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Homestead-Miami
Speedway Preview
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Homestead-Miami
Speedway Notes
Homestead’s Ride…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
utilize chassis No.
69 for the Ford 400
this weekend at
Homestead-Miami
Speedway. This car
was most recently
run at Martinsville
(Va.) Speedway and
also saw action at
[Loudon] New
Hampshire
International
Speedway.
Bad Boy Mowers
Returns…Bad Boy
Mowers will once
again sponsor the
No. 22 BDR Toyota
this weekend. Bad
Boy, Inc., began in
1998 with the sole
purpose of producing
the Bad Boy
zero-turn commercial
lawn mower. Bad Boy
Mowers are now
manufactured,
assembled, and
stored in multiple
facilities
comprising over
200,000 square feet
in Batesville, Ark.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Dave Blaney
will make his 303rd
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
this weekend when
the green flag waves
for the start of the
Ford 400. He made
his first Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway and
finished 23rd
(qualified fourth)
in his first Cup
Series start at
Homestead-Miami
Speedway in 1999.
Like this weekend,
Blaney was aboard a
BDR-owned machine.
What happened Last
Week…The No. 22 BDR
team posted its best
qualifying effort
(23rd) since the
August event at
California Speedway,
then followed it up
with a top-20
effort, its highest
finish since the
September race at
Dover (Del.)
International
Speedway. That
finish helped the
team pick up two
positions in the
NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series Owners’ point
battle. The team now
stands in 31st
place.
Blaney at HMS…Blaney
has made eight Cup
Series starts at the
1.5-mile speedway
during his career.
He has started as
high as fourth
(1999) and finished
as high as sixth
(2001 and 2005).
Blaney has scored
three top-10
finishes in Cup
Series competition
at the speedway and
has started inside
the top 20 on five
occasions.
BDR at
HMS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
HMS since 1999 and
have made 16 starts.
Those drivers have
posted two top-10
finishes at the
track.
Bring Your Sharpie…Blaney
is scheduled to sign
autographs at the
Toyota merchandise
trailer Sunday
afternoon. Check in
at the souvenir
trailer for exact
times.
Watch and
Listen…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 3:10 p.m. ET,
Friday, Nov. 14. The
267-lap race is
scheduled to start
at 3:45 p.m. ET,
Sunday, Nov. 16, and
will broadcast LIVE
on ABC (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
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Phoenix
International Speedway Review
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AVONDALE, Ariz.
(Nov. 9, 2008) –
Dave Blaney and the
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team
qualified in the
23rd spot for the
Checker Auto Parts
500 at Phoenix
International
Raceway and backed
up that qualifying
effort with a top-20
finish on the
one-mile oval Sunday
afternoon.
Blaney was the 11th
of 44 competitors to
take to the track
for qualifying
Friday afternoon.
His speed of 132.846
mph was quick enough
to earn the team the
23rd position for
Sunday’s race. It
was the best
qualifying effort
the team has posted
since the event at
California Speedway
in August.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
event, and Blaney
let the team know
early on that the
Bad Boy Mowers
Toyota handled tight
in the center of the
corners, but was
otherwise handling
well. Several cars
got together early
in the event, which
prompted an early
round of pit stops.
In an effort to gain
track position, Crew
Chief Tommy Baldwin
called for a
two-tire pit stop,
and after the lap 22
stop was completed,
Blaney returned to
the track for the
restart in the 13th
spot.
The car became even
tighter in the
corners during the
next run, and Blaney
was running in the
16th position when
an unexpected rain
shower moved through
the area. NASCAR
officials displayed
the red flag while
track drying was
underway, and the
race resumed 24
minutes later. The
No. 22 team got a
bit of a break when
a caution flag waved
on lap 142. With
leader Jimmie
Johnson not far
behind, the team had
been in danger of
losing a lap, but
after taking four
tires and making a
track bar adjustment
just before the
halfway point of the
event, Blaney lined
up for the lap 149
restart in the 19th
spot.
Though the car was
pretty good overall,
Blaney was still
struggling entering
turn one and the
leader was setting a
blistering pace. On
lap 207 of the
313-lap race, Blaney,
sitting in the 18th
position, was unable
to hold off Johnson
and went one lap
down. Blaney
remained in the top
20 for much of the
remainder of the
race, and Baldwin
and the No. 22 pit
crew continued to
make adjustments to
the handling of the
car. A multi-car
incident with 37
laps remaining
brought out the
second red flag of
the day. When the
checkered flag
finally waved,
Blaney held 20th
place. The top-20
effort was the
highest finish for
the team since
September and it
helped move the BDR
team up two spots to
31st in the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series
Owners’ points
battle.
The Sprint Cup
Series heads to
Homestead-Miami
Speedway for the
final race of the
2008 campaign.
Qualifying for the
Ford 400 is
scheduled for
Friday, Nov. 14.
Coverage of the
267-lap race is
scheduled for a 3:45
p.m. ET start,
Sunday, Nov. 16 and
will broadcast on
ABC (television),
MRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio.
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Phoenix
International Speedway Preview
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Phoenix International Raceway Notes
Phoenix’s Camry…The No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to utilize chassis No.
81 for the Checker Auto Parts 500 this
weekend at Phoenix International
Raceway. This is the first time this car
will be used in a race, but the team
took it to Caraway Speedway in Asheboro,
N.C., last week to shake it down prior
to this weekend’s event.
Blaney’s Career Stats…Dave Blaney will
make his 302nd career NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series start this weekend when the green
flag waves for the start of the Checker
Auto Parts 500k. He made his first Cup
Series start in October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North Carolina Speedway and
finished eighth (qualified 13th) in his
first Cup Series start in Phoenix in
2000. Like this weekend, Blaney was
aboard a BDR-owned machine.
Blaney at PIR…Blaney has made 11 Cup
Series starts at the one-mile speedway
during his career. He has started as
high as fifth (2002) and finished as
high as seventh (2002). Blaney has
scored two top-10 finishes in Cup Series
competition at the speedway and has
started inside the top 15 on five
occasions. In fact, the veteran driver
has only qualified outside the top 20 on
three occasions.
BDR at PIR…Competitors driving Bill
Davis Racing-owned cars have been racing
at Phoenix International Speedway since
1993 and have made 26 starts. Those
drivers have posted three top-10
finishes at the track.
Bring Your Sharpie…Blaney is scheduled
to sign autographs at the
Caterpillar/Toyota merchandise trailer
Sunday morning. Check in at the souvenir
trailer for exact times. Blaney is also
scheduled to appear at the Toyota
PitPass Saturday.
Watch and Listen…Qualifying for the
event is scheduled to start at 5:40 p.m.
ET, Friday, Nov. 7. The 312-lap race is
scheduled to start at 3:45 p.m. ET,
Sunday, Nov. 9, and will broadcast LIVE
on ABC (TV), MRN (radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
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Texas Motor
Speedway Review
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Dave
Blaney/ Caterpillar
Racing – Dickies 500
Texas Motor Speedway
FORT WORTH, Texas
(Nov. 2, 2008) –
With just three
races remaining in
the 2008 NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series
campaign, Dave
Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team qualified in
the 41st spot for
the Dickies 500 at
Texas Motor Speedway
Friday afternoon.
The team fought both
tight and loose
handling conditions
during Sunday’s
race, and Blaney
took the checkered
flag in the 29th
spot.
Sunny skies
dominated the
weather conditions
Friday, and Blaney
was the 18th of 48
competitors to take
to the track for
qualifying that
afternoon. His speed
of 184.300 mph
around the track,
though disappointing
for the Cat Racing
team, earned the
team 41st-place on
the starting grid.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
event, and Blaney
immediately
communicated to crew
chief Tommy Baldwin
that the Cat Camry
was handling
extremely tight
through the corners.
The leader was
wasting no time
getting around the
1.5-mile oval, and
the No. 22 Toyota
went one lap down on
lap 39. Meanwhile,
Baldwin planned for
a track bar
adjustment during
the first pit stop
of the day. Baldwin
called Blaney into
the pits for that
adjustment, as well
as four tires and
fuel, on lap 55 of
the 334-lap event.
The caution flag
waved several laps
after Blaney’s pit
stop, and Baldwin
decided to leave the
car out on the
track. Several of
Blaney’s competitors
made pit stops, and
when the green waved
for the lap 65
restart, the No. 22
BDR entry held the
32nd position.
Track conditions
began to change as
the sun set, and the
Caterpillar Camry’s
handling went from
tight to looser and
looser. Blaney was
in danger of falling
another lap in
arrears when a
caution flag waved,
enabling the team to
remain only one lap
down. For this round
of pit stops,
Baldwin called for
several changes to
the car, including
air pressure, wedge
and track bar
adjustments. Blaney
returned to the
track for the lap
149 restart in 31st
place.
The adjustments made
to the car seemed to
help in the late
stages of the event.
Blaney was able to
catch and pass
several of the cars
on his lap and had
worked his way into
27th place before
the final pit stop
of the day. Several
different strategies
took place during
that stop; Baldwin
called for right
side tires and fuel,
while some teams
opted for four fresh
tires or none at
all. When the
checkered flag
waved, the No. 22
Camry held the 29th
place.
The Sprint Cup
Series will return
to Phoenix
International
Raceway next
weekend. Qualifying
for the Checker Auto
Parts 500k is
scheduled for
Friday, Nov. 7.
Coverage of the
312-lap race is
scheduled for a
3:45p.m. ET start,
Nov. 9, and will
broadcast on ABC
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
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Texas Motor
Speedway Preview
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Texas
Motor Speedway
Preview
Texas Motor Speedway
Notes
Texas’ Ride…The No.
22 Bill Davis Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
47 for the Dickies
500 this weekend at
Texas Motor
Speedway. The team
is once again
turning to its
workhorse. This
Camry has been
utilized on many
occasions this
season, most
recently in the
event at Lowe’s
Motor Speedway
(Concord, N.C.)
several weeks ago.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Dave Blaney
will make his 301st
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
this weekend when
the green flag waves
for the start of the
Dickies 500. He made
his first Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway and
finished 22nd
(qualified 24th) in
his first Cup Series
start in Texas in
2000. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a BDR-owned
machine.
Blaney at TMS…Blaney
has made 12 Cup
Series starts at the
1.5-mile speedway
during his career.
He has started as
high as 12th (2005)
and finished as high
as sixth (2001).
Blaney has scored
three top-15
finishes in Cup
Series competition
at the speedway.
BDR at
TMS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Texas Motor Speedway
since it opened in
1997 and have made
21 starts. Those
drivers have posted
two top-10 finishes
at the track.
Caraway Calling…Blaney
and the No. 22 BDR
team spent Tuesday
morning testing at
Caraway Speedway in
Asheboro, N.C.,
shaking down chassis
No. 81 for the
upcoming event at
Phoenix
International
Raceway.
Detour to
Arkansas…Instead of
heading straight
from the BDR hanger
in Greensboro, N.C.,
to the Fort Worth,
Texas, area Thursday
afternoon, the
Caterpillar crew
will make a detour
to Bill and Gail
Davis’ ranch in
Concord, Ark. The
team will experience
first-hand the
festivities
surrounding the
second annual
Chimney Rock 500
Cattle Sale, which
will take place Oct.
30-31. Last year,
Lot 134, CRC’s
Blaney 99S10, a
Brangus bull named
for BDR driver Dave
Blaney, was the
highest-selling bull
at the event.
Watch and
Listen…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 4:40 p.m. ET,
Friday, Oct. 31. The
334-lap race is
scheduled to start
at 3:30 p.m. ET,
Sunday, Nov. 2, and
will broadcast LIVE
on ABC (TV), PRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
the Dickies
500…“Obviously,
there are only three
races left in this
season, and we’d
certainly like to
finish it out strong
not only for
everyone at Bill
Davis Racing, but
for all of our
sponsors too.
Caterpillar has been
such a strong
supporter of our
program for so many
years, and it would
be nice to be able
to celebrate a
couple of really
good finishes before
the season is over.
We were certainly
hoping for better
things this year and
we’ve struggled here
lately, but we’ve
still got three to
go and we’re working
as hard as ever week
in and week out.”
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Atlanta Motor
Speedway Review
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Dave Blaney/Caterpillar
Racing – Pep Boys
Auto 500
Atlanta Motor
Speedway
HAMPTON, Ga. (Oct.
27, 2008) – Dave
Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team lined up 33rd
on the starting grid
after rain washed
out qualifying for
the Pep Boys Auto
500 at Atlanta Motor
Speedway. Blaney,
who was making his
300th career NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series
start, worked his
way into the top 25
just past the
halfway point of the
event and remained
there until he
became involved in a
multi-car accident
late in the race.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was scheduled to be
the fifth of 45
teams to take to the
track for qualifying
Friday evening, but
Mother Nature had
other plans. Rain
blanketed the area
in the morning, and
NASCAR and track
officials struggled
to control seeping
water throughout the
afternoon. Once the
track was ready,
teams practiced for
about 10 minutes
before a heavy mist
began to fall. For
the 10th time this
season, Friday’s
qualifying round was
cancelled. The
starting lineup was
set by Sprint Cup
Series Owners’
points, and the
Caterpillar Racing
Toyota was set to
line up 33rd on the
starting grid.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
event, and Blaney
let Crew Chief Tommy
Baldwin know that
the car handled
extremely tight off
the corners. An
early caution flag
enabled the team to
make adjustments to
the car, including a
wedge adjustment and
the removal of
spring rubbers from
the left rear. With
four fresh tires,
Blaney lined up for
the lap 40 restart
in the 37th spot.
Blaney held the 35th
position after a
routine pit stop
under caution on lap
113 and experienced
battery issues
during the ensuing
restart. After
switching to the
second battery, he
was able to continue
without losing any
ground. Baldwin
continued to make
adjustments to the
car during several
mid-race pit stops,
and the veteran
driver broke into
the top 30 at lap
154. The changes
made to the chassis
began to make a
difference, and
Blaney soon found
himself piloting a
car that was as fast
as that of the
leader.
Blaney had worked
his way into the
24th spot when the
team finally had the
opportunity to
replace the
batteries. The crew
made the change
during a yellow-flag
pit stop on lap 210,
never losing a lap
in the process. The
Caterpillar Camry
remained in the top
25 until misfortune
struck in the late
stages of the race.
While running in the
21st spot, Blaney
was a victim of a
multi-car accident
on lap 303. Hard
impact to the
outside wall
resulted in heavy
damage to the
machine, and the No.
22 BDR entry was
unable to continue.
The team was
credited with a
disappointing
41st-place finish.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will
travel to Texas
Motor Speedway for
the Dickies 500,
Sunday, Nov. 2.
Qualifying for the
event is scheduled
for Friday, Oct. 31.
Coverage of the race
is scheduled for a
3:30 p.m. ET start
and will broadcast
on ABC (television),
PRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio. |
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Atlanta Motor
Speedway Preview
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Atlanta Motor
Speedway Notes
Atlanta’s Camry…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
utilize chassis No.
33 for the Pep Boys
Auto 500 this
weekend at Atlanta
Motor Speedway. This
car has been raced
on two prior
occasions this
season, including
the spring race at
AMS and the most
recent event at
Richmond (Va.)
International
Raceway.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…This weekend
marks a milestone in
Dave Blaney’s career
as he will make his
300th career NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series
start when the green
flag waves Sunday
afternoon. He made
his first Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway driving for
owner Stan Hover and
finished 37th
(qualified seventh)
in his first Cup
Series start in
Atlanta in 1999.
Like this weekend,
Blaney was aboard a
BDR-owned machine.
Blaney at AMS…Blaney
counts Atlanta among
his favorite tracks
to race on, and he
has made 17 Cup
Series starts at the
1.54-mile speedway
during his career.
Blaney has started
as high as third
(2001) and finished
as high as eighth
(2003 and 2005). He
has scored two
top-10 finishes in
Cup Series
competition at the
speedway and has
qualified inside the
top 10 six times.
BDR at AMS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Atlanta Motor
Speedway since 1993
and have made 45
starts. Those
drivers have posted
three top-five
finishes and seven
top-10 finishes at
the Hampton, Ga.,
track.
Back to the Dirt…Blaney
will join Bill
Elliott, Ken
Schrader, Kasey
Kahne and Tony
Stewart Saturday
night for the “Bill
Elliott 50 Red Dirt
Dash” at Dixie
Speedway in
Woodstock, Ga.
Blaney will be
behind the wheel of
a Late Model for the
charity event on the
3/8-mile dirt track.
