Bires Has Solid Start To Mexico Weekend

BIRES HAS SOLID START TO MEXICO WEEKEND

Kelly Bires has started his debut road course event with a solid performance in practice for the Corona Mexico 200 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City today.

It was a steady start for Bires, making his first visit to the twisty Mexico circuit. The #47 Clorox Ford Fusion gained pace with every lap with Bires finishing first practice in 29th position and final practice in 25th position.

Bires is confident of further improvement overnight ahead of qualifying tomorrow and is enjoying the challenge of a road course event – his first race on a road course since his days racing karts in Wisconsin in his youth.

Kyle Busch and Scott Pruett topped today’s two practice sessions, with Bires’ JTG Racing team-mate Marcos Ambrose in the top five in both sessions.

Q & A with Kelly Bires - #47 Clorox Ford Fusion

Q: YOU’VE WATCHED BOTH THE MEXICO CITY AND MONTREAL RACES AND TESTED ON A ROAD COURSE, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO RACE. CAN ANY OF THE WATCHING AND TESTING TRANSLATE TO THE TRACK?

KB: “You can see the strategy of the race and how it’s played out and stuff like that. The VIR test is going to help me the most. Just getting some time on the track. Practice today was really good in that we got a decent length of time to learn the track. That’s going to be the biggest advantage for me, it’s not going to come from watching races. Practice let me experience it for myself, get in my rhythm, figure out where I need to downshift and upshift and conserve my brakes and conserve my gearbox and everything else.”

Q: DID YOU WALK THE TRACK?

KB: “We got a chance to go out there for a ride before practice. It wasn’t as long as we wanted, we made one lap and Marcos showed me my lifting points and braking points and stuff like that. I got a little bit of an idea, but again, once I got out there I felt comfortable about it.

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS NOW? ARE YOU NERVOUS? ANXIOUS? EXCITED?

KB: “I’m actually anxious, really. We went to Virginia there at VIR and I had a blast driving on road courses. They’re fun. The little bit that I’ve done it so far, I’m looking forward to something different than the typical mile-and-a-half or oval that you race every weekend. It’s pretty neat. It’s a challenge for me. It’s going to be a huge challenge to go out there and run competitively. I think we have a pretty good car and we should good to do it.”

RESULTS: Final Practice
1. #40 Scott Pruett 88.097 seconds
2. #16 Colin Braun 88.109
3. #25 Boris Said 88.640
4. #20 Kyle Busch 88.855
5. #59 Marcos Ambrose 88.905
6. #27 Brad Coleman 88.981
7. #9 Patrick Carpentier 89.068
8. #64 Max Papis 89.120
9. #86 Antonio Perez 89.339
10. #17 Erik Darnell 89.441
25. #47 Kelly Bires 90.559

RESULTS: Practice 1
1. #20 Kyle Busch 89.661 seconds
2. #40 Scott Pruett 89.800
3. #16 Colin Braun 89.868
4. #59 Marcos Ambrose 89.922
5. #5 Adrian Fernandez 89.056
6. #25 Boris Said 90.215
7. #2 Clint Bowyer 90.328
8. #64 Max Papis 90.460
9. #17 Erik Darnell 90.546
10. #27 Brad Coleman 90.552
29. #47 Kelly Bires 92.011

2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Standings - After Race 8 of 35
1. Clint Bowyer 1189
2. Car Edwards 1165
3. Kyle Busch 1083
4. David Ragan 1068
5. David Reutimann 1065
6. Brad Keselowski 1011
7. Mike Bliss 998
8. Kevin Harvick 977
9. Jason Leffler 962
10. Kelly Bires 926

2008 NNS Prizemoney after 8 races:
Kelly Bires: US$250,214

RACE SCHEDULE
Local Mexico City (US Central) Times
Qualifying
Saturday 19 April 2008
10:35am

Race – 80 laps
Sunday 20 April 2008
1:00pm US Central
2:00pm US Eastern

UNITED STATES TV SCHEDULE
Sunday 20 April 2008
ESPN
1:30pm US Eastern

ABOUT AUTODROMO HERMANOS RODRIGUEZ
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Track Length: 2.518 miles (4.05km)
Race Distance: 80 laps – 201.44 miles (324.19km)
Circuit Type: Permanent Road Course

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES RECORD BOOK
Defending Nationwide Race Winner: Juan Pablo Montoya
Defending Nationwide Polesitter: Scott Pruett
Kelly Bires – Mexico City and road course debut

BIRES HAS SOLID START TO MEXICO WEEKEND

Kelly Bires has started his debut road course event with a solid performance in practice for the Corona Mexico 200 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City today.

