I saw this but I can`t remember where I found it. He’s entered into seven races this year to keep his rookie status for 2007. In the two races he’s entered this year, he’s had good showings with a seventh in Atlanta and 14th in Charlotte. The next scheduled one for him is Chicagoland followed by the Brickyard.
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MOORESVILLE, NC – As the NASCAR Busch Series prepares to visit their title sponsor’s, Anheuser-Busch, hometown track, Menards Racing driver Paul Menard arrives in St. Louis hoping to continue an upward climb in the drivers points standings. Currently ranked seventh trailing Greg Biffle by five points, Menard resumes his battle for points positions at Gateway International Speedway during the Busch Silver Celebration 250, presented by Shop ‘n Save. The entry list shows Biffle will not be racing in this event, further bolstering the team’s incentive to earn points.
And, Menard will pilot his favorite racecar in the 200-lap run around the 1.25-mile, egg-shaped oval. It’s the same one he drove to Victory Lane last month in Milwaukee. The car’s most recent outing was two weeks ago at New Hampshire when Menard wheeled the No. 11 Menards Chevy to a fourth place finish.
“This car is really fast and it should qualify and race well at St. Louis.” Menard said. “We need to have another strong run so we can maintain momentum heading into the next couple of weeks.”
“Last year’s race at Gateway was such a testament to the strength of this team. We battled back from a mid-race spin to finish a rewarding fifth place. This year, we’re going to try and avoid the spin part and go for another great finish.”
Dan Stillman, crew chief, was quick to credit teamwork for last year’s solid run in St. Louis.
“When he went spinning on the backstretch, I was surprised Paul didn’t make contact with the wall.” Stillman said. “You have to give Paul credit for getting through the spin without damage. The crew jumped in and did their part with a really good job on pit road and, fortunately, we came away with a top-five finish.”
Menards Racing chance for success at Gateway is bolstered by Dale Earnhardt, Inc.’s past achievements at the track. In nine events, DEI has three wins between two drivers. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. won in 1998 and 1999 with Martin Truex, Jr. taking the checkers in 2004. Both earned championship honors those respective years, as well.
A quick glance of Menard’s year shows he has been solid to say the least, well complimenting the DEI organization. Combined totals for the year include a victory, four top-fives and 10 top-10 finishes. Menard credits the hard work and race day performance of the crew with the remarkable 2006 record.
“Everybody on this team has been working so long and hard for this sort of success.” Menard said. “The team deserves every good run we’ve had this year.”
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mrsmopar12 Fan Club Member #1 Intimidator1951-2001 If this was the 1950's, Jeff Gordon would be Pat Boone and Dale Jr. would be Elvis....both were great singers, but we know who had the most fans.
Paul Menard's family owns a billion-dollar business, but he isn't a stock-car scion whose trust fund included NASCAR privileges.
Since he was in fifth grade, the son of home improvement magnate John Menard has toiled in the retail industry. Stapling rebates, stamping checks and corralling shopping carts were how Paul Menard spent his summers before pursuing a full-time racing career a few years ago.
"It wasn't a free ride by any means," the 25-year-old said. "Every summer break, I'd be working in a distribution center, building store fixtures, or working in the hardware or plumbing department of a store. It was an awesome learning experience."
It's also come with a hefty fringe benefit: A ride in the Busch Series. For the past two seasons, Menard has driven the Dale Earnhardt Inc.-owned No. 11 Chevrolet sponsored primarily by Menards, the country's third-largest home improvement store behind Home Depot and Lowe's.
The Midwestern chain, which has more than 200 stores and an estimated $6.4 billion in revenue in 2004 according to the National Retail Federation, is based in Eau Claire, Wis., where Menard also worked in corporate headquarters. When he was barely out of high school, Menard was scheduling flight itineraries for a fleet of light aircraft used to ferry executives to the company's locations across 10 states.
"Paul did stuff someone twice his age should have been doing," said John Menard, who has put all his children to work in entry-level jobs because "retail has a way of grounding you real quick. He was always an exceptionally diligent worker and a quiet kid who enjoyed people."