The Birthday
Boys…Both Blaney and
Crew Chief Tommy
Baldwin will
celebrate birthdays
in the upcoming
days. Blaney will
celebrate on Friday,
Oct. 24, and Baldwin
will turn 42 on
Monday, Oct. 27.
Watch and
Listen…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 7 p.m. ET,
Friday, Oct. 24. The
325-lap race is
scheduled to start
at 2 p.m. ET,
Sunday, Oct. 26, and
will broadcast LIVE
on ABC (TV), PRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
the Pep Boys Auto
500…“I’ve always
like racing in
Atlanta. It’s a
great track – wide
and fast and fun –
but we’ve struggled
a bit the last
couple of times
we’ve been there, so
that has been a
little disappointing
for us. All the
same, we think the
baseline setup we’ve
got for our
Caterpillar Toyota
this weekend should
be pretty good. We
tested at Nashville
last week to get
ready for this race
and we’re hopeful we
can get ourselves a
good finish.” |
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Martinsville Review
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Dave Blaney/Caterpillar
Racing – TUMS
QuikPak 500
Martinsville
Speedway
MARTINSVILLE, Va.
(Oct. 19, 2008) –
Dave Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team lined up 33rd
on the starting grid
after rain washed
out qualifying for
the TUMS QuikPak 500
at Martinsville
Speedway. Crew Chief
Tommy Baldwin made
only minor
adjustments to the
No. 22 Toyota
throughout the
afternoon, and
Blaney drove the car
to a 22nd-place
finish in Sunday’s
event.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was scheduled to be
the 33rd of 45 teams
to take to the track
for qualifying
Friday afternoon.
Unfortunately,
Mother Nature had
other plans. Rain
blanketed the area
throughout the day,
and NASCAR officials
were forced to
cancel the scheduled
afternoon practice
session and, and for
the ninth time this
season, Friday’s
qualifying round.
The starting lineup
was set by NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series
Owners’ points, and
the Caterpillar
Racing Toyota was
set to line up 33rd
on the starting
grid.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
event, and Blaney
let the team know
that the Caterpillar
Racing Toyota
handled a bit too
tight in the center
of the corners. The
first caution period
of the day occurred
on lap 29. Opting to
gain track position,
Baldwin kept Blaney
out on the track
while many of his
competitors made pit
stops. The veteran
driver lined up in
the 16th position
for the lap 35
restart and moved
into the top 15
several laps later.
Another caution flag
was displayed on lap
62, and Baldwin
called his driver
into the pits for
four fresh tires and
fuel. Blaney stood
in 28th place when
the green flag waved
for the restart and
held the 23rd spot
at the lap 100 mark.
Baldwin called for
only minor chassis
adjustments to the
car during several
pit stops throughout
the next 100 laps,
and Blaney remained
in the top 25
despite falling one
lap down to leader
Jimmie Johnson on
lap 321.
As is par for the
course at a short
track like
Martinsville
Speedway, Blaney
experienced some
brake issues during
the event, but he
was able to
patiently make his
way past slower
traffic for much of
the afternoon. With
50 laps left in the
race, Blaney let
Baldwin know that
the car was turning
better in the center
of the corners than
it had all day. When
the checkered flag
waved after a
green/white/checkered
finish, the team
stood in the 22nd
position.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will
travel to Atlanta
Motor Speedway for
the Pep Boys Auto
500, Sunday, Oct.
26. Qualifying for
the event is
scheduled for
Friday, Oct. 24.
Coverage of the race
is scheduled for a 2
p.m. ET start and
will broadcast on
ABC (television),
PRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio. Blaney will
make his 300th
career Sprint Cup
Series start when
the green flag waves
for the event.
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Martinsville Preview
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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney Event Preview
Tums QuikPak 500
Martinsville Speedway Notes
Martinsville’s Machine…The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team plans to utilize
chassis No. 69 for the Tums Quik Pak 500
this weekend at Martinsville (Va.)
Speedway. This car has been race on one
prior occasion at [Loudon] New Hampshire
International Speedway.
A Day in Nashville…Dave Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing team will spend
Wednesday testing at Nashville (Tenn.)
Superspeedway in preparation for several
upcoming events on the NASCAR Sprint Cup
schedule.
Blaney’s Career Stats…Blaney will make
his 299th career NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series start when the green flag waves
Sunday afternoon. He made his first Cup
Series start in October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North Carolina Speedway and
finished 41st (qualified 20th) in his
first Cup Series start at the .526-mile
short track in 2000. Like this weekend,
Blaney was aboard a BDR-owned machine.
Blaney at Martinsville…Blaney has made
15 Cup Series starts at the .526-mile
oval during his career. He has started
as high as sixth (2006) and finished as
high as 16th (2005). He has scored four
top-20 finishes in Cup Series
competition at the speedway and has
qualified inside the top 10 twice.
BDR at Martinsville…Competitors driving
Bill Davis Racing-owned cars have been
racing at Martinsville Speedway since
1993 and have made 37 starts. Those
drivers have posted two top-five
finishes and three top-10 finishes at
the track.
Another New Addition…BDR General Manager
Marty Gaunt and his wife Cindy welcomed
son Parker Martin to the family last
Thursday. Parker weighed in at 6 pounds,
14 ounces, and is the first child for
the couple.
Watch and Listen…Qualifying for the
event is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m.
ET, Friday, Oct. 17. The 500-lap race is
scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. ET,
Sunday, Oct. 19, and will broadcast LIVE
on ABC (TV), MRN (radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on the Tums QuikPak
500…“We were running pretty well last
time we were in Martinsville, before we
ran into problems, so we’re looking
forward to getting our Caterpillar Camry
back there for another shot at it. We’ve
been struggling for the past couple of
weeks, and we’d like to get ourselves
back on track before the end of the
season. It would mean a lot to everyone
on this team to finish out the season
strong.”
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Lowe's Motor
Speedway Review
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Dave
Blaney/Caterpillar Racing – Bank of
America 500
Lowe’s Motor Speedway
CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 11, 2008) – Dave
Blaney and the Caterpillar Racing team
lined up 32nd on the starting grid after
rain washed out qualifying for the Bank
of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
The team struggled with the handling of
the car throughout Saturday evening’s
event and finished the race in the 27th
spot.
The No. 22 Bill Davis Racing team was
scheduled to be the second of 47 teams
to take to the track for qualifying
Thursday evening. Unfortunately, Mother
Nature had other plans. Rain blanketed
the area throughout the afternoon, and
NASCAR officials were forced to cancel
the scheduled afternoon practice session
and Thursday night’s qualifying round.
The starting lineup was set by points,
and the Caterpillar Racing Toyota was
set to line up 32nd on the starting
grid.
The green flag waved for the start of
the event, and Blaney let the team know
early on that the handling of the
Caterpillar Camry started very loose,
but got tighter as the run progressed.
Blaney went one lap down to leader Tony
Stewart on lap 37 of the 344-lap race.
The first caution flag of the day waved
on lap 44, which gave Crew Chief Tommy
Baldwin the opportunity to make air
pressure and track bar changes during
the ensuing pit stop.
The team continued to battle handling
issues, and Baldwin called for major
changes during a lap 122 stop, which
included four tires, fuel and track bar
and wedge adjustments. Blaney took the
green flag for the lap 126 restart in
the 35th spot and was able to break into
the top 30 just past the 200-lap mark.
The changes made to the car began to
help in the closing stages of the race,
and Baldwin continued to adjust the car
at every opportunity. The No. 22 machine
took the checkered flag in the 27th
position.
The Caterpillar Racing team will again
stick close to home next week when it
travels to Martinsville (Va.) Speedway
for the Tums QuikPak 500, Sunday, Oct.
19. Qualifying for the event is
scheduled for Friday, Oct. 17. Coverage
of the event is scheduled for a 1:30
p.m. ET start and will broadcast on ABC
(television), MRN (radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
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Lowe's Motor
Speedway Preview
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Lowe’s Motor
Speedway Notes
Lowe’s Chassis…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
utilize chassis No.
47 for the Bank of
America 500 this
weekend at Lowe’s
Motor Speedway. This
is the team’s
workhorse and was
most recently run at
Kansas Speedway and
Dover (Del.)
International
Raceway.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Dave Blaney
will make his 298th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves Saturday
evening. He made his
first career Cup
Series start in
October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North
Carolina Speedway
and finished 40th
(qualified 30th) in
his first Cup Series
start at the
1.5-mile
superspeedway in
2000. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a BDR-owned
machine.
Blaney at LMS…Blaney
has made 17 Cup
Series starts at the
1.5-mile track
during his career.
The veteran driver
has started as high
as eighth (2003 and
2007) and has
finished as high as
sixth (2007). Blaney
has scored four
top-15 finishes at
the Concord, N.C.,
track in his Cup
Series career and
hasn’t finished
outside the top 20
in two years. He has
competed in 14
NASCAR Nationwide
Series events at the
track and has two
pole positions to
his credit. He also
scored his first
Nationwide Series
win there in 2006.
BDR at LMS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Lowe’s Motor
Speedway since 1993
and have made 43
starts. BDR drivers
have three top-five
finishes and 12
top-10 finishes at
the track.
Bring Your
Sharpie…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. Blaney will
also make an
appearance at Toyota
PitPass Saturday
afternoon.
Watch and
Listen…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 7:10 p.m. ET,
Thursday, Oct. 9.
The 334-lap race is
scheduled to start
at 7:20 p.m. ET,
Saturday, Oct. 11,
and will broadcast
LIVE on ABC (TV),
PRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
the Bank of America
500…“We had a pretty
good run at Lowe’s
Motor Speedway in
the spring, and we
think we had a
decent test there a
couple of weeks ago,
so we’re hopeful
this Caterpillar
Toyota can qualify
near the front and
stay there this
weekend. We’ve got
chassis No. 47 ready
to go, and it’s been
good to us in the
past, so we’ll go
out there and see
what we can do.”
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Talladega Review
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Dave Blaney/Caterpillar
Racing – AMP Energy
500
Talladega
Superspeedway
TALLADEGA, Ala.
(Oct. 5, 2008) –
Restrictor plate
racing at Talladega
Superspeedway is
always exciting, and
Sunday’s AMP Energy
500 was no
exception. Dave
Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team had high hopes
for the event after
a third-place finish
at the 2.66-mile
superspeedway last
season. After
qualifying in the
29th place for this
year’s race, Blaney
experienced
mechanical issues
throughout the
event, but it was a
multi-car incident
in the closing laps
that ended the day
early for the team.
The event at
Talladega was an
impound race, and
teams only had two
practice sessions
Friday to prepare
for both qualifying
and the race. The
Tommy Baldwin-led
team was happy with
the way its car ran
in both sessions.
The No. 22 machine
was the 30th of 45
teams to take to the
track for qualifying
Saturday afternoon.
Blaney posted a
speed of 185.740 mph
around the track,
which earned the
team the 29th
starting position
for Sunday’s event.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
race, and the No. 22
BDR team encountered
problems early in
the event. Blaney
communicated to his
crew on lap 14 of
the 188-lap race
that, though the
gauges in the car
didn’t seem to
indicate a problem,
the motor felt like
it was missing all
the way down the
backstretch. A
caution flag for
debris on lap 36
enabled Blaney to
drive down pit road
for four fresh tires
and fuel. The crew
also searched under
the hood for
anything that might
appear to be amiss.
Blaney returned to
the track in the
32nd position.
The No. 22 machine
broke into the top
30 on lap 59. Blaney
was able to hang
with the large lead
draft and was riding
in the 23rd position
on lap 62. A
multi-car accident
brought out the
first of the event’s
two red flags on lap
69. After running
through the debris,
Blaney discovered he
had a flat right
front tire. When the
yellow flag waved 17
minutes later,
Baldwin called for
four fresh tires and
fuel. Because it was
necessary to pit
before pit road was
officially open,
Blaney was forced
serve a penalty. He
lined up for the lap
73 restart on the
tail end of the
longest line in the
21st position, with
29 cars remaining on
the lead lap.
Blaney hovered
around the top 20
for much of the
remainder of the
event and was
running in the 20th
spot when disaster
struck. While Blaney
was running in the
lead draft and
making his way
toward the front of
the field, several
cars collided in the
front of the pack.
Though the veteran
driver dodged the
first part of the
lap 174 accident,
the spinning car of
Michael Waltrip slid
down the track and
into the path of the
No. 22, causing a
great deal of damage
to the front and
rear of the machine.
A total of 12 cars
were involved in the
melee, and the red
flag was displayed
once again. While
the race was
stopped, the No. 22
team planned to
repair its Toyota
Camry enough to make
several laps and
pick up as many
positions as
possible.
Blaney joined the
field for the lap
148 restart and ran
several laps before
the team opted to
park the car at the
same time the
engine, which was
damaged in the
accident, expired.
The team was
credited with a 22nd
place finish.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will
stick close to home
next weekend for the
Bank of America 500
at Lowe’s Motor
Speedway in Concord,
N.C. Qualifying for
the event is
scheduled for
Thursday, Oct. 9.
The race is
scheduled for a 7:25
p.m. ET start,
Saturday, Oct. 11
and will broadcast
on ABC (television),
PRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio.
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Talladega Preview
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Talladega
Superspeedway Notes
Dega’s Ride… The No.
22 Bill Davis Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
27 for the AMP
Energy 500 this
weekend at Talladega
(Ala.)
Superspeedway. This
car was previously
raced in the July
event at Daytona
(Fla.) International
Speedway.
Blaney’s Career
Stats… Dave Blaney
will make his 297th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves Sunday
afternoon. He made
his first career Cup
Series start in
October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North
Carolina Speedway
and finished 30th
(qualified 16th) in
his first Cup Series
start at the
2.66-mile
superspeedway in
2000. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at TSS…
Blaney has made 14
Cup Series starts at
the 2.66-mile
superspeedway during
his career. The
veteran driver has
started as high as
second (2007) and
scored his best
finish at the track
– third – last fall.
BDR at TSS…
Competitors driving
Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have made 39 starts
at Talladega
Superspeedway. Those
drivers have posted
two top-five
finishes and six
top-10 finishes at
the track.
Bring Your Sharpie…
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. Blaney will
also be making an
appearance at Toyota
PitPass Sunday
morning.
Watch and Listen…
Qualifying for the
event is scheduled
to start at 12:15
p.m. ET, Saturday,
Oct. 4. The 188-lap
race is scheduled to
start at 2 p.m. ET,
Sunday, Oct. 5, and
will broadcast LIVE
on ABC (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
the AMP Energy 500…
“We had a good run
last year in
Talladega and then
ran into problems
there in the spring,
so I think there are
some mixed emotions
heading into this
race. The good news
is that we are in
the top 35 in
points, so we know
we are going to race
our Caterpillar
Camry, and that
takes a bit of the
pressure off,
especially since
it’s an impound
race, which would
make a bigger
difference to us if
we had to race our
way in. We had a
decent car during
the last restrictor
plate race in
Daytona, and we’re
hopeful we can come
away with a good
finish here as well.
Talladega and
Daytona are two very
different animals,
obviously, but we
feel pretty good
about our restrictor
plate program right
now. We’re hoping
for good things this
weekend.”
Dave Blaney -
Talladega
Superspeedway
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Kansas Review |
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The No. 22
Caterpillar Camry
team headed to the
Midwest this weekend
for the Camping
World 400. Dave
Blaney considers
Kansas Speedway one
of his favorite
tracks, and the team
was looking to
capitalize on
another top-15 run
during Sunday’s
267-lap event.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing Camry
team worked
primarily on race
trim during Friday’s
practice session.
The team simulated
some changes to its
Camry to see how the
car would react on
Sunday. Blaney said
the car handled a
little loose at both
ends of the track,
and he needed to be
more stable in order
to be consistent on
a long run. Crew
Chief Tommy Baldwin
changed the shock
and spring
combinations, hoping
to find a balance
that was both
comfortable and
fast. By the end of
practice, the team
had a direction for
Saturday’s final
practice sessions
and planned to use
that time to dial
its machine in for
Sunday’s main event.
Both of Saturday’s
practices were
beneficial for the
No. 22 Camry team.
The team found a
combination that
would help the car
get through the
center of the
corner, and Blaney
could get aggressive
with the accelerator
pedal. Blaney
finished practice in
the top 10 on the
speed chart, and the
team was looking
forward to another
top-15 run.
