WISE PRIMED FOR SOLID FINISH BEFORE MECHANICAL TROUBLE AT MILWAUKEE

WEST ALLIS, Wis. – Josh Wise was on his way to a solid finish in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Camping World RV Rental 250 at The Milwaukee Mile Saturday night when his No. 22 Supercuts Dodge started experiencing an issue in the engine that caused him to pull behind the wall in an effort to diagnose the problem.

The problem occurred just past the halfway point in the 250-lap race while the Riverside, Calif., native was running inside the top 20 in the 43-car field.

Fitz Motorsports team manager, Bill Farnsworth, believes Wise would have earned a respectable finish based on the progress he’d made from his 28th-place starting position and the lap times he was turning around the time of the problem.

“It’s hard to say where Josh would have ended up, but he was turning times that were certainly capable of finishing within the top 15. Milwaukee is such a tough track to pass on, but we had good pit stops and Josh was doing a good job driving the car,” Farnsworth said.

Farnsworth is impressed with Wise’s progress after not racing at all in 2008 prior to the May 24 event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

“Josh has come a long way in only a few races with us. He’s giving the team good feedback and we’re improving on the cars during the races. You can see Josh getting more comfortable each week. We’re looking forward to going to New Hampshire this weekend,” Farnsworth added.

Wise finished the race 33rd, completing 164 of 250 laps.

The Supercuts No. 22 is currently 22nd in Nationwide Series owners point standings after 17 of 35 races.

The next Nationwide Series race is Saturday’s Camping World RV Sales 200 presented by RVs.com at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H.

WISE FAST AT KENTUCKY, BAD LUCK RELEGATES SUPERCUTS DODGE TO 23RD

SPARTA, Ky. – Josh Wise, driving the Supercuts No. 22 Dodge, started 19th and finished 23rd Saturday in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway.

Wise, 24, turned top-15 caliber lap times while running inside the top 20 when he had to make an unscheduled pit stop because of tire problem on a Lap 25 caution. The pit stop put the Riverside, Calif., native on a different sequence, which allowed him to lead seven laps at one point in the race.

The breaks didn’t fall Wise’s way as the team needed the aid of a caution to put the No. 22 back on the proper pit sequence. The caution didn’t come and Wise was forced to make a pit stop that caused the team to lose a lap.

Wise continued to run fast lap times around Kentucky’s 1.5-mile oval on the way to a 23rd-place finish in the 43-car field.

Wise drove the Fitz No. 22 for the fourth consecutive race Saturday. With Wise behind the wheel, the car frequently turns competitive speeds, but mechanical issues and tire problems continue to relegate the team to results just outside the top 20.

The Fitz No. 22 will be in action again Saturday as the Nationwide Series travels to The Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wis., for the Camping World RV Rental 250.

After 16 of 35 scheduled races, the Fitz-owned, Supercuts-sponsored No. 22 is currently 22nd in Nationwide Series owners point standings.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Josh Wise’s promising run in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Nashville Superspeedway ended prematurely as a result of a Lap 154 accident. He finished 33rd.

Driving the Fitz Motorsports Supercuts No. 22 Dodge, Wise qualified 23rd in the 43-car field. Wise and the Supercuts crew continued to make adjustments throughout the first half of the 225-lap affair and had the car inside the top 15 when the accident occurred.

“It’s unfortunate,” Wise said after Saturday’s race. “We’re disappointed because we made the car better throughout the race and were in line for a good finish. I just feel bad for the Fitz Motorsports crew and the folks at Supercuts because we really did have a pretty good car.”

The Fitz Motorsports No. 22 is currently 23rd in Nationwide Series owners point standings after 15 of 35 scheduled races.

The next race for the Supercuts Dodge is Saturday at Kentucky Speedway’s 1.5-mile D-shaped oval.

WISE 19TH IN FIRST TRIP TO DOVER

DOVER, Del. – Driving the Fitz Motorsports Supercuts-sponsored No. 22 Dodge, Josh Wise qualified 11th and finished 19th in the Helluva Good! 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Dover International Speedway on Saturday. The weekend marked the first time the 25-year-old Riverside, Calif., native raced at Dover.

Crew chief Ed Buffington was impressed with Wise’s ability to quickly adapt to the tricky one-mile concrete oval.

“For someone who had never seen the track before Thursday morning, I think he did a great job. The car was loose early and we made some adjustments on the first pit stop that cost us some positions. Josh gave us really good feedback for a rookie driver and we got the car decent through the rest of the race,” Buffington said.

