2009 News
Max Papis’ 2009 tentative 20/22 race schedule:
Las Vegas - 3/1
Texas - 4/5
Talladega - 4/26
Darlington - 5/9
All-Star Race - 5/16
Charlotte - 5/24
Dover - 5/31
Michigan - 6/14
Sonoma - 6/21
Daytona - 7/4
Indianapolis - 7/26
Watkins Glen - 8/9
Bristol - 8/22
Atlanta - 9/6
Richmond - 9/12
Kansas - 10/4
California - 10/11
Charlotte - 10/17
Talladega - 11/1
Texas - 11/8
Phoenix - 11/15
Homestead - 11/22
Papis to take a week off: After an 8th place finish at Watkins Glen, Max Papis and the GEICO Racing team will take a week off before reporting to Bristol , TN , for double duty. Papis and the Germain Racing team will battle the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regulars on Wednesday night, August 19th before attempting to qualify for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race two days later at Bristol Motor Speedway.(GEICO Racing)(8-12-2009)
Testing at Road Atlanta: Hearing that drivers testing at Road Atlanta today include #99-Carl Edwards, #6-David Ragan, #16-Colin Braun (subbing for Greg Biffle), #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, #47-Marcos Ambrose, #2-Kurt Busch, #77-Sam Hornish Jr., #12-David Stremme, #13-Max Papis and Boris Said (in John Wes Townley's #09 Nationwide Series Ford which he will run at Watkins Glen).(7-21-2009)
AND: told #7-Robby Gordon was also at the track.(7-21-2009)
- Crew Chief Changes for Germain Racing: Germain Racing has added veteran NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief Peter Sospenzo to lead the efforts of the #13 GEICO Camry and driver Max Papis. This move allows general manager Mike Hillman Sr. to work with the #15 Pilot Travel Centers/HYPE Energy Drinks Camry team and driver Michael Annett in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series. “When we started our season, we knew it would be a learning experience running rookie drivers in each of NASCAR’s top two series. Germain Racing is a very competitive organization. We expect a lot of ourselves and after watching both of our Camry programs at Dover, we saw some opportunities to strengthen each of those teams. Peter Sospenzo is taking over as crew chief for Max Papis and the GEICO Camry, and I’m going to head to Nashville this weekend with Michael Annett and the #15 Camry crew to see if there is more we can bring to the track for Michael,” said Hillman. Peter Sospenzo has been with Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR), which is the engineering partner for Germain Racing’s GEICO Camry program. Mike Hillman Sr. has served as crew chief for Germain Racing in each of NASCAR’s top three divisions. He holds two NASCAR championship titles. Hillman will call the shots for Annett and the #15 Pilot Travel Centers/HYPE Energy Drinks Camry on Saturday at Nashville.(Germain Racing/GEICO Racing.(6-3-2009)
- Papis auctioning helmet for earthquake charity: Sitting what seems like a world away, NASCAR driver #13-Max Papis feels the weight of his country bearing down on him. It is painful for him to sit here and watch an earthquake do so much damage to a country he loves. On Monday an earthquake rocked L'Aquila, which sits about 75-miles northeast of Rome. The disaster hit close to home for Papis because as a 12-year old boy, he ran his first Italian Championship go-kart race in the area. Papis, who maintains a residence in Barasso, Varese, Italy, is reaching out to help his fellow countrymen. He will be selling a race-worn helmet on ebay, as well as other autographed items such as GEICO Racing shirts and hats, and autographed photos of Papis with his new #13 GEICO NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car. "In moments like this you can really feel the national pride and I hope that everyone will do whatever they can to help the people who have been affected. I am personally pledging my support to help raise money to get much needed assistance to the region. I will be posting my helmet and other items on ebay to raise money to help them rebuild their city," Papis said. To bid on Max Papis' race-worn helmet and other items, please visit www.ebay.com. Items will be added almost daily.(Player Management International PR)(4-10-2009)
- Papis hopes to debut at Vegas..and congrats: #13-Max Papis will make his 2009 NSCS debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Italian driver was the 2004 Grand-Am Daytona Prototype champion after a season in which he registered four wins, eight podium-finishes and 11 poles in 12 races utilizing a Lexus-powered entry. He earned the nickname ‘Mad Max’ for his never give up attitude during the 1996 24 hours at Daytona. Max and his wife, Tatiana, recently welcomed their second son, Matteo Fittipaldi Papis, on February 14. Matteo weighed in at 6 lbs. 10 oz., and measured 18 inches.(Toyota PR)(2-25-2009)
2008 News
