April 5, 2013
- Johnson wins Martinsville pole: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the pole for the STP Gas Booster 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway with speed of 98.400mph, a new track record, for his 1st pole of 2013 and 30th of his career. #9-Ambrose will start 2nd, followed by #55-Vickers, #22-Logano, #5-Kahne, #24-Gordon, #2-Keselowski, #20-Kenseth, #99-Edwards, and #39-Newman. #11-Martin qualified 35th. Missing the race was: #19-Bliss.
See the starting lineup, pole progression, qualifying results, qualifying order, qualifying rules on the Martinsville Starting Lineup / Qualifying Page.(4-5-2013)
- Qualifying Fast Facts – Martinsville:
Jimmie Johnson won the Coors Light Pole Award for the 64th Annual STP Gas Booster 500 with a record lap of 19.244 seconds, 98.400 mph.
This is his 30th pole in 405 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.
This is his first pole and fourth top-10 start in 2013.
This is his third pole in 23 races at Martinsville Speedway.
His average starting position at Martinsville Speedway is 11.9.
Marcos Ambrose (second) posted his first top-10 start of 2013 and his second in nine races at Martinsville Speedway.
Brian Vickers(i) (third) posted his third top-10 start at Martinsville Speedway. It is his second in two races this season.
Tony Stewart held the previous track qualifying record with a lap of 19.306 seconds, 98.083 mph.
(NASCAR Statistics)(4-5-2013)
- Friday practice for the STP Gas Booster 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway is over after 90 scheduled minutes, the top five, slowest and notes:
#48-Johnson 98.553
#42-Montoya 98.502
#15-Bowyer 98.359
#24-Gordon 98.257
#2-Keselowski 98.236
slowest: #87-Nemechek 96.156 & #32-Schrader 95.574.
#11-Martin, filling in for Hamlin, was 18th fastest.
See fastest speeds, laps run and more on the STP Gas Booster 500 Practice 1 Speeds page (pdf).(4-5-2013)
- Qualifying Order for the STP Gas Booster 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway is posted. 44 cars/drivers are listed.
The first of the drivers scheduled to go out is #14-Stewart.
The final driver scheduled to go out is #87-Nemechek.
Fastest in Friday practice, #48-Johnson, is scheduled to qualify 33rd.
Qualifying order is set by a random draw, held about an hour before the first practice.
See the full qualifying order on the Martinsville Qualifying Page.(4-5-2013)
- Sadler to run Sprint Cup race in 2013 UPDATE: Elliot Sadler is scheduled to run at least one un-named NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in 2013, running the #81 Alert Energy Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. This new energy product, was recently introduced by the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. The scheme is purple, orange-and-yellow.(lionelnascarcollectables.com.(3-26-2013)
UPDATE: Wrigley’s new Alert Energy Caffeine Gum will make its NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut with Joe Gibbs Racing and driver Elliott Sadler on April 21 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan. Sadler will pilot the #81 Alert Energy Camry there and at Talladega Superspeedway (May 5 and Oct. 20) for a total of three races during the 2013 race season. The #81 Alert Energy Camry joins an all-star lineup of Mars, Inc. and Wrigley sponsors at Joe Gibbs Racing including Doublemint gum, M&M’S and SNICKERS throughout the 2013 season. “I’m really looking forward to representing Alert Energy in the Sprint Cup Series,” said Elliott Sadler, driver of the #81 Camry. “I’ve been lucky to have a long history with Mars, Inc. and am very excited about working with them again in launching this new product.” Alert will be available nationwide starting in April. (JGR)(4-5-2013)
- Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma on the #31: Richard Childress Racing will feature the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma on the #31 Chevy driven by Jeff Burton at Martinsville Speedway this weekend. “We take for granted that the best emergency care for our children is always available, but that is not the case. Critically-injured patients treated in a certified trauma center have a 25% increased rate of survival,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing and co-founder of the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma. “We wanted to spotlight the need for awareness by running a paint scheme featuring the Institute this weekend.” Nearly 10,000 children die each year due to life-threatening injuries – more than all other causes combined. The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma invests resources in research, medical education and awareness to improve the treatment for critically injured children across the United States.(RCR), see an image of the car on the #31 team paint schemes page.(4-5-2013)
- Nemechek unveils new paint scheme: NEMCO-JRR Motorsports unveiled the new MaddiesPlaceRocks.com Toyota paint scheme for this weekend’s Sprint Cup Series STP Gas Booster 500 at Martinsville Speedway. The Purple, White, and Black #87 MaddiesPlaceRocks.com is wrapped and ready to be driven by “Front Row” Joe Nemechek at the short track in Martinsville. Driver Joe Nemechek stated, “We are excited to have the Maddie’s Place folks with us over the Martinsville race weekend. As a Team we hope to brighten up the race weekend with the new #87 MaddiesPlaceRocks.com Toyota paint scheme and also be competitive and put that car upfront.” (NEMCO-JRR), see an image of the car on the #87 team paint schemes page.(4-5-2013)