Now living in Mooresville, N.C., Paul Menard has a seat on the board of directors at Menards and still attends quarterly meetings. Though he doesn't have the on-track résumé to match Jimmie Johnson or Tony Stewart, he probably outranks both as a home improvement-sponsored driver who could qualify on the pole after applying a coat of primer to his car.
"That's all we do," John Menard said. "That's been our business all Paul's life and all my life."
Racing also has been a family priority. Besides NASCAR (the company also sponsors Robby Gordon in Nextel Cup and Matt Crafton in the Craftsman Truck Series), Menard also has sponsored Indy cars and once raced sedans with fully studded tires on frozen lakes in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Canada.
Paul Menard inherited the bug, winning 10 International Ice Association races. He is enjoying a breakthrough in his second season in Busch, ranking sixth in points and tops among drivers running Busch exclusively. But being first in class behind Nextel Cup regulars such as Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin means little.
"I don't look at it like that," he said. "Harvick, Bowyer and Hamlin are all full-time Busch guys, too. When we're getting beat, I don't care who's in the cars."
Menard will be racing on their turf in 2007 when he is elevated to Cup. He already has two top-15 finishes in Cup races this season (including a seventh at Atlanta Motor Speedway) and will attempt to qualify for the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend.
He proved he could beat Cup drivers on June 24 at The Milwaukee Mile, holding off charges by Harvick and Hamlin for his first Busch victory.
"That was a turning point for Paul in his career," John Menard said. "I think Paul is to point where with or without any backing from us, he can be a successful driver."
Paul Menard won't forget that backing, though. He wants to return to the family business when his NASCAR career is over — even if it means stocking shelves.
"I'll probably have to work my way up again."
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Mooresville, NC – As Wisconsin native, Paul Menard, prepares for a return to his Midwestern roots, Menards Racing commences the busiest weekend of the 2006 race season. With plans to race in Saturday’s Kroger 200 at O’Reilly Raceway Park and Sunday’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, Menards Racing puts talent to the test in a 600-mile Indianapolis relay.
Remarkably, Menard’s arrival in Indianapolis will be met with a mixture of advantage and challenge. Menard’s advantage comes in the shape of the .686-mile O’Reilly Raceway Park oval race track. Similar to his short track upbringing, ORP resembles the tracks that Menard raced weekly before breaking into NASCAR competition. Menard’s familiarity with short tracks like ORP helped the driver score his first ever top-ten finish in NASCAR competition, finishing ninth at the track in the 2003 Busch Series event.
Menard’s performance in last year’s 200-lap event was equally impressive – finishing seventh after looking poised to contend for a win in the race day practice sessions. Menard’s Dale Earnhardt Inc. teammate, Martin Truex, took the checkered flag in first in 2005, but Menard returns to Indianapolis with the same racecar from last year, but his sights are set on his own checkered flag.
“This is a great racetrack because you can actually race on it,” Menard said. “I knew we had a chance at a win there last year, but we were just a touch loose all night long. This year we’ll have that information going into the race and we’ll do our best to get the win.”
The track itself has a storied history. As one of only seven tracks that have hosted races since the series inception in 1982, O’Reilly Raceway Park was the precursor to the arrival of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing at the Brickyard. In addition, race sponsor Kroger has also been on board for the quarter-century of racing. This is the only race on the NASCAR Busch Series schedule that has had the same sponsor during that span.
Unlike his familiarity with the short track event in town, Menard will challenge the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway to make his first career start at the Brickyard, driving the No. 15 Johns Manville/Menards Chevrolet. Until recently, Menards opinion of the famed track came only from his childhood dreams of racing at Indy.
“It’s a dream come true to race at the Brickyard.” Menard said. “I think most drivers grow up watching all sorts of racing and setting goals for themselves, but for me Indianapolis was at the top of my racing to-do list.”
Menard tested at the Brickyard last month, with a new DEI car (# 037). Upon returning from the two day test, the team updated the body to match the No. 1 and No. 8 cars of Menard’s teammates, Martin Truex Jr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Menard is one of thirteen drivers pulling “double-duty” this weekend at O’Reilly Raceway Park and the Brickyard. Crew Chief, Dan Stillman, knows this sort of schedule requires a team to have all hands on deck.
