March 25 – Today in Jayski’s NASCAR history

March 25, 2010

• • • McDonald’s to sponsor McMurray: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates officially announced an agreement with McDonald’s USA to become a sponsor of the team’s #1 Chevy driven by Jamie McMurray in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) for the balance of the 2010 season. The program, which debuted in Las Vegas earlier this month, will include multiple races as the primary sponsor. The McDonald’s paint scheme will appear again, when the NSCS returns to Martinsville Speedway, this Sunday, Mar. 28. As part of the relationship, McDonald’s iconic golden arches will grace the hood of Jamie McMurray’s red #1 McDonald’s Chevrolet for multiple races. They will also receive associate sponsor placement on the #1 Chevy for the remaining events in the 2010 NSCS season. In addition McDonald’s will receive primary logo placement on McMurray’s firesuit, the pit equipment and crew uniforms. The agreement will also include several activation elements aligned with McDonald’s overall marketing and community initiatives.(Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates)(3-25-2010) see an image of the scheme on my #1 Team Schemes page.(3-25-2010)
    • Hamlin & March of Dimes team up again: FedEx Racing and March of Dimes Team up for Babies: Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs and representatives from FedEx Office and the March of Dimes will unveil a special #11 March of Dimes/FedEx Office Toyota on Thursday, March 25 at the Joe Gibbs Racing shop in Huntersville. The car will run at Phoenix International Raceway in effort to raise awareness for the March of Dimes and March for Babies fundraising walks.(FexExRacing)(3-25-2010)
      UPDATE: FedEx Racing driver Denny Hamlin will drive a special #11 FedEx Office/March for Babies Toyota in the “SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600” at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday, April 10, 2010 in effort to rev up the revenue for the March of Dimes and give every baby a healthy start in life. “This is the third year in a row that I raced the March for Babies car at the Phoenix Raceway,” said Hamlin. “Last year we placed sixth and I’m hoping this year we’ll win! I want to do everything I can to help raise awareness for the amazing work the March of Dimes does so that more babies are born healthy.” The #11 FedEx Office/March for Babies® Toyota was unveiled today during a ceremony at Joe Gibbs Racing Inc. in Huntersville, N.C. Hamlin and team owner Joe Gibbs were on hand to reveal the special paint scheme for the Phoenix Cup race. During the race, Hamlin also will wear a helmet designed by Morgan, Preston and Chase Copeland. The triplets are the children of FedEx Office employee Alan Copeland and were born seven weeks premature in 2005. Today, their dad says, Morgan, Preston and Chase are healthy, active four-year-olds thanks to the March of Dimes-funded treatments and the medical care they received.(JGR), see image of the scheme on my #11 Team Schemes page.(3-25-2010)
    • Highest paid NASCAR drivers: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. is NASCAR’s highest-paid driver for a second straight year with earnings of $30 million in 2009. Earnhardt has had little racing success the past two years, with only one win at the track. He finished a disappointing 25th in the Sprint Cup standings last year, but was voted NASCAR’s most popular driver for a seventh straight year. Forbe’s earnings estimates include salaries, endorsements and the drivers’ share of track winnings and licensing income. Earnhardt’s immense popularity translates into big dollars in each of these areas outside of track winnings. “Nascar needs Dale Jr. to be competitive, because he is so closely associated with the success of the sport. [As] go the fortunes of Junior, so goes Nascar,” says Ardy Arani, managing director of Atlanta-based Championship Group, a motor sports marketing consultancy. The top 10 list from forbes.com:
      No. 1 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnings: $30 million
      No. 2 Jeff Gordon: Earnings: $27 million
      No. 3 Jimmie Johnson: Earnings: $23 million
      No. 4 Tony Stewart: Earnings: $19 million
      No. 5 Carl Edwards: Earnings: $14 million
      No. 6 Kevin Harvick: Earnings: $13 million
      No. 7 (tie) Kyle Busch: Earnings: $12 million
      No. 7 (tie) Kasey Kahne: Earnings: $12 million
      No. 9 (tie) Matt Kenseth: Earnings: $11 million
      No. 9 (tie) Mark Martin: Earnings: $11 million
      (full article and more at Forbes.com)(3-25-2010)
    • Hendrick Motorsports still deemed most vaulable: Forbe’s reports that the average NASCXAR Sprint Cup team generated $92 million in revenue last year, a drop of 4%. Teams were hurt by a 19% decline in Nascar licensing revenue. Total retail sales of licensed merchandise were $1.63 billion in 2009 compared to $2 billion the prior year, according to License Global magazine. The economic downturn and a saturated licensing market helped spur the decline. Another factor was the near bankruptcy of leading Nascar merchandise company Motorsports Authentics. Despite the revenue drop, the average operating income (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) for the top teams was flat at $7 million. Teams have trimmed budgets by reducing head count, tracking inventory more closely and cutting travel budgets. One area that has not yet been affected is driver salaries–but those cuts will come once contracts start to expire.
