April 9, 2013
- Dillon in the #51 at Texas: Nationwide Series driver Austin Dillon will drive the #51 Chevy for Phoenix Racing Saturday night at Texas Motor Speedway. The car will be sponsored by Bruce Lowrie Chevy and Realtree. See an image of the car on the #51 team paint schemes page.(4-9-2013)
- Congrats: to Jimmie and Chandra Johnson. Jimmie tweeted Tuesday morning, “We are so happy to share news that we’re having another baby in September. Genevieve is so excited to be a big sister!”.(4-9-2013)
- #95 team picks up primary sponsor for Texas: Scott Speed and Leavine Family Racing (LFR) aim to be on target during Saturday night’s NRA 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway. The #95 TrackingPoint Ford will carry Austin, Texas based TrackingPoint as the primary sponsor for the team’s homecoming. TrackingPoint is an applied technology company that created the first Precision Guided Firearm, a revolutionary new long-range shooting system that puts jet fighter “lock and launch” technology in a rifle, enabling users to hit moving targets at extended ranges. Team owners Bob and Sharon and the Leavine family are from Tyler, Texas, so TrackingPoint joins familiar territory, joining other Texas native sponsors like Tommy Williams Drywall (TWD) and B&D Electrical. The team also will provide exposure for “Besties with Testies” to commemorate National Testicular Cancer month, as well as TeaZa Herbal Energy Pouch.(Leavine Family Racing)(4-9-2013)
- EZCORP sponsoring Gilliland: Specialty consumer finance company EZCORP announced its move into one of the nation’s premier racing circuits. EZCORP will join the “Wild Asphalt Circus” at Texas Motor Speedway, partnering with David Gilliland and the Front Row Motorsports #38 Ford for the April 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. “We’re extremely excited about our partnership in the NASCAR event at Texas Motor Speedway,” said EZCORP Chief Marketing Officer Dan Surdell. “We’ve been looking at racing as a marketing tool for some time and this is a perfect opportunity to showcase our brand among a very loyal racing fan base. Austin-based EZCORP is a leading provider of instant cash solutions, operating more than 1,350 pawn, buy/sell and personal financial services stores in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The publicly traded company provides pawn loans, consumer loans and fee-based credit services to customers seeking loans.(Front Row Motorsports)(4-9-2013)
- Overnight Martinsville TV Ratings: the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on FOX averaged a 4.0/9 for the race from Martinsville on Sunday afternoon. The race was up +3% over last year’s 3.9/9 and ranked as the highest-rated event of the day. Season-to-date, NASCAR Sprint Cup Racing on FOX is averaging a 5.4/12 among the metered markets. That’s up +13% over last year’s 4.8/10. Have not seen any final TV Ratings for the Auto Club 400. See past races for 2013 and 5-year comparison chart on the 2013 NASCAR TV Ratings page.(4-9-2013)
- Truce for Bo-Dyn, bobsled federation: Pending litigation between the United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation and the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, Inc. has been dropped. An out-of-court agreement has been signed by both sides, according to Phil Kurze, vice president of Connecticut-based Whelen Engineering, who also serves as president of the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, Inc. Kurze said all previous agreements between the two organizations are void and that the USBSF is authorized to make any modifications on the bobsleds in their possession. However, Bo-Dyn still owns the intellectual property in those bobsleds, he said. The Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, created by former NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine, has provided bobsleds to the U.S. team for two decades and also refurbished them. But the two sides split in 2011 in a disagreement over intellectual property. Bo-Dyn sleds have won six Olympic medals, two of them gold.(Associated Press/ESPN)(4-9-2013)
- Carl Edwards in ESPN booth for 3 Nationwide races: After a two-race initiation last year, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Carl Edwards will return to the ESPN broadcast booth as an analyst for the next three races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Edwards will join lap-by-lap announcer Allen Bestwick and analyst Andy Petree in the booth to call the 300-mile race at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday night, April 12, at 8:00pm/et on ESPN2. The race will be the first after a two week break in the schedule for the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Edwards also will call races at Richmond International Raceway on Friday night, April 26 (7:00pm/et on ESPNEWS) and at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday, May 4 (2:30pm/et on ESPN). In each case, Edwards will compete in the next day’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the same track. “We’re delighted to have Carl back with us,” said Rich Feinberg, ESPN vice president, motorsports, production. “He brings great insight as a current driver to his analysis as well as a warm personality. He fits in well with our team and we welcome the opportunity to work with him.”(ESPN)(4-9-2013)
- Texas Motor Speedway – News and Notes:
• Construction on Texas Motor Speedway began in 1995.
