of times we would come out and watch practice or qualifying. The biggest thing I remember was being amazed by how big the place is. When you’re used to racing half-mile dirt tracks, Indy is a pretty big place.”

How do you like your chances on the competitive side? “I think the Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet will be really fast. I think all the RCR cars will be fast. (Kevin) Harvick won the race a couple years ago and I think we’ve got some setups that we tested there a couple weeks ago that will work really well.”

Indy is a momentum track. It’s a flat race track but it’s fast and really aero-sensitive. What’s it going to take to put your crew and the Jack Daniel’s Chevy in Victory Lane? “The track itself is a good bit faster this year. You can definitely tell the track has been repaved and ground in some areas. Testing speeds are way up from previous years. It will be the same as always. It’s going to take a good handling race car with lots of engine and good track position. It takes a variety of things. You have to be strong in all areas to win that race.”

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