Cat Racing/Dave Blaney Event Preview
Phoenix International Raceway
Subway Fresh Fit 500
Phoenix International Raceway News and Notes
Phoenix Toyota…The Caterpillar Racing team plans to utilize chassis No. 17 for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. The team tested this particular car at the Avondale-area track earlier this season.
Texas Recap…After having to qualify its way into the race, the Cat team started the event at Texas Motor Speedway in the 29th spot. Dave Blaney worked his way into the top 25 early in the event and finished the race in 21st. The Texas effort was the team’s best finish thus far this season, and it moved the team up two positions in the owners’ point standings. The team now stands just 23 points outside the top 35.
Blaney’s Career Stats…Blaney hopes to make his 276th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start when the green flag waves for the 312-lap event Saturday evening. He made his first career Cup Series start in October 1992 at [Rockingham] North Carolina Speedway and finished eighth (qualified 13th) for his first Cup Series start in Phoenix in 2000. Like this weekend, Blaney was aboard a Bill Davis Racing-owned machine.
Blaney at PIR…Blaney has made 10 Cup Series starts at the one-mile high-banked oval during his career. The veteran driver has started as high as fifth (2002) and finished as high as seventh (2002). He has scored two top-10 finishes in Cup Series competition at the speedway.
BDR at PIR…Competitors driving Bill Davis Racing-owned cars have been racing at Phoenix International Speedway and have made 25 starts. Those drivers have posted three top-10 finishes at the track.
Where to Find Dave…Look for Blaney to stop by the Caterpillar/Toyota Racing merchandise hauler to sign autographs this weekend. Please check with the trailer for exact times.
Changes at BDR…Marty Gaunt has joined Bill Davis Racing as the team’s Vice President. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Team Manager Mark Chambers will assume the duties of general manager for the entire organization. Mike Brown, who served as Cup Series general manager, is now the company CFO, and Jim Thomas joins BDR as its director of marketing.
Phoenix Broadcast Schedule…Qualifying for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 is scheduled to start at 7:10 p.m. ET Thursday, April 10. The 312-lap event is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. ET Saturday, April 12, and will broadcast LIVE on FOX (TV), MRN (radio) and Sirius Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on Phoenix…
“This Caterpillar team has come a long way in just a couple of weeks. We ran strong at Martinsville, and we seemed to have our mile-and-a-half program back on the right track last weekend at Texas. There’s definitely a great deal of improvement, and we can see light at the end of the tunnel now. Plus, we’ve added quite a few people to our program, and I think that will really help make this team strong for the future. The Davis’ and everyone involved are committed to bringing Bill Davis Racing back to the level it became accustomed to in the past. I’m excited to be a part of this organization right now. I think we are on the brink of some very good things, and I’m hoping we can start it off with some success at Phoenix. Once we get ourselves solidly in the field, we’ll concentrate on getting a good run there and getting this Cat team back into the top 35 in points. That would be a good start.”
