J.J. Yeley No. 46
AAMCO Transmissions
Ohsweken Speedway
Chevrolet Preview: Phoenix
Harrisburg,
N.C. ( February 24, 2011) – After
fighting the odds just to make the Daytona 500 and succeeding, J.J. Yeley and
the Whitney Motorsports team have spent the days following the Great American
Race trying to come to grips with the disappointment of being the first car out
in the biggest race of the year. Engine failure sidelined Yeley after just
eleven laps, bring an end to his Cinderella hopes. But the team's run through
the Gatorade Duel and into the field for the Daytona 500 didn't go unnoticed;
AAMCO Transmissions joined the team for the 500 and liked what they saw, so
much so that they've decided to come back on board for the Subway Fresh Fit 500
this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.
Can you even put into words the disappointment that you and the
team felt after dropping out so early at Daytona? I was very disappointed with
the engine failure, especially with the car running so well in the draft. I was
able to pass a lot of very good race cars. Engines usually run there best right
before they expire. It helps to know that there is another race the following
week.?
How much momentum does Whitney Motorsports take into Phoenix
after rallying to make the Daytona 500 with an improbable run in the Duel? We will be riding a huge wave
of confidence traveling into The Valley of the Sun. The guys have had to work
overtime in order to get the AAMCO Transmissions Chevy ready to roll for
Phoenix, after a good start to the season we want to continue with a fast car
at my home track.?
What's the biggest adjustment going from Daytona to Phoenix?
Does it relate from going from a big, fast, high-banked half-mile to a tight,
flat dirt track in a Midget or Sprint car? The biggest difference is that set-up and the driver
have more control of going fast compared to Daytona where a slick car and big
horsepower can make the difference between being up front and running mid
pack.?
What do you think about the plans to repave and reconfigure PIR
after this race weekend?
It
will change the way many of the competitors will think of PIR, it will be
interesting to see how much different the track and the setups change when we
go back in October.?
Although you didn't have the finish you wanted, how encouraging
is it to have AAMCO Transmissions and Ohsweken Speedway back on board for
Phoenix after testing the waters with the team at Daytona? It is great to have new
sponsors interested in Whitney Motorsports, I wish we could have delivered a
great finish to them in Daytona. They deserved it, now we will have to do it in
Phoenix instead.?
J.J. Yeley at Phoenix International Raceway: J.J. Yeley has six previous
Sprint Cup starts at his home track, with a best finish of 14th in
November 2007. His best start, fourth, also came in that race. His average
start is 24.3 and his average finish is 25.5. He has completed 1,777 of a
possible 1,872 laps (94.9%). In seven Nationwide Series starts at Phoenix,
Yeley has three top-ten finishes, including a best finish of sixth in November
2006.
