April 4, 2011
- The Entry List for the Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway is posted, 45 teams/drivers [for 43 spots] are listed, including:
Not in top 35 of owners points:
#13-Casey Mears (37/6)
#36-Dave Blaney (38/6)
#38-Travis Kvapil (39/6)
#46-J.J. Yeley (41/6)
#60-TBA (43/6)
#66-Michael McDowell (42/6)
#71-Andy Lally (36/6)
#87-Joe Nemechek (44/6)
#92-Brian Kesekowski (45/4)
#95-David Starr (0/0)
In the event that all practices and qualifying are all rained out or cancelled:
the eight who would make it [8]: #’s 71,13,36,38,46,66,60,87
missing the race would be [2]: #’s 92, 95
See the full entry list at my Jayski’s Texas Entry List.(4-4-2011)
- Kimi Raikkonen, Left Turns Equal Right Move At GMP: Reporters and photographers were the first to open the gates at Gresham Motorsports Park this morning as they awaited the arrival of Kimi Raikkonen, former F1 Champion. Raikkonen arrived in America this past weekend to make his first test run at GMP today. He has signed with Kyle Busch Motorsports to run a limited schedule in the NASCAR Camping World Truck series and will make his NCWTS debut at Charlotte on May 20, 2011.
The 2007 Formula One Champion is a native of Finland and currently drives in the World Rally Car Series since leaving Formula One in 2009. Raikkonen will be a familiar face to some of the NASCAR drivers including Juan Pablo Montoya and Nelson Piquet Jr., who were both former F1 drivers. “Gresham Motorsports Park is proud to have Raikkonen choose this track for his first-ever NASCAR test,” said Gresham Motorsports Park’s General Manager, Dan Elliott. “We know that Kimi will be successful no matter where he competes.” Raikkonen plans to run a two-day closed test at GMP in preparation for his NCWTS debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Education Lottery 200 on May 20, 2011.(Gresham Motorsports Park)(4-4-2011)
- Overnight TV Ratings for Martinsville: NASCAR on FOX posted a 3.9/9 for Sprint Cup racing from Martinsville. Last year’s Martinsville race was rained out. Yesterday’s 3.9/9 is down -5% compared to the 4.1/9 the Martinsville race earned two years ago. Yesterday’s race averaged a 9 share most of the way, then popped to an 11 share at 5pm as it appeared that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would snap a winless streak of nearly 100 races, but Kevin Harvick passed Earnhardt in the final five laps to take the checkered flag in another of his patented hard-charging finishes. The fact that last year’s race was rained out has a big impact on this year’s season-to-date comparison because a mediocre Martinsville rating is now being factored into this year’s average but not last year’s. As a result FOX’s advantage over 2010 is now just +2% on an average rating basis (5.1/11 vs. 5.0/10). A second way of measuring this season would be to look at total rating points, a metric that doesn’t penalize FOX for last year’s rainout. Total viewing of NASCAR is up +22% this year (30.7 gross rating points vs. 25.1 a year ago). See other race TV Ratings, four-year comparison on the 2011 TV Ratings page.(4-4-2011)
- Truex walks away from violent crash: With average lap speeds under 100 mph, it’s hard to imagine a crash as violent as the one Martin Truex Jr. experienced Sunday on Lap 221. The throttle of Truex’s #56 Toyota hung wide open, and Truex plowed through Kasey Kahne’s #4 Toyota into the Turn 3 wall with an impact that destroyed and ignited Truex’s car. Truex, who walked away from the wreck, expressed gratitude to NASCAR and the racetrack for the safer cars and SAFER barriers that cushioned the impact of the wreck. “Ten years ago, I wouldn’t be standing here, so I’m thankful for that,” Truex said. “You can lock the brakes up, but there’s nothing to do (when the throttle sticks). As unfortunate as it was that Kasey was involved, he really helped slow my car down when I hit him. It was probably a blessing. Hate that we took him out.”(Sporting News)(4-4-2011)
- NASCAR Looking at Fueling Heads?: There was some talk in the garage this weekend that NASCAR may begin taking a closer look into the fueling systems used by the Cup Series teams. As you’ve heard repeatedly all season, the teams are using a new style self-vented fueling system this season with the elimination of the catch can man. NASCAR’s rules for the new system, which was developed by Schultz Products, allow for some modifications to the components. And besides making changes to pit stop choreography, many teams have spent a lot of time trying to find ways to make fuel flow faster with the new equipment. It sounds now as if NASCAR wants to see what they’ve been able to accomplish.(NASCAR Insiders)(4-4-2011)
- Shane Hmiel returns home from rehab center: Shane Hmiel went home Friday from the Atlanta rehabilitation center he’s been at since Nov. 17 as he continues to recover from a devastating sprint car crash that left him with a bruised spinal chord and other injures last year. Shane is expected to return to the rehab center and that this is just a break, his father Steve said. “It’s like lifting weights, you’ve got to let your muscles rest, so they’ll heal and that’s basically where he’s at,” Steve Hmiel said. Also, Shane is set to go to the Mayo Clinic in two weeks. Steve Hmiel said that Shane can move his arms and he has limited motion his hands. He can bend his knee up, tap his foot and wiggle his feet but does not have strength in his legs as he remains in a wheelchair. He’s also passed all his tests measuring cognizance, Steve said. For more info and quotes, see the article at the Virginian Pilot.(4-4-2011)