Dover marked Wise’s second start for Fitz in 2008. He drove the Supercuts No. 22 to a 24th-place finish May 24 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.

The Fitz Motorsports No. 22 is currently 20th in Nationwide Series owners point standings after 14 of 35 scheduled races.

The next Nationwide Series race is Saturday at Nashville Superspeedway.

Wise Runs Competitively at Lowe’s Motorspeedway

Charlotte, N.C. (May 27, 2008)- Making his second start in the NASCAR Nationwide Series on Saturday night, Josh Wise took on Lowe’s Motor Speedway with great determination. Qualifying 35th in the Fitz Motorsports No. 22 Supercuts Dodge, Wise patently made his way through the pack. By lap 65 he was running in the top 20, with lap times faster than the nine cars in front of him. With the caution out with 20 laps to go, Wise and crew chief Eddie Buffington decided to stay out, keeping the No. 22 car on the track and in 3rd position. Driving hard in the corners to keep the car down, Wise was able to maintain good track position, putting him right outside the top 10.

“There is a little chatter on the right front and in the center. Hopefully we’re good to the end,” Wise told his team with 10 to go.

Pushing through the chatter, Wise ran in the 13th position until a right front tire went down, forcing the car up the racetrack in turn 3.

“It is very disappointing to be running as good as we were and to have problems with the car with 3 to go,” Wise said. “We had a potential top ten car and a lot of hard work went into into this race.”

Josh is a developmental driver for MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing) and has been testing Cup cars throughout the season. Wise had his first Nationwide series debuted last season with Fitz Motorsports at O’Reilly Raceway Park, finishing 19th. Wise is scheduled to drive for Fitz Motorsports in Dover next Saturday, for the Heluva Good! 200.

“I am looking forward to competing in the Nationwide Series next week in Dover,” Wise said. “The last two runs I have had with Fitz Motorsports have been very competitive. With a little more practice and comfort with the team, I think we have the potential to run well next weekend.” [Fitz PR]

SAUTER BATTLES ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, FINISHES 24TH AT RICHMOND

RICHMOND, Va. – Wisconsin native Johnny Sauter, driving the Fitz Motorsports Supercuts-sponsored No. 22 for the first time, finished 24th in Friday night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton TEA 250 at Richmond International Raceway.
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Starting 26th in the 43-car field, Sauter ran consistently around 20th position throughout the first portion of the race, and was as high as 13 still moving to the front. Around lap 100, Sauter’s Supercuts Dodge encountered some kind of a problem, most likely electrical, crew chief Steve Darne said.
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The electrical problem proved difficult to overcome as the former Richmond Nationwide Series race-winner eventually finished two laps down in 24th position. Darne said the team is still trying to diagnose what caused the problem.
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The Fitz No. 22 is now 16th in Nationwide Series owners point standings after 11 of 35 scheduled races.
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The next race for Fitz Motorsports is this Friday night, the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 at Darlington Raceway.

April 26, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Big One Strikes at Talladega – Collecting the #22 Arctic Ice/Supercuts Dodge

Talladega, AL – Reed Sorenson, driver of the #22 Arctic Ice Energy Drink/Supercuts Dodge Charger in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, finished 29th in today’s Aaron’s 312 from Talladega Superspeedway.
The #22 Arctic Ice/Supercuts Dodge looked strong throughout the entire race today, including spending the first 60 laps of the Aaron’s 312 in the top fifteen. Reed Sorenson wasted no time getting to the front – getting as high as 2nd place in the running order. The only complaint from Reed the first half of the event was that the car was running hot when nose to tail with another car. Reed would simply duck out of the lead draft to get some air into the nose and then patiently work his way back to the front.
“The #22 Dodge was good, and I could move up through the field without difficulty,” said Reed Sorenson.
Unfortunately, on lap 69 the dreaded “Big One” struck at Talladega, when a lap down car drove up into the field – collecting Reed and the #22 Arctic Ice Energy Drink/Supercuts Dodge.
“It’s just a shame that we got taken out by someone else’s error, but that’s Talladega. When something happens in front of you there’s really nothing you can do to avoid it,” said Reed of being caught up in the wreck.
Watch for the #22 Supercuts Dodge next weekend at Richmond International Raceway for the Lipton Tea 250. More information can be found on the Web at www.gofitzmotorsports.com.

About Arctic Ice Energy Drink: Arctico was established in 1991. Arctico Beverage Company has all patent rights and trademarks for the brand Arctic Ice. We believe in a competitive price point without the sacrifice of quality and taste. We are committed to evolving our current products, creating new lines and are open to exciting new market trends with co-branding possibilities that are endless. Through our commitment to our brand Arctic Ice, along with the desire and belief in our product we will propel into a new generation of the energy drink market. Arctic Ice can be found in lemonade, punch, citrus, razzberry, sugar free, and original. More information can be found at www.arcticice.com.

