Race Report - Lifelock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway
Results from Chicagoland Speedway
1. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota
18. Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Dodge Charger
31. Reed Sorenson, No. 41 Target/Maxwell House Dodge
TOP-20 FINISH FOR MONTOYA AND NO. 42 TEAM AT CHICAGOLAND
JOLIET, Ill. (July 12, 2008) --- Juan Pablo Montoya and the No. 42 Dodge Charger finished 18th at Chicagoland Speedway to earn Montoya’s second consecutive top-20 finish at the 1.5-mile track. Montoya moved up one position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup driver standings to 20th.
It was back to business on Thursday at the track where the team got in one practice session before a storm rolled in to cancel qualifying. That meant Montoya would line up 21st for the start of the 400-mile night race. He soon reported the car was loose in and tight through the center after the green flag dropped. NASCAR threw a competition caution on lap 35 and Montoya had slipped back to 28th. However, the No. 42 crew performed a flawless pit stop and boosted Montoya up three spots for the restart on lap 39.
Pattie continued to call for adjustments on the No. 42 Dodge Charger throughout the race to improve its handling, while the pit crew did an outstanding job picking up spots during pit stops. Through the midpoint of the race, Montoya was able to run in the top 25 but unable to break into the top 20 until lap 236 of the scheduled 267 laps.
The caution flag waved on lap 245 and Montoya told Pattie the car was plowing through the middle of the corners. Pattie called him down pit road for a final stop despite being only one of a handful of cars to pit. Pattie knew the fresh tires and final adjustment would help Montoya in the closing laps. When racing resumed on lap 248, Montoya was back in the 26th position. It took him just six laps to maneuver his way back up to 20th, and when the caution flag was displayed on lap 261 Montoya was sitting 19th. The caution set up a green-white-checker finish on lap 265. Montoya was able to pass the No. 31 car on the final lap to finish 18th.
Montoya and the No. 42 team will enjoy their final off weekend on the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule this weekend before heading to Indianapolis Motor Speedway in two weeks for the Brickyard 400.
Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
With 11 wins already in 2008, the team continues to add to its tally of 100 trips to victory lane. Chip Ganassi created his own one-car IndyCar team in 1990 and established a partnership with a new sponsor, Target. Today, his teams include two IRL IndyCars, and along with Felix Sabates he has two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, one entry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and a Daytona Prototype in the world of Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series racing. Ganassi’s IndyCar teams have amassed five Championships and 62 wins since 1994; his NASCAR teams have 12 wins and two Rookie-of-the-Year titles; and the Grand American team has won two Rolex Series Daytona Prototype Championships and are the three-time defending Champions of the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Chip Ganassi Racing operates out of state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis, Ind., and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Pa.
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