Daytona International Speedway Advance Notes

Race:  Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola on Saturday, July 3

Track: Daytona International Speedway (2.5-mile superspeedway)

Location:  Daytona, Fla.

Daytona History:  Montoya has seven NSCS starts at Daytona International Speedway.   His best overall performance at DIS came earlier this year in the Daytona 500 when he started eighth and took the checkered flag in 10th position.  Montoya also started 13th and finished ninth in this event last year.

New Hampshire Recap: Juan Pablo Montoya placed the No. 42 Target Chevrolet on the front row for the start of the Lenox Industrial Tools 301, led 36 laps and was on his way to a top-five finish when disaster struck in the closing laps. Damage to the front splitter on a restart and then a collision with the No. 83 would end the day for Montoya on lap 280. The Target team would settle for a 34th-place finish.

Special Guests: Juan Pablo Montoya in conjunction with Formula Smiles and Colombia is Passion Foundation held a helmet design contest for Colombian children to win an opportunity to be personal guests of Montoya this weekend at Daytona.   The theme of the contest was diversity of Colombia which produced almost a thousand different designs.  Sebastián Ramirez, from Soacha won in the 10 to 13 years class, and Maria Paula Valera, from Bogota won in the 14 to 17 years category.  Both will accompany Montoya to the Coke Zero 400 this weekend where Montoya will showcase the newly designed helmet.

2010 Mid-Season Review:  Since the 2010 season opener at DIS Montoya has accumulated four top-five and eight top-10 finishes.  He has an average start of 12.8, average finish of 20.0 and has led 208 laps.  Montoya has a driver rating of 89 placing him tenth among drivers, only one position behind 2010 NSCS points leader Kevin Harvick.  Montoya is also in the top-10 among drivers fastest early in a run, fastest late in a run, fastest laps run, fastest drivers on restarts, green flag speed, average running position, laps in the top-15, mile leaders and laps led.  The No. 42 Target Chevrolet currently sits 22nd in the 2010 NSCS points and 183 points out of 12th- the cutoff to the Chase.

Home Track:  Florida is the home state of Crew Chief Brian Pattie and Spotter Tab Boyd.  Brian Pattie hails from Zephyrhills and got his racing start working with David Reutimann on DIRT modified and Late Model circuits in central Florida. Tab Boyd is a native of Pensacola and grew up racing on local Florida short tracks with his family. When he is not in the spotters stand Boyd works in the Fabrication department at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Fast Fact:  Following Juan Pablo Montoya’s Coors Pole award last weekend at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway Earnhardt Ganassi Racing is now tied with only one other organization, Joe Gibbs Racing, for the most Coors Pole awards in 2010.  Jamie McMurray has accumulated two Coors Pole awards earlier in the season at Fontana and Darlington to give Earnhardt Ganassi Racing a total of three Coors Pole awards this season.

CHASSIS INFO

No. 42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS):  Chassis #1010.  The Target team will bring Chassis #1010 to Daytona International Speedway this weekend.  This is a brand new chassis.

TEAM ROSTER

Tony Glover – Team Manager

Steve Hmiel – Director of Competition

Crew Chief:  Brian Pattie

Rear Tire Changer:  Chris McMullen

Chief Mechanic:  Heath Silver

Rear Tire Carrier:  Chip Goode

Front Tire Changer:  Trevor Lysne

Gas Man:  Mike Bodick

Front Tire Carrier:  Eric Bilyeu

Catch Can:  Heath Silver

Jack Man:  TJ Ford

Spotter:  Tab Boyd

For more information log onto:

www.earnhardtganassi.com