#43 Smith Transport/Curb Agajanian Performance Group Dodge

NASCAR Busch Series Carquest Auto Parts 300

Saturday, May 27, 2006 – Lowe’s Motor Speedway

TV: Live on FX, 7:30 p.m. EDT; Radio: Live on PRN

Product Partners: Wiley X Eyewear, Rod End Supply, Planar, Odyssey Batteries, Shurtape, Smith Transport, Mobile Storage Group, X1R, Hylomar, Lehigh Safety Shoes, High Performance Coatings, Gunk, Dayco, E.A.R.,Inc.

FAST FACTS

Aaron Fike, the 23-year-old driving phenom out of Galesburg, Ill., eyes his 50th career NASCAR Busch Series start when he takes the wheel of the #43 Smith Transport Dodge of the Curb Agajanian Performance Group in preparation for Saturday night’s Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway outside Charlotte.

Fike has two previous NBS starts on the legendary 1.5-mile tri-oval, including his second-best career NBS finish of 14th in the #43 CAPG entry last fall. He made his Lowe’s Motor Speedway NBS debut in the Fall 2004 race in the #43 CAPG Dodge, qualifying 17th before having to leave the race after a Lap-154 accident.

The 14th-place finish here at Charlotte is not only Fike’s second-best career NBS finish, but the best in recent years for the #43 entry. In 10 appearances since the 2000 NBS season, brothers Jay and Johnny Sauter, Hermie Sadler and Todd Bodine all have piloted the #43 racing machine here.

Tops among his efforts in the #43 CAPG Dodge at this year’s previous 12 NBS events, Fike qualified second in the season-opener at Daytona, and sixth at Talladega. He also added top-20 qualifying runs at Atlanta and two weekends ago at Darlington. Fike’s best finishes to date are his 15th-place run at Nashville, and an 18th-place effort at Bristol.

On board with the #43 CAPG Dodge team this weekend is Smith Transport, the Roaring Spring, Pa.-based trucking firm. Its national “Driver of the Year,” Brian Musselman of New Enterprise, Pa., served as honorary crew member with the #43 team earlier this season at the Nicorette 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

AARON FIKE QUOTES ON CHARLOTTE – “As is always the case at Lowe’s, I’m excited about running here this weekend. We’ve had a weekend off to regroup a little bit after some tough love the weekend at Darlington threw at us. We tested at Lowe’s a while back and I think we ended that test feeling pretty good about the car. We had a good run there last fall with a 14th-place finish. But with the repaving they did on the track, it’ll be a whole new ballgame. I’m a little nervous about qualifying because it’s a go-or-go-home situation for us and there are so many entries (52). And a lot of those drivers and teams had a chance at the Open and the All-Star race last weekend to see what the track is like, now, so they’ll have the advantage. Fortunately, (crew chief) Joe (Shear) had a chance to work there last weekend with Michael Waltrip’s team and gained some first-hand knowledge of what to expect. Hopefully, we’ll unload for practice where we left off at the test and things will run smoothly for us. We’re due for a big weekend, and Lowe’s would be the perfect place to do it.”

PRE-RACE SCHEDULE (All Thursday EDT) – NBS Practice, 12-1 p.m.; NBS Final Practice, 1:50-2:50 p.m.; NBS Qualifying, 9 p.m. (Live on SPEED-TV).

AARON FIKE BIO/BACKGROUND

Birthdate: November 24, 1982
Hometown: Galesburg, Ill.
Residence: Cornelius, N.C.
Marital Status: Single
Children: None

Twenty-three-year-old Aaron Fike is one of the latest in a long line of standout driving talents from the ultra-competitive United States Auto Club ranks. In 2006, Fike is slated to drive the full NASCAR Busch Series season for the CAPG Dodge team.

Fike competed in 37 NASCAR Busch Series races in 2004 and 2005, sharing time behind the wheel of entries by Brewco Motorsports and the Curb Agajanian Performance Group (CAPG). In 2005, Fike raced to a career-high finish of eighth at Pikes Peak International Raceway in July, and a top qualifying effort of fourth at Nashville in June. He has established himself as one of the most diverse drivers in the country by racing in all three USAC divisions, the Infiniti Pro Series, the ARCA RE/MAX series and the NASCAR Busch Series over the last two seasons.

In 2003, Fike successfully defended the National Midget Driver of the Year title he earned in 2002, becoming the first back-to-back winner. He won four times in the USAC Midget Series in 2003, including the 58th renewal of the prestigious “Night Before the 500,” and he won his second race on the Infiniti Pro Series Tour. Fike also made two late-season starts in the ARCA RE/MAX series in 2003.

During an outstanding 2002 season, Fike was picked to drive in the Indy Racing League’s Infiniti Pro Series. Proving to be a quick study, he immediately won during his rookie year in the rear-engined car. Fike won seven times in the Midget Series that year enroute to the Badger Midget Racing Association Championship. He also has the distinction of being the 2001 USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year, breaking Jeff Gordon’s record as the youngest winner in the series, and was also the 2000 USAC National Midget Series Rookie of the Year.

Career Highlights

2006 Started first full-time NASCAR Busch Series season in the #43 Curb Agajanian Performance Group Dodge. Qualified on the front row (outside pole) at the season-opening Hershey’s Kissables 300 at Daytona.

2005 Made 24 NASCAR Busch Series starts with a best finish of eighth at Pikes Peak and best qualifying effort of fourth at Nashville.

2004 Made NASCAR Busch Series debut at Rockingham; finished 17th at Fall Dover NBS race.

2003 National Midget Driver of the Year; Won World Championship Midget feature in Auckland, New Zealand; Won IRL Infiniti Pro Series race at Pikes Peak; Won 58th “Night Before the 500” Midget race at IRP; Won One Feature with the Badger Midget Association; Finished Ninth in ARCA RE/MAX Series event at South Boston.

2002 National Midget Driver of the Year; Badger Midget Racing Association Champion; Won Infiniti Pro Series race at Chicagoland; Seven Midget feature wins during the season.

2001 USAC Silver Crown Series Rookie of the Year; Youngest driver to ever win a Silver Crown event with win at Richmond … record previously held by Jeff Gordon; Finished 10th in series points.

AARON FIKE – CAREER NASCAR BUSCH SERIES YEAR-BY-YEAR

Year Age Races Win T5 T10 Pole Laps Led Earnings Rank AvSt AvFn RAF Miles LLF

2004 21 13 of 34 0 0 0 0 1613 0 179,736 46 28.0 33.8 5 1777.1 0

2005 22 24 of 35 0 0 1 0 4405 0 503,778 28 23.8 26.5 20 5520.2 6

2006 23 12 of 12 0 0 0 0 1912 0 308,820 29 26.8 30.8 9 2589.8 4