Andy Petree, NASCAR analyst for ESPN, was a 25-time NASCAR Sprint Cup race winner and two-time series champion during his career as a crew chief.
Q – Are race teams still building special cars for road courses, even with the new Sprint Cup car?
Andy Petree- Yes, they are. You will see some teams run a car that they’ve run on an oval, but most teams are starting to have cars for specialized race tracks like Watkins Glen. A lot of that is because of packaging, although they are petty limited to what they can do.
Since Watkins Glen is primarily right hand turns you are going to want to place the oil tank and batteries on the right- hand side of the vehicle. But, now NASCAR tells you where to put a lot of that stuff. The angle of the front tires is going to be different. The base of the car is going to be the same but the way it’s packaged is going to be different. Most teams will probably have a specialized car.
Q – What makes a NASCAR driver good on a road course?
Andy Petree- The main thing is to get the car stopped in the shortest amount of time and distance and letting the car roll through the middle of the corner. That is a real skill that many of the road course ringers have learned and really refined because they do it so much.
Oval track racing is different. You’re really carrying a lot of momentum and speed on ovals and you’re not trying to slow down the car a lot. How a driver is going to bleed off the speed when they enter those turns and how they can carry that speed and do it in a shorter time is the skill set needed to be a good road course racer.
Q – What’s something unique about Watkins Glen that fans should watch for on the telecast?
Andy Petree- Watkins Glen is a very fast road course. Horsepower will really come into play, especially along the back straightaway. You’ll see the guys take that as a great passing opportunity. There are several run-off areas and you’ll see guys run into each other there. Then, of course, the brakes are going to be a big issue because of the high-speed straights going into the tight turns.
NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series Live from Watkins Glen This Weekend
The NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series will be in action this weekend at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International as the historic road racing facility celebrates its 60th anniversary. The NASCAR Sprint Cup race airs live on ESPN on Sunday, Aug. 10, at 1 p.m., while the NASCAR Nationwide Series race airs Saturday, Aug. 9, at 2:30 p.m. on ABC.
Coverage from Watkins Glen also includes a live telecast of NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying on Friday, Aug. 8, at 3 p.m., and coverage of practice sessions earlier that day at noon and Saturday, Aug. 9, at 1:30 p.m. Nationwide Series qualifying airs Saturday at 10 a.m., and coverage of final practice airs Friday at 5:30 p.m. All practice and qualifying coverage is on ESPN2, and all programming airs in high definition.
Dr. Jerry Punch will be lead announcer for ESPN’s coverage, with analysis by Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree. The pre-race NASCAR Countdown show from the ESPN pit studio will be hosted by Allen Bestwick, with analysts Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty.
As part of the 60th anniversary celebration of Watkins Glen, ESPN Classic airs the track’s 1988 NASCAR Sprint Cup race on Thursday, Aug. 7, at 2 p.m.
Visit www.espnmediazone.com for ESPN's latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video and audio clips and more.
About NASCAR on ESPN:
ESPN and ABC have comprehensive, multi-platform coverage featuring telecasts of the final 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, including the 10-race "Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup" on ABC. Additionally, ESPN2 is the home of the NASCAR Nationwide Series all season. All programming is produced totally in high definition. ESPN’s comprehensive, multimedia NASCAR coverage extends to ESPN.com, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Deportes Radio, SportsCenter, ESPN the Magazine, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPNRadio and ESPN International, among other ESPN platforms.
ESPN aired 262 NASCAR Cup Races over a 20-year period starting in 1981 and returned to NASCAR coverage in 2007. The network's award-winning, live flag-to-flag coverage on ESPN has been honored with 18 Sports Emmy Awards, as well as many industry honors. It is widely credited for helping to popularize the sport nationwide. NASCAR races have appeared on ABC for decades, beginning with broadcasts on the award-winning Wide World of Sports program in the 1960s.