- Germain plans to continue Nationwide team UPDATE 4: Germain Racing plans to keep its Nationwide Series program and at least one of its two Truck Series entries on track next year while it enters the Sprint Cup Series with Max Papis for at least 18 races. Todd Bodine will return to the #30 truck likely with Lumber Liquidators as the sponsor. The #9 truck (driven by Justin Marks and others this year) and the #7 Nationwide car (currently driven by Mike Wallace) still have their programs being sorted out.(Scene Daily)(10-28-2008)
UPDATE: During Sunday's Speed Report on SPEED/tv Ray Dunlap reported that Michael Annett will not be returning to Bill Davis Racing in 2009, but instead will move to Germain Racing and will compete full time in the Nationwide Series. Dunlap also reported that Jason Overstreet has been released from Germain as the #9 will not be returning to the Truck Series in 2009.(11-9-2008)
UDPATE 2: Annett is on the Homestead entry list in the #03 Germain Toyota.(11-10-2008)
UPDATE 3: For twenty-two year-old Michael Annett, his first foray in the Nationwide Series this weekend at Homestead Miami Speedway will pack a little extra kick thanks to Hype Energy Drinks. Annett's #03 Germain Racing Toyota Camry will carry the race-ready carbon fiber look found on the can of the company's powerful formula - Hype MFP.(Rising Star Management Group PR), see an image of the car on the #03 team paint scheme page.(11-12-2008)
UPDATE 4: More details were released during SPEEDtv's Nationwide Series qualifying. Annett will run a full season with Germain Racing in 2009. The team will be sponsored by HYPE Energe Drink and Pilot Travel Centers.(11-15-2008)
- Papis and Geico to run 18 Cup races, will run at Texas too: Widely regarded as one of the most versatile racecar drivers in the world, "Mad" Max Papis will add to his already impressive resume as he slides behind the wheel of the #13 Geico Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The former Formula 1 driver and 2004 Rolex Grand Am Series Champion will lead the way for Geico as they make their maiden voyage into the Sprint Cup Series after spending eight years in NASCAR's number two series [Nationwide].
While Geico has sponsored a few NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races over the years, this will be their first Cup-focused race program. Geico Racing launched with a single race sponsorship at Richmond International Raceway on May 2, 2001. Through the years and a myriad of sponsorships among NASCAR's top three series, Geico Racing has evolved into a fulltime racing and marketing program that is experiencing great success and commanding national attention.
Recognized for a vast marketing strategy that fully encompasses their entire race program, Geico has signed a four-year sponsorship agreement with Germain Racing that will find the Gecko adorning the hood of the #13 Germain Racing Sprint Cup Series entry for 18 races per season beginning in 2009. Max Papis was born in Como, Italy, and now resides in Mooresville, NC. He has made over 100 open wheel race starts, including two prior Indianapolis 500 starts, while also serving as a test driver for NASCAR's Hendrick Motorsports. Papis has also competed in NASCAR's number two Series, where he recorded a third place finish on August 4, 2007 in Montreal. In order to gain valuable experience, the Geico Racing team will debut their Sprint Cup Series program at Texas Motor Speedway on November 2, 2008, in the Dickies 500. They will subsequently participate in the Sprint Cup Series season finale on November 16, 2008, at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the Ford 400.(Max Papis site)
AND The new #13 Germain Racing Sprint Cup team will be part of an alliance with Michael Waltrip Racing, new driver Max Papis said in announcing his Cup deal Monday afternoon. Papis has signed a four-year deal with Germain Racing for 18 Cup races annually with sponsorship from Geico. The collaboration with MWR makes sense in two ways: Germain already was running Toyotas in the Nationwide and Craftsman Truck series and Papis drove for MWR Executive Vice President Cal Wells when Wells was an owner in the CART open-wheel series. Papis said that Randy Goss will serve as his crew chief for the two races this year with Germain general manager Mike Hillman Sr. also being heavily involved. Papis’ 2009 tentative schedule: Las Vegas, Texas, Talladega, Darlington, Dover, Michigan, Sonoma, Daytona, Indianapolis, Watkins Glen, Bristol, Atlanta, Richmond, Kansas, California, Charlotte, Phoenix, and Homestead.(SceneDaily), With Geico sponsoring half the season, Germain is looking to fill out the rest of the 2009 Cup schedule for Papis.(SceneDaily), see images of the scheme on my #13 Team Schemes page.(10-28-2008)
- Papis to run some 2009 Cup races with Germain UPDATE: Sirius Speedway has learned that GEICO Insurance will team with Italian road course expert Max Papis to run as many as 18 Sprint Cup Series races next season, in Toyotas fielded by Germain Motorsports. GEICO currently sponsors veteran Mike Wallace on the Nationwide Series, but cannot remain in NASCAR’s number two series beyond 2009, due to language in the sanctioning body’s contract with major sponsor, Nationwide. They can, however, move to either the Sprint Cup or Truck ranks. Wallace said recently that he is already looking for a new backer, adding, “We have an indication of what (GEICO is) going to do, (and) for me to continue to race in years to come, I’ve got to go find another sponsor." A spokesperson for Germain Motorsports declined to comment earlier today.(Sirius Speedway/Motorsports Soapbox)(9-10-2008)