Blaney lined up 26th
for the start of the
267-lap event. On
the first lap, he
explained to his
team that the car
was loose on the
start of the run,
and he needed to
stay on the bottom
of the track in
order to let the
tire pressure
increase. Baldwin
explained to his
driver that the
track was loose, and
Blaney should just
take care of the
car.
By lap 20, the
NASCAR veteran had
moved into the top
20 and was running
lap times that were
among the 10 fastest
on the track. Blaney
again told his team
that the car was
still extremely
loose, and he needed
a big adjustment on
the first pit stop.
That first stop came
on lap 51 during
green flag
conditions. The team
made a wedge
adjustment to the
right side and an
air pressure
adjustment during
the four-tire stop.
After a great stop
by his crew, Blaney
gained three
positions on the
track.
Blaney soon
communicated to his
team that the
adjustments helped,
but the car was
still loose at both
ends of the track.
However, the loose
condition did not
hinder him from
passing cars, and
the Caterpillar
Camry was
consistently one of
the best cars on the
track.
Blaney visited pit
road again on lap
118, this time under
caution. After the
four-tire stop and a
track bar
adjustment, Blaney
restarted 21st on
lap 121. On lap 153,
Blaney reported that
the car was so loose
it was almost
backing itself into
the corners. He was
having to really
slow it down, which
was hurting his
momentum. The team
knew it only had a
couple more
opportunities to
improve the handling
before the checkered
flag waved.
The team made its
second green flag
stop of the day on
lap 176; it was
again a four-tire
stop with a track
bar adjustment.
Blaney was doing all
he could trying to
make up time on pit
road, but he was a
little too quick,
and NASCAR penalized
the team for
speeding on pit
road. Blaney had to
drive down pit road,
which relegated the
team to the 33rd
spot, two laps
behind the leader.
The team spent the
remaining 91 laps
trying to get back
on the lead lap, but
to no avail as the
race remained under
green flag
conditions. Blaney
finished in the 31st
position.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing Camry
team heads to the
2.66-mile Talladega
(Ala.) Superspeedway
for the final
superspeeday race of
the 2008 season.
Coverage of the
event is scheduled
for a 2 p.m. ET
start Sunday, Oct.
5, and will
broadcast on ABC
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
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Kansas Preview
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Kansas Speedway
Notes
Kansas’ Camry… The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
utilize chassis No.
47 for the Camping
World RV 400 this
weekend. This is the
team’s workhorse and
is the same car that
was utilized in last
week’s 12th-place
effort at Dover
(Del.) International
Speedway.
Blaney’s Career
Stats… Dave Blaney
will make his 296th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves Sunday
afternoon. He made
his first career Cup
Series start in
October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North
Carolina Speedway
and finished 10th
(qualified 21st) in
his first Cup Series
start at the
1.5-mile Kansas
track in 2001. Like
this weekend, Blaney
was aboard a Bill
Davis Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at Kansas…
Blaney has made six
Cup Series starts at
Kansas Speedway
during his career.
The veteran driver
has finished as high
as 10th (2001) and
has scored two
top-15 finishes at
the track. Blaney
has only finished
outside the top 25
on one occasion at
this track.
BDR at Kansas…
Competitors driving
Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Kansas since it
opened in 2001 and
have made 12 starts.
BDR drivers have
three top-20
finishes there.
Bring Your Sharpie…
Look for Blaney to
stop by the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs Sunday.
Please check with
the trailer for
exact times.
A New Addition… BDR
Hauler Driver and
Gas Man Tim Clancy
and his wife Kristie
have welcomed a new
addition to the
family. Clancy
temporarily gave up
driving duties to
fly home from Dover
following the race
for the birth of
daughter Kayleigh
Elizabeth Monday
morning. Kayleigh is
the second child for
the couple, joining
big brother Wyatt.
Watch and Listen…
Qualifying for the
event is scheduled
to start at 4:10
p.m. ET Friday,
Sept. 26. The
267-lap race is
scheduled to start
at 3 p.m. ET Sunday,
Sept 28, and will
broadcast LIVE on
ABC (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
the Camping World RV
400…
“We were pleased
with the way things
ended up in Dover.
We didn’t have the
kind of qualifying
effort we were
hoping for, but
Tommy [Baldwin, crew
chief] and Gene [Nead,
lead engineer] did a
nice job getting the
car ready to race.
It’s been a tough
month or two, and
that kind of effort
means a lot to
everyone on this
Caterpillar team.
Hopefully we can
have the same kind
of result this
weekend in Kansas.
It’s typically been
a pretty good track
for me – I always
like these mile and
a half tracks – and
together as a team,
we’ve had a decent
amount of success
there as well. We’re
hoping for another
good run this
weekend.” |
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Dover Review |
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Dave Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team looked to the
weekend at Dover
International
Speedway as an
opportunity to get
back on track after
several tough
weekends in a row.
Though disappointed
with its qualifying
effort Friday
afternoon, the team
rebounded Sunday to
score a 12th-place
finish in the
Camping World RV 400
at “The Monster
Mile.”
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was the 28th of 45
teams to take to the
track for qualifying
Friday afternoon.
Blaney posted a
speed of 153.289 mph
around the one-mile
oval, which earned
the team the 37th
starting position
for Sunday’s event.
Crew Chief Tommy
Baldwin, and Lead
Engineer Gene Nead
put their heads
together during the
two practice
sessions Saturday in
an effort to find a
race setup that
would work, and by
the end of final
practice, Baldwin
and the crew felt
they had found
something on which
to build.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
Camping World RV
400, and Blaney
began working his
way toward the front
of the field. The
veteran driver
communicated to his
crew chief that the
car handled tight in
the center of the
corners early in the
event, but as the
run wore on, the No.
22 machine was
consistently running
lap times faster
than those of the
leader.
The team made its
first pit stop of
the day during a
caution period on
lap 66. After a four
tire change, Blaney
returned to the
track in the 20th
position and
remained there
through the next
routine stop under
caution on lap 145.
During that stop,
Baldwin called for
track bar and air
pressure
adjustments, and the
team returned the
car to the track in
20th place for the
lap 149 restart.
Blaney continued his
charge to the front
and made his way
into the 13th spot
before the caution
flag waved on lap
187. Opting for
track position over
fresh tires, Baldwin
left his driver out
on the track, and
when the green flag
waved once again,
the No. 22
Caterpillar Camry
held the third
place. Blaney was
able to hold that
position until the
car became quite
loose and he fell
several spots,
though he was able
to remain in the top
10 through much of
the remainder of the
event. Blaney stayed
within sight of the
leader while
battling a tight
handling racecar in
the last 50 laps of
the event. When the
checkered flag
waved, he held the
12th position. The
solid effort was the
team’s fourth top-15
finish of the season
and its second
consecutive top-12
result at Dover
International
Speedway.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will
travel to Kansas
Speedway next
weekend for the
Camping World RV
400. Qualifying for
the event is
scheduled for
Friday, Sept. 26.
Coverage of the
event is scheduled
for a 2 p.m. ET
start, Sunday, Sept.
28 and will
broadcast on ABC
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Before heading to
Kansas, the team
will participate in
a two-day test at
Lowe’s Motor
Speedway in Concord,
N.C.
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Dover Preview |
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Dover
International Speedway Notes
Dover’s
Ride… The No. 22 Bill Davis Racing team
plans to utilize chassis No. 47 for the
Camping World 400 this weekend at Dover
(Del.) International Speedway. This is the
team’s workhorse and was most recently
utilized at California Speedway, where Dave
Blaney qualified eighth.
Blaney’s Career Stats… Blaney will make his
295th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start
when the green flag waves Sunday afternoon.
He made his first career Cup Series start in
October 1992 at [Rockingham] North Carolina
Speedway and finished 25th (qualified 27th)
in his first Cup Series start at “The
Monster Mile” in 2000. Like this weekend,
Blaney was aboard a Bill Davis Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at Dover… Blaney has made 14 Cup
Series starts on the one-mile oval during
his career. The veteran driver has finished
as high as ninth (2008) and has scored one
top-10 finish and three top-15 finishes at
the concrete track.
BDR at The Monster Mile…C ompetitors driving
Bill Davis Racing-owned cars have been
racing at Dover since 1993 and have made 39
starts. BDR drivers have five top-10
finishes there.
Bring Your Sharpie… Look for Blaney to stop
by the Caterpillar/Toyota Racing merchandise
hauler to sign autographs Sunday. Please
check with the trailer for exact times.
Testing at Lowe’s… The No. 22 BDR team will
spend Tuesday and Wednesday testing at
Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.
Watch and Listen… Qualifying for the event
is scheduled to start at 3:10 p.m. ET
Friday, Sept. 19. The 400-lap race is
scheduled to start at 2 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept
21, and will broadcast LIVE on ABC (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on the Camping World 400…
“We’re looking forward to getting back to
Dover. There have been a couple of tracks
that this Caterpillar Camry has run really
well at this season, and Dover is one of
them. We think we’ve got a pretty good
package put together, so we’re hopeful we’ll
be able to duplicate the success we had
there in the spring. Dover is a fun track to
race at. Like everywhere else, handling is a
big deal there, and by raceday, there are a
couple of different grooves. The best
handling cars will have the most success,
and we’re hopeful we can get there and put
ourselves in position for another top-10
finish.”
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New Hampshire
Review |
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Rain showers
cancelled qualifying
for the Sylvania 300
at New Hampshire
Motor Speedway, and
the Caterpillar
Toyota lined up on
the starting grid in
31st place. The No.
22 Bill Davis Racing
team was not
satisfied with its
car during the two
practice sessions
Saturday and went to
work to fix it.
Unfortunately, the
adjustments to the
car weren’t enough,
and after struggling
with handling issues
for most of the
event, driver Dave
Blaney drove the No.
22 Caterpillar Camry
to a 33rd-place
finish.
The Caterpillar
Camry was scheduled
to be the 35th of 45
competitors to take
to the track for
qualifying Friday
afternoon, but for
the second week in a
row, persistent rain
showers forced the
cancellation of the
qualifying session.
NASCAR Sprint Cup
officials set the
grid based on
current owners’
points, and the No.
22 BDR team was to
start the event in
31st place.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
Sylvania 300 after a
brief delay due to
additional rain
showers that passed
through the area
Sunday morning.
Blaney let Crew
Chief Tommy Baldwin
know that the Cat
Camry was acting
much the same as it
had the day before,
despite the slew of
changes the team had
made Sunday morning
before the start of
the event. Baldwin
planned to make a
significant track
bar adjustment
during the first pit
stop in an effort to
help the car turn.
NASCAR officials
scheduled a
competition caution
on lap 37 of the
300-lap race, and
Blaney drove down
pit road to the
attention of his
awaiting crew a lap
later. After the
crew completed the
chassis adjustment
and bolted on four
fresh tires, the
veteran driver
returned to the
track in the 36th
spot for the lap 41
restart.
Unfortunately, the
changes made to the
car offered little
relief, and Blaney
went one lap down to
leader Jimmie
Johnson on lap 76.
At the lap 100 mark,
the BDR Toyota held
the 39th spot. The
Caterpillar crew
utilized every
opportunity given to
them to make changes
to the handling of
the car throughout
the remainder of the
event, but it
struggled to find
the right
combination. The
crew put together
quick pit stops all
day, and several
accidents during the
race helped the BDR
Camry pick up
several positions.
When the checkered
flag waved, Blaney
held the 33rd
position.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will
return to Dover
(Del.) International
Speedway next
weekend for the
Camping World RV
400. Qualifying for
the event is
scheduled for
Friday, Sept. 19.
Coverage of the
event is scheduled
for a 2 p.m. ET
start Sunday, Sept.
21 and will
broadcast on ABC
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
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New Hampshire
Preview |
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New Hampshire Motor
Speedway Notes
Loudon’s Camry…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
utilize chassis No.
69 for the Sylvania
300 this weekend at
[Loudon] New
Hampshire Motor
Speedway. This is a
brand new Toyota
Camry.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Dave Blaney
will make his 294th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves Sunday
afternoon. He made
his first career Cup
Series start in
October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North
Carolina Speedway
and finished 40th
(qualified 34th) in
his first Cup Series
start at “The Magic
Mile” in 1999. Like
this weekend, Blaney
was aboard a Bill
Davis Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at NHMS…Blaney
has made 17 Cup
Series starts on the
1.058-mile oval
during his career.
The veteran driver
has finished as high
as ninth (2006) and
has scored one
top-10 finish and
five top-15 finishes
at the Loudon, N.H.,
track. Blaney also
started from the
pole during the
spring event last
season.
BDR at NHMS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
New Hampshire Motor
Speedway since 1993
and have made 38
starts. BDR drivers
have been victorious
on one occasion and
have scored four
top-10 finishes at
the track.
Bring Your
Sharpie…Look for
Blaney to stop by
the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs on
Sunday. Please check
with the trailer for
exact times.
Budweiser Shootout
Watch…The No. 22 BDR
team picked up one
spot in the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Owners’
point standings
after last weekend’s
race at Richmond
(Va.) International
Raceway. Thanks to
its top-25 finish at
RIR, the BDR team
moved ahead of the
No. 84 team in
points, which was
enough, at this
point, to earn a
position in the 2009
Budweiser Shootout
at Daytona (Fla.)
International
Speedway.
Watch and
Listen…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 3:10 p.m. ET
Friday, Sept. 12.
The 300-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 2 p.m. ET Sunday,
Sept 14, and will
broadcast LIVE on
ABC (TV), PRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
the Sylvania 300…“We
weren’t at all happy
with the way we ran
in New Hampshire
earlier this year.
We didn’t qualify
well, and the
weekend never really
got any better.
We’ve done quite a
bit of testing in
the last couple of
months in an effort
to improve our
flat-track program,
and we’re hoping it
pays off this
weekend. New
Hampshire Motor
Speedway is a track
that I’ve always
liked, and in the
past we’ve had a
couple of decent
runs here, so we
were really
disappointed with
the way things went
in the spring. Tommy
[Baldwin, crew
chief] and the guys
have prepared a
brand new car for
this event so we’re
anxious to get this
new Caterpillar
Camry out on the
track and see what
we can do.” |
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Richmond Review |
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Dave Blaney/
Caterpillar Racing –
Chevy Rock and Roll
400
Richmond
International
Raceway
RICHMOND, Va. (Sept.
6, 2008) – Tropical
Storm Hanna rolled
into the Richmond,
Va. area Friday
evening and wreaked
havoc on the
weekend’s NASCAR
Sprint Cup racing
activities. Dave
Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team lined up 32nd
on the starting grid
after qualifying was
rained out Friday
and all on-track
activities were
cancelled Saturday.
After 400 laps
around the .75-mile
oval Sunday
afternoon, the Cat
Camry took the
checkered flag in
the 22nd spot.
The Caterpillar
Camry was scheduled
to be the 15th of 46
competitors to take
to the track for
qualifying Friday
evening, but
Tropical Storm Hanna
forced the
cancellation of
qualifying. Not long
after, NASCAR
officials decided to
postpone Saturday
evening’s race until
Sunday afternoon,
when weather
forecasters
predicted the storm
would have passed
through the area.
The green flag waved
under a sunny sky
for the start of
Sunday’s event, and
Blaney wasted no
time moving forward.
He picked up two
positions in the
first five laps and
reported to crew
chief Tommy Baldwin
that the Caterpillar
Camry handled tight
in the center of the
corners and loose
off. NASCAR
officials waved a
competition caution
flag on lap 36, and
Baldwin called
Blaney into the pits
for four tires, fuel
and several
adjustments to help
the handling of the
car. After a quick
stop by the Bill
Davis Racing crew,
the Cat Camry
returned to the
track in 26th for
the lap 43 restart.
Blaney broke into
the top 25 on lap
47, and though he
was still
experiencing a tight
handling condition,
he was running fast
enough speeds to
pass several more of
his competitors.
Another opportunity
for a pit stop and
handling adjustments
came during a
caution period just
before the lap 100
mark, and when the
green flag waved
once again, Blaney
held the 22nd
position. Still
battling a tight
racecar, he fell to
28th near the lap
150 mark but worked
his way back into
the top 20 by the
halfway point of the
event.
The Caterpillar pit
crew worked hard
during the week to
improve its pit
stops, and it showed
throughout the race.
Blaney was running
just outside the top
10 when a yellow
flag waved on lap
243. Baldwin made
the call to pit, and
after a 13.27 second
four-tire pit stop,
Blaney returned to
the track in 23rd as
several cars behind
him opted not to
pit. Blaney was able
to pick up several
positions before the
car again became
tighter and tighter.
