J.J. Yeley - USG Durock 300 pre-race notes and quotes

Event: USG Durock 300
Date: July 8, 2006
Track: Chicagoland Speedway
TV: TNT 4:00 PM EST
Radio: MRN 4:00 PM EST
Laps/Miles: 200 / 300

DID YOU KNOW?

Last week in Daytona, J.J. Yeley qualified on the pole, led eight laps and finished fourth. Yeley’s pole was his third of the 2006 NASCAR Busch Series season, second only to teammate Denny Hamlin’s four poles.

J.J. Yeley has been outstanding in his last three Busch Series starts. He finished fourth at Daytona, third at Milwaukee and second at Kentucky.

J.J. Yeley has scored top-10 finishes in six of his last seven NASCAR Busch Series starts.

In the last six NASCAR Busch Series outings, J.J. Yeley has accumulated the most points (928), 61 points more than any other driver.

J.J. Yeley is currently fifth in NASCAR Busch Series points, just 21 points behind fourth, 29 points shy of third and 64 markers out of second.

After last week’s fourth-place finish at Daytona, J.J. Yeley tied his total of top-10 finishes in all of 2005 (12).

In 2004 in the Busch Series race at Chicagoland, Yeley led 25 laps and seemed to be on his way to his first career NASCAR victory. But with 20 laps to go, the team surrendered the lead to make a pit stop under a caution flag period. Yeley restarted in 11th and was only able to race his way back to 9th at the checkered flag. While Yeley was leading with 20 laps to go, the two drivers running second and third (Justin Labonte and Mike Wallace) eventually staged a great battle for the win with Labonte coming out on top.

In 2005 Busch Series race at Chicagoland, Yeley qualified fourth and spent most of the day inside the top five until a caution with 20 laps to go. Again, the Vigoro / Home Depot team elected to take tires, and Yeley cut a tire with just one lap to go and faded to 18th at the checkered flag.

After Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Tony Stewart crashed at Chicagoland during Nextel Cup Series practice last year, J.J. Yeley hopped in the No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet for four laps and then qualified 13th fastest for the Nextel Cup Championship team.

The Vigoro / Home Depot team will bring Chassis #1868 to Chicago. This particular car has been raced four times in 2006, and it has been the No. 18 team’s best piece. J.J. Yeley finished seventh at Fontana, fifth at Atlanta, third at Charlotte and second at Kentucky with this particular car.

The No. 18 Vigoro / Home Depot Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS will be sporting a new look this weekend at Chicagoland. The Vigoro Premium Mulch with Weed Stop product will adorn the hood of the car. Vigoro Premium Mulch with Weed Stop is a new product for 2006, and it is available at The Home Depot. Vigoro Premium Mulch with Weed Stop is the first ever combination with mulch and herbicide, and it controls weeds for up to four months.

On Thursday, July 6, J.J. Yeley will sign autographs Home Depot Store #1962 in Joliet, Illinois. Yeley’s appearance time is scheduled at 6:00 PM CST. The No. 18 Vigoro / Home Depot show car will be at the store as well.

QUOTES

Driver J.J. Yeley on last week’s race at Daytona - “Our team was able to sweep all thee restrictor-plate poles this year, and we are very proud of that feat. Everyone played a part in that, and it was a true team effort. We were able to lead some laps, but after the 8 Car got out front, we all realized we were running for second place. All in all, it was another great race for our Vigoro / Home Depot race team.”

Driver J.J. Yeley on this week’s race in Chicago - “We really feel like we gave away this race in 2004. We had the lead and we were pulling away from Justin (Labonte) and Mike (Wallace). We elected to pit for tires while they stayed out. We restarted in the back and we were only able to make it back to ninth while they battled it out for the win. Last year we had another good car, a top-five car, but we didn’t have enough to win. So we elected to put tires on and we cut one down in the closing laps. So we have had our eye on this race from the beginning of the year, and we really think this could be our breakout event.”