April 7, 2011
- Thursday practice: for the Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway is over, after 100 scheduled minutes, the top 5, slowest and notes:
#6-Ragan 185.816
#14-Stewart 185.701
#42-Montoya 185.280
#1-McMurray 185.230
#16-Biffle 185.128
slowest: #95-Starr 177.626 & #37-Raines 173.986.
See practice speeds, average speeds, laps run on the Texas Practice Speeds Page.(4-7-2011) - Practice rank for the non top-35 drivers:
if things stay the same, these eight drivers would make the race:
#13-Casey Mears, 28th
#66-Michael McDowell, 30th
#46-J.J. Yeley, 32nd
#60-Mike Skinner, 33rd
#87-Joe Nemechek, 36th
#38-Travis Kvapil, 38th
#36-Dave Blaney, 40th
#71-Andy Lally, 42nd
these drivers would miss the race if the order stayed the same:
#95-David Starr, 43rd
[PC] = [past champion and order, 1 is more recent champ] - Sugar Free scheme for Dale Jr: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. is scheduled to run a AMP Energy Sugar Free special paint scheme at the Darlington and Dover NASCAR Sprint Cup races in May. See an image of the car on the #88 Team Schemes page.(4-7-2011)
- Sam Bass designs air show trailer: Sam Bass, the first officially licensed NASCAR artist, and Steve Kapur, pilot and marketing officer for the GEICO Skytypers, pose in front of one of Sam¹s latest artistic designs. Sam’s specialty in motorsports and music related projects has recently expanded into the air show business. The GEICO Skytypers added a 53¹ tractor/trailer to their program for the 2011 season. The team tasked Sam with utilizing his expertise to design elements highlighting the various portions of their air show performance. “I¹ve had the privilege of working with Sam on a number of projects over the past several years,” states Kapur. ³Once again, he has perfectly captured the essence of our program by utilizing our existing branding assets and combining them with the unique physical components of our program.” The GEICO Skytypers, the only civilian squadron currently flying WWII aircraft in air shows, will perform at 12 air shows throughout the 2011 season, many of which will honor the Navy Centennial of Aviation. They kick off their air show season this week [April 9th] at the Charleston Air Expo in Charleston, SC.(Sam Bass)(4-7-2011)
- Quaker State sponsoring Menard for 4 races: Long-time Paul Menard sponsor Quaker State will continue its relationship with the driver during the 2011 season. Quaker State will come aboard as primary sponsor of the #27 Richard Childress Racing Chevy for four races during the 2011 season. “I’ve had a long-standing relationship with Quaker State and they’ve been a great sponsor to work with over the years,” commented, driver Paul Menard on the sponsorship. “This year they are on-board the #27 for four races – both events at Texas Motor Speedway, at Daytona in July and at Atlanta Motor Speedway. We are running a slightly different paint scheme on the Quaker State/Menards Chevrolet this weekend, which is going to look really sharp under the lights. Quaker State and Menard have a relationship on and off the track that dates back 15 years. Their on track partnership began back in 1995 when Menard ran in the IRL Series. As Menard changed gears and made his way into NASCAR, Quaker State followed beginning with a two-year stint in the Nationwide Series and then into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.(RCR)(4-7-2011)
- Interstate Moving Services sponsoring TRG for two races; team completes switch to Ford: Interstate Moving Services has signed-on with TRG Motorsports as the primary sponsor on the # 71 Interstate Moving Services Ford for the Sprint Cup Series races at Texas and Talladega. The “surf green” colors will ride on the 71 Ford driven by Andy Lally at this weekend’s running of the Samsung Mobil 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Interstate Moving Services is part of the Interstate family of companies encompassing a worldwide group of relocation management, transportation and logistics management solutions serving government, corporate, and individual clients. The Springfield, Virginia based company will be with TRG Motorsports as the primary sponsor for both Texas and Talladega. “This is a really big weekend for TRG Motorsports”, said Kevin Buckler, TRG Motorsports team owner. “In addition to welcoming Interstate as a new primary sponsor, we have also completed the switch to Ford Fusions with Roush/Yates power. This should provide our team with a big boost.”(TRG), see an image on the #71 Team Schemes page.(4-7-2011)
- FAS Lane Racing adds Big Red Sponsorship At Texas: Fresh off their third top-25 finish in the last five races, FAS Lane Racing is proud to announce they have secured sponsorship from Big Red, Inc. for this week’s running of the Samsung Mobile 500 on Saturday night at Texas Motor Speedway. Ken Schrader will once again be behind the wheel as he pilots the #32 Big Red Ford in the first Sprint Cup Series night race in the 15 year history of the Texas track.(Integrity Sports Marketing)(4-7-2011)
- 2011 Competition Remains Balanced: Competition-wise, the first six races have offered storylines galore. A few.