Baldwin made
additional chassis
adjustments during
the last stop of the
day on lap 361. The
No. 22 Toyota
returned to the
track in 23rd place,
and by the time the
checkered flag
waved, Blaney had
made his way into
the 22nd spot.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will
travel to [Loudon]
New Hampshire Motor
Speedway next
weekend. Qualifying
for the Sylvania 300
is scheduled for
Friday, Sept. 12.
Coverage of the
300-lap race is
scheduled for a 2
p.m. ET start
Sunday, Sept. 14 and
will broadcast on
ABC (television),
PRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio.
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Richmond Preview
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Richmond’s Ride…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
utilize chassis No.
33 for the Chevy
Rock and Roll 400
this weekend at
Richmond
International
Raceway. This car
was last run earlier
this season at
Atlanta Motor
Speedway and it has
been extensively
tested during the
summer months.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Dave Blaney
hopes to make his
293rd career NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series
start when the green
flag waves Saturday
evening. He made his
first career Cup
Series start in
October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North
Carolina Speedway
and finished 34th
(qualified 32nd) in
his first Cup Series
start in Richmond in
2000. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at RIR…Blaney
has made 16 Cup
Series starts at the
.75-mile track
during his career.
The veteran driver
has started as high
as third (2002) and
finished as high as
fourth in 2006.
Blaney has scored
two top-10 finishes
at the Richmond-area
short track in his
Cup Series career.
BDR at RIR…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Richmond
International
Raceway since 1993
and have made 40
starts. Those
drivers have posted
one top-five and six
top-10 finishes at
the track. Bill
Davis Racing-owned
cars have started
from the pole on two
occasions.
Bring Your
Sharpie…Look for
Blaney to stop by
the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs on
Saturday. Please
check with the
trailer for exact
times.
Watch and
Listen…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 6:05 p.m. ET
Friday, September 5.
The 400-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 7:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, Sept 6,
and will broadcast
LIVE on ABC (TV),
MRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
the Chevy Monte
Carlo 400…“Richmond
is usually a really
good place for this
Caterpillar Racing
team. Generally
speaking we qualify
well and run pretty
good too, so we’re
hopeful this will be
a good weekend for
us. We didn’t run as
well as we hoped to
last week in
Fontana, but we did
at least manage to
get back to High
Point (N.C.) with
our Toyota Camry in
one piece. After
three wrecks in a
row, that was at
least something.
“Richmond is a great
track. There’s not a
driver or a fan out
there that doesn’t
think that way. It’s
small enough to put
on a great show for
the fans, but big
and wide enough to
be able to pass on
in certain places,
so the drivers are
always happy with it
too. Night racing in
Richmond has always
been a lot of fun
and now that it’s
the last race before
the start of the
chase it’s even that
much more exciting
for everyone.”
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California Review
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FONTANA, Calif.
(Aug. 31, 2008) –
Dave Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team posted their
best qualifying
effort of the season
and lined up eighth
for the start of the
Pepsi 500 at Auto
Club Speedway. The
team had high hopes
for the race, but it
battled a tight
handling condition
for much of the
event. Blaney took
the checkered flag
in 29th place.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was the 32nd of 44
teams to take to the
track for qualifying
Friday afternoon.
Blaney posted a
speed of 178.381 mph
around the two-mile
oval, which earned
the team the eighth
starting position
for Sunday’s event.
The team backed up
that performance
Saturday evening by
posting the quickest
speed in the final
practice session
leading up to the
event.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
Pepsi 500, and
Blaney let Crew
Chief Tommy Baldwin
know early on that
adjustments would
need to be made to
the car, which was
extremely tight in
the center of the
corners. The
Caterpillar Camry
fell to 27th place
before a caution
flag on lap 21
enabled the team to
service the car on
pit road. Baldwin
called for several
changes during the
stop, including air
pressure and track
bar adjustments, and
the crew sent Blaney
back onto the track
for the lap 25
restart.
Blaney told Baldwin
that the changes had
helped the car feel
more secure in and
off the corners, but
that he still
couldn’t turn in the
center of the
corners. All the
while, the veteran
driver was able to
pass slower traffic
and broke back into
the top 20 on lap 62
of the 250-lap
event.
While it was still
tight in the center
of the corners, the
Bill Davis Racing
entry became much
too loose in and off
the turns just prior
to the lap-100 mark.
The crew took an
opportunity to make
a wedge adjustment
during a lap 113 pit
stop, but problems
on the stop resulted
in the car going one
lap down to leader
Jimmie Johnson after
Blaney returned to
the track.
More misfortune hit
the team when a
piece of debris from
a lighting unit fell
onto the track
surface and into the
path of the
Caterpillar Toyota.
The team assessed
the situation during
a lap 164 pit stop
and was disappointed
to find that the
front splitter was
broken. Though the
crew did not have
the time to fix it
during that
particular stop,
Baldwin made plans
for the repairs
during the next
caution period.
Blaney could indeed
feel a vibration
when the green flag
waved for the
restart, but he
remained in the top
25. The team worked
on the splitter
during the caution
period that began on
lap 182, and after
making several stops
during that time
period, Blaney lined
up for the lap 187
restart in the 37th
spot.
Blaney communicated
to his crew that the
changes made in the
latter stages of the
race were beginning
to make a
difference, and he
was able to make his
way into 30th place
with 14 laps to go
in the race. He
fought hard in the
final laps of the
race to take the
checkered flag in
the 29th position.
The team remains in
the top 35 in NASCAR
Sprint Cup Owners’
points heading into
next weekend’s race.
The Sprint Cup
Series will travel
to the .75-mile
Richmond (Va.)
International
Raceway next weekend
for the Chevy Monte
Carlo 400 Saturday,
Sept. 6. Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled for
Friday, Sept. 5.
Coverage of the
400-lap race is
scheduled for a 7:30
p.m. ET start, and
will broadcast on
ABC (television),
MRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio. |
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California Preview
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California Speedway
Notes
California’s
Camry…The No. 22
Bill Davis Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
47 for the Pepsi 500
this weekend at
California Speedway.
This is one of the
team’s most utilized
cars and was last
run at Pocono (Pa.)
Raceway, Chicagoland
Speedway and
Michigan
International
Speedway.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Dave Blaney
will make his 292nd
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves Sunday
evening. He made his
first career Cup
Series start in
October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North
Carolina Speedway
and finished 38th
(qualified 17th) in
his first Cup Series
start in Fontana in
2000. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at
California…Blaney
has made 11 Cup
Series starts at the
two-mile speedway
during his career,
starting as high as
14th (2007) and
finishing as high as
ninth (2002). He has
scored two top-15
finishes in Cup
Series competition
at the speedway.
BDR at
Fontana…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
California Speedway
since 2000 and have
made 22 starts.
Those drivers have
posted two top-10
finishes during
those events.
Frequent Fliers…The
No. 22 BDR team
spent Monday and
Tuesday testing at
Gateway
International
Raceway near St.
Louis. It was the
team’s second trip
to that track in the
last three weeks.
Homecomings and
Birthdays…Gabe
Barajas, rear tire
carrier for the No.
22 BDR team, is from
Saugus, Calif.,
approximately 80
miles northwest of
the Fontana area.
Tim Clancy, hauler
driver and gas man
for the team, will
spend his birthday
Wednesday driving
the Caterpillar
hauler across the
country for this
weekend’s race.
Clancy left High
Point, N.C., Monday
evening to make the
trip.
Bring Your
Sharpie…Look for
Blaney to stop by
the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs on
Sunday. Please check
with the trailer for
exact times.
Watch and
Listen…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 6:40 p.m. ET
Friday, Aug. 29. The
500-mile event is
scheduled to start
at 8 p.m. ET Sunday,
Aug. 31, and will
broadcast LIVE on
ESPN (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
the Pepsi 500…“I’m
not even sure what
to say heading into
Fontana. It’d be
nice to finish the
race, you know?
We’ve had a rough
couple of weeks, and
we’ve tore up a
bunch of racecars. I
was listening to the
radio broadcast of
the race after we
fell out at Bristol
and they were
talking about some
new rivalry between
Carl Edwards and
Kyle Busch. Well,
I’ve got some news:
there’s another big
rivalry taking place
here lately, and
it’s the Caterpillar
Camry versus the
wall. Right now, the
wall is kicking our
tail. Wall three,
Cat Camry zero. It’s
tough, and we don’t
mean to make light
of the situation,
but at this point
all you can do is
shake your head and
wonder what you have
to do to get a
break. We’re
fighting for our
lives now to stay in
the top 35, and we
had a pretty
comfortable cushion
just a few short
weeks ago, so it’s
really important
that we have a good
run this weekend in
Fontana.” |
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Bristol Preview
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Bristol Motor
Speedway Notes
Bristol’s Ride…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
utilize chassis No.
11 for the Sharpie
500 this weekend at
Bristol (Tenn.)
Motor Speedway. This
is the same car the
team utilized for
the races earlier
this season at Texas
Motor Speedway,
California Speedway
and Las Vegas Motor
Speedway.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Dave Blaney
will make his 291st
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves Saturday
evening. He made his
first career Cup
Series start in
October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North
Carolina Speedway
and finished 35th in
his first Cup Series
start in Bristol in
2000. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at Bristol…Blaney
has made 15 Cup
Series starts at
.533-mile track
during his career.
The veteran driver
has started as high
as second (2005) and
has five top-10
qualifying efforts
to his credit. He
has finished as high
as 14th (2006).
BDR at
BMS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Bristol Motor
Speedway since 1993
and have made 43
starts. Those
drivers have posted
two top-five
finishes and seven
top-10 finishes.
Bring Your
Sharpie…Look for
Blaney to stop by
the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs on
Saturday. Please
check with the
trailer for exact
times.
More Dirt Tracking…Blaney
will spend Tuesday
evening at Williams
Grove Speedway in
Mechanicsburg, Pa.,
for the third and
final event in the
Ollie’s 360
Challenge. Blaney,
along with Kasey
Kahne and Tony
Stewart, will race
against the region’s
top 360/358 drivers.
Gateway Bound…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
spend two days
testing at Gateway
International
Raceway in St.
Louis, Mo., next
week before heading
to California. The
team spent several
days testing at that
facility last week
as well.
Watch and
Listen…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 3:30 p.m. ET
Friday, Aug. 22. The
500-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 8 p.m. ET
Saturday, Aug. 23,
and will broadcast
LIVE on ESPN (TV),
PRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
the Sharpie
500…“It’s really
important for us to
get through the
weekend without any
problems. It’s been
a tough couple of
weeks for this
Caterpillar Racing
team, and two DNFs
in a row have really
hurt us in the
points. We’ve lost
the cushion we had
between us and the
36th place team, and
the last thing we
want to do is get
into trouble again
this weekend and
find ourselves on
the outside looking
in. We just don’t
want to have to go
through that again,
and we certainly
feel like we’re
better than that as
a race team. Bristol
is a tough place to
have to go and know
that you have to
have a clean race,
but we’ll start by
trying to get in a
good qualifying run
and go from there.
It’s short track
racing and anything
can happen, but the
farther towards the
front you start,
obviously, the less
catching up you have
to do during the
race.”
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Michigan International Speedway Review
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Dave Blaney/Caterpillar
Racing – 3M
Performance 400
Michigan
International
Speedway
BROOKLYN, Mich.
(Aug. 17, 2008) –
Dave Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team qualified in
the 24th position
for the 3M
Performance 400 at
Michigan
International
Speedway. The
Caterpillar car was
on par for a top-20
finish before being
involved in an
accident on lap 84
of the 200-lap race.
After spending
extensive time
behind the wall
while repair work
was completed,
Blaney was credited
with a 41st-place
finish.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was the 26th of 44
teams to take to the
track for qualifying
Friday afternoon.
Blaney posted a
speed of 184.639 mph
around the two-mile
oval, which earned
the team the 24th
starting position
for Sunday’s event.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
event, and it didn’t
take long for Blaney
to move into the top
20. Lap five
communication
between the veteran
driver and his Bill
Davis Racing crew
chief Tommy Baldwin
indicated that
Blaney was satisfied
with his No. 22
Caterpillar Camry
for the time being.
As the run wore on,
the car’s handling
became tight in the
center, and Baldwin
made plans for air
pressure and track
bar adjustments
during the first pit
stop of the day. A
yellow flag on lap
19 enabled the team
to make those
changes and send
Blaney back out on
the track in the
27th position for
the lap-26 restart.
Blaney’s Camry was
extremely good for
the first five or 10
laps following the
pit stop, and he was
able to easily move
past traffic and
into the 21st
position by lap 36.
The second stop of
the day occurred on
lap 66, and after
another set of track
bar and air pressure
adjustments, Blaney
left the pit stall.
Unfortunately, as
Blaney was leaving
his stall, Reed
Sorenson was
entering his. The
two cars made
contact, and by the
time the No. 22
machine made it off
pit road, the leader
was close behind
with Blaney running
in the 35th spot.
Blaney patiently
began to make his
way past slower
traffic, and by lap
82, he stood in the
32nd position. As
Blaney went low on
the track to get by
the No. 12 and No.15
cars, those two cars
made contact. Ryan
Newman, driver of
the No. 12, lost
control of his car
and turned into the
side of the Cat car.
Blaney’s car was
sent spinning and
made heavy impact
with the outside
wall of turn two. He
was able to drive
the car to the
garage area where
the crew repaired
the damage. After
extensive repair
work, Blaney drove
his BDR machine back
out on the track on
lap 140. The team
was able to pick up
one spot due to
attrition and was
credited with a
41st-place finish.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will
travel to the high
banks of Bristol
(Tenn.) Motor
Speedway next
weekend for the
Sharpie 500.
Qualifying for the
event is scheduled
for Friday, Aug. 22.
Coverage of the
event is scheduled
for an 8 p.m. ET
start Saturday, Aug.
23, and will
broadcast on ESPN
(television), PRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Before heading to
Bristol, Blaney will
spend Tuesday
evening at Williams
Grove Speedway in
Mechanicsburg, Pa.,
for the third and
final event in the
Ollie’s 360
Challenge. Blaney,
along with Kasey
Kahne and Tony
Stewart, will race
against the region’s
top 360/358 drivers. |
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Michigan International Speedway Preview
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Cat Racing/Dave
Blaney Event Preview
Michigan
International
Speedway Notes
Michigan’s
Machine…The No. 22
Bill Davis Racing
team plans to run
chassis No. 34 for
the 3M Performance
400 this weekend at
Michigan
International
Speedway. This is
the same car the
team utilized for
the race at
Indianapolis Motor
Speedway.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Dave Blaney
will make his 290th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the event
Sunday afternoon. He
made his first
career Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway and
finished 33rd in his
first Cup Series
start in Michigan in
1999. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at
Michigan…Blaney has
made 17 Cup Series
starts at two-mile
track during his
career. The veteran
driver has started
as high as fourth
(2001) and has
finished as high as
sixth (2001, 2007).
Blaney has scored
three top-10
finishes and five
top-15 finishes at
the Brooklyn area
track in his Cup
Series career.
BDR at
Michigan…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Michigan
International
Speedway since 1993
and have made 42
starts. BDR drivers
have two pole
positions, two
top-five finishes
and nine top-10
finishes at the
track.
Bring Your
Sharpie…Look for
Blaney to stop by
the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs on
Sunday. Please check
the trailer for
exact times. Blaney
is also scheduled to
make an appearance
at Toyota PitPass
Sunday morning.
More Dirt
Tracking…Blaney will
return to his
hometown Tuesday to
compete at Sharon
Speedway, the track
he co-owns, for a
night of autographs
and E-Mod racing on
the 3/8-mile dirt
track. Blaney will
be joined by Kevin
Harvick and Kenny
Schrader for that
event. Blaney will
also spend Tuesday
and Wednesday
testing the No. 22
Camry at Gateway
International
Raceway near St.
Louis. Next Tuesday,
Blaney will head to
Williams Grove
Speedway in
Mechanicsburg, Pa.,
for the third and
final event in the
Ollie’s 360
Challenge. Blaney,
along with Kasey
Kahne and Tony
Stewart, will race
against the region’s
top 360/358 drivers.
