March 24, 2005
- Dale Jr. Flashlight to promote safety: Duracell and Dale Jr. show race fans the light. Duracell is partnering with NASCAR’s most popular to driver to introduce an important safety tool for race fans during the upcoming busy traveling season. Duracell is introducing a Dale Earnhardt Jr. branded flashlight to coincide with the brand’s launch of a safety campaign to education drivers on the importance of being prepared on the road. The Dale Earnhardt Jr. Focus Grip Max flashlight will have an ergonomic, rubberized grip and adjustable light beam that easily shifts from spot to flood mode. This unique flashlight features a sleek red and black race design emblazoned with Earnhardt Jr.’s car number and signature, and allows race fans to follow driver #8, whether at trackside, traveling in the car or using it around the house. It’s currently available in retail outlets nationwide. The flashlight introduction comes as Duracell launches a safety campaign to educate drivers on the importance of being prepared on the road. The Company will use automotive experts to share advice on automotive preparedness and safe driving throughout the year. Road safety tips, developed in conjunction with the Car Care Council, will also be made available to consumers via www.duracell.com beginning in mid-March. Like Duracell’s other Focus Grip Max flashlights, the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Focus Grip Max will have an ergonomic, rubberized grip and adjustable light beam that easily shifts from spot to flood mode. This unique flashlight features a sleek red and black race design emblazoned with Earnhardt Jr.’s car number and signature. The flashlight will be bundled with Duracell alkaline batteries, and has a suggested retail price of $9.99-10.99 at retail outlets nationwide. Duracell is a status sponsor of NASCAR and the “Official Alkaline Battery” of the sport.(Alan Taylor Communications)(3-24-2005)
- Pit Crew Championship Announcement on March 29th: Details of “National Pit Crew Championship Powered by Tyson” To Be Unveiled March 29, 2005. Al Jones, Mayor of the Town of Mooresville, NC plans to proclaim the week of May 2- May 9, 2005 as the “National Pit Crew Championship Powered by Tyson Week.” Legendary crew chief Larry McReynolds along with other crew chiefs will join Tyson Foods, Inc. to unveil details of the National Pit Crew Championship Powered by Tyson, one of the most unique and exciting motorsports competitions to come to Race City this year. Mooresville town officials and event organizers will outline plans for making the competition run smoothly, with a great experience and easy access for all fans attending The proclamation will be read at Pit Instruction and Training (PIT) in Mooresville, NC, where the competition will take place on May 9, 2005. The top 30 Cup and top 10 Busch pit crews have been invited to compete against each other in a bracketed event for the fastest pit stop. The best teams will have the chance to win a $500,000 prize in the final bonus round, “The Powered by Tyson Pit Stop.” The event will be televised on SPEED Channel, and all proceeds from the event will go to Second Harvest and Victory Junction Gang. For additional event information please visit www.pitcrewchampionship.com or www.tyson.com.(3-24-2005)
- Singer of National Anthem at Atlanta Apologizes: John Michael Montgomery has apologized to anyone offended by his performance of the national anthem prior to Sunday’s Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and blamed a medical condition called acoustic neuroma. “Please accept my sincerest apologies for offending anyone; it was certainly not my intention,” said Montgomery in a statement on his Web site. “I will continue to see the doctors as we try to determine the best course of action to remedy the acoustic neuroma condition.” Montgomery said the condition leaves the sufferer with a lack of balance.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(3-24-2005)
- Former Cup owner sent to prison: Tim Beverley ignored the camera as he walked into federal court today. What couldn’t be ignored was the fact he’d be sentenced to prison. “He understood. I think he understood that he was going to be punished,” says his attorney Gerry Goldstein. He could have received as much as 10 years, but the judged handed down a six year sentence with three years probation. “He took his punishment in the same vain that he lived his life, in respect for the court and respect for the law that he’s violated,” says Goldstein. Beverley had major success as owner of Tyler Jet. He told the judge today that financial problems began after investing in NASCAR [#17/#35 Darrell Waltrip/Rich Bickle in 1998, #10-Rich Bickle/David Green in 1999, #10-Johnny Benson in 2000]. His company declared bankruptcy and Beverley admitted to the court that his bout with drugs and alcohol and personal problems caused him to make careless business decisions. “Mr. Beverley [is] very sorry for what happened and I’m sure that his family would join him in wishing well all those people who were affected.” Beverly will have to pay back those he defrauded more than 18 million dollars in restitution. He told the judge he’s ready to move on with his life, which will be very different when he begins his prison sentence.(kltv.com) Also Chief Financial Officer, Gregory Hooper was sentences to 3 1/2 years. Both were ordered to pay over $18 million each in restitution.(3-24-2005)