• Lead change records have fallen in three of the six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races (Daytona, Phoenix and, most recently, Martinsville). The record for lead changes at Texas is 33, set last November.
• There has been an average of 13 leaders per race, the most after six races in series history.
• There has been an average of 31.5 lead changes per race, the most after six races in series history.
• The average margin of victory is under one second: .720 seconds.
• Prior to Kevin Harvick’s win at Martinsville – his second consecutive victory – there were five different winners in the first five races for the first time since 2005.
• Last year’s two top race winners – Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson – remain winless.
• Seven different teams make up the top seven in the points standings.
• The top-four drivers in the standings all run different manufacturers.(NASCAR)(4-7-2011) - 900 NASCAR starts for Burton: This weekend’s Samsung Mobile 500 will mark #31-Jeff Burton’s 900th career NASCAR start. Over the course of 899 NASCAR starts, the South Boston, Va., native has accumulated 48 wins, 17 poles, 219 top-five and 393 top-10 finishes. Additionally, he helped capture RCR’s 2007 NASCAR Nationwide Series owner’s championship and has finished in the top 10 of the Sprint Cup Series point standings in eight of the 17 years he has run the series full time. This milestone places the veteran driver ninth on NASCAR’s all-time starts list across their top-three national series and ranks him second to Mark Martin in active drivers.(RCR)(4-7-2011)
- UPS Freight for Ragan at Texas: Ragan will drive the UPS Freight Ford in Texas. It will be the first race this season that Freight has appeared on the #6.(Roush Fenway)(4-7-2011)
- Cheerios returns to the #33: After a four-race hiatus, the familiar Cheerios/Hamburger Helper paint scheme will return to the #33 Chevy this weekend for the 334-lap event.(RCR) see an image of the scheme on the #33 Team Schemes page(4-7-2011)
- Chassis selections for Texas: see the list of many teams and what chassis were selected by the team to run at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend on the Texas Race Info page – Chassis selection area.(4-7-2011)
- Bristol Night Race tickets on sale: Bristol Motor Speedway’s season-long celebration of its 50th anniversary culminates with the running of the IRWIN Tools Night Race, NASCAR’s most popular event, Aug. 27, and single-event tickets and weekend packages now are available. Fans can enjoy 750 laps of action at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile with the IRWIN Tools Night Race and the Food City 250 Aug. 26, for as little as $99. Guests in town Wednesday, Aug. 24 for the Wednesday night doubleheader, featuring the O’Reilly Auto Parts 200 Camping World Truck Series and the UNOH Perfect Storm 150 Whelen Modified event, can take in all four races under the lights in packages starting at $129. For more information concerning tickets, please visit www.bristoltix.com or call the BMS ticket office at 423-BRISTOL (274-7865) or toll free at 1-866-415-4158.(BMS)(4-7-2011)
- ‘NASCAR Kinetics’ team looks to make its mark at HMS – free party: Homestead-Miami Speedway Partners with University of Miami NASCAR Kinetics for Viewing Party Official NASCAR viewing party Saturday, April 9th at 6:30 p.m. at ‘Smoke’t Southern Kitchen & Tap’. Five students from the University of Miami’s School of Education were selected to participate in ‘NASCAR Kinetics’, representing the Hurricanes’ first entry into the groundbreaking motorsports program. Each student chosen for the ‘NASCAR Kinetics’ program is tasked with fostering brand awareness throughout their college and community. Through a promotional partnership with Homestead-Miami Speedway, these potential leaders in the racing industry will be hosting an official ‘M&M’S Makes Race Day Fun’ NASCAR viewing party on the evening of Saturday, April 9th at ‘Smoke’t Southern Kitchen & Tap’ beginning at 6:30 pm. The viewing party is open to the public and will feature free food, racing themed dinner specials, interactive games, as well as numerous giveaways for those in attendance. More info at visit HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com or call (866) 409-RACE.(HMS)(4-7-2011)
