GFS Marketplace 400 - Bobby Hamilton Jr. Notes

Bobby Hamilton Jr. Event Preview

HICKORY, N.C., (August 16, 2005) – Bobby Hamilton Jr. will return to the driver’s seat of the No. 32 Tide/Downy Chevrolet for this weekend’s running of the GFS Marketplace 400 at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). He’s got a one-track mind and that’s to give his sponsor, Tide, its second win at the 2.0-mile facility. The Tide ride’s last visit to Michigan’s victory lane came on June 20, 1993.

As for PPI Motorsports, the organization knows how to get around the track since it captured the Bud Pole award and a runner-up finish for Tide in 2001. With the driver and the veteran PPI crew working together, their combined efforts should yield a solid-result on Sunday. Bobby Hamilton Jr., driver of the No. 32 Tide/Downy Chevrolet Monte Carlo:

Are you looking forward to a second stab at Michigan?

“Absolutely, I’ve run pretty well at Michigan in the past so I was disappointed that we didn’t do well last time. We finished 31st. We just didn’t seem to get the tires working for us. The car would take off but after 10 or so laps, the right-front tire would get worn out and we’d have to drop back to manage the tire wear for the rest of the run. Hopefully, we’ve learned a few things since then. Plus, we’ve got Danny Gill on board with us as crew chief this go around. Danny has been instrumental in the redesign of the car we’re taking this weekend. This is the first time we are racing a car that has a “Gill” body on it. I am hoping for good things and a solid improvement from the last race we’ve run at Michigan. I am hoping for a top-25 finish. If this team can keep stringing top-25s together then I’ll be happy. That’s a realistic finish for us.”

Notes of Interest:

Bobby Hamilton Jr.

The green flag on race day at Michigan International Speedway will mark Bobby’s 51st career start in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.

Bobby has raced at MIS three times in Nextel Cup, with a best start of 19th in 2001 and a best finish of 24th in 2001.

He has competed in the NASCAR Busch Series six times at MIS. Out of the six, he has started in the top-10 four times, (eighth-2004, seventh-2002, 10th-2001 and seventh-2000), finishing in the top-five twice (third-2003 and fifth-2002).

PPI Motorsports

PPI Motorsports won the Bud Pole award at Michigan International Speedway with Ricky Craven in 2001. The team’s best finish is second which came in 2001 with Ricky Craven in the driver’s seat.

Tide Racing

Ricky Rudd drove the Tide ride to victory lane at Michigan on June 20, 1993 giving Tide its 12th win as a sponsor. To date, Tide has visited victory lane a total of 20 times.

About the Tide Ride:

Chassis No.: 64

Bobby Hamilton Jr. will be driving chassis No. 64 in the GFS Marketplace 400. It is new to PPIM’s racing stable this season. It has raced three times in 2005. However, it has a new body for this race to the specifications of crew chief Danny Gill.