- Ganassi not rushing Larson: Kyle Larson, who has been praised as a potential superstar by Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne, is back to work crisscrossing the country racing anywhere he can during a long break in NASCAR’s second-tier Nationwide Series. He spent last weekend at home in California racing at Antioch and Calistoga in Outlaws and 360 sprints, was back in North Carolina to run his kart at MMX on Wednesday, then was off again Thursday to Sacramento to repeat last week’s schedule at Antioch and Calistoga again. Next week it’s back to MMX for karting and then on to Texas Motor Speedway to resume racing in the Nationwide Series. So far, team owner Chip Ganassi hasn’t been disappointed. But Ganassi is being cautious. It is early, after all, and Larson has just five races with Turner Scott Motorsports under his belt. Just how long Ganassi actually allows Larson to be a kid is another question. He holds options for next year on both #1-Jamie McMurray and #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, who sit 16th and 30th in the Sprint Cup standings right now. His loyalty to Montoya is unquestioned, but he’s admittedly frustrated that the results still aren’t there as the duo heads into their seventh season together in NASCAR. If Ganassi has something already in mind for Larson as a potential replacement to one of his Cup drivers he isn’t saying. He initially joked there was no firm plan for Larson, “we just, every Monday morning, we just throw a dart at the board,” before getting serious about the importance of going slow with his young driver.(Associated Press)(4-5-2013)
- ISC pays insurance deductible on Nationwide crash: Daytona International Speedway parent company International Speedway Corporation has paid a $1.1 million deductible in insurance costs related to the treatment of injuries for more than 30 fans hurt by debris Feb 23. On the final lap of the Nationwide Series race, the car driven by Kyle Larson got airborne and hit the catch fence in the area that can be unattached to allow fans and officials to go to and from the stands before and after a race. Fourteen people were admitted to the hospital following the accident. All have been released, ISC President John Saunders told financial analysts Thursday. In discussing its financial results for the first quarter of 2013 (December-February), ISC chief financial officer Dan Houser said the company had paid $1.1 million for the insurance deductible because of the Larson accident. The actual amounts expected to be paid out by insurance were not disclosed. According to the standard NASCAR sanctioning agreement filed by Dover International Speedway with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, tracks are required to carry $50 million in insurance to cover costs of injuries and lawsuits arising from NASCAR races.(Sporting News)(4-5-2013)
- Leavine Family racing spotlighting testicular cancer awareness month: On April 7th at Martinsville Speedway, the first weekend of testicular cancer awareness month, #95-Leavine Family Racing will begin to promote testicular cancer education and awareness. LFR will partner with Besties with Testies, a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. Besties with Testies, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, was founded with the mission to promote public interest and awareness of testicular cancer. Besties with Testies has been active informing the public of the importance of self-examination and early detection. Providing tools and resources to educators, advocates, testicular cancer patients, and survivors, Besties with Testies has reached thousands of young men through an all-volunteer organization and nationally recognized website. Testicular Cancer is most common in men ages 15 to 35 but can strike at any age. Testicular cancer is highly curable if detected early through self-examination.(Leavine Family Racing)(4-5-2013)
- NASCAR Day will be May 17: The NASCAR Foundation and many throughout the NASCAR industry will come together on Friday, May 17 at Charlotte Motor Speedway to celebrate the 10th Annual NASCAR Day. This special day is an unprecedented celebration of drivers, corporate partners, media and the sport’s millions of fans uniting with The NASCAR Foundation to support a range of charitable causes relevant and meaningful to those within the NASCAR family. For the first time, The NASCAR Foundation will be launching a “Ten Days of Giving” tour that will include philanthropic activities in several markets across the country. At each stop on the tour, beginning May 8 in Atlanta, Ga., and culminating on NASCAR Day in Charlotte, N.C., the foundation will partner with various organizations to deliver surprise acts of kindness. In addition to Atlanta and Charlotte, the tour will make stops in Winston-Salem, N.C.; Brooklyn, Mich.; Darlington, S.C.; Kansas City, Kan.; New York, N.Y.; and Daytona Beach, Fla.
Camping World, the Official Outdoor and RV Retailer of NASCAR, has joined the cause this year and will make the limited edition pin, designed by NASCAR’s first officially licensed artist Sam Bass, available now until May 17 at Camping World SuperCenters nationwide for a $10 donation to The NASCAR Foundation. NASCAR fans and supporters can also pick up their collectible pins at track during select race weekends or online at NASCAR.com/foundation. To date, NASCAR Day fundraising efforts has raised nearly $12 million for various charities supported by The NASCAR Foundation with an emphasis on children’s causes.