It was a steady start for Bires, making his first visit to the twisty Mexico circuit. The #47 Clorox Ford Fusion gained pace with every lap with Bires finishing first practice in 29th position and final practice in 25th position.

Bires is confident of further improvement overnight ahead of qualifying tomorrow and is enjoying the challenge of a road course event – his first race on a road course since his days racing karts in Wisconsin in his youth.

Kyle Busch and Scott Pruett topped today’s two practice sessions, with Bires’ JTG Racing team-mate Marcos Ambrose in the top five in both sessions.

Q & A with Kelly Bires - #47 Clorox Ford Fusion

Q: YOU’VE WATCHED BOTH THE MEXICO CITY AND MONTREAL RACES AND TESTED ON A ROAD COURSE, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO RACE. CAN ANY OF THE WATCHING AND TESTING TRANSLATE TO THE TRACK?

KB: “You can see the strategy of the race and how it’s played out and stuff like that. The VIR test is going to help me the most. Just getting some time on the track. Practice today was really good in that we got a decent length of time to learn the track. That’s going to be the biggest advantage for me, it’s not going to come from watching races. Practice let me experience it for myself, get in my rhythm, figure out where I need to downshift and upshift and conserve my brakes and conserve my gearbox and everything else.”

Q: DID YOU WALK THE TRACK?

KB: “We got a chance to go out there for a ride before practice. It wasn’t as long as we wanted, we made one lap and Marcos showed me my lifting points and braking points and stuff like that. I got a little bit of an idea, but again, once I got out there I felt comfortable about it.

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS NOW? ARE YOU NERVOUS? ANXIOUS? EXCITED?

KB: “I’m actually anxious, really. We went to Virginia there at VIR and I had a blast driving on road courses. They’re fun. The little bit that I’ve done it so far, I’m looking forward to something different than the typical mile-and-a-half or oval that you race every weekend. It’s pretty neat. It’s a challenge for me. It’s going to be a huge challenge to go out there and run competitively. I think we have a pretty good car and we should good to do it.”

RESULTS: Final Practice
1. #40 Scott Pruett 88.097 seconds
2. #16 Colin Braun 88.109
3. #25 Boris Said 88.640
4. #20 Kyle Busch 88.855
5. #59 Marcos Ambrose 88.905
6. #27 Brad Coleman 88.981
7. #9 Patrick Carpentier 89.068
8. #64 Max Papis 89.120
9. #86 Antonio Perez 89.339
10. #17 Erik Darnell 89.441
25. #47 Kelly Bires 90.559

RESULTS: Practice 1
1. #20 Kyle Busch 89.661 seconds
2. #40 Scott Pruett 89.800
3. #16 Colin Braun 89.868
4. #59 Marcos Ambrose 89.922
5. #5 Adrian Fernandez 89.056
6. #25 Boris Said 90.215
7. #2 Clint Bowyer 90.328
8. #64 Max Papis 90.460
9. #17 Erik Darnell 90.546
10. #27 Brad Coleman 90.552
29. #47 Kelly Bires 92.011

2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Standings - After Race 8 of 35
1. Clint Bowyer 1189
2. Car Edwards 1165
3. Kyle Busch 1083
4. David Ragan 1068
5. David Reutimann 1065
6. Brad Keselowski 1011
7. Mike Bliss 998
8. Kevin Harvick 977
9. Jason Leffler 962
10. Kelly Bires 926

2008 NNS Prizemoney after 8 races:
Kelly Bires: US$250,214

RACE SCHEDULE
Local Mexico City (US Central) Times
Qualifying
Saturday 19 April 2008
10:35am

Race – 80 laps
Sunday 20 April 2008
1:00pm US Central
2:00pm US Eastern

UNITED STATES TV SCHEDULE
Sunday 20 April 2008
ESPN
1:30pm US Eastern

ABOUT AUTODROMO HERMANOS RODRIGUEZ
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Track Length: 2.518 miles (4.05km)
Race Distance: 80 laps – 201.44 miles (324.19km)
Circuit Type: Permanent Road Course

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES RECORD BOOK
Defending Nationwide Race Winner: Juan Pablo Montoya
Defending Nationwide Polesitter: Scott Pruett
Kelly Bires – Mexico City and road course debut

BIRES HAS SOLID START TO MEXICO WEEKEND

Kelly Bires has started his debut road course event with a solid performance in practice for the Corona Mexico 200 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City today.