”It is going to be a real hard weekend for our team,” Stillman said. “We have very capable people on both the Cup and Busch side to make sure our cars will be prepared well and ready to race. The schedule does overlap some so we will bring in Matt Crafton to practice the Busch car Saturday morning while Paul is qualifying the Cup car.”
Menard will have help on track at the Brickyard, as well. Not only will he join DEI teammates Truex Jr. and Earnhardt Jr., but Menard will also have fellow Menards Racing driver, Robby Gordon to offer support. Gordon will sport a similar to Menard’s Chevrolet on his own No. 7 Johns Manville, Menards Chevrolet.
“Indy is a pretty special place for me.” Gordon said. “We kind of put all our eggs in one basket with the car we chose and hopefully our gamble will payoff for Menards, Johns Manville and all of our other sponsors.”
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Fort Worth, TX – Paul Menard’s last month in racing can be described in one word – frustrating. The driver of the No. 11 Menards Chevrolet in the NASCAR Busch Series and the No. 15 Menards Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series has had two would-be Busch victories slip on pit road, including this Saturday’s melee, which led to Menard’s 27th place finish in the O’Reilly Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway.
Menard came to Texas ready for a double duty weekend, hoping for a win in the Busch car and a solid run in the Cup car. After qualifying 8th and 32nd for the Saturday and Sunday events, respectively, Menard set his sights on the 800 miles of racing ahead.
Saturday mornings two Nextel Cup practice sessions gave Menard a peak at the track conditions – information which helped Menard race his way into the top five by lap 16. At times running speeds four-tenths faster than the leaders, Menard looked likely to cruise his way to his second career Victory.
“You’ve got a good racecar, Paul.” Tony Eury Sr. radioed to his driver. “Take care of it.”
Under caution on lap 30, Menard came down pit road for a four tire, fuel and adjustment stop. The crew performed the service in 14 seconds and got Menard back on track in the second spot. After a ten lap battle with Busch Series champion Kevin Harvick, Menard settled into third place.
The day took a turn on lap 70 when Menard made his second visit to pit road. Because the car was handling so well, the pit stop would be a basic four tire and fuel stop. Trouble began as the front tire changer had a problem with the lug nuts on the right side of Menard’s Chevrolet. The crew opted to take the extra time to make sure the lugs on the right side were secure rather than force Menard to return to the pits a second time under caution.
Back on track, Menard went about his business. Despite an 11th place restart, Menard’s racecar was fast and he knew it was only time before he resumed his charge to the front. Less than thirty laps later, Menard radioed the crew that he had a vibration and thought he had a tire problem. Based on the earlier pit road problem, Eury expected the right side tire to be the issue. He called Menard in for two right side tires only, so as not to lose track position. Menard returned to the race track solemnly reporting the vibration continued. Menard returned to the pits on lap 101 for left side tires, where the problem was identified and solved.
While the trouble relegated Menard to 30th place, Menard finished the O’Reilly Challenge creating his own race within the race by recording faster lap times than the leaders and passing all the cars on his lap (two laps down). Menard made an exciting last lap pass by Juan Pablo Montoya to bring the Menards Chevrolet home in 27th place.
“That turned out to be a really tough day.” Menard said following the race. “I’m not sure what happened with the second stop, but after we had to make two trips back in to fix the tire it was pretty much over. Fortunately, it didn’t hurt us in the points too badly.”
Menard is solidly holding on to the sixth spot in the points with two races to go and a pair of opportunities to add another win to his resume.
After another night in Texas, Menard turned his attention to his Nextel Cup car. A long morning of rain showers gave way to the green flag flew in the Dickies 500. Menard’s sixth Nextel Cup race of the season began with the focus on improving the team’s intermediate track program for 2007.
It looked to be a repeat performance of Menard’s top-10 finish in Atlanta in the spring as he and Eury Sr. made minor adjustments during the first 150 laps that seemed to make the car better and better. Pit stops Sunday were stellar and #15 was gaining spots when it left pit lane.
