Sprint Cup Car Notes - Menards-Johns Manville Chevrolet Impala SS

Sprint Cup Primary Car: Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chassis #048/ Back up Car #038
Last Used:  Brand new racecar built for Las Vegas 
Interesting ‘Cup’ Fact: The Vegas primary car was brought out by a separate hauler and swapped for the Fontana primary Monday after the race in California.

Overall Notes of Interest
Menards Racing prepares for the third week of NASCAR Sprint Cup competition as the series heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the UAW-Dodge 400. Paul Menard, driver of the No. 15 Johns Manville/Menards Chevrolet, plans to draw on information gathered from last month’s test in effort to turn in a solid performance in Sunday’s 267-lap event.

Despite having confidence in the team’s ability to perform this weekend, Menard believes on track action at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is still a ways from being at its finest.

“I think the track is still a few years away from being a really good racetrack since they repaved it last year,” Menard said. “The pavement is so grippy that Goodyear needs to bring a very hard tire, which makes it very unforgiving.”

Testing, Testing, One, Two, Three
Paul will be the first to tell you Las Vegas was not the best test, but it was productive. It was the first real opportunity to run the COT on an intermediate track this year and they certainly had work to do to find a comfortable setup.

Las Vegas Quotes:
 
Paul Menard on the race:
“The test definitely helped. We were just trying to figure out these new cars. There's nothing aerodynamically that you can do so it’s all chassis stuff including roll centers, springs, bars, shocks. The team worked hard when we tested, though, so I hope it pays off in the race this weekend.”

on Las Vegas:
“I’m not much of a gambler, so you wouldn’t see me at the tables. This trip I’m hoping to take in a show and maybe do something different. What’s cool about Vegas is all the food too. So many good options. You can sit around and say, “Lets see here, I’d like to eat Hungarian goulash tonight. In Charlotte that may be a stretch at best. In Vegas, it’s one quick call to the front desk. “Ah, yes sir, there’s a great spot for goulash over off Paradise...” Anyway, that’s pretty cool. And then there’s also the Stratosphere for a good thrill ride. Never get tired of that place.”

Crew Chief Doug Randolph:
“I’d say a top-15 finish this weekend is a realistic goal,” Crew Chief Doug Randolph noted. “But a top-20 would be good and the continuation of our goal to establish ourselves solidly in the top-35 after the first five races.”