- Cobb could stay with Ware if sponsorship is found: Rick Ware Racing plans to have its #1 truck compete in two weeks at Nashville Superspeedway, but whether Jeffrey Earnhardt will be in that truck remains to be seen. Team owner Rick Ware said Thursday that the truck will be at the race but he needs someone with funding to drive it. The team is 17th in the owner standings and is one of the 25 trucks locked in the field. In addition to the truck, Ware has two Nationwide cars. Timmy Hill will continue to drive the team’s entry while the #41 will be driven by Jennifer Jo Cobb this week and next week at Talladega. Starting with Nashville, the driver of the #41 car is still to be determined. “We’re running this weekend and next weekend at Talladega [with Cobb],” Ware said. “Beyond that, we don’t have any answers about sponsorship so we don’t know.”(Scene Daily)(4-7-2011)
- Busch would like to take team to Nationwide: It’s Kyle Busch’s goal to take Kyle Busch Motorsports up to the Nationwide level, possibly as early as next season. “I’ve told everybody here that KBM would like to go to Nationwide,” Busch said Thursday at Texas Motor Speedway. “We’d like to have a full-time Nationwide team next year and work toward that.” Busch started KBM last season as a single-truck operation in the Camping World Truck Series. He’s made no secret about the organization being a losing venture financially. On the track, however, it’s been a different story, thanks mostly to Busch himself. In its first year of operation, KBM won eight races (all by Busch) and collected the series’ owner’s championship. (Yahoo Sports)(4-7-2011)
- Heil Trailers to sponsor O’Quinn at Texas: Heil Trailer International announced that Danny O’ Quinn Jr. will drive the #39 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Nationwide series O’ Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday, April 8th. The primary sponsor for the race will be Heil Trailer International, the world’s leading aluminum tank trailer manufacturer. This year marks the 110th anniversary for Heil Trailer International. To recognize this amazing milestone, Heil will display its special anniversary logo on the hood. Associate sponsors on the #39 Ford Mustang include: Texas Hydraulics, Civacon & Hendrickson.(Heil PR)(4-7-2011)
- Hellman’s making debut on #88″ The Hellmann’s brand makes its debut on the #88 Chevy at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend with driver Aric Almirola. It marks the first of four races for Hellmann’s with the 88 team, although it did appear on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s #5 Chevy at Daytona in February. Hellmann’s joins Degree, Ragu and Suave Men as Unilever brands to have primary paint schemes with JRM this season. The #88 Chevy will also carry the Hellmann’s paint scheme at Richmond (April 29), Charlotte (May 28) and Atlanta. (JR Motorsports)(4-7-2011)
- Martinsville images added: Added a few images from Martinsville; #13-Johnny Sauter, Safe Auto/104 WTQR Country Chevrolet; #18-Kyle Busch, Toyota / Fasmart Toyota; #2-Kevin Harvick, Tide/Kroger Chevrolet; #62-Brendan Gaughan, South Point Hotel and Casino Toyota; #20-Johanna Long, Panhandle Grading & Paving Toyota; #33-Ron Hornaday Jr., Cooked Perfect Meatballs Chevrolet; #07-Boys & Girls Club of Kingsport Chevrolet. Check them out via the 2011 NCWTS Paint Schemes Page.(4-7-2011)
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