All the cards were in place to make everyone forget about Saturday.
The only change that hurt Menard was a wedge adjustment on his third stop which occurred just before it began to cool off significantly at the Texas Motor Speedway. Just one half turn and Menard’s car was suddenly way too loose. Fortunately a caution allowed everyone to come back in not too long after the change and Eury reversed the adjustment and added a half turn-plus the other direction. The change put Menard right back to where he was, rocketing off the corners, happy as a clam.
“The car is good again, that changed really helped,” said a pleased Menard.
On lap 193, #15 cracked the top-20 and was shown in 19th place. There was a good bit of racing to go and with a strong car everyone was thinking a top-10 was on the radar screen. Just then Menard radioed...
“I think we lost a cylinder.”
And just like that #15 streaked by the start-finish line and past the pit box with a plume of smoke in tow.
When asked if it was true that motors always run at their absolute best just before the blow up, Menard said, “Oh yeah, she was going good.”
So not the result anyone was looking for on Saturday or Sunday, but the signs of improvement on the cookie-cutter tracks were very evident. Menard’s Busch car was as fast as Harvick’s, if not faster and Sunday’s Cup effort showed the #15 is ready to make a dent in the Cup series as it prepares for 2007.
Menard’s last Cup Series race will be Homestead in the Johns Manville Chevrolet.
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Mooresville, NC – Menards Racing continually proves it is a team deserving of a second victory in 2006. After three frustrating weeks of racing, Menard heads to Phoenix International Raceway with a sense of restlessness that can only come from being so close to Victory Lane, so many times.
“We’ve been in the hunt in nearly every one of the last five or six races.” Menard said. “Whether it was pit road problems or another driver getting into the Menards Chevy, something has happened to put an end to our chance of winning.”
In keeping with that idea, Menard’s solid springtime performance at Phoenix International Raceway was marred by late race trouble. After working throughout the race to improve the handling of the racecar, Menard was headed for a top-five finish. While running in seventh place, the No. 11 Menards Chevrolet was caught up in a multi-car wreck. Damage to the car was minimal, but Menard’s 20th place restart left him with less than ten laps to move up through the field and forced the Dale Earnhardt Inc. driver to settle for a 17th place finish.
“It was just a huge disappointment after we avoided countless other wrecks in the first 180 laps.” Menard said. “Whatever causes the problem, the result is still the same – another race we could have won, but didn’t.”
Menard’s Phoenix power extends beyond the NASCAR Busch Series arena. A last lap pass of NASCAR veteran Kenny Schrader resulted in a Southwest Tour Series Victory at the track in 2002. Earlier that year, Menard had brought home a Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series win from PIR. His successful stints at the track that season resulted in some well deserved short track racing accolades that now provide the perfect foundation for another trip to Victory Lane.
“Winning the Tour Series race at Phoenix was a big day for me and my career,” Menard said. “It helps going back to a track, knowing you’ve seen the inside of Victory Lane before. Helps you feel like you can definitely get back there again.”
Menard has improved performances in every NASCAR Busch Series race at Phoenix, highlighted by an outside pole win in last year’s spring race. Crediting his continued improvement to the solid backing of his Dale Earnhardt Inc. team, Menard knows that Crew Chief Tony Eury Sr. is a big part of the team’s potential for success in this weekend’s Arizona Travel 200.
“We’re obviously building towards next year’s Cup program.” Menard said of his goals for the duration of the 2006 race season. “But that doesn't take away from our focus on winning another Busch race before the end of the year.”
Clearly, Menard’s chance to win at Phoenix is good. Menard won the Milwaukee Busch Series event in June – a track very similar to this site of this weekend’s 200-lap event.
“Every driver has favorite tracks, and Phoenix is definitely one of mine” Menard said. “Phoenix has always been known for some of the best door-handle-to-door-handle racing. It’s the kind of racing I grew up with and I’d be great to get to Victory Lane this weekend.”
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No 'free ride' for Menard on way to the top
Menard Ready for Indy ‘Double Duty’
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