March 27, 2016
- Earnhardt Jr. to donate brain for concussion research: Following in the footsteps of many NFL players and extreme sports athletes, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Saturday [via Twitter] he plans to donate his brain for concussion research. It’s a major announcement, because Earnhardt is NASCAR’s most popular driver – and has been the past 13 years. Earnhardt, 41, like many veteran NASCAR drivers, is no stranger to hard crashes and head injuries similar to what football players endured before being diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) post-mortem.(Sporting News), Earnhardt missed two races in October 2012, at Charlotte and Kansas after being diagnosed with a concussion following the Oct. 7, 2012 race at Talladega.(3-27-2016)
- Auto Club TV Ratings: NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Auto Club Speedway earned a 3.5 overnight rating on FOX Sunday afternoon, down 13% from last year and 2014 (4.0 both years) and the lowest overnight for the race since rain-shortened coverage drew a 3.4 in 2012. Outside of 2012, no edition of the race has had a lower overnight since at least 1998 (Does not include the fall race that was run from 2004-2010). The race faced lighter competition from the NCAA Tournament, which had double-digit declines for all four of its telecast windows on Sunday. Excluding the tournament, it ranked second for the weekend among sporting events behind ABC’s Warriors/Spurs NBA game Saturday night (3.7).(Sports Media Watch / Sports Business Daily).(3-22-2016)
UPDATE: For the fifth straight week to start the season, NASCAR suffered declines in ratings and viewership. NASCAR Sprint Cup racing from Fontana earned a 4.0 final rating and 6.8 million viewers on FOX last Sunday afternoon, down 7% in ratings and viewership from last year (4.3, 7.3M) and down 9% and 4%, respectively, from 2014 (4.4, 7.1M). Ratings and viewership rank as the lowest for NASCAR from Fontana in four years, since rain-shortened coverage in 2012 (3.8, 6.2M). Ratings and viewership have now declined for every NASCAR Sprint Cup telecast this year, including exhibition events such as the Sprint Unlimited and Duel at Daytona. The past four races have set or tied a multi-year low in at least one measure.(Sports Business Daily / Sports Media Watch) see race-by-race TV Ratings for 2016 and a comparison chart on the 2016 TV Ratings page.(3-27-2016)
- Earnhardt, Jr. adds to his car graveyard: On Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s return from the #NASCARGoesWest tour, he lit up Twitter with a marathon Q&A; session with fans. When asked about his race car graveyard at Dirty Mo’ Acres – Earnhardt’s compound north of Mooresville, N.C. The driver revealed the recent acquisition of two new wrecks:
“I just got the @PhoenixRaceway @JimmieJohnson qualifying car. @KyleBusch sent me the 4 truck from @DISupdates”
The last time we saw the remains of the #4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Tundra, it was on a tow truck. Fortunately, Christopher Bell climbed out of his vehicle after flipping nine times down the front stretch entering Turn 1 on the final lap of the Camping World Truck Series season opener on Feb. 19. Earnhardt’s latest contribution came from his own teammate – Jimmie Johnson. The freshly wrecked #48 Chevy did not make it through Friday at Phoenix International Raceway following the six-time champion’s mishap in time trials.(Motorsport)(3-27-2016)
- Martin’s Business Manager health update: Mark Martin’s long time Business Manager Benny Ertel was released from the hospital March 23 after a successful surgery to remove a tumor in his abdomen (stage IV renal cell Carcinoma ) and news from the pathology report show that the cancer had not spread (3-27-2016)
- Full weekend of musical entertainment at Bristol: Bristol Motor Speedway is the place in 2016, and during the Food City 500 weekend, it will be the place for musical entertainment in the region. In addition to the previously announced pre-race concert featuring the Doobie Brothers, country star Clare Dunn, respected country music artist Lee Greenwood and country singer/songwriter Lance Stinson will be at Bristol Motor Speedway to entertain the fans during race weekend. The Doobie Brothers will take the stage prior to driver introductions on Sunday, April 17 to perform some of their greatest hits including “Rockin’ Down the Highway”, “Black Water” and “Jesus is Just Alright”. While supplies last, Food City 500 ticket holders may add on a pre-race SuperPass and be stage-side (on the track) for the concert featuring The Doobie Brothers. The SuperPass also includes a Track Walk and track access for Bristol’s wildly popular Food City 500 driver introductions.
Country music singer/songwriter Dunn will be rocking out for fans on Saturday, April 16. She will sing the national anthem prior to the Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race and perform a concert set on the Ole Smoky Roof at Turn 4 between the finish of the XFINITY race and the start of the PittLite 125 NASCAR K&N; Pro Series East race.
Greenwood’s career has spanned decades, charting more than 35 singles on the Billboard country music charts. His catalog includes “Somebody’s Going to Love You” and “Dixie Road”, but he will be on hand on Sunday during pre-race to perform his most famous song, “God Bless the USA”, one of America’s most well-known unofficial anthems.
Stinson, a native of South Georgia, is a singer of self-described “kick-in-the-teeth country” and has traveled all over the South to clubs and honky-tonks. After recently relocating to Nashville, he is continuing on his path of entertainment. Stinson will perform for fans following the conclusion of the PittLite 125 on Saturday.(BMS)(3-27-2016)
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