It was a steady start for Bires, making his first visit to the twisty Mexico circuit. The #47 Clorox Ford Fusion gained pace with every lap with Bires finishing first practice in 29th position and final practice in 25th position.

Bires is confident of further improvement overnight ahead of qualifying tomorrow and is enjoying the challenge of a road course event – his first race on a road course since his days racing karts in Wisconsin in his youth.

Kyle Busch and Scott Pruett topped today’s two practice sessions, with Bires’ JTG Racing team-mate Marcos Ambrose in the top five in both sessions.

Q & A with Kelly Bires - #47 Clorox Ford Fusion

Q: YOU’VE WATCHED BOTH THE MEXICO CITY AND MONTREAL RACES AND TESTED ON A ROAD COURSE, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO RACE. CAN ANY OF THE WATCHING AND TESTING TRANSLATE TO THE TRACK?

KB: “You can see the strategy of the race and how it’s played out and stuff like that. The VIR test is going to help me the most. Just getting some time on the track. Practice today was really good in that we got a decent length of time to learn the track. That’s going to be the biggest advantage for me, it’s not going to come from watching races. Practice let me experience it for myself, get in my rhythm, figure out where I need to downshift and upshift and conserve my brakes and conserve my gearbox and everything else.”

Q: DID YOU WALK THE TRACK?

KB: “We got a chance to go out there for a ride before practice. It wasn’t as long as we wanted, we made one lap and Marcos showed me my lifting points and braking points and stuff like that. I got a little bit of an idea, but again, once I got out there I felt comfortable about it.

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS NOW? ARE YOU NERVOUS? ANXIOUS? EXCITED?

KB: “I’m actually anxious, really. We went to Virginia there at VIR and I had a blast driving on road courses. They’re fun. The little bit that I’ve done it so far, I’m looking forward to something different than the typical mile-and-a-half or oval that you race every weekend. It’s pretty neat. It’s a challenge for me. It’s going to be a huge challenge to go out there and run competitively. I think we have a pretty good car and we should good to do it.”

RESULTS: Final Practice
1. #40 Scott Pruett 88.097 seconds
2. #16 Colin Braun 88.109
3. #25 Boris Said 88.640
4. #20 Kyle Busch 88.855
5. #59 Marcos Ambrose 88.905
6. #27 Brad Coleman 88.981
7. #9 Patrick Carpentier 89.068
8. #64 Max Papis 89.120
9. #86 Antonio Perez 89.339
10. #17 Erik Darnell 89.441
25. #47 Kelly Bires 90.559

RESULTS: Practice 1
1. #20 Kyle Busch 89.661 seconds
2. #40 Scott Pruett 89.800
3. #16 Colin Braun 89.868
4. #59 Marcos Ambrose 89.922
5. #5 Adrian Fernandez 89.056
6. #25 Boris Said 90.215
7. #2 Clint Bowyer 90.328
8. #64 Max Papis 90.460
9. #17 Erik Darnell 90.546
10. #27 Brad Coleman 90.552
29. #47 Kelly Bires 92.011

2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Standings - After Race 8 of 35
1. Clint Bowyer 1189
2. Car Edwards 1165
3. Kyle Busch 1083
4. David Ragan 1068
5. David Reutimann 1065
6. Brad Keselowski 1011
7. Mike Bliss 998
8. Kevin Harvick 977
9. Jason Leffler 962
10. Kelly Bires 926

2008 NNS Prizemoney after 8 races:
Kelly Bires: US$250,214

RACE SCHEDULE
Local Mexico City (US Central) Times
Qualifying
Saturday 19 April 2008
10:35am

Race – 80 laps
Sunday 20 April 2008
1:00pm US Central
2:00pm US Eastern

UNITED STATES TV SCHEDULE
Sunday 20 April 2008
ESPN
1:30pm US Eastern

ABOUT AUTODROMO HERMANOS RODRIGUEZ
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Track Length: 2.518 miles (4.05km)
Race Distance: 80 laps – 201.44 miles (324.19km)
Circuit Type: Permanent Road Course

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES RECORD BOOK
Defending Nationwide Race Winner: Juan Pablo Montoya
Defending Nationwide Polesitter: Scott Pruett
Kelly Bires – Mexico City and road course debut