March 31, 2012
- Kahne wins pole at Martinsville: #5-Kasey Kahne won the pole for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway with a speed of 97.128mph for his 2nd pole of 2012 and 24th career pole. #29-Harvick was 2nd fastest followed by #11-Hamlin, #15-Bowyer, #39-Newman, #55-Vickers, #2-Keselowski, #18-Busch, #24-Gordon, and #20-Logano. #37-Raines’ time, which was fast enough to make the race, was disallowed after the team failed post-qualifying tech.
The go-or-go homers who made the race (8): #98-McDowell, #26-Wise, #83-Cassil, #23-Riggs, #74-Sorenson, #87-Nemechek, #30-Stremme, and #49-Yeley.
The go-or-go homers who failed to qualify for the race (3): #52-Speed, #19-Bliss, #37-Raines.
See qualifying results, pole pregression, starting lineup on my Qualifying Results / Starting Lineup or the starting lineup on the Starting Lineup page (pdf). (3-31-2012)
- Qualifying Fast Facts – Martinsville Speedway:
Kasey Kahne won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 63rd Annual Goody’s Fast Relief 500 with a lap of 19.496 seconds, 97.128 mph.
This is his 24th pole in 294 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his second pole and fifth top-10 start in 2012.
This is his first pole in 17 races at Martinsville Speedway. His previous best start at Martinsville was second in 2005.
Kevin Harvick (second) posted his fourth top-10 start of 2012 and his 11th in 22 races at Martinsville Speedway.
Denny Hamlin (third) posted his eighth top-10 start at Martinsville Speedway. It is his second in six races this season.
Josh Wise (30th) was the fastest qualifying rookie. (NASCAR Statistics)(3-31-2012)
- Kahne gets new spotter: Kasey Kahne will have a new voice on his radio this weekend as Shannon McGlamery takes over spotting duties for the #5 Hendrick Motorsports driver. Kole Kahne, Kasey’s cousin, has been the driver’s longtime spotter. But after Kahne was involved in an accident two weeks ago at Bristol, his spotter came under question. A source familiar with the situation said Kahne wanted to try something new. McGlamery has served as a spotter for Jeff Gordon and as a mechanic at Hendrick.(Fox Sports)(3-30-2012)
UPDATE: Kahne discussed his spotter change Friday at Martinsville.
IS SHANNON (MCGLAMERY) SPOTTING FOR YOU ALL WEEKEND? IT LOOKED LIKE THAT WOULD BE A REACTION TO WHAT HAPPENED AT BRISTOL. IS IT? ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE A CHANGE?
“No, I would say it is something I wanted to do, something different. I was a little unpleased after California. We are just looking at something for a couple of week. We are going to see after Texas. We are going to sit down and decide if that is the direction I want to go or if I feel comfortable with Kole (Kahne) doing it again or what. I’m going to wait. I’m going to do two weeks with someone else and then decide after Texas what I want to do.”
SO WHO ARE GOING TO USE THE TWO WEEKS?
“I’m using Shannon (McGlamery) for the next two weeks then I’m going to decide what I am going to do from there. It’s just a couple of week deal.”(Chevy PR)(3-31-2012)
- Stewart leads in sponsor exposure through four races: Through television coverage of the this season’s first four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races, defending champion #14-Tony Stewart leads in securing on-screen time for his sponsors, while #99-Carl Edwards collected the most verbal mentions for his supporting brands and #1-Jamie McMurray bested all drivers with $18.3 million of exposure value. According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc.- which has monitored every NASCAR race telecast over the last 28 seasons – McMurray’s appearance on the Fox set during the Sunday rain-delay portion of last month’s Daytona 500 led to quality exposure for several of his brands during some of the most valuable broadcast time of the season.
