Sprint Cup Car Notes - Menards-Energizer Chevrolet Impala SS
Sprint Cup Primary Car: Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chassis #056/ Back up Car #048
Last Used: At Fontana two weeks ago.
Overall Notes of Interest
Paul Menard and the Menards/Dale Earnhardt Inc. team head to Atlanta Motor Speedway for this weekend’s 500-mile race. Menard will pilot the No. 15 Menards/Energizer Chevrolet Impala SS in the 325-lap event.
Menard knows how to run up front at Atlanta. The Dale Earnhardt Inc. sophomore driver turned in a 7th place finish in this event just two years ago.
“Racing is such a humbling business,” Menard said. “Even though we had a top-10 at Atlanta in ‘06, we weren't very good at all there last year. We'll try to get back to our ‘06 finish this weekend.”
Testing, Testing, One, Two, Three
Menard participated in last year’s COT test at Atlanta. This past week he finished testing in Phoenix with the second best time of the two-day session. Menard grew up short track racing and has always enjoyed the Phoenix bullring.
Atlanta Quotes:
Paul Menard on the race:
“Atlanta is such a fun track with all the room in the world to race and pass. I definitely look forward coming to Atlanta twice a year. We didn’t work on anything specific at the test last year. It was a very general test, the first one I'd done on a 1.5 mile or bigger. There were a lot of unknowns that we've since worked on and improved.”
on Atlanta:
“I think like most people, I know Atlanta as being a constant battle with the elements! Heard they were looking at switching the date with California to avoid weather issues in the future, which is probably a good idea."
“Atlanta... The first Cup race I ran here (2006) turned out to be a really great day. I think Atlanta was my first Cup oval race? Have to check that, but I think so. I'd raced the Glen a few times, but not an oval yet. Qualifying was nerve-racking, but we made it in and were pretty good actually, think it was top-25 (22nd). Anyway, car was horrible at first in the race and we just kept at it all day. Being so used to Busch races and how short they are it was the first time I ran 500 miles. In Busch you have a few chances to adjust the car, but sometimes only one or two stops to make the car better so you have to roll out well or pretty much forget it. That race I realized how much you can keep adjusting with all the pit stops and tires you have.
We ended up 7th and were really good at the end of the race. It’d be great to have a run like that this weekend. We’re getting better and better with this COT package and have two big tracks under our belt now, so maybe the top-10 is down there in Georgia for us.”
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.”
