Sprint Cup Car Notes - Menards-Quaker State Chevrolet Impala SS

Sprint Cup Primary Car: Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chassis #056/ Back up Car #048
Last Used:  #056 was last run at Atlanta.

Overall Notes of Interest
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 3, 2008) – On the heels of his best finish of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, Paul Menard leads his Dale Earnhardt Inc. backed team to Texas Motor Speedway for this weekend’s Samsung 500. Menard will pilot the No. 15 Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet Impala SS in Sunday’s 3443-lap event. The race will broadcast live on FOX at 1:30 p.m. ET.

“I really enjoy going to Texas,” Menard said. “It’s very fast, which makes the speed demon inside us drivers smile. The groove is starting to widen out which makes for better racing.”

Menard heads to Texas with high hopes for success at the 1.5-mile quad-oval superspeedway. In three previous Cup starts at Texas, Menard’s best qualifying effort is 16th, while his best finish is 15th. In six NASCAR Nationwide Series events at the track, Menard has two top-10 finishes, with a best finish of seventh place (April – 2006).

Menard Arrives in Texas Early to Spend Time with Sponsor
Prior to heading to the race track to fulfill his ‘need for speed’ Menard will visit the Quaker State corporate headquarters, his Houston-based hood sponsor for this weekend’s race. Menard toured the plant on Wednesday before competing against Quaker State employees in a go kart race.

Menard Arrives in Texas Early to Spend Time with Sponsor
Paul Menard is currently 23rd in NASCAR Sprint Cup driver’s points, while the No. 15 team is 24th in owner’s standings following last weeks 16th place finish at Martinsville. The team is has a 129 point cushion on the top-35.

Texas Quotes:
 
Paul Menard on the race:
“I've had good runs there in the past in both Nationwide and Sprint Cup cars, so there's a certain feel that I'll be looking for. Doug and the boys prepared an awesome Chevrolet in Atlanta and we'll bring the same one to Texas with a few minor tweaks based on what we learned in Atlanta.”

Crew Chief Doug Randolph:
“It was nice to have a solid top-20 run at Martinsville and I believe that will carry us into Texas with a little momentum. On top of which, we worked hard at Atlanta and learned a few things that will translate to Texas. I’d say our goal for this weekend is to be fast off the truck and go after a top-10 finish on Sunday.”