Brendan Gaughan No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet Chevrolet Impala Event Preview Fact Sheet – Phoenix
This Week’s South Point Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway … Brendan Gaughan will pilot Chassis No. 351 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This Chevrolet Impala is a proven contender in Sprint Cup Series competition, as Gaughan’s RCR teammate Kevin Harvick made a trip to Victory Lane with it in May 2011 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Harvick also drove this former No. 29 racer to a seventh-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway in September, a 10th-place finish at Dover International Speedway in October and a 19th-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway in November.
Return Trip to Sprint Cup … The Fresh Fit 500 will mark Gaughan’s 38th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and his first since the 2010 Daytona 500. The Las Vegas native raced full-time in NASCAR’s top series during the 2004 season, posting one top-five and four top -10 finishes. Phoenix marks the first of four Sprint Cup Series starts with RCR for 2012, Gaughan will also race the No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speeedway and Auto Club Speedway events during the month of March.
Phoenix Details… Gaughan’s experience runs deep at the one-mile track in the desert, spanning 14 years and four series for a total of 19 starts (two Sprint Cup Series, four Nationwide Series, nine NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and four NASCAR K&N Pro Series West).
Top of the Box … Leading the charge for the No. 33 Chevrolet team is veteran crew chief and longtime RCR employee Gil Martin. The Nashville, Tenn. native has been at RCR since 2000 and has served as crew chief for Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Casey Mears, Kerry Earnhardt and Robby Gordon. He is one of a select few crew chiefs to win races in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series. In addition, Austin Dillon’s No. 3 NASCAR Nationwide Series pit crew will pit the No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet at PIR.
A South Point Gambling Man … South Point Hotel & Casino will serve as Gaughan’s primary sponsor for the No. 33 Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway. Located in the heart of the premiere southwest Las Vegas valley, minutes away from the famous Las Vegas Strip, South Point Hotel & Casino amenities include a 16-screen century theatre movie complex, 64-lane bowling center and a handful of restaurants that cater to all appetites and tastes. The casino features a large selection of table games and the latest slot and video poker machines. The distinctive hotel features spacious rooms and suites with 42-inch LED televisions, Point Plush mattresses and wireless fidelity throughout. A unique feature to this property is its Equestrian Center, which is the finest horse facility in the country. South Point also has a fabulous 400-seat showroom that features headliner entertainment and dancing to live bands on weekends.
What’s in Store for 2012 … In addition to the four scheduled Sprint Cup Series races in the No. 33 South Point Chevrolet, Gaughan will compete in 10 Nationwide Series races and eight Camping World Truck Series races for RCR in 2012.
Race Rewind for the 33 … Elliott Sadler and the No. 33 General Mills/Kroger Chevrolet team avoided numerous on-track incidents in the 2012 season opening Daytona 500 earlier this week, including a two-hour delay due to a jet dryer fire, but an issue with the fuel system early in the event ultimately resulted in a 27th-place finish.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTES:
After running full time in the Sprint Cup Series in 2004, what does this four race Sprint Cup Series opportunity with Richard Childress Racing mean to you?
“The opportunity to run four races for Richard Childress in the Sprint Cup Series is truly amazing. RCR has top-notch equipment and teamed me with a winning crew chief in Gil Martin. Everyone deserves a second chance and I am ecstatic that my second chance in the Sprint Cup Series is in the No. 33 Chevrolet with RCR.”
You raced at Phoenix International Raceway in the Truck Series race last spring but not since the track has been repaved. What are your expectations with the new configuration?