- Eiron Smith -
ZIPPO "200" - NASCAR Nationwide Series - Watkins Glen International -Entry List
06.08.2008
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1 0 Larry Gunselman Johnny Davis Brad Hicks 08 Chevrolet sponsordavis.com
2 01 Wheeler Boys Johnny Davis Steven Jenkins 08 Chevrolet sponsordavis.com
3 1 Mike Bliss James Finch Marc Reno 08 Chevrolet Miccosukee Indian Gaming & Resort
4 2 Clint Bowyer Richard Childress Dan Deeringhoff 08 Chevrolet BB&T
5 4 Landon Cassill James Finch Gene All ... mehr |
Centurion Boats at The Glen -- Watkins Glen International Entry List
06.08.2008
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NASCAR Sprint Cup Series - 8/10/2008
1 00 Michael McDowell Rob Kauffman Peter Sospenzo 08 Toyota Champion Mortgage
2 1 Martin Truex Jr Teresa Earnhardt Michael Greci 08 Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops
3 01 Ron Fellows Teresa Earnhardt Daniel Stillman 08 Chevrolet DEI/Principal Financial Group
4 2 Kurt Busch Walter Czarnecki Pat Tryson 08 Dodge Mill ... mehr |
Rain cancels Saturday Cup practice at Pocono
02.08.2008
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David Gilliland, driver of the No. 38 freecreditreport.com Ford Fusion, will start third in tomorrow’s Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500. The starting spot is his best of the season and even if rain cancels practice on Saturday, Gilliland and crew chief Cully Barraclough feel the team will still race well on Sunday.
DAVID GILLILAND – No. 38 freecreditreport.com Ford Fu ... mehr |
Former Buffalo Bill Kevin Everett named Grand Marshall for Zippo 200
30.07.2008
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Everett Will Say the Most Famous Words in Racing on August 9th
Former Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett will serve as the Grand Marshal for the Zippo 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Watkins Glen International on Saturday, August 9. Everett will have the prestigious responsibility of saying the four most famous words in racing – "Gentlemen, start your engi ... mehr |
Live chats to resume with Boris Said at WGI
16.07.2008
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Said and Scott Pruett Confirmed for Chats on July 16 and July 23 Respectively
Watkins Glen International will resume the LIVE driver chats on the WGI Fan Talk Forum on Wednesday, July 16th and will get things started with a Glen champion and true fan favorite. 2006 Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen champion and current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Boris Said will ... mehr |
Sunoco and WGI provide relief at the pump
16.07.2008
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Fans receive a $20 Gas Card with any Turn 11 Grandstand Ticket Purchase
In light of rising gas prices and the economic hardships that many NASCAR fans are facing today, Watkins Glen International and Sunoco are trying to give fans a little relief at the pumps. Fans that purchase an $85 Turn 11 Grandstand weekend ticket for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ Centurion B ... mehr |
The Glen is goin' to the Monroe County Fair
10.07.2008
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Tickets to Remaining 2008 Season Will Be On Sale at the Show
Watkins Glen International will join a wide variety of exhibiters and family entertainment at the Monroe County Fair being held at the Monroe County Fair and Expo Center in Rochester, NY, July 9-13. The historic road course will feature its NASCAR Nationwide Series show car as well as its children friend ... mehr |
David Gilliland finishes a career-best second at Sonoma
23.06.2008
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DAVID GILLILAND – No. 38 freecreditreport.com Ford Fusion (finished 2nd)
– "It was a great day for us. He kind of hit on some stuff there late in Happy Hour that just made the ... mehr |
NASCAR Camping World Series East 125 At The Glen - Entry List
03.06.2008
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NASCAR Camping World Series East Watkins Glen International June 8, 2008
1 1 Trevor Bayne, Knoxville Tenn. * Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet Chevrolet
2 2 Craig Goess, Greenville N.C. * Greenville Toyota/ESR Development Toyota
3 3 Austin Dillon, Lewisville N.C. * Garage Equipment Supply Chevrolet
4 4 Ricky Carmichael, Clearwater Fla. * Mo ... mehr |
Coulthard visits Nascar ... but only for the day !
27.05.2008
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Red Bull Racing's David Coulthard will be heading out early to North America prior to the Canadian Grand Prix to pay a visit to Red Bull's NASCAR team.