- Testing at Texas, Labonte fastest: #44-Terry Labonte posted the fastest lap during NASCAR Nextel Cup testing at Texas Motor Speedway on Wednesday. Labonte, a two-time Cup champion and winner of the 1999 race at TMS, toured the 1.5-mile quadoval at 189.474 mph in the #44 Chevrolet Monte Carlo he is driving in a limited 10-race schedule this season. Also testing in anticipation of the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 weekend April 14-17 were Cup regulars #45-Kyle Petty (189.208 mph), #15-Michael Waltrip (188.811 mph), #40-Sterling Marlin (188.153 mph) and #07-Dave Blaney (187.240 mph). “This place is wicked-fast,” said Petty, driver of the #45 Dodge Charger. “Hopefully, with some of the new aero rules, it will be more of a multigroove racetrack. It was getting that way last year.”(Fort Worth Star Telegram)(3-24-2005)
- Travelodge back to the #16, primary at Darlington: Travelodge Hotels announced the renewal of its associate sponsorship of the #16 National Guard Ford Taurus, driven by Greg Biffle, in the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. The agreement continues the Travelodge brand’s two-year relationship with Roush Racing of Concord, N.C. As part of the agreement, Travelodge Hotels will appear as the team’s primary sponsor at Darlington Raceway’s Carolina Dodge Dealers 500 on May 7.(PRN Newswire)(3-24-2005)
- SKF to Sponsor Blaney, #07 Chevy at Martinsville: SKF, the world’s leading manufacturer of bearings, seals and related products dedicated to improving today’s automobiles, trucks and machinery, will sponsor driver Dave Blaney and Richard Childress Racing’s (RCR) #07 Chevrolet in the April 10 Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Jack Daniel’s, the team’s primary sponsor, will be prominently displayed on the car’s rear quarter-panels and deck lid in the one-race program highlighting RCR and SKF’s technical partnership. “It’s extremely exciting to ride with the No. 07 Team as its primary sponsor at Martinsville Speedway,” said Per Jacobsson, director of marketing communications, SKF. “We are proud to be a team sponsor and a technical partner with the Richard Childress Racing organization, and we look forward to our continued contributions to the No. 07, No. 29 and No. 31 teams throughout 2005 and beyond.” Together, SKF and RCR engineers research and develop products designed to perform under the harsh conditions of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series in an effort to improve the quality and reliability of every day vehicles.(RCR)(3-24-2005)
- Alabama Drops Out of HOF race: An Alabama group has dropped its campaign to be the home of a proposed NASCAR Hall of Fame, reducing Charlotte’s competition for the project to five rival bidders. On Wednesday, The Associated Press reported that Neal Wade, director of the Alabama Development Office, called a halt to the campaign to put the hall of fame between Birmingham and Talladega. Bids are due May 31 for the facility, which will likely cost $75 million to $100 million. At the same time, plans for a bid by Daytona, Fla., are also shifting. Early talks centered on the state providing as much as $75 million in funding. Now, according to reports in The Orlando Sentinel, Daytona museum backers are aiming for $30 million to be raised by selling NASCAR license plates. Beyond Charlotte and Daytona, the bidders are Atlanta; Kansas City, Mo.; Richmond, Va.; and the state of Michigan.(Charlotte Business Journal/Daily Home)(3-24-2005)
- Mobil 1 Awards Six $5,000 Scholarships to NASCAR Tech: ExxonMobil today announced winners of its Mobil 1 Scholarships to the NASCAR Technical Institute (NTI) in Mooresville, N.C. NTI, the exclusive educational partner of NASCAR, is the country’s first technical training school to combine a complete automotive technology program and a NASCAR-specific motorsports program. Each of the six students received $5,000 to pursue their automotive-technician career goals and currently has, or graduated with, an “A+” grade point average (4.0) from NTI. The recipients are:
* Erik Welker of Charlotte, N.C.
* Shan Alwran of Alexis, N.C.
* George Naylor of Marion, N.C.
* Leo Colwill of Kenosha, Wisc.
* Aaron Turrel of Washington, Utah
* Zachary Millard of Simsbury, Conn.
