April 3, 2008
- TWO Race Tracks Jeff Gordon has never won a CUP race at: There are TWO current race tracks the Sprint Cup Series runs on that #24-Jeff Gordon has not won at [a Sprint Cup race]:
Texas 0 for 14 with a best of 2nd in 2002
Homestead 0 for 8 with a best finish of 3rd 2004
Gordon has won at 22 [20 active] of 24 tracks he has raced on including two not on the circuit any longer, North Wilkesboro and Rockingham.
Gordon won at Phoenix in April to finally knock that track off the list in his 17th try there.(4-3-2008)
- Wood Brothers Racing Texas Preview Motorcraft Primary Sponsorship Debut: Wood Brothers Racing will unveil Motorcraft’s black, white and red paint scheme as the primary sponsor for this weekend’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. Bill Elliott will drive #21 Ford Fusion in the Samsung 500 on Sunday, April 6th. Geoff Smith, Motorcraft’s Motorsports Manager, explained why Motorcraft chose to debut their primary sponsorship at Texas Motor Speedway. He stated, “Motorcraft is excited to launch our 2008 sponsorship season in Texas this weekend. Texas is a very large and important market for Ford and Motorcraft parts. The Texas NASCAR race will afford us the opportunity to continue to grow our brand image given NASCAR’s popularity and exposure. We will provide trackside hospitality to reward local dealer and distributor contest winners who will attend the race as our guests.” “Team 21” is looking forward to racing a newly built chassis. Crew Chief, Mike “Andretti” Smith commented on this week’s preparation. He noted, “We went to Ford [Racing] this week to work on the 7-post shaker rig with the actual Texas race car. We think we came up with something really good.” He admited that they will focus on both qualifying and race runs during the initial practice on Friday because they are using a setup that is different from what they have tried at other tracks that resemble Texas, such as Atlanta. For more information on Motorcraft , please visit www.motorcraft.com.(Wood Brothers Racing)(4-3-2008) Comment here
- Interstate back on the #18: The green and black colors of Interstate Batteries will be back on the #18 Toyota of Kyle Busch at Texas this week.(JGR PR), see images of the car on my #18 Team Schemes page.(4-3-2008)
- Texas Soldier Honored for Heroism: Mark Martin and the United States Army NASCAR team will have an added incentive at this weekend’s Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Along with the Army’s prerace pageantry for Sunday’s Samsung 500, the #8 team will be introduced to a special guest – Staff Sergeant Kenneth Thomas — a hometown hero from Utopia, Texas, located approximately 85 miles northwest of San Antonio. Thomas, 23, a member of the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division out of Ft. Hood, Texas, was awarded the Silver Star, a decoration for gallantry in combat. Thomas’ heroic action on Feb. 16, 2007 resulted in a number of his comrades’ lives being saved while his boat patrol platoon was under attack by heavy enemy fire on the Tigris River — 20 miles north of Baghdad. Thomas will be accompanied to Sunday’s race by his platoon sergeant in Iraq — Sgt. 1st Class Allen Johns. The Army will also have a visible presence during Sunday’s national anthem. The 36th Infantry Division Band out of Austin, Texas will play The Star Spangled Banner while 50 Army Reserve and Army National Guard soldiers from Ft. Worth will hold the 30-by-60-foot flags of the United States and Texas. The 1st Cavalry Division from Ft. Hood will provide the color guard for the national anthem along with 56 soldiers, who will hold the state and territory flags.(DMF Communications/US Army PR)(4-3-2008)
- Diamondbacks logo on the #96: That weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, J.J. Yeley’s #96 Camry will sport an Arizona Diamondbacks 10th anniversary logo. Hall of Fame owners are Diamondbacks chief executive officer Jeff Moorad and chief operating officer Tom Garfinkel.(USA Today)(4-3-2008)
- Cheez-It on the #5 at Texas: Cheez-It, the world’s largest-selling cheese cracker, will adorn the hood of the #5 Chevy of Casey Mears this weekend at Texas. “The Big Cheese” will make its debut this Sunday and decorate the hood of the #5 Chevy for four races [Texas, Pocono [Aug], Michigan [Aug], California [Aug]]this season. The Cheez-It/CARQUEST Chevy finished third the last time it raced, which was last September at the Auto Club Speedway of Southern California.(HMS)(4-3-2008)
