Pre-Race Notes and Quotes
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan 200
Saturday, June 13, 2009
MALSAM AT MICHIGAN: Malsam will be returning to Michigan International Speedway for his second race at the 2.0-mile D-shaped oval. Last year in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, Malsam competed at the Michigan track, where he qualified in the 24th position and finished in 18th-place as a result of an ill-handling racecar.
CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend, crew chief Doug Wolcott and the No. 81 One Eighty team will unload Randy Moss Motorsports chassis No. 103. This Saturday’s 100-lap event in the Irish Hills will mark the first race for this Toyota Tundra with Malsam behind the wheel.
ROOKIE UPDATE: Malsam currently sits second in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year point standings, only four points behind leader Johnny Sauter. The Seattle, Washington native has received the Rookie of the Race honors twice this season at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Also, Malsam is the highest rookie in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings.
DID YOU KNOW?: The highest finishing position by a Raybestos Rookie at Michigan in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is second. Kurt Busch holds the honor as he claimed the runner-up finish in 2000.
PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Last week, Malsam and his No. 81 One Eighty team recorded their third top-10 finish of the season at Texas Motor Speedway, with a ninth-place finish at 1.5-mile oval. It was the 20-year-old’s first trip to the Fort Worth track and clutch issues plagued the rookie for the final 40 laps of the race. Malsam currently sits 11th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings, only six points behind 10th-place Rick Crawford.
CATCH THE ACTION: The Michigan 200 from Michigan International Speedway will take the green flag this Saturday, June 13th at 2 P.M. Eastern. Race coverage will be televised live on SPEED, beginning at 1:30 P.M. Eastern, and heard live on select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio Channel 128, beginning at 1:30 P.M. Eastern.
MALSAM (On racing at Michigan International Speedway): “Going back to Michigan again this year is exciting. It’s always nice when I can have some laps on the track before I get there to race, but no matter what my guys on this One Eighty team do a good job of putting a solid Toyota Tundra under me. I didn’t have a great run there last year in the ARCA car, but I’m looking forward to going there this year with these Randy Moss Motorsports guys. We are definitely capable of getting another top-10 finish and maybe even our first top-five finish of the season.”
ABOUT ONE EIGHTY: One Eighty, founded in 1976, encompasses hospitality, senior housing, and international brands, all of which require their customers to “Twist Your Thinking.” One Eighty’s hospitality brand has three divisions – Edibility, PrimeFit, and Twist Travel, which offer a bold take on their individual specialties. Edibility includes retirement community food services, corporate and social event catering, restaurant development and management, culinary classes, and signature food items. Also, PrimeFit and Twist Travel take a similar cover-the-all bases approach. For more information about One Eighty, please visit www.oneeightytwist.com.
ABOUT RANDY MOSS MOTORSPORTS: Randy Moss Motorsports ownership consists of Randy Moss, New England Patriots All-Pro Wide Receiver; and David Dollar, a long-time participant in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team fields the No. 81 Toyota Tundra and the No. 5 Toyota Tundra full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. For more information about Randy Moss Motorsports, please visit www.randymossmotorsports.com.
-RMM-