Richard Childress Racing

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February 15, 2012

Paul Menard Event Preview: Budweiser Shootout

"With the rules changes that have been made in an effort to break up the tandem draft, racing in the Budweiser Shootout will give us the chance to see what the cars are going to do with the new package."

RCR/HHP Photo RCR/HHP Photo

Event Preview Fact Sheet

Paul Menard
No. 27 PEAK/Menards Chevrolet

Event/Date:
Budweiser Shootout
February 18, 2012

Venue:
Daytona International Speedway

Race Notes and Quotes:

The PEAK/Menards Chevrolet in the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway ... Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 335 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 27 Chevrolet Impala was a brand new addition to the RCR fleet for the 2011 season and was last seen on track at Talladega Superspeedway in October, where Menard started seventh and finished 12th.

Grab Some Buds! ... On Saturday night, Menard will make his second Budweiser Shootout appearance. In July 2008, Menard earned the pole award at DIS, qualifying him for the 2009 Budweiser Shootout. He started from the pole position when he drew the top spot during Budweiser's annual Shootout Draw Party and finished the two-segment event 12th.

New Faces on the No. 27 team ... Three new faces will sport the signature neon yellow this season, joining the veteran No. 27 Peak/Menards team. Clint Almquist was a member of the No. 29 RCR team in 2011 and joins the No. 27 crew as a road mechanic. During the week, the Blythe, Calif., native is an RCR fabricator. Statesville, N.C.'s Josh Threatte joins as an engineer. When he's not crunching numbers you can find this extreme athlete sky diving, rock climbing and mountain biking. On race day, newcomer Matt Kreuter will be fueling the No. 27 Chevrolet Impala. Kreuter joins from the No. 33 RCR team and was named NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge Rear Tire Carrier Individual Champion in both 2010 and 2011.

When You PEAK, You Win.™ ... When you want maximum protection for your car, you want to reach for PEAK Performance products. Whatever you drive, PEAK can take it on. PEAK offers products for all of your needs under the hood, as well as products to clean, dry and polish your vehicle. From antifreeze, to motor oil, to truck bed liners, PEAK has you covered.

In the Rearview Mirror: 2011 ... Menard and the No. 27 Chevrolet team closed the 2011 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway enduring a series of rain showers and a persistent tight-handling condition to finish 16th. On the strength of one win, four top-five and eight top-10 finishes, Menard finished a career-high 17th in the NSCS driver championship point standings.

PAUL MENARD QUOTES:

You are qualified for the Budweiser Shootout this year by virtue of your points finish in 2011. Does participating in that race help knock off some of the competitive rust?
"It will help us for both the 150s and the Daytona 500. With the rules changes that have been made in an effort to break up the tandem draft, racing in the Budweiser Shootout will give us the chance to see what the cars are going to do with the new package. It will be a big test session. Obviously, we want to win, but we're going to try to learn as much as possible as well."

Were you comfortable with the two-car drafting? There's no arguing that it increased lead changes. What did you think of it?
"We set records for lead changes and for the number of different leaders with the two-car draft. We had close finishes and I think it's safer. Honestly, I didn't see anything wrong with it. What's racing when you think about it? Lead changes, different leaders, close finishes and safety - we had all that covered." 

 
 

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