Race Report - Lifelock 400 at Michigan International Speedway
Results from Michigan International Speedway
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet
34. Reed Sorenson, No. 41 Target Dodge
38. Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Dodge Charger
43. Dario Franchitti, No. 40 Dodge Charger
MONTOYA TAKES THE CHECKERED IN 38TH AT MICHIGAN
BROOKLYN, Mich. (June 15, 2008) --- After starting 21st due to a qualifying rainout, Juan Pablo Montoya battled loose conditions for 200 laps in his #42 Dodge Charger at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) and finished the event in the 38th position.
The weekend began promising as Montoya and Crew Chief Brian Pattie were pleased with the first practice and optimistic about qualifying. The rain began falling at MIS with just over 10 cars making their qualifying runs, so NASCAR was forced to cancel the remainder of qualifying and set the field by NASCAR Sprint Cup owner points.
Montoya took the green flag in the 21st position, and immediately told the crew the #42 Dodge Charger was too loose getting into and off the corner. Unfortunately a long green-flag run did not help the team’s situation as Montoya dropped back to 41st by lap 30. The team pitted under race conditions on lap 38 for a huge chassis adjustment, four tires and fuel. Montoya told Pattie the car was still too loose and fell a lap down to the race leader.
The race remained green and the team pitted again on lap 78 for a wedge adjustment, trackbar adjustment, four tires and fuel. Montoya then fell a second lap down before the caution flag waved on lap 92. The team lowered the left rear trackbar mount under the caution, but the car was still a handful.
For the remainder of the race, Pattie and Montoya agreed to make as many changes and adjustments to the car to see what they could learn for their return in August since they had now fallen several laps down. Montoya stayed out of trouble and took the checkered flag in 38th.
Montoya now sits 22nd in the driver standings heading into Infineon Raceway this weekend to defend his 2007 race win.
Montoya Quotes:
"We just never could get our #42 Dodge Charger right all day. It was frustrating. We weren’t good when it was hot and weren’t any better when the track got some cloud cover. The guys tried everything, I’m proud they never gave up and I know we’ll get better"
About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc.
With eight wins already in 2008, the team continues to add to its tally of 97 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 three cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, two entries 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 60 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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