• The first NASCAR national series race at TMS was a NASCAR Nationwide Series event on April 5, 1997 – won by Mark Martin.
• The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was on April 6, 1997 – won by Jeff Burton.
• The track underwent a repave between the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
• In 2011, the spring NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was moved from Sunday to Saturday night under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway.
• There have been 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, one NSCS event from 1997 – 2004 and two races per year since 2005.
• 129 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Texas; 105 in more than one.
• Four drivers have made all 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup starts at Texas Motor Speedway – Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte, Jeff Burton and Mark Martin.
• Jeremy Mayfield was the first Coors Light pole winner, in 1998. The inaugural Coors Light pole at Texas Motor Speedway in 1997 was cancelled due to weather conditions.
• 17 drivers have Coors Light poles at Texas, led by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr. with two each.
• Two drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Texas Motor Speedway: Bobby Labonte (2003 and 2004) and Ryan Newman (2005 sweep).
• Youngest Texas pole winner: Brian Vickers (11/5/2006 – 23 years, 0 months, 12 days).
• Oldest Texas pole winner: Bill Elliott (4/8/2002 – 46 years, 6 months, 0 days).
• 16 different drivers have won at Texas Motor Speedway, led by Carl Edwards (three).
• Seven drivers have multiple wins at Texas Motor Speedway: Carl Edwards (three), Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart each have two.
• Roush Fenway Racing leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in the most wins at Texas Motor Speedway (nine); followed by Hendrick Motorsports (four).
• Two of the 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Texas Motor Speedway have been won from the Coors Light pole; Kasey Kahne (2006) and Jimmie Johnson (2012).
• The third-place starting position is the most proficient starting spot in the field at Texas Motor Speedway producing four wins – more wins than any other starting position in the field.
• Five NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Texas Motor Speedway have been won from the front row: two from the pole and three from second-place.
• 18 of the 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Texas Motor Speedway have been won from a top 10 starting position.
• Four of the 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Texas Motor Speedway have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.
• The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Texas Motor Speedway was 31st, by Matt Kenseth in 2002.
• Youngest Texas winner: Ryan Newman (3/30/2003 – 25 years, 3 months, 22 days).
• Oldest Texas winner: Dale Jarrett (4/1/2001 – 44 years, 4 months, 6 days).
• Jimmie Johnson leads the series in runner-up finishes at Texas Motor Speedway with five; followed by Matt Kenseth with four.
• Matt Kenseth leads the series in top-five finishes at Texas Motor Speedway with 12; followed by Jimmie Johnson with nine.
• Matt Kenseth leads the series in top-10 finishes at Texas Motor Speedway with 15; followed by Jimmie Johnson (14) and Mark Martin (13).
• Jimmie Johnson leads active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Texas Motor Speedway with an 8.842. Jimmie Johnson is the only active driver with an average starting position at Texas in the top 10.
• Two active drivers have a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series average finish in the top 10 at Texas: Matt Kenseth (8.333) and Jimmie Johnson (9.263).
• There have been three NSCS green-white-checkered finishes at Texas Motor Speedway: fall 2006 (334/339), spring 2008 (334/339), and fall 2012 (334/335).
• Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions twice in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway; the inaugural event in 1997 and spring 2007. The race has never been rain shortened.
• Kevin Harvick has participated in the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway without posting a DNF (20).
• Jeff Burton (4/06/1997) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (4/02/2000) won their first NASCAR Sprint Cup career race at Texas Motor Speedway.
• David Ragan (4/09/2011) and Martin Truex Jr. (11/04/2007) posted their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Coors Light poles at Texas Motor Speedway.
• 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski (11/02/2008) and Trevor Bayne (11/07/2010) made their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career starts at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Two NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers have posted consecutive wins at Texas Motor Speedway: Carl Edwards (2008 sweep) and Denny Hamlin (2010 sweep).
• Nine of the 14 active NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who have won at Texas Motor Speedway participated in at least two or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt Jr. won at Texas in their first appearance; Carl Edwards, Mark Martin and Ryan Newman all won in their second appearance at TMS.
• Jeff Gordon competed at Texas Motor Speedway 16 times before winning in the spring of 2009; the longest span of any the 14 active NASCAR Sprint Cup winners.
