April 10, 2007
- Roy McCauley Taking Leave of Absense; Troy Raker Interim #2 Crew Chief: Troy Raker has been named the interim leader of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge Team with driver Kurt Busch as crew chief Roy McCauley will be spending more time with wife, Amy, who is battling cancer. “Amy has been winning her fight with Leukemia since it was first diagnosed back in February,” McCauley said from his office at the Penske Racing headquarters on Tuesday afternoon. “But, there have been recent complications stemming from her long-term treatment and I feel as though I need to spend more time by her side. In the interim, I will maintain an active role with our team from a communications standpoint, but Troy Raker will be in charge, leading the team and working with Kurt on a daily basis at the race track.”(Tom Roberts PR)(4-10-2007)
- Special Paint Scheme for Dale Jr. at Daytona: Hearing that #8-Dale Jr. will run a special red white and blue Budweiser paint scheme in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona. See an image of the car on my #8 Paint Schemes Page.(4-10-2007)
- Special Decal on McMurray’s Car at Texas: #26-Jamie McMurray will carry a special hood decal this weekend at Texas. Chad Provo, 35, of Terrell, Texas, will have his name front and center on the #26 hood after winning a statewide sweepstakes conducted by Crown Royal for their promotion, “Your Name Here 400.”(Roush Fenway PR)(4-10-2007)
- Sharp and 3M to Sponsor McMurray in Cup and Edwards in Busch: Roush Fenway Racing announced a new sponsorship with Sharp Electronics and 3M Company. The sponsorship includes five Busch Series races with Carl Edwards; and two Nextel Cup races with Jamie McMurray. Both teams will debut their Sharp AQUOS/3M Vikuiti Fords Talladega. Sharp Electronics Corporation and 3M Company will extend their co-marketing efforts designed to enhance awareness of Sharp’s AQUOS line of LCD TVs and 3M Vikuiti brightness enhancement films. Both the #26 and #60 Fords will display the Sharp Aquos and 3M Vikuiti brands. McMurray will be running the #26 Sharp AQUOS/3M Vikuiti Ford at Talladega Speedway on April 29 and again at California Speedway when the circuit returns for the annual Labor Day race on September 2. Edwards will pilot the #60 Sharp AQUOS/3M Vikuiti Ford at Talladega Speedway on April 28, Kentucky Speedway on June 16, Chicagoland Speedway on July 14, Michigan International Speedway on August 18 and California Speedway on September 1.(Roush Fenway PR)(4-10-2007)
- Jeff Burton to Receive Sportsmanship Award: Richard Childress Racing driver Jeff Burton will join the ranks of some of the greatest names in motorsports when he receives this year’s Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Sportsmanship Award. The Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame annually awards the best performers who exemplify excellence in racing both on and off the track. Nominees to the Hall of Fame are determined by a panel of motorsports media throughout Texas, including representatives from print and broadcast outlets in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. This year’s inductees include NHRA veteran racer Eddie Hill and NASCAR team owner Roger Penske. Fellow NASCAR driver Tony Stewart will also be honored at the induction ceremony. Burton, along with other award winners will be honored at the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on April 11 at Texas Motor Speedway’s Grand Ballroom. Proceeds from the event, in association with Speedway Children’s Charities, go to Happy Hill Farm in Granbury, Texas, an academy and home for disadvantaged children.(RCR PR)(4-10-2007)
- Dover 2007 Cup sanction fees: $11 million: Dover’s two Nextel Cup races will cost the track more than $11 million in sanction fees in 2007, according to its annual report. The June race’s sanction fee (including Dover’s contribution to the purse) is $5,914,346, and the September purse contribution and sanction fee is $5,293,075. (The figures are for this year, not 2006, as SceneDaily initially reported.) Dover Motorsports operates four speedways – Dover International Speedway, Gateway International Raceway, Memphis Motorsports Park and Nashville Superspeedway. The company also listed an “impairment charge” of more than $61 million for Nashville, Memphis and Gateway – devaluing the value of those tracks because of the lower-than-anticipated television revenues generated by the four Busch races at those tracks. Dover expected the new TV deal, which went into effect this year, to allot a bigger percentage to Busch races than the 5 percent allocated in the 2001-2006 package. But NASCAR is allotting only 5.75 percent of the new contract for Busch events. With that impairment charge, Dover reported an overall loss of $35.345 million last year. It’s after-tax adjusted earnings for last year were $5.7 million, the same as for 2005.(SceneDaily.com)(4-10-2007)
