Otherwise they would be Stepford drivers. lol That's why Dale Sr was so popular, he was his own man and no one was gonna make him something else.
I am Jr's biggest fan in my opinion of course but sometimes those of us who hang out on his board think he should be a little more aggressive. Although this past weekend he was really mad at one driver, I mean real mad!! Unfortunately he always broadcasts his intentions which thankfully he didn't do. Whew!
NAPA 200 Auto Parts - Andy Pilgrim Notes
Andy Pilgrim
Montreal Preview
PILGRIM TO MAKE HIS NASCAR DEBUT IN NAVY CHEVROLET IN MONTREAL
Road-racing veteran Andy Pilgrim will make his NASCAR Busch Series debut in the No. 88 Navy Accelerate Your Life Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS in Saturday’s race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Pilgrim, a Nottingham, England, native who became a U.S. citizen in 1998 and now lives in Boca Raton, Fla., has raced professionally since 1984. Since then he has competed at more than 60 different tracks, accumulating more than 50 wins in 10 different series. Pilgrim also has five professional racing championships on his resume.
Despite his vast road-racing history, Pilgrim has not raced at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve prior to this weekend. Saturday’s race will also mark his first time competing in a stock car. Pilgrim spent a day testing at Virginia International Raceway with the Navy team to prepare for the races in Montreal and Watkins Glen.
Pilgrim’s deal with JR Motorsports comes six years after he partnered with team owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and co-drivers Dale Earnhardt and Kelly Collins to drive a Chevrolet Corvette for the 2001 Rolex 24 at Daytona. The team finished fourth out of the 79 teams entered in the race. Pilgrim tutored both Earnhardts on how to maneuver the lighter car, and the elder Earnhardt promised him the opportunity to drive a car in NASCAR competition. Earnhardt wasn’t able to fulfill his promise, so Earnhardt Jr. is honoring his dad’s word with a two-race deal for Pilgrim.
JR Motorsports is running Chassis No. 011 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. In the car’s last on-track performance at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, the team finished 21st.
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Wes Ward, Crew Chief, No. 88 Navy Accelerate Your Life Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
“Montreal’s a new track for us. Looking at photos and diagrams of the place, it has long straightaways and tight corners that will require heavy braking. Brakes are going to be a hot commodity in Montreal.
“Having a driver who has such a thorough understanding of road-course racing will be a big plus for us this weekend. Andy performed really well in our test session at VIR, and I feel confident he’ll do a good job for us the next couple weeks. ”
http://www.race2win.net/gn/07/race/cgv/88.html