PIQUET JR. MAGICALLY ESCAPES 10-CAR PILE-UP UNSCATHED; FINISHES SEVENTH IN NATIONWIDE SERIES DEBUT

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (August 8, 2010) – Nelson Piquet Jr. did his best
Houdini impression magically escaping a 10-car pile-up on his way to a
seventh-place finish in his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut Saturday at
Watkins Glen International Speedway. The 25-year old Brazilian driver
weaved his way in and out of wrecking cars and came through the pile-up
with his No. 27 ArcSight/G2 Gemini Ford Fusion unscathed. Piquet Jr., who
finished sixth in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in February
at Daytona International Speedway, has now earned a top- 10 finish in his
debut in both series and has registered four top-10 finishes in five career
NASCAR starts.
“I think a lot of people expected me to be successful this weekend because
this was a road course race and I was an open-wheel driver” said Piquet Jr.
“It really was a complicated weekend. I had just one practice to learn a
new track, in a new car with a new team. It was a lot different than I
expected. Once I got on the track in practice, I knew I had to run as many
laps as possible and try to learn as much as I could in the two hours. We
ended up qualifying well and the ArcSight/G2 Gemini Ford Fusion ran in the
top 10 for most of the race. I wasn’t prepared to do any Nationwide Series
races this season, but Baker Curb Racing provided me with a great
opportunity. I love new challenges and I think when all was said and done,
I lived up to the challenge.”
After finishing Friday’s practice 22nd-fastest, Piquet Jr. bounced back to
qualify ninth for Saturday’s race. In the early stages of the race he
communicated to crew chief John Reese that his No. 27 ArcSight/G2 Gemini
Ford Fusion was a little tight in the high-speed turns of the 2.45-mile
road course.
On lap 15 Piquet Jr. was running ninth when he brought his Ford Fusion
down pit road. The Baker Curb Racing crew put on four fresh tires, filled
it with fuel and returned the No. 27 to the track. After the first round
of green-flag pit stops cycled through, he was scored in the 12th position.
The first caution of the race occurred on lap 19 and Reese elected to
bring the No. 27 ArcSight/G2 Gemini Ford Fusion down pit road to top off
with fuel. When the race restarted on lap 24, Piquet Jr. was scored in the
20th position. As the field made their way into Turn 2, cars began piling
up across the width of the course, leaving little room for cars to advance.
Somehow Piquet Jr. managed to weave his way in and out of the fracas
without damage. After the red-flag was displayed to allow the safety
workers to clear the rubbish on the track, Reese radioed to his driver to
see if there was any damage to the car. Piquet Jr. responded, “I am magic
man, I did not hit anything!”
When the race restarted on lap 27, the No. 27 was scored in the 10th
position. As the race continued under green-flag conditions, Piquet Jr.
settled into the 11th spot until pit stops began on lap 47. He had
advanced into fourth position before bringing his No. 27 ArcSight/G2 Gemini
Ford Fusion down pit road on lap 51. The Baker Curb Racing crew put on
four fresh tires, filled it with fuel and returned him to the track scored
in the 12th position.
The third caution of the race occurred on lap 53, with the No. 27 scored
in the 12th position. Four cars elected to come down pit road and when the
race restarted on lap 57, Piquet Jr. was scored in the eighth position.
The second-generation driver made his way past Nationwide Series regular
Steve Wallace shortly after the restart to move into seventh spot, where he
would remain for the rest of the race.