Watch and
Listen…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 3:40 p.m. ET
Friday, Aug. 15. The
200-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 2 p.m. ET Sunday,
Aug. 17, and will
broadcast LIVE on
ESPN (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
the 3M Performance
400…“We ran pretty
well last time we
were in Michigan,
but we had rear axle
problems, and that
got us a bunch of
laps down right from
the start. After we
got that problem
taken care of, the
Caterpillar Camry
was pretty good, so
we’re looking
forward to getting
back there. We
haven’t been very
happy with our
performance of late,
and we have run
pretty well at MIS
in the past, so
Michigan has the
potential to be the
place where we get
this team back on
track. Just a couple
of weeks ago, we
were solidly inside
the top 35 in
owners’ points, but
we’ve had a couple
of less than stellar
performances, and
now we’ve lost a lot
of the cushion that
we worked so hard to
get. There are a
couple of teams that
have really stepped
up their programs
behind us in points,
so we need to get
back to running the
way we know we are
capable for the
remainder of the
season.”
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Watkins Glen Preview
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Cat Racing/Dave
Blaney Event Preview
Watkins Glen
International
The Glen’s Camry…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
utilize chassis No.
21 for the Centurion
Boats at the Glen
this weekend at
Watkins Glen
International. This
is the same car the
team utilized for
the race at Infineon
Raceway in Sonoma,
Calif., where driver
Dave Blaney
qualified 16th and
finished 20th.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Blaney will
make his 289th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the event
Sunday afternoon. He
made his first
career Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway and
finished 35th in his
first Cup Series
start at Watkins
Glen in 2000. Like
this weekend, Blaney
was aboard a Bill
Davis Racing-owned
machine.
BDR at WGI…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Watkins Glen
International since
1993 and have made
20 starts, scoring
one top five and
three top-10
finishes.
Bring Your
Sharpie…Look for
Blaney to stop by
the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs on
Sunday. Please check
the trailer for
exact times.
Additionally, Blaney
will sign autographs
from 5 p.m. to 7
p.m. ET Thursday at
the Lyon’s Fire Co.
in Lyon Station,
Pa., before heading
to Watkins Glen.
Extracurricular
Activities…Blaney
will join several of
his NASCAR
competitors for a
night of racing at
Lake Erie Speedway
Saturday evening.
Blaney will race a
Late Model against
Rusty Wallace, Clint
Bowyer, Greg Biffle
and Joey Logano at
the 3/8-mile asphalt
track. Next Tuesday,
Blaney will return
to his hometown to
compete at Sharon
Speedway, the track
he co-owns for a
night of autographs
and E-Mod racing on
the 3/8-mile dirt
track. Blaney will
be joined by Kevin
Harvick and Kenny
Schrader for that
event. Blaney will
also spend Tuesday
and Wednesday
following the event
at WGI testing the
No. 22 Camry at
Gateway
International
Raceway.
Watch and
Listen…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 3:40 p.m. ET
Friday, Aug. 8. The
90-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 2 p.m. ET Sunday,
Aug. 10, and will
broadcast LIVE on
ESPN (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
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Pocono Review
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Dave
Blaney/Caterpillar
Racing –
Pennsylvania 500
Pocono Raceway
LONG POND, Pa. (Aug.
3, 2008) – Dave
Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team lined up 24th
for the Sunoco Red
Cross Pennsylvania
500 Sunday
afternoon. After
working through
handling issues and
rain showers that
played into race
strategy, Blaney
took the checkered
flag in 31st place
at Pocono Raceway.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was the 12th of 44
teams to take to the
track for qualifying
Friday afternoon.
Blaney ran a speed
of 165.569 mph
during his run
around the 2.5-mile
trioval, which
earned the team the
24th spot on the
starting grid for
Sunday’s event. Rain
showers moved into
the area early
Saturday morning,
and though NASCAR
and track officials
did their best to
dry the track for
practice, it was to
no avail. Both
practice sessions
scheduled for
Saturday were
eventually
cancelled.
Blaney took the
green flag for the
start of the event
Sunday afternoon and
narrowly avoided
disaster in just the
first lap of the
race, when the cars
driven by Kevin
Harvick and Joe
Nemechek got
together while
racing next to the
BDR machine. Heads
up driving and a
little bit of luck
got the No. 22 Camry
through, and Blaney
held the 21st spot
when the caution
flag waved. Several
laps after the green
flag waved for the
restart, Blaney
communicated to crew
chief Tommy Baldwin
that the car handled
extremely tight on
throttle. Baldwin
planned to make
adjustments to the
car during the
competition caution
period that was
scheduled for lap
22.
The adjustments made
to the car did not
seem to help enough
in the early stages
of the race, but a
lap 54 stop enabled
the crew to make
track bar and wedge
adjustments to the
Cat Toyota. Shortly
thereafter, Blaney
told the crew that
the balance was
better, but he was
experiencing an
overall lack of
grip. A
miscommunication in
the pits forced the
team to make two pit
stops during a
caution period that
began on lap 67, and
the BDR entry fell
to 36th place.
Blaney began to make
his way through
slower traffic, and
by lap 113 of the
200-lap race, he had
broken into the top
30.
Weather played a
factor in the
outcome of the
event. With showers
nearing the area on
lap 126 and the
caution that ensued
when the rain began
to fall, teams were
forced to decide to
make pit stops or
remain on the track,
taking the chance
that a hard rain
shower would shorten
the race. Baldwin
took that chance and
left Blaney out on
the track. NASCAR
officials
red-flagged the race
on lap 132 and spent
41 minutes drying
the track.
Unfortunately,
Baldwin’s gamble
didn’t pay off, and
the race resumed on
lap 135. While about
half of the field
would only have to
make one more stop,
Blaney and the
remainder of the
competitors would
have to make two
stops. The No. 22
machine made its
final pit stop with
nine laps to go, and
Blaney took the
checkered flag in
the 31st position.
The Caterpillar
Racing team travels
to Watkins Glen
(N.Y.) International
next weekend for the
Centurion Boats at
the Glen. Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled for
Friday, Aug. 8.
Coverage of the
event is scheduled
for a 2 p.m. ET
start and will
broadcast on ESPN
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
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Pocono Preview
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Pocono’s Ride…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
utilize chassis No.
47 for the
Pennsylvania 500
this weekend at
Pocono (Pa.)
Raceway. It is one
of the team’s
favorite cars, and
Caterpillar Camry
driver Dave Blaney
drove it to
ninth-place finishes
at both Dover (Del.)
International
Raceway and
Darlington (S.C.)
Raceway. This is not
the same car crew
chief Tommy Baldwin
and the team brought
to Pocono Raceway
earlier this season.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Blaney will
make his 288th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the event
Sunday afternoon. He
made his first
career Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway and
finished 30th in his
first Cup Series
start at Pocono
Raceway in 2000.
Like this weekend,
Blaney was aboard a
Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
A BDR Milestone…When
Blaney takes the
green flag for the
start of the race
Sunday, it will mark
Bill Davis Racing’s
1,400th NASCAR
start. Since 1988,
BDR drivers have
made 333 NASCAR
Nationwide Series
starts, 328
Craftsman Truck
Series starts and
738 Cup Series
starts.
Blaney at
Pocono…Blaney has
made 17 Cup Series
starts on the
2.5-mile trioval
during his career.
He has finished
inside the top 20 on
seven occasions and
has two top-10
finishes to his
credit.
BDR at
Pocono…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Pocono Raceway since
1993 and have made
40 starts.
Bring Your
Sharpie…Look for
Blaney to stop by
the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs on
Sunday. Please check
the trailer for
exact times.
All in the
Family…Blaney’s
14-year-old son,
Ryan, made his stock
car racing debut
several weeks ago at
Orange County
Speedway in
Rougemont, N.C.
Blaney ran as high
as third before
mechanical issues
sidelined him late
in the 200-lap Pro
All Star Series
race. Ryan is
scheduled to compete
at OCS again
Saturday night.
Watch and
Listen…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 3:40 p.m. ET
Friday, Aug. 1. The
200-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 2 p.m. ET Sunday,
Aug. 3, and will
broadcast LIVE on
ESPN (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
the Pennsylvania
500… “We didn’t
qualify as well as
we would have liked
the last time we
were in Pocono, so
we hope to do a much
better job of that
this time around.
We’re not bringing
back the same car we
had in the first
race, but we’re
planning to run a
Toyota Camry that
has been pretty good
to us throughout the
season, and we’re
hoping for good
things. We haven’t
been running as well
in the past couple
of races as we would
like, obviously, so
going back to some
of these places for
the second time
should help us, and
we’re looking
forward to it. We’ve
been trying some new
things, and they
haven’t worked as
well as we
anticipated, so I
think if we can get
back to the basics
and go from there we
should be able to
finish the season
strong.”
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Indianapolis
Motor Speedway Review |
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INDIANAPOLIS (July
27, 2008) – Dave
Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team lined up 41st
for the start of the
Allstate 400 at
Indianapolis Motor
Speedway Sunday
afternoon. A
plethora of tire
problems plagued the
practice sessions
leading up the
event, and the
160-lap race was
just more of the
same. The No. 22
Bill Davis Racing
Toyota Camry ran in
the top 25 for the
first half of the
race, but mechanical
issues slowed the
team in the final
laps. Blaney took
the checkered flag
in the 35th
position.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was the fourth of 47
teams to take to the
track for qualifying
Saturday morning.
Blaney ran a speed
of 173.987 mph
during his run,
which earned the
team the 41st spot
on the starting grid
for Sunday’s event.
Though disappointed,
the Bill Davis
Racing team worked
on improving the car
during the two
afternoon practice
sessions. By the end
of the two hours of
practice, Blaney and
the crew were
considerably more
satisfied with the
handling of their
Camry.
Unfortunately, it
became apparent to
both NASCAR and the
teams during the
practice sessions
that tires were
going to be a
problem during the
race. NASCAR
officials spent the
evening making plans
for the race.
Blaney took the
green flag for the
start of the event
Sunday afternoon and
began to make his
way past slower
traffic. The
handling of the Cat
Camry was much
improved right from
the start, and
Blaney narrowly
avoided a multi-car
incident in the
early laps of the
race. Many cars
opted to make pit
stops during the
ensuing caution, and
Blaney lined up in
the 27th spot for
the lap 10 restart.
NASCAR officials
waved a competition
caution flag on lap
30 of the 160-lap
event to enable the
teams to bring their
cars into the pits
to change tires.
Blaney drove onto
pit road for four
tires and fuel and
returned to the
track in the 24th
spot.
It was apparent
right from the start
that the tires that
were provided for
the race were not
going to hold up for
more than 12 lap,
and NASCAR waved
caution flags every
10 to 12 circuits so
the teams could
change tires. Blaney
worked through both
loose and tight
handling issues
throughout the race,
and crew chief Tommy
Baldwin made
adjustments to the
BDR Camry during
every pit stop. The
No. 22 team remained
in the top 25
through the first
half of the event,
but the veteran
driver began to
experience
mechanical issues
just past the
halfway point.
Baldwin made a
strategic call for
Blaney to lead lap
100 and pick up the
valuable five bonus
points before he
ducked down pit road
for service during
one of the
competition
cautions. The team
worked hard to
change the balance
of the car, but the
problems Blaney was
having with his
Camry began to
mount. Baldwin
suspected a clogged
fuel filter was the
culprit, but the
team never had time
to investigate
during the caution
periods near the
conclusion of the
The Caterpillar
Racing team returns
to Pocono (Pa.)
Raceway next weekend
for the Sunoco Red
Cross Pennsylvania
500. Qualifying for
the event is
scheduled for
Friday, Aug. 8.
Coverage of the
event is scheduled
for a 2 p.m. ET
start and will
broadcast on ESPN
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
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Indianapolis
Motor Speedway Notes |
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Indy’s Camry…The No.
22 Bill Davis Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
34 for the Allstate
400 this weekend at
Indianapolis Motor
Speedway. This is a
brand new Toyota
Camry.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Blaney will
make his 287th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the event
Sunday afternoon. He
made his first
career Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway and
finished 28th in his
first Cup Series
start at IMS in
1999. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at
Indianapolis…Blaney
has made nine Cup
Series starts on the
2.5-mile oval during
his career. He
posted his highest
career finish last
year – a ninth-place
effort. Blaney has
scored two top-15
finishes at the
famed Indianapolis
track in his Cup
Series career.
BDR at
IMS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Indianapolis Motor
Speedway since 1994
and have made 21
starts. BDR drivers
have scored three
top-10 finishes at
the track.
Bring Your
Sharpie…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.
Getting Down and
Dirty…Blaney is
scheduled to compete
in a UMP Modified at
I-55 Speedway in
Pevely, Mo.,
Wednesday evening
before heading to
Indianapolis. Blaney
will take part in
the sixth annual
Night of NASCAR
Stars at the
1/3-mile high banked
dirt track co-owned
by Kenny Schrader.
All in the
Family…Blaney’s
14-year-old son,
Ryan, made his stock
car racing debut
last weekend at
Orange County
Speedway in
Rougemont, N.C.
Blaney ran as high
as third before
mechanical issues
sidelined him late
in the 200-lap Pro
All Star Series
race.
Allstate 400
Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 10:10 a.m. ET
Saturday, July 26.
The 160-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 2 p.m. ET Sunday,
July 27, and will
broadcast LIVE on
ESPN (TV), IMS
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
the Allstate
400…“The weekend off
was great, but we’re
glad to be getting
back to the
racetrack. All the
guys had a chance to
take some time off
and recharge their
batteries, so to
speak, but I think
everyone on this
Bill Davis Racing
team is ready to get
back at it.
Indianapolis Motor
Speedway is a
special place -
anyone who has ever
been involved or
been a fan of racing
will tell you that.
It seems like, even
though it pays the
same amount of
points as any other
race on the
schedule, I think
everyone works
really hard to try
to have a really
good run there. It’s
still a big event
for NASCAR and a
good run at Indy
means a lot.” |
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Bill Davis Racing Event Preview
Chicagoland Speedway
Lifelock 400 |
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Chicagoland Speedway
Notes
Chicago’s Camry…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
utilize chassis No.
47 for the Lifelock
400 this weekend at
Chicagoland (Joliet,
Ill.) Speedway. This
is one of the team’s
favorite cars and
the Caterpillar
Camry driver Dave
Blaney drove to
ninth-place finishes
at both Dover (Del.)
International
Raceway and
Darlington (S.C.)
Raceway.
What Happened Last
Week…Dave Blaney
qualified in the
12th position for
the Coke Zero 400 at
Daytona (Daytona
Beach, Fla.)
International
Speedway. After
avoiding several
on-track incidents,
he was caught up in
the last lap melee
and drove to a
19th-place finish in
the event.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Blaney will
make his 286th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the event
Saturday evening. He
made his first
career Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway and
finished 12th in his
first Cup Series
start at Chicagoland
Speedway in 2001.
Like this weekend,
Blaney was aboard a
Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at
Chicagoland…Blaney
counts Chicagoland
Speedway among his
favorites and has
made seven Cup
Series starts on the
1.5-mile speedway.
He has finished as
high as 12th (2001).
Blaney has scored
three top-17
finishes at the
Joliet, Ill., track
in his Cup Series
career and has only
qualified outside of
the top 15 twice.
BDR at
Chicagoland…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Chicagoland Speedway
since 2001 and have
made 11 starts. BDR
drivers have scored
five top-20 finishes
at the track.
Bring Your
Sharpie…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.
Dirt Track
Challenge…Blaney,
the 1995 World of
Outlaws Champion, is
scheduled to head to
Eldora Speedway in
Rossburg, Ohio, to
race 360 Sprint cars
with Tony Stewart
and Kasey Kahne in
the Ollie’s Bargain
Outlet 360 Challenge
on Tuesday evening.
The event is the
second of a
three-race
challenge. The first
race took place at
Sharon Speedway in
Hartford, Ohio, with
Blaney finishing
11th, ahead of both
Kayne and Stewart.
The final event will
take place on Aug.
19 at Williams Grove
Speedway in
Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Testing in
Kentucky…With Blaney
in Eldora, BDR’s
NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series driver
Michael Annett will
take over the wheel
of the No. 22 Toyota
Camry for two days
of testing at
Kentucky Speedway
this Tuesday and
Wednesday.
Lifelock 400
Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 8:40 p.m. ET
Thursday, July 10.
The 267-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 8 p.m. ET
Saturday, July 12,
and will broadcast
LIVE on TNT (TV),
MRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
the Lifelock
400…“Chicagoland
Speedway is probably
one of my favorite
places to race. I’ve
always liked the
mile and a half
tracks and we’ve had
some success at
those types of
tracks this year, so
our Caterpillar
Racing team is
looking forward to
this weekend. We’re
also taking one of
our favorite cars,
so we anticipate a
strong weekend.
