March 25 – Today in Jayski’s NASCAR history

March 25, 2013

• • • Hamlin injured in last lap wreck at Auto Club UPDATE2 & Statement: In a wild finish, #22-Joey Logano was leading the Auto Club 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway at the white flag and #11-Denny Hamlin was next to hm a few feet behind the #22. The two drivers raced hard and got into each other near turn 4, sending Logano into the outside wall and #11-Hamlin hard into the inside wall, which has no SAFER (for some reason). After climbing from the car under his own power, Hamlin laid down and was put on a stretcher and then an ambulance and taken to the infield care center. Hamlin was them taken by helicopter to a local hospital. #18 crew chew chief Dave Rogers was interviewed by SPEED’s Kenny Wallace and said that he talked to team owner J.D. Gibbs and supposedly Hamlin has some back pain and was taken to the hospital as a precaution.(3-24-2013)
      UPDATE: #11-Denny Hamlin was airlifted to a hospital after a hard single-car crash at the inside wall on the final lap of Sunday’s Auto Club 400. Hamlin was awake and alert in the infield care center before being transported, but was taken to the hospital for further evaluation. A helicopter was used due to post-race traffic. Hamlin was helped from his car after the hard hit and seemed to collapse outside his car after he had pulled the window net down. He was taken by ambulance to the infield care center, where crew chief Darian Grubb hurried inside to check on the driver. Hamlin’s girlfriend, Jordan Fish, tweeted Sunday night: “Thank u everyone for your messages concerning Denny. Darian is keeping us posted. He’s alert n awake, main concern is his back.(USA Today)
      JGR STATEMENT: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver Denny Hamlin was involved in an accident on the final lap of Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway. Hamlin complained of lower back pain at the track’s infield medical center and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. Hamlin will remain at the hospital overnight for observation. No further updates are expected tonight.(JGR)
      JGR STATEMENT 2: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver Denny Hamlin suffered a L1 Compression Fracture following an accident on the final lap of Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway. Hamlin hopes to be released today to fly to his home in North Carolina where he will be evaluated by Dr. Jerry Petty of Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates later this week.(JGR)(3-25-2013)
  • • Auto Club Overnight TV Ratings: Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Auto Club 500 from Auto CLub Speedway earned a 4.5 overnight rating on FOX – up 32% from last year’s rain-shortened race (3.4), and up 10% from 2011 (4.1). The 4.5 overnight is the highest for the race since 2010 (5.0), when Fontana was still the second NASCAR event of the season. So far this season, four of the five NASCAR Sprint Cup races have had increases in overnight ratings compared to last year. Three of the races – Daytona, Las Vegas and Fontana – have had double-digit increases. For the weekend, the Auto Club 500 was the top non-NCAA sporting event by a wide margin.(Sports Media Watch / Sports Business Daily), see past races for 2013 and 5-year comparison chart on the 2013 NASCAR TV Ratings page.(3-25-2013)
  • • Race and Commercial Breakdown of the 2013 Auto Club 400: For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, here is the breakdown for Sunday’s race. Began recording the times at the Invocation of the race at 3:00 PM, and stopped at the waving of the checkered flag at 6:17 PM (all times are EST). I did not keep records for the pre- and post-race coverage. Fox was the broadcast team for this event.
      Total number of commercials: 109
      Total number of companies or entities advertised: 55
      Number of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 102
      Total number of companies or entities advertised: 54
      Number of ‘Side-by-Side’ commercials during race broadcast (split-screen): 7 And one was cut short to return to racing action
      Total number of companies or entities advertised: 6
      Number of times Fox utilized ‘Side-by-Side’ commercials during this broadcast: 2 And one was cut short to return to racing action
      Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast: 44
      Total amount of time these brief promos take during broadcast: app. 5 min. 15 sec
      Start time to record race/commercial periods: 3:00 PM
      End time to record race/commercial periods: 6:17 PM
      Total minutes of complete race broadcast: 197
      Minutes of race broadcast: 146
      Minutes of traditional commercials (not split-screen): 51
      Minutes of ‘Side-by-Side’ commercials (split-screen): 4
      Number of missed restarts: 0
      Number of ‘mystery cautions’ (debris not shown): 1
      Total race brdcst time 146 Total comm. brdcst time 51
      See more, links and past races on my2013 TV Commcericials page.(3-25-2013)
  • • Stewart-Logano conflict upstages Hamlin-Logano feud: After trading barbs on Twitter a week ago, #11-Denny Hamlin and #22-Joey Logano actually traded paint on Sunday, throwing away their chances to win the Auto Club 400 by banging each other into oblivion on the final lap at Auto Club Speedway. But it was Logano’s row with #14-Tony Stewart that led to the most heated exchange of the season so far, first as Stewart tried to get a piece of Logano on pit road and later as the three-time champion roasted the 22-year-old with criticism that turned very personal.