- Tom Carnegie to be Honored by Indiana Governor: Tom Carnegie, the voice of Indianapolis Motor Speedway for more than six decades, will be presented Tuesday with a Sagamore of the Wabash from Gov. Mitch Daniels. The award recognizes distinguished service in the state. Carnegie, 87, retired last year after 61 years as the track’s announcer. Friends report Carnegie’s health has improved in the past month and he is looking forward to visiting the track next month. His goal is to be at the Speedway on opening day to interview A.J. Foyt. It will be Foyt’s 50th year at Indy.(Indianapolis Star)(4-10-2007)
- Hunter Nickell Named President of Speed: Hunter Nickell has been named President of Speed, says by Bob Thompson, President of Fox National Cable Sports Networks, to whom Nickell reports. “Hunter has done a tremendous job at Speed since taking the reins less than two years ago,” said Thompson. “Speed is the television destination not only for NASCAR fans, but fans of Formula One and a variety of shows for automotive enthusiasts. Speed has added well over five million subscribers since Hunter came aboard, and the channel’s depth of automotive coverage is truly unparalleled.” Nickell joined Speed in June 2005 as Executive Vice President & General Manager, guiding the network through milestone contract negotiations with NASCAR and Formula One, while helping Speed to record audience growth in 2006.(Speed Channel PR)(4-10-2007)
- Congrats: Kellogg’s/CARQUEST crew member Kevin Hulstein took advantage of the off-weekend to marry his fiancée Nicole. Hulstein, a mechanic on the #5 team, is a native of Willmar, Minn., and has worked at Hendrick Motorsports since 2002.(Hendrick PR)(4-10-2007)
- Sharp and 3M to Sponsor Edwards in 5 Races: Roush Fenway Racing announced a new sponsorship with Sharp Electronics and 3M Company. The sponsorship includes five Busch Series races with Carl Edwards; and two Nextel Cup races with Jamie McMurray. Both teams will debut their Sharp AQUOS/3M Vikuiti Fords Talladega. Sharp Electronics Corporation and 3M Company will extend their co-marketing efforts designed to enhance awareness of Sharp’s AQUOS line of LCD TVs and 3M Vikuiti brightness enhancement films. Both the #26 and #60 Fords will display the Sharp Aquos and 3M Vikuiti brands. McMurray will be running the #26 Sharp AQUOS/3M Vikuiti Ford at Talladega Speedway on April 29 and again at California Speedway when the circuit returns for the annual Labor Day race on September 2. Edwards will pilot the #60 Sharp AQUOS/3M Vikuiti Ford at Talladega Speedway on April 28, Kentucky Speedway on June 16, Chicagoland Speedway on July 14, Michigan International Speedway on August 18 and California Speedway on September 1.(Roush Fenway PR)(4-10-2007)
- Governor Rick Perry Proclaims Brad Coleman Day in Texas: Texas Governor Rick Perry stood outside the State Capitol building Tuesday alongside 19-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver Brad Coleman and proclaimed the day in his honor. “Brad is a determined young man, and his hard work and dedication have helped him become the successful competitor he is today,” Gov. Perry said. “As he prepares for his first professional race in Texas, we wish him all the best in the race and in his promising future.” With the #18 Carino’s Italian Grill Chevy and the Capitol building as the backdrop, the Governor presented Coleman with the flag that flew over the Capitol and a State of Texas Proclamation, making it official.(NASCAR PR)(4-10-2007)
- JR Motorsports Signs Jeremy McGrath: JR Motorsports is signing seven-time Supercross champion rider Jeremy McGrath to a developmental driver contract, with Monster Energy Drink as his primary sponsor, the SportsBusiness Journal reported. Like Supercross star Ricky Carmichael, who began driving for Ginn Racing last month, McGrath will run a series of late model races before potentially working his way into a Busch Series car. Monster Energy’s sponsorship at JR Motorsports is expected to follow McGrath’s progression.(SceneDaily.com)(4-10-2007)
- McCumbee picks up first ARCA Series win at Nashville: UPDATE: McCumbee to run at least two more ARCA events: Chad McCumbee knew he had a good car and proved it in the end to win the ARCA RE/MAX Series 150 Saturday afternoon at Nashville Superspeedway. McCumbee, in Jennifer Belmont’s #62 Nortrax-Holland Pump Chevy, powered inside of Cale Gale [#33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevy] on the final restart with three laps remaining and held on for his career-first RE/MAX Series victory in his 31st career attempt. Gale finished second with Erin Crocker [#98-Evernham Motorsports Dodge] finishing third.(arcaracing.com)(4-7-2007)
UPDATE: During an interview with Chad McCumbee on Sirius Radio, Chad McCumbee said he will be attempting at least two more races in the ARCA Series driving an Andy Hillenburg owned Fast Track Driving School Chevy at Salem Speedway on April 22, 2007 and possibly Pocono Raceway.(4-10-2007)
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