Stewart ranked number-one in camera time, as 29 of his sponsors enjoyed a combined two hours, 42 minutes, 42 seconds of clear and in-focus exposure time during live and replayed coverage of the first four races. #2-Brad Keselowski (2:28:34), #48-Jimmie Johnson (2:27:53), #17-Matt Kenseth (2:18:54) and #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2:08:23) rounded out the top five in accumulated TV time. Meanwhile, #99-Carl Edwards, who led all drivers in sponsor mentions last season-either by him, or by announcers referencing his team-is off to another fast start with a Series-high 37 verbal brand mentions.
In terms of delivering television exposure to the Series’ participating automobile manufacturers, McMurray was the top exposure producer, posting $2.5 million on behalf of Chevrolet. #11-Denny Hamlin and Kenseth garnered $2.3 million for Toyota and Ford, respectively, while Keselowski gathered $1.5 million on behalf of the Dodge nameplate.(Joyce Julius)(3-31-2012)
- Sad News – Mary Elizabeth Staley: Mary Elizabeth Staley, age 95, of Brown Ridge Road, North Wilkesboro, widow of NASCAR pioneer Enoch R. Staley, died Friday, March 30, 2012 at her home. Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 1, 2012 at Fishing Creek Baptist Church with Rev. Darrell Poole officiating. Burial will be in Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends Saturday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home. Mrs. Staley was born February 16, 1917 in Wilkes County to Walter S. and Geneva Brooks Pennell. Before retiring, she was the ticket office manager at the North Wilkesboro Speedway. Mrs. Staley was a member of Fishing Creek Baptist Church. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Fishing Creek Baptist Church Organ Fund, 925 Old Hwy 60, Wilkesboro, NC 28697. On line condolences may be made at www.reinssturdivant.com.(3-31-2012)
- Petty to serve as Martinsville grand marshal: Life-time Goody’s Headache Powder spokesman Richard Petty will serve as the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 grand marshal on Sunday. Goody’s asked Petty to fill in for award-winning actor Gary Sinise, who was involved in an automobile accident Friday and will not be able to attend Sunday’s premier event. Tickets to the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway are on sale. For more information, call 877.722.3849 or visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com.(Goody’s)(3-31-2012)
- Sinise’s Saturday concert cancelled: Saturday night’s Lt. Dan Band Concert at Martinsville High School has been postponed after Gary Sinise was involved as a passenger in an automobile accident Friday. Sinise was not seriously injured, but will be unable to perform at Saturday night’s concert, a fundraiser for triple-amputee Cpl. J.B. Kerns. The award-winning actor, who starred as Lt. Dan in the movie Forrest Gump, founded and plays in the Lt. Dan Band. He was also scheduled to be the Grand Marshall at Sunday’s Speedway event, which he will also be unable to attend. John Hodge, spokesman for the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation which is promoting the event, said the concert will be rescheduled in Martinsville, and that an announcement on the date is forthcoming. “We are asking ticket holders to wait for the new date to be announced and if they can’t make that show, we will refund their money,” said Hodges.(Martinsville Speedway)(3-31-2012)
- Breakfast with the Bagman ticket option at Dover: Dover International Speedway has created a special, all-inclusive “Breakfast with the Bagman” package, featuring Delaware’s own Mike Bagley, for the Sunday, June 3 “FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The $99 option includes a ticket to the race in sections 202-204, an all-you-can-eat hot breakfast buffet, a souvenir program, and a question-and-answer session with Bagley. And you never know who else may pop in to say hello, too! Bagley is an on-air turn announcer with the Motor Racing Network (MRN), and also serves as host of The Morning Drive on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The breakfast and question-and-answer session will be held in the Rollins Center ballroom in the Dover Downs Hotel & Casino. Doors open at 7 a.m., breakfast will be available beginning at 7:30 a.m., and Bagley will arrive at 8 a.m. Ticket holders that already have purchased tickets to the June 3 “FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race may add the package to their ticket for only $29. The deadline to purchase the package is May 18, 2012.(Dover)(3-31-2012)
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