UPDATE: Former open-wheel star Max Papis is set to run a limited Sprint Cup schedule with Germain Racing and sponsorship from Geico in 2009. Papis is expected to run 18 races in Cup next year, Papis' agent Doug Barnette confirmed Friday afternoon. An official announcement is expected Monday. Geico has posted a pair of videos online with Papis [see the video's at dailymotion.com], including one that says he is “the new Geico driver” for Sprint Cup. The car pictured is a #13 Sprint Cup car. Papis tested a Toyota Camry with Germain Racing this past week at Kentucky Speedway. Geico sponsored Mike Wallace at Germain Racing in the Nationwide Series but NASCAR required the company to leave that series after this season because of a conflict with the title sponsor.(SceneDaily)(10-24-2008)
2007 News
- Lumber Liquidators returns as sponsor for Bodine in CTS; but no firm Cup plans: Chemung native Todd Bodine will return to the Craftsman Truck Series next year in the #30 Germain Racing Toyota, team media relations spokeswoman Lori Smith said Wednesday. Bodine, who won the Truck Series title with Germain in 2006, finished fourth in the series this past season. "He'll be back in the #30 truck and gunning for another championship," Smith said. She said Lumber Liquidators is returning as Bodine's sponsor. Smith said they have no plans, for now, to run in the Sprint Cup Series next year. The team and Bodine have expressed a desire to run in the Sprint Cup Series provided they can get enough sponsorship. "We'd like to run a couple of races (in 2008) with Todd, but we have no firm plans," Smith said.(Star Gazette News)(12-20-2007)
- Todd Bodine plans to run Brickyard 400: During an interview on Sirius Radio's The Driver's Seat, Truck Series driver Todd Bodine said they [Germain Racing] were still planning on running a couple of races in the Busch & Cup Series this year. As of now, the plan is to run the Busch Series event at Gateway Int'l on July 21st and in Nextel Cup at the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 29th.(6-12-2007)
- Germain Racing to Run some Busch Races UPDATE 2 and Cup: "We were going to run a few races with the new Car of Tomorrow, but in retrospect we felt we maybe ought to back down on that a little bit and run some Busch races instead," [Ted] Musgrave said. "I think that's where we're leaning, try to get the Toyota flag flying there, but one thing's for sure, we're going to try to go for the championship in the Truck Series again." [Tddd] Bodine will drive the Busch car, according to Germain, who explained that it was Toyota who came to his team and sked if they would hold off on the Car of Tomorrow and run a partial Busch schedule.(Naples Daily News)(2-12-2007)
UPDATE: Interviewed on Sirius Radio's The Morning Drive [with Marty Snider & David Poole], Todd Bodine said his Germain Racing team will test at Richmond this week. They currently plan on running about 12 Busch races this season, starting at Richmond. The team also still plans 3-4 Cup races, possibly starting at the Brickyard [Indy].(3-27-2007)
UPDATE 2: Germain Racing plans to field two fulltime Nextel Cup teams for Toyota by 2009. Todd Bodine took the first step in that process on Tuesday, testing a Busch Series car at Richmond. Germain Racing will enter Bodine in the May 4 Richmond Busch race in a Camry being built at its new Mooresville, NC, shop. It is the first of 11 Busch events the 43-year-old Bodine is scheduled to enter this season.(ESPN.com)(3-27-2007)
- Germain team scales back 2007 Cup plans: driver Todd Bodine says that the Germain Racing team he drove to the 2006 Craftsman Truck Series title is scaling back its Nextel Cup plans for this year. The team had planned to run the 16 "car of tomorrow" races, but the team won't run that many, Bodine said. "Winning the championship kind of put a kibosh on the whole program or a monkey wrench in it," Bodine said Friday during truck testing at Daytona International Speedway. "We decided we wanted to run for the championship again in the trucks and to run as many Cup races as we wanted to probably would hurt that program. So we don't know what we're going to do. We don't know what races we're going to run. We're going to run some. That's about all I can tell you." Bodine said the first race for the team could be the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, which is not a car-of-tomorrow race.(SceneDaily.com)(1-12-2007)
2006 News
- Germain Racing sets sights on Nextel Cup racing: On the heels of winning the 2006 Craftsman Truck Series championship, Todd Bodine and Germain Racing have announced that they will take their success to the Nextel Cup Series in 2007.
