April 6, 2011
- Texas Winners List, Big Names All:
Texas’ wins list reads like the 2030 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee list. A quick By the Numbers .
16 – Number of different winners in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Texas.
14 – Number of winners who have made at least one Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
2 – Only two Texas race winners haven’t earned a Chase berth: Terry Labonte and Dale Jarrett. But both won championships (Labonte in 1984, ’96; Jarrett in 1999) prior to the Chase’s inception in 2004.
7 – Texas race winners who have won series championships: Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, Jarrett and Labonte.(NASCAR)(4-6-2011)
- 2013 Sprint Cup designs moving forward: Development of the proposed new 2013 Sprint Cup Series body styles is progressing on schedule, as the sanctioning body works hand-in-hand with automakers to increase brand identity on the race track. Multiple sources say Chevy, Ford, Dodge and Toyota are expected to submit their final roof and rear deck lid designs in the near future, allowing NASCAR to move forward with the process of creating a unique body for each brand, while maintaining a similar aerodynamic footprint. The current Sprint Cup Series bodies are virtually identical, with the exception of a vinyl graphics package applied to the headlight, grille and rear taillight areas of each car. Beginning in 2013, however, the sanctioning body hopes to have each model be easily identifiable from the front, rear and sides. In an effort to allow manufacturers more design leeway, NASCAR will reportedly cease to distinguish between steel and lexan, allowing manufacturers to contour their NASCAR windshields and side windows identically to those found on their stock, production models. The change would allow teams to do away with the bulky, steel B-pillars required under current NASCAR rules, replacing them with thin “support strips” anchored to larger, lexan side windows. The move will greatly enhance brand identity, something automakers have lobbied hard for in recent years. It could also remove the main stumbling block cited by General Motors executives for not keeping their popular Chevy Camaro out of NASCAR competition. GM has staunchly refused to modify what it calls the “iconic body line” of the Camaro for NASCAR competition. But with new rules in place for the 2013 season, there is a chance the Detroit automaker could reconsider that decision.(Sirius Speedway)(4-6-2011)
- Kurt Busch meets with military members: #22-Kurt Busch spent time with our military personnel Monday when he made a special tour of Marine Corps Base Quantico, the major United States Marine Corps training facility located near Triangle, Va. “What a great activity to do for a track appearance!” Busch said of his visit on behalf of Richmond International Raceway in support of the upcoming April 28-30 big NASCAR racing weekend. Before the event, Busch said “We’ll be doing a meet & greet, spending time with the wounded and even observe some of the training at the mortar pit. These are all special people who give so much to our country. I know it’ll be a lot of fun along the way, but it’s a sincere honor to be able to make this visit and show our support.”(Tom Roberts PR)(4-6-2011)
- Farm America makes 2011 debut on #78: Furniture Row Racing, which is spearheading the Farm American program, announced that the team’s #78 Chev will showcase the Farm American colors for the first time this season at this weekend’s Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Regan Smith’s car at the 1.5-mile Texas oval will be known as the #78 Farm American ChevY, presented by Furniture Row Companies and Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers.(Furniture Row Racing) see an image of the car on the #78 Team Schemes page.(4-6-2011)
- Different look for Menard at Texas: Slightly Different Colors on the Quaker State/Menards Chevy in the Lone Star State … The #27 Quaker State/Menards Chevy of Paul Menard will sport a slightly different look this weekend, carrying a special paint scheme. “Quaker State green” and “Menards yellow” will don the Impala as the Sprint Cup Series races under the lights of Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday night (RCR), see the car on the #27 Team Schemes page.(4-6-2011)
- Race and Commercial Breakdown of the Goody’s Fast Relief 500: For those of you NASCAR fans that like stats and love to hate commercials, or wonder how often your driver was focused on during these races, here is the breakdown for Sunday’s race. Fox was the broadcast team for this event.
