Dave Blaney on the Top-35 Points Battle…“It’s been a pretty good couple of weeks for this Caterpillar Racing team. We’ve made some good progress in the top 35 fight and can breathe a little easier now. Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going throughout the rest of the season and can stay in that top 35. We ran well in the beginning of the season, but for one reason or another couldn’t keep it together until the end. We knew as soon as we started doing that on a consistent basis, the finishes would come and the points would start to take care of themselves. That’s exactly what has happened, and we’re happy things are finally going our way. We felt like it was just a matter of time. It’s interesting, though, that people just seem to be starting to notice the tight battle for the top 35, because pretty much the same people that are fighting for it now have been fighting each other like crazy since halfway through the season.”
Martinsville’s Machine…The No. 22 Caterpillar Toyota Dave Blaney is scheduled to drive in the Subway 500 at Martinsville (Va. ) Speedway is COT No. 17. This is the same car the team utilized in both races at Richmond (Va. ) International Raceway and at Darlington (S. C.) Raceway earlier this season.
· What Happened Last week…The Caterpillar Racing team lined up in the 34th spot for the Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Blaney and the team fought both tight and loose handling conditions throughout the evening before finishing sixth. It was Blaney’s second consecutive top-10 finish and his fourth top-10 finish of the season.
· Blaney’s Career Stats…Blaney will make his 264th career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series start when the green flag waves Sunday afternoon. He made his first career Cup Series start in October 1992 at [Rockingham] North Carolina Speedway and drove his Bill Davis Racing-owned entry to a 41st-place finish (qualified 20th) in his first Cup Series start at Martinsville in 2000.
· Blaney at Martinsville…Blaney has made 13 starts on the. 526-mile oval during his Cup Series career, starting as high as sixth (2006) and finishing as high as 16th (2005). He has a 95.9 percent lap completion rate and has been running at the end of each of the 13 races.
· BDR at Martinsville…Competitors driving Bill Davis Racing-owned cars have been racing at the track since 1993 and have made 35 starts. Those drivers have posted two top-five finishes, three top-10 finishes and have earned one pole position (1997).
· Points Position…The Caterpillar Racing team’s sixth-place effort last week at Lowe’s Motor Speedway pushed the team even further into the top 35 in the NEXTEL Cup Series owners’ points standings. The team moved ahead of Kyle Petty (35th) by 39 points and now stands only 61 markers behind the No. 70 car (33rd).
· Bring Your Sharpie…Blaney is scheduled to sign autographs at the Caterpillar souvenir trailer Sunday morning. Stop by the Cat souvenir trailer or visit www.daveblaney.com for updates and additional information.
· A Busy Week Ahead…The No. 22 Caterpillar Racing team spent Monday and Tuesday tire testing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The team will spend two days next week at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis. The BDR team will also participate in the COT test at Atlanta Motor Speedway at the end of the month.
· Listen and Watch…Qualifying for the Subway 500 is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 19. The 500-lap event is scheduled to start at 1:30 p. m. ET Sunday, Oct. 21, and will broadcast LIVE on ABC (TV), MRN (radio) and Sirius Satellite Radio.
· The Cat Crew…
Gordy Arbitter Front Tire Changer
Steve Aspinwall Tire Specialist
Tommy Baldwin Crew Chief
Gabe Barajas Rear Tire Carrier
Mike Brown Spotter
Steve Channing Car Chief
Tim Clancy Transporter Driver
Nick Dasovich 2nd Can Gas
Jason Everhart Shocks/Gas Man
Dax Gerringer Engineer
Craig “Fish” Griffitts Engine Tuner
Michael Hubert Pit Support
Tom Hubert Rear Tire Changer
Tim Hussey Gas Runner
Ted Johnson Sign Board
Jason Kivette Catch Can
Kyle Roland Jack Man
Dave Salerno Windshield
Kevin Sharpe Front Tire Carrier
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