No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet Impala SS

Scott Wimmer

No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet Impala SS

Event Preview Fact Sheet

Event/Date:          Crown Royal 400 – May 3, 2008

Venue:                   Richmond (Va.) International Raceway

Scott Wimmer’s NASCAR Cup Series Performance History

at Richmond International Raceway

DATESTARTFINISHLAPSTOTALSTATUS EARNINGS   COMPLETEDLAPS  9/9/200629398400Running $       67,025 5/6/20063336389400Running $       63,025 9/10/20053024399400Running $       91,233 5/14/20053420399400Running $       93,658 9/11/20042138297400Running $       64,295 5/15/20042530392400Running $       78,075 TotalAverageAverageLapsTOTAL  EarningsStartsStartFinishCompletedLAPS         24.829.522742400  $     457,311

NOTES:

·         This Week’s No. 33 Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway … Scott Wimmer will pilot Chassis No. 202 from the Richard Childress Racing Cup Series stable, a brand new Camping World Chevrolet Impala SS.

·         Make it Four … Scott Wimmer will attempt to qualify for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the season this weekend at RIR driving the No. 33 Camping World Impala SS, giving RCR four entries in the Crown Royal 400.  Wimmer was behind the wheel of the No. 33 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November 2006 (St. 24 Fn. 12) and most recently at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (St. 21, Fn. 31) in July 2007.  The less than desired outcome at the Brickyard 400 was the result of an incident on pit road that sent him to the garage for repairs.

·         Camping World Colors … Wimmer’s No. 33 Chevy Impala SS will feature a blue and gold Camping World paint scheme. Holiday Inn, Wimmer’s primary sponsor in Nationwide Series competition, will be displayed on the C-Post.

·         Richmond Recap … In six Cup Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Wimmer has a 20^th-place finish to call a career best.  The Wausau, Wis., native has struggled at Richmond with a 24.8 starting average and a 29.5 finishing average.

·         Hail to the Chief … While the No. 21 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS is taking a break from Nationwide Series competition, crew chief Shane Wilson will lead the No. 33 Camping World Racing Team this weekend at RIR.  Teammate Clint Bowyer’s No. 2 BB&T crew will go over the wall.

·         RCR at RIR … Richard Childress is tied for fifth with Robert Yates for car owner victories at Richmond with six – five with Dale Earnhardt and the most recent coming two seasons ago with Kevin Harvick. Additionally, in 101 starts at RIR, RCR boasts 28 top-five and 46 top-10 finishes at the three-quarter mile Virginia oval with nine different drivers including Earnhardt, Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Jeff Green, Robby Gordon, Harvick, Ricky Rudd and Mike Skinner. Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s senior circuit, contributed three of those top 10s from 1976-1978.

·         RIR Party Zone … Wimmer will appear at RIR’s Party Zone Friday, May 2 from 2:45 – 3 p.m. for a fan Q&A.

·         Double Duty in Richmond … In addition to his duties behind the wheel of the No. 33 Chevrolet, Wimmer returns to the seat of the No. 29 Holiday Inn Chevy for this weekend’s Nationwide Series event at RIR. The Lipton Tea 250 will be televised live on ESPN2 on Friday, May 2 beginning at 7p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The race will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying will be televised the same day on SPEED beginning at 4 p.m. EDT.

·         Saturday Night’s Alright … The Crown Royal 400 at Richmond International Raceway will be televised live on FOX on Saturday, May 3 beginning at 7 p.m. EDT. The race will also be broadcast live on the MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 10^th of 36 points-paying Cup Series races will air live on SPEED, MRN and Sirius Satellite Radio Friday, May 2 at 5:40 p.m. EDT.

SCOTT WIMMER QUOTES:

You tested the Nationwide Series car at Richmond in March.  Can you use what you learned in the Cup car?

“You really can’t use the information any more.  With the changes to the new Cup car and the difference between the Nationwide car, there’s not much you can learn.  Shocks and springs are all different now.  The one thing that seems to translate is tires.  You learn air pressure and what the tires will do on a long run and what you can expect.  I think that’s the real big thing that the full-time Nationwide drivers suffer with is just not knowing what the tires are going to do after a long run or what will happen if you put on a new set.  We are so limited on tires during practice on a weekend.  I learned about tires at the Richmond test and it was nice to get reacquainted with the track.”

How do you set up your Cup car?  Do you prefer to be better on one end of the track or do you have to find a balance?

“You just try to find a balance.  It always seems like you are always better in one set of turns than the other and you just have to deal with that.  I’m looking forward to going there.  We have a real good car and a good team in place.  Hopefully we can qualify well and follow that up with a good race.  It’s encouraging to go there when our Cup cars have been running strong this season.  It will be exciting to how our Camping World Chevrolet stacks up with the rest of them.  We are working hard and as long as our car turns well in the corners then we will have a good night.”

Is there additional pressure when you know you have to qualify the Cup car to make the race?

“It is so hard to make the Cup race these days with the quality of teams that are racing each week.  I am going there in a car that I haven’t raced and I’ve never been in a COT race so it’s going to be a little bit of an adjustment.  I think that we are fortunate with the schedule.  It’s a straight practice and it’s an impound race where we can get some speed out of cars and then go race on Saturday.  I think this race is a good race to attempt.  I’ve had a lot of success at Richmond in the Nationwide Series and that practice will help with the additional track time.”

You tested the newly configured Cup Series car but have never raced it.  Will that help you or does the testing translate?

“The testing helps but we were on a different tire than what will be used at Richmond.  That is going to be something that is hard to equate.  I think getting laps in the new car helps and just figuring out how they feel.  I was testing in Nashville last week with the Cup car so I at least know what to expect and know how they feel.  I think everyone is still trying to adjust to the new configuration.  I’m hoping to get some speed right off the bat and have a good weekend.”