April 10, 2012
- Spring Break at the NASCAR HOF UPDATE: Visitors can break out with spring fever and family fun at the NASCAR Hall of Fame during the second annual Spring Break from the Ordinary, Saturday, March 24 – Monday, April 9. With new special events and activities, Spring Break From the Ordinary offers students and their parents “Grade A” entertainment with scavenger hunts, racing simulator competitions, pit crew challenges, crafts, video game competitions plus more than 50 hands-on exhibits at the 150,000 square-foot entertainment facility. In a class by itself, Spring Break From the Ordinary features daily physical challenges and games for students (K-12). Each day during Spring Break From the Ordinary guests have a chance to compete in a number of high-octane activities and contests for prizes including NASCAR memorabilia, K’NEX building sets, Spin Master toy cars, NASCAR Hall of Fame Memberships and more.(NHOF).(3-24-2012)
UPDATE: Due to popular demand, the second annual Spring Break from the Ordinary at the NASCAR Hall of Fame has been extended through Sunday, April 15 giving families another chance to enjoy the added activities at the popular entertainment attraction in Uptown Charlotte, N.C. Spring Break From the Ordinary, which began Saturday, March 24, offers students and their parents “Grade A” entertainment with scavenger hunts, racing simulator competitions, pit crew challenges, crafts, video game competitions plus more than 50 hands-on exhibits at the 150,000 square-foot entertainment facility. More info on the event and tickets at NASCARHall.com.(4-10-2012) - Sad News – Dot Owens: Dot Owens, the wife of racing legend Cotton Owens, died Monday evening at her Spartanburg home following a prolonged illness. She was 83. Funeral services are to be determined. Cotton Owens, 88, was one of NASCAR’s top engineers dating to the infant stages of the sport and built cars that won races and championships at the sport’s highest levels.(). From 1950 – 1964, Owens ran 160 Sprint Cup races and won 9. Owens was a car owner for 405 races, his drivers won 38 races and 1 championship with David Pearson in 1966.(4-10-2012)
- Kenseth to return to Daytona for Daytona 500 Champion’s Breakfast: Roush Fenway Racing’s two-time DAYTONA 500 Champion, #17-Matt Kenseth, is set to return to the site of his historic win this week for a rescheduled fan event celebrating the team’s victory. The win in the 54th “Great American Race” also earned a milestone victory for Roush Fenway Racing as the organization earned its 300th NASCAR win in the process. Originally scheduled as the Champion’s Breakfast for the morning of February 27, 2012, the event had to be rescheduled after rain showers forced the DAYTONA 500 to be run Monday night on February 28th. The event is open to fans and includes a fan forum question and answer event with Kenseth, team owner Jack Roush, and crew chief of the #17 Best Buy team, Jimmy Fennig. Doors open at 10:45 a.m. and fans will have the opportunity to have their picture taken with the winning No. 17 Best Buy Ford Fusion which is on display at the facility for the next year. Lunch will also be available for those in attendance, and guests will have the opportunity to get a tour of Daytona International Speedway. Tickets for the original Champion’s Breakfast event for February 27, 2012 will be honored for the Champion’s Lunch on April 11th. Tickets are also available for $40 by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or online at daytonainternationalspeedway.com.(Roush Fenway Racing)(4-10-2012)
- Special scheme for Martin at Texas: The #55 Toyota of Mark Martin carries a special paint scheme this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, celebrating Aaron’s 2011 Best of the Best employees, divisions, regions, stores and franchises. All are from Texas. Winners, based on operational results for the 2011 calendar year and appearing on the #55, include: Division of the Year: Dave Buck – Southwestern Division (Houston, Tex.); Franchise Division of the Year: Wallace Vernon / Tom Blassingame / Charles Hollinger – Bear Rental Purchase (Killeen, Tex.); Region of the Year – Company: Ryan Malone – South Texas (Corpus Christi, Tex.); Region of the Year – Franchise: David Foster – Alliance North (Decatur, Tex.); Store of the Year – Company: Joe Borrego – C1024 (Odessa, Tex.); Store of the Year – Franchise: Joey Dolberry – F684 (Early, Tex.)(MWR), see an image of the car on the #55 Team Schemes page.(4-10-2012)
- Dr. Pepper scheme for Kvapil: the #93 BK Racing Toyota of Travis Kvapil will carry the colors of Dr. Pepper at Texas Motor Speedway. See an image of the car on the #93 Team Schemes page.(4-10-2012)
- History and Notes at Texas Motor Speedway:
� Construction began in 1995.
� The first NASCAR race was a NASCAR Nationwide Series event on April 5, 1997.
� The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was on April 6, 1997.