In what will be Toyota's inaugural season of Nextel Cup racing, Bodine, Toyota's first ever NASCAR champion, will pilot the #03 Toyota Camry in 15 select events that represent top markets and NASCAR's premier events. Germain Racing captured the 2006 Truck Series title in only its second full year of racing. The team hopes to mirror their immediate impact at NASCAR's highest level. "Since we started the team in August of 2004, our primary goal has been to be Toyota's #1 truck team and to win them their first NASCAR championship," said Germain Racing team owner Bob Germain. "In 2007, our goal is to successfully defend our truck championship and also be the first Toyota team to win a Nextel Cup race. With the team we have, I think it's very possible." The team is currently seeking marketing partners for the 15 races. Interested parties should contact Germain Racing [germainracing.com]. Owned by brothers Bob, Steve, and Rick Germain, Germain Racing is home to 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Todd Bodine and 2005 champion Ted Musgrave. Since its debut in 2004, Germain Racing has captured ten victories and claimed this year's Truck Series championship.(Sullivan Worldwide PR)(12-7-2006)
- Germain and Bodine could move up to Cup...with Toyota..UPDATE: The hottest Toyota driver in NASCAR is Todd Bodine, who has won five of the past eight Truck races and who leads the tour standings, ahead of teammate Ted Musgrave. The two ran 1-2 the last time out, at St. Louis' Gateway track three weeks ago. So, with Toyota's Cup teams and executives apparently running out of time to line up all the six or seven Nextel Cup drivers they'll need next year, Bodine, 42 and a 14-year NASCAR veteran, would seem a logical option. But Bodine said he has had no calls, and said he's having so much fun running for the Germain brothers (who own a number of luxury-car dealerships with $1 billion a year in sales) that it would take "a boatload of money to leave." Bodine said he and the Germains have studied stepping up to Cup racing with Toyota. But they haven't found sponsorship for what he estimates would be a $20 million to $30 million step.(Winston Salem Journal), the team did test an #03 Chevy at Las Vegas this past Jan.(5-20-2006)
UPDATE: The Germain Motor Co. is on the fast track in NASCAR, and not all of it deals with drivers Todd Bodine and Ted Musgrave ranking first and second in the Truck Series point standings. Steve Germain, who owns the Columbus teams with brothers Rick and Bob, yesterday [Friday] said plans are under way to attempt to qualify for as many as five or six Nextel Cup races this season.
The family’s first race probably would be the Brickyard 400 on Aug. 6 at Indianapolis. There also are tentative plans to enter races at Michigan, Atlanta, California and Texas in an attempt to gauge whether a team with Bodine as driver would be ready to run as many as 15 or 16 races in 2007. "We’re interested in the Cup series, and it looks like we might do a limited schedule," Steve Germain said. "At this point, we’ll be at Indianapolis. We’d like to be in five or six races to help us understand the scope of Nextel Cup. We have a pretty good understanding of Cup, but we want firsthand experience so we can be confident before committing the resources for next year. We’re taking this one step at a time." The Germains own Toyota and Lexus dealerships in Columbus and Florida and got into NASCAR to promote their dealerships and help Toyota get a foothold in truck and stock car racing. Both truck teams are based in Concord, N.C., which is considered the heart of NASCAR country.(Columbus Dispatch)(5-21-2006)
- Bodine and Germain testing at Vegas? in Cup car? UPDATE 2: hearing that Todd Bodine is testing the #03 Chevy at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this week for Germain Racing, his Truck Series team.(1-30-2006)
UPDATE: Bodine tested a #03 Chevy at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Tuesday, not much more info on it.(2-1-2006)
UPDATE 2: Truck Series regular Todd Bodine will run five to eight Cup races, with the first one as early as the February 26 event at California Speedway. Bodine tested a Germain Racing Chevrolet at Las Vegas that previously was run through Michael Waltrip Racing. Germain runs Toyotas in the Craftsman Truck Series, and you can bet Bodine is getting a jump on a Toyota Cup team for 2007.(Sporting News)(2-5-2006)