      NASCAR’s top team remains Hendrick Motorsports worth $350 million, the same as last year. They are the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Lakers and Manchester United rolled into one. They dominate on and off the track with the best drivers (home to the top three finishers in the 2009 Sprint Cup) and the most popular racers (three of the four best-selling drivers for licensed merchandise). Hendrick Motorsports is worth 47% more than the second most valuable team, Roush Fenway Racing. The gap in value between the two top teams is similar to baseball with the Yankees (64% more valuable than the Mets) and ManU in soccer (38% more than Real Madrid).
      Hendrick is the sports leader when it comes to sponsorship revenues, thanks to the success and popularity of its drivers. Its four cars generate an estimated $115 million in sponsorship revenue annually from the likes of DuPont, Go Daddy, Lowe’s, the National Guard and PepsiCo. Hendrick cars have the highest budgets in Nascar, but the huge sponsorship haul allowed Hendrick to turn an operating profit of $20 million last year, the highest in the sport. The value of Stewart-Haas has risen 23% to $98 million, which ranks seventh overall. It is one of only three teams to see an increase in value over last year.
      Top NASCAR Teams:
      No. 1: Hendrick Motorsports, Current value: $350 million, One-year value change: none
      No. 2: Roush Fenway Racing, Current value: $238 million, One-year value change: -12%
      No. 3: Richard Childress Racing, Current value: $153 million, One-year value change: -8%
      No. 4: Joe Gibbs Racing, Current value: $144 million, One-year value change: none
      No. 5: Richard Petty Motorsports, Current value: $124 million, One-year value change: -6%
      No. 6: Penske Racing, Current value: $110 million, One-year value change: -1%
      No. 7: Stewart-Haas Racing, Current value: $98 million, One-year value change: 23%
      No. 8: Michael Waltrip Racing, Current value: $88 million, One-year value change: -12%
      No. 9: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Current value: $71 million, One-year value change: 1%
      No. 10: Red Bull Racing Team, Current value: $59 million, One-year value change: 7%
      (See more at Forbes.com)(3-25-2010)
    • Fuel changes coming in NASCAR: The only question about fuel injection in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series is when it will be added not if. Not far behind could be the use of an ethanol-based fuel. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition, said that plans remain set for fuel injection to debut in the Cup series next season and that NASCAR’s use of an alternative fuel also could come next year. “We should have some more answers probably in the next 21 days,” Pemberton said about fuel injection. “I’d say we’re on target, hopefully for early 2011 but it remains to be seen. We can’t do it and screw things up but things are moving along pretty nicely right now.” As for using an ethanol-based fuel, Pemberton said: “We’re still looking at the fuel and what ratio percentage that we will use when we get there. “Our goal when we set out … was (it) to happen in 2011. We have teams that have been running on the dynos with E10 and E15 and all the way up to E30. For the most part it’s been E10 and E15.'(Roanoke Times)(3-25-2010)
    • After five races, the top 12 taking shape: the top 10/12 drivers five races into each year of NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup abd howmany of those drivers made the Chase after 26 races:
      2004: 8 of 10
      2005: 7 of 10
      2006: 7 of 10
      2007: 10 of 12 [expanded to 12 drivers]
      2008: 8 of 12
      2009: 7 of 12
      (Sports Illustrated)(3-25-2010)
    • Hamlin & March of Dimes team up again: FedEx Racing and March of Dimes Team up for Babies: Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs and representatives from FedEx Office and the March of Dimes will unveil a special #11 March of Dimes/FedEx Office Toyota on Thursday, March 25 at the Joe Gibbs Racing shop in Huntersville. The car will run at Phoenix International Raceway in effort to raise awareness for the March of Dimes and March for Babies fundraising walks.(FexExRacing)(3-25-2010)