About Fitz Motorsports: Fitz Motorsports opened its doors in 2001 when NASCAR veterans Armando and Mimi Fitz purchased the organization from Felix Sabates. The team fields the No. 22 Supercuts/Arctic Ice Dodge Charger. Fitz Motorsports is the only certified minority owned team by the Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council. With one pole, five top-five and ten top-ten finishes in 2007, the team looks forward to continued success in 2008. More information on Fitz Motorsports can be found at www.gofitzmotorsports.com.

ROBBY GORDON FINISHES 27TH AT PHOENIX

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Robby Gordon started 20th and finished 27th driving the No. 22 Fitz Motorsports Dodge Friday night in the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway. Gordon drove in his second consecutive Nationwide Series race for Fitz in the Supercuts-sponsored Dodge Charger.

Gordon ran top-10 speeds through the first half of the race and maintained a top-12 position. During the second pit stop, the team put a set of tires on the car, added fuel and made a track bar adjustment. A possible bad set of tires caused Gordon’s speeds to decline and the No. 22 to lose a lap. Following a green-flag pit stop, an untimely caution slowed the race causing the Supercuts No. 22 Dodge to go down another lap to the leader.

Fitz Motorsports is currently 12th in Nationwide Series owners point standings following the eighth of 35 scheduled races.

The Nationwide Series will race this Sunday in the Corona Mexico 200 presented by Banamex at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez 8-turn road course.

Road-racing ace Ruben Pardo, a native Mexican, will be behind the wheel of the Supercuts No. 22 in Mexico. Pardo already has a NASCAR Camping World East Series road-course victory to his credit. He won at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn., in 2006 while driving a Fitz-owned Dodge.

FORT WORTH, Texas – Robby Gordon finished 20th Saturday in Texas Motor Speedway’s O’Reilly 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race. The race marked Gordon’s 2008 Nationwide Series debut. It also marked his first race driving the No. 22 Supercuts Dodge for Fitz Motorsports since Sept. 1, 2007.

Gordon started eighth and immediately battled a tight racecar. After an adjustment on the first pit stop, the No. 22 Dodge suffered a brake line failure forcing Gordon to drive the remainder of the race without brakes.

Under the trying circumstances, Gordon salvaged a 20th-place finish for the Mooresville, N.C.-based Supercuts race team. The team is now tenth in Nationwide Series owners point standings after 7 of 35 scheduled races.

Gordon will drive the Supercuts-sponsored No. 22 Dodge Charger this Friday night in the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Effective immediately, Fitz Motorsports will move forward with plans to utilize an array of Sprint Cup veterans throughout the remainder of the 2008 season in its Supercuts-sponsored No. 22 Dodge Charger.

The first driver tapped for the ride is owner and driver of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series No.7 Dodge, Robby Gordon. Beginning with the upcoming races at Texas and Phoenix , Gordon will drive the No.22 Supercuts Dodge, with a variety of Dodge drivers scheduled to round out the season.

“I’m excited about this,” Gordon said. “The Nationwide Series is a lot of fun and I’m honored to drive for Fitz Motorsports this season. I expect to run for the win every weekend that I’m behind the wheel of this No.22 Fitz Motorsports Dodge.”

“We’ve achieved great results over the years in the Nationwide Series,” team owner Armando Fitz said. “In the past, our best results have come with experienced and veteran talent in our cars.”

“Drivers like Mike Skinner, David Stremme, Robby Gordon and Mike Bliss have all given us great feedback and different perspectives regarding the operation of our team. We took that into strong consideration while making the decision to continue to put Cup-level talent in our cars for the rest of the year.”

Robby Gordon will not only be helping a fellow single car team owner, but will also be benefiting from the Dodge Motorsports program as well. “Dodge has been great to me,” Gordon said. “I like how all of the Dodge teams are working together. I think you will see all of our effort start paying dividends on the track.

Armando Fitz shares Gordon’s enthusiasm: “We’re excited to have Robby on board with us, and we know Dodge’s support of our programs will pay dividends.”

“It’s been a great start to the season and we want to continue the momentum,” Fitz added. “The plan is to continue with our philosophy of veteran talent in our cars while sticking to our goal of the 2008 owner championship in the Nationwide Series.”

The Supercuts No. 22 currently sits eighth in Nationwide Series owner point standings through 6 of 35 races.