Total number of commercials: 117
Total number of companies or entities advertised: 75
Total number of brief promos of products/services during the race broadcast: 52
Start time to record race/commercial periods: 1:00 pm
End time to record race/commercial periods: 5:15 pm
Total minutes: 255
Minutes of race broadcast: 203
Minutes of commercials: 52
Number of missed restarts: 0 but one did occur right as broadcast returned from commercial—too close to call
Number of ‘mystery cautions’ (debris not shown): 0
For driver focus, past races, links see the 2011 TV Commercials Page.(4-6-2011)
- Fort Worth Mayor proclaims Friday “Go Green Day”: Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief proclaimed Friday as “Go Green” Day to support the opening of Texas Motor Speedway’s 2011 race season that commences this weekend with the running of the Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR double-header weekend. Moncrief is encouraging Fort Worth residents, businesses as well as city employees to wear a green-colored item of clothing Friday and show support for the Fort Worth-based speedway that delivers the largest attended, single-day sporting event in the State of Texas with Saturday evening’s Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. The Fort Worth Water Gardens commemorated the start of race season by dyeing the water in the aerated water garden green. In addition to the Water Gardens honoring race week, Fort Worth’s Avenue of Light will help commemorate the opening of Texas Motor Speedway’s race season by going green beginning Thursday. Avenue of Light is a series of six soaring, stainless-steel, lighted sculptures by Cliff Garten Studio that are located on Lancaster Avenue between Lamar and Main/Commerce Streets in downtown Fort Worth. Energy-efficient, programmable LED light fixtures illuminate the sculptures by night, making it possible for the Avenue of Light to mark important civic events by changing the color of the light, including going green this week.(TMS)(4-6-2011)
- Improvements at Watkins Glen moving forward: Despite constant weather changes ranging from snow to rain to sunshine, Watkins Glen International has been a hotbed of activity. The capital improvements project announced in December 2010 has kicked into high gear with construction currently taking place on three grandstands, new lighting poles, and the addition of new showers in two locations. The contracts for all projects to-date have been awarded to New York-based companies keeping the financial benefits inside the state and supporting the regional economy. The entire capital improvement project is scheduled to be completed prior to the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekend, August 11-14.(WGI)(4-6-2011)
- ML Motorsports names Texas sponsors: Shelby Howard and the #70 crew will be back on the track again after two busy off-weeks preparing the #70 Chevy for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. ML Motorsports and Howard have Race Fuel Energy Drink and La Quinta Inn & Suites on the #70 Chevy at TMS this week. Race Fuel Energy Drink has served as primary sponsor at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and associate sponsor at Bristol Motor Speedway. Race Fuel owner, Kenny Freeman, has opted to put Race Fuel Energy Drink on the #70 Chevrolet Impala as primary sponsor once again. Long time sponsor, Foretravel Motorcoach of Nacogdoches, Texas, will be featured on the rear quarter panels. (ML Motorsports)(4-6-2011)
- Canadian buys Baker Curb Racing team: UPDATES: 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)(3-31-2011)
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)
UPDATE 5: A Canadian businessman has purchased some of the assets of Baker Curb Racing and reportedly plans to locate a new NASCAR team in Nashville, with aspirations to eventually compete in the Sprint Cup Series. Sources say Go Canada Racing, owned by Toronto millionaire Steve Meehan, will make its debut in the April 23 Nationwide Series race at Nashville Superspeedway. The car will carry No. 67, with Canadian driver J.R Fitzpatrick behind the wheel. Details will be announced at a press conference prior to the Superspeedway race. Baker Curb Racing co-owner Gary Baker confirmed that some of his team’s equipment has been sold to Meehan, but said the team has not folded. He said, however, that it will not race again until it secures sponsorship that will make its cars competitive on the track. “We sold a transporter, two race cars and some pit road equipment,” Baker said, “but selling off some assets is not the same as selling the team. We have not sold the team.” Fitzpatrick has driven Baker Curb Racing’s No. 27 in some races this year, and Baker said that Meehan has been “paying most of the costs.” “It’s been a joint effort,” Baker said of his team’s association with Meehan. “But Mike Curb and I still own the team. If somebody forms another team here, it will be entirely separate from ours.” (Racin’ Today)(4-6-2011)
- Means Motorsports names Texas sponsors: Restore Honor Project and No Bullies Allowed are sponsors for #52 this week at Texas. Means Motorsports will back two causes this weekend, first being Texascountrytv.com, a social media site that supports the Restore Honor Project which looks to end the homeless Veterans crisis by purchasing multi unit apartments and hospitals then turning them into housing for soldiers and their families to live in after service. Currently, there are close to 4000 homeless vets on the street. Also on the hood this week will be “No Bullies Allowed,” a media site created by two mothers and their little girls wanting to make a difference in their school and community. No Bullies Allowed is an organization focused on helping children, parents, and educators combat the growing bullying challenges, facing our schools and communities, through positive messaging. Their goal is to educate, inform and most importantly, influence kids and adults to take a stand against bullying through their personal commitment to make a positive difference.(Means Motorsports PR)(4-6-11)
2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997