Quotes from: DALE EARNHARDT JR. / Driver, #8 Budweiser Chevrolet:
On climbing back into the top-10 after a sixth-place finish at Indianapolis:
“Well it wasn’t exactly how we drew it up (using pit strategy to come from 28th place to finish sixth in the final 20 laps of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard), but it’s nice to get back into the top-10. It was a great call by Tony (Eury) Jr. to stay out, and it meant gaining instead of losing points. We're by no means out of the woods. It'll probably go right down to the wire, but this gives the Bud fans something to smile about this week. The support we have from all of the fans is always there, and it really does help. It really keeps you motivated. A lot of support, good teamwork and a little bit of luck make a difference."
On the final five races before the Chase begins:
"We're real confident about what we've found at Michigan and Fontana. Bristol's a bullring, so anything can happen, and it's kind of the same at Watkins Glen. With a road course, a lot of things can happen, like someone else taking you out which is what happened to us at Sonoma. We have been good (at Watkins Glen) for several years and if we can get our set-up as fast as we've had before, we'll be alright. We’ve been in the top-10 there three years in a row, and had a shot to win a couple of them. That’s what you hope for every week."
The No. 8 Bud Team at Watkins Glen:
Previous Starts: 6
Best Start: 3rd (Aug. 15, 2004)
Best Finish: 3rd (Aug. 10, 2003)
This Race, Last Year: ST: 16th / FN: 10th
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the #8 Budweiser team enter the Watkins Glen race weekend 10th in the Nextel Cup point standings after scoring a career-best sixth-place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With five races to go before the Chase begins, Dale Jr. is 26 points behind seventh position and 34 points in front of 11th-place Kasey Kahne. In 21 races, Dale Jr. has one win (Richmond), six top-fives, nine top-10s and 14 top-15 finishes.
Watkins Glen Weekend Notebook:
Dale Jr. has a string of three consecutive top-10 finishes at Watkins Glen. In six Cup starts at the New York road course, Junior has four finishes of 12th or better and two top-fives.
The #8 Bud Chevy’s best performance at the Glen came in 2003, when Dale Jr. led 11 laps after starting sixth and finished third.
Dale Jr. won the 1999 NASCAR Busch Series race at Watkins Glen.
Bud Driver on Comedy Central: Dale Jr. will be the first NASCAR driver to appear as an in-studio guest on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," the Emmy Award-winning news program. Dale Jr. will appear Thursday, August 10. The show airs at 11 pm ET and repeats throughout the following day. The Daily Show has featured a broad spectrum of celebrity guests, including political figures, Hollywood stars, and U.S. Presidents.
Speed will also debut the Dale Jr. episode of “Payback” Wednesday night at 10 PM ET. Dale Jr. surprised his sister and business manager Kelley with a tricked-out SUV for the show.
Earnhardt and Gatti in New York: Following his visit to The Daily Show studios Thursday evening, Dale Jr. will join boxing champion and friend Arturo Gatti at the Budweiser One Night Stand music event at Mulcahy's in Long Island (8 p.m. ET). Fans will be able to watch a live webcast of the event by logging onto www.budweiser.com.
Race Details:
AMD at the Glen
Watkins Glen International Speedway / Watkins Glen, NY
2.45-mile road course / 90 laps / 220.5 miles
Sunday, August 13, 2006
TV: NBC, 1 p.m. ET
Radio: Motor Racing Network, XM Radio.
Bud Pole Qualifying: TNT / Friday, August 11 / 3 p.m. ET
2005 winner: Tony Stewart
Thanks to Jade Gurss and Mike Davis from fingerprint inc. for sending the race reports and updates.
fingerprint inc. -
-- Anheuser-Busch NASCAR Publicity
-- Dale Earnhardt Jr. / No. 8 Budweiser team
blogs and info: www.fingerprintonline.com
www.Budweiser.com |