The Mobil 1 Scholarships were developed to address the shortage of automotive technicians. The Institute is located in Mooresville, N.C., better known as Race City USA [and a great place to live], where nearly 75 percent of NASCAR teams are based.(Webershandwick)(3-24-2005) - Scholarship Awarded: One of the highlights of the annual Urban Youth Racing School dinner Tuesday night was the presentation of a $2,500 NASCAR scholarship to Jason Simmons, who plans to major in mechanical engineering at Drexel. Jason’s older brother, Leon, is a freshman engineering student at North Carolina-Charlotte. Among those attending the dinner at the Sheraton Society Hill were Cup driver Brian Vickers and Craftstman Truck Series driver Rick Crawford. Several UYRS students have interned with NASCAR teams. “If someone becomes an engineer, or gets in a driver’s seat or is a crew member, that would be wonderful,” said Tish Sheets, NASCAR’s director of diversity and special projects. “But the fact that children’s lives are changing, that’s what the program is about. They’re using the experience of NASCAR as an award at the end of the year. [It’s] for hard work and being good in school.”(Philadelphia Daily News)(3-24-2005)
- Mark Green to run the #7 at Nashville: Mark Green will step in as the pilot of the #7 Boudreaux’s Butt Paste Chevrolet Monte Carlo this week at the Nashville Superspeedway. Green has three starts at the track, including a 12th-place finish in the June event of 2002. The team plans a driver rotation based upon the track and driver experience. “We asked Mark to help us out this week,” explains team owner James Whitener. “Kim Crosby is still a vital part of the GIC team and will behind the wheel again soon.”(GIC PR via BGNRacing.com)(3-24-2005)
- Buschwackers at Nashville: only four Nextel Cup drivers will run the Busch Series race at Nashville Superspeedway this Saturday [FX]: #40-Sterling Marlin [#40]; #42-Jamie McMurray [#64]; #9-Kasey Kahne [#6] and #99-Carl Edwards [#60]. 2004 winner, Michael Waltrip will not run the race, deciding to spend time with his family.(3-24-2005)
- Jeff Burton Back to Busch UPDATE 2 #21 RCR: Nextel Cup veteran #31-Jeff Burton will join the Busch-whacker brigade in the April 2 Sharpie Professional 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Burton was among the drivers testing at BMS Tuesday. “I’ve got a good car and I’m real happy with what I’m seeing on the track,” Burton said. “We’ve been trying to figure out what kind of setup we need to win this race. I think we are in good shape. Right now, we are planning on running three Busch races. But I bet that number ends up being seven,” said Burton, who ranks eighth in career Busch wins with 20. “Next year, we’re hoping to run about 15 Busch races.’’(Bristol Herald Courier), doesn’t say what team [RCR #29?] Jeff will run for.(3-23-2005)
UPDATE: Everyone knows, peanut butter and chocolate go hand-in-hand; however, NASCAR drivers Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton will go head-to-head promoting Reese’s rich milk chocolate and creamy peanut butter at Bristol Speedway on April 2. Always a winning combination, Reese’s will debut two Limited Edition cups: Reese’s Peanut Butter Lovers and Reese’s Chocolate Lovers March 15. Chocolate Lover Kevin Harvick will be sporting the Reese’s Chocolate Lovers car and Burton the Reese’s Peanut Butter Lovers car each looking for a win at Bristol and for their favorite Reese’s Limited Edition to win top spot on reeses.com. Burton will be wearing the Reeses’s Peanut Butter Lovers uniform and the #21 Chevrolet will be sporting the Reese’s Peanut Butter Lovers theme. Decked in a Reese’s Chocolate Lovers uniform, Harvick will be driving the #29 Chevrolet featuring the Reese’s Chocolate Lovers theme. “I’m thrilled to represent Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and campaign for Reese’s Chocolate Lovers at Bristol,” said Kevin Harvick. “The Reese’s Limited Edition Vote and race cars add another layer of excitement for our race fans at Bristol.”
While Harvick and Burton will be campaigning on the track, they are also encouraging Reese’s lovers to taste, vote and win as part of The Great Reese’s Limited Edition Vote. After enjoying the new Reese’s Peanut Butter Lovers and Reese’s Chocolate Lovers Peanut Butter Cups, consumers can log on to www.reeses.com to enter their favorite winning combination. All entrants will have the chance to win a trip for four to the sweetest place on Earth – Hershey, Pa. Voting runs now through September 20, 2005 and is limited to one online entry per person.(Keystone Marketing)(3-24-2005)
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