Race: AAA Texas 500 on Sunday, Nov. 6

Track: Texas Motor Speedway (1.5-mile quad-oval)

Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Follow EGR on Twitter:  Continue to follow Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates on their official team Twitter page. Find in-race updates and weekly news on the No. 1 and No. 42 teams throughout the 2011 season by following “@EGRTeams”.

There’s an App for that: Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) and SapientNitro SM recently launched one of the first mobile applications for the high-velocity world of racing.  This new application brings fans updated driver and event information, and exclusive content in one centralized and expansive mobile experience, bringing to life the rich heritage and legendary success of Chip Ganassi Racing Teams.  The unique mobile application conveys the high-octane rush of the racing experience for a team that competes at the highest levels in three series – the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, IZOD IndyCar Series and Rolex GRAND-AM Series. 

Jamie McMurray and No. 1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Team 

McMurray at Texas:  In McMurray’s Sprint Cup career, he has made 15 starts at Texas Motor Speedway.  In those races, he has scored three top-five, and six top-10 finishes.  He has an average start of 26.1, and average finish of 16.9 at Texas.  He has completed 4,840 laps (96.4%) of a possible 5,020 laps run at the track, leading 70 of them.  McMurray has been running at the finish in 14 of his 15 races, and his sole DNF came in the 2010 spring race when he was caught up in a crash on lap 319 to end his day.   McMurray’s best start at the track came in November of 2008 when he started fourth. He went on to finish third in that event, his second career best finish after finishing second in the spring of 2005.

Martinsville Recap:   Starting from the 27th-position, the McDonald’s team knew that they would  have to be patient throughout the day and have good pit stops to get the car up front.  With the benefit of early cautions the No. 1 team was able to employ strategy, pitting on lap 47 to make some aggressive changes.  The team elected to stay out under the next caution on lap 65, thus gaining track position in the top-10.  The run near the front was short lived when McMurray was involved in an accident on lap 84 that ended the day for the McDonald’s team

With Ganassi at Texas:  In his seven starts at Texas in Ganassi-owned racecars, McMurray has one top-five, three top-10s, and has led 10 laps with Ganassi out of his total of 70.  His average finish is a 14.4 and he has been running at the finish in six out of seven races.

Green, Green, Green:  Over the last 13 races at Texas Motor Speedway, McMurray ranks first in the statistical category of “Green Flag Passes”.  This category measures how many passes were made under green flag conditions.  McMurray has made a series leading 973 passes under green flag at Texas.

Going to Bass Pro:  Jamie McMurray will be making an appearance at the Grapevine, Texas Bass Pro Shops store on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 to sign autographs and meet race fans.  The event begins at 5:30 PM CT.  The address of the store is 2501 Bass Pro Drive, Grapevine, TX 76051.

Coca-Cola Family Track Walk:  Jamie McMurray will be participating in the Coca-Cola family Track Walk on Saturday November 5, 2011 following the Nationwide series race.  It is a unique opportunity for race fans to walk on the surface after 300 miles of racing.  The event begins approximately 30 minutes after the O’Reilly Parts Challenge and is free to attend for anyone holding a ticket to that race event.

Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Target Team 

Texas History: Montoya has made nine starts at Texas Motor Speedway during his Sprint Cup career.  In those races, he has tallied two top-10s and has an average start of 14.6.  He has completed 93.4% of the laps run (2,812 of 3,011) at Texas since his first start, leading 12 of them.  Montoya’s best start of third came in fall of 2007 and a best finish of seventh was in the 2009 spring event.

Martinsville Review:   Starting from the 20th- position, Montoya immediately focused on the handling of the race car. Due to a lack of practice prior to the race, teams spent the early part of the Tums Fast Relief 500 working on the set-up of the race car. By lap 75, the Target Chevrolet was handling better and up in the top-five. Montoya spent the remaining laps trying to maintain track position and stay away from any on-track incidents. The team overcame two speeding penalties on pit road to get back in the top-15 with 100 laps to go. Unfortunately the beating and banging out on the track began to take a toll on the No. 42 and while running in the 14th position the Target Chevrolet sustained some front end damage. Repairs were made on pit road but on lap 482 out of 500 the hood flew up causing the team to come down pit road and cut it off. Montoya was able to bring home the No. 42 Target Chevrolet in the 22nd position when the craziness came to a close. 

“Rack Up the Laps”:  By completing 497 of the 500 laps run this past weekend, Montoya maintained his lead in the statistical category of “number of laps completed” in 2011 with 9,696 (of a possible 9,737).  That means that he has completed 99.60% of the laps run this season in the Sprint Cup Series.  The second-place driver is Tony Stewart, who is 30 laps behind with 9,666 (99.27%).

Quality in numbers:  Montoya is currently ranked fourth in the statistical category of “Quality Passes”.  This category measures how many quality passes were made passing a car running in the top-15 while under a green flag.  Montoya has made a total of 364 quality passes at Texas Motor Speedway.  The three in front of him are Dale Earnhardt Jr (562), Marcos Ambrose (251), and Denny Hamlin (499).

Milestone Fifth Year:  Montoya is quickly approaching his fifth full year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS).  To date, Montoya has 178 starts, racked up two wins (Sonoma 2007 and Watkins Glen 2010), 20 top-fives, 49 top-10s and seven poles.  He has an average start of 17.4 and an average finish of 19.5 and has led 962 laps.

Homestead Ticket Package:   Fans who plan to attend the season finale Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway should take advantage of the “Race Day with Juan” ticket package.  The package, which fans may purchase for $142, will include:

• Ticket to Sprint Cup Championship-finale Ford 400 (Turn 1, rows 11-21) 

• Private pre-race meet-and-greet with Montoya in the infield Driver’s Meeting Room

• Pre-Race Pit Pass access to front-stretch for photos, autographs, Q&A sessions 

• No. 42 Target commemorative lanyard and credential holder

• $42 donation to the Formula Smiles Foundation headed by Montoya and wife Connie

For more information visit www.HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com/Montoya

In the Points:  With his 22nd -place finish in the Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway, Montoya has now moved up three spots to 17th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings with 863 points.  He is now 77 points behind 13th-place, which is the highest points position a driver can reach if they are not a “Chase for the Sprint Cup” contender.

No. 1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1104. Crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion and the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/ Tracker Boats team will be bringing chassis #1104 to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend.  This chassis was previously used at Dover in October, Michigan (June and August), and Charlotte (Coke 600, and All-star).

No. 42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS):  Chassis #1119.  Pohlman and the No. 42 Target team are bringing chassis # 1119 to Texas this weekend.  This chassis was previously run at Charlotte (October), where he started 32nd and rallied to a 14th place finish.