April 5, 2011
- Johnson apologizes for questioning pit road penalty: #48-Jimmie Johnson apologized on Tuesday for ripping NASCAR for what he believed to be a bogus speeding penalty on pit road Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. Johnson called out the governing body during his post-race interview and again on Twitter after the penalty left him with an 11th-place finish that left him one short of tying the NASCAR record for the most consecutive top-10 finishes at 18. On Tuesday, Johnson said he was mistaken, that the timing segment that NASCAR accused him of speeding through was different from what he believed during the race. “The fact is we were wrong,” Johnson said. “I was referring to a segment I knew I couldn’t get busted in. At the end of the day it wasn’t the segment we were busted on.” Johnson said he shouldn’t have made the comments without all the correct information, although he said NASCAR could take care of misinformation by making pit road speeds instantly available for drivers and fans to see. NASCAR says it has no plans to do that.(ESPN.com)(4-5-2011)
- NASCAR getting ready to test fuel injectors: The first on-track test of fuel injection in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series could come as early as July 7 at Kentucky Speedway, provided NASCAR finalizes specifications for system hardware and software in time for teams to prepare. Because the Cup series will race at Kentucky for the first time on July 9, NASCAR has OK’d extra practice on Thursday, July 7. Cup teams are scheduled to spend four hours on the track that day, and Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines chief engine builder Danny Lawrence hopes that will also provide the first test of fuel injection for the series. “Hopefully they’ll know (about specifications) in a week or two, because there’s getting to be a pretty big push for people to run at the Kentucky test,” Lawrence told Sporting News on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. “They’re going to have a test day before the race, and if they have everything spec’ed out by then, we’ll try to run there—that’ll be our first deal. I know they’re working on it really hard, and hopefully, they’ll have it figured out in a few days.” NASCAR announced in February at Daytona International Speedway that McLaren and Freescale Semiconductor will partner in the development and manufacture of engine control units (ECUs) designed to manage fuel and ignition systems in Cup cars. Fuel injection will replace the carburetors that have been part of Cup engines since the series’ inception in 1949, with the transition targeted for the 2012 season.(Sporting News)(4-5-2011)
- Newman’s Car Will Pay Tribute To U.S. Army Reserve in Texas: Ryan Newman’s #39 U.S. Army Chevy will pay tribute to the men and women of the Army Reserve in Saturday night’s Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. The paint scheme on the hood and rear-quarter panel of Newman’s car will showcase Army Reserve, which is the Federal Reserve force of the U.S. Army. Founded in 1908, Reserve Soldiers receive the same training as active-duty Soldiers and are offered the opportunity to serve near home until they are needed to deploy. Reserve Soldiers combine civilian experience with military training to provide specialized skills for military missions around the world. “This is another excellent opportunity for our high-profile U.S. Army NASCAR team to educate young Americans about the many career options available in the U.S. Army,” said Col. Derik Crotts, Director of Strategic Marketing, Communications and Outreach, U.S. Army Accessions Command. “For 103 years now, our Army Reserve Soldiers have been integral in preserving freedom and maintaining a strong nation in both their military and civilian roles.”
“It’s an honor and inspiration for our U.S. Army Racing team to recognize the dedicated Reserve Soldiers,” said Newman. “It’s our goal to contend for the win and produce plenty of exposure for the U.S. Army Reserve. Of course, the coolest tribute would be to drive the Army Reserve Chevrolet to Victory Lane.”(US Army Racing). See an image of the scheme on the #39 Team Schemes page.(4-5-2011)
- Dale Jr. to run special VH1 scheme in All-Star race: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. is scheduled to run a special Dale Jr. Foundation VH1 Save The Music paint scheme in the Sprint All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21st. Unless Earnhardt Jr. wins in one of the five remaining races before the event, he will have to race in to the All-Star race via the Sprint Showdown [being the winner or 2nd place car] or being voted in by the fans. Earnhardt Jr. has run every All-Star race since his rookie season, when he won the event in 2000. For more info on the event, see my 2011 All-Star race page. To see an image of the scheme, see the #88 Team Schemes page.(4-5-2011)
- David Starr set to make Cup debut: Leavine Fenton Racing and David Starr are looking forward to making their debut NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start on April 9 at Texas Motor Speedway for the Samsung Mobile 500. Starr will pilot the #95 Leavine Fenton Racing Ford as he looks to put on a show for the hometown crowd. Texas businesses B&D Electrical and TWD Drywall will be on the car along with WRL General Contractors, Ltd. and Fenton Motor Group. “Words can’t describe how big this is,” David Starr said. “Ever since I was a little boy, I wanted to attempt to qualify for a Cup race. The ultimate dream is to race in the biggest series in the world, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. I can’t make the word be big enough to what it means. I’m just honored, proud, and blessed to have the opportunity to do that with good equipment. Even though it’s my home track, I’m racing against the most competitive drivers in the world, and to have the opportunity to race against the best in the world is pretty cool.” The team announced their formation back on January 7. They will compete in Roush Fenway Racing chassis with Roush Yates Engines. There are only five fulltime employees at the North Carolina shop with veteran crew chief, Wally Rogers calling the shots on pit road and Mark Gregory as the spotter. Over The Wall Crew (OTWCrew) from Mooresville, N.C. will pit the car for the Texas weekend as well.(Leavine Fenton Racing), see images of the car scheems on the #95 Team Schemes page.(4-5-2011)