• Only two of the 14 winning drivers have made 10 or more attempts before their first win at Texas: Jeff Gordon (16) and Kurt Busch (13).
• Bobby Labonte leads the series with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup starts at Texas Motor Speedway without visiting Victory Lane at 24.
• Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory in NASCAR Sprint Cup racing at Texas was the (4/4/2004) race won by Elliott Sadler with a MOV of 0.028 second.
• Two female drivers have made starts at Texas Motor Speedway (each only making one start): Shawna Robinson (4/08/2002) – starting 16th and finishing 36th; Danica Patrick (11/4/2012) – starting 32nd and finishing 24th.
• Only one car number has produced three or more Texas Motor Speedway NSCS wins: #99 – Jeff Burton (1997); Carl Edwards (2005 and 2008 sweep)
• Matt Kenseth leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup in laps led at Texas with 772 laps led in 21 starts.
• One NASCAR Sprint Cup driver has won at Texas Motor Speedway in two different manufacturers: Jeff Burton (1997 – Ford; 2007 – Chevrolet).(NASCAR)(4-9-2013) - #74 gets sponsor and new driver at Texas: Mike Harmon & Dave Novak Racing announced that Carved Records is sponsoring the #74 in the NNS race this weekend in Texas. And Kevin Lepage will be driving. Harmon-Novak racing are very excited to have Carved Records and Kevin Lepage on board.(Harmon PR)(4-9-2013)
- New look for Pastrana: Travis Pastrana will make his first start at Texas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this weekend. Pastrana previously competed at TMS in Global RallyCross last season, finishing 15th. The #60 Ford Mustang will don a new look this weekend at TMS, sporting a red, white and blue patriotic paint scheme. Pastrana will also run the patriotic scheme at Daytona International Speedway over the July Fourth weekend.(Roush Fenway Racing), see an image of the car on the #60 team paint schemes page.(4-9-2013)
- SchoolTipline.com on the #99 at Texas: The RAB Racing #99 Toyota Camry, piloted by Alex Bowman will have a new sponsor for Texas and the rest of the 2013 Nationwide Series season in SchoolTipline.com. Alex will become the face of the company’s “Driving Away Bullies” campaign whose mission is to provide a safe haven and outlet for kids who are being bullied. SchoolTipline.com was founded as a platform to give students, parents, and faculty alike an outlet to report bullying, weapon possession, drug use, etc. in schools. Completely anonymous, students can report bullying and other incidents via text messages. Administrators receiving the texts can respond, opening bridges of two-way communication. This system empowers students to make positive changes, so schools can return to a safe place of learning. (RAB Racing), see an image of the car on the #99 team paint schemes page.(4-9-2013)
- Compassion International sponsoring Koch: Blake Koch and SR2 Motorsports announce a new partnership with Compassion International, a Christian child sponsorship organization dedicated to the long-term development of children living in poverty around the world. Thanks to the generous contribution of an anonymous donor, Compassion will be the primary sponsor of Koch’s #24 Toyota Camry in Friday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, TX. Compassion has launched the website, www.CompassionRacing.com, where its partnership with Koch will be highlighted, to raise awareness for this important cause. Compassion and Koch are confident that the NASCAR community will rally to provide sponsorships for at least 2,400 children who live in extreme poverty around the world as they launch the partnership in Texas. The primary sponsorship was funded by a Blake Koch supporter/donor and SR2 Motorsports. Child sponsorships are only $38 per month. The sponsorship provides nutrition, healthcare and training, educational opportunities and assistance, social development, important life-skills training, as well as regular Christian training.(SR2 Motorsports), see an image of the car on the #24 team paint schemes page.(4-9-2013)
- Cessna sponsoring Larson at Texas: Cessna will be returning to take flight with #32-Kyle Larson this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway after debuting with the rookie NASCAR Nationwide Series driver in the ARCA Racing Series event at Daytona. Cessna, the world’s leading general aviation company, has designed, produced and delivered more than 193,500 airplanes around the globe. This includes more than 6,300 Citation business jets, making it the largest fleet of business jets in the world.(Turner Scott Motorsports)(4-9-2013)