      The Hamlin-Logano feud, which began last week at Bristol when Hamlin’s attempted bump-and-run sent Logano’s Ford spinning into the wall, escalated at Fontana, as Hamlin drove to the outside of Logano to start the final lap and the drivers traded shots until they wrecked in Turn 3 — to the benefit of Kyle Busch, who was running third at the time and won the race. Logano was credited with a third-place finish, but Hamlin’s car slammed nose-first into the inside wall. Hamlin was airlifted to a local hospital for precautionary evaluation.
      But it was Logano’s block of Tony Stewart on the final restart on Lap 190 that had Stewart seething after the race, to the point where he nosed in front of Logano’s car on pit road (stopping its progress), climbed out and confronted the young driver before crew members intervened. Logano acknowledged that the block was a deliberate attempt to win the race.
      “I had to throw the block there,” Logano said. “That was a race for the lead. I felt if the 14 (Stewart) got underneath me, that was going to be the end of my opportunity to win the race, so I was just trying to protect the spot I had. I was actually pedaling, because I couldn’t keep the 18 (race leader Kyle Busch) aligned (in front of Logano’s No. 22 Ford, as the rules require on a restart). I was actually faster than the 18 getting our tires hooked up. And then I’m trying to stagger myself making sure I don’t beat him to the line, and then I had to block the 14 because I was pedaling it. I’ll talk to him and we’ll see what happens.”
      Stewart was having none of it.
      “He’s going to learn a lesson,” Stewart said. “He’s run his mouth long enough& He’s nothing but a little rich kid who’s never had to work in his life, so he’s going to learn what us working guys who had to work our way up& how it works. He has the choice to do that. He’s in control of his car. But if he ever turns down across in front of me again — I don’t care what lap it is — he won’t make it through the other end of it& I’m tired of these guys doing that stuff, especially out of a kid that’s been griping about everybody else — and then he does that the next week& send Denny to the hospital and screw our day up. He’s talked the talk, but he hasn’t walked the walk yet. He’s always got his crew guys walking the walk for him.”(NASCAR Wire Service)(3-25-2013)
  • • Testing the new car at Richmond UPDATE dates changed: #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, #1-Jamie McMurray, #43-Aric Almirola and #9-Marcos Ambrose are scheduled to be testing the new Gen-6 car on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at Richmond International Raceway in advance of the Saturday, April 27, Toyota Owners 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Tickets for the Toyota Owners 400 can be purchased online at www.rir.com or by calling 866-455-7223.(RIR), the test is closed and NOT open to the public.(3-22-2013)
      UPDATE: the testing has been moved to Monday and Tuesday, April 1-2.(RIR)(3-25-2013)
  • • Dale Jr recommends small change to Auto Club Speedway: from a Team Chevy post race press conferences transcript, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. was asked:
      Q. A lot has been said this weekend that the track hasn’t been resurfaced or redone in a while. Some people are calling it character like Fenway Park or Wrigley Field. What’s your take?
      DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: I think it’s great. Do everybody a favor, whoever owns this place, and pave the back straightaway. If you pave the back straightaway, there’s some real bad bumps, we all watched it on TV in the Nationwide race and I’m sure you saw it today. It’s just going down the back straightaway. It probably doesn’t cost much to pave the two lanes that we race in, and that would really cure any complaints that I got. I think the corners are perfect. I wouldn’t pave anything or change anything about the turns. This place has got — this is the age of asphalt that I think tracks strive for. This is what places like Michigan and Phoenix look forward to, you know, when they get a good 10, 15 years on their asphalt. This is really right in the ballpark, right in everybody’s wheelhouse. I think everybody that runs in the Cup garage really likes the surface. It’s just real bumpy down the back straightaway for some reason, and it doesn’t have to be, and I think they can fix that with a couple lanes of asphalt on that outside toward the wall, and like I said, the corners, man, you couldn’t ask for a better racetrack.”(Team Chevy)(3-25-2013)
  • • Penske defends Logano: Team owner Roger Penske staunchly defended #22-Joey Logano after his Sprint Cup driver was involved in a pair of controversies near the end of Sunday’s race at Auto Club Speedway. “I’m 150% behind my driver, and I think he’s a real star on the team,” Penske told USA TODAY Sports in a phone interview Sunday night after returning to his home in Michigan. Logano wrecked with Denny Hamlin while racing for the lead in a final-lap incident that sent Hamlin to the hospital for overnight observation after his #11 Toyota sustained heavy right-front impact with an inside wall not covered by a SAFER barrier. Tony Stewart confronted Logano after the race because he was upset with being blocked on the bottom lane in the closing laps. “It’s time he learns a lesson,” Stewart said. “He’s run his mouth long enough and done this double standard, but he’s nothing but a little rich kid who has never had to work in his life.” Racing for the lead on a restart with 10 laps remaining, Stewart felt that Logano blocked him low, forcing Stewart’s Chevrolet all the way to the inside apron. The momentum shift ended up thwarting what looked to be Stewart’s best finish of the season, and after drifting back, Stewart finished all the way back in 22nd place. “He has that right, he has the choice to do that. If he ever turns down across in front of me again, I don’t care what lap it is, he won’t make it through the other end of it,” Stewart said.(USA Today))(3-25-2013)