- March of Dimes scheme for Hamlin at Texas: FedEx and #11-Denny Hamlin annually team up with the March of Dimes and unveil a special paint scheme to raise awareness of the organization during a NASCAR race weekend. This year Dallas-based, seven-year-old twins Josh and Jake Aron, who were born premature, were chosen to design the paint scheme that Hamlin will run on his #11 FedEx Toyota for the Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. The twins flew to North Carolina to meet Hamlin and lay out their paint scheme for the team in March and now will get to see their artwork first hand. The twins, along with their father Jaime, will be on hand Thursday, April 7, at 11:30 am when the car is rolled off the team transporter in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage at Texas Motor Speedway.(TMS)(4-5-2011)
- Why did Cope withdraw from Martinsville? #75-Derrike Cope was entered to run last weeks Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway, but withdrew. An explanation on Cope’s Facebook: “We had entered the Martinsville Sprint Cup race scheduled for this weekend…but we were unable to finish the car in time for us to properly prepare. We had a few issues that presented themselves and put us behind so we opted to withdraw our entry and try in the near future. The car looks great! We will work on some sponsorship as well as get the car on the pull down rig, chassis dyno, and possibly test on a short track somewhere to get more prepared before our next outing.”(4-5-2011)
- At Texas Motor Speedway::
· Construction began in 1995.
· The first NASCAR race was a NASCAR Nationwide Series event on April 5, 1997.
· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was on April 6, 1997.
· There have been 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, one per season from 1997 through 2004 and two races per year since 2005.
· Four drivers have competed in all 20 Texas races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin.
· Jeremy Mayfield was the first pole winner, in 1998. Qualifying for the inaugural race in 1997 was canceled.
· Jeff Burton won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.
· 14 drivers have scored poles, led by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon with two.
· 16 drivers have won races, led by Carl Edwards, with three. Denny Hamlin and Jeff Burton each have two wins.
· 14 of 20 races have been won from a top-10 starting position. Only one has been won from the pole (Kasey Kahne in 2006).
· Matt Kenseth started 31st en route to his victory at Texas in 2002, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started.
· Both Jeff Burton (1997) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) scored their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Texas, and 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne made his first series start at Texas (11/07/10).
· Martin Truex Jr. scored his first series pole at Texas (11/04/07).
· Three of the last four races have had a margin of victory under one second.
· Denny Hamlin (8.8) and Matt Kenseth (9.3) are the only two active drivers to average a top-10 finish.
· Roush Fenway Racing leads all owners in victories, with seven. Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have three wins each.
· There has been two season sweeps, by Carl Edwards in 2008 and Denny Hamlin in 2010.(NASCAR)(4-5-2011)
- Special visitor at Texas for the race: Astronaut Doug Hurley, a Texas Motor Speedway season ticket holder, will be visiting the speedway to enjoy the historic first-ever nighttime NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race – the Samsung Mobile 500 – before making some history of his own. He will serve as the pilot of the four-astronaut crew of the Atlantis, which will launch June 28 from Kennedy Space Center and serve as the final flight of NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Officially known as Space Shuttle Mission STS-135, the crew is slated for a 12-day mission to the International Space Station. Hurley will honor his home track by flying an item from Texas Motor Speedway with him on this mission and Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage will present it to Hurley at a press conference Saturday, April 9, at 5:15 pm in the Samsung Mobile Infield Media Center deadline room. A special opportunity to visit with the pilot of the final shuttle launch in history and get his take on this historic mission as well as honoring his home track.(TMS)(4-5-2011)
- Texas Motor Speedway pre-race concert by 3 Doors Down: Texas Motor Speedway is bringing its “No Limits” attitude to its musical entertainment for the Samsung Mobile 500 on Saturday, April 9, with a pre-race concert by modern American rockers, 3 Doors Down. 3 Doors Down will perform a free concert beginning at 5:00 pm on the frontstretch stage to highlight the pre-race activities leading up to the start of the first-ever Saturday night NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. While the concert is free to all Samsung Mobile 500 ticket holders, 3 Doors Down fans can get even closer to the music by purchasing a special $79 “mosh pit” ticket. The ticket provides a stage-side view for the band’s performance, in addition to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver introductions for the Samsung Mobile 500. A “mosh pit” ticket must accompany a grandstand ticket for the Samsung Mobile 500. To purchase “mosh pit” tickets or tickets to the Samsung Mobile 500, visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com or call the Texas Motor Speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500.
