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PREVIEW: DALE EARNHARDT JR. (NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD/AMP ENERGY CHEVROLET) VENUE: NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY (1.058-MILE OVAL) CIRCUIT: NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES (RACE 17 OF 36) DATE: JUNE 27, 2010 (301 LAPS, 318.46 MILES) ***** EARNHARDT AT NEW HAMPSHIRE: In 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has scored five top-five finishes and eight top-10s. He has led 351 laps there. DRIVER RATING: According to NASCAR's loop data statistics, Earnhardt ranks fifth in the driver rating category at New Hampshire with a score of 100.7. The driver rating is a formula that combines wins, top-15 finishes, average running position while on the lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finishes. The maximum a driver can earn in each race is 150 points. The driver rating number is used pre-race as a prediction tool and post-race as a performance evaluator. LAPS IN THE TOP 15: According to NASCAR's loop data statistics, Earnhardt is fourth among drivers for laps run in the top 15 at New Hampshire. During the last 10 races at the 1.058-mile oval, the Kannapolis, N.C., native has spent almost 80 percent of his laps (2,329 laps of 2,965 total) running in the top 15. POINTS AFTER INFINEON: After finishing 11th last week at Infineon Raceway, Earnhardt advanced one position to 13th in the championship standings. He trails 12th-place Carl Edwards by 57 points. CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend, crew chief Lance McGrew and the No. 88 crew will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-589. This is a brand-new chassis that has not been raced or tested. HENDRICK AT LOUDON: In 30 Sprint Cup events (106 starts) at the New England racetrack, Hendrick Motorsports has tallied seven wins, 29 top-five finishes, 46 top-10s, five pole positions and led 2,160 laps. PEPSI REFRESH PROJECT: Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are asking fans to join them in making a difference in America's communities through the Pepsi Refresh Project. Now through 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, NASCAR fans are encouraged to visit www.NASCAR.com/PepsiRefresh to vote for the idea they believe should receive a grant from the Pepsi Refresh Project. Earnhardt is hoping to secure the grant to support technology needs at Shepherd Elementary School in Mooresville, N.C., a school that desperately needs better equipment to help enrich the lives of its many students. Funds will be used to build a new computer lab, purchase 20 new computers and a SMART board. CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS: Helping American troops keep in touch with their loved ones is now as easy as bringing a gently used mobile phone to a NASCAR event. Cell Phones for Soldiers raises money through the collection of gently used mobile phones and will have drop-off boxes at 16 race events in 2010. In addition to helping troops call home, the first 100 fans donating gently used phones at each track will receive a hat, courtesy of the GM Military Discount program. During the last six years, Cell Phones for Soldiers has provided more than one million pre-paid calling cards and 60 million minutes of calling time to soldiers overseas. Visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com for information on how to donate at one of 3,000 collection points nationwide or to download a pre-paid, pre-addressed mailing label. GUARD GARAGE: Visit www.DaleJrGuardGarage.com and join the Guard Garage Fan Club to stay up-to-date with Guard drivers and score free ringtones, wallpapers and more. FREE JR NATION FAN CLUB: Now race fans can get a free subscription to the JR Nation Crew Fan Club -- the official fan club of Earnhardt and JR Motorsports. The club's website features chat rooms, forums and blogs. For more information visit www.DaleJr.com/JRNation. WIN A CORVETTE: In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Corvette's first appearance at the historic 24 Hours of Le Mans, race fans can enter for a chance to win a 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport by entering the "Race To Win Corvette" promotion at www.racetowincorvette.com now through June 30. ***** AMP UP THE 88: Scott Maxim, manager of engine tuners, will participate in a live video chat with fans on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. ET on AMP Energy's website, www.ampupthe88.com. The site features weekly chats with a special guest or a member of the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard team, daily sweepstakes with autographed No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard team memorabilia, videos, photos and more. ***** DALE EARNHARDT JR., DRIVER, NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD/AMP ENERGY CHEVROLET (ON NEW HAMPSHIRE.): "New Hampshire is one of the smaller tracks we go to, and I like racing on the shorter, flatter tracks. There's multiple grooves you can run there. You can go low and high and move around trying to find different things to make the car better. The trick is getting the car to roll through the center of the turns. We had a real good setup there last year so I'm looking forward to going back there." LANCE McGREW, CREW CHIEF, NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD/AMP ENERGY CHEVROLET (ON NEW HAMPSHIRE.): "You have to have a good-handling car to be successful at New Hampshire. It's a flat racetrack so it's difficult to get the car where it rotates in the center like you want and you still have enough forward bite to get off the corners and be happy. It's very difficult to pass there so track position again is at a premium as usual." McGREW (ON LAST YEAR AT NEW HAMPSHIRE.): "We had really good cars at New Hampshire last year. The first race came down to weather, and I think we had the strategy to win the race or at least have a shot at the win. In the fall, we were running up front all day and got wrecked. It was unfortunate." ***** Courtesy of Hendrick Motorsports. Media Relations | No. 88 AMP Energy / National Guard Racing ***** Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Official Site - www.dalejr.com |
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