- Martin, McElreath inducted into Texas Motor Sports HOF: NASCAR veteran driver Mark Martin and open-wheel star Jim McElreath were inducted into the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame in ceremonies held tonight at The Speedway Club at Texas Motor Speedway. In addition, Texas Motor Speedway and Happy Hill Farm Academy honored Jimmie Johnson, the two-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion and defending Dickies 500 winner; Sam Hornish Jr., a three-time IndyCar Series champion and last season’s Bombardier Learjet 550k winner; and Indy-car veteran Arie Luyendyk, who won the first nighttime Indy car race at Texas Motor Speedway in 1997, with special awards during the ceremony. McElreath and Martin join previous inductees A.J. Foyt (2003), Johnny Rutherford (2003), Terry Labonte (2004), Lee Shepherd (2004), Kenny Bernstein (2005), Jim Hall (2005) and Eddie Hill (2006) into the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame. The Bruton Smith Legends Award, a lifetime achievement award given to a legendary figure in motorsports, was presented to Luyendyk. Luyendyk is a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner (1990, ’97) and three-time Indy 500 pole winner. Johnson was honored as the Texas Motor Speedway Racer of the Year. Hornish Jr., now a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie after an illustrious IndyCar Series career, was recognized with the Texas Motor Speedway Sportsmanship Award. Hornish Jr.’s charitable contributions to Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas Chapter have not gone unnoticed. For the past three years, Hornish Jr. has hosted the Sam Hornish Jr. Celebrity Bowling Tournament prior to the Bombardier Learjet 550k race weekend.(TMS)(4-3-2008)
- A new map to race shops in NC: A new pull-out map featuring all of North Carolina’s Sprint Cup race shops is now available from the Cabarrus County Convention & Visitors Bureau as part of its free, newly released annual Visitors Guide. The map contains directions to the race shops, a description of each, and the hours the race shops are open to visitors. Also included on the map are descriptions of major stops along The Dale Trail, a self-guided tour of landmarks relating to Dale Earnhardt’s life and NASCAR career in and around Kannapolis, the NASCAR legend’s hometown. For more information or a free copy of the new Cabarrus County NC visitors guide and pull-out map to the race shops, phone 800-848-3740 or visit www.visitcabarrus.com(PR)(4-3-2008)
- A Look At The 2008 Season: Five different drivers have posted victories in the Sprint Cup Series in 2008: Ryan Newman (Daytona), Carl Edwards (California and Las Vegas), Kyle Busch (Atlanta), Jeff Burton (Bristol) and Denny Hamlin (Martinsville). Dale Earnhardt Jr. has posted five top-10 finishes – more than any other driver. Five drivers have posted top-10 finishes in four of the six races. Burton is the only one of the six with a victory this season. Chevrolet and Toyota are tied for the lead in the manufacturer point standings, each with 37 points. Ford has 35 points. Dodge has 25. Ford and Toyota each have two victories this season. Chevrolet and Dodge each have one.(NASCAR PR)(4-3-2008)
- Johnson to unveil new ‘Concourse of Champions’ at TMS: Two-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will officially christen Texas Motor Speedway’s new “Concourse of Champions” display Friday by unfurling his 2007 Dickies 500 champion’s banner on the frontstretch concourse. Johnson will join Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage for the debut of the Concourse of Champions, a display that will feature 8-foot-by-10-foot banners to celebrate every driver in the Sprint Cup Series and Indy Racing League IndyCar Series that has won at Texas Motor Speedway since it opened in 1997. The display will go the length of the concourse beneath the frontstretch grandstands, from Gate 1 to Gate 7, and consist of 32 banners of former champions. The event will begin at 10:40 a.m. Friday in the concourse area located at Gate 4 with a designated media area with Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, and Gossage. All the gates are scheduled to open at 11 a.m. CT Friday, but Texas Motor Speedway will be opening Gate 4 for ticketed fans who are interested in watching or photographing the event with the two-time series champion at 10:30 a.m. The first 200 fans who arrive early for the unveiling ceremony will receive a free Lowe’s key chain.(TMS)(4-3-2008)