  • • Glick Award winner announced: The late Mickey Thompson, who popularized stadium off-road racing among his many accomplishments in life, was named winner of the Shav Glick Award presented by the Justice Brothers before the start of the race. The award, named for the longtime L.A. Times motorsports Hall of Fame writer who passed away in 2007, recognizes a personality who made valuable or distinguished contributions in California. The 2013 nominees included George Follower, Tom McEwen and Chris Pook and Mickey Thompson. Ed Justice, Jr., president and CEO of Justice Brothers, made the presentation to Colleen Campbell, Thompson’s sister, during pre-race ceremonies. The panel awards include Bill Center; Jim Short; Mike Harris; John Zimmerman and Doug Stokes.(Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)(3-25-2013)
  • • Danica Patrick bests Williams sisters, Gabby Douglas: On Saturday night, Danica Patrick won a Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award for the third time. She was named favorite female athlete. Patrick earned the orange blimp trophy by besting Serena and Venus Williams and Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas.(USA Today)(3-25-2013)
  • • Sad News – “Jivie” Simpson: Mr. Torrence “Jivie” Simpson Jr., 76, of Concord, died Saturday, March 23, 2013, at Tucker Hospice House. He was born Sept. 29, 1936, to the late Torrence and Myrtle Craig Simpson. After serving in the U.S. Army, Jivie worked as a welder at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Racing was his life. He built the first Jet Truck, the first Code 3 Emergency Truck and the first Legend Car at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Jivie also built cars for David Smith Racing, Ernie Irvan Racing and J.D Gibbs Racing. Hartsell Funeral Home of Concord is serving the Simpson family. Online condolences may be made at www.hartsellfh.com. See more at Independent Tribune.(3-25-2013)
  • • Neuenberger assisting high schoolers in engineering program UPDATE: Long-time NASCAR driver Donnie Neuenberger is preparing a race of a new kind. From March 22 through 24, Neuenberger, who last appeared in the Truck Series last October in Talladega, will join up with Chavez Motor Sports Engineering from Houston, Texas to compete in the Texas Mile land speed event. Chavez Motor Sports is unique from most other teams in pro racing; the crew chief, car, chief, and team specialists are all still in high school. The team is lead by science and engineering teacher Greg Ditch. In just 6 short weeks the students took a part a relatively stock Pontiac GTO and re-engineered it for this specific event. In the motor sports engineering program, students from Chavez High School are able to learn to apply math and science, learn about high performance automotive, and the general business side of racing.(Chavez Motor Sports)(2-27-2013) UPDATE:Donnie Neuenberger competed in the Texas Mile over the weekend with the students at Chavez High School’s Motor Sports Engineering program. Neuenberger was able to view their engineering facility, talk to students working on various projects, and have what he considered “an amazing experience in racing.” Neuenberger normally drives the Eagle Convenience Stores Silverado, but this weekend he drove the JC Whitney/Drive Shaft Shop Pontiac GTO. His best 1/2 mile speed from a standing start was 146.3 mph with a top mile speed of 175.5 mph.(Chavez Motor Sports)(3-25-2013)
  • • Martinsville Speedway Offers Amazing Action For Incredible Prices: The STP Gas Booster 500 is two weeks away, but there is still plenty of time to make sure that you are up-close-and-personal for all the exciting racing Martinsville Speedway will have to offer on April 7. And if history is any indication, the STP Gas Booster” 500 will deliver an amazing amount of action. Tickets remain available at low prices for the STP Gas Booster 500, starting at just $37 and ranging to $79. Martinsville Speedway also offers great youth, teen and family prices. Tickets for youth 12 and under are just $10 in the Clay Earles Tower, rows 15-52. Teen tickets (ages 13-17) in the same area are $25. Youth and teen ticket prices are good with the purchase of an adult ticket. There are two great Family Four Pack deals to choose from. The STP Gas Booster 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is scheduled for Sunday, April 7, the day after the Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. Pole Day is Friday, April 5. Tickets for the STP Gas Booster 500, the Kroger 250 and Martinsville Pole Day may be purchased by calling 877.RACE.TIX or by visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com online.(Martinsville Speedway)(3-25-2013)

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