    • 2010 Sprint Fan Vote has started: The 2010 Sprint Fan Vote, which allows race fans to choose which eligible driver gets to compete in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, opened today. Voting will continue until one hour before the start of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race, Saturday, May 22, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Fans can cast unlimited votes for their favorite driver during the voting window. Sprint customers can vote using the NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile application on their Sprint or Nextel devices. As an added incentive for customers, every wireless vote submitted from a Sprint or Nextel device counts double towards a driver’s vote total. To download the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile, which is free with any data plan, Sprint customers should text “NASCAR” to 7777. Sprint customers can also vote without downloading the NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile application by texting “VOTE” to 7777. (Standard text messaging and data rates apply.)To be eligible for the Sprint Fan Vote, drivers must have finished in the top 50 of the final 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings, attempted to qualify for the 2010 Daytona 500 or competed in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event during the 2009 or 2010 season. The driver accumulating the most votes, who also finishes the Sprint Showdown qualifying race on the lead lap, will earn a spot in the prestigious All-Star field. The Sprint Fan vote winner will be announced immediately following the completion of the Sprint Showdown.Two years ago, Kasey Kahne became the first driver to parlay his Sprint Fan Vote win into a victory in the Sprint All-Star event. Past Sprint Fan Vote winners include Ken Schrader (2004), Truex, Jr. (2005), Kyle Petty (2006), Kenny Wallace (2007), Kasey Kahne (2008 – Sprint All-Star Race Winner) and Logano (2009).Drivers eligible for the 2010 Sprint Fan Vote: AJ Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Marcos Ambrose, John Andretti, Norm Benning, Greg Biffle, Dave Blaney, Mike Bliss, Todd Bodine, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Patrick Carpentier, Terry Cook, Derrike Cope, Erik Darnell, Carl Edwards, Bill Elliott, Jeff Fuller, David Gilliland, Robby Gordon, San Hornish Jr., Travis Kvapil, Michael McDowell, Casey Mears, Paul Menard, Juan Pablo Montoya, Joe Nemechek, Max Papis, David Ragan, Tony Raines, Robert Richardson, Scott Riggs, Elliott Sadler, Boris Said, Regan Smith, Reed Sorenson, Scott Speed, David Stremme, Martin Truex Jr., Mike Wallace and Michael Waltrip.(Sprint)(3-25-2010)
    • Carquest makes 2010 debut on the #5: CARQUEST Auto Parts, a major sponsor on the #5 team since 2005, will be back on the hood of Mark Martin’s #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy this weekend at Martinsville. The red, white and blue paint scheme will be featured in a total of eight races this season (HMS) for the list of races, see my #5 Team News and Links page and images of the scheme on my #5 Team Schemes page.(3-25-2010)
    • Start #100 for Bliss: Mike Bliss’ next Sprint Cup start will be the 100th of his career. Bliss is scheduled to attempt to make the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway in the #36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevy.(TBR)(3-25-2010)
    • Kvapil to Race A&W All American Food Ford: Coming off his second top-25 finish of the season, Travis Kvapil and the #34 team head to another short track this weekend. Kvapil will be carrying the colors and logos of A&W All American Food for the first time this season.(Front Row Motorsports/Breaking Limits)(3-25-2010)
    • Bristol TV ratings: ABC’s live telecast of the NASCAR Nationwide Series race from Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 20, earned a final national rating of 1.6, averaging 2,286,794 viewers. The rating was down from a 1.7 for last year’s race that also aired on ABC. The Bristol event was the first NASCAR Nationwide Series race this season to air on ABC. The first three events aired on ESPN2. All 35 races in the series are produced by ESPN and most air on ESPN2, with select events on ESPN and ABC.(ESPN PR)(3-25-2010)
