Scott Wimmer No. 22 CAT Racing Event Preview
Track: Michigan International Speedway (two-mile oval) in Brooklyn, Mich.
Race: GFS Marketplace 400 Date: 08.21.05
NASCAR Nextel Cup driver points position: 33rd (moved up one position from last week) Owner points: 33rd (moved up one position from last week)
Notes:
The No. 22 Caterpillar Dodge Charger at Michigan International Speedway this weekend is Chassis No. 65. It was raced only one other time this year, when Scott Wimmer and his CAT team worked to overcome two back-to-back early-race setbacks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team persevered with a little gamble toward the end of the race to regain as much track position as possible and eventually finished the day where it had started in 26th place.
One of the best … The last time Wimmer and team raced at Michigan International Speedway (June), they posted one of their best finishes of the season (16th, started 22nd). The CAT Crew also placed 16th at California Speedway in February. Wimmer seems to favor MIS. In his three starts at the two-mile oval, he has always finished inside the top 20, with his worst finish being 18th place in August 2004.
Meet Wimmer at MIS … Wimmer will stop by his merchandise trailer on souvenir row just outside Michigan International Speedway to meet fans and sign autographs from 9:35 to 10:35 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 21.
At MIS … Qualifying for the NASCAR Nextel Cup GFS Marketplace 400 at MIS is scheduled to start at 12:10 p.m. ET Saturday, Aug. 20, and will broadcast LIVE on MRN (radio) and XM Radio Channel 144. Qualifying will also broadcast on TNT (TV) starting at 1 p.m. ET. The GFS Marketplace 400 is scheduled to start at 2:10 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 21, and will broadcast LIVE on TNT, MRN and XM Radio Channel 144.
Quotes:
Scott, you had one of your best finishes of the season the last time you were at Michigan. What are your thoughts as you prepare to head back to Michigan International Speedway?
“The thing I remember most about our last visit to Michigan in June is we just had a real solid effort all weekend long. We tied our season-best finish and spent the majority of the race and weekend running around the top-quarter of the speed charts. To make it even sweeter, we also took a step forward in the overall standings like we just did this past weekend at The Glen.
“In June, I think we were ninth fastest in the first practice and 13th fastest in the second. Then, come qualifying time, we picked up even more speed and grabbed a top-25 starting position. So it was a good performance put out by the CAT Racing team. It was one of those weekends where it seemed like we just kept making all of the right moves. We did go one lap down for a brief bit because of an untimely caution but raced to get it back and did. Then, shortly after getting back on the lead lap, we managed to turn a top-30 run into a top-20 position.
“The biggest problem we battled was the car was real tight off the corners, and that made it hard for me to conserve the tires. The guys just did a great job with their fast stops and with the changes they made to get the Caterpillar car to loosen up a bit when it needed to. The No. 22 Caterpillar car did get better on the longer runs. I wish I could’ve held on for a top 15, but we’ll take a clean car and run any day. It would be nice to have a little MIS déjà vu this weekend, except a win or a top 10 would be even nicer.”