� There have been 22 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway, one per season from 1997 through 2004 and two races per year since 2005.
� Four drivers have competed in all 22 Texas races: Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin.
� Jeremy Mayfield was the first pole winner, in 1998. Qualifying for the inaugural race in 1997 was canceled.
� Jeff Burton won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup race.
� 16 drivers have scored poles, led by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman and Jeff Gordon with two.
� 16 drivers have won races, led by Carl Edwards, with three. Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart and Jeff Burton each have two wins.
� 16 of 22 races have been won from a top 10 starting position. Only one has been won from the pole – Kasey Kahne in 2006.
� Matt Kenseth started 31st en route to his victory at Texas in 2002, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started.
� Both Jeff Burton (1999) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) scored their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win at Texas, and 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne made his first series start at Texas (11/07/10).
� Martin Truex Jr. (11/04/07) and David Ragan (04/09/11) scored their first series poles at Texas.
� Matt Kenseth (8.7) is the only active driver to average a top-10 finish at Texas.
� Jimmie Johnson (9.2) is the only active driver to average a top-10 starting position at Texas.
� Roush Fenway Racing leads all owners in victories, with eight. Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have three wins each.
� There has been two season sweeps, by Carl Edwards in 2008 and Denny Hamlin in 2010.(NASCAR)(4-10-2012) - Ganassi to be honored: The Heinz History Center will honor NASCAR, Grand-Am and IndyCar team owner Chip Ganassi for his contributions to the [Pittsburgh] region and the nation at the 20th Annual History Makers Award Dinner on April 13.(Pittsburgh Post Gazette)(4-10-2012)
- Pastrana named Grand Marshal for Samsung Mobile 500: Travis Pastrana, X Games icon and one of NASCAR’s newest superstars, will serve as the Grand Marshal for Saturday’s Samsung Mobile 500 Sprint Cup Series race. PastranaPastrana, an 11-time X Games medalist, turned his attention to NASCAR in 2011 and will compete for Pastrana 199 Racing in select Nationwide Series races this year. However, Pastrana will remain true to his extreme sports roots, competing in the 2012 Global Rallycross Championship that makes a stop at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, June 9, to combine for a doubleheader with the Firestone 550 IZOD IndyCar Series race.(TMS)(4-10-2012)
- Tickets available for Rockingham Truck Series race; special Hame of Fame package: Thanks to a partnership between the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Rockingham Speedway, race fans will be able to get a double dose of racing history in the coming weeks. TheNASCAR Hall of Fame is offering a 20% discount on admission to anyone presenting a ticket, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame box office, for the April 15, 2012 running of the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 presented by Cheerwine NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Rockingham Speedway. Conveniently located in uptown Charlotte, N.C., the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. For more information on the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 presented by Cheerwine, or to purchase tickets for any of Rockingham Speedway’s events, contact the speedway at 910.205.8800 or visit online at www.rockinghamspeedway.com. This special price may not be combined with any other offer and is available until December 31, 2012, excluding May 12 – May 28 and October 6 – 14, 2012.(Rockingham Speedway)(4-10-2012)
- Former Rockingham Speedway boss honored by alma mater: As the Rockingham Speedway is honored with the return of NASCAR to its track, a former president of the speedway is receiving honors of her own. Ellerbe native, Jo DeWitt Wilson, has been given the title of Trustee Emerita from Queens University of Charlotte. “My father, L.G. Dewitt, was president of the speedway until he passed away in 1990,” said Wilson. “Frank Wilson – no relation – took over the position until he had a stroke four years later.” Wilson said her mother, Carrie DeWitt, called her and asked her to return to Richmond County and serve as president for the speedway. “The board of directors elected me, and I served from 1994 until 2002,” she said. “We cleaned up, made a lot of improvements, built more stands and did some landscaping,” she said. “When I realized there wasn’t enough money coming in to pay for all the upgrades, I contacted Roger Penske, who purchased the track from my mother. He allowed me to stay on through the end of my contract.” After leaving the track, Wilson retired and began to pursue personal interests. Wilson, who received her degree in home economics from Queens University of Charlotte in 1959, decided to return to her alma mater. She was elected to the board of trustees in 1999, and served until 2011. Recently, the school named her Trustee Emerita. “I no longer serve as a fiscal trustee for the college, but I remain very active,” said Wilson. “I also still closely follow the news of Rockingham Speedway.” Wilson said that she will be in Georgia on business during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Good Sam Roadside Assistance Carolina 200 presented by Cheerwine, on April 15 at The Rock, but her sister Nancy Daugherty, also a Queens alumni, will be working at a concession stand during the race. “So my family will be represented at the speedway when NASCAR returns,” she said.(Richmond County Daily Journal)(4-10-2012)