- Texas Goodyear Tire Notes: The tire combination for this weekend’s inaugural COT race at Texas is the result of a Goodyear tire test at the speedway in January . . . Juan Pablo Montoya and Clint Boyer performed the driving duties and provided the feedback during the test . . . the left side tire incorporates the same tread compound as raced in 2007 and a revised tire construction which has been incorporated into many left side tires in 2008, including Las Vegas, Bristol, and Atlanta . . . the right side tire utilizes the same construction as raced in 2007, with a slightly reformulated tread compound to provide a wear improvement for the aging Texas surface and the tougher right side conditions of the COT . . . this specific combination is currently also scheduled for use at Chicagoland . . . the left side tire will also be used in conjunction with a different right side tire at Dover, Michigan, and Kentucky . . . the Sprint Cup Series and the Nationwide Series will be using the same tire combination this weekend in Texas. . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Texas . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire. The estimated Pit Window: Every 50-55 laps, based on fuel mileage.(Goodyear), see full report, tires codes and more on my Texas Race Info Page.(4-3-2008)
- Bliss cites sponsorship issues in team change: Wearing a Miccosukee T-shirt in the garage area, #1-Mike Bliss was ready to begin driving for James Finch’s Phoenix Racing team that is ranked 22nd in owners points instead of the Fitz Motorsports team ranked eighth. Bliss is fifth in the Nationwide Series driver points, but says he felt like he had to make the move heading into the seventh race of the 35-race Nationwide Series schedule. The 2002 Craftsman Truck Series champion, Bliss had driven for Fitz in 23 races last year. The Fitz Motorsports car could still use sponsorship for about 10 races but team owner Armando Fitz has pledged to run the entire season.“It was a tough, tough decision because we were running good,” Bliss said. “It was a personal move for myself. I wasn’t too sure we were going to run all the races.(SceneDaily.com)(4-3-2008)
- Paul Wolfe Joins Braun Racing: Paul Wolfe has left Fitz Motorsports to replace Stewart Cooper as crew chief of the #38 Braun Racing entry and driver Jason Leffler in the Nationwide Series. Eddie Buffington is replacing Wolfe as crew chief of the #22 Fitz Motorsports car, which will be driven by Robby Gordon this weekend. Cooper has now joined Petty Enterprises as an engineer. There is a possibility that Newt Moore, formerly of Brewco Motorsports and Phoenix Racing, will call the race Saturday. He is currently working for Robby Gordon Motorsports.(SceneDaily.com)(4-3-2008)
- Busch to miss Kansas race: Richie Wauters [crew chief for #51] confirmed that Kyle Busch will miss the Series next race at Kansas, consequently giving up the points lead. The team looked at every possible scenario in which Busch could drive his Sprint Cup and Nationwide cars at Talladega, Ala., and also travel to Kansas, but nothing appeared feasible. Either Johnny Sauter or David Green will drive the #51 at Kansas.(ESPN.com)(4-3-2008)
- Quinn assumes crew chief role at Wyler Racing: John Quinn has assumed the role of crew chief at Wyler Racing, effective immediately. George Church had started the season as crew chief for driver Terry Cook but left the team following the Martinsville race to pursue other opportunities. Quinn now assumes the crew chief role for the #60 Wyler.com Toyota heading into the next series race at Kansas Speedway on April 26. Quinn’s engineering expertise was put to use first as a shock specialist with several teams including DEI and Richard Childress Racing. He joined Roush in 2003 and was promoted to crew chief for Ricky Craven in 2005. He led Craven to one victory before leading Darnell to Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors in 2006. He and Darnell combined for one victory at Kansas. He joined Wyler Racing in the off season and served as team engineer and shock specialist.(Wyler Racing PR)(4-3-2008)
- Congrats to Hillman family: Germain Racing is proud to announce that general manager Mike Hillman Sr. is a grandfather again. Tuesday’s latest addition to the ranks of Hillman’s grandchildren brings to a pause the recent “grandbaby mania” that began last year. In 2007, each of Hillman Sr.’s three sons announced their wives were expecting children. Matt Hillman, who does not work at the race shop, headed up the recent wave of grandbabies when he and wife Brooke gave birth to their first son, Hayden Alexander, in October. Matt’s twin brother, Mark, who serves as truck chief for the #30 Lumber Liquidators Tundra at Germain Racing, along with his wife, Jessica, became the proud parents of daughter Kaylin Elizabeth on February 26th. Mike Hillman Jr., crew chief for the #30 Lumber Liquidators Tundra, and wife Jennifer completed the grandbaby-trifecta on Tuesday, April 1, introducing their third child, Mylee Caroline, to the Hillman ranks. Hillman Sr. and wife, Sandy , now have a half-dozen grandchildren, including Jake, Trey and Lily. Hillman Sr.’s daughter, Melanie, a student at UNC Charlotte, makes time away from studies to be sure she spoils her nieces and nephews.(Germain Racing PR)(4-3-2008)
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