Hopefully we’ll
unload fast and stay
that way through
qualifying and for
the race. We’ve got
a little cushion now
ahead of 36th place
in the points, so
that may allow Tommy
(Baldwin) to try
some things we might
have hesitated to
try without that
cushion. Regardless,
if we unload fast
and stay out of
trouble, it should
be a good weekend
for us.” |
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Dave
Blaney/Caterpillar
Racing – Coke Zero
400
Daytona
International
Speedway |
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
(July 7, 2008) –
After qualifying in
the 12th spot for
the Coke Zero 400 at
Daytona
International
Speedway, the
Caterpillar Racing
team hoped for a
good handling race
car, a strong engine
and a little luck
during the Fourth of
July weekend
restrictor plate
race at the “World
Center of Speed.”
Driver Dave Blaney
worked with through
several multi-car
incidents to bring
home a top-20 finish
for the team.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was the 21st of 45
teams to take to the
track for qualifying
Friday afternoon.
Blaney posted a
speed of 184.653 mph
during the second
lap of his two-lap
run around the
2.5-mile oval, which
earned the team the
12th starting
position for
Saturday night’s
event. All 43 cars
that made the field
were impounded
immediately after
their qualifying
runs, and teams were
not allowed to make
changes to them
before the race.
Blaney took the
green flag for the
start of the second
visit to Daytona
this season. He let
crew chief Tommy
Baldwin know early
on that the Bill
Davis Racing Toyota
Camry was loose on
the bottom of the
racetrack. The first
caution flag of the
day waved on lap 21,
and Baldwin made
plans for a track
bar adjustment
during the first pit
stop. Blaney drove
down pit road to the
attention of his
awaiting crew. The
veteran crew changed
four tires and
filled the tank with
fuel in lightning
quick time, gaining
Blaney five
positions on the
track.
Blaney restarted on
lap 25 and made all
the right moves in
the draft. The No.
22 Toyota held the
second place for
several laps and
remained in the top
five until the car
again became much
too loose. Though
Blaney stood outside
the top 25 at the
halfway point of the
event, the crew
wasn’t worried; it
continued to make
adjustments to the
car throughout the
night. The
Caterpillar Camry
took off like a
rocket for the first
10 to 15 laps of a
run before it became
much too free.
Blaney did a good
job of avoiding
several incidents
that took place in
front of him, and at
one point he
mentioned to his
crew that he was
“getting a good view
of them all.” With
15 laps remaining in
the event, Blaney
held the 15th place.
It seemed the last
15 laps of the event
were the hardest to
complete. Caution
after caution made
it difficult to plan
ahead in the draft
and bunched the cars
dramatically. Though
lucky thus far, the
team’s good fortune
ran out in the
closing laps. Blaney
was involved in a
multi-car incident
on lap 158, which
caused minor damage
to the Camry. Blaney
had no place to go
when several cars
ahead of him got
together on the
final
green/white/checkered
flag restart. The
BDR machine suffered
heavier damage that
time around, but
Blaney was able to
complete the race
and nurse the No. 22
machine around to
take the checkered
flag in the 19th
position.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will
travel to
Chicagoland Speedway
next weekend for the
Lifelock 400.
Qualifying for the
event is scheduled
for Thursday, July
10. Coverage of the
event is scheduled
for an 8 p.m. ET
start and will
broadcast on TNT
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio. |
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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney
Event Preview
Daytona
International
Speedway
Coke Zero 400 |
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Daytona
International
Speedway Notes
Daytona’s Camry…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
utilize chassis No.
27 for the Coke Zero
400 this weekend at
Daytona (Fla.)
International
Speedway.
What Happened Last
Week…Dave Blaney
qualified in the
41st position for
the Lenox Industrial
Tools 301 at
[Loudon] New
Hampshire Motor
Speedway. He drove
to a 33rd-place
finish.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Blaney will
make his 285th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the event
Saturday evening. He
made his first
career Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway and
finished 27th in his
first Cup Series
start at Daytona
International
Speedway in 2000.
Like this weekend,
Blaney was aboard a
Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at DIS…Blaney
has made 17 Cup
Series starts on the
2.5-mile speedway
during his career
and has finished as
high as 14th (2005).
Blaney has scored
three top-15
finishes at the
Daytona Beach, Fla.,
track in his Cup
Series career.
BDR at
DIS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Daytona
International
Speedway since 1993
and have made 40
starts. BDR drivers
have been victorious
on one occasion
(2002) and have
scored three
top-five finishes
and nine top-10
finishes at the
track.
Bring Your
Sharpie…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.
Dirt Track
Challenge…Blaney,
the 1995 World of
Outlaws Champion, is
scheduled to head to
Eldora Speedway in
Rossburg, Ohio, to
race 360 Sprint cars
with Tony Stewart
and Kasey Kahne in
the Ollie’s Bargain
Outlet 360 Challenge
next Tuesday
evening. The event
is the second of a
three-race
challenge. The first
race took place at
Sharon Speedway in
Hartford, Ohio, with
Blaney finishing
11th, ahead of both
Kayne and Stewart.
The final event will
take place on Aug.
19 at Williams Grove
Speedway in
Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Coke Zero 400
Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 4:10 p.m. ET
Friday, July 4. The
160-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 8 p.m. ET
Saturday, July 5,
and will broadcast
LIVE on TNT (TV),
MRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio. |
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Dave
Blaney/Caterpillar
Racing – Lenox
Industrial Tools 301
New Hampshire Motor
Speedway |
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LOUDON, N.H. (June
29, 2008) – Crew
chief Tommy Baldwin
and the Caterpillar
Racing crew had high
hopes for the
weekend at New
Hampshire Motor
Speedway after
capturing the pole
at the track last
season. But things
didn’t go exactly as
planned, and the
team struggled
throughout the
weekend. After
qualifying in the
41st position,
driver Dave Blaney
drove to a
33rd-place finish.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was the 19th of 45
teams to take to the
track for qualifying
Friday afternoon.
The team wrestled
with the setup of
the car somewhat in
practice and
qualifying proved
more of the same.
Blaney posted a
speed of 126.374 mph
during his two-lap
run around the
1.058-mile oval,
which earned the
team the 41st
starting position
for Sunday’s event.
A brief rain shower
halted qualifying
for over an hour,
but NASCAR officials
worked diligently to
dry the track and
allow all of the
competitors to make
their qualifying
runs.
The team made
wholesale changes to
the Caterpillar
Racing Toyota prior
to the start of the
race Sunday morning.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
event that
afternoon, and
Blaney communicated
to his crew that the
car was better
compared to the day
before, but handled
really tight in and
off the corners.
Unfortunately, the
race started with a
long green flag run,
and the No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing machine
went one lap down to
leader Dale
Earnhardt Jr. on lap
58 of the scheduled
301-lap event.
Baldwin called
Blaney into the pits
for the first pit
stop of the day on
lap 68, and the team
changed all four
tires, put fuel in
the tank and made a
left rear wedge
adjustment.
Baldwin planned for
a second pit stop,
which would include
tires and an
additional wedge
adjustment, for
which Blaney drove
down pit lane to the
attention of his
awaiting crew on lap
137. Several laps
later, before most
teams had completed
their stops, the
yellow flag waved
again, leaving the
No. 22 Camry another
lap in arrears.
Blaney lined up in
the 39th spot for
the ensuing restart.
From that point on,
it was just a matter
of racing the few
competitors on the
same lap as the
Caterpillar team.
Baldwin made
adjustments to the
car during the
remaining stops, and
the changes to the
car helped the
handling during the
final 100 laps of
the event. Several
on-track incidents
in the closing
stages of the race
helped the team gain
positions, and
Blaney held the 33rd
spot when a rain
shower moved into
the area and soaked
the track. NASCAR
officials quickly
made the decision to
call the race before
the end of its
scheduled distance,
and Blaney was
credited with a
33rd-place finish.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will
return to Daytona
(Fla.) International
Speedway next
weekend for the Coke
Zero 400. Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled for
Friday, July 3.
Coverage of the
event is scheduled
for an 8 p.m. ET
start and will
broadcast on TNT
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio. |
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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney
Event Preview
New Hampshire Motor
Speedway
Lenox Industrial
Tools 301
New Hampshire
International
Speedway Notes |
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Loudon’s Ride…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
utilize chassis No.
45 for the Lenox
Industrial Tools 301
this weekend at New
Hampshire Motor
Speedway. It will be
the first time this
season this car has
been raced, but the
team tested it at
The Milwaukee Mile
several weeks ago.
What Happened Last
Week…Dave Blaney
qualified in the
16th spot for the
Toyota Save Mart 350
last weekend at
Infineon Raceway in
Sonoma, Calif., and
he raced to a 20th
place finish. That
result increased the
Caterpillar Racing
team’s top-20 finish
count to five in the
past seven races. It
also helped the team
move up one position
in the NASCAR Sprint
Cup Owners’ point
standings. The team
now holds 28th
place, up from 39th
a mere seven races
ago.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Blaney will
make his 284th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the event
Sunday afternoon. He
made his first
career Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway and
finished 40th in his
first Cup Series
start at “The Magic
Mile” in 1999. Like
this weekend, Blaney
was aboard a Bill
Davis Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at
NHMS…Blaney has made
16 Cup Series starts
on the one-mile oval
during his career.
The veteran driver
has finished as high
as ninth (2006).
Blaney has scored
one top-10 finish
and five top-15
finishes at the
Loudon, N.H., track
in his Cup Series
career. In addition,
Blaney started from
the pole for this
event last season.
BDR at
NHMS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
New Hampshire Motor
Speedway since 1993
and have made 37
starts. BDR drivers
have been victorious
on one occasion and
have also scored
four top-10 finishes
at the track.
Bring Your
Sharpie…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.
Lenox Industrial
Tools 301 Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 3:10 p.m. ET
Friday, June 27. The
300-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 2 p.m. ET Sunday,
June 29, and will
broadcast LIVE on
TNT (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
NHMS…“Everyone on
this Caterpillar
Racing team has been
looking forward to
getting to Loudon
for a while now. We
qualified pretty
well there last
year, and then had
every kind of issue
you can imagine
during the races, so
we’re hoping to get
in another good
qualifying run this
time around and have
a lot better result
come race day. We’ve
got more confidence
in our program right
now, and even though
we’ve got room to
improve, we know
we’re on the right
track with this Bill
Davis Racing team.
[Crew chief] Tommy
Baldwin and Gene
Nead, our lead race
engineer, work
really well
together, and Gene
has made a really
big difference to
this team. Loudon
has always been a
place I really
enjoyed racing at,
so I’m looking
forward to the
weekend.” |
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Dave
Blaney/Caterpillar
Racing – Toyota Save
Mart 350
Infineon Raceway |
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SONOMA, Calif. (June
22, 2008) – The
Caterpillar Racing
team followed up a
respectable
16th-place
qualifying effort on
Friday at Infineon
Raceway in Sonoma,
Calif. with a
20th-place showing
in the Toyota Save
Mart 350 Sunday
afternoon. The top
20 effort was the
fifth for the Bill
Davis Racing crew in
the past seven
events.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was the 4th of 47
teams to take to the
track for qualifying
Friday afternoon.
Blaney posted a
speed of 91.158 mph
around the 1.99-mile
road course, which
earned the team the
16th starting
position for
Sunday’s event.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
event, and several
laps in veteran
driver Dave Blaney
communicated to crew
chief Tommy Baldwin
that the Caterpillar
Toyota was very
loose. Despite that
and losing several
positions in the
early laps, Blaney
was running laps as
quick as the leaders
just before the
first caution flag
of the day flew on
lap 30. Baldwin
called for four
fresh tires, fuel
and a track bar
adjustment during
the ensuing stop.
Several cars opted
not to make pit
stops and Blaney
returned to the
track for the lap 33
restart in the 25th
spot.
There were several
different race
strategies taking
place during the
first road course
event of the season
and once Baldwin
knew the car could
make it the
remainder of the
race on only one
more stop, he called
Blaney into the pits
for fuel on lap 38.
A full-course
caution occurred on
lap 70 with Blaney
holding down the
22nd position.
Though the caution
threw off Baldwin’s
strategy, he opted
to bring the
Caterpillar Toyota
into the pits for
routine service a
wedge adjustment to
help the handling of
the machine, which
Blaney said needed
more forward bite.
The 43-car field
took the green flag
for the restart on
lap 75 with the No.
22 Camry lined up in
the 28th spot.
The racing began to
get serious with
fewer than 10 laps
to go and a
multi-car incident
involving several of
those at the front
of the pack occurred
on lap 105. Blaney
stood in 22nd place
for the restart
several laps later
and another on-track
accident on lap 109
forced a
green/white/checkered
flag finish. Blaney
held his ground
during the last
several laps and
took the checkered
flag in 20th place.
The top-20 finish
helped the team pick
up one spot in the
NASCAR Sprint Cup
owner points battle
and the team now
holds down the 28th
position.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will
head to New
Hampshire
International
Speedway next
weekend for the
running of the Lenox
Industrial Tools
301. Qualifying for
the event is
scheduled for
Friday, June 27.
Coverage of the
event is scheduled
for a 2 p.m. ET
start and will
broadcast on TNT
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Last season the No.
22 team started from
the pole position
for this event. |
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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney
Event Preview
Infineon Raceway
Toyota Save Mart
350k
Infineon Raceway
Notes |
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Sonoma’s Ride…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team plans to
utilize chassis No.
21 for the Toyota
Save Mart 350k this
weekend at Infineon
Raceway. It will be
the first time this
season this car has
been raced, but the
team tested it at
Virginia
International
Raceway several
weeks ago.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Dave Blaney
will make his 283rd
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the first
road course event of
the season Sunday
afternoon. He made
his first career Cup
Series start in
October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North
Carolina Speedway
and finished 29th
for his first Cup
Series start at
Infineon in 2000.
Like this weekend,
Blaney was aboard a
Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at
Infineon…Blaney has
made seven Cup
Series starts at
1.99-mile road
course during his
career. The veteran
driver has started
as high as 15th
(2003) and has
finished as high as
19th (2005). Blaney
has scored two
top-20 finishes at
the Sonoma, Calif.,
track in his Cup
Series career.
BDR at
Infineon…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Infineon Raceway
since 1993 and have
made 20 starts. BDR
drivers have two
top-10 finishes at
the track.
Dirt Track
Days…Blaney, the
1995 World of
Outlaws Champion, is
scheduled to
participate in a
dirt track race at
Antioch Speedway at
the Contra Costa
County Fairgrounds
Saturday evening.
Antioch Speedway is
a quarter-mile
banked clay oval
located
approximately 45
miles from Infineon
Raceway. Blaney is
spending this
Tuesday at Sharon
Speedway in
Hartford, Ohio,
racing 360 Sprint
cars with Tony
Stewart and Kasey
Kahne in the Ollie’s
Bargain Outlet 360
Challenge. The
event, which took
place at the track
he co-owns, is the
first of a
three-race
challenge.
Additional races
will take place on
July 8 at Eldora
Speedway in
Rossburg, Ohio, and
Aug. 19 at Williams
Grove Speedway in
Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Speaking of
Extracurricular
Activities…Tom
Hubert, rear tire
changer on the No.
22 Camry, will once
again compete in the
NASCAR Camping World
Series West Bennett
Lane Winery 200
presented by
Supercuts on
Saturday afternoon.
Moving on Up…The
Caterpillar Racing
team has made its
way up to the 29th
position in the
owners’ point
standings. The team
stood 39th following
the race at
Talladega (Ala.)
Superspeedway.
Bring Your
Sharpie…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.
Toyota Save Mart 350
Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 4:05 p.m. ET
Friday, June 20. The
110-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 5 p.m. ET Sunday,
June 22, and will
broadcast LIVE on
TNT (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
Infineon
Raceway…“Your first
goal at any road
course is to avoid
getting yourself
into trouble.
Obviously, that’s
the goal anywhere,
but there just seems
to be a lot more
opportunities for
problems at road
courses. Staying on
the track is key
because getting
stuck somewhere and
finding yourself in
the back of the pack
is a real problem at
these types of
places where there
are only a couple of
real places to pass.
Hopefully we’ll get
in a good qualifying
lap and start
somewhere near the
front.
“The past couple of
years at Infineon
Raceway haven’t been
all that kind to us,
so hopefully we can
get that turned
around this weekend.
We had a rough time
last week in
Michigan and lost
some of our padding
in regards to
keeping the teams
behind us in points
safely behind us,
and we can’t afford
to have another
finish like that.
