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ROC at Wembley

NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson goes head-to-head with Michael Schumacher at the Race of Champions

Media information: 14 December 2007

Double NASCAR champion, Jimmie Johnson, has said he cannot wait to pit his skills against the man widely billed as the world’s greatest driver, Michael Schumacher, in The Race of Champions this weekend.

The Team USA hero, who has been drawn against the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion for the first round of The ROC Nations Cup, says he has the greatest respect for the European superstar, which motivates him all the more to snatch victory for The United States.

"Everyone recognizes Schumacher as a champion, and after winning my second straight championship in NASCAR I hope I'm perceived in that way,” said Johnson, who took the NASCAR title this season with 10 wins in the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. “Beating him and helping Team USA win The ROC Nations Cup would be a perfect ending to the best year of my career."


Wembley Stadium has been transformed into a tarmac race track

The ROC Nations Cup aims to determine the fastest country in the world, with two drivers from each pitted against each other in identical cars. This year The Race of Champions is being held at Wembley Stadium, London, England, and the famous landmark has been transformed into a stunning parallel track, using 1,800 tonnes of tarmac, for the unique event this Sunday.

“I’ve raced The ROC before and did OK,” said Johnson, who won The ROC Nations Cup in 2002 and is hoping his home fans will tune in to the live race coverage at www.raceofchampions.com/live on Sunday (16 December) from 14:00 GMT (09:00 Eastern USA). “My team-mate, Travis Pastrana, was the unexpected success of the event last year, almost winning the whole thing single-handedly after I pulled out with an injury. That’s got to give us the edge this year!”

The draw for The ROC Nations Cup was made at Wembley Stadium yesterday, with the individual category being saved for a face-to-face draw at the official press conference tomorrow (15 December).

The ROC Nations Cup draw resulted in the following pairings:

France

 Sébastien Bourdais Vs

Norway

 Henning Solberg

France

 Yvan Muller Vs

Norway

 Petter Solberg

Finland

 Heikki Kovalainen Vs

Scandinavia

 Tom Kristensen

Finland

 Marcus Grönholm Vs

Scandinavia

 Mattias Ekström

Scotland

 David Coulthard Vs

England

 Jenson Button

Scotland

 Alister McRae Vs

England

 Andy Priaulx

USA

 Jimmie Johnson Vs

Germany

 Michael Schumacher

USA

 Travis Pastrana Vs

Germany

 Sebastian Vettel

For your last chance to get tickets to The Race of Champions, go to Wembley Stadium’s East ticket window from 10am on Sunday (16 December).


Jimmie Johnson in The ROC Nations Cup 2002

Editors’ Notes

Copyright-free hi-res photos are available to download at www.raceofchampions.com or by calling Andy Bothwell or Paul Rayner at Performance PR on +44 (0)208 5413434. Alternatively you can E-mail andyb@performancepr.com or paul@performancepr.com.

The Race of Champions was started in 1988 by Fredrik Johnsson and Michèle Mouton, the world’s most successful female rally driver.

The Race Of Champions event on December 14 will be made up of two separate competitions – The ROC Nations Cup and The Race of Champions.

Each competition pits drivers against each other in a head-to-head knockout format, with equal equipment ensuring races are won and lost on talent alone.

The ROC Nations Cup features drivers paired into teams based on their nationality. The teams then fight head-to-head against each other in knockout competition. Last year Team Germany (Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel) beat Team Finland (Marcus Grönholm and Heikki Kovalainen) in the final.

The Race Of Champions is a straightforward knockout competition, where 16 drivers go head-to-head until the champion is decided. In last year’s Final, Mattias Ekström beat Michael Schumacher in the third race of a best-of-three battle.

Already confirmed for The Race of Champions 2008 are:

  • Seven-times F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher (Team Germany)
  • Triple World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx (Team Autosport Great Britain)
  • Honda Racing F1 Team race winner Jenson Button (Team Autosport Great Britain)
  • Toro Rosso F1 racer Sebastian Vettel (Team Germany)

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