- Bruton Smith renews lawsuit over incentives: The mogul behind one of the country’s largest auto racing track operators is trying to resurrect a lawsuit claiming local officials reneged on an offer of $80 million in incentives to land a new drag strip and upgrade the Charlotte Motor Speedway. A three-judge state Court of Appeals panel will hold a closed-door discussion Tuesday to determine whether the lawsuit will be heard by a jury. A judge last year dismissed the lawsuit against Cabarrus County by Speedway Motorsports Inc. and Charlotte Motor Speedway, both based in Concord and headed by magnate Bruton Smith. At issue is whether Smith can enforce what his lawyers say was an oral agreement that ended threats to move the 135,000-seat speedway and build a new drag strip somewhere other than the heart of NASCAR country. The contract wasn’t put in writing until after the new drag strip opened the following year, with terms the track operator rejected. If the lawsuit doesn’t move forward, Speedway Motorsports could have to wait up to 40 years to be reimbursed for road and other upgrades around the track. It’s not clear if SMI — which owns the track and seven others in Georgia, Tennessee, California, Kentucky, Nevada, New Hampshire and Texas — has yet seen any of the $80 million announced in 2007. A track spokesman declined comment and lawyers for both sides did not respond to requests for comment last week. A decision is expected in about three months. If the case moves forward, it could be appealed to the state Supreme Court.(Associated Press/ESPN)(4-9-2013)
- Fans rename June Pocono race “Party in the Poconos 400”: Pocono Raceway and Walmart announced the new name for the June 9 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway, as voted on by race fans, will be the “Party in the Poconos 400 Presented by Walmart.” Additionally, fan voting for the official June 7 – 9 race weekend concession item, from three fan-submitted pierogi recipes, begins today. “Party in the Poconos 400” was chosen, following a four-week, fan-driven vote between three fan-submitted race names. Nearly half of the overall votes for the new race name were in favor of “Party in the Poconos 400.” The other race name submissions were the “Race More, Live Better 400” and the “Pocono for the People 400.” Fans will continue to have their voices heard as they vote on the official race weekend concession item, to be sold at select Raceway vendor locations. Voting begins today and fans will vote on one of the following fan-submitted pierogi recipes: Hot Honey Buffalo Wing, Loaded Baked Potato or Sweet Cinnamon Sugar. To vote, please visit walmarturl.com/fandriven400. Concession item voting ends on May 6. Additionally, Pocono Raceway and Walmart are making the 400-mile June 9 race more affordable for fans by offering 16,000 Concourse Grandstand Tickets for $25 each. (Pocono Racineway)(4-9-2013)
- Wallace, Dillon, Rogers pulling Double Duty in Rockingham: Darrell Wallace, Jr., 2012 Truck Series Rookie of the Year Ty Dillon and Clay Rogers will all compete in the UARA-STARS event at Rockingham Speedway on Saturday afternoon. Dillon has never raced at Rockingham in a UARA car but has a career best finish of 3rd in the series at Hickory in 2010. Wallace, the 2008 UARA-STARS Rookie of the Year, has three previous tour starts at Rockingham with a best finish of 5th last fall. Rogers won the last time the series visited Rockingham in November. 2010 UARA-STARS Champion Coleman Pressley will be practicing Joey Logano’s truck (#19 BKR Ford) on Saturday, and Devin Jones (#6 Veristory Chevy) will be competing only in the UARA event on Saturday after making his Truck Series debut at Martinsville last week.(UARA-STARS PR)(4-9-2013)
- Coulter to make 50th start at Rockingham: Joey Coulter has had the type of success in his early racing career that most “young guns” only dream about. At the ripe age of 22, with 49 Camping World Truck Series starts under his belt, Coulter’s resume already includes a Rookie of the Year award, one win (Pocono, 2012), three poles, 120 laps led, 13 top-five and 28 top-10 finishes. Coulter will make his 50th career Truck Series start this weekend in the N.C. Education Lottery 200 at Rockingham Speedway. (Kyle Busch Motorsports PR)(4-9-2013)
- Former driver Sutton involved in serious motorcycle crash: A man is killed and a woman is critically injured in a motorcycle crash on Veterans Highway. It happened Sunday just after 9 p.m. on Veterans Highway near Benfield Boulevard in Millersville when a 2008 Harley Davidson motorcycle crashed after striking a raised cement median/barrier. The driver, 55-year-old Robert G. Wells of Crownsville, was transported to Baltimore Washington Medical Center, where he later died from injuries. The passenger, 41-year-old Kelly R. Sutton of Crownsville, sustained severe injuries from the crash and was transported to Baltimore Shock Trauma in critical condition. Speed and alcohol use appear to be possible contributing factors in the crash. The investigation is ongoing. Sutton has 54 career starts within trucks spanning the 2003 to 2007 seasons.(CBS Baltimore)(4-9-2013)