    • Billy Ballew Motorsports sponsor “taking drastic steps to avoid bankruptcy”: In early February, Bristol, Tenn.-based Graceway Pharmaceuticals LLC announced it would continue sponsoring a NASCAR racing team as part of its efforts to raise awareness of a skin condition resulting from sun exposure. Now, in the wake of deep employment cuts announced this week, the company wishes it could get out of the sponsorship contract. “If there was any way to recoup $1 [of the sponsor fees] we would,” John Bellamy, executive vice president and general counsel for Graceway, said Wednesday by phone. In federal court filings Tuesday, Graceway revealed that it will lay off 130 of its 323 employees, and that it is “taking drastic steps to avoid bankruptcy.” The company’s financial predicament will not affect its commitment to serve as the primary sponsor for the #51 NASCAR truck team, operated by Billy Ballew Motorsports and driven by Aric Almirola. “Had we been able to guess or foresee that these restructuring events would be necessary, we never would have entered into the NASCAR sponsorship or some of our other marketing contracts,” Bellamy wrote in an e-mail response to the Bristol Herald Courier. “Since these contracts are pre-paid, we want some benefit from them, and, consequently, we intend to use the NASCAR sponsorship and other binding agreements to promote our products and a new product which we expect the [Federal Drug Administration] to approve soon.” Bellamy added, “To suggest or imply in any way or form that Graceway is maintaining NASCAR or other pre-paid marketing programs in place of, or at the expense of, employees is wholly wrong. It is ludicrous to even think so.” Asked about his partnership with Graceway, Ballew said by phone Wednesday, “We have a great relationship with them. Everything’s going just wonderful.” Graceway’s declared goal in the sponsorship is to raise awareness of actinic keratosis, a condition caused by long-term exposure to the sun that can result in skin cancer if left untreated. Aldara cream is prescribed to treat the condition. Asked about Graceway’s recent layoffs, Ballew said, “I have no idea about it.”(TriCities.com)(3-25-2010)
  • • Driver change for the #18; Ickler in at Martinsville: Kyle Busch Motorsports owner-driver Kyle Busch, who was originally scheduled to pilot his #18 KBM Toyota Tundra in Saturday’s Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, has turned the driving duties over to KBM driver Brian Ickler. In turn, Busch will take over for Ickler in the #18 Tundra next weekend (April 2) at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn. Saturday’s 250-lap race around the .526-mile Martinsville Speedway oval will be the first in a KBM Tundra for the 24-year-old Ickler, who drove 11 Truck Series races for Billy Ballew Motorsports in 2009 with a pole position, two top-five and three top-10 finishes to his credit.(Kyle Busch Motorsports PR)(3-25-2010)
  • • Sauter picks up Martinsville sponsor UPDATE image added: SealMaster Pavement Maintenance Products & Equipment will be the primary sponsor on the ThorSport Racing #13 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Johnny Sauter the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway on March 27. The full line of SealMaster pavement maintenance products and equipment are recognized worldwide for quality and performance. SealMaster has 64 locations nationwide, with three existing franchises immediately available in Dallas and Houston, Texas, and Oakland, California. More information regarding the SealMaster franchise is available on www.try13.com.(ThorSport Racing PR)(3-25-2010)
      UPDATE: Image of the #13-SealMaster Pavement Maintenance Products & Equipment Chevy is posted on the #13 Paint Schemes Page.(3-25-2010)
  • • Crawford making 325th series start UPDATE Images added: Rick Crawford will be making his 325 series start extending a Series record this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Crawford’s impressive string of race starts began at the Walt Disney World Speedway on January 19, 1997. Crawford scored his third career Camping World Truck Series victory at Martinsville Speedway in the spring of 2004, winning from the third starting position (82 laps led). Besides a victory, Crawford also has two poles at Martinsville. He scored his fourth career Camping World Truck Series pole at Martinsville in the fall of 2005 and his sixth – and most recent – pole at Martinsville last spring. In the last seven truck series races at Martinsville, Crawford has accrued the most points of any driver (1066), more than 50 points to his nearest competitor. Circle Bar Truck Corral returns as primary sponsor of the #14 Ford this weekend at Martinsville while the team works to secure full-time sponsorship. Painted blue and black, the Circle Bar Truck Corral Ford will sport retro decals, including the Strategic Air Command emblem that adorned the truck in 2003.(Circle Bar Racing PR)(3-24-2010)
      UPDATE: Images of the retro #14-Circle Bar Racing paint scheme are posted on the #14 Paint Schemes Page.(3-25-2010)

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