The weekend before the F1 race in Montreal sees the NASCAR boys racing at Dover in Delaware, on a track known as the Monster Mile.
David will be a guest of the NASCAR Red Bull Racing Team, which is now in its seco ... mehr |
McMurray leads Ford with eight-place finish at Martinsville
31.03.2008
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JAMIE MCMURRAY – No. 26 Irwin Ford Fusion (Finished 8th) –
"I had to race those guys a little bit differently than I would have if we hadn’t been in that situation (as far as the point standings). When guys would get underneath me, I would just let them go because we had to finish well today so we could have a little bit of a buffer in the points when we go to Tex ... mehr |
Australian V8 Superstar driver Marcus Marshall visits Martinsville
30.03.2008
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Marcus Marshall drives the No. 26 Irwin Ford Falcon in the Australian V8 Supercar Series. He’s visiting Martinsville Speedway this weekend to get a taste of stock car racing in America. Marshall stopped by the infield media center for a Q&A session to talk about his experience.
MARCUS MARSHALL – No. 26 Irwin Ford Falcon, V8 SuperCar Series (Australia) -- ... mehr |
Toyota makes race history in Nascar
10.03.2008
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Toyota made the double in Atlanta with Kyle Bush finishing in front of Tony Stewart also at the wheel of a Camry. This Toyota victory was the first for a foreign manufacturer in NASCAR since 1954.
After its inaugural year in the Cup Series Toyota already took victory lane at the Atlanta ... mehr |
Gatorade Duel 150 advance
13.02.2008
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The Wood Brothers No. 21 Little Debbie Ford Fusion is not guaranteed a spot in Sunday’s Daytona 500, so driver Bill Elliott will have to race it into the field during Thursday’s Gatorade Duel 150. Car owner Eddie Wood spoke about his team’s situation before Wednesday’s practice.
EDDIE WOOD, Co-Owner – No. 21 Little Debbie Ford Fusion
– WHERE ARE YOU GUYS ... mehr |
7-Time DAYTONA 500 Champion Richard Petty To Serve as Honorary Starter
06.02.2008
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... for Historic 50th Running Of The Daytona 500
Seven-time Daytona 500 Champion Richard Petty, who’s father Lee won the inaugural DAYTONA 500 in 1959, will serve as Honorary Starter for the historic 50th running of the DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, Feb. 17.
Petty will drop the green flag at Daytona International Speedway to get the historic event ... mehr |
SCCA Speed World Challenge returning to The Glen
16.01.2008
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Will Run Sunday Morning Prior to the NASCAR Camping World Series Race
Do you love the Sahlen’s Six Hour of The Glen and want to see more sports car racing action following that checkered flag? Looking for a racing series that combines the speed and agility of the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series and the aggressive, fender-banging of NASCAR?
Then you ... mehr |
Boris Said battling the odds at Daytona testing
16.01.2008
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Boris Said, driver of the No. 60 No Fear Ford Fusion, is going to run another limited NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule in 2008 while the search continues for a full-time sponsor. Said talked about his chances of qualifying for next month’s Daytona 500, along with the long-term plans for his race team.
BORIS SAID – No. 60 No Fear Ford Fusion –
WHAT IS YOUR PL ... mehr |
Boris Said will enter two races at The Glen in 2008
12.01.2008
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Fan Favorite to Race in Centurion Boats at The Glen and Zippo 200
Race fans and "Said Heads" alike now have extra incentive to attend the Centurion Boats at The Glen; fan favorite Boris Said will run two races during the event weekend. Said confirmed that Watkins Glen International is on his NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series schedules during a ... mehr |
Greg Biffle sets his sights on the Daytona 500
07.01.2008
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Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion, addressed the media during Monday’s lunch break at the Daytona International Speedway infield media center. Among the topics was a two-race sponsorship donation to the American Red Cross in which the organization will serve as primary sponsor, courtesy of 3M and Roush Fenway Racing.