NASCAR Day at-track activations will include commemorative B-post decals on all trucks running in that day’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and on all cars participating in the next day’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, a special pre-race check presentation and many others.(NASCAR)(4-5-2013)
- Congrats: to Doug and Klarysa Riepe on the birth of their daughter Norah, who was born Friday morning, April 5 in Charlotte, NC. Doug works at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (EGR) as both a sponsor account manager and part of the over-the-wall crew on race day, as the rear tire carrier on the #1 Chevy SS for Jamie McMurray.(4-5-2013)
- FedEx, Autism Speaks return as Dover race sponsor: For the third straight year, FedEx Corp. , Autism Speaks and Dover International Speedway will team up, as FedEx will serve as the title sponsor for the “FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday, June 2, 2013. The announcement of the renewed partnership is coupled with the news that for the second straight year, the Autism Speaks Day at the Races event will be part of the June 2 race. Last year, this was the first-ever opportunity for those on the autism spectrum and their families to attend a NASCAR race, with a special ticket package set in a sensory friendly area within the air-conditioned grandstands at the Monster Mile. The NASCAR Unites Track Walk, benefiting Autism Speaks and The NASCAR Foundation, will follow the Saturday, June 1 “5-hour ENERGY 200” Nationwide Series race. Fans will have the opportunity to walk a lap around the one-mile, concrete oval where the top drivers in the sport do battle all weekend long. Another returning aspect to help raise awareness for Autism Speaks throughout the weekend will be the Autism Speaks puzzle piece decals for drivers in all three national touring series to display on their cars throughout the weekend. In 2012, 47 drivers participated in this aspect of the weekend.(Dover Speedway)(4-5-2013)
- Texas unveils new food items for NRA 500 weekend: Texas Motor Speedway will unveil a variety of brand new food items over the NRA 500 weekend. Always striving to build the most unique and flavorful items for fans, Levy Restaurants and The Speedway Club at Texas Motor Speedway Executive Chef Joel Pena created these one-of-a-kind additions. Some of the new featured items will include a glazed donut and brisket combination dubbed the “Smokin’ Hubcaps,” the “Bacon Cotton Candy Martini,” the “Jackalope Sausage” featuring pork, rabbit and antelope, as well as a “Kid’s Favorite” hot dog.(TMS)(4-5-2013)Burton on the pole for the Kroger 250: #4-Jeb Burton won the pole for Saturday’s race at Martinsville Speedway with a speed of 96.666 mph. #54-Darrell Wallace, Jr. will start on the outside of row one in the second position. #17-Timothy Peters, #98-Johnny Sauter, #77-German Quiroga, #3-Ty Dillon, #88-Matt Crafton, #94-Chase Elliott, #9-Ron Hornaday, Jr. #14-Brennan Newberry complete the top 10. #1-Jonathan Davenport and #68-Clay Greenfield failed to qualify for the race. See complete results on the Starting lineup (pdf) page.(4-5-2013)
- Burton fastest in first practice: #4-Jeb Burton was fastest during practice at Martinsville Speedway with a speed of 96.244 mph. #98-Johnny Sauter was second, followed by: # 9-Ron Hornaday, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #54-Darrell Wallace, Jr.- #2-Ty Dillon, #30-Nelson Piquet, #77-German Quiroga, #88-Matt Crafton, and #32- Miguel Paludo. 38 drivers practiced during the session. Clay Greenfield blew an engine in practice. Multiple trucks had separate spins during the session, but none suffered major damage. See complete results on the Martinsville practice 1 speeds page (pdf).(4-5-2013)
- Larson to run Rockingham: SPEED announcer Phil Parsons explained during the Martinsville practice coverage that team owner Steve Turner informed him that Turner Scott Motorsports will field Kyle Larson in the #30 Chevy at Rockingham Speedway. Larson, who drives full-time for TSM in the Nationwide Series, will get the nod over last year’s winner Kasey Kahne. Larson made four Truck Series starts last season for TSM, scoring one top-five and three top-10s.(4-5-2013)
- Peters to be declared reserve deputy: A NASCAR driver will become the newest face of the Southern Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, also known as Operation Blue Ridge Thunder. Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown will swear in Timothy Peters as a reserve deputy and spokesman at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday morning. Peters drives the #17 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra in the Camping World Truck Series. He will join a spokesperson panel that includes other entertainers such as actors Erik Estrada, of “CHiPs” and Jeremy Piven, of “En-tourage.”(The News and Advance)(4-5-2013)
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