March 17, 2009
- Bowyer to appear on Biggest Loser: Clint Bowyer, driver of the #33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevy for Richard Childress Racing, will appear on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” on Tuesday, March 24 (9-11pm/et/pt, following President Obama’s speech). During an intense challenge, Bowyer will witness just how strong the show contestants are. “Being involved with ‘The Biggest Loser’ was a real eye-opener,” said Bowyer, who is the first NASCAR driver to appear on the show. “The show is all about winning. It was amazing to see how hard everyone works and the sacrifices they make. The trainers really get the contestants to believe in themselves and commit to improving their lives for years to come. I can’t wait to see the show on Tuesday night.”(RCR PR)(3-17-2009)
- Bobby Ginn says DEI owes Hendrick: Former team owner Bobby Ginn contends that he owes only 20% of the $1.5 million that Hendrick Motorsports is seeking from Ginn Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. because of the termination of Ginn’s engine contract with Hendrick in 2007, according to court documents. Hendrick Motorsports is suing DEI and Ginn in North Carolina Superior Court over the termination fee resulting from the merger of DEI and Ginn in July 2007. DEI claims Ginn Racing and Ginn are responsible for a $1.5 million fee that was due Nov. 15, 2008. Ginn states in a recent filing that because a new entity was created that was 80% owned by DEI and 20% owned by Ginn, that DEI is responsible for 80% of the fee due Hendrick. In filing his response to Hendrick’s and DEI’s claims, Ginn states that it had been agreed that the $1.5 million fee would be paid from operating revenues of the new entity, which was named “DEI/Ginn – Team #01.” If there were not sufficient revenues to pay the fee, then the responsibility for payment would be split 80/20, Ginn contends. Although not broken down in the suit, 80% of $1.5 million would be $1.2 million, with $300,000 left for Ginn to pay. The $1.5 million fee was the second of two termination fees. The first payment of $1.754 million was paid by Ginn, with a portion of the proceeds received “as part of the merger and acquisition transaction,” according to Ginn’s filing.(SceneDaily)(3-17-2009)
- Dale Jr Foundation scheme: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. is scheduled to run a special Dale Earnhardt Jr Foundation scheme in the Sprint All-Star race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on May 16th. See an image of the scheme on my #88 Team Schemes page.(3-17-2009)
- New look for Mayfield: #41-Jeremy Mayfield will sport a new paint scheme at Bristol Motor Speedway for the Fodd City 500, brighter and more neon look. See the image of the scheme and Mayfield’s hauler on the #41 Team Schemes page.(3-17-2009)
- Robby places 2nd San Felipe 250 UPDATE invesigation: Second-generation veteran Las Vegas desert racer Brian Collins roared through the rugged trails and washes of Mexico’s Baja California desert Saturday, earning his second straight overall and SCORE Trophy-Truck victory in the #12 Collins Motorsports Mopar Dodge Ram1500 at the 23rd Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 desert race. NASCAR’s Robby Gordon finished 2nd in the SCORE Trophy-Truck class.(dirtnewz.com)(3-15-2009)
UPDATE: On Saturday, March 14th at the 2009 Baja 250, several top racing teams filed a formal complaint against Robby Gordon for illegally shortcutting the course approximately 4 miles in order to pass Trophy Truck competitor Ed Herbst who has signed an appeal having witnessed the action. In the most remote part of the course at race mile marker 132.5 Gordon veered off course and drove down a cliff to bypass a difficult section and pass Herbst. He was discovered by a pit crew known as the Baja Fools who had set up a pit stop in that section of the course. They had thought that Gordon was broken down on an earlier section until the radio confirmed that Gordon had finished in second place. On investigation, two sets of Toyo tire tracks were found re-entering the course at ~ mile 136. Gordon had clearly premeditated the deviation and had practiced the maneuver once before. Appeals were filed with the SCORE International race officials and they are currently investigating. Gordon may be facing possible probation.(dirtnewz.com)(3-17-2009) - U.S. Army returns on the #39 Chevy: If there were a time to exemplify Army Strong this would be it for Ryan Newman and the #39 Stewart-Haas Racing team as they prepare for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The race will mark the return of the U.S. Army primary paint scheme for Newman’s Chevy, which last ran in full Army colors at the Feb. 15 season-opening Daytona 500. “So far, it’s been a challenging time,” said Newman, who is 32nd in points after the first four races. “To be honest we’ve had fast cars. We know where we’re at performance wise and it’s a lot better than what our finishing results show. We’ve just had too many hiccups and unforced problems that have stalled our momentum. I am looking forward to getting back in the Army Chevy. Driving the Soldiers’ car is an added inspiration.” It’s been feast or famine for Newman in 14 career starts at Bristol. He has produced top-10 results in half of the races, but has also finished in the 30s six times and once in the 20s. His best Bristol result was runner-up to Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the 2004 summer race. Newman has two poles and nine top-10 qualifying efforts at Bristol. His two poles came in the spring races of 2003 and 2004.(U.S. Army Racing PR)(3-17-2009)
- Dale Jr. leads BMS pts last 10 races: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. has scored the most points in the past 10 Sprint Cup races at Bristol Motor Speedway (1,468), 50 more than his closest competitor Kevin Harvick. He has posted seven top-10 finishes, including one victory, in the 10-race span.(3-17-2009)
- Bobby Labonte to be Inducted to Texas Motorsports Hall Of Fame: Corpus Christi’s [TX] own #96-Bobby Labonte will soon be part of the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame. He’ll be inducted April 1 at Texas Motor Speedway. Still going strong on NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Circuit, Labonte has notched 21 career victories and nearly 200 top ten finishes, to go with the series championship he won in 2000. He currently sits 23rd in points after four races. His best finish this year was fifth at the Shelby 427 in Las Vegas.(kristv.com)