GREG BIFFLE – No. 16 3M Ford F ... mehr |
CHEVY NSCS: Team Chevy, A Look Ahead to 2008 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
20.12.2007
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- Team Chevy - A Look Ahead to 2008 in NASCAR
- NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Competition - Building on Success
The February 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway is closer than it might seem. The "off season" is anything but ... mehr |
CHEVY NNS: Team Chevy, A Look Ahead to 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series
20.12.2007
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- Team Chevy - A Look Ahead to 2008 in NASCAR
- Team Chevy in NASCAR Nationwide Series
The 2008 season for Team Chevy in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) is shaping up to be more competitive than ever.
On the heels of winning the 2007 owners championship in the series, Richard Childress will defend his title with the No. 29 combo of Scott ... mehr |
CHEVY NCTS: Team Chevy Silverado, A Look Ahead to 2008
20.12.2007
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- Team Chevy - A Look Ahead to 2008 in NASCAR
- Team Chevy Silverado in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Immediately following Ron Hornaday's dramatic come-from-behind campaign to capture the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) championship (his record-tying third in the series) when the checkered flag fell at Homestead-Miami Speedway, C ... mehr |
THE GLEN named best Race of 2007 by Sports Illustrated
27.11.2007
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The Centurion Boats at The Glen Featured Plenty of On-Track Action and Drama
This year’s Centurion Boats at The Glen was considered, by many, as a race for the ages and now Sports Illustrated (SI) has confirmed what most Glen fans already knew. The famed and respected sports publication has selected the Centurion Boats at The Glen as the best NASCAR NEXTEL C ... mehr |
Jimmie Johnson Claims Second Consecutive NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Championship
19.11.2007
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- Team Chevy Drivers Capture Seven of Top-10 Positions in Year-End Standings
Jimmie Johnson and his Chad Knaus-led No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet team claimed their second consecutive NASCAR Nextel Cup Series (NNCS) championship at the conclusion of the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He finished seventh in the Ford 400 to secure his position a ... mehr |
Kenseth makes it four straight Ford 400 wins for Ford Racing
19.11.2007
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· Matt Kenseth won his second race of the season and took the checkered flag for the 16th time in his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series career with today’s victory.
· Today’s win was the seventh of the year for Ford, which is one more than last season.
· Today also marks the fourth straight win for Ford in the Ford 400 with Kenseth following up on Greg Biffle’s three strai ... mehr |
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Driver Availability at Homestead -Ford 400
18.11.2007
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Homestead-Miami Speedway
Dale Earnhardt, Jr., No. 8 Budweiser Monte Carlo SS, met with members of the media and discussed the plans for his company, JR Motorsports, in the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series, racing his last race for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and in the No. 8 Chevrolet and anticipation for the 2008 season with Hendrick Motorsports:
ON EXT ... mehr |
Robert Yates ready to retire while Robbie Reiser ...
18.11.2007
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... prepares for new challenge
Robert Yates, owner of the No. 38 and No. 88 Ford Fusions driven by David Gilliland and Ricky Rudd, will officially retire at the end of tomorrow’s Ford 400. Yates spoke about his favorite memories and his plans for the future on Saturday at Homestead Miami Speedway.
ROBERT YATES, Owner – RYR Ford Fusions – WH ... mehr |
Kenseth To Start Fourth in Homestead Cup Finale
17.11.2007
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... His Third Career Title; Silverado Increases Driver's Championships to Nine in NCTS Competition
Willie Allen Claims 2007 Raybestos Rookie of the Year Honors
Ron Hornaday, Jr., No. 33 Camping World Silverado, will carry of the title of the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) champion to become a three-time Series' c ... mehr |
Matt Kenseth to start fourth in Homestead Cup Finale
17.11.2007
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DAVID GILLILAND – No. 38 M&M’s Ford Fusion (Qualified 12th) –
WILL THAT HOLD UP? "I doubt it. We didn’t get a good draw. To qualify really good I think you have to go later on in the run, but I’m really proud of all the guys. Our M&M’s Ford Fusion was about four-tenths faster than we’d been all day. We just kept making good changes to it and making ... mehr |