- Ryan Truex in the #09 at Texas: RAB Racing with Brack Maggard and two-time NASCAR K&N; Pro Series East champion Ryan Truex will team up for this weekend’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. Grime Boss, a division of Nice-Pak Products, Inc., will sponsor Truex as he pilots the #09 Grime Boss Toyota Camry in his first start at the 1.5-mile oval. The 20-year-old driver has compiled one top-five and six top-10 finishes in 26 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts. Kenny Wallace, who drove the #09 Toyota Camry in the first five races of the 2012 season, will return to the team at Talladega Superspeedway next month.(RAB Racing)(4-10-2012)
- Kurt making first start for Kyle Busch Motorsports: Week six of the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series race season brings the #54 Monster Energy team to Texas Motor Speedway with a new face behind the wheel. Kurt Busch, the 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion and older brother to team owner Kyle Busch, looks to add a victory to the record book for the newly formed Kyle Busch Motorsports Nationwide Series team, and to his own NNS resume that already includes three wins and three poles in 13 career series starts. This weekend’s TMS event will be the first of an estimated 17 Nationwide Series events in which the elder Busch will drive the #54 Monster Energy entry for KBM.(Kyle Busch Motorsports)(4-10-2012)
- Ty Dillon heads to Rockingham with ARCA win history: Ty Dillon will pilot the #3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Silverado from the Richard Childress Racing stable in Sunday’s Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 at Rockingham Speedway. Dillon is no stranger to the one-mile race track earning a win in 2010 at the Rockingham, NC, Speedway in ARCA Racing Series. The 20-year-old racer started from the sixth position and lead 41 laps before taking the checkered flag for the second time in just his third appearance in the ARCA Racing Series. After Dillon’s second-place showing at Martinsville Speedway, he currently sits fourth in the Camping World Truck Series driver’s championship point standings just four markers behind the leader. Dillon is tied for the lead with John King for the 2012 Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. The two drivers have a total of 32 points after two races on the Camping World Truck Series schedule.(Richard Childress Racing PR)(4-10-2012)
- Lofton returns to site of 2009 ARCA Championship Celebration: This week Justin Lofton returns to the site of one of the most memorable moments of his racing career – Rockingham Speedway, as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series ushers in NASCAR’s return to the historic track. Etched with history, the 47-year-old track is special to the 26-year-old Lofton after he celebrated the ARCA Racing Series championship at “The Rock” in 2009. Just like in 2009, Lofton will be piloting a #6 entry for Eddie Sharp Racing as he wheels the #6 College Complete.com Chevrolet within the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Though this week will be his first in a truck at the track, Lofton has raced at “The Rock” three times within ARCA competition. The most important run at the eastern North Carolina track in October of 2009 provided the most challenges. Entering the race Lofton had a small 15-point lead over Parker Kligerman in the championship standings When it was all said and done, Kligerman took the checkered flag, but Lofton took the championship trophy courtesy of a third place finish. He wrapped up the championship with a narrow five-point margin over Kligerman. The Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 Presented by Cheerwine is set for Sunday, April 15th at 1:00pm Eastern.(ESR/Justin Lofton PR(4-10-2012)
- George set for first RCR 2012 start: Tim George Jr. will pilot Chassis #047 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Camping World Truck Series stable in this weekend’s Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200. This weekend’s 200-miler marks Tim George Jr.’s first appearance behind the wheel of the #2 Applebee’s Chevrolet Silverado for the 2012 season. George Jr. is slated to compete in a total of 12 Camping World Truck Series races for RCR this season. The 31-year-old driver will also see on-track action at Kansas Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Iowa Speedway (both races), Kentucky Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Michigan International Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. George Jr. has three previous starts at the historic one-mile track in the ARCA Racing Series. Before competing in the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200, George Jr. will pilot the No. 2 Applebee’s Chevrolet UARA Late Model for Team Dillon Racing on Saturday, April 14. George Jr. is slated to run 12 events under the TDR banner this season in the UARA Late Model.(Richard Childress Racing PR)(4-10-2012)
- ThorSport set to break record at Rockingham: ThorSport Racing, the Truck Series’ longest-standing organization, is breaking yet another record this weekend at Rockingham Speedway. When the green flag waves, it will mark the 350th consecutive event in which ThorSport Racing has had at least one truck entered, breaking Roush Fenway Racing’s previous record of 349. Matt Crafton has been behind the wheel of the #88 truck for 249 of those starts. Johnny Sauter has been behind the wheel of the #13 for 77 of those starts.(ThorSport Racing PR)(4-10-2012)
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