- NASCAR announces Eldora race format: NASCAR announced today the qualifying and race procedures for the inaugural “Mudsummer Classic” the highly anticipated Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway on Wednesday, July 24. Unlike asphalt tracks, dirt tracks have historically used a format much different than typical races and that will be the case for this event, the first NASCAR national series race held on dirt in more than 40 years. The race will feature a traditional two-lap qualifying session, five qualifying races, one last-chance race and a champion’s provisional to determine the 30-truck starting field. The top-20 in owners’ points entering the race event will have a guaranteed starting position. Here are additional details for each round of qualifying: Two-lap qualifying determines starting position for the qualifying races. Qualifying Races: Five qualifying races; Eight laps each; only green flag laps count; Five trucks transfer from each qualifying race; Lineup for the qualifying races will be based on qualifying speeds with four locked-in trucks (trucks in the top 20); The top-five trucks in qualifying will start on the pole for their respective qualifying race; Highest finishing non-locked-in truck will transfer to race from each qualifying race; At the completion of the qualifying races, 25 trucks will have earned spots into the feature. Last Chance Race: 15 laps; only green flag laps count; The top-four finishers will transfer to the feature and start in positions 26-29; The lineup will be based on the finish from the qualifying races. Starting position No. 30 will go to the most recent past series’ champion who has not already qualified. If the 30th starting position is not filled by an eligible champion, it will be assigned to the next highest finishing truck in the Last Chance Race. The race length and format are also new for the series. The race will be 150 laps divided into three segments. The segments will be 60, 50 and 40 laps. There will be pit stops between each segment, with teams having the opportunity to change tires and work on their trucks. More details on the event schedule will be released later this spring. The “Mudsummer Classic” will be the first NASCAR national touring series event held on dirt since NASCAR’s premiere series competed on September 30, 1970 in Raleigh, N.C. Richard Petty won the Home State 200 at the one-mile State Fairgrounds Speedway.(NASCAR Integrated Marketing)(4-9-2013)
- Pressley to sub for Logano: Joey Logano, driver of the #19 Reese Towpower Carbon Forged Ford F-Series, will make his inaugural start for Brad Keselowski Racing in the Camping World Truck Series during the North Carolina Lottery 200 at Rockingham Speedway. Logano is slated to compete in additional races for BKR throughout the 2013 season. The Penske Racing driver will pilot the #19 BKR Ford F-Series in only his second career NCWTS start. Logano’s only other NCWTS start came in 2008 at Talladega, where he started 6th and finished 26th after being involved in a multi-truck wreck. Logano’s longtime friend, Coleman Pressley, will practice the #19 Reese Towpower Carbon Forged on Saturday. Logano will be competing in his #22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion for Penske Racing on Saturday night in the Sprint Cup Series.(Brad Keselowski Racing PR)(4-9-2013)
- Gallagher set for seven races this season: Spencer Gallagher will make his Camping World Truck Series debut this weekend piloting the #21 Allegiant Air Chevy Silverado in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Rockingham Speedway. Gallagher Motorsports and Allegiant Air officials announced earlier this year that Gallagher would compete for the 2013 ARCA Racing Series championship after a successful 2012 campaign. To further progress Gallagher’s racing career, team officials have added seven NCWTS starts to the 23-year-old’s busy season, reserving his rookie status for 2014. In addition to this weekend’s scheduled start at Rockingham, Gallagher will drive the #21 Allegiant Air Chevy Silverado at Kansas Speedway April 20, Iowa Speedway July 13, Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway September 28, Martinsville (Va.) Speedway October 26, Texas Motor Speedway November 1 and Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway November 15.(Gallagher Motorsports PR)(See an image of the truck on the #21 paint schemes page)(4-9-2013)
- Entry list: There are 43 trucks on the preliminary entry list for Sunday’s NC Education Lottery 200 at Rockingham Speedway. A few notes:
Joey Logano is in the #19 for BKR;
Kevin Harvick will make his second start for NTS in the #24;
Kyle Larson is in the #30 for TSM;
UPDATE: NTS Motorsports said on their Twitter that the #24 entry was an error and Harvick will not be running this week. His next expected start is Martinsville in the fall. See the complete list on the Rockingham Speedway entry list page
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