Results from Michigan International Speedway

1.    Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota

13.  Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Target Chevrolet

24.  Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet

Top-15 Finish for Montoya in the Irish Hills of Michigan

Brooklyn, MI. (June 14, 2010) – Juan Pablo Montoya and the Target team headed up north to Michigan International Speedway for 200-laps of racing over the weekend. The Target team would have to contend with weather changes, changing track temperatures, an ill-handling race car and pit strategy to garner a top-15 finishing position.

With a brand new chassis in tow, Montoya came out in the first practice session strong; posting the quickest time out of 46 cars. That momentum carried over into qualifying as the No. 42 car found itself lined-up in the 10th position for the start of the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 on Sunday.

Come race time, Montoya became a fixture up in the top-10 for the first half of the race; running lap times consistent with the leaders. Over time, a tight handling condition would begin to plague the No. 42 as teams battled against long green flag runs and rising track temperatures. The Target team made a total of seven pit stops for adjustments, fuel and tires throughout the day. As the laps wound down, Montoya fought back from the 22nd position on lap 139 to 13th when the checkered flag waved on lap 200.

“It was a challenging race, trying to get the balance of the car right and maintaining track position,” remarked Montoya. “The Target Chevrolet was strong on the long runs but we fell short on our short runs. We just couldn’t get where we needed to be at the end.of the race so we’ll take what we’ve learned and move on to the next race.”

Montoya returns to the site of his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win this weekend as teams head to Infineon Raceway. Watch the Toyota/Save Mart 350 live on TNT Sunday, June 27 at 3:00 pm (ET).

Michigan International Speedway Advance Notes

Race: HELUVA GOOD! SOUR CREAM DIPS 400 on Sunday, June 13

Track: Michigan International Speedway (2.0-mile oval)

Location: Brooklyn, Mich.

Michigan History:  Montoya has made six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway.  His average start is 18th and average finish is 26th.  Montoya’s best race at the two-mile track came in this event last season when he qualified seventh and came home with a sixth- place finish. Montoya also completed all laps (400) raced in 2009 at the track.

Did You Know?: Juan Pablo Montoya is no stranger to success at Michigan International Speedway.  He competed at the two-mile oval in the CART Series in 1999 where he started third, led for 28 laps and finished on the podium in second place.  In the July 2000 CART race he drove to Victory Lane for Chip Ganassi Racing. Montoya started the race from the seventh position and led 39 laps before taking the checkered flag.

Last Weekend: Juan Pablo Montoya and the Target team were able to rebound and pull out a top-10 finish last Sunday in Pocono. The team overcame a rain delay, concerns about handling, and a pit road penalty to come back with a solid eighth-place finish. The top-10 finish marked the seventh of the season for the Target team.

2010 in the Numbers:  The eighth-place finish at Pocono marked Montoya’s seventh top-10 finish of the 2010 season.  To date Montoya and the Target team have four top-five and seven top-10 finishes in 14 races this season.  He has an average starting spot of 14th and finishing position of 20th.  Last year, Montoya amassed only seven top-five finishes throughout the entire 2009 season.

Michigan Native:  Michigan International Speedway marks a homecoming for front-tire carrier Eric Bilyeu. Bilyeu, a native of Waterford, Mich., grew up approximately 80 miles from the track.  He attended college and played Hockey at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. Bilyeu got his start in NASCAR five years ago after reading a story in NASCAR Scene about the Ganassi Racing pit crews. He sent in a resume and became one of the first members of the team’s pit crew development program.

Target Commits to Learning: To help combat child hunger and its threat to K-12 education and impact on learning, this year Target is making a financial commitment of $2.3 million to Feeding America, the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization, and local hunger organizations to fund a school food pantry pilot program and its future expansion to more schools nationwide. In addition, Target is committing $1.2 million on top of the $2.3 million, to local food banks across the country to support other school-based food programs. The company also is projected to donate more than 20 million pounds of food to children and families in need in 2010.

CHASSIS INFO

No. 42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS):  Chassis #1015. Crew Chief Brian Pattie will bring a brand new Chassis #1015 to Michigan International Speedway.