The Flowserve Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame ceremony benefits Happy Hill Farm Academy in association with Speedway Children’s Charities. The 500-acre working farm located just south of Granbury, Texas, provides specialized services for children who need another start in life. Happy Hill Farm Academy serves children with a broad range of behavioral and academic issues sometimes a result of abuse and neglect. The environment provided at Happy Hill Farm Academy allows residents to flourish in a non-traditional setting. Tables for this year’s gala range from $1,500 to $10,000. To reserve your table, call (254) 897-4822.(TMS)(3-17-2009) - Victory Junction Bear heads to space: A black and white checkered bear from the Victory Junction Gang Camp of Randleman, North Carolina is making the trip tucked inside the space shuttle Discovery’s lockers on the latest misson, STS-119. The bear will not be alone. Also riding Discovery aloft will be a purple stuffed duck from Saitama, Japan. Organizations that don’t have mascots going up are also heavily represented on the flight. Flags and T-shirts from schools such as Florida’s Melbourne High and Brookwood Elementary in Alabama, are making their presence known in space. At least one item will gain a major audience on Earth after it returns from space. Astronaut Tony Antonelli arranged to fly a green flag from the Andretti Green Flag Racing team. When STS-119 wraps up, Antonelli is expected to be an official starter at an IndyCar race.(NASA.gov)(3-17-2009)
- Toyota sticking with NASCAR and Motorsports: Toyota announced it plans to continue engaging in motor sports this year, despite being financially restricted by severe business conditions. TMC plans to focus on these top-class racing series: the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1), Japanese Super GT, Formula Nippon and NASCAR. This will mark TMC’s eighth year in F1 competition. In Japan, TMC will participate using the Lexus brand this year and will aim to recapture the Super GT GT500 title using the Lexus SC430. In the United States, TMC will again participate in NASCAR’s pinnacle Sprint Cup Series with the Toyota Camry, which totaled 10 wins last year. TMC is also aiming to win the Nationwide Series, NASCAR’s second most-popular series, also with the Camry. And TMC will continue to race the Toyota Tundra in the Camping World Truck Series, after having won both the manufacturer’s and driver’s titles last year.(Toyota PR)(3-17-2009)
- Burton General Hospital Apperance Scheduled for March 18th: #31-Jeff Burton drives into Port Charles and the daytime drama “General Hospital” in an episode that airs Wednesday, March 18. In the storyline, Burton visits neighborhood tavern Jake’s where he has a conversation with bartender Coleman (Blake Gibbons) when Dr. Patrick Drake (Jason Thompson) arrives and despite being a race car enthusiast, the neurosurgeon does not recognize the driver of Richard Childress Racing’s #31 Caterpillar Chevy and a comedic beat ensues. “General Hospital” celebrates 46 years of broadcasting on April 1, 2009, and is the longest-running dramatic serial on the ABC Television Network, having aired over 11,000 episodes. A winner of a record ten Emmys for Best Daytime Drama, “General Hospital” consistently rates as one of the top daytime programs with Women 18-49 and Women 18-34. “General Hospital” airs Monday-Friday (3:00-4:00pm/et, 2:00-3:00pm/pt) on the ABC Television Network. Episodes of “General Hospital” are available on ABC.com the day after airing on the network for users to watch online.(RCR PR)(3-17-2009)
- Goodyear Tire test at LMS March 17-18: Goodyear is scheduled to hold a tire test at Lowe’s Motor Speedway with four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams representing each of the series manufacturers next week in preparation for the track’s May races, including the 25th NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race on May 16, and the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24. Drivers scheduled to test at #9-Kasey Kahne (Dodge), #48-Jimmie Johnson (Chevy), #47-Marcos Ambrose (Toyota) and #98-Paul Menard. During both days of the Goodyear tire test, Lowe’s Motor Speedway’s frontstretch grandstand will be open free of charge from 9am – 5pm and fans should enter through Gate 5A, located next to the main ticket office. Additionally, NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 ticket holders will have access to an infield grandstand on Wednesday, March 18, from 10am to 5pm, and can participate in a special fan forum featuring all four drivers from 12 – 1pm. Ticket holders for Lowe’s Motor Speedway’s May Cup races will need to check in at the speedway’s ticket office to receive verification of their ticket purchase before entering the infield at Gate 26.(LMS PR)(3-13/17-2008)
- Celebrities set to run Saturday Night Special at Bristol: Football coaches, football players, TV/radio personalities and more have signed on to run the celebrity heat races as part of the Scotts Saturday Night Special, March 21 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer, who also will serve as grand marshal of the Food City 500, will climb behind the wheel of a race car for the first time as will Terry Bowden. Bowden returns to the college coaching ranks this year after 10 years in the broadcast booth, taking over the Division II powerhouse University of North Alabama. Coaches are not the only ones suiting up. David Akers, Pro-Bowl kicker for the Philadelphia Eagles [Jayski Fave] will participate. Also racing for charity will be local hero Mike Compton, current head football coach at Patrick Henry High School (Glade Spring, Va.) and two-time Super Bowl winner with the Patriots of New England. Rounding out the first heat will be: Bill Jordan, owner/founder of Realtree Camouflage and host of two of his own television shows, Bill Jordan’s Realtree Outdoors and ESPN’s “Driven to Hunt,” and TV/radio personality Riki Rachtman of MTV’s “Charm School” and “Daisy of Love.”