We’ve worked really
hard and made up a
lot of ground in the
past month or two,
so we’re looking
forward to keeping
that momentum up
this weekend.” |
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Dave
Blaney/Caterpillar
Racing – LifeLock
400
Michigan
International
Speedway |
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BROOKLYN, Mich.
(June 15, 2008) –
Misfortune struck
early for the
Caterpillar Racing
team during the
LifeLock 400 at
Michigan
International
Speedway. Rear axle
issues forced the
team’s Toyota Camry
behind the wall for
a while early in the
event Sunday, and
despite running
competitive times
after the problem
was repaired, very
little attrition
during the event
relegated the Dave
Blaney to a
39th-place finish.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was scheduled to be
the 16th of 45 teams
to take to the track
for qualifying
Friday afternoon,
but Mother Nature
had other plans.
After the first 12
cars made their
two-lap qualifying
run, rain showers
blanketed the
Brooklyn, Mich.,
area and NASCAR
officials were
forced to cancel the
qualifying session.
The field was lined
up based on current
owners’ points, and
the Caterpillar
Racing team was set
to start Sunday’s
event in the 29th
position.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
event, and the
team’s hopes for
another good finish
were dashed almost
immediately. On lap
two, while on the
backstretch of the
two-mile track,
Blaney’s Toyota
Camry suddenly spun.
Luckily, no contact
was made with
another car or the
wall, and he was
able to drive the
car into the pits
for service from his
awaiting crew. The
crew changed all
four tires, and
Blaney tried to
leave the pits, but
it was obvious there
was something wrong
with the car. After
spending several
laps working on what
appeared to be an
issue with the left
rear axle, the team
decided to push the
car behind pit wall
and into the garage,
where it changed the
left rear axle and
drive plate.
Blaney returned to
the track on lap 26
of the 200-lap
event, 23 laps down
to the leader. While
it was obviously not
going to be the day
for which they were
hoping, crew chief
Tommy Baldwin and
the team made the
most of the
situation at hand.
Blaney communicated
to the crew in the
early laps that the
handling of the
Caterpillar machine
was loose, and
Baldwin called for
track bar and air
pressure adjustments
during the next
stop. Blaney held
the 41st spot at the
halfway point of the
race, and during
several segments of
the race, he ran
speeds nearly as
quick as those of
the leaders.
Baldwin and the crew
made minor changes
to the handling of
the car throughout
the event, as Blaney
reported to them in
the second half of
the race that the
car didn’t rotate
well enough in the
center of the
corners. There was
little attrition
during the event,
which is what the
team needed to pick
up additional
positions, and when
the checkered flag
waved, Blaney held
39th place. Despite
the day’s
misfortune, the BDR
team remains in the
29th spot in NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series
Owners’ points.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will go
road course racing
next weekend at
Infineon Raceway in
Sonoma, Calif.
Qualifying for the
Toyota Save Mart 350
is scheduled for
Friday, June 20.
Coverage of the
event is scheduled
for a 5 p.m. ET
start and will
broadcast on TNT
(television), PRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Before heading to
the West Coast,
Blaney will return
home to Hartford,
Ohio, to race 360
Sprint cars with
Tony Stewart and
Kasey Kahne in the
Ollie’s Bargain
Outlet 360 Challenge
Tuesday evening at
Sharon Speedway, the
track he co-owns.
The event is the
first of a
three-race
challenge. |
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NASCAR Drivers Walk
for Alzheimer’s
Association |
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Hartford, Ohio –
NASCAR drivers Tony
Stewart, Kasey Kahne
and Dave Blaney will
take a break from
the racing action to
participate in a
walk that will
benefit the Greater
East Ohio Area
Alzheimer’s
Association on
Tuesday, June 17,
2008 at Sharon
Speedway during the
“ Ollie’s 360
Challenge, Race with
the Stars”.
Fans who want to
make a donation to
the Alzheimer’s
Association will
also have a unique
opportunity when
they will be invited
to join these
drivers for a one
lap walk around the
3/8 mile track.
For race fans
interested in
attending the event
you can get more
information and
purchase tickets at
www.sharonspeedway.com.
Gates will open at
4:00 p.m. and the
racing will begin at
6:00 p.m. Staff from
the Alzheimer’s
Association will
have tables set up
to share information
about our programs
and support
services. "We are
thrilled and
grateful that Sharon
Speedway has given
us an opportunity to
help raise awareness
about Alzheimer's
disease and the many
programs we offer
families in our
community," said Pam
Schuellerman,
Executive Director.
The Alzheimer’s
Association is
committed to
supporting those
affected by
Alzheimer’s disease
and related
disorders through
education, advocacy
and research. All
proceeds from the
event will help fund
the programs and
support services
that the Alzheimer’s
Association provides
for the 60,000
people with
Alzheimer’s disease
and their 250,000
family members in
the Greater East
Ohio Area. For more
information about
the Alzheimer’s
Association visit
www.alz.org/akroncantonyoungstown.
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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney
Event Preview
Michigan
International
Speedway
Lifelock 400 |
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Michigan
International
Speedway Notes
Michigan’s
Machine…The
Caterpillar Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
47 for the Lifelock
400 this weekend at
Michigan
International
Speedway. This is
the same car the
team utilized in the
events at Darlington
(S.C) Raceway,
Lowe’s Motor
Speedway (Concord,
N.C.) and Dover
(Del.) International
Speedway, where the
team finished in the
ninth spot.
Last Week…The No. 22
Bill Davis Racing
team qualified for
the Pocono 500 at
Pocono (Pa.) Raceway
in 32nd place but
ran in the top 20
for much of the
event before
finishing 22nd. The
top-22 finish was
the fifth in a row
for the team and
moved it up one spot
in the owners’ point
standings to 29th
place.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Dave Blaney
will make his 282nd
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the
400-mile event
Sunday afternoon. He
made his first
career Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway and
finished 33rd
(qualified 21st) for
his first Cup Series
start in Michigan in
1999. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at
Michigan…Blaney has
made 16 Cup Series
starts at two-mile
track during his
career. The veteran
driver has started
as high as fourth
(2001) and has
finished as high as
sixth (2001, 2007).
Blaney has scored
three top-10
finishes and five
top-15 finishes at
the Brooklyn-area
track in his Cup
Series career.
BDR at
Michigan…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Michigan
International
Speedway since 1993
and have made 41
starts. BDR drivers
have two pole
positions, two
top-five finishes
and nine top-10
finishes at the
track.
Dirt Track
Challenge…Blaney,
the 1995 World of
Outlaws Champion, is
scheduled to
participate in the
Night of NASCAR
Stars II on the
1/5-mile high-banked
dirt track in Macon,
Ill., Thursday
night. He is also
planning to head
back home to
Hartford, Ohio, to
race 360 Sprint cars
with Tony Steward
and Kasey Kahne in
the Ollie’s Bargain
Outlet 360 Challenge
next Tuesday evening
at Sharon Speedway,
the track he
co-owns. The event
is the first of a
three-race
challenge.
Additional races
will take place on
July 8 at Eldora
Speedway in
Rossburg, Ohio, and
Aug. 19 at Williams
Grove Speedway in
Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Testing …The No. 22
Bill Davis Racing
team is testing at
The Milwaukee Mile
this Tuesday and
Wednesday.
Moving on Up…The
Caterpillar Racing
team has made its
way from the 39th
position in the
owners’ point
standings following
the race at
Talladega (Ala.)
Superspeedway to
29th after last
week’s 22nd-place
finish at Pocono.
Bring Your
Sharpie…Look for
Blaney to stop by
the
Caterpillar/Toyota
Racing merchandise
hauler to sign
autographs this
Sunday. Please check
with the trailer for
exact times.
Lifelock 400
Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 3:10 p.m. ET
Friday, June 13. The
200-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 2 p.m. ET Sunday,
June 15, and will
broadcast LIVE on
TNT (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
Michigan…“We’re set
to take our favorite
Caterpillar Camry to
Michigan, so we’re
hoping for good
things. It has
served us well
lately, so we hope
for more of the
same. The track at
Michigan is a fun
place to race, and I
think you’ll see a
pretty good race
there this weekend.
It’s a wide, fast
track with a couple
of different
grooves, which means
more options for the
driver and what
should be a good
race for the fans.
This car has been
really good for us
everywhere we’ve
been, so I think if
we can get in a good
qualifying run on
Friday and stay out
of trouble on
Sunday, we should be
able to have a
pretty good
weekend.” |
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Dave
Blaney/Caterpillar
Racing – Pocono 500
Pocono Raceway |
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LONG POND, Pa. (June
8, 2008) – After
qualifying in the
32nd position for
the Pocono 500, the
Caterpillar Racing
team knew it would
have to work hard to
continue its
four-race streak of
top-25 finishes.
After working
through a tight
handling condition,
Dave Blaney crossed
the finish line in
the 22nd position
and posted the Bill
Davis Racing team’s
fifth consecutive
finish of 22nd or
higher.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was the 20th of 44
teams to take to the
track for qualifying
Friday afternoon.
Blaney posted a
speed of 166.648 mph
around the 2.5-mile
oval, which earned
the team the 32nd
starting position
for Sunday’s event.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
200-lap event, and
it only took three
laps before Blaney
broke into the top
25. Though he
remained in the top
25 for the first 35
laps of the race,
Blaney let his Bill
Davis Racing team
know that he was
struggling in turn
one. Crew chief
Tommy Baldwin called
for a four tire
change and a wedge
adjustment during
the first pit stop
of the day, which
came on lap 29.
Blaney communicated
to the crew shortly
thereafter that his
Toyota Camry was
better, but still
needed help to turn
better.
The team made small
gains to the
handling of the car
throughout the race,
and by lap 64,
Blaney raced among
the top 15. A brief
rain shower forced
NASCAR officials to
show the field a red
flag on lap 72, but
the precipitation
lasted only a few
minutes and the race
soon resumed. At the
halfway point of the
race, the
Caterpillar Camry
held the 13th
position. There were
several different
pit strategies
taking place
throughout the
field, and after a
four tire pit stop
on lap 107, Blaney
returned to the
track in 22nd place.
The adjustments made
to the car during
every stop began to
make a big
difference for the
veteran driver, and
Blaney began to make
his way toward the
front of the field
after a restart on
lap 126. Another
round of pit stops
began with 50
circuits to go, and
after most of the
field had stopped on
pit lane, the No. 22
team was credited
with leading lap
157, earning them
five valuable bonus
points for leading a
lap. Unfortunately,
the team waited one
lap too long to pit,
and Blaney reported
to his crew on lap
159 that he was out
of fuel. Luckily,
the car shut off
near the entrance of
pit road, and Blaney
was able to duck
down pit road
without losing too
much ground. Baldwin
called for a four
tire change and sent
the car back out on
the track. However,
NASCAR officials
nabbed the team for
speeding on pit
road, and Blaney was
forced to make a
pass down pit road
again to serve the
penalty.
The Caterpillar
Racing team fell one
lap down to the
leader on lap 163
while holding the
36th spot. The car
had also once again
become very tight.
The team was pleased
to see another
caution flag wave on
lap 178 after the
leader had already
made a scheduled pit
stop, earning the
No. 22 machine its
lost lap back. After
a four tire stop
which also included
a wedge adjustment,
Blaney lined up in
32nd place with 18
laps to go.
The adjustments made
to the car obviously
helped, and Blaney
mowed down his
competitors in the
closing laps, making
it all the way to
the 22nd spot before
running out of time.
The team’s 22nd
place finish was its
fifth consecutive
finish inside the
top 22. It also
helped move the team
up one spot to 29th
place in the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series
Owners’ point
standings, a mere 97
markers outside the
top 25.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will
travel to Michigan
International
Speedway next
weekend for the
Lifelock 400.
Qualifying for the
event is scheduled
for Friday, June 13.
Coverage of the
event is scheduled
for a 2 p.m. ET
start and will
broadcast on TNT
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Before heading to
Michigan, the crew
will test at The
Milwaukee Mike
Tuesday and
Wednesday. Blaney
will also take part
in “The Night of
NASCAR Stars” at
Macon (Ill.)
Speedway Thursday
evening. |
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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney
Event Preview
Pocono Raceway
Pocono 500 |
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Pocono International
Raceway Notes
Pocono’s Ride…The
Caterpillar Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
40 for the Pocono
500 this weekend at
Pocono (Pa.)
Raceway. This is the
same car the team
utilized at both
Martinsville (Va.)
Speedway and
Richmond (Va.)
International
Raceway. The team
also tested this car
on the 2.5-mile
tri-oval for two
days last week.
Last Week…The No. 22
Bill Davis Racing
team qualified for
the Best Buy 500 in
the 18th spot and
settled into the top
15 not long into the
400-lap race. Blaney,
making his 14th
start at The Monster
Mile, took the
checkered flag in
the ninth spot. The
top-10 effort was
the second in three
weeks for the team
and the fourth
consecutive finish
of 18th or better.
Moving on Up…The
Caterpillar Racing
team has made its
way from the 39th
position in the
owner point
standings following
the race at
Talladega (Ala.)
Superspeedway to
30th after last
week’s ninth-place
finish at Dover
(Del.) International
Speedway.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Blaney will
make his 281st
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the
500-mile event
Sunday afternoon. He
made his first
career Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway and
finished 11th
(qualified 29th) for
his first Cup Series
start in Pocono in
2000. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at
Pocono…Blaney has
made 16 Cup Series
starts at 2.5-mile
track during his
career. The veteran
driver has started
as high as 14th
(2006) and has
finished as high as
9th (2002). Blaney
has scored two
top-10 and three
top-15 finishes at
the Pennsylvania
track in his Cup
Series career.
BDR at
Pocono…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Pocono Raceway since
1993 and have made
39 starts. BDR
drivers have one
pole position and
top-10 finish at the
track.
Testing …The No. 22
Bill Davis Racing
team tested at
Virginia
International
Raceway Tuesday to
prepare for the
upcoming road course
event at Infineon
(Sonoma, Calif.)
Raceway. The team
also has scheduled a
two-day test at the
Milwaukee Mile for
next Tuesday and
Wednesday.
Dirt Track
Dreaming…Blaney is
scheduled to compete
in Wednesday’s
Prelude to the Dream
at Eldora Speedway
in Rossburg, Ohio.
He is one of several
drivers who have
participated in the
Prelude each year
and nearly won the
event two years ago
battling with Tony
Stewart in the
closing laps for the
victory. Blaney has
three additional
dirt track races
scheduled for June.
Bring Your
Sharpie…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.
Pocono 500 Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 3:40 p.m. ET
Friday, June 6. The
200-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 2 p.m. ET Sunday,
June 8, and will
broadcast LIVE on
TNT (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
Pocono…“Our Pocono
test went well, so
we’ll just head back
that way this week
and try to do the
same things we’ve
been working on for
the past couple of
weeks to get another
good finish. We’ve
come a long way in
the past month and a
half. It wasn’t that
long ago we were in
a pretty precarious
position as far as
the points go, and
it’s still a pretty
close race for 25th
on back, but we
always knew that if
we could get to the
track and perform
the way we knew we
were capable of,
then the points
situation would take
care of itself as
long as we stayed
out of trouble along
the way. I’m really
proud of this Bill
Davis Racing team.
We’ve done a ton of
testing lately and
it’s all starting to
pay off. This whole
racing things has
started to be fun
again for everyone
on this Caterpillar
Racing team and
we’re looking
forward to getting
to the track this
weekend.” |
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Dave
Blaney/Caterpillar
Racing – Best Buy
400
Dover International
Speedway |
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DOVER, Del. (June 1,
2008) – Dave Blaney
and the Caterpillar
Racing team posted
another top-20
qualifying effort –
their fifth in a row
– and lined 18th up
for the start of the
Best Buy 400. Blaney
broke into the top
15 early in the
event on Sunday and
remained near the
front of the field
for the entire race.
The No. 22 Camry
held the ninth spot
when the checkered
flag waved, and the
veteran driver
scored the second
top-10 finish in the
past three races for
his Bill Davis
Racing team.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was the 28th of 45
teams to take to the
track for qualifying
Friday afternoon.
Blaney posted a
speed of 152.259 mph
around the one-mile
oval, which was fast
enough to earn the
team the 18th
starting position
for Sunday’s event.