TEAM ROSTER

Tony Glover – Team Manager

Steve Hmiel – Director of Competition

Crew Chief:  Brian Pattie, Zephyrhills, FL

Rear Tire Changer:  Chris McMullen, Troutman, NC

Chief Mechanic:  Heath Silver, Asheville, NC

Rear Tire Carrier:  Chip Goode, Statesville, NC

Front Tire Changer:  Trevor Lysne, Fergus Falls, MN

Gas Man:  Mike Bodick, Norwalk, CT

Front Tire Carrier:  Eric Bilyeu, Waterford, MI

Catch Can:  Heath Silver, Asheville, NC

Jack Man:  TJ Ford, Charlotte, NC

Spotter:  Tab Boyd, Pensacola, FL

Results from Pocono Raceway

1.    Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota

8.    Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Target Chevrolet

36.  Jamie McMurray, No. 1 McDonald Chevrolet

The Target Team Rallies to a Top-10 Finish at Pocono

Long Pond, PA. (June 7, 2010) – Juan Pablo Montoya and the Target team were able to rebound  and pull out a top-10 finish yesterday in Pocono. The team overcame a rain delay, concerns about handling, and a pit road penalty to come back with a solid  eighth-place finish. The top-10 finish marks the seventh of the season for the Target team.

The Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 presented by Target was delayed a little over two hours after severe weather moved through the area just after driver introductions on Sunday. When it came time for the green flag, Montoya was lined-up in the seventh position and ready for 200-laps at the two-mile “Tricky Triangle”.

Within a few laps of racing the handling concerns were radioed in to crew chief Brian Pattie. Montoya was experiencing a tight race car. A multitude of stops were made throughout the race to make adjustments due to the changing weather conditions and track temperatures. On one such pit stop, Montoya received a pit road penalty on lap 77 for exiting pit road too fast. The Target Chevrolet served a pass thru penalty and Montoya was displayed in the 27th position when he returned to the track. The team rallied back with pit/fuel strategy and in the closing laps Montoya found himself in contention for a top-10 finish. When the checkered flag flew, the No. 42 Target Chevrolet crossed the finish line in the eighth position.

"It was a crazy day for the Target team,” Montoya remarked. “We had a good starting position and it became apparent pretty quick that we had some work to do on the car when the race started. The guys made adjustments all afternoon and Brian made some calls on pit road that put us in position to finish in the top-10."

The “Irish Hills” of Michigan is up next on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. The Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 will air on TNT Sunday, June 13 at 1:00 pm (ET).

Results from Charlotte Motor Speedway

1.    Kurt Busch, No. 2 Dodge

2.    Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet

38.  Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Target Chevrolet

Montoya’s Day Cut Short at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Concord, NC. (June 1, 2010) – NASCAR’s longest race of the season proved to be not so kind to the No. 42 Target team and Juan Pablo Montoya. What started out as a promising performance, with the top speed in first practice, soon turned dismal 61 laps into a 400-lap marathon. The Target Chevrolet got loose and collided with the inside wall sustaining significant damage. The team tried to rally back but would end the evening in the 38th- place position.

The Target team looked to rebound and gain valuable points for the Chase for the Sprint Cup heading into Charlotte Motor Speedway. The crew unloaded a brand new chassis and was quick right from the start. Montoya only ran 40 laps in the first practice session and would be displayed with the quickest time. In qualifying later that day, the No. 42 Chevrolet drew an early qualifying draw and would settle for 20th on the starting grid.

Under sunny skies early Sunday evening, Montoya jumped four positions within seven laps when the green flag waved. That momentum to the front would be cut short as Montoya radioed in, “I’m loose in and tight on power. I’m doing all I can to hang on out here.” The Target team would make a green flag pit stop on lap 51 in hopes of alleviating the handling concerns. Back out on track, Montoya got loose on the backstretch ten laps later and would collide with the inside wall. The impact caused significant damage to the front of the race car and the team was forced back to the garage for repairs and to replace the transmission. Montoya returned to the track on lap 130 and spent the evening trying to gain as many positions as possible.

At the end of the marathon race, teammate Jamie McMurray would bring home his third second-place finish of the season and Montoya would be credited with the 38th position. On the IZOD IndyCar side, Target teammate Dario Franchitti celebrated his second Indianapolis 500 victory.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Pocono Raceway this weekend for their first of two races at the 2.5- mile triangular track. The Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 presented by Target will air on TNT this Sunday, June 6 at 1:00 pm (ET).