Taking the wheel in the second heat will be a field of more experienced drivers. Former car owners and two of the top crew chiefs of all time, Andy Petree and Ray Evernham, now ESPN race analysts, as well as Brad Daugherty, a former No. 1pick in the NBA draft and retired all-star player with the Cleveland Cavaliers will be part of the festivities. Taking advantage of a weekend off on the National Hot Rod Association schedule are Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Doug Herbert (Top Fuel Dragster) who will fill out the field. The celebrities will run 15-lap or 10-minute heats to help determine the starting spots of their pro driver teammates, who then will run 35 laps. That field includes Junior Johnson, Harry Gant, Cale Yarborough and Jack Ingram. The winning “team” is guaranteed $25,000 for their charities and a total of $10,000 will go to the charity or charities of the second-place duo. Every other team will get $5,000 for their charities. Team pairings will be announced at a later time. Tickets still are available for the Scotts Turf Builder 300 (Starting at $45) and Food City 500 (starting at $93). Tickets for Ford Fan Friday, March 20, are just $5 and fans with specially marked Pepsi cans will be admitted free. Tickets may be purchased at www.bristoltix.com or by calling the BMS ticket office at (423) 989-6900.(BMS PR)(3-17-2009) - Sad News – Patricia Fielden: Patricia Henry Fielden, 84, died Sunday, March 15, 2009 at her residence. Mrs. Fielden was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, October 8, 1924 and is a daughter of the late William and Maebell Henry. Survivors include a son, Longtime NASCAR historian/writer Greg Fielden, [see Amazon for his books]; and a granddaughter, Patricia Ann Fielden. Services will be private.(Myrtle Beach Sun Times)(3-17-2009)
- Richardson broke collar bone at Vegas: While #23-Robert Richardson spent his time-off recuperating from a broken collarbone he sustained in his Las Vegas wreck, he is now getting antsy to get racing this weekend at one of the most intense and noisy tracks the series competes on.(R3 Motorsports PR)(3-17-2009)
- Hamlin in the #81 at Bristol & Texas: MacDonald Motorsports announced that Kevin Hamlin will drive the #81 D.H. Griffin machine in the Nationwide Series this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway and in two weeks at Texas Motor Speedway. D.H. Griffin, who was the primary sponsor for the Camping World 300 at Daytona International Speedway, will sponsor the #81 machine this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.(MacDonald Motorsports PR)(3-17-2009)
- Cajun Industries on the #91 at Bristol: MSRP Motorsports and Driver Terry Cook welcome back Cajun Industries as the sponsor for the Scotts Turf Builder 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Cajun Industries, who sponsored Cook earlier this season in his Camping World Truck Series effort in the season’s kick off at Daytona International Speedway and his attempt at the same track to make the Nationwide Race with MSRP Motorsports, will adorn the #91 Chevy.(MSRP PR)(3-17-2009)
- Slednecks helping Brian Keselowski: Slednecks is rallying fans to support snowmobiler and NASCAR owner/driver Brian Keselowski. Brian builds, wrenches, and drives his own #26 car on the Nationwide Series. Slednecks is offering fans a free Slednecks Talladega hat. Go to www.shop.slednecks.com and select Hats, then choose your Talladega color, then size, and hit “buy now”. At the “Basket”, enter “BrianK” as the promotion code and submit. If you would like to continue shopping for more great Slednecks goods, Slednecks will donate 25% of the merchandise total to Brian to help rebuild his race car.(Driven Agency/Keselowski PR)(3-17-2009)
- Whelen to sponsor Bodine at Martinsville: been told that Whelen will be the primary sponsor for #30-Todd Bodine at Martinsville Speedway. The hood will display the familiar Whelen logo with “All Products Made In America” and the Whelen logo will also be on the rear quarter panels.(3-17-2009)
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