- Canadian buys Baker Curb Racing team UPDATE 4 Denied: Toronto businessman Steve Meehan bought Baker Curb Racing Nationwide team in a deal that closed following the Mar. 19 race in Bristol, Tenn. Driver J.R. Fitzpatrick is a key element in a planned all-Canadian NASCAR outfit that promises to take him to the Sprint Cup. “I think it’s fantastic. Steve is a really good guy, he’s Canadian and he really wants to see Canadian corporate sponsorship and Canadian drivers, so I mean it’s really cool,” Fitzpatrick said. “He really believes in me and that’s what I really like. Given that I do need the experience and the time at the tracks and, even if it can’t be a full year, he is definitely going to push my career along and I am glad to be a part of it.” With NASCAR’s exposure and huge popularity, the team should be attractive to Canadian companies who want to use the series to promote themselves in this country and in the U.S., as well as companies from south of the border looking to get their names known in Canada. But with the ink still fresh, Meehan will back the effort mostly with his “love for racing” until the business development part of the plan gets going and the team starts attracting sponsorship. Although plans haven’t been completely finalized, the short-term goal is to run a limited schedule in 2011 with a long-term objective of getting into the top tier Cup Series by 2013. “We will run primarily in Nationwide and likely a few Cup races in 2011 — I think J.R. is comfortable running the road courses in Cup and with a little bit more experience and practice I think he could run an oval or two in Cup,” said Meehan, 46, founder of the Investment Planning Counsel, which was acquired by IGM Financial in 2004 for $95 million in a cash and stock deal. “Our focus is to quickly evolve to a full-time Cup team and I think J.R. is sufficiently talented to get there with the right people behind him.” Fitzpatrick has raced nine times in Nationwide since 2007, with seven of those starts coming on road courses. He also has 13 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts under his belt. Originally, he was slated to race April 8 in Texas, but the change in ownership has the team regrouping and instead planning to hit the stop three weeks away in Nashville.(Globe and Mail)(4-1-2011)
UPDATE: Baker Curb Racing says that have not been sold. The team sold 1 transporter, 2 cars and some pit equipment, but nothing else. They are still functioning and seeking sponsors.(4-1-2011)
UPDATE 2: Jason Sharpe, Fitzpatrick’s business manager, said that while the driver will race in select Canadian Tire races this season, his main focus will be on a dozen NASCAR Nationwide Series races with one or two Sprint Cup races thrown in later in the year. Sharpe confirm ed that Toronto businessman Steve Meehan had purchased all but the name of the Baker Curb Racing Nationwide team and intends to take Fitzpatrick to the top with the goal of being full-time in Sprint Cup by 2013. Meantime, a press conference is planned in the near future to connect the dots. The new team is aiming to run the Nationwide race at Nashville April 23.(Toronto Star)(4-4-2011)
UPDATE 3: Baker Curb again states that they have only sold equipment that they did not need. By no means have they sold the team. They continue to talk to sponsors and have equipment ready to race.(Baker Curb)(4-4-2011)
UPDATE 4: Steve Meehan … last week finalized the purchase of two NNS cars, a team transporter and some pit road equipment from Baker Curb Racing of Nashville, Tenn. It was originally reported that Meehan had bought out BCR, but that was not the case. “I should note however that I didn’t buy the Baker Curb organization, I bought the assets,” he told the Sun in an e-mail. “It was reported … I bought the team which is an understandable mistake but I don’t want any confusion about owning the corporation. Gary Baker still owns the name and the corporate entity.” The good news is that J.R. Fitzpatrick, of Cambridge, Ont., who has driven the #27 Baker Curb Racing Ford twice already this season, has a deal with Meehan to be behind the wheel of the new outfit’s car at Nashville Superspeedway for the Nashville 300 on April 23. (Toronto Sun)(4-4-2011) - Texas Farms and Ranches sponsoring Starr: As a Texan, David Starr believes in doing things in a big way. Friday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 won’t be any different. Along with Texas Farms and Ranches, the Nationwide Series race will be steeped in Texas pride and tradition. The leading real estate agency that specializes in farm properties and ranches will add its sponsorship and support to the side of Starr’s #05 Chev for one of the biggest races of the season. The #05 Texas Farms and Ranches Chevy will feature a red, white and blue paint scheme with “Lone Star Flag” logo featured on the hood. (PR)(4-4-2011)
- American Ethanol partners with RAB at Texas: RAB Racing with Brack Maggard will feature a new primary sponsor at Texas Motor Speedway as American Ethanol partners with RAB Racing and veteran driver Kenny Wallace for the NASCAR Nationwide Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 on Friday, April 8th. Wallace, who is the official voice of Family Farmers and represents Sunoco Green E-15 Ethanol, will drive the #09 American Ethanol Toyota, featuring a special black and green paint scheme, in the first night race of the 2011 NASCAR season.(RAB Racing)(4-4-2011)
- Menard making 2011 debut: #33-Paul Menard will make his first Nationwide Series start of 2011 and first start with Kevin Harvick Inc. this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Menard has nine series starts at the 1.5-mile track, with one top-five and five top-10 finishes. In each of his last four races at Texas, the driver has finished within the top 10. His average start is 13.1 and average finish, 12.9.(KHI)(4-4-2011)
- Congrats to Johnny & Cortney Sauter: Congratulations go out to Johnny & Cortney Sauter on the birth of their baby daughter this morning. She was born weighing in at 7lbs, 5oz…name yet to be determined. Mom, Dad and baby are all resting well!(ThorSport PR)(4-4-2011)
2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997