Blaney was set to
line up on the
outside of row nine.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
event, and Blaney
immediately began
his ascent toward
the front of the
field. Communicating
to crew chief Tommy
Baldwin early in the
race that the car
was pretty good,
Blaney held the 12th
spot when the first
caution flag of the
day waved after a
multi-car incident
on lap 18. Extensive
damage to several
race cars forced
NASCAR officials to
red flag the race at
lap 23. During the
red flag condition,
Baldwin planned to
change right side
tires and make a
track bar adjustment
to help the Toyota
Camry turn better in
the center of the
corners. He
accomplished all
that during the
first pit stop of
the day, which came
when the race
resumed under
caution on lap 24.
As one of only a
handful of teams
that took two tires
during the stop,
Blaney lined up for
the lap 27 restart
in eighth place. He
was able pick up
several positions
early in the run,
but encountered a
tight handling
condition and fell
to 12th place before
a yellow flag waved
once again. Baldwin
called for
additional
adjustments to the
car during the
ensuing pit stop,
and the BDR pit crew
knocked off a great
four tire stop, one
of many throughout
the day, on lap 69
of the 400-lap
event.
The Caterpillar
Camry continued to
handle somewhat
tight throughout the
remainder of the
first 150 laps.
After a quick
caution flag on lap
154, Blaney held the
10th position and
was one of only 15
cars left on the
lead lap. Just past
the halfway point of
the event, Blaney
picked up several
positions following
another speedy pit
stop by the Cat crew
and stood in sixth
place at the lap 250
mark.
The No. 22 machine
became quite tight
with fewer than 150
laps remaining in
the event, and
Baldwin continued to
make slight
adjustments to the
car during every
stop. The leader set
a blistering pace
all afternoon, and
Blaney went one lap
down to him on lap
323 while running in
the 15th spot.
Blaney continued to
mow down the
competition,
however, and made
his way back into
the top 10 on lap
336, eventually
taking the checkered
flag in the ninth
spot.
The team’s four
consecutive finishes
of 18th or better
have resulted in a
move into the 30th
position in the
NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series Owners’ point
standings. The
Caterpillar Racing
team now stands only
10 points outside of
the 28th place and a
mere 114 outside of
the top 25.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will
travel to Pocono
(Pa.) Raceway next
weekend for the
Pocono 500.
Qualifying for the
event is scheduled
for Friday, June 6.
Coverage of the
event is scheduled
for a 2 p.m. ET
start and will
broadcast on TNT
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Before heading to
Pocono, the crew
will test at
Virginia
International
Raceway Tuesday for
the upcoming road
course event in
Sonoma, Calif.
Blaney will also
take part in the
Prelude to the Dream
Wednesday evening at
Tony Stewart’s dirt
track at Eldora
Speedway in
Rossburg, Ohio. |
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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney
Event Preview
Dover International
Speedway
Best Buy 400 |
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Dover International
Speedway News and
Notes
The Monster’s
Machine…The
Caterpillar Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
47 for the Best Buy
400 this weekend at
The Monster Mile.
This is the same car
the team utilized
last week in the
Coca-Cola 600 at
Lowe’s Motor
Speedway and at
Darlington (S.C.)
Raceway, where Dave
Blaney drove to a
ninth-place finish.
Lowe’s Rewind…The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team
qualified for the
Coca-Cola 600 in the
11th spot and spent
the majority of the
evening running in
the top 10. Blaney
led the race for two
laps with less than
10 circuits
remaining, but a
late race splash of
fuel relegated the
team to a 17th-place
finish.
Moving on up…The
Caterpillar Racing
team gained two
positions in the
fight to remain in
the top 35 in
owners’ points. The
team was in 39th
place just three
weeks ago, but three
consecutive finishes
of 18th or better
have moved the team
into a tie for 33rd
place. The BDR team
stands just 39
points outside of
30th and a mere 178
markers outside of
the top 25.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Blaney will
make his 280th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the
400-mile event
Sunday afternoon. He
made his first
career Cup Series
start in October
1992 at [Rockingham]
North Carolina
Speedway and
finished 25th
(qualified 27th) for
his first Cup Series
start in Dover in
2000. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at
Dover…Blaney has
made 13 Cup Series
starts at one-mile
track during his
career. The veteran
driver has started
as high as 14th
(2002) and has
finished as high as
11th (2002). Blaney
has scored two
top-15 finishes at
the Delaware track
in his Cup Series
career.
BDR at The Monster
Mile…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Dover International
Speedway since 1993
and have made 38
starts. BDR drivers
have four top-10
finishes at the
track.
Bring Your
Sharpie…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.
Practice Makes
Perfect…The No. 22
Caterpillar team
will spend Tuesday
and Wednesday
testing at Pocono
(Pa.) Raceway in
preparation for the
upcoming event
there.
Playing in the
Dirt…Blaney is
scheduled to compete
in several dirt
track races this
spring, the first of
which is Thursday at
[Delmar] Delaware
International
Speedway. The 1995
World of Outlaws
Champion will test
the dirt late model
car he will run in
June’s Prelude to
the Dream at Eldora
Speedway in
Rossburg, Ohio.
Best Buy 400
Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 3:10 p.m. ET
Friday, May 30. The
400-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 2 p.m. ET Sunday,
June 1, and will
broadcast LIVE on
FOX (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
Dover…“We struggled
in Dover last year,
so it’s a big relief
to be inside the top
35 in points and
know that we’re
going to race. I
really believe we’ve
turned a corner with
this Bill Davis
Racing team in the
past couple of
weeks, and I’m
really proud of this
team. We were
frustrated and we
were baffled, but
instead of getting
down and giving up,
everybody went to
work even harder.
This is a really
strong team and the
guys are an
experienced bunch
who have, for the
most part, been
together for a long
time. When the chips
are down, it’s good
to have a bunch of
veterans on your
side. Tommy
[Baldwin, crew
chief] has done a
good job motivating
the troops. There’s
a lot of racing left
in this season. Our
Caterpillar Racing
team has got some
more work to do, but
I think from here on
out we’re going to
be able to run up
there in the front
of the field much
more consistently.”
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Dave
Blaney/Caterpillar
Racing – Coca-Cola
600
Lowe’s Motor
Speedway |
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CONCORD, N.C. (May
26, 2008) – Dave
Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team posted their
best qualifying
effort of the season
and lined up in the
11th spot for the
start of the
Coca-Cola 600. After
spending the
majority of the
evening racing
within the top 10,
Blaney finished in
17th place.
The No. 22 Bill
Davis Racing team
was the seventh of
48 teams to take to
the track for
qualifying Thursday
evening. Blaney
posted a speed of
183.842 mph around
the 1.5-mile oval,
which was fast
enough to earn the
team its best
starting spot of the
season. Blaney was
set to start the
longest race of the
year in the 11th
spot.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
event, and Blaney
immediately drove
his Cat Toyota Camry
into the top 10
before communicating
to crew chief Tommy
Baldwin that the
handling of the car
was tight through
the center of the
corner. The first
pit stop of the
evening came on lap
64, and Baldwin
opted to have Blaney
stop for fuel only.
The abbreviated stop
returned the veteran
driver to the track
in ninth place for
the lap 66 restart,
and he remained in
that position
through lap 100.
There were several
long green flag
periods throughout
the 600-mile event,
and the Cat crew
executed its first
green flag stop
perfectly. After
Baldwin called for
air pressure
adjustments to help
the tight handling
condition of the
car, Blaney drove
into the pits for
four tires and fuel
on lap 119. He
remained in the top
10 for the first
half of the event
before gaining the
fifth position after
a stop for fuel only
under caution on lap
187. After the lap
196 restart, Blaney
fell a bit through
the pack as he
continued to work
through the tight
handling condition.
Baldwin and his Bill
Davis Racing crew
made adjustments to
the car during every
pit stop, but it was
never quite enough
to get the car to
turn as well as
Blaney needed.
Baldwin made several
good calls in the
pits to gain track
position, and with
100 laps to go in
the event, Blaney
held the 11th
position. The team
narrowly avoided
misfortune when the
43-car field lined
up for restart just
past the 300-lap
mark. As the green
flag waved, several
cars got together,
and with nowhere to
go, Blaney made
slight contact with
the No. 11 machine.
Assured by spotter
Mike Brown that the
car had only minor
right front fender
damage, Baldwin had
Blaney keep the car
on the track.
The Cat car held the
13th place with 50
laps to go, but
Blaney was busy
wrestling his tight
race car. Knowing
the car was several
laps short of being
able make the rest
of the race without
stopping for fuel,
Baldwin had to
decide to gamble and
hope for the best or
make a quick stop
for a splash of fuel
just prior to the
checkered flag.
Luckily, it was a
dilemma every crew
chief faced, and
most of them opted
for the safe route.
After leading laps
391 and 392, Blaney
ducked onto pit road
for several seconds
worth of fuel. The
team was able to
stay on the lead lap
and finally took the
checkered flag in
the 17th spot.
The team’s three
consecutive finishes
of 18th or better
have resulted in a
move into the 33rd
position in the
NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series Owners’
points standings.
The Caterpillar
Racing team now
stands only 39
points outside of
the 30th place and a
mere 178 outside of
the top 25.
The Caterpillar
Racing team will
travel to Dover
(Del.) International
Speedway next
weekend for the
running of the Best
Buy 400. Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled for
Friday, May 30.
Coverage of the
event is scheduled
for a 2 p.m. ET
start and will
broadcast on FOX
(television), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Before heading to
Dover, the crew will
test at Pocono (Pa.)
Raceway Tuesday and
Wednesday in
preparation for the
upcoming event
there.
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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney
Event Preview
Lowe’s Motor
Speedway
Coca-Cola 600 |
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Lowe’s Motor
Speedway News and
Notes
This Week’s Car…The
Caterpillar Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
47 for the Coca-Cola
600 at Lowe’s Motor
Speedway. This is
the same car that
carried the team to
a ninth-place finish
two weeks ago at
Darlington (S.C.)
Raceway.
Blaney’s Career
Stats…Blaney will
make his 279th
career NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start
when the green flag
waves for the
400-lap event Sunday
evening. He made his
first career Cup
Series start in
October 1992 at
[Rockingham] North
Carolina Speedway
and finished 40th
(qualified 30th) for
his first Cup Series
start at LMS in
2000. Like this
weekend, Blaney was
aboard a Bill Davis
Racing-owned
machine.
Blaney at LMS…Blaney
has made 16 Cup
Series starts at the
1.5-mile track
during his career.
The veteran driver
has started as high
as eighth (2003 and
2007) and has
finished as high as
sixth (2007). Blaney
has scored four
top-15 finishes at
the Concord, N.C.,
area track in his
Cup Series career.
He has also competed
in 14 NASCAR
Nationwide Series
events at the track
and has two pole
positions to his
credit. He also
scored his first
Nationwide Series
win there in 2006.
BDR at
LMS…Competitors
driving Bill Davis
Racing-owned cars
have been racing at
Lowe’s Motor
Speedway since 1993
and have made 42
starts. BDR drivers
have three top-five
finishes and 12
top-10 finishes at
the track.
Bring Your
Sharpie…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. Blaney is
also scheduled to
appear at the Sprint
Experience on Sunday
afternoon.
Practice Makes
Perfect…The No. 22
Caterpillar team
will spend next
Tuesday and
Wednesday testing at
Pocono (Pa.) Raceway
in preparation for
the upcoming event
there.
Coca-Cola 600
Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the event is
scheduled to start
at 7 p.m. ET
Thursday, May 22.
The 400-lap event is
scheduled to start
at 5:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, May 25, and
will broadcast LIVE
on FOX (TV), MRN
(radio) and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
Blaney’s Thoughts on
Lowe’s…“This is a
pretty important
race for this
Caterpillar Racing
team. We worked hard
to get ourselves
into the top 35 [in
owners’ points], so
now we need to make
sure we stay there.
We didn’t run as
well as we thought
we would in the
Sprint Showdown, but
it was a good
opportunity to learn
some things that
will no doubt help
us in the 600. We’re
only around 50
points out of 30th,
but at the same time
there’s a pretty
tight battle going
for those spots just
behind us. Even just
a couple of
positions can mean
an awful lot come
race day, so we’ll
have to make sure
we’re ready for 600
miles. The good news
is we know our Bill
Davis Racing team is
in the race, and we
had what we think
was a pretty good
test here a couple
of weeks ago. Now
it’s up to us to
make sure we
capitalize on the
opportunity.” |
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CATERPILLAR
RACING TEAM – SPRINT
SHOWDOWN
LOWE’S MOTOR
SPEEDWAY |
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CONCORD, N.C. (May
17, 2008) – Dave
Blaney qualified the
Caterpillar Toyota
in the sixth spot
for the Sprint
Showdown Saturday
evening at Lowe’s
Motor Speedway and
stuck close to the
leaders for much of
the event. At the
end of the 40-lap
race, Blaney took
the checkered flag
in 10th place.
With a field
consisting of
previous race
winners, the Sprint
All-Star Challenge
awards no points,
but teams look
forward to the
chance to compete
for the $1 million
winner’s payout. The
No. 22 Bill Davis
Racing team had to
make its way into
the All-Star event
by racing to a first
or second-place
finish in the Sprint
Showdown, which
precedes the main
event.
The starting lineup
for the Sprint
Showdown was
determined by a
normal two-lap
qualifying run.
Blaney was the
eighth of 27
competitors to take
to the track for
qualifying Friday
evening. His speed
of 183.955 mph
around the track was
quick enough to earn
the sixth spot on
the starting grid
for the 40-lap
sprint.
Blaney took the
green flag for the
start of the event
and moved into the
fifth spot on lap
12. The veteran
driver communicated
to his Bill Davis
Racing crew that the
handling of the
Caterpillar Camry
was tight through
the center of the
corners and loose
off. Crew chief
Tommy Baldwin
planned to make air
pressure adjustments
during the first pit
stop, which came
during the break
between the event’s
two 20-lap segments.
Baldwin also called
for four fresh tires
and a track bar
adjustment during
the stop.
The green flag waved
for the start of the
final 20-lap sprint
with the Caterpillar
Toyota lined up in
the seventh
position. Blaney
almost immediately
reported to the crew
that, though the car
turned better in the
center of the
corners, it was
really loose off the
corners. Without
another chance to
make adjustments to
the car, Blaney did
the best he could to
stay near the front,
but by the time the
checkered flag
waved, he held the
10th spot. Though
the team did not
transfer to the main
event, the race was
a good opportunity
to gather
information that
will be useful in
next weekend’s
600-mile race.
The NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series remains
at Lowe’s Motor
Speedway for the
longest race of the
season, the
Coca-Cola 600.
Qualifying for the
event will be held
Thursday evening,
and Sunday evening’s
race is scheduled
for a 5:30 p.m. ET
start. The race will
be broadcast on FOX,
MRN Radio and Sirius
Satellite Radio.
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Cat
Racing/Dave Blaney
Event Preview
Lowe’s Motor
Speedway
Sprint Showdown |
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Lowe’s Motor
Speedway News and
Notes
This Week’s Car…The
Caterpillar Racing
team plans to
utilize chassis No.
19 for the Sprint
Showdown. This car
has been tested
extensively in the
past several weeks
both at Nashville
(Tenn.)
Superspeedway and at
Lowe’s Motor
Speedway near
Concord, N.C. It was
also run earlier
this season at
Bristol (Tenn.)
Motor Speedway.
Darlington
Review…During
qualifying for the
event at Darlington
(S.C.) Raceway, Dave
Blaney and the
Caterpillar Racing
team posted the
quickest time of the
teams outside the
top 35 in owners’
points and started
the Dodge Challenger
500 in the 13th
spot. The team broke
into the top 10
early in the event
and never looked
back, running as
high as third.
Blaney took the
checkered flag in
the ninth position
and moved the team
into the top 35 in
owners’ points
heading into the
Coca-Cola 600 at
Lowe’s Motor
Speedway.
Showdown Stats…Blaney
has made 11 starts
in what has become
known as the Sprint
Showdown. Blaney
started from the
pole position in
2004 and qualified
in the third spot
for last year’s
event. He has
finished as high as
second (2003).
Blaney has completed
every lap of the
events in which he
has competed.
Bring Your
Sharpie…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.
Practice Makes
Perfect…The No. 22
Caterpillar team
tested at Lowe’s
Motor Speedway two
weeks ago in
preparation for the
upcoming events
there.
Showdown Broadcast
Schedule…Qualifying
for the event at
Lowe’s is scheduled
to start at 5:10
p.m. ET Friday, May
16. The 40-lap event
is scheduled to
start at 7:30 p.m.
ET Saturday, May 17,
and will broadcast
LIVE on Speed (TV),
MRN (radio) and
Sirius Satellite
Radio. |
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