(TMS)(4-5-2011)
- Traffic / Construction updates for Texas Motor Speedway area: The Fort Worth Police Department provided a variety of traffic and highway construction updates for the public Monday that pertains to this weekend’s Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR doubleheader at Texas Motor Speedway.
With both Friday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 Nationwide Series race and Saturday’s Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race being the first-ever NASCAR night races in the speedway’s 15-year history, significant changes were announced to the contra-flow traffic plan prior to and following the conclusion of the races during a press conference at Texas Motor Speedway led by Fort Worth Police Department Capt. Bryan Sudan. Friday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 will begin at 7:30 p.m. CT and Saturday’s Samsung Mobile 500 will start at 6:30 p.m. See an overview of the traffic and construction updates on my Texas Motor Speedway Track News, Stats & Links page.(4-5-2011) - Hornish returns for second race of season: Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the #12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge, will make his second start of the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series season this weekend in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. Hornish last competed in the Nationwide Series during the 2011 season opener at Daytona International Speedway, where he qualified 17th and finished 36th. His last Nationwide Series race at TMS was in April of 2008 when he finished 19th. This will be one of three events that Hornish will compete in during the month of April. The former IndyCar champion will also race at Talladega and Richmond later this month.(Penske Racing)(4-5-2011)
- Fuge out at TriStar: UPDATES: Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody has learned that crewchief Dave Fuge, Sr., is out as crewchief of Mike Bliss’ #19 NASCAR Nationwide Series entry at Tri-Star Motorsports. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, sources close to the team say the veteran crewchief parted company with the team today, despite ranking ninth in Nationwide Series championship points after three events. Bliss was 17th – three laps down – Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, after finishing 13th in the season opener at Daytona and 20th two weeks ago in Phoenix. A spokesperson for Tri-Star Motorsports confirmed that Fuge is no longer with the team, but declined to discuss reasons for the move. No decision has been made on a possible replacement. (Sirius Speedway)(3-8-2011)
UPDATE: TriStar Motorsports owner, Mark Smith, announced that effective immediately Wes Ward will assume crew chief duties for the #19 entry and driver Mike Bliss. A NASCAR veteran of 22 years and former Director of Competition at Rusty Wallace Racing, Ward replaces Dave Fuge at the helm of the #19 team.(3-10-2011)
UPDATE 2: Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway with Dave Moody has learned that Wes Ward has left Tri-Star Motorsports, where he had served as crewchief for Mike Bliss’ NASCAR Nationwide Series team. There is no word on a replacement, and a call placed to Tri-Star in search of comment was not returned.(Sirius Speedway)(4-5-2011)
- Clements picks up Texas sponsors: Hilton Garden Inn Irving Texas, Jim Sealy of US Petroleum Consultants of Pampa Tx, and Lowry Plumbing of Kerrville TX join www.racedaysponsor.com and www.repairablevehicles.com, Carolina Collision Gaffney SC, Coca Cola, Spartanburg SC and M & S Concrete of McDonough Ga. as sponsors for the OReilly 300 at Texas Motor Speedway Friday April 8th. (Clements PR)(4-5-2011)
- 75th start for Richardson: The saying “there’s no place like home” couldn’t ring more true for Robert Richardson, Jr. in this weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. Richardson has two mini-milestones to mark this week celebrating his 29th birthday on Monday, April 4, and is making his 75th-career NNS start this weekend at TMS. The graduate of nearby McKinney High School, and former high school quarterback-turned-NASCAR-driver, is ready for the comforts of home right now. (R3 Motorsports)(4-5-2011)
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